bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selectivity Dependence of 1,1-Difluoro-1-Chloroethane Dehydrohalogenation on the Metal–Support Interaction over SrF2 Catalyst
Authors: Liu Wucan , Liu Yongnan , Mardochee Kabozya M. , Wang Zhikun , Wang Shucheng , Yu Wei , Zhang Jianjun , Han Wenfeng
Published: March 2020

SrF2 promotes the dehydrochlorination (DeHCl) of 1,1-difluoro-1-chloroethane, which is the key process for the manufacture of VDF (vinylidene fluoride), one of the most typical fluorinated monomers. However, the selectivity is low as dehydrofluorination (DeHF) to VCF (vinylidene chlorofluoride) competes with the formation of VDF. In this study, SrF2@C (SrF2 embedded in carbon) and SrF2@NC (N-doped carbon) catalysts were fabricated following calcination in N2 with SrC2O4, PVDF (poly vinylidene fluoride) and urea as the precursors. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. The results show that both the calcination temperature and N-doping play an important role in the conversion of HCFC-142b and the selectivity to VDF and VCF. Calcination at elevated temperatures enhances the Sr-C interaction. For SrF2@C, improved interaction facilitates withdrawing electrons from Sr by the carbon support. By contrast, the strong interaction of Sr with N-doped carbon supply electrons from N species to Sr. The electron deficiency of Sr is favorable for the adsorption of F with higher electronegativity and consequently, DeHF reaction forming VCF. The supply of electrons to Sr by the support improves the formation of VDF (DeHCl). The present work provides a potential strategy for the improvement of selectivity to the target product.
Lamin A and Prelamin A Counteract Migration of Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Evangelisti Camilla , Paganelli Francesca , Giuntini Gaia , Mattioli Elisabetta , Cappellini Alessandra , Ramazzotti Giulia , Faenza Irene , Maltarello Maria , Martelli Alberto , Scotlandi Katia , Chiarini Francesca , Lattanzi Giovanna
Published: March 2020

A type lamins are fundamental components of the nuclear lamina. Changes in lamin A expression correlate with malignant transformation in several cancers. However, the role of lamin A has not been explored in osteosarcoma (OS). Here, we wanted to investigate the role of lamin A in normal osteoblasts (OBs) and OS cells. Thus, we studied the expression of lamin A/C in OS cells compared to OBs and evaluated the effects of lamin A overexpression in OS cell lines. We show that, while lamin A expression increases during osteoblast differentiation, all examined OS cell lines express lower lamin A levels relative to differentiated OBs. The condition of low LMNA expression confers to OS cells a significant increase in migration potential, while overexpression of lamin A reduces migration ability of OS cells. Moreover, overexpression of unprocessable prelamin A also reduces cell migration. In agreement with the latter finding, OS cells which accumulate the highest prelamin A levels upon inhibition of lamin A maturation by statins, had significantly reduced migration ability. Importantly, OS cells subjected to statin treatment underwent apoptotic cell death in a RAS-independent, lamin A-dependent manner. Our results show that pro-apoptotic effects of statins and statin inhibitory effect on OS cell migration are comparable to those obtained by prelamin A accumulation and further suggest that modulation of lamin A expression and post-translational processing can be a tool to decrease migration potential in OS cells.
Acute Tentorial Subdural Hematoma Caused by Rupture of the Posterior Cerebral Artery after Minor Trauma—A Case Report
Authors: Ciochon Urszula Maria , Steuble Brandt Erik Gudmann , Stavngaard Trine
Published: March 2020

Acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) is a common pathology encountered after head trauma. Only a minority of aSDHs have an arterial source. In this article, we report a case of aSDH originating from a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the distal segment of posterior cerebral artery (PCA), diagnosed several days after the initial minor trauma and successfully treated with endovascular coiling. This case emphasizes the importance of searching for vascular pathology when the localization, severity or relapsing course of the intracranial hemorrhage does not fully correspond to the severity of initial trauma and when the bleeding has a delayed onset. Characteristics, diagnostics and treatment possibilities of traumatic cerebral aneurysms, an important cause of arterial aSDH, are described in the article.
Some Remarks about Entropy of Digital Filtered Signals
Authors: Borges Vinícius S. , Nepomuceno Erivelton G. , Duque Carlos A. , Butusov Denis N.
Published: March 2020

The finite numerical resolution of digital number representation has an impact on the properties of filters. Much effort has been done to develop efficient digital filters investigating the effects in the frequency response. However, it seems that there is less attention to the influence in the entropy by digital filtered signals due to the finite precision. To contribute in such a direction, this manuscript presents some remarks about the entropy of filtered signals. Three types of filters are investigated: Butterworth, Chebyshev, and elliptic. Using a boundary technique, the parameters of the filters are evaluated according to the word length of 16 or 32 bits. It has been shown that filtered signals have their entropy increased even if the filters are linear. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between order and Shannon entropy of the filtered signal using the elliptic filter. Comparing to signal-to-noise ratio, entropy seems more efficient at detecting the increasing of noise in a filtered signal. Such knowledge can be used as an additional condition for designing digital filters.
A Local Control Strategy for Distributed Energy Fluctuation Suppression Based on Soft Open Point
Authors: Xinming Guo , Qunhai Huo , Tongzhen Wei , Jingyuan Yin
Published: March 2020

