bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Long-Term Follow-Up Study of Slash Bundling in Fast-Growing Eucalypt Plantations
Authors: Spinelli Raffaele , Magagnotti Natascia , Assirelli Alberto , Martins João Pedro , Mihelič Matevž
Published: November 2021

The Authors conducted a long-term follow-up study of a John Deere 1490 forwarder-mounted bundler owned by a Portuguese company and used for bundling logging residues from fast-growing eucalypt plantations located in Portugal and Spain. The study spanned 7 years, from 2011 to 2016. During this time, the machine clocked over 11,500 h and produced more than 200,000 bundles or 75,000 green tons of biomass. Bundle length was commonly 2.4 m, and bundle mass averaged 350 kg. Overall, the database contained 1752 daily records. Bundling productivity averaged 19 bundles per productive machine hour (meter hour, excluding all major delays). Mechanical availability was very high and averaged 93%. Utilization commonly ranged between 65% and 75%. Use and productivity showed a predictable seasonal trend and a slight decline over time. The latter might be due to wear, but also due to the increasingly challenging conditions faced by the company as the average worksite size sharply decreased from 2011 onwards. While almost extinct elsewhere, bundling seems to thrive in the Iberian plantations, possibly due to the industrial character of both eucalypt farming and bioenergy generation in the region. That allows the reaping of all integration benefits offered by bundling, while the cost of setting up a parallel biomass chain is minimized. Furthermore, bundling seems the ideal technique for efficient residue recovery where slash yields are low and roadside storage space is limited: these are the typical constraints of industrial eucalypt plantations, where planted area is maximized (=little landing space) and the largest possible proportion of the tree mass is turned into pulpwood (=relatively low residue yield).
Intelligent Planning and Research on Urban Traffic Congestion
Authors: Zhu Qigang , Liu Yifan , Liu Ming , Zhang Shuaishuai , Chen Guangyang , Meng Hao
Published: November 2021

For large and medium-sized cities, the planning and development of urban road networks may not keep pace with the growth of urban vehicles, resulting in traffic congestion on urban roads during peak hours. Take Jinan, a mid-sized city in China’s Shandong Province, for example. In view of the daily traffic jam of the city’s road traffic, through investigation and analysis, the existing problems of the road traffic are found out. Based on real-time, daily road traffic data, combined with the existing road network and the planned road network, the application of a road intelligent transportation system is proposed. Combined with the application of a road intelligent transportation system, this paper discusses the future development of urban road traffic and puts forward improvement suggestions for road traffic planning. This paper has reference value for city development, road network construction, the application of intelligent transportation systems, and road traffic planning.
Do Consumers Want Seaweed in Their Food? A Study Evaluating Emotional Responses to Foods Containing Seaweed
Authors: Moss Rachael , McSweeney Matthew B.
Published: November 2021

Seaweeds are nutrient-dense marine organisms that have been proposed as a key ingredient to produce new functional foods. This study’s first objective was to identify consumers’ emotional responses and purchase intent towards a variety of food products containing seaweed. The secondary objective was to evaluate how hunger status and lifestyle affect consumers’ emotional responses. Participants (n = 108) were asked to evaluate pictures of different food items containing seaweed (beef burger, cheddar cheese, fettuccine, fish filet, sausage, bread, yogurt, and dried seaweed) using the CATA variant of EsSense25 Profile® and a purchase-intent scale. The consumers also answered questions about their hunger status, food neophobia, food-related lifestyle, as well as open-ended comment questions about seaweed. Participants’ purchase-intent scores were highest for bread and dried seaweed, which they associated with positive emotions. The participants disliked yogurt and sausage, indicating that they were disgusted with them. Participants believed seaweed could be added to fish, savoury, and cereal grains-based foods. The participants’ hunger status as well as their food neophobia and lifestyle impacted their emotional responses. Future research should continue to investigate how emotions affect purchase intent, how participant’s hunger status affects their emotions, and how participants’ lifestyle changes how they perceive new food products.
Simultaneous Rapid Detection of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A in Spices Using Lateral Flow Immuno-Chromatographic Assay
Authors: Zhao Xue , Jin Xindi , Lin Zhang , Guo Qi , Liu Bin , Yuan Yahong , Yue Tianli , Zhao Xubo
Published: November 2021

