bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Interfacial Intermetallic Compounds Morphology on Mechanical Properties of Laser Brazing of Aluminum to Steel
Authors: Lee Kwang-Hyeon , Lee Su-Jin , Park In-Duck , Choi Kwang-Deok , Kang Chung-Yun , Suh Jeong , Yoon Tae-Jin
Published: August 2021

The paper provides experimental details of the welding and specific examples of welding aluminum welding battery cans and conductive tabs for battery pack manufacture. In this study, we provide experimental details of a process for joining dissimilar materials used in sealing battery parts. A laser brazing technique was used for the lap joining of aluminum alloy and a deep drawing quality stainless steel, with an Al-Si filler metal. These materials are commonly used in battery applications, as materials for the cap plate, tab plate and can. The relationships among the width of the brazed zone, formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs), shape of the joint interface, and joint strength were systematically investigated with respect to the laser power and filler wire feeding rate. When a low and medium laser power (1.2-2.0 kW) was applied, the joint strength was very low, and fracture occurred across the band-shaped IMC layer. With a further increase in the applied laser power (2.2-2.8 kW), a new needle-like IMC composed of Al13Fe5 with a monoclinic crystal structure was formed, and it penetrated the brazed zone. In addition, the width of the brazed zone increased due to the partial melting of the aluminum. The joint efficiency under a high laser power condition was 70% compared to that of the base material. Fractures occurred alternately along the needle-shaped IMC and filler metal zone. Since the fracture propagated along the needle-like IMCs inside the brazed zone, the peak load was higher than that of the band-shaped IMCs.
Porous MnO2/ carbon Hybrid Material with Improved Electrochemical Performance
Authors: Nulu Venugopal
Published: August 2021

In this work, MnO2 nanoparticles were embedded in a carbon matrix as a porous composite, fabricated using a simple chemical route followed by low-temperature annealing, with activated carbon (AC) as the carbon source in the composite preparation. The porous MnO2/carbon structures contained some selective nanoparticles coated with carbon. The structural feature was identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface area and pore size distribution of the materials were investigated by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, and demonstrated a high surface area of about 80 m2 g-1. AC is a readily available carbon source that can easily form a composite with MnO2 nanoparticles, forming a distinctive porous morphology. When employed as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), the composite electrode demonstrated high specific capacities with an initial discharge capacity of 2500 mAh g-1 and maintained about 1391 mAh g-1 after fifty cycles. It also demonstrated excellent high rate performance, delivering more than 500 mAh g-1 of specific capacity at 3000 mA g-1, which is a higher capacity than a conventional graphite anode. Overall, the MnO2/ carbon composite electrode delivered superior anode performance, which was attributed to the improved surface area of the carbon hybridized MnO2 nanoparticles. The porous composite has benefits for lithium storage performance.
Low Temperature Growth of One-Dimensional Al and Al2O3 Nano/Micro-Structures Using Al and SnO2 Powder Mixture
Authors: Lee Geun-Hyoung
Published: August 2021

One-dimensional Al and Al2O3 nano/microstructures were fabricated via thermal oxidation of Al and SnO2 powder mixtures at temperatures below the melting point of Al (660 oC). Furthermore, the synthesis process was carried out in air at atmospheric pressure, which made the process very simple and easy. Sn metal particles with spherical shape were observed on the tips of the Al and Al2O3 nano/microstructures, suggesting that the nano/microstructures were grown via a catalyst-assisted growth mechanism. The Sn acted as a catalyst for growing the Al and Al2O3 nano/microstructures. The Sn with low melting point (232 oC) was produced via the reduction of SnO2 by Al, and formed catalyst droplets at the growth temperatures. Al atoms diffused and dissolved into the Sn liquid droplets, leading to the nucleation and then the growth of the Al and Al2O3 nano/microstructures. At 400 oC, the diffusion of Al atoms into the Sn liquid droplets was associated with high stress generated at the Al2O3/Al interface. At 600 oC close to the melting point of Al, Al atoms were diffused from the thin Al liquid layer, which was formed on the surface of the Al powder, to the Sn liquid droplets. Simultaneously, the Al atoms reacted with oxygen in air and formed solid Al2O3 nuclei. A relatively strong ultraviolet emission band centered at 330 nm was observed in the sample prepared at 600 oC.
The Noise of Time
Authors: Paetsch John
Published: August 2021

The ‘I’ fractured by time – if Deleuze returns repeatedly to this seemingly minor moment in Kant's system, it is not simply to sound anew the theme of ‘difference’ (this time, with an a priori accent). No, Deleuze turns to this ‘interior drama’ for the same reason that Kant, in the Opus Postumum, returns to it: it presents the most direct passage from ‘interior’ (self) to ‘exterior’ (Nature). But Kant's late complication of the transcendental field undermines several of his most cherished theses – in particular, the fixity of the table of categories, the homogeneity of the forms of intuition (Space and Time) and the rights of logical determinacy. It is left to Deleuze to radicalise Kant's critique along the lines of time. In contending with this fissure, Deleuze inaugurates nothing less than a truly genetic philosophy of Nature – one that would think with Nature rather than of it. Only one caught in this labyrinthine flow could inquire into the possibility of radical metamorphosis.
Influence of Anisotropic White Matter on Electroosmotic Flow Induced by Direct Current
Authors: Wang Teng , Kleiven Svein , Li Xiaogai
Published: August 2021

