bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Functional Potential of Presumptive Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Chihuahua Cheese
Authors: Venegas-Ortega María Georgina , Flores-Gallegos Adriana Carolina , Aguilar Cristóbal Noé , Rodríguez-Herrera Raúl , Martínez-Hernández José Luis , Nevárez-Moorillón Guadalupe Virginia
Published: March 2020

The multifunctional properties of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria can be of use for enhancing the sensorial properties of food, as well as in food preservation. An initial screening for antimicrobial, proteolytic, and lipolytic capacities was done in 214 presumptive lactic acid bacteria isolates obtained from Chihuahua cheese manufacturing and during a ripening period of nine months. The antimicrobial screening was done by spot-on-the-lawn tests, using Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli as indicator microorganisms; proteolysis was tested in casein-peptone agar and lipolysis in Mann–Rogosa–Sharpe (MRS)-tributyrin agar. More than 90% of the isolates hydrolyzed the casein, but only 30% hydrolyzed tributyrin; the inhibition of L. monocytogenes in the spot-on-the-lawn assay was used to select 39 isolates that had a bigger inhibition zone (>11.15 mm ± 0.3) than the control (Nisin producer Lactococcus lactis BS-10 Chr Hansen). The selected isolates were grown in MRS to obtain the neutralized cell-free supernatants and verify their antimicrobial activity by agar diffusion and the percentage of growth inhibition techniques. The selected isolates were also growth in casein peptone broth, and the cell-free supernatants were used for the determination of antioxidant activity by the radical scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) techniques. The results were analyzed to identify similarities by cluster analysis, based on their antimicrobial and antioxidant capacities. The isolates were arranged into six clusters; one cluster that included 12 isolates demonstrated L. monocytogenes (784–2811 mm2/mL AU by agar diffusion assay) and E. coli (41%–47% growth inhibition) antimicrobial activity. The isolates clustered in these groups also showed competitive inhibition of both radicals (11%–19% of DPPH and 50%–60% of ABTS). The isolates from cluster one were also identified by 16S rDNA amplification and were identified as Enterococcus faecium. Traditional products such as Chihuahua cheese can be a source or lactic acid bacteria with metabolic properties that can be used in food preparation and preservation.
Multiplex Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Three Foodborne Pathogens in Seafood
Authors: Ma Biao , Li Jiali , Chen Kai , Yu Xiaoping , Sun Chuanxin , Zhang Mingzhou
Published: March 2020

Foodborne pathogens can cause foodborne illness. In reality, one food sample may carry more than one pathogen. A rapid, sensitive, and multiple target method for bacteria detection is crucial in food safety. For the simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Salmonella Enteritidis, multi-objective recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was developed in this study. The whole process, including amplification and reading, can be completed in 15 min at 37 °C. The detection limits were 2.6 × 101 CFU/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, 7.6 × 101 CFU/mL for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and 1.29 × 101 CFU/mL for Salmonella Enteritidis. Moreover, colored signal intensities on test lines were measured by a test strip reader to achieve quantitative detection for Staphylococcus aureus (R2 = 0.9903), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (R2 = 0.9928), and Salmonella Enteritidis (R2 = 0.9945). In addition, the method demonstrated good recoveries (92.00%–107.95%) in the testing of spiked food samples. Therefore, the multiplex LFD-RPA assay is a feasible method for the rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of bacterial pathogens in seafood.
Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Analysis of Fruit and Agronomic Traits of Tropical Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) in an Organic Production System
Authors: Del Valle Echevarria Angel R. , Campbell Alexandra , Radovich Theodore J. K. , Silvasy Tia , Moore Sarah , Kantar Michael B.
Published: March 2020

Interest in the development of organically grown vegetable crops has risen over the past decades due to consumer preferences. However, most crops that have desirable consumer traits have been bred in conventional growing conditions, and their transfer to an organic setting is challenging. Here, the organically grown Hawaiian pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) accession ‘Shima’ was crossed with the conventionally grown Puerto Rican variety ‘Taina Dorada’ to develop a backcross (BC1) population, where ‘Shima’ was the recurrent parent. A total of 202 BC1 (‘Shima’ X F1) progenies were planted in a certified organic field, and twelve traits were evaluated. We used genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) to identify the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) associated with insect tolerance along with commercially desirable traits. A total of 1582 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, from which 711 SNPs were used to develop a genetic map and perform QTL mapping. Reads associated with significant QTLs were aligned to the publicly available Cucurbita moschata genome and identified several markers linked to genes that have been previously reported to be associated with that trait in other crop systems, such as melon (Cucumis melo L.). This research provides a resource for marker-assisted selection (MAS) efforts in Cucurbita moschata, as well as serving as a model study to improve cultivars that are transitioning from a conventional to an organic setting.
Tuberculosis among Health Workers—A Secondary Data Analysis of German Social Accident Insurance Data from 2002–2017
Authors: Kersten Jan Felix , Nienhaus Albert , Schneider Stephanie , Schablon Anja
Published: March 2020