Spices are susceptible to contamination by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), which are both mycotoxins with high toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, we aimed to develop an immuno-chromatographic strip test for the simultaneous quantification of AFB1 and OTA in spices by spraying the coupled antigens AFB1–ovalbumin (AFB1–OVA) and OTA–ovalbumin (OTA–OVA) on a nitrocellulose membrane. The test strip had high sensitivity, good specificity, and strong stability. The detection limits of these two mycotoxins in Chinese prickly ash, pepper, chili, cinnamon, and aniseed were 5 μg/kg. The false positivity rate was 2%, and the false negativity rate was 0%. The maximum coefficient of variation was 4.28% between batches and 5.72% within batches. The average recovery rates of AFB1 and OTA in spices were 81.2–113.7% and 82.2–118.6%, respectively, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was <10%. The actual sample detection was consistent with high performance liquid chromatography analysis results. Therefore, the immuno-chromatographic test strips developed in this study can be used for the on-site simultaneous detection of AFB1 and OTA in spices. This method would allow the relevant regulatory agencies to strengthen supervision in an effort to reduce the possible human health hazards of such contaminated spices.
The Bioactivity Prediction of Peptides from Tuna Skin Collagen Using Integrated Method Combining In Vitro and In Silico
Authors: Devita Liza , Lioe Hanifah Nuryani , Nurilmala Mala , Suhartono Maggy T.
Published: November 2021

The hydrolysates and peptide fractions of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) skin collagen have been successfully studied. The hydrolysates (HPA, HPN, HPS, HBA, HBN, HBS) were the result of the hydrolysis of collagen using alcalase, neutrase, and savinase. The peptide fractions (PPA, PPN, PPS, PBA, PBN, PBS) were the fractions obtained following ultrafiltration of the hydrolysates. The antioxidant activities of the hydrolysates and peptide fractions were studied using the DPPH method. The effects of collagen types, enzymes, and molecular sizes on the antioxidant activities were analyzed using profile plots analysis. The amino acid sequences of the peptides in the fraction with the highest antioxidant activity were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Finally, their bioactivity and characteristics were studied using in silico analysis. The hydrolysates and peptide fractions provided antioxidant activity (6.17–135.40 µmol AAE/g protein). The lower molecular weight fraction had higher antioxidant activity. Collagen from pepsin treatment produced higher activity than that of bromelain treatment. The fraction from collagen hydrolysates by savinase treatment had the highest activity compared to neutrase and alcalase treatments. The peptides in the PBN and PPS fractions of <3 kDa had antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antioxidant activities. In conclusion, they have the potential to be used in food and health applications.
Multiweighted-Type Fractional Fourier Transform: Unitarity
Authors: Zhao Tieyu , Chi Yingying
Published: November 2021

The definition of the discrete fractional Fourier transform (DFRFT) varies, and the multiweighted-type fractional Fourier transform (M-WFRFT) is its extended definition. It is not easy to prove its unitarity. We use the weighted-type fractional Fourier transform, fractional-order matrix and eigendecomposition-type fractional Fourier transform as basic functions to prove and discuss the unitarity. Thanks to the growing body of research, we found that the effective weighting term of the M-WFRFT is only four terms, none of which are extended to M terms, as described in the definition. Furthermore, the program code is analyzed, and the result shows that the previous work (Digit Signal Process 2020: 104: 18) based on MATLAB for unitary verification is inaccurate.
Sequencing of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Pingus sinensis (Spirurina: Quimperiidae): Gene Arrangements and Phylogenetic Implications
Authors: Chen Fanglin , Zou Hong , Jin Xiao , Zhang Dong , Li Wenxiang , Li Ming , Wu Shangong , Wang Guitang
Published: November 2021

Despite several decades of intensive research on spirurine nematodes, molecular data on some of the main lineages are still absent, which makes taxonomic classification insufficiently resolved. In the present study, we sequenced the first complete mitogenome for the family Quimperiidae, belonging to P. sinensis (Spirurina: Quimperiidae), a parasite living in the intestines of snakehead (Ophiocephalus argus). The circular mitogenome is 13,874 bp long, and it contains the standard nematode gene set: 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs and 12 protein-coding genes. There are also two long non-coding regions (NCR), in addition to only 8 other intergenic regions, ranging in size from 1 to 58 bp. To investigate its phylogenetic position and study the relationships among other available Spirurina, we performed the phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood approaches by concatenating the nucleotide sequences of all 36 genes on a dataset containing all available mitogenomes of the suborder Spirurina from NCBI and compared with gene order phylogenies using the MLGO program. Both supported the closer relationship of Ascaridoidea to Seuratoidea than to Spiruroidea. Pingus formed a sister-group with the Cucullanus genus. The results provide a new insights into the relationships within Spirurina.
Leaf Size Development Differences and Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Two Poplar Genotypes
Authors: Zhang Lei , Du Jiujun , Ge Xiaolan , Cao Demei , Hu Jianjun
Published: November 2021

The plant leaf, the main organ of photosynthesis, is an important regulator of growth. To explore the difference between leaf size of Populusdeltoides ‘Danhong’ (Pd) and Populus simonii ‘Tongliao1’ (Ps), we investigated the leaf length, leaf width, leaf thickness, leaf area, leaf mass per area (LMA), and cell size of leaves from two genotypes and profiled the transcriptome-wide gene expression patterns through RNA sequencing. Our results show that the leaf area of Pd was significantly larger than that of Ps, but the epidermal cell area was significantly smaller than that of Ps. The difference of leaf size was caused by cell numbers. Transcriptome analysis also revealed that genes related to chromosome replication and DNA repair were highly expressed in Pd, while genes such as the EXPANSIN (EXPA) family which promoted cell expansion were highly expressed in Ps. Further, we revealed that the growth-regulating factors (GRFs) played a key role in the difference of leaf size between two genotypes through regulation of cell proliferation. These data provide a valuable resource for understanding the leaf development of the Populus genus.
Perceived Barriers of Physical Activity Participation in Individuals with Intellectual Disability—A Systematic Review
Authors: Jacinto Miguel , Vitorino Anabela Sousa , Palmeira Diogo , Antunes Raul , Matos Rui , Ferreira José Pedro , Bento Teresa
Published: November 2021