This paper proposes a local control strategy applied in the soft open point (SOP) to suppress voltage fluctuation when adding a renewable energy source into the system. The mathematic model of the grid connected to SOP is established based on the characteristics of a low-voltage distribution network. Combined with the mathematic model and local voltage information, the local control strategy is proposed to optimize the active and reactive power distribution and consume the minimum apparent power of the converter. The local control strategy can effectively suppress the voltage fluctuation caused by renewable energy access, which was testified by MATLAB/Simulink simulation. In addition, the local control strategy can deduce the communication resource and increase the response speed compared to global optimization. This paper is meaningful for renewable energy source distribution and voltage balance in low-voltage distribution systems.
Coal Demand and Environmental Regulations: A Case Study of the Polish Power Sector
Authors: Kaszyński Przemysław , Kamiński Jacek
Published: March 2020

The impact of environmental regulations implemented in the power industry that affect the consumption of solid fuels is of key importance to coal-based power generation systems, such as that in Poland. In this context, the main purpose of the paper was to determine the future demand for hard coal and brown coal in the Polish power sector by 2050 with reference to the environmental regulations implemented in the power sector. To achieve these goals, a mathematical model was developed using the linear programming approach, which reflected the key relationships between the hard and brown coal mining sector and the power sector in the context of the environmental regulations discussed. The environmental regulations selected had a great influence on the future demand for hard and brown coal in the power generation sector. The scope of this influence depended on particular regulations. The prices of CO2 emission allowances and stricter emissions standards stemming from the Industrial Emissions Directive and the BAT (Best Available Techniques) conclusions had the largest influence on the reduction of hard coal demand. In the case of brown coal, no new power generating units would be deployed; hence, brown coal consumption would drop practically to zero in 2050 under all the scenarios considered.
Sargassum Inundations in Turks and Caicos: Methane Potential and Proximate, Ultimate, Lipid, Amino Acid, Metal and Metalloid Analyses
Authors: Milledge John James , Maneein Supattra , Arribas López Elena , Bartlett Debbie
Published: March 2020

The Caribbean has been experiencing beach inundations of pelagic Sargassum, causing environmental, health and financial issues. This study showed variations in the composition and methane potential (MP) between the species of Sargassum. The MPs for S. natans VIII, S. natans I and S. fluitans (145, 66 and 113 mL CH4 g−1 Volatile Solids) were considerably below theoretical potentials, possibly due to the high levels of indigestible fibre and inhibitors. The mixed mats Sargassum composition was substantially different from the individual species, being higher in ash, calcium, iron, arsenic and phenolics. The mixed mats produced no methane, perhaps due to the high levels of phenolics. There was a strong correlation between MP and phenolic content. Heavy metals and metalloids were at levels that should not cause concern, except for arsenic (21–124 mg kg−1 dry weight). Further work on the speciation of arsenic in Sargassum is required to fully determine the risk to health and agriculture. Both protein and lipid levels were low. The ‘indispensable amino acid’ profile compares favourably with that recommended by the World Health Organisation. Lipids had a high proportion of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. The use of Sargassum for biogas production could be challenging, and further work is required.
An Optimal Slip Ratio-Based Revised Regenerative Braking Control Strategy of Range-Extended Electric Vehicle
Authors: Liu Hanwu , Lei Yulong , Fu Yao , Li Xingzhong
Published: March 2020

The energy recovered with regenerative braking system can greatly improve energy efficiency of range-extended electric vehicle (R-EEV). Nevertheless, maximizing braking energy recovery while maintaining braking performance remains a challenging issue, and it is also difficult to reduce the adverse effects of regenerative current on battery capacity loss rate (Qloss,%) to extend its service life. To solve this problem, a revised regenerative braking control strategy (RRBCS) with the rate and shape of regenerative braking current considerations is proposed. Firstly, the initial regenerative braking control strategy (IRBCS) is researched in this paper. Then, the battery capacity loss model is established by using battery capacity test results. Eventually, RRBCS is obtained based on IRBCS to optimize and modify the allocation logic of braking work-point. The simulation results show that compared with IRBCS, the regenerative braking energy is slightly reduced by 16.6% and Qloss,% is reduced by 79.2%. It means that the RRBCS can reduce Qloss,% at the expense of small braking energy recovery loss. As expected, RRBCS has a positive effect on prolonging the battery service life while ensuring braking safety while maximizing recovery energy. This result can be used to develop regenerative braking control system to improve comprehensive performance levels.
High-Temperature, Dry Scrubbing of Syngas with Use of Mineral Sorbents and Ceramic Rigid Filters
Authors: Szul Mateusz , Iluk Tomasz , Sobolewski Aleksander
Published: March 2020

