bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Loss of PARP7 Increases Type I Interferon Signaling in EO771 Breast Cancer Cells and Prevents Mammary Tumor Growth by Increasing Antitumor Immunity
Authors: Rasmussen Marit , Alvik Karoline , Kannen Vinicius , Olafsen Ninni E. , Erlingsson Linnea A. M. , Grimaldi Giulia , Takaoka Akinori , Grant Denis M. , Matthews Jason
Published: July 2023

PARP7 is a member of the ADP-ribosyltransferase diphtheria toxin-like (ARTD) family and acts as a repressor of type I interferon (IFN) signaling. PARP7 inhibition causes tumor regression by enhancing antitumor immunity, which is dependent on the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) activity, and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. To better understand PARP7′s role in cancer, we generated and characterized PARP7 knockout (Parp7KO) EO771 mouse mammary cancer cells in vitro and in a preclinical syngeneic tumor model using catalytic mutant Parp7H532A mice. Loss of PARP7 expression or inhibition of its activity increased type I IFN signaling, as well as the levels of interferon-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3) and specifically unphosphorylated-ISGF3 regulated target genes. This was partly because PARP7′s modification of the RelA subunit of nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB). PARP7 loss had no effect on tumor growth in immunodeficient mice. In contrast, injection of wildtype cells into Parp7H532A mice resulted in smaller tumors compared with cells injected into Parp7+/+ mice. Parp7H532A mice injected with Parp7KO cells failed to develop tumors and those that developed regressed. Our data highlight the importance of PARP7 in the immune cells and further support targeting PARP7 for anticancer therapy.
Roles of Fascin in Dendritic Cells
Authors: Wang Hao-Jie , Jiang Ya-Ping , Zhang Jun-Ying , Tang Xiao-Qi , Lou Jian-Shu , Huang Xin-Yun
Published: July 2023

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that play a crucial role in activating naive T cells through presenting antigen information, thereby influencing immunity and anti-cancer responses. Fascin, a 55-kDa actin-bundling protein, is highly expressed in mature DCs and serves as a marker protein for their identification. However, the precise role of fascin in intratumoral DCs remains poorly understood. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of fascin in both normal and intratumoral DCs. In normal DCs, fascin promotes immune effects through facilitating DC maturation and migration. Through targeting intratumoral DCs, fascin inhibitors enhance anti-tumor immune activity. These roles of fascin in different DC populations offer valuable insights for future research in immunotherapy and strategies aimed at improving cancer treatments.
Chromosomal Evolution of the Talpinae
Authors: Biltueva Larisa S. , Vorobieva Nadezhda V. , Lemskya Natalya A. , Perelman Polina L. , Trifonov Vladimir A. , Panov Victor V. , Abramov Alexey V. , Kawada Shin-ichiro , Serdukova Natalya A. , Graphodatsky Alexandr S.
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the number of mole species with species status confirmed by genetic methods has been continuously increasing. Unfortunately, cytogenetic data are not yet available for all species. Here, for the first time, a GTG-banded karyotype of the small-toothed mole from Vietnam, Euroscaptor parvidens, a representative of the Eastern clade of the genus Euroscaptor, has been described. Through comparative analysis of available Euroscaptor (Euroscaptor parvidens, Euroscaptor klossi, and Euroscaptor malayana) and Oreoscaptor (Oreoscaptor mizura) karyotypes, we found cytogenetic signatures for each of the studied species. Zoo-FISH with sorted chromosomes of the Siberian mole (Talpa altaica) on chromosome sets of the small-toothed mole (E. parvidens), the small Japanese mole (Mogera imaizumii) from the closely related genus, and the Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides) from the tribe Urotrichini made it possible to identify syntenic regions between these species. We propose a possible ancestral karyotype of the tribe and, based on it, traced the features of chromosomal rearrangements accompanying the divergence of moles. The low rates of chromosomal evolution within the species of the genus Talpa—T. altaica and T. europaea—and the high rates of karyotypic reshuffling within the Asian genera of the tribe were confirmed. The karyotype of the Japanese mountain mole O. mizura seems to be the most conserved among the Asian moles. The most frequently occurring types of chromosomal rearrangements in moles are the pericentric inversions and amplification of heterochromatin. The pericentric inversions on four pairs of autosomes are shared between the closely related genera Euroscaptor, Oreoscaptor, and Mogera, while many more apomorphic rearrangements have occurred in each lineage additionally. The highest rate of chromosomal changes, with five rearrangements occurring over approximately 7 million years, was recorded in the lineage of the small-toothed mole.
The Responses of Alternative Splicing during Heat Stress in the Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei
Authors: Zhang Xiaoxi , Zhang Xiaojun , Yuan Jianbo , Li Fuhua
Published: July 2023

