bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive LCA of Biobased Sustainable Aviation Fuels and JET A-1 Multiblend
Authors: Oehmichen Katja , Majer Stefan , Müller-Langer Franziska , Thrän Daniela
Published: March 2022

The use of sustainable biofuels in the aviation sector with correspondingly high reduction in specific GHG emissions will make an important contribution to reducing GHG emissions from air traffic. It is expected that airports in Europe will be supplied with JET A-1 blends that also contain various types of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in variable proportions (“multiblend”). This article presents the results of a study assessing the environmental impact of various sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and multiblends, including all relevant parts of their value chains, starting from SAF production to mixing of different SAF with conventional JET A-1 and finally the use of the produced multiblend. The results of the life cycle assessment indicated that the production of some SAF caused less GHG emissions than others due to the use of waste or residues as SAF feedstock or the use of by-products to meet the internal process energy demand. A detailed assessment of GHG emissions of the studied multiblend JET A-1 showed a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 35% compared to fossil JET A-1.
Renewables and Advanced Storage in Power Systems: The Iberian Case
Authors: Usaola Julio
Published: March 2022

Storage has many benefits for power systems with a high share of renewable energy. It reduces renewable curtailment, can participate in ancillary services and contributes to system adequacy. However, its business model is far from clear since most of its revenues come from arbitrage in energy markets, and this is usually not enough to recover the investment. Advanced storage can facilitate the profitability of storage and ease the integration of renewables in power systems by reducing costs and allowing an enhanced performance. The profitability requirements of future advanced storage systems (batteries) are assessed in this paper by means of an optimization method and an uncertainty analysis for an optimal Iberian (Spain and Portugal) power system that meets the targets of their National Energy and Climate Plans. Results show that needed storage capacity is only a small part of the demanded energy, but technical advances are required for optimal performance. High prospective storage cost leads to a wind-dominated renewable mix, while low storage cost favours photovoltaics. Arbitrage with storage may cover its investment costs under carbon prices close to the actual Social Cost of Carbon.
Electron Microscopic Characterization of the Brake Assembly Components (Disc and Pads) from Passenger Vehicles
Authors: Dimopoulos Eggenschwiler Panayotis , Schreiber Daniel , Papetti Viola , Gramstat Sebastian , Lugovyy Dmytro
Published: March 2022

The present work focuses on a detailed analysis of new and used braking friction partners (discs and pads) in order to provide a comprehensive characterization of the source of the airborne particles formed during braking. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX) was applied to investigate the new brake disc and new and used brake pad components of a passenger vehicle. The pads include at least 21 different substances, involving carbonaceous particles, oxides, sulfides, sulfates and silicates of Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Zr, Sn, less Mg, Ba, Na and, rarely, Bi and Zn, as well as K-titanate. Aramid and phenolic resin are also present, enriched toward the metal interface. The size of the pad constituents extends over a very wide range, from hundreds of µm to a few µm, and goes down to hundreds of nm and, rarely, tens of nanometers. Carbonaceous particles with sizes down to a few tens of nanometers occupy ca. 16% of the total of the pad constituents. Abundant Zr-bearing phases, as well as various other phases involving S, Ca, Mg, Si, Ti and, to a lower extent, Ba and Fe in different combinations, constitute the pad main matrix.
A Comparative Study of Multi-Model Ensemble Forecasting Accuracy between Equal- and Variant-Weight Techniques
Authors: Wei Xiaomin , Sun Xiaogong , Sun Jilin , Yin Jinfang , Sun Jing , Liu Chongjian
Published: March 2022

Previous studies on multi-model ensemble forecasting mainly focused on the weight allocation of each model, but did not discuss how to suppress the reduction of ensemble forecasting accuracy when adding poorer models. Based on a variant weight (VW) method and the equal weight (EW) method, this study explored this topic through theoretical and real case analyses. A theoretical proof is made, showing that this VW method can improve the forecasting accuracy of a multi-model ensemble, in the case of either the same models combination or adding an even worse model into the original multi-model ensemble, compared to the EW method. Comparative multi-model ensemble forecasting experiments against a real case between the VW and EW methods show that the forecasting accuracy of a multi-model ensemble applying the VW method is better than that of each individual model (including the model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). The 2 m temperature forecasting applying the VW method is superior to that applying the EW method for all the multi-model ensembles. Both theoretical proof and numerical experiments show that an improved forecast, better than a best model, is generally possible.
Coefficient Estimates and Fekete–Szegö Functional Inequalities for a Certain Subclass of Analytic and Bi-Univalent Functions
Authors: Illafe Mohamed , Amourah Ala , Haji Mohd Maisarah
Published: March 2022