Treatment of cerebral edema remains a major challenge in clinical practice and new innovative therapies are needed. This study presents a novel approach for mitigating cerebral edema by inducing bulk fluid transport utilizing the brain’s electroosmotic property using an anatomically detailed finite element head model incorporating anisotropy in the white matter (WM). Three representative anisotropic conductivity algorithms are employed for the WM and compared with isotropic WM. The key results are (1) the electroosmotic flow (EOF) is driven from the edema region to the subarachnoid space under an applied electric field with its magnitude linearly correlated to the electric field and direction following current flow pathways; (2) the extent of EOF distribution variation correlates highly with the degree of the anisotropic ratio of the WM regions; (3) the directions of the induced EOF in the anisotropic models deviate from its isotropically defined pathways and tend to move along the principal fiber direction. The results suggest WM anisotropy should be incorporated in head models for more reliable EOF evaluations for cerebral edema mitigation and demonstrate the promise of the electroosmosis based approach to be developed as a new therapy for edema treatment as evaluated with enhanced head models incorporating WM anisotropy.
Long-Term Continuous Extraction of Medium-Chain Carboxylates by Pertraction With Submerged Hollow-Fiber Membranes
Authors: Xu Jiajie , Bian Bin , Angenent Largus T. , Saikaly Pascal E.
Published: August 2021

Medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs), which can be generated from organic waste and agro-industrial side streams through microbial chain elongation, are valuable chemicals with numerous industrial applications. Membrane-based liquid-liquid extraction (pertraction) as a downstream separation process to extract MCCAs has been applied successfully. Here, a novel pertraction system with submerged hollow-fiber membranes in the fermentation bioreactor was applied to increase the MCCA extraction rate and reduce the footprint. The highest average surface-corrected MCCA extraction rate of 655.2 ± 86.4 mmol C m−2 d−1 was obtained, which was higher than any other previous reports, albeit the relatively small surface area removed only 11.6% of the introduced carbon via pertraction. This submerged extraction system was able to continuously extract MCCAs with a high extraction rate for more than 8 months. The average extraction rate of MCCA by internal membrane was 3.0- to 4.7-fold higher than the external pertraction (traditional pertraction) in the same bioreactor. A broth upflow velocity of 7.6 m h−1 was more efficient to extract MCCAs when compared to periodic biogas recirculation operation as a means to prevent membrane fouling. An even higher broth upflow velocity of 40.5 m h−1 resulted in a significant increase in methane production, losing more than 30% of carbon conversion to methane due to a loss of H2, and a subsequent drop in the H2 partial pressure. This resulted in the shift from a microbial community with chain elongators as the key functional group to methanogens, because the drop in H2 partial pressure led to thermodynamic conditions that oxidizes ethanol and carboxylic acids to acetate and H2 with methanogens as the syntrophic partner. Thus, operators of chain elongating systems should monitor the H2 partial pressure when changes in operating conditions are made.
The Ageing Brain: Molecular and Cellular Basis of Neurodegeneration
Authors: Azam Shofiul , Haque Md. Ezazul , Balakrishnan Rengasamy , Kim In-Su , Choi Dong-Kug
Published: August 2021

Ageing is an inevitable event in the lifecycle of all organisms, characterized by progressive physiological deterioration and increased vulnerability to death. Ageing has also been described as the primary risk factor of most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTD). These neurodegenerative diseases occur more prevalently in the aged populations. Few effective treatments have been identified to treat these epidemic neurological crises. Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with enormous socioeconomic and personal costs. Here, the pathogenesis of AD, PD, and other neurodegenerative diseases has been presented, including a summary of their known associations with the biological hallmarks of ageing: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, deregulated nutrient sensing, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communications. Understanding the central biological mechanisms that underlie ageing is important for identifying novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. Potential therapeutic strategies, including the use of NAD+precursors, mitophagy inducers, and inhibitors of cellular senescence, has also been discussed.
Vaginal Probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus Seems to Inhibit Sperm Activity and Subsequently Reduces Pregnancies in Rat
Authors: Li Ping , Wei Kehong , He Xia , Zhang Lu , Liu Zhaoxia , Wei Jing , Chen Xiaomei , Wei Hong , Chen Tingtao
Published: August 2021

Background

The vaginal microbiota is associated with the health of the female reproductive system and the offspring. Lactobacillus crispatus belongs to one of the most important vaginal probiotics, while its role in the agglutination and immobilization of human sperm, fertility, and offspring health is unclear.

Methods

Adherence assays, sperm motility assays, and Ca2+-detecting assays were used to analyze the adherence properties and sperm motility of L. crispatus Lcr-MH175, attenuated Salmonella typhimurium VNP20009, engineered S. typhimurium VNP20009 DNase I, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in vitro. The rat reproductive model was further developed to study the role of L. crispatus on reproduction and offspring health, using high-throughput sequencing, real-time PCR, and molecular biology techniques.