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) tend to have a sedentary lifestyle, with low physical fitness and an increased risk of chronic diseases. One reason for the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle is the existence of barriers to participation in physical activity (PA). The purpose of this systematic review is to update knowledge about the perceived barriers of PA participation in individuals with ID. Electronic searches were carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases, from September 2020 to May 2021, and included articles published between January 2016 and May 2021. The terms used were: “mental retardation”, “intellectual disability”, “intellectual disabilities”, “physical activity”, “motor activity”, “barriers”, “obstacles”, “embarrassment” and “constraint”, in combination with the Boolean operators “AND” or “OR”. After the methodological process, five studies were included for analysis. These studies revealed the existence of several perceived barriers to regular PA participation, which were grouped into five main groups: personal (6 topics), family (4 topics), social (13 topics), financial (1 topic) and environmental (1 topic). The knowledge and identification of participation barriers can be of extreme importance both to institutions and professionals aiming to enhance the participation of individuals with ID in regular PA programs.
Mineral Balance and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: Focus on Calcium and Phosphorus Intake
Authors: Park Yoonjin , Han Jungjin
Published: November 2021

The incidence of metabolic syndrome, a chronic disease, tends to increase in adolescence, but has not been a high priority in delivery of health services. This study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome prevalence and mineral balance such as calcium and phosphorus intake among Korean adolescents. This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study using data from the 7th Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES) VII-3 (2018) and the 8th KNHANES VII-1 (2019). A total of 895 adolescents aged 12 to 18 who filled in mineral intake questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. According to their responses, only 2.9% of the subjects had a calcium: phosphorus intake ratio of 1:1, which is the recommended ratio. Daily phosphorus intake was significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.448, p < 0.001), waist circumference (r = 0.115, p = 0.001), HDL cholesterol (r = −0.113, p = 0.002), and daily calcium intake (r = 0.697, p = 0.001). And, as the serum creatinine increased by 1, the risk of metabolic syndrome increased 16.5 times (OR: 16.452, 95% CI: 1.701–159.136, p < 0.05). Excessive phosphorus intake and high creatinine levels may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in adolescents. Therefore, education is necessary to encourage adolescents to follow a balanced diet that contains essential minerals. In addition, it is suggested to expand the metabolic syndrome prevention education, which has been largely targeted towards adults.
The Feasibility of Information-Entropy-Based Behavioral Analysis for Detecting Environmental Barriers
Authors: Lee Bogyeong , Hwang Sungjoo , Kim Hyunsoo
Published: November 2021

The enhancement of physical activity is highly correlated with the conditions of the built environment. Walking is considered to be a fundamental daily physical activity, which requires an appropriate environment. Therefore, the barriers of the built environment should be identified and addressed. Barriers can act as external stimuli for pedestrians, so pedestrians may diversely respond to them. Based on this consideration, this study examines the feasibility of information-entropy-based behavioral analysis for the detection of environmental barriers. The physical responses of pedestrians were collected using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor in a smartphone. After the acquired data were converted to behavioral probability distributions, the information entropy of each grid cell was calculated. The grid cells whereby the participants indicated that environmental barriers were present yielded relatively high information entropy values. The findings of this study will facilitate the design of more pedestrian-friendly environments and the development of diverse approaches that utilize citizens for monitoring the built environment.
Associations between Weather, Air Quality and Moderate Extreme Cancer-Related Mortality Events in Augsburg, Southern Germany
Authors: Olschewski Patrick , Kaspar-Ott Irena , Koller Stephanie , Schenkirsch Gerhard , Trepel Martin , Hertig Elke
Published: November 2021