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of fatal infections worldwide. Recent TB figures in Europe indicate that 30 people were infected with tuberculosis each hour in 2017. Healthcare workers are at particular risk of being infected through patient contact. TB is the second most common occupational infectious disease among German healthcare workers. Routine data from the German Social Accident Insurance were used to examine trends in occupational TB diseases. We analyzed annual cross-sectional data for the years 2002 to 2017. The data underwent descriptive analysis. A total of 4653 TB cases were recognized as occupational diseases (OD) in the period under study. In 2002, 60 TB cases were recognized as OD No. 3101, i.e., transmissions from person to person. Since 2013, the level has settled at around 500 recognized cases per year. This is around eight times the number of cases compared to 2002. The following three groups collectively accounted for the largest share of TB cases (88.5%): nurses (including geriatric nurses), other healthcare employees, and physicians. The upward trend in the number of TB cases recognized as occupational diseases is probably due to improvements in diagnostic tests used to diagnose TB infections. TB in health and welfare workers remains an important issue in the health and welfare sector in Germany, partly due to the long latency period between potential exposure to infectious patients or materials and the recognition of the latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) or active TB as OD.
Hsp90 Relieves Heat Stress-Induced Damage in Mouse Kidneys: Involvement of Antiapoptotic PKM2-AKT and Autophagic HIF-1α Signaling
Authors: Chen Bixia , Yang Bo , Zhu Jie , Wu Jiaxin , Sha Junzhou , Sun Jiarui , Bao Endong , Zhang Xiaohui
Published: March 2020

Heat stress can particularly affect the kidney because of its high rate of adenosine triphosphate consumption. Competition between apoptosis and autophagy-mediated survival always exists in damaged tissue. And Hsp90 can enhance cellular protection to resist heat stress. However, the relationship between Hsp90 and the above competition and its underlying mechanism in the kidney are unclear. The present study found that heat stress induced obvious histopathological and oxidative injury, which was connected with cellular apoptosis and autophagy in the kidney and was associated with the levels of Hsp90 expression or function. The data showed that during heat stress, Hsp90 activated the PKM2-Akt signaling pathway to exert antiapoptotic effects and induce Hsp70 expression regulated by HSF-1, stimulated autophagy-mediated survival through the HIF-1α-BNIP3/BNIP3L pathway, and finally protected the kidney from heat-stress injury. Moreover, the nuclear translocation of PKM2, (p-) Akt, HSF-1, and HIF-1α was enhanced by heat stress, but only intranuclear p-Akt and HSF-1 were specifically influenced by Hsp90, contributing to regulate the cellular ability of resisting heat-stress damage. Our study provided new insights regarding the molecular mechanism of Hsp90 in the kidney in response to heat-stress injury, possibly contributing to finding new targets for the pharmacological regulation of human or animal acute kidney injury from heat stress in future research.
What Are the Molecular Mechanisms by Which Functional Bacterial Amyloids Influence Amyloid Beta Deposition and Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders?
Authors: Friedland Robert P. , McMillan Joseph D. , Kurlawala Zimple
Published: March 2020

Despite the enormous literature documenting the importance of amyloid beta (Ab) protein in Alzheimer's disease, we do not know how Ab aggregation is initiated and why it has its unique distribution in the brain. In vivo and in vitro evidence has been developed to suggest that functional microbial amyloid proteins produced in the gut may cross-seed Ab aggregation and prime the innate immune system to have an enhanced and pathogenic response to neuronal amyloids. In this commentary, we summarize the molecular mechanisms by which the microbiota may initiate and sustain the pathogenic processes of neurodegeneration in aging.
S-Nitroso-Proteome Revealed in Stomatal Guard Cell Response to Flg22
Authors: Lawrence Sheldon R. , Gaitens Meghan , Guan Qijie , Dufresne Craig , Chen Sixue
Published: March 2020

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in stomata closure induced by environmental stimuli including pathogens. During pathogen challenge, nitric oxide (NO) acts as a second messenger in guard cell signaling networks to activate downstream responses leading to stomata closure. One means by which NO’s action is achieved is through the posttranslational modification of cysteine residue(s) of target proteins. Although the roles of NO have been well studied in plant tissues and seedlings, far less is known about NO signaling and, more specifically, protein S-nitrosylation (SNO) in stomatal guard cells. In this study, using iodoTMTRAQ quantitative proteomics technology, we analyzed changes in protein SNO modification in guard cells of reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana in response to flg22, an elicitor-active peptide derived from bacterial flagellin. A total of 41 SNO-modified peptides corresponding to 35 proteins were identified. The proteins cover a wide range of functions, including energy metabolism, transport, stress response, photosynthesis, and cell–cell communication. This study creates the first inventory of previously unknown NO responsive proteins in guard cell immune responses and establishes a foundation for future research toward understanding the molecular mechanisms and regulatory roles of SNO in stomata immunity against bacterial pathogens.
A RING-Type E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, OsGW2, Controls Chlorophyll Content and Dark-Induced Senescence in Rice
Authors: Shim Kyu-Chan , Kim Sun Ha , Jeon Yun-A , Lee Hyun-Sook , Adeva Cheryl , Kang Ju-Won , Kim Hyun-Jung , Tai Thomas H , Ahn Sang-Nag
Published: March 2020