Results

Our results indicated that L. crispatus, VNP20009, VNP20009 DNase I, and E. coli O157:H7 significantly inhibited the sperm motility in vitro via adversely affecting the sperm intracellular Ca2+ concentration and showed a high adhesion to sperms. The in vivo results indicated that L. crispatus and other tested bacteria greatly reduced the pregnancy rates, but L. crispatus had a positive effect on maternal health and offspring development. Moreover, the transplantation of L. crispatus could sustain a normal bacterial composition of the vaginal microbiota in healthy rats and markedly reduced the expression of uterine inflammatory factors (toll-like receptor-4/nuclear factor kappa-B, tumor necrosis factor-α, production of interleukin-1β, etc.) and apoptosis factors (Fas Ligand, Bcl-2-associated X protein/B cell lymphoma-2, etc.) compared with the other tested strains.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that the vaginal probiotic L. crispatus greatly affected the sperm activity and could also reduce pregnancies through its adhesion property, which might account for some unexplained infertility. Therefore, more caution should be paid when using L. crispatus as a vaginal viable preparation in women of child-bearing age, especially for women whose partners have abnormal sperms.
AAV-Containing Exosomes as a Novel Vector for Improved Gene Delivery to Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Liu Bin , Li Zhiqing , Huang Shi , Yan Biying , He Shan , Chen Fengyuan , Liang Yaxuan
Published: August 2021

Lung carcinoma is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Among the numerous therapeutic strategies for the treatment of lung cancer, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer has been demonstrated to have the potential to effectively suppress tumor growth or reverse the progression of the disease in a number of preclinical studies. AAV vector has a safety profile; however, the relatively low delivery efficacy to particular subtypes of lung carcinoma has limited its prospective clinical translation. Exosomes are nanosized extracellular vesicles secreted from nearly all known cell types. Exosomes have a membrane-enclosed structure carrying a range of cargo molecules for efficient intercellular transfer of functional entities, thus are considered as a superior vector for drug delivery. In the present study, we developed a novel strategy to produce and purify AAV-containing exosomes (AAVExo) from AAV-packaging HEK 293T cells. The cellular uptake capacity of exosomes assisted and enhanced AAV entry into cells and protected AAV from antibody neutralization, which was a serious challenge for AAV in vivo application. We tested a list of lung cancer cell lines representing non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer and found that AAVExo apparently improved the gene transfer efficiency compared to conventional AAV vector. Our in vitro results were supported in vivo in a lung cancer xenograft rodent model. Additionally, we evaluated the gene delivery efficiency in the presence of neutralizing antibody on lung cancer cells. The results demonstrated that AAVExo-mediated gene transfer was not impacted, while the AAV vectors were significantly blocked by the neutralizing antibody. Taken together, we established an efficient methodology for AAVExo purification, and the purified AAVExo largely enhanced gene delivery to lung cancer cells with remarkable resistance to antibody neutralization.
Tools to Image Germplasm Dynamics During Early Zebrafish Development
Authors: Zaucker Andreas , Mitchell Claire A. , Coker Helena L. E. , Sampath Karuna
Published: August 2021

During the first day of zebrafish development, ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes called germplasm form large aggregates that initially segregate asymmetrically during cleavage stages. After zygotic genome activation, the granules break into smaller fragments that associate with the nuclear membrane as perinuclear (germ) granules toward the end of gastrulation. The mechanisms underlying the highly dynamic behavior of germ granules are not well studied but thought to be facilitated by the cytoskeleton. Here, we present efficient mounting strategies using 3d-printed tools that generate wells on agarose-coated sample holders to allow high-resolution imaging of multiplexed embryos that are less than one day post-fertilization (dpf) on inverted (spinning disk confocal) as well as upright (lattice light-sheet and diSPIM) microscopes. In particular, our tools and methodology allow water dipping lenses to have direct access to mounted embryos, with no obstructions to the light path (e.g., through low melting agarose or methyl cellulose). Moreover, the multiplexed tight arrays of wells generated by our tools facilitate efficient mounting of early embryos (including cleavage stages) for live imaging. These methods and tools, together with new transgenic reporter lines, can facilitate the study of germ granule dynamics throughout their lifetime in detail, at high resolution and throughput, using live imaging technologies.
Non-coding RNA Activated by DNA Damage: Review of Its Roles in the Carcinogenesis
Authors: Ghafouri-Fard Soudeh , Azimi Tahereh , Hussen Bashdar Mahmud , Abak Atefe , Taheri Mohammad , Dilmaghani Nader Akbari
Published: August 2021

Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00657 (LINC00657) or “non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage” (NORAD) is an extremely conserved and copious long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). This transcript has pivotal role in the preservation of genome integrity. Several researches have appraised the role of NORAD in the evolution of human cancers with most of them indicating an oncogenic role for this lncRNA. Several miRNAs such as miR-199a-3p, miR-608, miR−155−5p, miR-590-3p, miR-495-3p, miR-608, miR-202-5p, miR-125a-3p, miR-144-3p, miR−202−5p, and miR-30a-5p have been recognized as targets of NORAD in different cancer cell lines. In addition, NORAD has interactions with cancer-related pathways, particularly STAT, TGF-β, Akt/mTOR, and PI3K/AKT pathway. Over-expression of NORAD has been related with poor clinical outcome of patients with diverse types of neoplasms. Collectively, NORAD is a prospective marker and target for combating cancer.
Multifaceted Immunomodulatory Effects of the BTK Inhibitors Ibrutinib and Acalabrutinib on Different Immune Cell Subsets – Beyond B Lymphocytes
Authors: Zhu Sining , Gokhale Samantha , Jung Jaeyong , Spirollari Eris , Tsai Jemmie , Arceo Johann , Wu Ben Wang , Victor Eton , Xie Ping
Published: August 2021

The clinical success of the two BTK inhibitors, ibrutinib and acalabrutinib, represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and has also revolutionized the treatment options for other B cell malignancies. Increasing evidence indicates that in addition to their direct effects on B lymphocytes, both BTK inhibitors also directly impact the homeostasis, phenotype and function of many other cell subsets of the immune system, which contribute to their high efficacy as well as adverse effects observed in CLL patients. In this review, we attempt to provide an overview on the overlapping and differential effects of ibrutinib and acalabrutinib on specific receptor signaling pathways in different immune cell subsets other than B cells, including T cells, NK cells, monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, dendritic cells, osteoclasts, mast cells and platelets. The shared and distinct effects of ibrutinib versus acalabrutinib are mediated through BTK-dependent and BTK-independent mechanisms, respectively. Such immunomodulatory effects of the two drugs have fueled myriad explorations of their repurposing opportunities for the treatment of a wide variety of other human diseases involving immune dysregulation.
Psi-Caller: A Lightweight Short Read-Based Variant Caller With High Speed and Accuracy
Authors: Liu Yadong , Jiang Tao , Gao Yan , Liu Bo , Zang Tianyi , Wang Yadong
Published: August 2021

With the rapid development of short-read sequencing technologies, many population-scale resequencing studies have been carried out to study the associations between human genome variants and various phenotypes in recent years. Variant calling is one of the core bioinformatics tasks in such studies to comprehensively discover genomic variants in sequenced samples. Many efforts have been made to develop short read-based variant calling approaches; however, state-of-the-art tools are still computationally expensive. Meanwhile, cutting-edge genomics studies also have higher requirements on the yields of variant calling. Herein, we propose Partial-Order Alignment-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNV) and Indel caller (Psi-caller), a lightweight variant calling algorithm that simultaneously achieves high performance and yield. Mainly, Psi-caller recognizes and divides the candidate variant site into three categories according to the complexity and location of the signatures and employs various methods including binomial model, partial-order alignment, and de Bruijn graph-based local assembly to handle various categories of candidate variant sites to call and genotype SNVs/Indels, respectively. Benchmarks on simulated and real short-read sequencing data sets demonstrate that Psi-caller is times faster than state-of-the-art tools with higher or equal sensitivity and accuracy. It has the potential to well handle large-scale data sets in cutting-edge genomics studies.
Deciphering the O-Glycosylation of HKU1 Spike Protein With the Dual-Functional Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Materials
Authors: Cui Yun , Dong Xuefang , Zhang Xiaofei , Chen Cheng , Fu Dongmei , Li Xiuling , Liang Xinmiao
Published: August 2021

HKU1 is a human beta coronavirus and infects host cells via highly glycosylated spike protein (S). The N-glycosylation of HKU1 S has been reported. However, little is known about its O-glycosylation, which hinders the in-depth understanding of its biological functions. Herein, a comprehensive study of O-glycosylation of HKU1 S was carried out based on dual-functional histidine-bonded silica (HBS) materials. The enrichment method for O-glycopeptides with HBS was developed and validated using standard proteins. The application of the developed method to the HKU1 S1 subunit resulted in 46 novel O-glycosylation sites, among which 55.6% were predicted to be exposed on the outer protein surface. Moreover, the O-linked glycans and their abundance on each HKU1 S1 site were analyzed. The obtained O-glycosylation dataset will provide valuable insights into the structure of HKU1 S.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiology of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated From Female Patients in Shanghai, China
Authors: Zeng Qian , Xiao Shuzhen , Gu Feifei , He Weiping , Xie Qing , Yu Fangyou , Han Lizhong
Published: August 2021