The present paper introduces a new class of bi-univalent functions defined on a symmetric domain using Gegenbauer polynomials. For functions in this class, we have derived the estimates of the Taylor–Maclaurin coefficients, a2 and a3, and the Fekete-Szegö functional. Several new results follow upon specializing the parameters involved in our main results.
Towards Predictive Vietnamese Human Resource Migration by Machine Learning: A Case Study in Northeast Asian Countries
Authors: Giang Nguyen Hong , Nguyen Tien-Thinh , Tay Chac Cau , Phuong Le Anh , Dang Thanh-Tuan
Published: March 2022

Labor exports are currently considered among the most important foreign economic sectors, implying that they contribute to a country’s economic development and serve as a strategic solution for employment creation. Therefore, with the support of data collected between 1992 and 2020, this paper proposes that labor exports contribute significantly to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. This study also aims to employ the Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN), k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN), and Random Forest Regression (RFR) models to analyze labor migration forecasting in Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. The study results indicate that the BPNN model was able to achieve the highest accuracy regarding the actual labor exports. In terms of these accuracy metrics, this study will aid the Vietnamese government in establishing new legislation for Vietnamese migrant workers in order to improve the nation’s economic development.
Enterococcus faecium Isolates Present in Human Breast Milk Might Be Carriers of Multi-Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Authors: Wajda Łukasz , Ostrowski Adam , Błasiak Ewelina , Godowska Patrycja
Published: March 2022

Using Enterococcus faecium strains as probiotics raises several controversies related to their antibiotic resistance (AR). In the current study, we examined isolates of E. faecium obtained from human breast milk. Catalase-negative and γ-haemolytic isolates were identified by analyzing the sequences of 16S rRNA gene and their phenotypic resistance to antibiotics was investigated. We examined the expression of genes that were found on plasmids. The majority of isolates tested were resistant to erythromycin (96%), followed by trimethoprim (67%), tetracycline (57%), and gentamicin (55%). Ninety-seven percent of E. faecium isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics. We detected the presence of the following genes on plasmids: ErmB (erythromycin), dfrA17 (trimethoprim), tetO, tetK (tetracycline), Aph(3′)-IIIa (neomycin), and marA (rifampicin). TetO was not expressed in all cases, dfrA14 was not expressed in CDCP1449, while tetK was only expressed in CDCP1128 and CDCP1331 isolates. In the majority of isolates, AR genes were located on chromosomes since they were not detected on plasmids. Our study shows that due to the spread of AR, human milk could be one of the first sources of the bacteria resistant to antimicrobials to infants.
Evaluation of the Cardiometabolic Disorders after Spinal Cord Injury in Mice
Authors: Ghnenis Adel B. , Jones Calvin , Sefiani Arthur , Douthitt Ashley J. , Reyna Andrea J. , Rutkowski Joseph M. , Geoffroy Cédric G.
Published: March 2022

Changes in cardiometabolic functions contribute to increased morbidity and mortality after chronic spinal cord injury. Despite many advancements in discovering SCI-induced pathologies, the cardiometabolic risks and divergences in severity-related responses have yet to be elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of SCI severity on functional recovery and cardiometabolic functions following moderate (50 kdyn) and severe (75 kdyn) contusions in the thoracic-8 (T8) vertebrae in mice using imaging, morphometric, and molecular analyses. Both severities reduced hindlimbs motor functions, body weight (g), and total body fat (%) at all-time points up to 20 weeks post-injury (PI), while only severe SCI reduced the total body lean (%). Severe SCI increased liver echogenicity starting from 12 weeks PI, with an increase in liver fibrosis in both moderate and severe SCI. Severe SCI mice showed a significant reduction in left ventricular internal diameters and LV volume at 20 weeks PI, associated with increased LV ejection fraction as well as cardiac fibrosis. These cardiometabolic dysfunctions were accompanied by changes in the inflammation profile, varying with the severity of the injury, but not in the lipid profile nor cardiac or hepatic tyrosine hydroxylase innervation changes, suggesting that systemic inflammation may be involved in these SCI-induced health complications.
‘Fly to a Safer North’: Distributional Shifts of the Orchid Ophrys insectifera L. Due to Climate Change
Authors: Charitonidou Martha , Kougioumoutzis Konstantinos , Karypidou Maria , Halley John
Published: March 2022