While many authors have described the adverse health effects of poor air quality and meteorological extremes, there remain inconsistencies on a regional scale as well as uncertainty about the single and joint effects of atmospheric predictors. In this context, we investigated the short-term impacts of weather and air quality on moderate extreme cancer-related mortality events for the urban area of Augsburg, Southern Germany, during the period 2000–2017. First, single effects were uncovered by applying a case-crossover routine. The overall impact was assessed by performing a Mann–Whitney U testing scheme. We then compared the results of this procedure to extreme noncancer-related mortality events. In a second step, we found periods with contemporaneous significant predictors and carried out an in-depth analysis of these joint-effect periods. We were interested in the atmospheric processes leading to the emergence of significant conditions. Hence, we applied the Principal Component Analysis to large-scale synoptic conditions during these periods. The results demonstrate a strong linkage between high-mortality events in cancer patients and significantly above-average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) during the late winter through spring period. These were mainly linked to northerly to easterly weak airflow under stable, high-pressure conditions. Especially in winter and spring, this can result in low temperatures and a ground-level increase and the accumulation of air pollution from heating and traffic as well as eastern lateral advection of polluted air. Additionally, above-average temperatures were shown to occur on the days before mortality events from mid-summer through fall, which was also caused by high-pressure conditions with weak wind flow and intense solar radiation. Our approach can be used to analyse medical data with epidemiological as well as climatological methods while providing a more vivid representation of the underlying atmospheric processes.
Investigating the Effect of Social and Cultural Factors on Drivers in Malaysia: A Naturalistic Driving Study
Authors: Al-Hussein Ward Ahmed , Kiah Miss Laiha Mat , Por Lip Yee , Zaidan Bilal Bahaa
Published: November 2021

Road accidents are increasing every year in Malaysia, and it is always challenging to collect reliable pre-crash data in the transportation community. Existing studies relied on simulators, police crash reports, questionnaires, and surveys to study Malaysia’s drivers’ behavior. Researchers previously criticized such methods for being biased and unreliable. To fill in the literature gap, this study presents the first naturalistic driving study in Malaysia. Thirty drivers were recruited to drive an instrumented vehicle for 750 km while collecting continuous driving data. The data acquisition system consists of various sensors such as OBDII, lidar, ultrasonic sensors, IMU, and GPS. Irrelevant data were filtered, and experts helped identify safety criteria regarding multiple driving metrics such as maximum acceptable speed limits, safe accelerations, safe decelerations, acceptable distances to vehicles ahead, and safe steering behavior. These thresholds were used to investigate the influence of social and cultural factors on driving in Malaysia. The findings show statistically significant differences between drivers based on gender, age, and cultural background. There are also significant differences in the results for those who drove on weekends rather than weekdays. The study presents several recommendations to various public and governmental sectors to help prevent future accidents and improve traffic safety.
Designing Work with People Living with Dementia: Reflecting on a Decade of Research
Authors: Rodgers Paul A.
Published: November 2021

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is widely acknowledged as a landmark document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives from all over the world, the declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard for all peoples and all nations. The declaration sets out a series of articles that articulate a number of fundamental human rights to be universally protected. Article 23 of the declaration relates to the right to work and states that people have a human right to work, or engage in productive employment, and may not be prevented from doing so. The right to work is enshrined in international human rights law through its inclusion in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, where the right to work emphasizes economic, social and cultural development. This paper presents ongoing research that highlights how a disruptive co-design approach contributes to upholding UN Article 23 through the creation of a series of innovative working practices developed with people living with dementia. The research, undertaken in collaboration with several voluntary and third sector organizations in the UK, looks to break the cycle of prevailing opinions, traditional mindsets, and ways-of-doing that tend to remain uncontested in the health and social care of people living with dementia. As a result, this research has produced a series of innovative work opportunities for people living with dementia and their formal and informal carers that change the perception of dementia by showing that people living with dementia are capable of designing and making desirable products and offering much to UK society after diagnosis. In this ongoing research, the right to continue to work for people living with dementia post-diagnosis in creative and innovative ways has clearly helped to reconnect them to other people, helped build their self-esteem, identity and dignity and helped keep the person with dementia connected to their community, thus delaying the need for crisis interventions. This paper reports on a series of future work initiatives for people living with dementia where we have used design as a disruptive force for good to ensure that anyone diagnosed with dementia can exercise their right to work and engage in productive and rewarding employment.
Exploring Interventions to Improve the Oral Health and Related Health Behaviours of Adults Experiencing Severe and Multiple Disadvantage: Protocol for a Qualitative Study with Stakeholders
Authors: Joyes Emma C. , McGowan Laura J. , Adams Emma A. , Paisi Martha , Burrows Martin , Shabaninejad Hosein , Beyer Fiona , Haddow Kate , Coyte Aishah , Landes David , Moffatt Suzanne , Watt Richard G. , Sniehotta Falko F. , Bambra Clare , Craig Dawn , Kaner Eileen , Ramsay Sheena E.
Published: November 2021