Heat tolerance is increasingly becoming a crucial trait for aquaculture species in the face of rapidly changing climate conditions. Alternative splicing (AS) is a vital mechanism within cells that modulates gene abundance and functional diversity, enabling organisms to effectively respond to diverse stressful conditions, including thermal stress. However, it is still uncertain whether AS contributes to heat tolerance in shrimp. In this study, we conducted an extensive transcriptome analysis on the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, revealing a total of 1267, 987, and 130 differential AS events (DAS) in the gill, hepatopancreas, and muscle, respectively, following exposure to heat stress. Among all of the DAS events, exon skipping (ES) was the predominant form of splicing modification observed. Interestingly, a minor portion of DAS genes exhibited overlap across the three tissues, implying that heat stress exerts unique effects on various tissue types. Moreover, the functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that commonly identified DAS genes were primarily associated with the “spliceosome” pathway, indicating that the AS of splicing-related genes played a crucial role in the response to heat stress. Our findings also revealed that heat stress tended to induce longer mRNA isoforms through differential alternative 3′ splice site (A3SS) events. Notably, A3SS events exhibited the highest proportion of maintained open reading frames (ORFs) under heat stress. Interestingly, we observed a limited overlap between the genes exhibiting DAS and those showing differential gene expression (DEG), indicating that AS may function as a distinct regulatory mechanism independent of transcriptional regulation in response to heat stress. This is the first comprehensive study on AS in crustacea species under heat stress, which broadens our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing the crustaceans’ response to environmental stress, providing valuable insights for the aquaculture breeding of shrimp and other aquatic animals.
Identification of the Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll a/b Binding Protein Gene Family in Peach (Prunus persica L.) and Their Expression under Drought Stress
Authors: Wang Li , Wei Jia , Shi Xingyun , Qian Weihong , Mehmood Jan , Yin Yiming , Jia Huijuan
Published: July 2023

In higher plants, light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding (Lhc) proteins play a vital role in photosynthetic processes and are widely involved in the regulation of plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress. However, the Lhc gene family has not been well identified in peaches (Prunus persica L.). In this study, 19 PpLhc genes were identified in the peach genome database, which were unevenly distributed on all chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that PpLhc proteins could be divided into three major subfamilies, each of whose members had different exon–intron structures but shared similar conserved motifs. A total of 17 different kinds of cis-regulatory elements were identified in the promoter regions of all PpLhc genes, which could be classified into three categories: plant growth and development, stress response, and phytohormone response. In addition, transcriptomic data analysis and RT-qPCR results revealed that the expression profiles of some PpLhc genes changed under drought treatment, suggesting the crucial roles of Lhc genes in the regulation of plant tolerance to drought stress. Taken together, these findings will provide valuable information for future functional studies of PpLhc genes, especially in response to drought stress.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Phytochrome Gene Family in Peanut
Authors: Shen Yue , Liu Yonghui , Liang Man , Zhang Xuyao , Chen Zhide , Shen Yi
Published: July 2023

To investigate the potential role of phytochrome (PHY) in peanut growth and its response to environmental fluctuations, eight candidate AhPHY genes were identified via genome-wide analysis of cultivated peanut. These AhPHY polypeptides were determined to possess acidic and hydrophilic physiochemical properties and exhibit subcellular localization patterns consistent with residence in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the AhPHY gene family members were classified into three subgroups homologous to the PHYA/B/E progenitors of Arabidopsis. AhPHY genes within the same clade largely displayed analogous gene structure, conserved motifs, and phosphorylation sites. AhPHY exhibited symmetrical distribution across peanut chromosomes, with 7 intraspecific syntenic gene pairs in peanut, as well as 4 and 20 interspecific PHY syntenic gene pairs in Arabidopsis and soybean, respectively. A total of 42 cis-elements were predicted in AhPHY promoters, including elements implicated in phytohormone regulation, stress induction, physiology, and photoresponse, suggesting putative fundamental roles across diverse biological processes. Moreover, spatiotemporal transcript profiling of AhPHY genes in various peanut tissues revealed distinct expression patterns for each member, alluding to putative functional specialization. This study contributes novel insights into the classification, structure, molecular evolution, and expression profiles of the peanut phytochrome gene family, and also provides phototransduction gene resources for further mechanistic characterization.
Investigating the Genetic Background of Spastic Syndrome in North American Holstein Cattle Based on Heritability, Genome-Wide Association, and Functional Genomic Analyses
Authors: Neustaeter Anna , Brito Luiz F. , Hanna W. J. Brad , Baird John D. , Schenkel Flavio S.
Published: July 2023

Spastic syndrome is a chronic, progressive disorder of adult cattle characterized by episodes of sudden involuntary muscle contractions or spasms of the extensor and abductor muscles of one or both hind limbs. In this study, a case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on an adult Holstein cattle cohort. Based on the 50 K and high-density (HD) SNP panel GWAS, we identified 98 and 522 SNPs, respectively. The most significant genomic regions identified are located on BTA9 at approximately 87 megabase pairs (Mb) and BTA7 between 1 and 20 Mb. Functional analyses of significant SNPs identified genes associated with muscle contraction, neuron growth or regulation, and calcium or sodium ion movement. Two candidate genes (FIG4 and FYN) were identified. FIG4 is ubiquitously expressed in skeletal muscle and FYN is involved with processes such as forebrain development, neurogenesis, locomotion, neurogenesis, synapse development, neuron migration, and the positive regulation of neuron projection development. The CACNA1A gene, which codes for a calcium channel subunit protein in the calcium signaling pathway, seems the most compelling candidate gene, as many calcium ion channel disorders are non-degenerative, and produce spastic phenotypes. These results suggest that spastic syndrome is of polygenic inheritance, with important genomic areas of interest on BTA7 and BTA9.
Body Image among Girls in Indonesia: Associations with Disordered Eating Behaviors, Life Engagement, Desire for Cosmetic Surgery and Psychosocial Influences
Authors: Garbett Kirsty May , Craddock Nadia , Saraswati L. Ayu , Diedrichs Phillippa C.
Published: July 2023