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections and UTI is the most common extraintestinal infectious disease entity in women worldwide. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the leading cause of UTI. While antimicrobial resistance has emerged as one of the principal problems of UTI, little is known about the epidemiology of UPEC isolated from female patients in Shanghai. This study aimed to describe the antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiology of UPEC isolated from female patients in Shanghai, China. UPEC isolates were collected from female patients from July 2019 to June 2020 in Shanghai and a total of 151 isolates were obtained randomly. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. Multilocus sequencing type, phylogenetic groups, antimicrobial resistance genes, and virulence genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction. In our study, no carbapenem-resistant isolates were found, but fluoroquinolone-resistant and multi-drug resistant UPEC accounted for 62.25% and 42.38%, respectively. The phylogenetic group B2 (58.94%) predominated, followed by phylogenetic group D (26.49%). The most prevalent sequence type was ST1193 (25.83%), which was first reported in Shanghai. The rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive isolates was 39.74% and the dominant ESBL genotype was blaCTX-M-14 (21/60), followed by blaCTX-M-55 (12/60). Mutations in gyrA were detected in the majority of fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates (90/94), followed by parC (85/94) and parE (71/94). The aac (3) -IIa was also found in 85% of aminoglycoside resistance isolates. Among 151 UPEC isolates, the common virulence genes were csgA (97.35%), fimH (92.72%), sitA (82.12%), and malX (65.56%). In conclusion, the high antimicrobial resistance of UPEC isolated from female patients, harboring a series of virulence genes, are troublesome for medical practitioners in Shanghai. At present, the prevalent ST1193 and emerging blaCTX-M-55 make UTI therapy more challenging.
Aedes aegypti Infection With Trypanosomatid Strigomonas culicis Alters Midgut Redox Metabolism and Reduces Mosquito Reproductive Fitness
Authors: Bombaça Ana Cristina S. , Gandara Ana Caroline P. , Ennes-Vidal Vitor , Bottino-Rojas Vanessa , Dias Felipe A. , Farnesi Luana C. , Sorgine Marcos H. , Bahia Ana Cristina , Bruno Rafaela V. , Menna-Barreto Rubem F. S.
Published: August 2021

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit arboviruses of important global health impact, and their intestinal microbiota can influence vector competence by stimulating the innate immune system. Midgut epithelial cells also produce toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dual oxidases (DUOXs) that are essential players in insect immunity. Strigomonas culicis is a monoxenous trypanosomatid that naturally inhabits mosquitoes; it hosts an endosymbiotic bacterium that completes essential biosynthetic pathways of the parasite and influences its oxidative metabolism. Our group previously showed that S. culicis hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-resistant (WTR) strain is more infectious to A. aegypti mosquitoes than the wild-type (WT) strain. Here, we investigated the influence of both strains on the midgut oxidative environment and the effect of infection on mosquito fitness and immunity. WT stimulated the production of superoxide by mitochondrial metabolism of midgut epithelial cells after 4 days post-infection, while WTR exacerbated H2O2 production mediated by increased DUOX activity and impairment of antioxidant system. The infection with both strains also disrupted the fecundity and fertility of the females, with a greater impact on reproductive fitness of WTR-infected mosquitoes. The presence of these parasites induced specific transcriptional modulation of immune-related genes, such as attacin and defensin A during WTR infection (11.8- and 6.4-fold, respectively) and defensin C in WT infection (7.1-fold). Thus, we propose that A. aegypti oxidative response starts in early infection time and does not affect the survival of the H2O2-resistant strain, which has a more efficient antioxidant system. Our data provide new biological aspects of A. aegypti–S. culicis relationship that can be used later in alternative vector control strategies.
miR-135b-3p Promotes Cardiomyocyte Ferroptosis by Targeting GPX4 and Aggravates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Sun Weixin , Shi Ruijie , Guo Jun , Wang Haiyan , Shen Le , Shi Haibo , Yu Peng , Chen Xiaohu
Published: August 2021

Ferroptosis is a form of cell death induced by excess iron and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in cells. Recently, ferroptosis has been reported to be associated with cancer and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in multiple organs. However, the regulatory effects and underlying mechanisms of myocardial I/R injury are not well-understood. The role of miR-135b-3p as an oncogene that accelerates tumor development has been confirmed; however, its role in myocardial I/R is not fully understood. In this study, we established an in vivo myocardial I/R rat model and an in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced H9C2 cardiomyocyte injury model and observed that ferroptosis occurred in tissues and cells during I/R myocardial injury. We used database analysis to find miR-135b-3p and validated its inhibitory effect on the ferroptosis-related gene glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4), using a luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, miR-135b-3p was found to promote the myocardial I/R injury by downregulating GPX4 expression. The results of this study elucidate a novel function of miR-135b-3p in exacerbating cardiomyocyte ferroptosis, providing a new therapeutic target for improving I/R injury.
Prevalence, Clinical Features, and In-hospital Outcome of Fatty Liver Disease in Acute Aortic Dissection: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Zuo Yifan , Cai Xin , Wang Zhiwei , Hu Zhipeng , Wu Zhiyong , Zhang Min , Yu Anfeng , Liu Liang , Xing Yun
Published: August 2021

Background and Aims: Fatty liver disease (FLD) has emerged as a major public issue in China. We aim to investigate prevalence, clinical features, and in-hospital outcome of FLD in acute aortic dissection (AAD) patients.

Methods: Data of 379 AAD patients from 2017 to 2019 at Renmin hospital of Wuhan University was retrospectively collected and divided according to age and FLD absence. Propensity score matching was used for minimal confounding. We compared their physical environmental parameter of onset, clinical features, and in-hospital outcome.