In this research, the idea of multicomponent, one-vessel cleaning of syngas through simultaneous dedusting and adsorption is described. Data presented were obtained with the use of a pilot-scale 60 kWth fixed-bed GazEla reactor, coupled with a dry gas cleaning unit where mineral sorbents are injected into raw syngas at 500–650 °C, before dedusting at ceramic filters. The research primarily presents results of the application of four calcined sorbents, i.e., chalk (CaO), dolomite (MgO–CaO), halloysite (AlO–MgO–FeO), and kaolinite (AlO–MgO) for high-temperature (HT) adsorption of impurities contained in syngas from gasification of biomass. An emphasis on data regarding the stability of the filtration process is provided since the addition of coating and co-filtering materials is often necessary for keeping the filtration of syngas stable, in industrial applications.
Nutraceuticals in Human Health
Authors: Durazzo Alessandra , Lucarini Massimo , Santini Antonello
Published: March 2020

The combined and concerted action of nutrient and biologically active compounds is flagged as an indicator of a “possible beneficial role” for health. The use and applications of bioactive components cover a wide range of fields, in particular the nutraceuticals. In this context, the Special Issue entitled “Nutraceuticals in Human Health” is focused on the all aspects around the nutraceuticals, ranging from analytical aspects to clinical trials, from efficacy studies to beneficial effects on health status.
Functional Annotation and Curation of Hypothetical Proteins Present in A Newly Emerged Serotype 1c of Shigella flexneri: Emphasis on Selecting Targets for Virulence and Vaccine Design Studies
Authors: Sen Tanuka , Verma Naresh K.
Published: March 2020

Shigella flexneri is the principal cause of bacillary dysentery, contributing significantly to the global burden of diarrheal disease. The appearance and increase in the multi-drug resistance among Shigella strains, necessitates further genetic studies and development of improved/new drugs against the pathogen. The presence of an abundance of hypothetical proteins in the genome and how little is known about them, make them interesting genetic targets. The present study aims to carry out characterization of the hypothetical proteins present in the genome of a newly emerged serotype of S. flexneri (strain Y394), toward their novel regulatory functions using various bioinformatics databases/tools. Analysis of the genome sequence rendered 4170 proteins, out of which 721 proteins were annotated as hypothetical proteins (HPs) with no known function. The amino acid sequences of these HPs were evaluated using a combination of latest bioinformatics tools based on homology search against functionally identified proteins. Functional domains were considered as the basis to infer the biological functions of HPs in this case and the annotation helped in assigning various classes to the proteins such as signal transducers, lipoproteins, enzymes, membrane proteins, transporters, virulence, and binding proteins. This study contributes to a better understanding of growth, survival, and disease mechanism at molecular level and provides potential new targets for designing drugs against Shigella infection.
Global Incidence and Mortality Patterns of Pedestrian Road Traffic Injuries by Sociodemographic Index, with Forecasting: Findings from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2017 Study
Authors: Khan Moien A. B. , Grivna Michal , Nauman Javaid , Soteriades Elpidoforos S. , Cevik Arif Alper , Hashim Muhammad Jawad , Govender Romona , Al Azeezi Salma Rashid
Published: March 2020

(1) Background: Pedestrian injuries (PIs) represent a significant proportion of road traffic injuries. Our aim was to investigate the incidence and mortality of PIs in different age groups and sociodemographic index (SDI) categories between 1990 and 2017. (2) Method: Estimates of age-standardized incidence and mortality along with trends of PIs by SDI levels were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease from 1990 to 2017. We also forecasted the trends across all the SDI categories until 2040 using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 23.0, Chicago, IL, USA) time series expert modeler. (3) Results: Globally, the incidence of PIs increased by 3.31% (−9.94 to 16.56) in 2017 compared to 1990. Men have higher incidence of PIs than women. Forecasted incidence was 132.02 (127.37 to 136.66) per 100,000 population in 2020, 101.52 (65.99 to 137.05) in 2030, and reduced further to 71.02 (10.62 to 152.65) by 2040. Globally across all SDI categories, there was a decreasing trend in mortality due to PIs with the global estimated percentage reduction of 37.12% (−45.19 to −29.04). (4) Conclusions: The results show that PIs are still a burden for all SDI categories despite some variation. Although incidence and mortality are expected to decrease globally, some SDI categories and specific vulnerable age groups may require particular attention. Further studies addressing incidence and mortality patterns in vulnerable SDI categories are needed.
Predisposition to Change Is Linked to Job Satisfaction: Assessing the Mediation Roles of Workplace Relation Civility and Insight
Authors: Gori Alessio , Topino Eleonora
Published: March 2020

The globalization processes typical of liquid modern society require organizations to have high levels of flexibility, dynamism, and rapidity of change, testing the adaptability of workers with possible repercussions on well-being and productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of several psychological factors in favoring job satisfaction in a group of organizational workers (mean age = 46.24; SD = 9.99; 40.9% males and 59.1% females). Firstly, the impact of predisposition to change on job satisfaction through workplace relational civility (others with me) or insight orientation as independent mediating variables was analyzed. After that, this relationship was also studied by testing the effect that the simultaneous interaction of both mediators could have. Results show that workplace relational civility (others with me) significantly mediated the relationship between predisposition to change and job satisfaction, while no significance was found in the effect of insight when considered individually. However, the latter acquires greater relevance if placed in interaction with the other mediator, that is found to be the most proximal factor linking job satisfaction to the other more distal variables. Such findings might have a relevant role in strengthening preventive intervening, favoring positive results for greater well-being of both subjects and organizations.
Reply to Comment on Małgorzata Krówczyńska and Ewa Wilk. Environmental and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos as a Result of Consumption and Use in Poland. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 2611
Authors: Krówczyńska Małgorzata , Wilk Ewa
Published: March 2020