Body image is an important risk factor for mental and physical health during adolescence. Nonetheless, few studies have empirically investigated body image among girls in Southeast Asia. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of body esteem (a holistic measure of body image assessing the degree of satisfaction with one’s appearance, weight, and shape), associated behavioral outcomes, and potential psychosocial influences on body image among Indonesian girls to inform future intervention efforts. Girls across Indonesia with internet access (N = 318, Mage = 13.59 years) completed a questionnaire that assessed body image, disordered eating behaviors, appearance-related life engagement, desire for cosmetic surgery, appearance ideal internalization, media literacy, appearance-related teasing, and self-esteem. The younger girls’ (10–13 years) responses were analyzed separately from those of the older girls (14–17 years). Over half of the girls did not have high body esteem. Approximately a quarter of the girls across both age groups reported restricting their food intake, emotionally eating, and/or engaging in excessive exercise, and over half desired cosmetic surgery. Disordered eating behaviors and a desire for cosmetic surgery were negatively correlated with body esteem. Hierarchical regression analyses found BMI, internalization, appearance-related teasing, and self-esteem were uniquely associated with body esteem among younger girls. Appearance-related teasing and self-esteem were positively associated with body esteem among older girls. These findings suggest body image interventions may be important for this population, with appearance-related teasing and self-esteem potentially useful targets for intervention efforts. Further prospective research to investigate these findings would be beneficial for a deeper understanding of body image risk factors for girls across Indonesia.
Epidemiological Determinants of Patient Non-Conveyance to the Hospital in an Emergency Medical Service Environment
Authors: Farhat Hassan , Abid Cyrine , El Aifa Kawther , Gangaram Padarath , Jones Andre , Khenissi Mohamed Chaker , Khadhraoui Moncef , Gargouri Imed , Al-Shaikh Loua , Laughton James , Alinier Guillaume
Published: July 2023

Background: The increasing prevalence of comorbidities worldwide has spurred the need for time-effective pre-hospital emergency medical services (EMS). Some pre-hospital emergency calls requesting EMS result in patient non-conveyance. Decisions for non-conveyance are sometimes driven by the patient or the clinician, which may jeopardize the patients’ healthcare outcomes. This study aimed to explore the distribution and determinants of patient non-conveyance to hospitals in a Middle Eastern national Ambulance Service that promotes the transportation of all emergency call patients and does not adopt clinician-based non-conveyance decision. Methods: Using R Language, descriptive, bivariate, and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted for 334,392 multi-national patient non-conveyance emergency calls from June 2018 to July 2022, from a total of 1,030,228 calls to which a response unit was dispatched. Results: After data pre-processing, 237,862 cases of patient non-conveyance to hospital were retained, with a monthly average of 41.96% (n = 8799) of the emergency service demands and a standard deviation of 5.49% (n = 2040.63). They predominantly involved South Asians (29.36%, n = 69,849); 64.50% (n = 153,427) were of the age category from 14 to 44 years; 61.22% (n = 145,610) were male; 74.59% (n = 177,424) from the urban setting; and 71.28% (n = 169,552) had received on-scene treatment. Binary logistic regression with full variables and backward methods identified the final models of the determinants of patient non-conveyance decisions with an Akaike information criterion prediction estimator, respectively, of (250,200) and (250,169), indicating no significant difference between both models (Chi-square test; p-value = 0.63). Conclusions: Despite exercising a cautious protocol by encouraging patient transportation to hospital, patient non-conveyance seems to be a problem in the healthcare system that strains the pre-hospital medical response teams’ resources. Policies and regulations should be adopted to encourage individuals to access other primary care centers when required rather than draining emergency services for non-emergency situations.
An Analysis of Running Impact on Different Surfaces for Injury Prevention
Authors: Ferro-Sánchez Amelia , Martín-Castellanos Adrián , de la Rubia Alfonso , García-Aliaga Abraham , Hontoria-Galán Mónica , Marquina Moisés
Published: July 2023