Results: The mean age was 52.0 ± 11.5 years in type A and 55.1 ± 11.4 in type B. 25.0% of type A and 19.2% of type B AAD patients had FLD. Logistic regression indicated a negative association between FLD and age, both in type A [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.958 (per 1 year), 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.930–0.988, p = 0.0064] and type B [unadjusted OR 0.943 (per 1 year), 95% CI 0.910–0.978, p = 0.0013]. After matching, type A with FLD had onset with a lower air quality index (AQI) of 68.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 46.0–90.0] and a lower Pm 2.5 concentration of 36.0 μg/m3 (IQR 23.0–56.0) compared with non-FLD group. In Kaplan-Meier estimation, FLD was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality in type B AAD (p = 0.0297).

Conclusion: The prevalence of FLD in AAD decrease with age, both in type A and type B AAD. Type A AAD patients with FLD had onset with better air quality parameters compared with non-FLD group. FLD was associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality in type B AAD.
Monolith Dental Bridge by Soft Machining of Dried Ceramic Dough
Authors: Seesala Venkata Sundeep , Vaidya Pravin Vasudeo , Rajasekharan Ragavi , Kumar Ojha Atul , Jana Subhodeep , Pal Barnali , Dhara Santanu
Published: August 2021

All-ceramic fixed restorations are gaining popularity because of increased esthetic consciousness in the younger population. Monolith ceramic crowns and bridges are preferred to withstand masticatory loads where the availability of occlusal height is limited. Machining green blanks of ceramic with organic binders have been studied to reduce loss of final strength, cost, and wastage associated with milling partial sintered and sintered blanks. Notches on the surface/edge associated with green milling will disappear after sintering in contrast to sintered state machining where diamond polishing is essential. In this study, we explored a novel ceramic dough process to form a green body of alumina or 3 Mol% yttria-stabilized zirconium oxide (YSZ), and computer numerical control (CNC) machining was performed on the dried dough. Micro Computer Tomography analysis of the bridges after sintering revealed a negligible void volume, 0.06–0.08% of the total volume, with randomly dispersed voids. Precision analysis of the sintered bridges with respect to the reference file resulted in a deviation range of +0.56 to −0.79 mm, with negligible deviation on the cementation surface. The green machined surface had a roughness profile of 1.2–1.7 μm after machining and 2.2–2.4 μm after sintering, as revealed by 3D profilometry.
The Plenus Cold Event Record in the Abyssal DSDP Site 367 (Cape Verde, Central Atlantic): Environmental Perturbations and Impacts on the Nitrogen Cycle
Authors: Riquier Laurent , Cadeau Pierre , Danzelle Julien , Baudin François , Pucéat Emmanuelle , Thomazo Christophe
Published: August 2021

The Oceanic Anoxic Event 2, at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (∼93.9 Ma), was an episode of widespread burial of organic matter in marine sediments, underlined by a positive carbon-isotope (δ13C) excursion observed worldwide. Within this episode of O2-depleted conditions, a short interval of cooling, termed as the Plenus Cold Event, has been recorded in many sites and sections in the northern hemisphere (Tethyan domain, Western Interior Seaway, proto-North Atlantic Ocean). But, its record and its impact on the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen in the southern part of Central Atlantic Ocean has not been explored yet. Here, we present a detailed geochemical study of the Deep Sea Drilling Project site 367 (Cape Verde) based on a compilation of previous and new data of carbon and nitrogen isotope signals as well as trace element concentrations. The aim of this study is to better constrain the evolution of oxygenation in the water column and the associated changes in nitrogen cycle before and during the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in order to understand the paleoceanographic and environmental consequences of the Plenus Cold Event at one of the deepest site of the Central Atlantic Ocean. Our new dataset improves the resolution of the δ13C curve for this site, and we propose a new chemo-stratigraphic frame of the carbon excursion allowing for a better identification of the short-term negative carbon isotope excursion associated to the Plenus Cold Event. The detailed evolution of redox-sensitive proxies (Mo, U, V, Fe, Cu, Ni enrichments and Corg/Ptotal) and isotopic signals (δ13Corg and δ15Ntotal) evidence that this deep site was impacted by this cooling event. While anoxic conditions prevailed in bottom waters before and during the onset of the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 characterized by euxinic NH4+-rich water column, this cooling event was accompanied by reoxygenation of the water column, which had affected the behavior of the redox-sensitive elements and caused changes in nitrogen biogeochemical cycling.
Detecting the Vegetation Change Related to the Creep of 2018 Baige Landslide in Jinsha River, SE Tibet Using SPOT Data
Authors: Guo Xinyi , Guo Qing , Feng Zhongkui
Published: August 2021