Thank you for the possibility of enabling us to provide a response to the comment on our paper “Environmental and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos as a Result of Consumption and Use in Poland” [...]
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Infectious Diseases Related to Travel of Community Pharmacists in Italy
Authors: Della Polla Giorgia , Pelullo Concetta Paola , Napolitano Francesco , Lambiase Chiara , De Simone Caterina , Angelillo Italo Francesco
Published: March 2020

Pharmacists should be educated about travel medicine, since they could influence their own choices and those of the individuals they encounter. This study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards infectious diseases related to travel among community pharmacists in Italy. The data was collected from September 2018 to September 2019 using semi-structured telephone interviews. Only 1.8% answered correctly to all seven questions regarding the infectious diseases related to travel. Community pharmacists who had heard about travel medicine and those who had received information were more likely to have good knowledge. More than two-thirds of the respondents believed that it is important to provide information to the public about travel medicine. Pharmacists who worked a higher number of hours per week, were more knowledgeable about the more frequent infectious diseases related to travel, believed that travel medicine was a pharmacist competency, believed that they could give advice to the public, and had received information from scientific journals and educational activities were more likely to have this positive attitude. More than two-thirds often/always informed the public about the importance of having travel health center counseling. Pharmacists who had heard about travel medicine and those who believed that they could give advice to the public were more likely to inform. Interventions are needed to improve knowledge in order that community pharmacists can play an active role in counseling the public.
Analysis of Cumulative Cancer Risk Associated with Disinfection Byproducts in United States Drinking Water
Authors: Evans Sydney , Campbell Chris , Naidenko Olga V.
Published: March 2020

Hundreds of different disinfection byproducts form in drinking water following necessary treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants, and many of those byproducts can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer. This study offers the first side-by-side comparison of cancer risk assessments based on toxicological and epidemiological studies of disinfection byproducts using a comprehensive contaminant occurrence dataset for haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes, two groups of disinfection byproducts that are regulated in drinking water. We also provide the first analysis of a new occurrence dataset for unregulated haloacetic acids that became available from the latest, fourth round of the U.S. EPA-mandated unregulated contaminant monitoring program (UCMR4). A toxicological assessment indicated that haloacetic acids, and in particular brominated haloacetic acids, are more carcinogenic and are associated with a greater number of attributable cancer cases than trihalomethanes. Based on the toxicological analysis, cumulative lifetime cancer risk due to exposure to trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids for community water systems monitored under UCMR4, estimated with standard default parameters for body weight and water intake, corresponds to 7.0 × 10−5 (3.5 × 10−5–1.3 × 10−4). The same analysis conducted with age sensitivity factors to account for elevated risk in infants and children yielded a cumulative risk estimate of 2.9 × 10−4 (1.7 × 10−4–6.2 × 10−4). Epidemiological data suggest that lifetime cancer risk from disinfection byproducts for the U.S. population served by community water systems is approximately 3.0 × 10−3 (2.1 × 10−4–5.7 × 10−3), or a lifetime cancer risk of three cases per thousand people. Overall, this analysis highlights the value of using human data in health risk assessments to the greatest extent possible.
A Lean Quality Improvement Initiative to Enhance Tobacco Use Treatment in a Cancer Hospital
Authors: Meyer Colleen , Mitra Sara , Ruebush Ellen , Sisler Laurel , Wang Kyle , Goldstein Adam O.
Published: March 2020

Sustained tobacco use after cancer diagnosis decreases treatment effectiveness while increasing treatment side effects, primary cancer recurrence, and the occurrence of secondary cancers. Delivering tobacco use treatment to fewer patients due to inefficient workflow represents missed opportunities to deliver life-saving care. In 2017, the National Cancer Institute initiated the Cancer Cessation Initiative (C3I) to push new tobacco cessation resources into cancer centers across the United States. This grant allowed the University of North Carolina Tobacco Treatment Program (UNC TTP) to dramatically expand tobacco use treatment (TUT) services to patients at the North Carolina Cancer Hospital (NCCH). With this push, the team saw an opportunity to utilize Lean Six Sigma, a set of quality improvement (QI) tools, to streamline their processes and uncover the root causes of program inefficiencies. A 12-month QI project using the Lean A3 problem-solving tool was implemented to examine the team’s workflow. The study team mapped out the processes and, as a result, developed multiple “experiments” to test within the NCCH to address workflow efficiency and clinical reach. Outcome measures from the baseline to follow-up included: (1) the number of new patient referrals per month, and (2) the number of counseling sessions delivered per month. From the baseline to final state, the team’s referrals increased from a mean of 10 to 24 per month, and counseling sessions increased from a mean of 74 to 84 per month. This project provided a deeper understanding of how workflow inefficiencies can be eliminated in the clinical setting, how technology can be harnessed to increase reach, and finally, that soliciting and using feedback from NCCH leadership can remove barriers and improve patient care.
A GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Model for Determining Glacier Vulnerability
Authors: Yalcin Mustafa
Published: March 2020