The impact that occurs on the runner’s foot when it lands on the ground depends on numerous factors: footwear, running technique, foot strike and landing pattern, among others. However, the surface is a decisive factor that can be selected by the runner to improve their sports practice, thereby avoiding injuries. This study aimed to assess the number and magnitude of accelerations in impact (produced by the runner when their foot strikes the ground) on three different surfaces (grass, synthetic track, and concrete) in order to know how to prevent injuries. Thirty amateur runners (age 22.6 ± 2.43 years) participated in the study. They had to run consecutively on three different surfaces at the same speed, with a three axis-accelerometer placed on the sacrum and wearing their own shoes. The results showed that the running impacts differed based on the type of surface. Higher mean acceleration (MA) and mean peak acceleration (PA) in the impacts were observed on concrete compared to the other two surfaces. There were small differences for MA: 1.35 ± 0.1 g (concrete) vs. 1.30 ± 0.1 g (synthetic track) SD: 0.43 (0.33, 0.54) and 1.30 ± 0.1 g (grass) SD: 0.36 (0.25, 0.46), and small differences for PA: 3.90 ± 0.55 g (concrete) vs. 3.68 ± 0.45 g (synthetic track) SD 0.42 (0.21, 0.64) and 3.76 ± 0.48 g (grass) SD 0.27 (0.05, 0.48), implying that greater impacts were produced on concrete compared to synthetic track and grass. The number of peaks of 4 to 5 g of total acceleration was greater for concrete, showing small differences from synthetic track: SD 0.23 (−0.45, 0.9). Additionally, the number of steps was higher on synthetic track (34.90 ± 2.67), and small differences were shown compared with concrete (33.37 ± 2.95) SD 0.30 (−0.25, 0.85) and with grass (35.60 ± 3.94) SD 0.36 (−0.19, 0.91). These results may indicate a change in technique based on the terrain. Given the increasing popularity of running, participants must be trained to withstand the accelerations in impact that occur on different surfaces in order to prevent injuries.
Health Promotion Values Underlying Healthy Eating Strategies in The Netherlands
Authors: Gillies Christina , te Molder Hedwig , Wagemakers Annemarie
Published: July 2023

Healthy eating strategies are a large focus of research, practice, and policy in the Netherlands to improve the diets of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations (SDPs) and reduce health inequalities. However, the fundamental values of the health professionals that develop, implement, and evaluate healthy eating strategies are not explicit. Understanding and challenging these values may be an important step in aligning and improving efforts to support healthy diets in SDPs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to critically examine the values influencing strategies to promote healthy eating in SDPs in the Netherlands. In-depth interviews guided by a critical health promotion model were conducted with a diverse group of health professionals (n = 29) between October 2020 and January 2021 and analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. Results indicated that health professionals’ values overlapped in many ways, including their shared values concerning beneficence, responsibility, and collaboration. However, value conflicts were also uncovered surrounding assumptions about SDPs and ethical change processes. The co-existence of conventional and holistic health promotion values also reflected an enduring emphasis on individual-level healthy eating strategies. It is concluded that ongoing attention to the values of health professionals is needed to advance healthy eating strategies and reduce diet-related health inequalities.
Evaluating Somatic Experiencing® to Heal Cancer Trauma: First Evidence with Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Vagnini Denise , Grassi Massimo Maria , Saita Emanuela
Published: July 2023

Somatic Experiencing® is a bio-psychological method for the treatment and prevention of trauma and chronic stress, which has never been investigated with breast cancer (BC) survivors. Eight weeks of web-based synchronous group sessions were structured between April and June 2022. Potential participants were recruited using a convenience sampling approach and through the collaboration of a public hospital in northern Italy and a non-profit association of BC women. Thirty-five eligible participants were enrolled and divided into an intervention group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 14). Anxiety, depression, distress (HADS), coping strategies (Mini-MAC), trauma reworking skills (PACT), and body image (BIS) were assessed at T0 and after 8 weeks (T1). Qualitative items concerning the most significant moments and learnings were completed at T1 by the intervention group. An independent t-test confirmed no between-group psychological differences at T0. As hypothesized, paired-sample t-tests showed decreases in anxiety, depression, distress (p < 0.05), and anxious preoccupation coping strategy (p < 0.001), but also improvements in forward focus (p < 0.05) and body image (p < 0.001) in the intervention group. The controls worsened over time with increases in hopeless/helplessness (p < 0.001) and avoidance (p < 0.05) coping strategies. Textual analyses extracted five dominant themes that summarized the meaning of the experience for participants. The preliminary results suggest the effectiveness of the intervention.
Transcriptomic Analysis Followed by the Isolation of Extracellular Bacteriolytic Proteases from Lysobacter capsici VKM B-2533T
Authors: Afoshin Alexey , Kudryakova Irina , Tarlachkov Sergey , Leontyevskaya Elena , Zelenov Dmitry , Rudenko Pavel , Leontyevskaya (Vasilyeva) Natalya
Published: July 2023