Numerous orchid species around the world have already been affected by the ongoing climate change, displaying phenological alterations and considerable changes to their distributions. The fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera L.) is a well-known and distinctive Ophrys species in Europe, with a broad distribution across the continent. This study explores the effects of climate change on the range of O. insectifera, using a species distribution models (SDMs) framework that encompasses different climatic models and scenarios for the near- and long-term future. The species’ environmentally suitable area is projected to shift northwards (as expected) but downhill (contrary to usual expectations) in the future. In addition, an overall range contraction is predicted under all investigated combinations of climatic models and scenarios. While this is moderate overall, it includes some regions of severe loss and other areas with major gains. Specifically, O. insectifera is projected to experience major area loss in its southern reaches (the Balkans, Italy and Spain), while it will expand its northern limits to North Europe, with the UK, Scandinavia, and the Baltic countries exhibiting the largest gains.
Modeling of Valeriana wallichii Habitat Suitability and Niche Dynamics in the Himalayan Region under Anticipated Climate Change
Authors: Kumari Priyanka , Wani Ishfaq Ahmad , Khan Sajid , Verma Susheel , Mushtaq Shazia , Gulnaz Aneela , Paray Bilal Ahamad
Published: March 2022

An increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases necessitates the use of species distribution models (SDMs) in modeling suitable habitats and projecting the impact of climate change on the future range shifts of the species. The present study is based on the BIOMOD ensemble approach to map the currently suitable habitats and predict the impact of climate change on the niche shift of Valeriana wallichii. We also studied its niche dynamics using the ecospat package in R software. Values of the area under curve (AUC) and true skill statistics (TSS) were highly significant (>0.9), which shows that the model has run better. From 19 different bioclimatic variables, only 8 were retained after correlation, among which bio_17 (precipitation of driest quarter), bio_1 (annual mean temperature), and bio_12 (annual mean precipitation) received the highest gain. Under future climate change, the suitable habitats will be significantly contracted by −94% (under representative concentration pathway RCP 8.5 for 2070) and −80.22% (under RCP 8.5 for 2050). There is a slight increase in habitat suitability by +16.69% (RCP 4.5 for 2050) and +8.9% (RCP 8.5 for 2050) under future climate change scenarios. The equivalency and similarity tests of niche dynamics show that the habitat suitability for current and future climatic scenarios is comparable but not identical. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) analysis shows that climatic conditions will be severely affected between current and future scenarios. From this study, we conclude that the habitats of Valeriana wallichii are highly vulnerable to climate shifts. This study can be used to alleviate the threat to this plant by documenting the unexplored populations, restoring the degraded habitats through rewilding, and launching species recovery plans in the natural habitats.
Endocan in Acute Leukemia: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives
Authors: Reikvam Håkon , Hatfield Kimberley Joanne , Wendelbo Øystein , Lindås Roald , Lassalle Philippe , Bruserud Øystein
Published: March 2022

Endocan is a soluble dermatan sulfate proteoglycan expressed by endothelial cells and detected in serum/plasma. Its expression is increased in tumors/tumor vessels in several human malignancies, and high expression (high serum/plasma levels or tumor levels) has an adverse prognostic impact in several malignancies. The p14 endocan degradation product can also be detected in serum/plasma, but previous clinical studies as well as previously unpublished results presented in this review suggest that endocan and p14 endocan fragment levels reflect different biological characteristics, and the endocan levels seem to reflect the disease heterogeneity in acute leukemia better than the p14 fragment levels. Furthermore, decreased systemic endocan levels in previously immunocompetent sepsis patients are associated with later severe respiratory complications, but it is not known whether this is true also for immunocompromised acute leukemia patients. Finally, endocan is associated with increased early nonrelapse mortality in (acute leukemia) patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation, and this adverse prognostic impact seems to be independent of the adverse impact of excessive fluid overload. Systemic endocan levels may also become important to predict cytokine release syndrome after immunotherapy/haploidentical transplantation, and in the long-term follow-up of acute leukemia survivors with regard to cardiovascular risk. Therapeutic targeting of endocan is now possible, and the possible role of endocan in acute leukemia should be further investigated to clarify whether the therapeutic strategy should also be considered.
Unique Chemistry, Intake, and Metabolism of Polyamines in the Central Nervous System (CNS) and Its Body
Authors: Rieck Julian , Skatchkov Serguei N. , Derst Christian , Eaton Misty J. , Veh Rüdiger W.
Published: March 2022