Leaf senescence is the final stage of plant development. Many internal and external factors affect the senescence process in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we identified qCC2, a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for chlorophyll content using a population derived from an interspecific cross between O. sativa (cv. Hwaseong) and Oryza grandiglumis. The O. grandiglumis allele at qCC2 increased chlorophyll content and delayed senescence. GW2 encoding E3 ubiquitin ligase in the qCC2 region was selected as a candidate for qCC2. To determine if GW2 is allelic to qCC2, a gw2-knockout mutant (gw2-ko) was examined using a dark-induced senescence assay. gw2-ko showed delayed leaf senescence in the dark with down-regulated expression of senescence-associated genes (SAGs) and chlorophyll degradation genes (CDGs). The association of the GW2 genotype with the delayed senescence phenotype was confirmed in an F2 population. RNA-seq analysis was conducted to investigate 30-day-old leaf transcriptome dynamics in Hwaseong and a backcross inbred line—CR2002—under dark treatment. This resulted in the identification of genes involved in phytohormone signaling and associated with senescence. These results suggested that transcriptional regulation was associated with delayed senescence in CR2002, and RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase GW2 was a positive regulator of leaf senescence in rice.
Cordycepin Resensitizes T24R2 Cisplatin-Resistant Human Bladder Cancer Cells to Cisplatin by Inactivating Ets-1 Dependent MDR1 Transcription
Authors: Oh Sang-Seok , Lee Ki Won , Madhi Hamadi , Jeong Jin-Woo , Park Soojong , Kim Minju , Lee Yerin , Han Hyun-Tak , Hwangbo Cheol , Yoo Jiyun , Kim Kwang Dong
Published: March 2020

Tumor cell resistance to anti-cancer drugs is a major obstacle in tumor therapy. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of cordycepin-mediated resensitization to cisplatin in T24R2 cells, a T24-derived cell line. Treatment with cordycepin or cisplatin (2 μg/mL) alone failed to induce cell death in T24R2 cells, but combination treatment with these drugs significantly induced apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways, including depolarization of mitochondrial membranes, decrease in anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1, and increase in pro-apoptotic proteins Bak and Bax. High expression levels of MDR1 were the cause of cisplatin resistance in T24R2 cells, and cordycepin significantly reduced MDR1 expression through inhibition of MDR1 promoter activity. MDR1 promoter activity was dependent on transcription factor Ets-1 in T24R2 cells. Although correlation exists between MDR1 and Ets-1 expression in bladder cancer patients, active Ets-1, Thr38 phosphorylated form (pThr38), was critical to induce MDR1 expression. Cordycepin decreased pThr-38 Ets-1 levels and reduced MDR1 transcription, probably through its effects on PI3K signaling, inducing the resensitization of T24R2 cells to cisplatin. The results suggest that cordycepin effectively resensitizes cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer cells to cisplatin, thus serving as a potential strategy for treatment of cancer in patients with resistance to anti-cancer drugs.
Role of the TRPC1 Channel in Hippocampal Long-Term Depression and in Spatial Memory Extinction
Authors: Yerna Xavier , Schakman Olivier , Ratbi Ikram , Kreis Anna , Lepannetier Sophie , de Clippele Marie , Achouri Younès , Tajeddine Nicolas , Tissir Fadel , Gualdani Roberta , Gailly Philippe
Published: March 2020

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) are involved in various forms of synaptic plasticity that are believed to underlie declarative memory. We previously showed that mGluR5 specifically activates channels containing TRPC1, an isoform of the canonical family of Transient Receptor Potential channels highly expressed in the CA1-3 regions of the hippocampus. Using a tamoxifen-inducible conditional knockout model, we show here that the acute deletion of the Trpc1 gene alters the extinction of spatial reference memory. mGluR-induced long-term depression, which is partially responsible for memory extinction, was impaired in these mice. Similar results were obtained in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the channel by its most specific inhibitor, Pico145. Among the numerous known postsynaptic pathways activated by type I mGluR, we observed that the deletion of Trpc1 impaired the activation of ERK1/2 and the subsequent expression of Arc, an immediate early gene that plays a key role in AMPA receptors endocytosis and subsequent long-term depression.
Circulating RNAs as Potential Biomarkers in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Ravnik-Glavač Metka , Glavač Damjan
Published: March 2020

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex multi-system neurodegenerative disorder with currently limited diagnostic and no therapeutic options. Despite the intense efforts no clinically applicable biomarkers for ALS are yet established. Most current research is thus focused, in particular, in identifying potential non-invasive circulating biomarkers for more rapid and accurate diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. In this review, we have focused on messenger RNA (mRNA), non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNA (circRNAs) as potential biomarkers for ALS in peripheral blood serum, plasma and cells. The most promising miRNAs include miR-206, miR-133b, miR-27a, mi-338-3p, miR-183, miR-451, let-7 and miR-125b. To test clinical potential of this miRNA panel, a useful approach may be to perform such analysis on larger multi-center scale using similar experimental design. However, other types of RNAs (lncRNAs, circRNAs and mRNAs) that, together with miRNAs, represent RNA networks, have not been yet extensively studied in blood samples of patients with ALS. Additional research has to be done in order to find robust circulating biomarkers and therapeutic targets that will distinguish key RNA interactions in specific ALS-types to facilitate diagnosis, predict progression and design therapy.
Rosa davurica Pall. Improves Propionibacterium acnes-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Mouse Ear Edema Model and Suppresses Pro-Inflammatory Chemokine Production via MAPK and NF-κB Pathways in HaCaT Cells
Authors: Hwang Du Hyeon , Lee Dong Yeol , Koh Phil-Ok , Yang Hye Ryeon , Kang Changkeun , Kim Euikyung
Published: March 2020