The number of individuals in England experiencing homelessness, substance use, and involvement with the criminal justice system is increasing. These issues, referred to as severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD), are often interlinked and co-occur. Health inequalities, particularly poor oral health, persist for those facing these inter-related issues and are closely linked with high levels of substance use, smoking, and poor diet. However, evidence for interventions that can improve these health outcomes for those experiencing these issues is limited. This paper outlines the design of a qualitative study which aims to explore the perspectives of stakeholders to understand what interventions can help to support SMD groups with their oral health and related health behaviours (i.e., substance use, smoking, diet). Interviews and focus groups will be undertaken with stakeholders comprising two groups: (1) individuals with experience of SMD, and (2) service providers (staff and volunteers), policy makers, and commissioners who support such individuals. Public involvement and engagement is central to the project. For example, stakeholders and research partners in policy and practice and people with lived experience of SMD will provide input at all stages of this study. Findings from the study will inform an ‘evidence for practice’ briefing outlining recommendations for policy. Dissemination will occur through presentations to a range of practice, policy and academic beneficiaries, and through peer-reviewed publications.
Human Recombinant DNase I (Pulmozyme®) Inhibits Lung Metastases in Murine Metastatic B16 Melanoma Model That Correlates with Restoration of the DNase Activity and the Decrease SINE/LINE and c-Myc Fragments in Blood Cell-Free DNA
Authors: Alekseeva Ludmila , Sen’kova Aleksandra , Savin Innokenty , Zenkova Marina , Mironova Nadezhda
Published: November 2021

Tumor-associated cell-free DNAs (cfDNA) play an important role in the promotion of metastases. Previous studies proved the high antimetastatic potential of bovine pancreatic DNase I and identified short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs)and fragments of oncogenes in cfDNA as the main molecular targets of enzyme in the bloodstream. Here, recombinant human DNase I (commercial name Pulmozyme®), which is used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in humans, was repurposed for the inhibition of lung metastases in the B16 melanoma model in mice. We found that Pulmozyme® strongly reduced migration and induced apoptosis of B16 cells in vitro and effectively inhibited metastases in lungs and liver in vivo. Pulmozyme® was shown to be two times more effective when administered intranasally (i.n.) than bovine DNase I, but intramuscular (i.m.) administration forced it to exhibit as high an antimetastatic activity as bovine DNase I. Both DNases administered to mice either i.m. or i.n. enhanced the DNase activity of blood serum to the level of healthy animals, significantly decreased cfDNA concentrations, efficiently degraded SINE and LINE repeats and c-Myc fragments in the bloodstream and induced apoptosis and disintegration of neutrophil extracellular traps in metastatic foci; as a result, this manifested as the inhibition of metastases spread. Thus, Pulmozyme®, which is already an approved drug, can be recommended for use in the treatment of lung metastases.
Glycation of Host Proteins Increases Pathogenic Potential of Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Śmiga Michał , Smalley John W. , Ślęzak Paulina , Brown Jason L. , Siemińska Klaudia , Jenkins Rosalind E. , Yates Edwin A. , Olczak Teresa
Published: November 2021

The non-enzymatic addition of glucose (glycation) to circulatory and tissue proteins is a ubiquitous pathophysiological consequence of hyperglycemia in diabetes. Given the high incidence of periodontitis and diabetes and the emerging link between these conditions, it is of crucial importance to define the basic virulence mechanisms employed by periodontopathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis in mediating the disease process. The aim of this study was to determine whether glycated proteins are more easily utilized by P. gingivalis to stimulate growth and promote the pathogenic potential of this bacterium. We analyzed the properties of three commonly encountered proteins in the periodontal environment that are known to become glycated and that may serve as either protein substrates or easily accessible heme sources. In vitro glycated proteins were characterized using colorimetric assays, mass spectrometry, far- and near-UV circular dichroism and UV–visible spectroscopic analyses and SDS-PAGE. The interaction of glycated hemoglobin, serum albumin and type one collagen with P. gingivalis cells or HmuY protein was examined using spectroscopic methods, SDS-PAGE and co-culturing P. gingivalis with human keratinocytes. We found that glycation increases the ability of P. gingivalis to acquire heme from hemoglobin, mostly due to heme sequestration by the HmuY hemophore-like protein. We also found an increase in biofilm formation on glycated collagen-coated abiotic surfaces. We conclude that glycation might promote the virulence of P. gingivalis by making heme more available from hemoglobin and facilitating bacterial biofilm formation, thus increasing P. gingivalis pathogenic potential in vivo.
Modulation of Cellular NAD+ Attenuates Cancer-Associated Hypercoagulability and Thrombosis via the Inhibition of Tissue Factor and Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
Authors: Cao Wa , Zhu Meng-Yu , Lee Seung-Hoon , Lee Su-Bin , Kim Hyung-Jin , Park Byung-Ouk , Yoon Cheol-Hwan , Khadka Dipendra , Oh Gi-Su , Shim Hyeok , Kwak Tae-Hwan , So Hong-Seob
Published: November 2021