Investigating the causes of the spatial heterogeneity of glacial changes offers vital information about glacial behavior and provides forecasting ability to define where glacier retreat may occur in the future. This study was designed to determine the spatial distribution of Ağrı Mountain glacier vulnerability. The main goal of the current study was to assess the forecasting capabilities of Geographical Information System (GIS)-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for determining the location of the mountain glacier retreat. To estimate the glacier retreat, the following criteria were selected: elevation, aspect, slope, direction, and glacier surface temperature anomaly (GSTA). The entropy method was used for weighting the criteria for the evaluation of the vulnerable areas of the glacier. The results of this method clearly indicate a strong relationship between GSTA, direction, and elevation criteria and glacier retreat. The glacier vulnerability map was created by synthesizing criteria layers with their weights. The vulnerability map provided a consistency of 77.8% in the short term and 92.1% in the long term. In the study, the priority melting zones were determined and glacial retreat locations were forecasted in 10-year periods.
Recent Sea Level Change in the Black Sea from Satellite Altimetry and Tide Gauge Observations
Authors: Avşar Nevin , Kutoğlu Şenol
Published: March 2020

Global mean sea level has been rising at an increasing rate, especially since the early 19th century in response to ocean thermal expansion and ice sheet melting. The possible consequences of sea level rise pose a significant threat to coastal cities, inhabitants, infrastructure, wetlands, ecosystems, and beaches. Sea level changes are not geographically uniform. This study focuses on present-day sea level changes in the Black Sea using satellite altimetry and tide gauge data. The multi-mission gridded satellite altimetry data from January 1993 to May 2017 indicated a mean rate of sea level rise of 2.5 ± 0.5 mm/year over the entire Black Sea. However, when considering the dominant cycles of the Black Sea level time series, an apparent (significant) variation was seen until 2014, and the rise in the mean sea level has been estimated at about 3.2 ± 0.6 mm/year. Coastal sea level, which was assessed using the available data from 12 tide gauge stations, has generally risen (except for the Bourgas Station). For instance, from the western coast to the southern coast of the Black Sea, in Constantza, Sevastopol, Tuapse, Batumi, Trabzon, Amasra, Sile, and Igneada, the relative rise was 3.02, 1.56, 2.92, 3.52, 2.33, 3.43, 5.03, and 6.94 mm/year, respectively, for varying periods over 1922–2014. The highest and lowest rises in the mean level of the Black Sea were in Poti (7.01 mm/year) and in Varna (1.53 mm/year), respectively. Measurements from six Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations, which are very close to the tide gauges, also suggest that there were significant vertical land movements at some tide gauge locations. This study confirmed that according to the obtained average annual phase value of sea level observations, seasonal sea level variations in the Black Sea reach their maximum annual amplitude in May–June.
Origins of Alterations to Rankl Null Mutant Mouse Dental Root Development
Authors: Gama Andrea , Vargas-Franco Jorge William , Sánchez Mesa Diana Carolina , Restrepo Bedoya Elizabeth , Amiaud Jérome , Babajko Sylvie , Berdal Ariane , Acevedo Ana Carolina , Heymann Dominique , Lézot Frédéric , Castaneda Beatriz
Published: March 2020

The purpose of the present study was to assess the early stages of development of mouse first molar roots in the osteopetrotic context of RANKL invalidation in order to demonstrate that the radicular phenotype observed resulted not only from defective osteoclasts, but also from loss of cell-to-cell communication among dental, periodontium and alveolar bone cells involving RANKL signaling. Two experimental models were used in this study: Rankl mutants with permanent RANKL invalidation, and C57BL/6J mice injected during the first postnatal week with a RANKL neutralizing antibody corresponding to a transient RANKL invalidation. The dento-alveolar complex was systematically analyzed using micro-CT, and histological and immunohistochemical approaches. These experiments showed that the root elongation alterations observed in the Rankl-/- mice were associated with reduced proliferation of the RANK-expressing HERS cells with a significant decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression and a significant increase in P21 expression. The phenotypic comparison of the adult first molar root at 35 days between permanent and transitory invalidations of RANKL made it possible to demonstrate that alterations in dental root development have at least two origins, one intrinsic and linked to proliferation/differentiation perturbations in dental-root-forming cells, the other extrinsic and corresponding to disturbances of bone cell differentiation/function.
Completing Autophagy: Formation and Degradation of the Autophagic Body and Metabolite Salvage in Plants
Authors: Stefaniak Szymon , Wojtyla Łukasz , Pietrowska-Borek Małgorzata , Borek Sławomir
Published: March 2020