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a common disorder of human skin involving the sebaceous gland and Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). Although there are a number of treatments suggested for acne, many of them have limitations in their safety and have efficacy issues. Therefore, there is a high demand to develop safe and effective novel acne treatments. In the present study, we demonstrate the protective effects of Rosa davurica Pall. leaves (RDL) extract against P. acnes-induced inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that RDL dose-dependently inhibited the growth of skin bacteria, including P. acnes (KCTC3314) and aerobic Staphylococcus aureus (KCTC1621) or Staphylococcus epidermidis (KCTC1917). The downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines by RDL appears to be mediated by blocking the phosphorylations of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and subsequent nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways in P. acnes-stimulated HaCaT cells. In a mouse model of acne vulgaris, histopathological changes were examined in the P. acnes-induced mouse ear edema. The concomitant intradermal injection of RDL resulted in the reduction of ear swelling in mice along with microabscess but exerted no cytotoxic effects for skin cells. Instrumental analysis demonstrated there were seven major components in the RDL extract, and they seemed to have important roles in the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects of RDL. Conclusively, our present work showed for the first time that RDL has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects against P. acnes, suggesting RDL as a promising novel strategy for the treatment of acne, including natural additives in anti-acne cosmetics or pharmaceutical products.
Evaluation of Seven Different RNA-Seq Alignment Tools Based on Experimental Data from the Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Schaarschmidt Stephanie , Fischer Axel , Zuther Ellen , Hincha Dirk K.
Published: March 2020

Quantification of gene expression is crucial to connect genome sequences with phenotypic and physiological data. RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) has taken a prominent role in the study of transcriptomic reactions of plants to various environmental and genetic perturbations. However, comparative tests of different tools for RNA-Seq read mapping and quantification have been mainly performed on data from animals or humans, which necessarily neglect, for example, the large genetic variability among natural accessions within plant species. Here, we compared seven computational tools for their ability to map and quantify Illumina single-end reads from the Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Columbia-0 (Col-0) and N14. Between 92.4% and 99.5% of all reads were mapped to the reference genome or transcriptome and the raw count distributions obtained from the different mappers were highly correlated. Using the software DESeq2 to determine differential gene expression (DGE) between plants exposed to 20 °C or 4 °C from these read counts showed a large pairwise overlap between the mappers. Interestingly, when the commercial CLC software was used with its own DGE module instead of DESeq2, strongly diverging results were obtained. All tested mappers provided highly similar results for mapping Illumina reads of two polymorphic Arabidopsis accessions to the reference genome or transcriptome and for the determination of DGE when the same software was used for processing.
Potent Impact of Plastic Nanomaterials and Micromaterials on the Food Chain and Human Health
Authors: Wang Yung-Li , Lee Yu-Hsuan , Chiu I-Jen , Lin Yuh-Feng , Chiu Hui-Wen
Published: March 2020

Plastic products are inexpensive, convenient, and are have many applications in daily life. We overuse plastic-related products and ineffectively recycle plastic that is difficult to degrade. Plastic debris can be fragmented into smaller pieces by many physical and chemical processes. Plastic debris that is fragmented into microplastics or nanoplastics has unclear effects on organismal systems. Recently, this debris was shown to affect biota and to be gradually spreading through the food chain. In addition, studies have indicated that workers in plastic-related industries develop many kinds of cancer because of chronic exposure to high levels of airborne microplastics. Microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere now, contaminating our water, air, and food chain. In this review, we introduce a classification of plastic polymers, define microplastics and nanoplastics, identify plastics that contaminate food, describe the damage and diseases caused by microplastics and nanoplastics, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms of this damage and disease as well as solutions for their amelioration. Thus, we expect to contribute to the understanding of the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on cellular and molecular mechanisms and the ways that the uptake of microplastics and nanoplastics are potentially dangerous to our biota. After understanding the issues, we can focus on how to handle the problems caused by plastic overuse.
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Axis Controls Renal Extracellular Vesicle Production and Protein Content
Authors: Zadjali Fahad , Kumar Prashant , Yao Ying , Johnson Daniel , Astrinidis Aristotelis , Vogel Peter , Gross Kenneth W. , Bissler John J.
Published: March 2020