The aim of the study was to search for, isolate and characterize new bacteriolytic enzymes that show promising potential for their use in medicine, agriculture and veterinary. Using a transcriptomic analysis, we annotated in Lysobacter capsici VKM B-2533T the genes of known bacteriolytic and antifungal enzymes, as well as of antibiotics, whose expression levels increased when cultivated on media conducive to the production of antimicrobial agents. The genes of the secreted putative bacteriolytic proteases were also annotated. Two new bacteriolytic proteases, Serp and Serp3, were isolated and characterized. The maximum bacteriolytic activities of Serp and Serp3 were exhibited at low ionic strength of 10 mM Tris-HCl, and high temperatures of, respectively, 80 °C and 70 °C. The pH optimum for Serp was 8.0; for Serp3, it was slightly acidic, at 6.0. Both enzymes hydrolyzed autoclaved cells of Micrococcus luteus Ac-2230T, Proteus vulgaris H-19, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus 209P. Serp also digested cells of Bacillus cereus 217. Both enzymes hydrolyzed casein and azofibrin. The newly discovered enzymes are promising for developing proteolytic antimicrobial drugs on their basis.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Mediated NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis in THP-1 Macrophages Infected with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin
Authors: Nie Xueyi , Ma Boli , Liu Lei , Yuan Xiaotan , Li Mengyuan , Liu Yueyang , Hou Yuxin , Yang Yi , Xu Jinrui , Wang Yujiong
Published: July 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Mtb is a typical intracellular parasite, and macrophages are its main host cells. NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death implicated in the clearance of pathogenic infections. The bidirectional regulatory effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) plays a crucial role in determining cell survival and death. Whether ERS is involved in macrophage pyroptosis with Mtb infection remains unclear. This article aims to explore the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis by ERS in THP-1 macrophages infected with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The results showed that BCG infection induced THP-1 macrophage ERS, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis, which was inhibited by ERS inhibitor TUDCA. NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 inhibited THP-1 macrophage NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis caused by BCG infection. Compared with specific Caspase-1 inhibitor VX-765, pan-Caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK showed a more significant inhibitory effect on BCG infection-induced pyroptosis of THP-1 macrophages. Taken together, this study demonstrates that ERS mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis after BCG infection of THP-1 macrophages, and that BCG infection of THP-1 macrophages induces pyroptosis through canonical and noncanonical pathways.
An Investigation of the Anisotropic Fatigue Properties of Laser Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V under Vibration Loading
Authors: He Yan , Huang Wei , Guo Weiguo , Li Yanping , Zhao Sihan , Lin Dong
Published: July 2023

Laser additively manufactured (LAM) Ti-6Al-4V alloy has huge application potential in aerospace structural parts such as turbine blades. However, there are few studies on the fatigue properties of such LAM parts under vibration loading, particularly with regard to anisotropy. In this paper, vibration fatigue properties of LAM Ti-6Al-4V by laser melted deposition were investigated along the transversely deposited (TD) and parallelly deposited (PD) directions. Through the first-order bending vibration experiments, the LAM Ti-6Al-4V alloy exhibits obvious anisotropic fatigue properties and significant dispersion in fracture position. The fracture morphology analysis reveals that the vibration fatigue failure was mainly dominated by process-induced defects and microstructure. The fatigue strength at 106 cycles of the samples with defect-free failure features (DFF) at initiation sites is 470.9 MPa in PD and 434.2 Mpa in TD, while that of the samples with defect-related failure features (DRF) at initiation sites is 364.2 Mpa in PD and 381.0 Mpa in TD. For the DFF group, the fatigue behavior is controlled by the prior β columnar grains with preferential orientation, which leads to enhanced fatigue crack propagation resistance for the PD samples. For the DRF group, which has lower fatigue lives, the fatigue anisotropy strongly depends on the projection area of the lack-of-fusion defects relative to the loading direction, resulting in better fatigue performance for the TD samples.
Characteristics of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Face Sheet and Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Rigid Polyurethane Foam Sandwich Structures under Flexural and Compression Tests
Authors: Junaedi Harri , Khan Tabrej , Sebaey Tamer
Published: July 2023

Composite sandwich structures are extensively used in aircraft applications. Aircraft components are required to be robust and lightweight. Sandwich structures made of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer as the facing sheets and milled-glass-fiber-reinforced rigid polyurethane foam with a different glass fiber content as the core structure were prepared. The influence of glass fiber content in the foam on the sandwich structure’s mechanical properties was investigated. Flexural and compression tests were performed to assess the mechanical properties of the sandwich structures. Visual inspection and an optical microscope were used to observe the morphology of the polyurethane composite foams at different contents. From the flexural test, the force, facing stress and core shear stress improved with the increase in the milled fiber loading with the maximum increase at 10 wt.% loading and then a drop. Meanwhile, the compression modulus and strength increased up to 20 wt.% loadings and then dropped subsequently. The increase in the polyurethane composite foam’s compression strength shifted the bending load’s failure type from facing crack failure into core shear failure. The loadings range of 8–10 wt.% showed a transitional of the bending loading failure type. The density of the foams increased with the increase in milled glass fiber loading. At 10 wt.% loading, the density increased by 20%, and it increased by 47% at 30 wt.% loading. At 30 wt% loading, the optical microscope images of the foam showed wall thinning and broken walls that were responsible for the drop in the mechanical properties of the sandwich.
Structural and Optical Properties of NiO/ZnS Core–Shell Nanostructures for Efficient Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Kim Jungho , Kim Jiwan
Published: July 2023