Cancer-associated thrombosis is the second-leading cause of mortality in patients with cancer and presents a poor prognosis, with a lack of effective treatment strategies. NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) increases the cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels by accelerating the oxidation of NADH to NAD+, thus playing important roles in cellular homeostasis, energy metabolism, and inflammatory responses. Using a murine orthotopic 4T1 breast cancer model, in which multiple thrombi are generated in the lungs at the late stage of cancer development, we investigated the effects of regulating the cellular NAD+ levels on cancer-associated thrombosis. In this study, we show that dunnione (a strong substrate of NQO1) attenuates the prothrombotic state and lung thrombosis in tumor-bearing mice by inhibiting the expression of tissue factor and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Dunnione increases the cellular NAD+ levels in lung tissues of tumor-bearing mice to restore the declining sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity, thus deacetylating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and preventing the overexpression of tissue factor in bronchial epithelial and vascular endothelial cells. In addition, we demonstrated that dunnione abolishes the ability of neutrophils to generate NETs by suppressing histone acetylation and NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity. Overall, our results reveal that the regulation of cellular NAD+ levels by pharmacological agents may inhibit pulmonary embolism in tumor-bearing mice, which may potentially be used as a viable therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis.
Dual Role of Thrombospondin-1 in Flow-Induced Remodeling
Authors: Grenier Céline , Caillon Antoine , Munier Mathilde , Grimaud Linda , Champin Tristan , Toutain Bertrand , Fassot Céline , Blanc-Brude Olivier , Loufrani Laurent
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: Chronic increases in blood flow, as in cardiovascular diseases, induce outward arterial remodeling. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is known to interact with matrix proteins and immune cell-surface receptors, but its contribution to flow-mediated remodeling in the microcirculation remains unknown. (2) Methods: Mesenteric arteries were ligated in vivo to generate high- (HF) and normal-flow (NF) arteries in wild-type (WT) and TSP-1-deleted mice (TSP-1−/−). After 7 days, arteries were isolated and studied ex vivo. (3) Results: Chronic increases in blood flow induced outward remodeling in WT mice (increasing diameter from 221 ± 10 to 280 ± 10 µm with 75 mmHg intraluminal pressure) without significant effect in TSP-1−/− (296 ± 18 to 303 ± 14 µm), neutropenic or adoptive bone marrow transfer mice. Four days after ligature, pro inflammatory gene expression levels (CD68, Cox2, Gp91phox, p47phox and p22phox) increased in WT HF arteries but not in TSP-1−/− mice. Perivascular neutrophil accumulation at day 4 was significantly lower in TSP-1−/− than in WT mice. (4) Conclusions: TSP-1 origin is important; indeed, circulating TSP-1 participates in vasodilation, whereas both circulating and tissue TSP-1 are involved in arterial wall thickness and diameter expansion.
Molecular and Functional Analysis of U-box E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Gene Family in Rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Kim Me-Sun , Kang Kwon-Kyoo , Cho Yong-Gu
Published: November 2021

Proteins encoded by U-box type ubiquitin ligase (PUB) genes in rice are known to play an important role in plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Functional analysis has revealed a detailed molecular mechanism involving PUB proteins in relation to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, characteristics of 77 OsPUB genes in rice were identified. Systematic and comprehensive analyses of the OsPUB gene family were then performed, including analysis of conserved domains, phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, chromosome location, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Through transcriptome analysis, we confirmed that 16 OsPUB genes show similar expression patterns in drought stress and blast infection response pathways. Numerous cis-acting elements were found in promoter sequences of 16 OsPUB genes, indicating that the OsPUB genes might be involved in complex regulatory networks to control hormones, stress responses, and cellular development. We performed qRT-PCR on 16 OsPUB genes under drought stress and blast infection to further identify the reliability of transcriptome and cis-element analysis data. It was confirmed that the expression pattern was similar to RNA-sequencing analysis results. The transcription of OsPUB under various stress conditions indicates that the PUB gene might have various functions in the responses of rice to abiotic and biotic stresses. Taken together, these results indicate that the genome-wide analysis of OsPUB genes can provide a solid basis for the functional analysis of U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase genes. The molecular information of the U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase gene family in rice, including gene expression patterns and cis-acting regulatory elements, could be useful for future crop breeding programs by genome editing.
The Use of Inhibitors of Tyrosine Kinase in Paediatric Haemato-Oncology—When and Why?
Authors: Kaczmarska Agnieszka , Śliwa Patrycja , Lejman Monika , Zawitkowska Joanna
Published: November 2021

The fundamental pathophysiology of malignancies is dysregulation of the signalling pathways. Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are among the enzymes which, if mutated, play a critical role in carcinogenesis. The best-studied rearrangement, which enhances PTK activity and causes atypical proliferation, is BCR-ABL1. Abnormal expression of PTKs has proven to play a significant role in the development of various malignancies, such as chronic myelogenous leukaemia, brain tumours, neuroblastoma, and gastrointestinal stromal tumours. The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is an outstanding example of successful target therapy. TKIs have been effectively applied in the adult oncology setting, but there is a need to establish TKIs’ importance in paediatric patients. Many years of research have allowed a significant improvement in the outcome of childhood cancers. However, there are still groups of patients who have a poor prognosis, where the intensification of chemotherapy could even cause death. TKIs are designed to target specific PTKs, which lead to the limitation of severe adverse effects and increase overall survival. These advances will hopefully allow new therapeutic approaches in paediatric haemato-oncology to emerge. In this review, we present an analysis of the current data on tyrosine kinase inhibitors in childhood cancers.
CaWRKY30 Positively Regulates Pepper Immunity by Targeting CaWRKY40 against Ralstonia solanacearum Inoculation through Modulating Defense-Related Genes
Authors: Hussain Ansar , Khan Muhammad Ifnan , Albaqami Mohammed , Mahpara Shahzadi , Noorka Ijaz Rasool , Ahmed Mohamed A. A. , Aljuaid Bandar S. , El-Shehawi Ahmed M. , Liu Zhiqin , Farooq Shahid , Zuan Ali Tan Kee
Published: November 2021