Polyamines (PAs) are small, versatile molecules with two or more nitrogen-containing positively charged groups and provide widespread biological functions. Most of these aspects are well known and covered by quite a number of excellent surveys. Here, the present review includes novel aspects and questions: (1) It summarizes the role of most natural and some important synthetic PAs. (2) It depicts PA uptake from nutrition and bacterial production in the intestinal system following loss of PAs via defecation. (3) It highlights the discrepancy between the high concentrations of PAs in the gut lumen and their low concentration in the blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, while concentrations in cellular cytoplasm are much higher. (4) The present review provides a novel and complete scheme for the biosynthesis of Pas, including glycine, glutamate, proline and others as PA precursors, and provides a hypothesis that the agmatine pathway may rescue putrescine production when ODC knockout seems to be lethal (solving the apparent contradiction in the literature). (5) It summarizes novel data on PA transport in brain glial cells explaining why these cells but not neurons preferentially accumulate PAs. (6) Finally, it provides a novel and complete scheme for PA interconversion, including hypusine, putreanine, and GABA (unique gliotransmitter) as end-products. Altogether, this review can serve as an updated contribution to understanding the PA mystery.
In Vitro Models of Bone Marrow Remodelling and Immune Dysfunction in Space: Present State and Future Directions
Authors: Sarkar Ryan , Pampaloni Francesco
Published: March 2022

Spaceflight affects the body on every level. Reports on astronaut health identify bone marrow remodelling and dysfunction of the innate immune system as significant health risks of long-term habitation in space. Microgravity-induced alterations of the bone marrow induce physical changes to the bone marrow stem cell niche. Downstream effects on innate immunity are expected due to impaired hematopoiesis and myelopoiesis. To date, few studies have investigated these effects in real microgravity and the sparsely available literature often reports contrasting results. This emphasizes a need for the development of physiologically relevant in vitro models of the bone marrow stem cell niche, capable of delivering appropriate sample sizes for robust statistics. Here, we review recent findings on the impact of spaceflight conditions on innate immunity in in vitro and animal models and discusses the latest in vitro models of the bone marrow stem cell niche and their potential translatability to gravitational biology research.
Autoimmune Encephalitis in COVID-19 Infection: Our Experience and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Stoian Adina , Stoian Mircea , Bajko Zoltan , Maier Smaranda , Andone Sebastian , Cioflinc Roxana Adriana , Motataianu Anca , Barcutean Laura , Balasa Rodica
Published: March 2022

The neurologic complications of COVID-19 infection are frequent in hospitalized patients; a high percentage of them present neurologic manifestations at some point during the course of their disease. Headache, muscle pain, encephalopathy and dizziness are among the most common complications. Encephalitis is an inflammatory condition with many etiologies. There are several forms of encephalitis associated with antibodies against intracellular neuronal proteins, cell surfaces or synaptic proteins, referred to as autoimmune encephalitis. Several case reports published in the literature document autoimmune encephalitis cases triggered by COVID-19 infection. Our paper first presents our experience in this issue and then systematically reviews the literature on autoimmune encephalitis that developed in the background of SARS-CoV-2 infections and also discusses the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of auto-immune-mediated damage to the nervous system. This review contributes to improve the management and prognosis of COVID-19-related autoimmune encephalitis.
Transcranial Pulsed-Current Stimulation versus Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness: A Pilot, Sham-Controlled Cross-Over Double-Blind Study
Authors: Barra Alice , Rosenfelder Martin , Mortaheb Sepehr , Carrière Manon , Martens Geraldine , Bodien Yelena G. , Morales-Quezada Leon , Bender Andreas , Laureys Steven , Thibaut Aurore , Fregni Felipe
Published: March 2022

Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the prefrontal cortex can improve signs of consciousness in patients in a minimally conscious state. Transcranial pulsed-current stimulation (tPCS) over the mastoids can modulate brain activity and connectivity in healthy controls. This study investigated the feasibility of tPCS as a therapeutic tool in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) and compared its neurophysiological and behavioral effects with prefrontal tDCS. This pilot study was a randomized, double-blind sham-controlled clinical trial with three sessions: bi-mastoid tPCS, prefrontal tDCS, and sham. Electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral assessments were collected before and after each stimulation session. Post minus pre differences were compared using Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Twelve patients with DoC were included in the study (eight females, four traumatic brain injury, 50.3 ± 14 y.o., 8.8 ± 10.5 months post-injury). We did not observe any side-effects following tPCS, nor tDCS, and confirmed their feasibility and safety. We did not find a significant effect of the stimulation on EEG nor behavioral outcomes for tPCS. However, consistent with prior findings, our exploratory analyses suggest that tDCS induces behavioral improvements and an increase in theta frontal functional connectivity.
BIM and Digital Tools for State-of-the-Art Construction Cost Management
Authors: Sepasgozar Samad M. E. , Costin Aaron M. , Karimi Reyhaneh , Shirowzhan Sara , Abbasian Ezatollah , Li Jinyun
Published: March 2022