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that occurs in yeast, plants, and animals. Despite many years of research, some aspects of autophagy are still not fully explained. This mostly concerns the final stages of autophagy, which have not received as much interest from the scientific community as the initial stages of this process. The final stages of autophagy that we take into consideration in this review include the formation and degradation of the autophagic bodies as well as the efflux of metabolites from the vacuole to the cytoplasm. The autophagic bodies are formed through the fusion of an autophagosome and vacuole during macroautophagy and by vacuolar membrane invagination or protrusion during microautophagy. Then they are rapidly degraded by vacuolar lytic enzymes, and products of the degradation are reused. In this paper, we summarize the available information on the trafficking of the autophagosome towards the vacuole, the fusion of the autophagosome with the vacuole, the formation and decomposition of autophagic bodies inside the vacuole, and the efflux of metabolites to the cytoplasm. Special attention is given to the formation and degradation of autophagic bodies and metabolite salvage in plant cells.
Calcineurin Controls Expression of EAAT1/GLAST in Mouse and Human Cultured Astrocytes through Dynamic Regulation of Protein Synthesis and Degradation
Authors: Dematteis Giulia , Restelli Elena , Chiesa Roberto , Aronica Eleonora , Genazzani Armando A , Lim Dmitry , Tapella Laura
Published: March 2020

Alterations in the expression of glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) have been associated with several neuropathological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. However, the mechanisms by which GLAST expression is altered are poorly understood. Here we used a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches coupled with quantitative PCR and Western blot to investigate the mechanism of the regulation of GLAST expression by a Ca2+/calmodulin-activated phosphatase calcineurin (CaN). We show that treatment of cultured hippocampal mouse and fetal human astrocytes with a CaN inhibitor FK506 resulted in a dynamic modulation of GLAST protein expression, being downregulated after 24–48 h, but upregulated after 7 days of continuous FK506 (200 nM) treatment. Protein synthesis, as assessed by puromycin incorporation in neo-synthesized polypeptides, was inhibited already after 1 h of FK506 treatment, while the use of a proteasome inhibitor MG132 (1 μM) shows that GLAST protein degradation was only suppressed after 7 days of FK506 treatment. In astrocytes with constitutive genetic ablation of CaN both protein synthesis and degradation were significantly inhibited. Taken together, our data suggest that, in cultured astrocytes, CaN controls GLAST expression at a posttranscriptional level through regulation of GLAST protein synthesis and degradation.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis Mitigates Iron (Fe)-Deficiency Retardation in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Through the Enhancement of Fe Accumulation and Sulfur-Assisted Antioxidant Defense
Authors: Rahman Md. Atikur , Parvin Monika , Das Urmi , Ela Esrat Jahan , Lee Sang-Hoon , Lee Ki-Won , Kabir Ahmad Humayan
Published: March 2020

Iron (Fe)-deficiency is one of the major constraints affecting growth, yield and nutritional quality in plants. This study was performed to elucidate how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) alleviate Fe-deficiency retardation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). AMF supplementation improved plant biomass, chlorophyll score, Fv/Fm (quantum efficiency of photosystem II), and Pi_ABS (photosynthesis performance index), and reduced cell death, electrolyte leakage, and hydrogen peroxide accumulation in alfalfa. Moreover, AMF enhanced ferric chelate reductase activity as well as Fe, Zn, S and P in alfalfa under Fe-deficiency. Although Fe-transporters (MsIRT1 and MsNramp1) did not induce in root but MsFRO1 significantly induced by AMF under Fe deficiency in roots, suggesting that AMF-mediated Fe enhancement is related to the bioavailability of Fe at rhizosphere/root apoplast rather than the upregulation of Fe transporters under Fe deficiency in alfalfa. Several S-transporters (MsSULTR1;1, MsSULTR1;2, MsSULTR1;3, and MsSULTR3;1) markedly increased following AMF supplementation with or without Fe-deficiency alfalfa. Our study further suggests that Fe uptake system is independently influenced by AMF regardless of the S status in alfalfa. However, the increase of S in alfalfa is correlated with the elevation of GR and S-metabolites (glutathione and cysteine) associated with antioxidant defense under Fe deficiency.
Characteristics and Antimicrobial Properties of Active Edible Films Based on Pectin and Nanochitosan
Authors: Ngo Thi Minh Phuong , Nguyen Thanh Hoi , Dang Thi Mong Quyen , Tran Thi Xo , Rachtanapun Pornchai
Published: March 2020

This study was aimed at creating new films and determine some functional packaging properties of pectin:nanochitosan films with ratios of pectin:nanochitosan (P:NSC) of 100:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75 and 0:100 (%w/w). The effects of the proportions of pectin:nanochitosan incorporation on the thickness, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, water-solubility, and oxygen permeability were investigated. The microstructural studies were done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The interactions between pectin and nanochitosan were elucidated by Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR). The results showed that the blending of pectin with nanochitosan at proportions of 50:50 increased the tensile strength to 8.96 MPa, reduced the water solubility to 37.5%, water vapor permeability to 0.2052 g·mm/m2·day·kPa, and the oxygen permeability to 47.67 cc·mm/m2·day. The results of the contact angle test indicated that P:NCS films were hydrophobic, especially, pectin:nanochitosan films inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, and Escherichia coli. So, P:NCS films with a proportion of 50:50 can be used as active films to extend the shelf life of food.
Accurate Representation of Protein-Ligand Structural Diversity in the Protein Data Bank (PDB)
Authors: Shinada Nicolas K. , Schmidtke Peter , de Brevern Alexandre G.
Published: March 2020