The tuberous sclerosis complex (Tsc) proteins regulate the conserved mTORC1 growth regulation pathway. We identified that loss of the Tsc2 gene in mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD) cells induced a greater than two-fold increase in extracellular vesicle (EV) production compared to the same cells having an intact Tsc axis. We optimized EV isolation using a well-established size exclusion chromatography method to produce high purity EVs. Electron microscopy confirmed the purity and spherical shape of EVs. Both tunable resistive pulse sensing (TRPS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) demonstrated that the isolated EVs possessed a heterogenous size distribution. Approximately 90% of the EVs were in the 100–250 nm size range, while approximately 10% had a size greater than 250 nm. Western blot analysis using proteins isolated from the EVs revealed the cellular proteins Alix and TSG101, the transmembrane proteins CD63, CD81, and CD9, and the primary cilia Hedgehog signaling-related protein Arl13b. Proteomic analysis of EVs identified a significant difference between the Tsc2-intact and Tsc2-deleted cell that correlated well with the increased production. The EVs may be involved in tissue homeostasis and cause disease by overproduction and altered protein content. The EVs released by renal cyst epithelia in TSC complex may serve as a tool to discover the mechanism of TSC cystogenesis and in developing potential therapeutic strategies.
Modulation of the In Vivo Inflammatory Response by Pro- Versus Anti-Inflammatory Intervertebral Disc Treatments
Authors: Cunha Carla , Q. Teixeira Graciosa , Ribeiro-Machado Cláudia , L. Pereira Catarina , Ferreira Joana R. , Molinos Maria , G. Santos Susana , Barbosa Mário A. , M. Goncalves Raquel
Published: March 2020

Inflammation is central in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration/regeneration mechanisms, and its balance is crucial to maintain tissue homeostasis. This work investigates the modulation of local and systemic inflammatory response associated with IVD degeneration/herniation by administration of PRO- versus ANTI-inflammatory treatments. Chitosan/poly-γ-glutamic acid nanocomplexes, known as pro-inflammatory (PRO), and soluble diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (ANTI), were intradiscally administered in a rat IVD injury model, 24 h after lesion. Two weeks after administration, a reduction of disc height accompanied by hernia formation was observed. In the PRO-inflammatory treated group, IL-1β, IL-6 and COX-2 IVD gene expression were upregulated, and loss of nucleus pulposus (NP) structure and composition was observed. Systemically, lower T-cell frequency was observed in the lymph nodes (LN) and spleen (SP) of the PRO group, together with an increase in CD4+ T cells subset in the blood (BL) and LN. In contrast, the ANTI-group had higher proteoglycans/collagen ratio and collagen type 2 content in the NP, while an increase in the frequency of myeloid cells, M1 macrophages and activated macrophages (MHCII+) was observed at the systemic level. Overall, this study illustrates the dynamics of local and systemic inflammatory and immune cell responses associated with intradiscal therapies, which will contribute to designing more successful immunomodulatory treatments for IVD degeneration.
Differential Cytotoxicity Induced by Transition Metal Oxide Nanoparticles is a Function of Cell Killing and Suppression of Cell Proliferation
Authors: Tolliver Larry M. , Holl Natalie J. , Hou Fang Yao Stephen , Lee Han-Jung , Cambre Melissa H. , Huang Yue-Wern
Published: March 2020

The application of nanoparticles (NPs) in industry is on the rise, along with the potential for human exposure. While the toxicity of microscale equivalents has been studied, nanoscale materials exhibit different properties and bodily uptake, which limits the prediction ability of microscale models. Here, we examine the cytotoxicity of seven transition metal oxide NPs in the fourth period of the periodic table of the chemical elements. We hypothesized that NP-mediated cytotoxicity is a function of cell killing and suppression of cell proliferation. To test our hypothesis, transition metal oxide NPs were tested in a human lung cancer cell model (A549). Cells were exposed to a series of concentrations of TiO2, Cr2O3, Mn2O3, Fe2O3, NiO, CuO, or ZnO for either 24 or 48 h. All NPs aside from Cr2O3 and Fe2O3 showed a time- and dose-dependent decrease in viability. All NPs significantly inhibited cellular proliferation. The trend of cytotoxicity was in parallel with that of proliferative inhibition. Toxicity was ranked according to severity of cellular responses, revealing a strong correlation between viability, proliferation, and apoptosis. Cell cycle alteration was observed in the most toxic NPs, which may have contributed to promoting apoptosis and suppressing cell division rate. Collectively, our data support the hypothesis that cell killing and cell proliferative inhibition are essential independent variables in NP-mediated cytotoxicity.
Advances and Challenges in Bacterial Spot Resistance Breeding in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
Authors: Adhikari Pragya , Adhikari Tika B. , Louws Frank J. , Panthee Dilip R.
Published: March 2020

Bacterial spot is a serious disease of tomato caused by at least four species of Xanthomonas. These include X. euvesicatoria (race T1), X. vesicatoria (race T2), X. perforans (races T3 and T4), and X. gardneri, with the distinct geographical distribution of each group. Currently, X. gardneri and X. perforans are two major bacterial pathogens of tomato in North America, with X. perforans (race T4) dominating in east-coast while X. gardneri dominating in the Midwest. The disease causes up to 66% yield loss. Management of this disease is challenging due to the lack of useful chemical control measures and commercial resistant cultivars. Although major genes for resistance (R) and quantitative resistance have been identified, breeding tomato for resistance to bacterial spot has been impeded by multiple factors including the emergence of new races of the pathogen that overcome the resistance, multigenic control of the resistance, linkage drag, non-additive components of the resistance and a low correlation between seedling assays and field resistance. Transgenic tomato with Bs2 and EFR genes was effective against multiple races of Xanthomonas. However, it has not been commercialized because of public concerns and complex regulatory processes. The genomics-assisted breeding, effectors-based genomics breeding, and genome editing technology could be novel approaches to achieve durable resistance to bacterial spot in tomato. The main goal of this paper is to understand the current status of bacterial spot of tomato including its distribution and pathogen diversity, challenges in disease management, disease resistance sources, resistance genetics and breeding, and future prospectives with novel breeding approaches.
Schiff Base Ancillary Ligands in Bis(diimine) Copper(I) Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Lüthi Elias , Forero Cortés Paola Andrea , Prescimone Alessandro , Constable Edwin C. , Housecroft Catherine E.
Published: March 2020

