bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of the Plan and Facade Typologies of Boyabat’s Traditional Turkish Houses
Authors: Kirenci Eruzun Zeyneb Ayla , Saatçi Suphi
Published: June 2021

This study examines the traditional housing culture of a town in northern Turkey. We aimed to determine the characteristics of traditional Boyabat houses. The Çay District, which was chosen as a case study, is the core of the housing pattern of Boyabat. This study analyzed the features, plan and facade types of these houses in order to produce a table of their plan and facade typology. Documenting the vernacular architecture of Boyabat will assist the conservation of the settlement’s traditional texture. This data can also serve as a guide for the local municipality’s site management projects and be passed on to future generations.
Gastroduodenal intussusception of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a rare cause of acute pancreatitis
Authors: Numpraphrut Pornpayom , Niltwat Sorachat , Parakonthun Thammawat , Pausawasdi Nonthalee
Published: June 2021

Patients with symptomatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) typically present with gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal pain. This report presents an unusual case of fundic GIST complicated by gastroduodenal intussusception, manifesting as acute pancreatitis. The patient presented with epigastric pain and pancreatic enzyme elevation; thus, he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Computed tomography showed evidence of pancreatitis and a 4×4.7 cm well-defined hyperdense lesion in the 2nd part of the duodenum, compressing the pancreatic head and pancreatic duct. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed invagination of the gastric folds into the duodenum, causing pyloric canal blockage consistent with gastroduodenal intussusception. Spontaneous reduction of the lesion during endoscopy revealed a 4 cm pedunculated subepithelial mass with central ulceration originating from the gastric fundus. Endoscopic ultrasound demonstrated a heterogeneous hypoechoic lesion originating from the 4th layer of the gastric wall. Laparoscopic-endoscopic intragastric wedge resection of the fundic lesion was subsequently performed, and surgical histology confirmed GIST.
The Comparison of the Emotional States of the Cancer Children to their Healthy Peers
Authors: Kiyan Lugen Ceren , Durualp Ender
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to compare the emotional status of children with cancer between the ages of five and twelve with their healthy peers. The study groups of the research consist of children with cancer disease between the ages of five and twelve which have inpatient treatment at pediatric oncology service and healthy peers of the same age and gender. Totally 70 children, with 35 cancer who took inpatient treatment and two or more chemotherapy treatments between the dates September-November 2017, and also whose families accepted to participate in the research and 35 healthy children who live at the centre of Ankara, and were chosen with easy sampling method were included to the research. When collecting the data, “General Information Form” was used to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of the children and their families and the pictures drawn by the children were used to determine the emotional situations of the children. Pictures were evaluated according to the expert opinions using Koppitz’s “Draw a Man” evaluation test. The Chi-Square test was used to evaluate the data. The coherence between the experts was determined by the Cronbach Alpha value which was found 0.83. According to findings of the research, it was concluded that the impulsiveness, self-insecurity, anxiety, and anger-aggressiveness (p>0.05); shyness-timidity (p<0.05) of children with cancer was significantly higher than their healthy peers.
Colonizações radiculares por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) em áreas degradadas pela exploração petrolífera no Estado do Amazonas, Brasil
Authors: Medeiros Gisele Silva de , Moreira Francisco Wesen , Oliveira Luiz Antonio de
Published: June 2021

A recuperação de áreas degradadas na Amazônia é um desafio a ser enfrentado para que a região não sofra tanto impacto das ações antrópicas. As áreas degradadas de clareiras e jazidas causadas pela exploração petrólífera em Urucu servem de referencial para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias de recuperação em toda a  Amazônia. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a importância dos fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) nos componentes dos solos que sofrem impactos direto e indireto da exploração petrolífera, a partir da análise nos níveis de colonização radicular de mudas de espécies florestais e frutíferas utilizadas na recuperação das áreas exploradas pela atividade petrolífera, assim como suas características simbióticas. Todos os solos mostraram-se ácidos e com teores elevados de Alumínio, com a maioria indicando a aplicação de adubação, principalmente com Ca, Mg, K, P e Fe. Os baixos índices de hifas fúngicas encontrados nas raízes das plantas usadas na restauração ambiental das clareiras e jazidas sugerem que a simbiose com os fungos pouco ou nada contribuem para a nutrição das plantas naquelas condições edafoclimáticas.
Utilização de substratos alternativos e substâncias húmicas para produção de mudas de gergelim
Authors: Pontes Samuel Ferreira , Matos Raissa Rachel Salustriano da Silva , Cordeiro Kleber Veras , Sousa Marcos de Oliveira , Cardoso João Pedro Santos , Oliveira Paula Sara Teixeira de , Silva Taciella Fernandes , Santos Janaiane Ferreira dos , Silva Igo Alves da
Published: June 2021