The number of available protein structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) has considerably increased in recent years. Thanks to the growth of structures and complexes, numerous large-scale studies have been done in various research areas, e.g., protein–protein, protein–DNA, or in drug discovery. While protein redundancy was only simply managed using simple protein sequence identity threshold, the similarity of protein-ligand complexes should also be considered from a structural perspective. Hence, the protein-ligand duplicates in the PDB are widely known, but were never quantitatively assessed, as they are quite complex to analyze and compare. Here, we present a specific clustering of protein-ligand structures to avoid bias found in different studies. The methodology is based on binding site superposition, and a combination of weighted Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) assessment and hierarchical clustering. Repeated structures of proteins of interest are highlighted and only representative conformations were conserved for a non-biased view of protein distribution. Three types of cases are described based on the number of distinct conformations identified for each complex. Defining these categories decreases by 3.84-fold the number of complexes, and offers more refined results compared to a protein sequence-based method. Widely distinct conformations were analyzed using normalized B-factors. Furthermore, a non-redundant dataset was generated for future molecular interactions analysis or virtual screening studies.
Association of a Disrupted Dipping Pattern of Blood Pressure with Progression of Renal Injury during the Development of Salt-Dependent Hypertension in Rats
Authors: Sufiun Abu , Rahman Asadur , Rafiq Kazi , Fujisawa Yoshihide , Nakano Daisuke , Kobara Hideki , Masaki Tsutomu , Nishiyama Akira
Published: March 2020

The aim of the present study is to investigate whether a disruption of the dipping pattern of blood pressure (BP) is associated with the progression of renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) hypertensive rats. Seven-week-old DSS rats were fed a high salt diet (HSD; 8% NaCl) for 10 weeks, followed by a transition to a normal salt diet (NSD; 0.3% NaCl) for 4 weeks. At baseline, NSD-fed DSS rats showed a dipper-type circadian rhythm of BP. By contrast, HSD for 5 days caused a significant increase in the difference between the active and inactive periods of BP with an extreme dipper type of BP, while proteinuria and renal tissue injury were not observed. Interestingly, HSD feeding for 10 weeks developed hypertension with a non-dipper pattern of BP, which was associated with obvious proteinuria and renal tissue injury. Four weeks after switching to an NSD, BP and proteinuria were significantly decreased, and the BP circadian rhythm returned to the normal dipper pattern. These data suggest that the non-dipper pattern of BP is associated with the progression of renal injury during the development of salt-dependent hypertension.
AHR Signaling Dampens Inflammatory Signature in Neonatal Skin γδ T Cells
Authors: Merches Katja , Schiavi Alfonso , Weighardt Heike , Steinwachs Swantje , Teichweyde Nadine , Förster Irmgard , Hochrath Katrin , Schumak Beatrix , Ventura Natascia , Petzsch Patrick , Köhrer Karl , Esser Charlotte
Published: March 2020

Background Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-deficient mice do not support the expansion of dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC), a resident immune cell population in the murine epidermis, which immigrates from the fetal thymus to the skin around birth. Material and Methods In order to identify the gene expression changes underlying the DETC disappearance in AHR-deficient mice, we analyzed microarray RNA-profiles of DETC, sorted from the skin of two-week-old AHR-deficient mice and their heterozygous littermates. In vitro studies were done for verification, and IL-10, AHR repressor (AHRR), and c-Kit deficient mice analyzed for DETC frequency. Results We identified 434 annotated differentially expressed genes. Gene set enrichment analysis demonstrated that the expression of genes related to proliferation, ion homeostasis and morphology differed between the two mouse genotypes. Importantly, with 1767 pathways the cluster-group “inflammation” contained the majority of AHR-dependently regulated pathways. The most abundant cluster of differentially expressed genes was “inflammation.” DETC of AHR-deficient mice were inflammatory active and had altered calcium and F-actin levels. Extending the study to the AHRR, an enigmatic modulator of AHR-activity, we found approximately 50% less DETC in AHRR-deficient mice than in wild-type-littermates. Conclusion AHR-signaling in DETC dampens their inflammatory default potential and supports their homeostasis in the skin.
Norepinephrine-Induced DNA Damage in Ovarian Cancer Cells
Authors: Lamboy-Caraballo Rocio , Ortiz-Sanchez Carmen , Acevedo-Santiago Arelis , Matta Jaime , N.A. Monteiro Alvaro , N. Armaiz-Pena Guillermo
Published: March 2020