Five 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine ligands bearing N-arylmethaniminyl substituents in the 4- and 4′-positions were prepared by Schiff base condensation in which the aryl group is Ph (1), 4-tolyl (2), 4-tBuC6H4 (3), 4-MeOC6H4 (4), and 4-Me2NC6H4 (5). The homoleptic copper(I) complexes [CuL2][PF6] (L = 1–5) were synthesized and characterized, and the single crystal structure of [Cu(1)2][PF6]·Et2O was determined. By using the “surfaces-as-ligands, surfaces-as-complexes” (SALSAC) approach, the heteroleptic complexes [Cu(6)(Lancillary)]+ in which 6 is the anchoring ligand ((6,6′-dimethyl-[2,2′-bipyridine]-4,4′-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(phosphonic acid)) and Lancillary = 1–5 were assembled on FTO-TiO2 electrodes and incorporated as dyes into n-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Data from triplicate, fully-masked DSCs for each dye revealed that the best-performing sensitizer is [Cu(6)(1)]+, which exhibits photoconversion efficiencies (η) of up to 1.51% compared to 5.74% for the standard reference dye N719. The introduction of the electron-donating MeO and Me2N groups (Lancillary = 4 and 5) is detrimental, leading to a decrease in the short-circuit current densities and external quantum efficiencies of the solar cells. In addition, a significant loss in open-circuit voltage is observed for DSCs sensitized with [Cu(6)(5)]+, which contributes to low values of η for this dye. Comparisons between performances of DSCs containing [Cu(6)(1)]+ and [Cu(6)(4)]+ with those sensitized by analogous dyes lacking the imine bond indicate that the latter prevents efficient electron transfer across the dye.
Analytics Maturity Models: An Overview
Authors: Król Karol , Zdonek Dariusz
Published: March 2020

This paper aims to review, characterize and comparatively analyze selected organizations’ analytics maturity models. Eleven various organizations’ analytics maturity models (AMMs) were characterized. The models’ characteristics were developed based on an academic literature review as well as reports and publications shared by analytics sector operators. Most of the analyzed models comprised five analytics maturity levels. Comprehensive descriptions of an organization’s analytics maturity levels were available for all models. However, no detailed description of the assessment process or criteria for placing an organization at a specific analytics development level were available in all cases. Selected analytics maturity models were described in such a detailed manner that their application in an independent assessment of an organization’s analytics maturity was possible. In the future, an increase is expected in both the number and availability of new analytics maturity models, in particular those personalized and dedicated to a specific sector or business, and the number of entities involved in an assessment of an organization’s analytics maturity and the implementation of data analytics in organizations. The article presents and summarizes selected features of eleven various organizations’ analytics maturity models. This is the firstever such extensive review of those models.
Organic Mulch Increases Insect Herbivory by the Flea Beetle Species, Disonycha glabrata, on Amaranthus spp.
Authors: Vorsah Roger V. , Dingha Beatrice N. , Gyawaly Sudan , Fremah Sarah A. , Sharma Harmandeep , Bhowmik Arnab , Worku Mulumebet , Jackai Louis E.
Published: March 2020