A semente de gergelim é pequena e leve, tornando-se um problema durante a semeadura devido aos gastos desnecessários de sementes. Após a emergência das plântulas o seu desenvolvimento é muito lento em seu período crítico, assim, comprometendo a produtividade pela excessiva densidade de plantas e competição com plantas daninhas que nem sempre são controladas de forma adequada. Uma alternativa interessante seria a produção de mudas de gergelim utilizando-se substrato alternativo e substâncias húmicas. Objetivou-se avaliar a produção de mudas de gergelim ‘CNPA G3’ em substrato formulado a partir de areia e biomassa do caule de babaçu sob crescentes doses de substâncias húmicas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 6 x 4, referente a seis substratos (S) a base de areia e de biomassa do caule de babaçu (BCB): S1-100% areia; S2-20% BCB + 80% areia; S3-40% BCB + 80% areia; S4-60% + 40% areia; S5-80% BCB + 20% areia; S6-100% BCB e quatro doses de substâncias húmicas: D1-0; D2-12.5; D3-25 e D4-50 mL. Para diagnóstico de efeito significativo os tratamentos foram comparados entre si pelo teste Tukey. A biomassa do caule de babaçu influenciou todas as variáveis analisadas, diferente de substâncias húmicas, que não apresentou diferença significativa para o comprimento radicular. Recomenda-se o uso de 80% de biomassa do caule de babaçu + 20% areia como substrato alternativo na produção de mudas de gergelim. A aplicação de substâncias húmicas ao substrato não foi capaz de mostrar benefício relevante suficiente no desenvolvimento de mudas de gergelim.
Growth and organic solutes accumulation in seedlings of Caatinga tree species in response of water deficit and potassium
Authors: Almeida Ediglécia Pereira de , Freire Antonio Lucineudo de Oliveira , Bakke Ivonete Alves , Ferreira Cheila Deisy , França George Martins de , Batista Antonio Wesly
Published: June 2021

Drought stress negatively influences a variety of essential physiological process for plant growth and biomass production, and potassium contributes to the absorption of water and maintaining cell turgor, being crucial to understand the seedlings water stress responses. This research aimed to verify the effects to water deficiency and potassium on the growth and accumulation of organic solutes in Myracrodruon urundeuva, Libidibia ferrea, and Mimosa tenuiflora. The treatments were distributed in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme, with three water levels (100%pc - control, 50%pc - moderate water deficit, and 25%pc - severe water deficit) and three doses of potassium (0, 97.5 and 195 mg dm-3 K). The plants were sown in black plastic bags, containing 5 kg of soil. Were evaluated plant height, stem diameter, and leaf concentrations of total soluble sugars, total free amino acids, and proteins. The water deficit caused a reduction in the growth of M. urundeuva and M. tenuiflora plants, regardless of the added potassium. The plants of M. urundeuva and M.  tenuiflora were not demanding in potassium, while potassium fertilization with 97.5 mg dm-3 K favored L. ferrea plants, especially when kept under moderate water deficit. The moderate water deficit promoted accumulation of total free amino acids and soluble proteins in M. urundeuva, while in L. ferrea there was accumulation of total free amino acids under severe water deficit. Increase in the potassium promoted reduction in the concentrations of total soluble sugars and soluble proteins.
Avaliação do processo de transição agroecológica em propriedades agrofamiliares do município de Garanhuns, Pernambuco
Authors: Silva Romário Nunes da , Feistauer Diogo , Sales Filho Romero Luiz Mendonça , Andrade Horasa Maria Lima da Silva , Andrade Luciano Pires de
Published: June 2021

No âmbito de se alcançar cada vez mais a sustentabilidade dos sistemas de produção agrícola, a transição agroecológica é entendida como um processo gradual e multilinear que ocorre através do tempo nas formas de manejo que requer o estabelecimento de um processo capaz de compor mudanças estruturais nas formas de manejo e na composição do desenho dos agroecossistemas. Este trabalho objetivou-se em analisar sistemas de produção agroecológica e compará-los com os de base convencional, possibilitando ainda, classificar propriedades em níveis de transição agroecológica. A avaliação ocorreu no Sitio Cruz, localizado no município de Garanhuns/Pernambuco. Foram localizadas cinco propriedades de produção agroecológica (SPA) e para efeitos comparativos selecionou-se três propriedades adjacentes de sistema convencional (SPC), ambas de base familiar. Foi utilizado o método de valoração de transição agroecológica, no qual aplicou-se questionários estruturados com questões envolvendo as técnicas, os insumos e manejos utilizados durante a produção agrícola. Foi realizado ainda, uma atualização do método, incluído o quarto nível de transição. A partir dos dados obtidos percebeu-se superioridade do nível total de transição no SPA em relação às propriedades de SPC. Tal diferença decorre em detrimento da preferência pelo o uso de técnicas e manejo agroecológico, como também, relação direta entre produtor-consumidor. A atualização do método possibilita maior eficiência, considerando o desenvolvimento econômico e social e contribuindo para um maior planejamento e auxilio a programas e assistência técnica direcionadas a agricultura de base agroecológica.
Beyond VIAF
Authors: Bianchini Carlo , Bargioni Stefano , Pellizzari di San Girolamo Camillo Carlo
Published: June 2021

This paper aims to investigate the reciprocal relationship between VIAF® and Wikidata and their possible roles in the semantic web environment. It deals with their data, their approach, their domain, and their stakeholders, with particular attention to identification as a fundamental goal of Universal Bibliographic Control. After examining interrelationships among VIAF, Wikidata, libraries and other GLAM institutions, a double approach is used to compare VIAF and Wikidata: first, a quantitative analysis of VIAF and Wikidata data on personal entities, presented in eight tables; and second, a qualitative comparison of several general characteristics, such as purpose, scope, organizational and theoretical approach, data harvesting and management (shown in table 9). Quantitative data and qualitative comparison show that VIAF and Wikidata are quite different in their purpose, scope, organizational and theoretical approach, data harvesting, and management. The study highlights the reciprocal role of VIAF and Wikidata and its helpfulness in the worldwide bibliographical context and in the semantic web environment and outlines new perspectives for research and cooperation.
Do Space’s Virtual Interview Lab
Authors: Sauers Michael P.
Published: June 2021