It is vital to monitor the post-seismic landslides economically and effectively in high-mountain regions for the long term. The landslide creep could cause a subtle change of the overlying vegetation after the earthquake, which will lead to the change of vegetation spectral characteristics in optical remote sensing data. The optical remote sensing technique can be used to monitor the landslide creep areas with dense vegetation in a large range at a low cost because it is easy to obtain multi-temporal, multiple-scale, and multi-spectral information. We identified and extracted the vegetation change area before the 2018 Baige landslide by the high-resolution optical remote sensing data. Firstly, the image fusion method was used to improve the accuracy of change detection. Then, vegetation coverage before the landslide was calculated. The vegetation change was identified, and qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the spatio-temporal changes of vegetation coverage. Our results indicate that the creep distance of the landslide is about 50 m and the vegetation in the back scarp area and the main sliding area display a significant downward trend with time closing to the landslide comparing with that in the reference area. The vegetation change in the remote sensing image has an excellent spatio-temporal correlation with the landslide creep. This study provides a possible way and perspective for monitoring post-seismic landslide disasters.
A Roadmap to Gene Discoveries and Novel Therapies in Monogenic Low and High Bone Mass Disorders
Authors: Formosa Melissa M. , Bergen Dylan J. M. , Gregson Celia L. , Maurizi Antonio , Kämpe Anders , Garcia-Giralt Natalia , Zhou Wei , Grinberg Daniel , Ovejero Crespo Diana , Zillikens M. Carola , Williams Graham R. , Bassett J. H. Duncan , Brandi Maria Luisa , Sangiorgi Luca , Balcells Susanna , Högler Wolfgang , Van Hul Wim , Mäkitie Outi
Published: August 2021

Genetic disorders of the skeleton encompass a diverse group of bone diseases differing in clinical characteristics, severity, incidence and molecular etiology. Of particular interest are the monogenic rare bone mass disorders, with the underlying genetic defect contributing to either low or high bone mass phenotype. Extensive, deep phenotyping coupled with high-throughput, cost-effective genotyping is crucial in the characterization and diagnosis of affected individuals. Massive parallel sequencing efforts have been instrumental in the discovery of novel causal genes that merit functional validation using in vitro and ex vivo cell-based techniques, and in vivo models, mainly mice and zebrafish. These translational models also serve as an excellent platform for therapeutic discovery, bridging the gap between basic science research and the clinic. Altogether, genetic studies of monogenic rare bone mass disorders have broadened our knowledge on molecular signaling pathways coordinating bone development and metabolism, disease inheritance patterns, development of new and improved bone biomarkers, and identification of novel drug targets. In this comprehensive review we describe approaches to further enhance the innovative processes taking discoveries from clinic to bench, and then back to clinic in rare bone mass disorders. We highlight the importance of cross laboratory collaboration to perform functional validation in multiple model systems after identification of a novel disease gene. We describe the monogenic forms of rare low and high rare bone mass disorders known to date, provide a roadmap to unravel the genetic determinants of monogenic rare bone mass disorders using proper phenotyping and genotyping methods, and describe different genetic validation approaches paving the way for future treatments.
Researches on Special Thermal Hydraulic Phenomena of Annular Fuel Assembly by Sub-Channel Analysis Code-NACAF
Authors: Wu Pan , Zhang Lixin , Shan Jianqiang , Zhang Bo
Published: August 2021

Dual cooled annular fuel is a novel fuel design, which has the potential to improve the reactor power density while maintaining or improving its safety margin. The effects of tight-lattice geometry, fuel burnup, fuel expansion, coolant channel blockage on the thermal hydraulic performance of annular fuel is studied to illustrate its special features in this paper. A sub-channel analysis code named NACAF, which includes empirical constitutive models in consideration of tight-lattice effects on prediction of pressure drop, critical heat flux and turbulent mixing, channel blockage model, heat conduction model for dual surface cooling condition, coolant flowrate distribution between inner and outer channel, is developed for annular fuel assembly or core analysis based on homogenous fluid model. Validation work is carried out with comparing NACAF results with analytical solutions, as well as numerical results of existing sub-channel code for annular fuel, such as VIPRE-01 and TAFIX. Comparison results demonstrates NACAF’s prediction error is acceptable and it has the ability to simulate thermal hydraulic performance of annular fuels or annular fuel bundles. Based on the developed and verified NACAF, the special thermal hydraulic phenomena of annular fuel are studied to clarify the features of annular fuel.
Urban Growth and Heat in Tropical Climates
Authors: Marcotullio Peter J. , Keßler Carsten , Quintero Gonzalez Rebeca , Schmeltz Michael
Published: August 2021