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising candidates for optoelectronic devices. In particular, quantum dot light-emitting devices (QLEDs) utilizing QDs as the emission layer offer advantages in terms of simplified fabrication processes. However, the use of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene-sulfonate) as a hole injection layer (HIL) in QLEDs presents limitations due to its acidic and hygroscopic nature. In this study, NiO/ZnS core–shell nanostructures as an alternative HIL were studied. The ZnS shell on NiO nanoparticles effectively suppresses the exciton quenching process and regulates charge transfer in QLEDs. The fabricated QLEDs with NiO/ZnS HIL demonstrate high luminance and current efficiency, highlighting the potential of NiO/ZnS as an inorganic material for highly stable all-inorganic QLEDs.
The Effect of the Forging Process on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a New Low-Cost Ti-5Al-1.5Mo-1.8Fe Alloy
Authors: Hu Jinbao , Mu Yiqiang , Xu Qinsi , Yao Nan , Li Shujun , Lei Xiaofei
Published: July 2023

This paper presents results on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a new low-cost titanium alloy Ti-5Al-1.5Mo-1.8Fe after different forging processes. The β phase transformation temperature of this alloy was 950 °C. In this study, the forging temperatures were designed at 920 °C and 980 °C, and the deformation degree ranged from 20% to 60%, with an interval of 20%. This study investigated the impact of the equiaxed α phase and shape of the lamellar microstructure on the tensile characteristics and fracture toughness of an alloy. The research employed a microstructure analysis and static tensile testing to evaluate the effect of forging temperatures and degree of deformation on the microstructure features. The findings revealed that forging temperatures could modify the microstructure characteristics, and the degree of deformation also affected this microstructure. This study demonstrates that a bimodal structure with an equiaxed α phase can be utilized to balance high strength and high ductility, resulting in better overall mechanical properties.
Sewing Concrete Device—Combining In-Line Rheology Control and Reinforcement System for 3D Concrete Printing
Authors: Jacquet Yohan , Perrot Arnaud
Published: July 2023

Of the digital concrete-additive-manufacturing techniques, extrusion-based systems are probably the most widespread and studied. Despite the significant potential offered by 3D printing, several challenges must still be overcome. For instance, although several solutions have already been explored, the automated reinforcement of the layer-wise printed structures represents a challenge. The inline quality control of the fresh-state properties of 3D-printed materials is also an open question that needs to be addressed to find an efficient shared practice. This study proposes a new device designed to simultaneously reinforce 3D-printed structures along and through the layers and to be used as an inline quality-control device. This device consists in a sewing system, which is composed of a rotating system, and a hollow needle, which drives a reinforcing cable or yarn and can be used to inject cement grout to fill holes and improve bonding with reinforcement. The rotation is induced by a stepper motor, which measures the torque that is required to make the needle penetrate. This measurement can be used as a quality-control index to ensure material homogeneity. This paper aims to present an original reinforcement system that can be fully automated and simultaneously create reinforcement patterns in different directions of the printed structure while controlling the material’s fresh properties.
Spatio-Temporal Distribution of the Sources of Acoustic Events in Notched Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams under Three-Point Bending
Authors: Triantis Dimos , Stavrakas Ilias , Loukidis Andronikos , Pasiou Ermioni D. , Kourkoulis Stavros K.
Published: July 2023

The acoustic activity, generated in notched, beam-shaped concrete specimens, loaded under three-point bending, is studied in terms of the position of the sources of acoustic events, and the frequency of their generation. Both plain specimens (without any internal reinforcement) and specimens reinforced with various types of short fibers were tested. The target of the study is to investigate the existence of indices that could be considered as pre-failure indicators of the upcoming fracture. In addition, an attempt is undertaken to classify the damage mechanisms activated to tensile or shear nature. Considering comparatively the spatio-temporal evolution of the position of the acoustic sources and the respective temporal evolution of the frequency of generation of acoustic events, it was concluded that for relatively low load levels the acoustic sources are rather randomly distributed all over the volume of the specimens. As the load increases toward its maximum value, the acoustic sources tend to accumulate in the immediate vicinity of the crown of the notch and the average distance between them approaches a minimum value. When this minimum value is attained, the load is maximized and the generation frequency of the acoustic events increases rapidly. The simultaneous fulfillment of these three conditions is observed a few seconds before the onset of propagation of the catastrophic macrocrack for all classes of specimens tested, providing a kind of warning signal about the upcoming fracture. Moreover, the classification of the damage mechanisms to tensile and shear ones revealed a crucial difference between the plain and the reinforced specimens after the maximization of the load applied. Indeed, while for the plain specimens, the prevailing damage mechanism is tensile microcracking, for the reinforced specimens a balance between tensile and shear damage mechanisms is observed after the load applied has attained its peak and starts decreasing.
Comparison of Cold-Sprayed Coatings of Copper-Based Composite Deposited on AZ31B Magnesium Alloy and 6061 T6 Aluminum Alloy Substrates
Authors: Xue Na , Li Weiwei , Shao Ling , Tu Zhibiao , Chen Yingwei , Dai Sheng , Ye Nengyong , Zhang Jitang , Liu Qijie , Wang Jinfang , Zhang Meng , Shi Xinxing , Wang Tianle , Chen Mengliang , Huang Yingqi , Xu Feilong , Zhu Liu
Published: July 2023