As we start to pull ourselves out of the COVID-19 pandemic it’s time to start thinking about what changes we made at our libraries in response and decide which ones we should keep and which ones need to end along with the pandemic itself. In this editorial Michael P. Sauers, Technology Manager for Do Space in Omaha, NE uses their Virtual Interview Lab as a case study in pandemic flexibility and how simple solutions can have great benefits.
Writing practices in modern urban communities
Authors: Vetoshkina Yuliya Vladimirovna
Published: June 2021

The subject of this research is the urban communities that provide regular group classes in writing practices. The key research instrument was the method of interview proposed by Steinar Kvale. The goal of interviewing consists in determination and analysis of the reasons why modern citizens choose a leisure activity that involves joint writing followed by group discussion. The respondents became ten attendants of the community “Breakfast with Tesoro Notes” and “Written Practices” (in Perm). This article is methodologically based on representation of the city as a social laboratory pf R. Park, the concept of “a third place” of R. Oldenburg, understanding of communities through communication process proposed by V. Vakhshtayn, and the concept of social solidarity of E. Durkheim. The scientific novelty is defined by insufficient examination within the scientific literature of the phenomenon of urban communities engaged in writing practices . The following conclusions were made: the activity of urban communities engaged in writing practices takes place in public locations, such as cafes in the city center; people of different social status and age can become the participants of such practice,  although such event mostly attract female audience; urban writing practices form a social model, within which the participants establish communication of a supportive type. The main motive for attending the writing practices is the process of self-identification through self-nurturing. Due to the common thesaurus that develops among the participants, the rules and norms of activity that are observed by all participants and form a sense of security, such communities have well-established in the urban life. At the same time, they are open to new people and social processes, which promotes their long existence as a cultural form.
Biofriendly design: arrangement of sustainable and smart environment
Authors: Baklyskaia Larisa Evgen'evna , Il'in Konstantin Sergeevich
Published: June 2021

The subject of this research is application of the principles and techniques of biofriendly design in various environmental situations – open urban and interior spaces. The relevance of this research is defined by the need for new paradigms and conceptual solutions in order to change the relationship between urbanized environment and nature. Biofriendly design is of particularly demand in the conditions of such global challenges to modern society as the 2020 pandemic, as it opens additional opportunities for sustainable development. The research methodology is based on the unity of theory and practice. The theoretical part of the work consists in consideration of the current state of the question, analysis of the key principles of biofriendly urbanism and techniques of biofriendly design. The practical part reviews the examples of projects of the open and interior spaces, in which biofriendliness is one of the fundamental principles of arranging the environment, and simultaneously, the space organization techniques. The empirical framework is comprised of such methods as observation and analysis of the results of creative works that allow assessing  the effectiveness of forms and methods of the development of creative component of professional activity. The research is conducted at the premises of the department of Design of Architectural Environment of the Pacific National University within the framework of educational course “Environmental Factors in Design” and is of applied nature. The novelty of this work consists in implementation of the obtained results in practical architectural and design engineering of environmental objects.
Foundations and meaning of educational-pedagogical activity and its tasks in political-legal sphere
Authors: Poyarkov Sergei Yur'evich
Published: June 2021

The subject of this article is the model of educational-pedagogical activity in political-legal sphere, which takes into consideration the research data on optimization of educational process in this field. The author outlines the parameters that impact the effectiveness of implementation of the model of educational-pedagogical activity in political-legal sphere. It is substantiated by the fact that the content of education gives knowledge and experience, which promote civic and social activism. The researchers widely acknowledge that education serves as the engine of economic growth due to accumulation of human capital; education is also closely related with the increase of social capital as a result of the advancement of education. The author comes to the conclusion that the formation of students’ attitude towards political-legal sphere is based on the logical interrelatedness of the indicated components. It is worth noting that each structural component, which affects the formation of attitude towards political-legal sphere, depends on the particular activity of the subjects involved, including the peculiarities of organization of educational space and competence of pedagogues. The author underlines that engagement in extracurricular activities has a positive impact upon all aspects of the organization of educational process in political-legal sphere, except for the intention to participate in civic activity, which is assessed by attending organizational meetings.
Exotic supersolid phase of one-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model inside an optical cavity
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Fan , Fan Jing-Tao , Chen Gang , Jia Suo-Tang ,   State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics, Quantum Optics Devices, Institute of Laser Spectroscopy, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China,   Shandong Provincial Engineering, Technical Center of Light Manipulations, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
Published: June 2021