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is an increasingly high-valued niche vegetable crop among small organic growers in North Carolina, due to its increasing demand among diverse immigrant groups. Production is however hampered by insect pests such as the flea beetle (FB), Disonycha glabrata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), that cause significant yield reduction. Chemical insecticides are generally applied for pest control despite their known risks to health and the environment. Integrated pest management (IPM), which is a cost effective and environmentally friendly approach is still under-exploited in vegetable production by small growers. We studied IPM approaches, suitable for organic production of amaranth by screening nine amaranth varieties for resistance to the flea beetle (FB), D. glabrata, grown with, and without, mulch. D. glabrata population was 60% higher in plots with mulch compared to plots without. The amaranth varieties Molten fire and Green Callaloo recorded the lowest and the highest beetle population commensurate with low, and high leaf damage, respectively. Conversely, leaf yields in the mulched plots were 50% less than recorded in the zero-mulch counterpart, with Green Callaloo variety recording the lowest. These findings will serve as building blocks for a sustainable pest management plan that is appropriate for organic production of Amaranthus spp. in North Carolina.
Relationship between Changes in Myocardial F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake and Radiation Dose after Adjuvant Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Jo In Young , Lee Jeong Won , Kim Woo Chul , Min Chul Kee , Kim Eun Seog , Yeo Seung-Gu , Lee Sang Mi
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to assess the relationship between radiation dose and changes in the irradiated myocardial F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake after radiotherapy (RT) in breast cancer patients. The data of 55 patients with left and 48 patients with right breast cancer who underwent curative surgical resection and adjuvant three-dimensional conformal RT and staging (PET1), post-adjuvant chemotherapy (PET2), post-RT (PET3), and surveillance (PET4) FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) were retrospectively reviewed. The median interval between PET1 and curative surgical resection, between the end of adjuvant chemotherapy and PET2, between the end of RT and PET3, and between the end of RT and PET4 were five days, 13 days, 132 days, and 353 days, respectively. The myocardial-to-blood pool uptake ratio was measured in all patients. For patients with left breast cancer, the 30 Gy- (30 Gy) and 47.5 Gy-irradiated myocardium-to-low-irradiated myocardium (47.5 Gy) FDG uptake ratios were additionally measured. There were no differences in the myocardial-to-blood pool uptake ratios between left and right breast cancer on all PET scans. For left breast cancer, higher 30 Gy and 47.5 Gy uptake ratios were observed on PET3 than on PET1 and PET2. Both uptake ratios decreased on PET4 compared to PET3, but, were still higher compared to PET1. On PET3 and PET4, the 47.5 Gy were higher than the 30 Gy uptake ratios, while there were no differences between them on PET1 and PET2. Although the whole myocardium FDG uptake showed no significant change, the irradiated myocardium FDG uptake significantly increased after RT and was related to radiation dose to the myocardium in breast cancer patients. These results might be an imaging evidence that supports the increased risk of heart disease after RT in patients with left breast cancer.
Fourier-Domain OCT Imaging of the Ocular Surface and Tear Film Dynamics: A Review of the State of the Art and an Integrative Model of the Tear Behavior during the Inter-Blink Period and Visual Fixation
Authors: Napoli Pietro Emanuele , Nioi Matteo , Mangoni Lorenzo , Gentile Pietro , Braghiroli Mirco , d’Aloja Ernesto , Fossarello Maurizio
Published: March 2020

In the last few decades, the ocular surface and the tear film have been noninvasively investigated in vivo, in a three-dimensional, high resolution, and real-time mode, by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Recently, OCT technology has made great strides in improving the acquisition speed and image resolution, thus increasing its impact in daily clinical practice and in the research setting. All these results have been achieved because of a transition from traditional time-domain (TD) to Fourier-domain (FD) technology. FD-OCT devices include a spectrometer in the receiver that analyzes the spectrum of reflected light on the retina or ocular surface and transforms it into information about the depth of the structures according to the Fourier principle. In this review, we summarize and provide the state-of-the-art in FD-OCT imaging of the ocular surface system, addressing specific aspects such as tear film dynamics and epithelial changes under physiologic and pathologic conditions. A theory on the dynamic nature of the tear film has been developed to explain the variations within the individual compartments. Moreover, an integrative model of tear film behavior during the inter-blink period and visual fixation is proposed.
miR-221-3p Regulates VEGFR2 Expression in High-Risk Prostate Cancer and Represents an Escape Mechanism from Sunitinib In Vitro
Authors: Krebs Markus , Solimando Antonio Giovanni , Kalogirou Charis , Marquardt André , Frank Torsten , Sokolakis Ioannis , Hatzichristodoulou Georgios , Kneitz Susanne , Bargou Ralf , Kübler Hubert , Schilling Bastian , Spahn Martin , Kneitz Burkhard
Published: March 2020

Downregulation of miR-221-3p expression in prostate cancer (PCa) predicted overall and cancer-specific survival of high-risk PCa patients. Apart from PCa, miR-221-3p expression levels predicted a response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. Since this role of miR-221-3p was explained with a specific targeting of VEGFR2, we examined whether miR-221-3p regulated VEGFR2 in PCa. First, we confirmed VEGFR2/KDR as a target gene of miR-221-3p in PCa cells by applying Luciferase reporter assays and Western blotting experiments. Although VEGFR2 was mainly downregulated in the PCa cohort of the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database, VEGFR2 was upregulated in our high-risk PCa cohort (n = 142) and predicted clinical progression. In vitro miR-221-3p acted as an escape mechanism from TKI in PC3 cells, as displayed by proliferation and apoptosis assays. Moreover, we confirmed that Sunitinib induced an interferon-related gene signature in PC3 cells by analyzing external microarray data and by demonstrating a significant upregulation of miR-221-3p/miR-222-3p after Sunitinib exposure. Our findings bear a clinical perspective for high-risk PCa patients with low miR-221-3p levels since this could predict a favorable TKI response. Apart from this therapeutic niche, we identified a partially oncogenic function of miR-221-3p as an escape mechanism from VEGFR2 inhibition.
Neutral Position Facilitates Nasotracheal Intubation with a GlideScope Video Laryngoscope: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kang RyungA , Jeong Ji Seon , Ko Justin Sangwook , Ahn Jaemyung , Gwak Mi Sook , Choi Soo Joo , Hwang Ji Yun , Hahm Tae Soo
Published: March 2020