Copper-coated graphite and copper mixture powders were deposited on AZ31B magnesium alloy and 6061 T6 aluminum alloy substrates under different process parameters by a solid-state cold spray technique. The microstructure of the copper-coated graphite and copper composite coatings was visually examined using photographs taken with an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The surface roughness of the coatings was investigated with a 3D profilometer. The thickness of the coatings was determined through the analysis of the microstructure images, while the adhesion of the coatings was characterized using the scratch test method. The results indicate that the surface roughness of the coatings sprayed on the two different substrates gradually decreases as gas temperature and gas pressure increase. Additionally, the thickness and adhesion of the coatings deposited on the two different substrates both increase with an increase in gas temperature and gas pressure. Comparing the surface roughness, thickness, and adhesion of the coatings deposited on the two different substrates, the surface roughness and adhesion of the coatings on the soft substrate are greater than those of the coatings on the hard substrate, while the thickness of the coatings is not obviously affected by the hardness of the substrate. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the surface roughness, thickness, and adhesion of the copper-coated graphite and copper composite coatings sprayed on the two different substrates exhibit a distinct linear relationship with particle velocity.
Designing a Compact Filtering Quasi-Yagi Antenna with Multiple Radiation Nulls Using Embedded Resistor-Loaded Arms
Authors: Zhai Lipeng , Guo Yi , Xu Zongming , Zhang Xuefeng , Chen Yanyun , Shi Jin
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a compact quasi-Yagi antenna with embedded resistor-loaded arms is proposed to obtain a filtering response with four radiation nulls. The embedded resistor-loaded arms achieve two additional radiation nulls caused by reverse currents and absorb the unwanted out-of-band resonant points brought by themselves. The director close to the driver provides a resonant point and a radiation null caused by opposite currents between the driver and the director. Compared with other filtering quasi-Yagi antennas, the proposed one can achieve a filtering response with a compact size along the endfire direction. For demonstration, a balun-integrated prototype covering the 5G band N78 (3.3–3.8 GHz) is designed with the size along the endfire direction (without ground) of 0.13 λ0 (λ0 is the wavelength in the free space at center frequency), and the measured results show a 10 dB impedance-matching bandwidth of 22.9% (3.21–4.04 GHz), four radiation nulls, and a peak gain of 4.73 dBi.
The Effect of Bergenin on Isonicotinic Acid Hydrazide and Rifampicin-Induced Liver Injury Revealed by RNA Sequencing
Authors: Li Ting , Yang Chaoyue , Cao Houkang , Mo Siyi , Li Bo , Huang Zhipeng , Zhang Ruobing , Wu Jianzhao , Zhang Kefeng , Gao Ya
Published: July 2023

Bergenin (BER), a natural component of polyphenols, has a variety of pharmacological activities, especially in improving drug metabolism, reducing cholestasis, anti-oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BER on liver injury induced by isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) in mice. The mice model of liver injury was established with INH (100 mg/kg)+RIF (100 mg/kg), and then different doses of BER were used to intervene. The pathological morphology and biochemical indicators of mice were detected. Meanwhile, RNA sequencing was performed to screen the differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways. Finally, critical differentially expressed genes were verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. RNA sequencing results showed that 707 genes were significantly changed in the INH+RIF group compared with the Control group, and 496 genes were significantly changed after the BER intervention. These differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the drug metabolism, bile acid metabolism, Nrf2 pathway and TLR4 pathway. The validation results of qRT-PCR and Western blot were consistent with the RNA sequencing. Therefore, BER alleviated INH+RIF-induced liver injury in mice. The mechanism of BER improving INH+RIF-induced liver injury was related to regulating drug metabolism enzymes, bile acid metabolism, Nrf2 pathway and TLR4 pathway.
Structural, Spectroscopic, and Dynamic Properties of Li2+(X2∑g+) in Interaction with Krypton Atom
Authors: Saidi Samah , Mabrouk Nesrine , Dhiflaoui Jamila , Berriche Hamid
Published: July 2023

We report a computational study of the potential energy surface (PES) and vibrational bound states for the ground electronic state of Li2+Kr. The PES was calculated in Jacobi coordinates at the Restricted Coupled Cluster method RCCSD(T) level of calculation and using aug-cc-pVnZ (n = 4 and 5) basis sets. Afterward, this PES is extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit for correction. The obtained interaction energies were, then, interpolated numerically using the reproducing kernel Hilbert space polynomial (RKHS) approach to produce analytic expressions for the 2D-PES. The analytical PES is used to solve the nuclear Schrodinger equation to determine the bound states’ eigenvalues of Li2+Kr for a  J = 0 total angular momentum configuration and to understand the effects of orientational anisotropy of the forces and the interplay between the repulsive and attractive interaction within the potential surface. In addition, the radial and angular distributions of some selected bound state levels, which lie below, around, and above the T-shaped 90° barrier well, are calculated and discussed. We note that the radial distributions clearly acquire a more complicated nodal structure and correspond to bending and stretching vibrational motions “mode” of the Kr atom along the radial coordinate, and the situation becomes very different at the highest bound states levels with energies higher than the T-shaped 90° barrier well. The shape of the distributions becomes even more complicated, with extended angular distributions and prominent differences between even and odd states.
Nickel-Atom Doping as a Potential Means to Enhance the Photoluminescence Performance of Carbon Dots
Authors: Kong Wenqi , Li Can , Sun Zhongqi , Gao Fucheng , Zheng Jinfan , Jiang Yanyan
Published: July 2023