Using a state-of-the-art numerical method density-matrix renormalization-group, we study the ground states of one-dimensional spinless Bose-Hubbard model inside a red-detuned cavity. By calculating the superfluid order, density distribution, second and third-order correlation functions, we find that there exist two novel supersolid phases with diagonal, off-diagonal orders beyond mean-field theory. One has package type density modulation along the lattice axis, another exhibits uniform density distribution. Moreover, by calculating the superradiant order parameter and the number of photon inside the cavity, we find that the novel supersolid phases are highly related to cavity-field fluctuation. Our work gives the physics beyond the mean-field theory of the Bose-Hubbard model inside an optical cavity, and provides the complete approach to fully explore the collective state of light and matter inside an optical cavity.
Broad geographic sampling reveals the shared basis and environmental correlates of seasonal adaptation in Drosophila
Authors: Machado Heather E , Bergland Alan O , Taylor Ryan , Tilk Susanne , Behrman Emily , Dyer Kelly , Fabian Daniel K , Flatt Thomas , González Josefa , Karasov Talia L , Kim Bernard , Kozeretska Iryna , Lazzaro Brian P , Merritt Thomas JS , Pool John E , O'Brien Katherine , Rajpurohit Subhash , Roy Paula R , Schaeffer Stephen W , Serga Svitlana , Schmidt Paul , Petrov Dmitri A
Published: June 2021

To advance our understanding of adaptation to temporally varying selection pressures, we identified signatures of seasonal adaptation occurring in parallel among Drosophila melanogaster populations. Specifically, we estimated allele frequencies genome-wide from flies sampled early and late in the growing season from 20 widely dispersed populations. We identified parallel seasonal allele frequency shifts across North America and Europe, demonstrating that seasonal adaptation is a general phenomenon of temperate fly populations. Seasonally fluctuating polymorphisms are enriched in large chromosomal inversions, and we find a broad concordance between seasonal and spatial allele frequency change. The direction of allele frequency change at seasonally variable polymorphisms can be predicted by weather conditions in the weeks prior to sampling, linking the environment and the genomic response to selection. Our results suggest that fluctuating selection is an important evolutionary force affecting patterns of genetic variation in Drosophila.
Adipsin promotes bone marrow adiposity by priming mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Aaron Nicole , Kraakman Michael J , Zhou Qiuzhong , Liu Qiongming , Costa Samantha , Yang Jing , Liu Longhua , Yu Lexiang , Wang Liheng , He Ying , Fan Lihong , Hirakawa Hiroyuki , Ding Lei , Lo James , Wang Weidong , Zhao Baohong , Guo Edward , Sun Lei , Rosen Cliff J , Qiang Li
Published: June 2021

Background:

Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) has been shown to be vital for regulating metabolism and maintaining skeletal homeostasis in the bone marrow (BM) niche. As a reflection of BM remodeling, MAT is highly responsive to nutrient fluctuations, hormonal changes, and metabolic disturbances such as obesity and diabetes mellitus. Expansion of MAT has also been strongly associated with bone loss in mice and humans. However, the regulation of BM plasticity remains poorly understood, as does the mechanism that links changes in marrow adiposity with bone remodeling.

Methods:

We studied deletion of Adipsin, and its downstream effector, C3, in C57BL/6 mice as well as the bone-protected PPARγ constitutive deacetylation 2KR mice to assess BM plasticity. The mice were challenged with thiazolidinedione treatment, calorie restriction, or aging to induce bone loss and MAT expansion. Analysis of bone mineral density and marrow adiposity was performed using a μCT scanner and by RNA analysis to assess adipocyte and osteoblast markers. For in vitro studies, primary bone marrow stromal cells were isolated and subjected to osteoblastogenic or adipogenic differentiation or chemical treatment followed by morphological and molecular analyses. Clinical data was obtained from samples of a previous clinical trial of fasting and high-calorie diet in healthy human volunteers.

Results:

We show that Adipsin is the most upregulated adipokine during MAT expansion in mice and humans in a PPARγ acetylation-dependent manner. Genetic ablation of Adipsin in mice specifically inhibited MAT expansion but not peripheral adipose depots, and improved bone mass during calorie restriction, thiazolidinedione treatment, and aging. These effects were mediated through its downstream effector, complement component C3, to prime common progenitor cells toward adipogenesis rather than osteoblastogenesis through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Conclusions:

Adipsin promotes new adipocyte formation and affects skeletal remodeling in the BM niche. Our study reveals a novel mechanism whereby the BM sustains its own plasticity through paracrine and endocrine actions of a unique adipokine.

Funding:

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health T32DK007328 (NA), F31DK124926 (NA), R01DK121140 (JCL), R01AR068970 (BZ), R01AR071463 (BZ), R01DK112943 (LQ), R24DK092759 (CJR), and P01HL087123 (LQ).
Utbytesstuderandes erfarenheter av slöjd på universitetsnivå
Authors: Brännkärr Pia
Published: June 2021