The WRKY transcription factors (TFs) network is composed of WRKY TFs’ subset, which performs a critical role in immunity regulation of plants. However, functions of WRKY TFs’ network remain unclear, particularly in non-model plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). This study functionally characterized CaWRKY30—a member of group III Pepper WRKY protein—for immunity of pepper against Ralstonia solanacearum infection. The CaWRKY30 was detected in nucleus, and its transcriptional expression levels were significantly upregulated by R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI), and foliar application ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA). Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaWRKY30 amplified pepper’s vulnerability to RSI. Additionally, the silencing of CaWRKY30 by VIGS compromised HR-like cell death triggered by RSI and downregulated defense-associated marker genes, like CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaABR1, CaHIR1, and CaWRKY40. Conversely, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 in pepper leaves instigated HR-like cell death and upregulated defense-related maker genes. Furthermore, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 upregulated transcriptional levels of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. On the other hand, transient over-expression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 upregulated transcriptional expression levels of CaWRKY30. The results recommend that newly characterized CaWRKY30 positively regulates pepper’s immunity against Ralstonia attack, which is governed by synergistically mediated signaling by phytohormones like ET, ABA, and SA, and transcriptionally assimilating into WRKY TFs networks, consisting of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. Collectively, our data will facilitate to explicate the underlying mechanism of crosstalk between pepper’s immunity and response to RSI.
Novel Genetic Dysregulations and Oxidative Damage in Fusarium graminearum Induced by Plant Defense Eliciting Psychrophilic Bacillus atrophaeus TS1
Authors: Zubair Muhammad , Farzand Ayaz , Mumtaz Faiza , Khan Abdur Rashid , Sheikh Taha Majid Mahmood , Haider Muhammad Salman , Yu Chenjie , Wang Yujie , Ayaz Muhammad , Gu Qin , Gao Xuewen , Wu Huijun
Published: November 2021

This study elaborates inter-kingdom signaling mechanisms, presenting a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to combat biotic as well as abiotic stress in wheat. Fusarium graminearum is a devastating pathogen causing head and seedling blight in wheat, leading to huge yield and economic losses. Psychrophilic Bacillus atrophaeus strain TS1 was found as a potential biocontrol agent for suppression of F. graminearum under low temperature by carrying out extensive biochemical and molecular studies in comparison with a temperate biocontrol model strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 at 15 and 25 °C. TS1 was able to produce hydrolytic extracellular enzymes as well as antimicrobial lipopeptides, i.e., surfactin, bacillomycin, and fengycin, efficiently at low temperatures. The Bacillus strain-induced oxidative cellular damage, ultrastructural deformities, and novel genetic dysregulations in the fungal pathogen as the bacterial treatment at low temperature were able to downregulate the expression of newly predicted novel fungal genes potentially belonging to necrosis inducing protein families (fgHCE and fgNPP1). The wheat pot experiments conducted at 15 and 25 °C revealed the potential of TS1 to elicit sudden induction of plant defense, namely, H2O2 and callose enhanced activity of plant defense-related enzymes and induced over-expression of defense-related genes which accumulatively lead to the suppression of F. graminearum and decreased diseased leaf area.
The Escherichia coli Outer Membrane β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (BAM) Crosstalks with the Divisome
Authors: Consoli Elisa , Luirink Joen , den Blaauwen Tanneke
Published: November 2021

The BAM is a macromolecular machine responsible for the folding and the insertion of integral proteins into the outer membrane of diderm Gram-negative bacteria. In Escherichia coli, it consists of a transmembrane β-barrel subunit, BamA, and four outer membrane lipoproteins (BamB-E). Using BAM-specific antibodies, in E. coli cells, the complex is shown to localize in the lateral wall in foci. The machinery was shown to be enriched at midcell with specific cell cycle timing. The inhibition of septation by aztreonam did not alter the BAM midcell localization substantially. Furthermore, the absence of late cell division proteins at midcell did not impact BAM timing or localization. These results imply that the BAM enrichment at the site of constriction does not require an active cell division machinery. Expression of the Tre1 toxin, which impairs the FtsZ filamentation and therefore midcell localization, resulted in the complete loss of BAM midcell enrichment. A similar effect was observed for YidC, which is involved in the membrane insertion of cell division proteins in the inner membrane. The presence of the Z-ring is needed for preseptal peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis. As BAM was shown to be embedded in the PG layer, it is possible that BAM is inserted preferentially simultaneously with de novo PG synthesis to facilitate the insertion of OMPs in the newly synthesized outer membrane.
The Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Fear Memory: Dynamics, Connectivity, and Engrams
Authors: Dixsaut Lucie , Gräff Johannes
Published: November 2021