The optimal head position for GlideScope facilitated nasotracheal intubation has not yet been determined. We compared the neutral and sniffing positions to establish the degree of intubation difficulty. A total of 88 ASA I-II patients requiring nasotracheal intubation for elective dental surgery with normal airways were divided into two groups according to head position, neutral position (group N), and sniffing position (group S). The primary outcome was the degree of intubation difficulty according to the Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS): Easy (IDS = 0), mildly difficult (IDS = 1 to 4), and moderately to severely difficult (IDS ≥ 5). Eighty-seven patients completed the study and their data were analyzed. The degree of intubation difficulty was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.004). The frequency of difficult intubation (IDS > 0) was 12 (27.9%) in group N and 28 (63.6%) in group S (difference in proportion, 35.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.8 to 52.6%; p = 0.001). The neutral position facilitates nasotracheal intubation with GlideScope by aligning the nasotracheal tube and the glottis inlet more accurately than the sniffing position.
Effects of Liraglutide on Myocardial Function After Cardiac Surgery: A Secondary Analysis of the Randomised Controlled GLOBE Trial
Authors: Hulst Abraham H. , Visscher Maarten J. , Cherpanath Thomas G. V. , van de Wouw Lieke , Godfried Marc B. , Thiel Bram , Gerritse Bastiaan M. , Scohy Thierry V. , Bouwman R. Arthur , Willemsen Mark G. A. , Hollmann Markus W. , DeVries J. Hans , Preckel Benedikt , Hermanides Jeroen
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Previous studies demonstrated the cardioprotective properties of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with diabetes or cardiac disease. We investigated whether preoperative subcutaneous liraglutide improves myocardial function after cardiac surgery. Methods: We performed a pre-planned secondary analysis of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery included in the GLOBE trial. Patients were randomised to receive 0.6 mg subcutaneous liraglutide on the evening before surgery and 1.2 mg after induction of anaesthesia, or matching placebo. Perioperative echocardiographic assessments, haemodynamic parameters, doses of vasoactive inotropic support and postoperative measurements of troponin, Creatine Kinase-MB , creatinine and lactate were compared between groups. Results: The study population consisted of the entire intention-to-treat cohort of the GLOBE trial. In this study, 129 patients received liraglutide and 132 patients placebo. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Postoperatively, 170 (65%) patients underwent echocardiography. In the liraglutide group, more patients had a normal left ventricular systolic function (68%, 59 patients) compared to placebo (53%, 44 patients), difference = 15%, 95%CI = 0–30, p = 0.049. Assessment of the right ventricle revealed no difference in function. Conclusions: Patients receiving short-term preoperative liraglutide treatment better maintained normal myocardial function after cardiac surgery. This study warrants further evaluation of the potential beneficial effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in cardiac surgery patients.
Standard Versus Ultrasound-Guided Cannulation of the Femoral Artery in Patients Undergoing Invasive Procedures: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Sorrentino Sabato , Nguyen Phong , Salerno Nadia , Polimeni Alberto , Sabatino Jolanda , Makris Angela , Hennessy Annemarie , Giustino Gennaro , Spaccarotella Carmen , Mongiardo Annalisa , De Rosa Salvatore , Juergens Craig , Indolfi Ciro
Published: March 2020

Background: It is unclear whether or not ultrasound-guided cannulation (UGC) of the femoral artery is superior to the standard approach (SA) in reducing vascular complications and improving access success. Objective: We sought to compare procedural and clinical outcomes of femoral UGC versus SA in patients undergoing percutaneous cardiovascular intervention (PCvI). Methods: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus and web sources for randomized trials comparing UGC versus SA. We estimated risk ratio (RR) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Primary efficacy endpoint was the success rate at the first attempt, while secondary efficacy endpoints were access time and number of attempts. Primary safety endpoints were the rates of vascular complications, while secondary endpoints were major bleeding, as well as access site hematoma, venepuncture, pseudoaneurysms and retroperitoneal hematoma. This meta-analysis has been registered on Centre for Open Science (OSF) (osf.io/fy82e). Results: Seven trials were included, randomizing 3180 patients to UGC (n = 1564) or SA (n = 1616). Efficacy between UGC and SA was the main metric assessed in most of the trials, in which one third of the enrolled patients underwent interventional procedures. The success rate of the first attempt was significantly higher with UGC compared to SA, (82.0% vs. 58.7%; RR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.57; p < 0.0001; I2 = 88%). Time to access and number of attempts were significantly reduced with UGC compared to SA (SMD: −0.19; 95% CI: −0.28 to −0.10; p < 0.0001; I2 = 22%) and (SMD: −0.40; 95% CI: −0.58 to −0.21; p < 0.0001; I2 = 82%), respectively. Compared with SA, use of UGC was associated with a significant reduction in vascular complications (1.3% vs. 3.0%; RR: 0.48; CI 95%: 0.25 to 0.91; p = 0.02; I2 = 0%) and access-site hematoma (1.2% vs. 3.3%; RR: 0.41; CI 95%: 0.20 to 0.83; p = 0.01; I2 = 27%), but there were non-significant differences in major bleeding (0.7% vs. 1.4%; RR: 0.57; CI 95%: 0.24 to 1.32; p = 0.19; I2 = 0%). Rates of venepuncture were lower with UGC (3.6% vs. 12.1%; RR: 0.32; CI 95%: 0.20 to 0.52; p < 0.00001; I2 = 55%). Conclusion: This study, which included all available data to date, demonstrated that, compared to a standard approach, ultrasound-guided cannulation of the femoral artery is associated with lower access-related complications and higher efficacy rates. These results could be of great clinical relevance especially in the femoral cannulation of high risk patients.