Internationalisering är en viktig del av universitetens verksamhet. Inom slöjdvetenskap vid Åbo Akademi i Vasa har det iakttagits en ökning när det gäller antalet utbytesstuderande med intresse att avlägga en eller flera slöjdkurser under deras utbytesperiod. För en del utbytesstuderande har slöjd varit någonting helt nytt och obekant medan andra har haft ett liknande ämne i sitt hemland. Det här har väckt intresset och frågan om vad som gör lärandet och verksamheten i slöjd intressant för utbytesstuderande. Den här studiens syfte är att undersöka hurdana erfarenheter utbytesstuderande får under en slöjdkurs på universitetsnivå. Forskningsfrågan är: Vilka erfarenheter synliggör utbytesstuderande från slöjdkursen de deltagit i? Genom studien fås ett internationellt perspektiv på slöjdupplevelser, samt kunskap som hjälper mottagande universitet och lärare att i framtiden anpassa verksamheten så att studerande får bästa möjliga utbyte och erfarenhet. Det empiriska materialet består av 13 utbytes­studerandes skriftliga kursuppgifter från en slöjdkurs hösten 2018. Genom tematisk analys och med hjälp av programmet Nvivo har studerandes texter analyserats och fem teman har skapats. Det som framkommer i resultatet är att utbytesstuderandes erfarenheter berör: det personliga såsom känslor och personlig utveckling, det ämnesteknologiska såsom olika tekniker och material, den kommande lärarprofessionen, kontakten till och interaktionen med medstuderande och lärare, samt kopplingar och reflektioner till det omgivande samhället och hemlandet. Många av erfarenheterna fokuserar på det personliga och på interaktionen och kontakten med medstuderanden. Erfarenheterna berör till stor del liknande områden som framkommer i tidigare forskning.
Keywords: utbytesstuderande, erfarenhet, slöjd, universitet, slöjdutbildning
Constraint’s Analysis of Sugarcane Cultivation in Sant Kabir Nagar District
Authors: Yadav Bhartendu , Kushwaha R. R. , Yadav Ram Singh , Singh Pavan Kumar , Yadav Arun Kumar
Published: June 2021

The study was conducted using multistage stratified, purposive cum random sampling procedure and hundred respondents were selected from a block of district. Primary data was collected through personal interview technique and required secondary information for the reference was taken from the records available at district and block offices. Simple tabular, functional analysis using Garrett ranking method was used to cook the inferences. As per the results found and seen from the analysis, lack of technical knowledge was found as the first rank followed by labor constraints in peak time at the second position. Seeds unavailability at the third rank and irrigation facility and unavailability of finance facility were found at fourth and fifth ranks respectively. Rest all problems were found afterwards.
Deep Learning Approaches for Intrusion Detection
Authors: Salih Azar Abid , Ameen Siddeeq Y. , Zeebaree Subhi R. M. , Sadeeq Mohammed A. M. , Kak Shakir Fattah , Omar Naaman , Ibrahim Ibrahim Mahmood , Yasin Hajar Maseeh , Rashid Zryan Najat , Ageed Zainab Salih
Published: June 2021

Recently, computer networks faced a big challenge, which is that various malicious attacks are growing daily. Intrusion detection is one of the leading research problems in network and computer security. This paper investigates and presents Deep Learning (DL) techniques for improving the Intrusion Detection System (IDS). Moreover, it provides a detailed comparison with evaluating performance, deep learning algorithms for detecting attacks, feature learning, and datasets used to identify the advantages of employing in enhancing network intrusion detection.
Anticipating the ethical, legal, and social implications of human genome research: An ongoing experiment
Authors: Juengst Eric T.
Published: June 2021

Dr. Victor McKusick was a founding member of the joint NIH‐DOE working group that designed the federal effort to address the ethical, legal, and social implications of the US Human Genome Project in 1989. A key feature of this effort was its commitment to anticipating genomics‐driven questions before they became urgent practical dilemmas, by complementing the scientific effort to map and sequence the human genome with projects by a wide range of social scientists, humanities scholars, legal experts, and public educators designed to equip society with the foresight required to optimize the public welfare benefits of new genomic information. This article describes the origins of that experiment and the model of anticipatory science policy that it produced, as one piece of Dr. McKusick's extraordinary intellectual legacy.
Targeted NMR‐based serum metabolic profiling of serine, glycine and methionine in acute‐on‐chronic liver failure patients: Possible insights into mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Arya Payal , Kumar Umesh , Sharma Supriya , Durgappa Manjunath , Guleria Anupam , Raj Ritu , Pande Gaurav , Kumar Dinesh
Published: June 2021

Background

A recent study based on blood metabolomics analysis revealed inflammation‐associated mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential mechanism underlying acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) in cirrhotic patients. Serine, glycine, and methionine serve to maintain a healthy immune system and adequately sustain mitochondrial functionality in hepatocytes for regulating redox homeostasis through the production of antioxidant glutathione (GSH). Based on this, we hypothesized that the circulatory levels of serine, glycine and methionine will be altered in ACLF patients due to acute worsening of hepatic function and may provide novel insights into the mitochondrial dysfunction as well.

Methods

The circulatory concentrations of serine, glycine, and methionine were estimated in the sera of 40 ACLF patients and 49 normal controls (NC) subject using 1D 1H‐CPMG NMR spectra recorded at 800 MHz NMR spectrometer. The resulting metabolite concentrations were compared using unpaired Student t‐test and p‐value < 0.05 was considered as the criterion of statistical significance. The diagnostic potential and statistical correlations were established using receiver‐operating‐characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Pearson‐r method, respectively.