It is becoming increasingly apparent that long-term memory formation relies on a distributed network of brain areas. While the hippocampus has been at the center of attention for decades, it is now clear that other regions, in particular the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), are taking an active part as well. Recent evidence suggests that the mPFC—traditionally implicated in the long-term storage of memories—is already critical for the early phases of memory formation such as encoding. In this review, we summarize these findings, relate them to the functional importance of the mPFC connectivity, and discuss the role of the mPFC during memory consolidation with respect to the different theories of memory storage. Owing to its high functional connectivity to other brain areas subserving memory formation and storage, the mPFC emerges as a central hub across the lifetime of a memory, although much still remains to be discovered.
MVP Expression Facilitates Tumor Cell Proliferation and Migration Supporting the Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Pietras Paulina , Leśniczak-Staszak Marta , Kasprzak Aldona , Andrzejewska Małgorzata , Jopek Karol , Sowiński Mateusz , Rucinski Marcin , Lyons Shawn M. , Ivanov Pavel , Szaflarski Witold
Published: November 2021

Cancer cells show significant dysregulation of genes expression, which may favor their survival in the tumor environment. In this study, the cellular vault’s components MVP (major vault protein), TEP1 (telomerase-associated protein 1) and vPARP (vault poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase) were transiently or completely inhibited in U2OS cells (human bone osteosarcoma epithelial cells) to evaluate their impact on the cell proliferative and migratory capacity as well as on the development of their resistance to the drug vinorelbine. Comparative analysis of MVP protein expression level in normal colon tissue, primary colorectal tumor, and metastasis showed that the expression of this protein does not increase significantly in the primary tumor, but its expression increases in metastatic cells. Further comparative molecular analysis using the whole transcriptome microarrays for MVP-positive and MVP-negative cells showed that MVP is involved in regulating proliferation and migration of cancer cells. MVP may facilitate metastasis of colon cancer due to its impact on cell migration. Moreover, two vault proteins, MVP and TEP1, contribute the resistance to vinorelbine, while vPARP does not.
Nonlinear Metamaterial Lenses for Inductive Power Transmission Systems Using Duffing-Resonator Based Unit Cells
Authors: de Almeida Jorge Virgilio , Gu Xiaoqiang , Manhães Mosso Marbey , Sartori Carlos Antonio França , Wu Ke
Published: November 2021

Metamaterials (MTMs) based on a periodic array of resonant coils have been shown to behave as μ-negative (MNG), enabling the focusing of magnetic flux. The phenomenon has been deployed by designers to boost the efficiency of many inductively coupled systems, such as magnetic resonance imaging, underwater and underground communications, and charging base stations (CBS) for consumer electronics and implanted devices. However, due to their dependency on high-Q unit cells, linear MNG-like MTMs have limited bandwidth, restricting their use in many applications, notably in near-field simultaneous wireless information and power transmission (NF-SWIPT) systems. To improve the tight constraints of the amplitude-bandwidth trade-off of artificial magnetic lenses, this paper presents a theoretical analysis of nonlinear MTMs based on a lattice of Duffing resonators (DRs). Additionally, it introduces a criterium for the quantification and evaluation of the amplitude-bandwidth enhancement. The analytical results are based on a circuit model and further verified by numerical simulations using commercial software. The preliminary findings in this paper open up possibilities for nonlinear MTM lenses and can be applied to enhance the linear amplitude-bandwidth limit.
Chlamydomonas Responses to Salinity Stress and Possible Biotechnological Exploitation
Authors: Bazzani Emma , Lauritano Chiara , Mangoni Olga , Bolinesi Francesco , Saggiomo Maria
Published: November 2021

Salinity is among the main drivers affecting growth and distribution of photosynthetic organisms as Chlamydomonas spp. These species can live in multiple environments, including polar regions, and have been frequently studied for their adaptation to live at different salinity gradients. Upon salinity stress (hypersalinity is the most studied), Chlamydomonas spp. were found to alter their metabolism, reduce biomass production (growth), chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity, and simultaneously increasing radical oxygen species production as well as lipid and carotenoid contents. This review summarizes the current literature on salt stress related studies on the green algae from the genus Chlamydomonas considering physiological and molecular aspects. The overall picture emerging from the data suggests the existence of common features of the genus in response to salinity stress, as well as some differences peculiar to single Chlamydomonas species. These differences were probably linked to the different morphological characteristics of the studied algae (e.g., with or without cell wall) or different sampling locations and adaptations. On the other hand, molecular data suggest the presence of common reactions, key genes, and metabolic pathways that can be used as biomarkers of salt stress in Chlamydomonas spp., with implications for future physiological and biotechnological studies on microalgae and plants.