Multiple studies have shown that psychological distress in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients is associated with worse quality of life and poor treatment adherence. This may influence chemotherapy response and prognosis. Moreover, although stress hormones can reduce cisplatin efficacy in EOC treatment, their effect on the integrity of DNA remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether norepinephrine and epinephrine can induce DNA damage and modulate cisplatin-induced DNA damage in three EOC cell lines. Our data show that norepinephrine and epinephrine exposure led to increased nuclear γ-H2AX foci formation in EOC cells, a marker of double-strand DNA breaks. We further characterized norepinephrine-induced DNA damage by subjecting EOC cells to alkaline and neutral comet assays. Norepinephrine exposure caused DNA double-strand breaks, but not single-strand breaks. Interestingly, pre-treatment with propranolol abrogated norepinephrine-induced DNA damage indicating that its effects may be mediated by β-adrenergic receptors. Lastly, we determined the effects of norepinephrine on cisplatin-induced DNA damage. Our data suggest that norepinephrine reduced cisplatin-induced DNA damage in EOC cells and that this effect may be mediated independently of β-adrenergic receptors. Taken together, these results suggest that stress hormones can affect DNA integrity and modulate cisplatin resistance in EOC cells.
Stem Cells as a Target for the Delivery of Active Molecules to Skin by Topical Administration
Authors: Ahmadi-Ashtiani Hamid-Reza , Bishe Parisa , Baldisserotto Anna , Buso Piergiacomo , Manfredini Stefano , Vertuani Silvia
Published: March 2020

Cutaneous stem cells, gained great attention in the field of regenerative medicine as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of skin and hair disorders and various types of skin cancers. Cutaneous stem cells play a key role in several processes like the renovation of skin structures in the condition of homeostasis and after injuries, the hair follicle growth and the reconstruction and production of melanocytes. Thus, gaining effective access to skin stem cells for therapeutic interventions that often involve active molecules with non-favorable characteristics for skin absorption is a valuable achievement. The topical route with high patient compliance and several other benefits is gaining increasing importance in basic and applied research. However, the major obstacle for topical drug delivery is the effective barrier provided by skin against penetration of the vast majority of exogenous molecules. The research in this field is focusing more and more on new strategies to circumvent and pass this barrier effectively. In this article the existing approaches are discussed considering physical and chemical methods along with utilization of novel drug delivery systems to enhance penetration of drugs to the skin. In particular, attention has been paid to studies finalized to the delivery of molecules to cutaneous stem cells with the aim of transferring signals, modulating their metabolic program, inducing physiological modifications and stem cell gene therapy.
Electric Machine Design Tool for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines and Induction Machines
Authors: Kalt Svenja , Erhard Jonathan , Lienkamp Markus
Published: March 2020

The rising mobility demand of today’s society leads to an increasing strain of noise and pollutant emissions on people and the environment. An increasing environmental awareness and the scarcity of fossil fuels are increasingly placing alternative-powered vehicles in the focus of politics, research and development. Electric vehicles represent a promising solution to this problem. The electric machine represents a design control lever for the optimization of the electric powertrain with regard to efficiency, power, weight and size. Therefore, accurate and realistic machine design tools for the design of electric machines are becoming increasingly important. In this paper, the authors present an electric machine design tool for electric machines using MATLAB® in order to enable an automated machine design. The electric machine design tool is published under an LGPL open source license.
Stability Analysis of an Age-Structured SEIRS Model with Time Delay
Authors: Yin Zhe , Yu Yongguang , Lu Zhenzhen
Published: March 2020

This paper is concerned with the stability of an age-structured susceptible–exposed– infective–recovered–susceptible (SEIRS) model with time delay. Firstly, the traveling wave solution of system can be obtained by using the method of characteristic. The existence and uniqueness of the continuous traveling wave solution is investigated under some hypotheses. Moreover, the age-structured SEIRS system is reduced to the nonlinear autonomous system of delay ODE using some insignificant simplifications. It is studied that the dimensionless indexes for the existence of one disease-free equilibrium point and one endemic equilibrium point of the model. Furthermore, the local stability for the disease-free equilibrium point and the endemic equilibrium point of the infection-induced disease model is established. Finally, some numerical simulations were carried out to illustrate our theoretical results.
Energy Density Effect of Laser Alloyed TiB2/TiC/Al Composite Coatings on LMZ/HAZ, Mechanical and Corrosion Properties
Authors: Ravnikar Dunja , Trdan Uroš , Nagode Aleš , Šturm Roman
Published: March 2020

In the present work, TiC/TiB2/Al composite coatings were synthesized onto a precipitation hardened AlSi1MgMn alloy by laser surface alloying (LSA), using 13.3 J/mm2 and 20 J/mm2 laser energy densities. Microstructure evaluation, microhardness, wear and corrosion performance were investigated and compared with the untreated/substrate Al alloy sample. The results confirmed sound, compact, crackles composite coating of low porosity, with a proper surface/substrate interface. Microstructural analyses revealed the formation of extremely fine nano-precipitates, ranging from of 50–250 nm in the laser melted (LMZ) and large precipitates, accompanied with grain coarsening in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), due to the substrate overheating during the LSA process. Nonetheless, both coatings achieved higher microhardness, with almost 7-times higher wear resistance than the untreated sample as a consequence of high fraction volume of hard, wear resistant TiB2 and TiC phases inside the composite coatings. Further, cyclic polarization results in 0.5 M NaCl aqueous solution confirmed general improvement of corrosion resistance after LSA processed samples, with reduced corrosion current by more than a factor of 9, enhanced passivation/repassivation ability and complete prohibition of crystallographic pitting, which was detected with the untreated Al alloy.