This research describes the change in temperatures across approximately 270 tropical cities from 1960 to 2020 with a focus on urban warming. It associates urban growth indicators with temperature variations in tropical climate zones (tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, and tropical wet-dry savanna). Our findings demonstrate that over time while temperatures have increased across the tropics, urban residents have experienced higher temperatures (minimum and maximum) than those living outside of cities. Moreover, in certain tropical zones, over the study period, temperatures have risen faster in urban areas than the background (non-urban) temperatures. The results also suggest that with continuing climate change and urban growth, temperatures will continue to rise at higher than background levels in tropical cities unless mitigation measures are implemented. Several fundamental characteristics of urban growth including population size, population density, infrastructure and urban land use patterns are factors associated with variations in temperatures. We find evidence that dense urban forms (compact residential and industrial developments) are associated with higher temperatures and population density is a better predictor of variation in temperatures than either urban population size or infrastructure in most tropic climate zones. Infrastructure, however, is a better predictor of temperature increases in wet-dry savanna tropical climates than population density. There are a number of potential mitigation measures available to urban managers to address heat. We focus on ecological services, but whether these services can address the projected increasing heat levels is unclear. More local research is necessary to untangle the various contributions to increasing heat in cities and evaluate whether these applications can be effective to cool tropical cities as temperature continue to rise. Our methods include combining several different datasets to identify differences in daily, seasonal, and annual maximum and minimum temperatures.
Associations Between CYP17A1 and SERPINA6/A1 Polymorphisms, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Black South Africans
Authors: Dlamini Siphiwe N. , Choudhury Ananyo , Ramsay Michèle , Micklesfield Lisa K. , Norris Shane A. , Crowther Nigel J. , Crawford Andrew A. , Walker Brian R. , Lombard Zané , Goedecke Julia H.
Published: August 2021

Research in European and Asian populations has reported associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP17A1 and SERPINA6/A1 and circulating glucocorticoid concentrations, and some key cardiometabolic risk factors. This study aimed to investigate these associations in black South African adults, who are disproportionally affected by the metabolic syndrome and its related cardiometabolic risk factors. The dataset included black South African adults (n = 4,431; 56.7% women) from the AWI-Gen study, genotyped on the H3A genotyping array and imputed using the African reference panel at the Sanger imputation service. From the imputed data, 31 CYP17A1 SNPs and 550 SERPINA6/A1 SNPs were extracted. The metabolic syndrome and its components were defined using the 2009 harmonized guidelines. Serum glucocorticoid concentrations were measured in a subset of 304 men and 573 women, using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Genetic associations were detected using PLINK. Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple testing. A SNP at SERPINA6/A1, rs17090691 (effect allele G), was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure (BP) in all adults combined (p = 9.47 × 10−6). Sex-stratified analyses demonstrated an association between rs1051052 (effect allele G), another SERPINA6/A1 SNP, and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations in women (p = 1.23 × 10−5). No association was observed between these variants and glucocorticoids or between any of the CYP17A1 SNPs and metabolic outcomes after adjusting for multiple testing. Furthermore, there were no associations between any of the SNPs tested and the metabolic syndrome. This study reports novel genetic associations between two SNPs at SERPINA6/A1 and key cardiometabolic risk factors in black South Africans. Future replication and functional studies in larger populations are required to confirm the role of the identified SNPs in the metabolic syndrome and assess if these associations are mediated by circulating glucocorticoids.
The Pathogenesis of Eosinophilic Asthma: A Positive Feedback Mechanism That Promotes Th2 Immune Response via Filaggrin Deficiency
Authors: Gao Wei , Gong Jiuyu , Mu Mi , Zhu Yujin , Wang Wenjuan , Chen Wen , Han Guojing , Hu Hong , Bao Pengtao
Published: August 2021

Eosinophilic asthma (EA) is a common subtype of asthma and often progresses to severe disease. In order to understand its pathogenesis, targeted next-generation gene sequencing was performed on 77 Chinese EA patients and 431 Chinese healthy controls to obtain differential genomic variations. Among the 41 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) screened for mutation sites in more than 3 patients, filaggrin gene FLG rs192116923 T>G and FLG rs75235053 C>G were newly found to be associated with EA patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) (P <0.001) and severe EA (P=0.032), respectively. Filaggrin has been shown to be mainly expressed in epithelial cells and plays an important role in formation of an effective skin barrier. Bioinformatic analysis indicated FLG rs192116923 T>G may increase the binding of Smad3 to transmit TGF-β1 signaling, and thereby inhibit filaggrin expression, and FLG rs75235053 C>G may add new splicing sites to reduce filaggrin monomers. It has been known that the level of Th2 cytokine IL-4 is increased in EA patients, and IL-4 increases airway epithelial permeability and enhances inflammatory response through some unclear mechanisms. To figure out whether filaggrin is involved in immune responses in asthma, we have treated human respiratory epithelial cell line BEAS-2B cells with IL-4 and found that the expression levels of filaggrin and E-cadherin decreased significantly in a time and dose-dependent manner, suggesting that IL-4 increased airway epithelial permeability by reducing filaggrin and adhesion molecule. In addition, in our study, IL-4 increased the expression of epithel-derived inflammatory cytokines IL-33 and TSLP which further enhanced the Th2 inflammatory response. To investigate the role of filaggrin in development of EA, knockdown filaggrin with siRNA revealed a decrease in E-cadherin levels, which were further down-regulated by IL-4 stimulation. Knockdown of filaggrin alone did not affect the levels of IL-33 and TSLP, but further exacerbated the decrease of IL-33/TSLP caused by IL-4, suggesting that filaggrin may involve in IL-4R signaling pathway to regulate the level of IL-33/TSLP. In conclusion, in the Th2 cytokine milieu of asthma, FLG deficient mutation in airway epithelial cells may increase the epithelial permeability and the expression of IL-33/TSLP which positively feedback the Th2 inflammation response.