Results

Circulating levels of serine and glycine were significantly decreased in ACLF patients (Ser = 23.06 ± 1.67 µM and Gly = 83.11±7.52 µM) compared to NC subjects (Ser = 55.61 ± 2.28 µM and Gly = 156.9±7.16 µM) with p‐value < 0.0001, whereas those of methionine were significantly increased in ACLF (22.60 ± 2.49 µM) compared to NC subjects (=14.63 ± 0.85 µM) with p‐value < 0.0015. Further, the ROC analysis yielded satisfactory sensitivity and specificity for serine, glycine, and methionine‐to‐glycine ratio (MGR) with area under ROC (AUROC) curve values equal to: 0.95 [95%CI = 0.91‐0.99] for Ser; 0.87 [95%CI = 0.79‐0.95] for Gly; and 0.90 [95%CI = 0.83‐0.97] for MGR.

Conclusion

Compared to NC subjects, the sera of ACLF patients were characterized by hypermethioninemia and aberrantly decreased levels of serine and glycine suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction as the possible mechanism for disturbed redox homeostasis and therefore depressed immune system in ACLF.
Identification and functional analysis of dsRNases in spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii
Authors: Yoon June‐Sun , Ahn Seung‐Joon , Flinn Christina M. , Choi Man‐Yeon
Published: June 2021

RNAi efficiency in insects is different from species to species; some species in Coleoptera are relatively more amenable to RNA interference (RNAi) than other species. One of the major factors is the presence of dsRNA‐degrading enzymes, called dsRNases, in saliva, gut, or hemolymph in insects, which degrade the double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) introduced, resulting in the low efficacy of RNAi. In this study, we report a dsRNA‐degrading activity in the gut homogenates from the spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, by ex vivo assay. Then, we identified two Drosophila suzukii dsRNase genes, named DrosudsRNase1 and DrosudsRNase2. In silico analysis shows that the gene structures are similar to dsRNases found in other insects. When dsRNases expressed in Sf9 cells were compared for their dsRNA degrading activities, dsRNase1 was more vital than dsRNase2. Both dsRNases were expressed highly and exclusively in the gut compared to the rest of body. Also, they were highly expressed during larval and adult stages but not in embryonic and pupal stages, suggesting the dsRNases protect foreign RNA molecules received during the feeding periods. DsRNase1 was expressed at a higher level in adults, whereas dsRNase2 showed more expression in early larvae. Our study on the tissue and development‐specific patterns of dsRNases provides an improved understanding of the RNAi application for the management of D. suzukii.
Polymer Synthesis Based on Self‐Accelerating 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition Click Reactions†
Authors: Tang Qingquan , Zhang Ke
Published: June 2021

This review reports our recent work on developing polymer synthesis methods based on a self‐accelerating double‐strain‐promoted 1,3‐dipole‐alkyne cycloaddition (DSPDAC) click reaction. In DSPDAC, the cycloaddition of 1,3‐dipole with the first alkyne of sym‐dibenzo‐1,5‐cyclooctadiene‐3,7‐diyne (DIBOD) activates the second unreacted alkyne, which reacts with 1,3‐dipole much faster than the original alkyne of DIBOD. When using DIBOD and bis‐dipole compounds as monomer pairs, the self‐accelerating property of DSPDAC allows us to develop a stoichiometric imbalance‐promoted step‐growth polymerization method. It could produce polymers with ultrahigh molecular weight in the presence of excess DIBOD monomers. When using DIBOD to ring‐close linear polymers with 1,3‐dipole end groups, the self‐accelerating property of DSPDAC facilitates us to develop a unique bimolecular ring‐closure method. It could efficiently prepare pure cyclic polymers in the presence of excess DIBOD small linkers to linear polymer precursors.
Uptake of cancer risk management strategies among women who undergo cascade genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility genes
Authors: Makhnoon Sukh , Tran Grace , Levin Brooke , Mattie Kristin D. , Dreyer Brian , Volk Robert J. , Grana Generosa , Arun Banu K. , Peterson Susan K.
Published: June 2021

Background

Uptake of cancer risk management based on inherited predispositions, which encompasses bilateral mastectomy (BLM), bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy (BSO), and intensified screening, is the primary motivation for cascade testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). However, long‐term outcome data for cascade testers are lacking.

Methods

Medical records were abstracted for all unaffected women with pathogenic variants in HBOC genes from 2 cancer hospitals (2013‐2019) with at least 1 year of follow‐up to compare the uptake of surgery and screening between cascade and noncascade testers.

Results

Cascade testers (79.8%) were younger than noncascade testers (mean age, 37.6 vs 43.5 years; P = .002). Among women aged ≥40 years, 43% underwent BLM, and 71.6% underwent BSO, with no significant difference in uptake between cascade and noncascade testers. The mean time to BSO among cascade testers was shorter among women aged ≥40 years versus those aged <40 years (11.8 vs 31.9 months; P = .04); no such difference was observed among noncascade testers. Mammography and breast magnetic resonance imaging rates were low in the recorded 6 years for both groups after genetic counseling.

Conclusions

Management uptake among cascade testers is high with rates comparable to those for unaffected BRCA‐positive women. A large proportion of women act on cascade test results, and this represents a novel report of utilization of cancer management strategies.
Revealing the time course of laser‐evoked potential habituation by high temporal resolution analysis
Authors: Kersebaum Dilara , Fabig Sophie‐Charlotte , Sendel Manon , Muntean Alexandra Cristina , Baron Ralf , Hüllemann Philipp
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives

Reduced laser‐evoked potential (LEP) habituation indicates abnormal central pain processing. But the paradigm (four stimulation blocks a 25 stimuli) is time consuming and potentially omits important information on the exact habituation time course. This study examined whether a high temporal resolution (HTR) analysis (dividing the four stimulation blocks into 12 analysis blocks) can answer the following questions: (a) After how many stimuli does LEP habituation occur? (b) Is there a difference in LEP habituation in younger versus older subjects? (c) Is HTR applicable on radiculopathy patients?