Heteroatom doping, particularly with nonmetallic atoms such as N, P, and S, has proven to be an effective strategy for modulating the fluorescent properties of carbon dots (CDs). However, there are few reports on the regulation of the photoluminescence of CDs by transition-metal doping. In this work, nickel-doped CDs (Ni-CDs) were fabricated using the hydrothermal approach. Ni atoms were incorporated into the sp2 domains of the CDs through Ni-N bonds, resulting in an increased degree of graphitization of the Ni-CDs. Additionally, Ni-atom doping served to shorten the electron transition and recombination lifetimes, and suppress the nonradiative recombination process, resulting in an absolute fluorescence quantum yield of 54.7% for the Ni-CDs. Meanwhile, the as-prepared Ni-CDs exhibited excellent biocompatibility and were utilized for fluorescent bioimaging of HeLa cells. Subsequently, the Ni-CDs were employed as fluorescent anticounterfeiting inks for the successful encryption of two-dimensional barcodes. Our work demonstrates a novel heteroatom doping strategy for the synthesis of highly fluorescence-emitting CDs.
Artemisinin Confers Neuroprotection against 6-OHDA-Induced Neuronal Injury In Vitro and In Vivo through Activation of the ERK1/2 Pathway
Authors: Li Qin , Li Shuai , Fang Jiankang , Yang Chao , Zhao Xia , Wang Qing , Zhou Wenshu , Zheng Wenhua
Published: July 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the gradual and massive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). We have recently reported that artemisinin, an FDA-approved first-line antimalarial drug, possesses a neuroprotective effect. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of artemisinin on Parkinson’s disease remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of artemisinin on 6-OHDA and MPP+ in neuronal cells and animal models, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that artemisinin significantly attenuated the loss of cell viability, LDH release, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the collapse of the mitochondria trans-membrane potential and cell apoptosis in PC12 cells. Western blot results showed that artemisinin stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, its upstream signaling proteins c-Raf and MEK and its downstream target CREB in PC12 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the protective effect of artemisinin was significantly reduced when the ERK pathway was blocked using the ERK pathway inhibitor PD98059 or when the expression of ERK was knocked down using sgRNA. These results indicate the essential role of ERK in the protective effect of artemisinin. Similar results were obtained in SH-SY5Y cells and primary cultured neurons treated with 6-OHDA, as well as in cellular models of MPP+ injury. More interestingly, artemisinin attenuated PD-like behavior deficit in mice injected with 6-OHDA evaluated by behavioral tests including swimming test, pole-test, open field exploration and rotarod tests. Moreover, artemisinin also stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, inhibited apoptosis, and rescued dopaminergic neurons in SNc of these animals. Application of ERK pathway inhibitor PD98059 blocked the protective effect of artemisinin in mice during testing. Taking these results together, it was indicated that artemisinin preserves neuroprotective effects against 6-OHDA and MPP+ induced injury both in vitro and in vivo by the stimulation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Our findings support the potential therapeutic effect of artemisinin in the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Fisetin Delays Postovulatory Oocyte Aging by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Function through Sirt1 Pathway
Authors: Xing Xupeng , Liang Yalin , Li Yanan , Zhao Yaolu , Zhang Yuxing , Li Zheng , Li Zicong , Wu Zhenfang
Published: July 2023

The quality of oocytes determines the development potential of an embryo and is dependent on their timely fertilization after ovulation. Postovulatory oocyte aging is an inevitable factor during some assisted reproduction technology procedures, which results in poor fertilization rates and impairs embryo development. We found that fisetin, a bioactive flavonol contained in fruits and vegetables, delayed postovulatory oocyte aging in mice. Fisetin improved the development of aged oocytes after fertilization and inhibited the Sirt1 reduction in aged oocytes. Fisetin increased the GSH level and Sod2 transcription level to inhibit ROS accumulation in aged oocytes. Meanwhile, fisetin attenuated aging-induced spindle abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. At the molecular level, fisetin decreased aging-induced aberrant expression of H3K9me3. In addition, fisetin increased the expression levels of the mitochondrial transcription factor Tfam and the mitochondrial genes Co2 and Atp8 by upregulating Sirt1 in aged oocytes. Finally, inhibition of Sirt1 reversed the anti-aging effects of fisetin. Taken together, fisetin delayed postovulatory oocyte aging by upregulating Sirt1.