Methods

EEG data of 129 subjects were included. Thirty‐four young healthy and 28 advanced‐aged healthy subjects were tested with LEPs on the hand dorsum. Thirty‐seven radiculopathy patients and 30 controls were tested with LEPs on the L3 dermatome. The EEG data of the hand dorsa have been analysed conventionally and with HTR analysis. The applicability of HTR has been tested on radiculopathy patients and respective controls.

Results

HTR was well feasible in young healthy subjects and revealed a strong habituation effect during the first 25 stimuli (i.e. within the first 5 min). After approximately 48 stimuli, no further significant habituation was detectable. LEP amplitudes were higher in young subjects. HTR was unsuitable for elderly subjects and middle‐aged radiculopathy patients.

Conclusions

In young healthy subjects, HTR allows a shortening of the test protocol while providing a detailed information on the time course of LEP habituation. A shorter protocol might be useful for the applicability of the LEP paradigm for clinical and experimental settings as well as pharmacological studies.

Significance

The usage of high temporal resolution (HTR) analysis in young healthy subjects enables a short test protocol and provides the exact time course of laser‐evoked potential habituation. This can be useful for the examination of neurological conditions affecting younger patients and for pharmacological studies. HTR was inapplicable in advanced‐aged subjects and patients with radiculopathy.
Judicious method of integrating phase change materials into a building envelope under Saharan climate
Authors: Hamdani Maamar , Bekkouche Sidi Mohammed El Amine , Al‐Saadi Saleh , Cherier Mohamed Kamal , Djeffal Rachid , Zaiani Mohamed
Published: June 2021

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been extensively used for thermal storage systems in buildings. To enhance the building's thermal and energy performance, PCMs can be embedded into envelope systems to reduce the cooling and heating demand. A PCM's melting temperature close to the thermal comfort range (20°C‐26°C) can potentially be an attractive solution. In this work, the thermal and energy performance of a building in Saharan climate, specifically Ghardaïa in Algeria, was modeled using the TRNSYS‐18 simulation package. A newly developed module (Type‐285) was compiled for this version to evaluate different PCMs integration approaches in building envelope. Integration techniques have been evaluated based on three performance indicators, namely, monthly and annual energy savings, mean air temperature, and the daily average temperature fluctuation. When considering the conventional PCMs integration within the building envelope, a reduction of 36.4% in annual energy consumption was achieved. The study indicated that when PCMs are carefully integrated based on orientations and seasons, a reduction of 50.71% in annual energy consumption is possible, an additional 14.34% to the conventional PCMs integration. In addition, PCMs provided an enhanced thermal performance and a significant reduction in indoor temperatures that ranged between 2.36°C to 4°C. The study proposes an improved PCMs integration approach which can be possibly implemented if movable PCMs panels are used instead of the conventional static PCMs panels.
Impact of beaver dam analogues on hydrology in a semi‐arid floodplain
Authors: Pearce Casey , Vidon Philippe , Lautz Laura , Kelleher Christa , Davis Julianne
Published: June 2021

Natural beaver ponds help connect the stream to the floodplain, maintain late summer low flows and reduce peak flow during high flow events by offering temporary surface water (SW) storage. When beavers are extirpated from the landscape, stream degradation often ensues. This study assesses the impact of beaver dam analogues (BDA) as a stream restoration technique to help maintain low flow water levels and enhance stream‐floodplain interactions on a seasonal basis in Red Canyon Creek, Lander, WY. BDAs increased SW and groundwater (GW) levels, favoured the occurrence of flow reversals (i.e., stream‐to‐floodplain GW flow) during high flow events associated with mid‐winter and early‐spring thaw events, and reduced the groundwater‐to‐stream hydraulic gradient on an annual basis. Although GW temperatures varied seasonally, relatively cooler GW temperatures were observed in the BDA impacted reach compared to the control reach away from BDA influence. BDAs however did not significantly impact stream temperatures. Overall, results suggest that when installed in sequence, BDA complexes can successfully reconnect the stream to its floodplain, and ultimately increase SW‐GW exchange at the floodplain scale by allowing flow reversals to occur and by reducing the GW to stream hydraulic gradient. Although BDAs built with fence posts, willow branches, sediments and small boulders are naturally porous and require regular maintenance, this study also highlights the viability of small BDAs as a restoration practice to enhance landscape resilience to drought and high flow events in deeply incised channels where beavers would not come back naturally.
Inhibition of ACLY Leads to Suppression of Osteoclast Differentiation and Function Via Regulation of Histone Acetylation
Authors: Guo Qian , Kang Honglei , Wang Jia , Dong Yimin , Peng Renpeng , Zhao Hongjian , Wu Wei , Guan Hanfeng , Li Feng
Published: June 2021

ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), generating most of the nucleocytosolic acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) for histone acetylation, links cell metabolism to epigenetic regulation. Recent investigations demonstrated that ACLY activated by metabolic reprogramming played an essential role in both M1 and M2 macrophage activation via histone acetylation. Previous studies also revealed that histone methylation and acetylation were critical for transcriptional regulation of osteoclast-specific genes. Considering that osteoclast differentiation also undergoes metabolic reprogramming and the activity of ACLY is always Akt-dependent, we inferred that receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) activation might enhance the activity of ACLY through downstream pathways and ACLY might play a role in osteoclast formation. In the current study, we found that ACLY was gradually activated during RANK ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation from bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). Both ACLY knock-down and small molecular ACLY inhibitor BMS-303141 significantly decreased nucleocytosolic acetyl-CoA in BMMs and osteoclasts and suppressed osteoclast formation in vitro. BMS-303141 also suppressed osteoclast formation in vivo and prevents ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss. Further investigations showed that RANKL triggered ACLY translocation into nucleus, consistent with increasing histone H3 acetylation, which was correlated to ACLY. The H3 lysine residues influenced by ACLY were in accordance with GCN5 targets. Using GCN5 knock-down and overexpression, we showed that ACLY and GCN5 functioned in the same pathway for histone H3 acetylation. Analysis of pathways downstream of RANK activation revealed that ACLY was Akt-dependent and predominately affected Akt pathway. With the help of RNA-sequencing, we discovered Rac1 as a downstream regulator of ACLY, which was involved in shACLY-mediated suppression of osteoclast differentiation, cytoskeleton organization, and signal transduction and was transcriptionally regulated by ACLY via histone H3 acetylation. To summarize, our results proved that inhibition of ATP-citrate lyase led to suppression of osteoclast differentiation and function via regulation of histone acetylation. Rac1 could be a downstream regulator of ACLY. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Genetic variation in catechol‐O‐methyltransferase is associated with individual differences in conditioned pain modulation in healthy subjects
Authors: Korczeniewska Olga A. , Kuo Fengshen , Huang Ching‐Yu , Nasri‐Heir Cibele , Khan Junad , Benoliel Rafael , Hirschberg Craig , Eliav Eli , Diehl Scott R.
Published: June 2021

Background

Genetic variation in the catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with sensitivity to both acute experimental pain and chronic pain conditions. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have traditionally been used to infer three common haplotypes designated as low, average and high pain sensitivity and are reported to affect both COMT enzymatic activity and pain sensitivity. One mechanism that may partly explain individual differences in sensitivity to pain is conditioned pain modulation (CPM). We hypothesized that variation in CPM may have a genetic basis.

Methods

We evaluated CPM in 77 healthy pain‐free Caucasian subjects by applying repeated mechanical stimuli to the dominant forearm using 26‐g von Frey filament as the test stimulus with immersion of the non‐dominant hand in hot water as the conditioning stimulus. We assayed COMT SNP genotypes by the TaqMan method using DNA extracted from saliva.

Results

SNP rs4680 (val158met) was not associated with individual differences in CPM. However, CPM was associated with COMT low pain sensitivity haplotypes under an additive model (p = 0.004) and the effect was independent of gender.

Conclusions

We show that, although four SNPs are used to infer COMT haplotypes, the low pain sensitivity haplotype is determined by SNP rs6269 (located in the 5′ regulatory region of COMT), suggesting that inherited variation in gene expression may underlie individual differences in pain modulation. Analysis of 13 global populations revealed that the COMT low pain sensitivity haplotype varies in frequency from 13% to 44% and showed that two SNPs are sufficient to distinguish all COMT haplotypes in most populations.
Characterizing large‐scale circulations driving extreme precipitation in the Northern French Alps
Authors: Blanc Antoine , Blanchet Juliette , Creutin Jean‐Dominique
Published: June 2021

Extreme precipitation in the Northern French Alps are mainly associated with large‐scale circulations (LSCs) bringing moist air from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea—two atmospheric influences that are very frequent in the climatology. In this work, we investigate what characterizes the Atlantic/Mediterranean circulations driving extreme precipitation in the Northern French Alps in comparison to ‘random’ Atlantic/Mediterranean circulations. We focus on extreme 3‐day precipitation over two medium size neighbouring catchments from 1950 to 2017. Atlantic and Mediterranean circulations are identified using an existing weather pattern classification established for Southern France. Every single LSC is characterized using three atmospheric descriptors based on analogy in geopotential shapes at 500 hPa over Western Europe that were introduced in previous works. They are (a) the celerity, characterizing the stationary nature of a geopotential shape, and (b) the singularity and relative singularity, characterizing the resemblance of a geopotential shape to its analogs, in other words the way this geopotential shape is closely reproduced in the climatology. We add to these analogy‐based descriptors a new (non‐analogy) descriptor accounting for the strength of the low and high‐pressure systems. We show that Atlantic/Mediterranean circulations driving extreme 3‐day precipitation in the Northern French Alps are the Atlantic/Mediterranean circulations featuring the strongest centres of action as well as the most stationary and the most reproducible geopotential shapes—characteristics that are rare for both atmospheric influences. In the Atlantic case, these characteristics appear to be even more pronounced and rare with regard to the whole climatology, pointing LSC as an important driver of extreme precipitation. In the Mediterranean case, these characteristics appear to be more random with regard to the whole climatology, pointing a more balanced contribution between specific LSC and humidity in driving extreme precipitation.