Cost overrun has remained a key risk of construction projects that can be prevented by utilizing new technologies. This paper aims to identify the gap in the literature, which can potentially be addressed by using digital tools and technologies, by reviewing the current and state of the art practices. The paper presents the results of a systematic and critical content reviews on cost overruns, to address the question of what factors are affecting the cost overrun. This paper also reviews how building information modeling (BIM) in conjunction with other tools, such as the common tools in the Asia and Asia Pacific regions, are used for cost estimation and monitoring. The paper presents the results of the content review, including their contributions and limitations, which are also used to set key directions for future investigations. A total of 176 papers was identified to develop the construction cost management (CCM) dataset. The method was a mix of systematic reviews, including co-authorship network analyses, co-occurrence analytical map development covering 5671 keywords, and content analysis including theme identification and a critical review of selected papers. The paper critically reviewed 63 selected papers from CCM, which are divided into four clusters based on their scopes: BIM adoption for cost estimation and quantity surveying; BIM implementation for a bill of quantity, risk paths, and cost overruns; cost control and management; and, finally, BIM, virtual design, and value management. A trend analysis using a set of 16 themes (e.g., 3D model, BIM, Decision, Energy, and Life Cycle) for all the papers over the past ten years was developed. The content of each cluster of papers was reviewed based on the frequency of the selected themes in each cluster. The content of each cluster of papers was also reviewed critically and gaps were identified, so a set of directions for future investigations are presented.
Limewashes with Linseed Oil and Its Effect on Water and Salt Transport
Authors: Nunes Cristiana Lara , Mlsnová Kateřina , Slížková Zuzana
Published: March 2022

Paints are the protective and aesthetic skin of buildings, so (re) painting is one of the most recurrent maintenance actions. Limewashes have been used since antiquity and are currently of high interest for both conservation and new construction, majorly thanks to their eco-friendly and antiseptic features, and ability to improve the performance of the materials in relation to water transport. Linseed oil is a traditional water-repellent additive that can enhance the water-shedding properties of the limewashes. However, it has the risk of altering the drying kinetics of the substrate if an improper dosage is used. In this work, limewashes with the addition of varying dosages of linseed oil have been applied on two types of natural stone to study the effect of the paints in respect to water and salt transport. The water absorption by capillarity was reduced in both stones coated with pure limewash and limewash with oil, while the drying rate was slightly accelerated. The effect of the paints on the drying of the salt-laden stones varied. The salt damage developed during drying also diverged in both stones, damaging the coats and stone surface of the less porous stone and mainly promoting salt efflorescence in the most porous one.
Recent Advances in Catalysis for Methanation of CO2 from Biogas
Authors: Nieß Selina , Armbruster Udo , Dietrich Sebastian , Klemm Marco
Published: March 2022

Biogas, with its high carbon dioxide content (30–50 vol%), is an attractive feed for catalytic methanation with green hydrogen, and is suitable for establishing a closed carbon cycle with methane as energy carrier. The most important questions for direct biogas methanation are how the high methane content influences the methanation reaction and overall efficiency on one hand, and to what extent the methanation catalysts can be made more resistant to various sulfur-containing compounds in biogas on the other hand. Ni-based catalysts are the most favored for economic reasons. The interplay of active compounds, supports, and promoters is discussed regarding the potential for improving sulfur resistance. Several strategies are addressed and experimental studies are evaluated, to identify catalysts which might be suitable for these challenges. As several catalyst functionalities must be combined, materials with two active metals and binary oxide support seem to be the best approach to technically applicable solutions. The high methane content in biogas appears to have a measurable impact on equilibrium and therefore CO2 conversion. Depending on the initial CH4/CO2 ratio, this might lead to a product with higher methane content, and, after work-up, to a drop in-option for existing natural gas grids.
Fission Yeast Autophagy Machinery
Authors: Xu Dan-Dan , Du Li-Lin
Published: March 2022

Autophagy is a conserved process that delivers cytoplasmic components to the vacuole/lysosome. It plays important roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis and conferring stress resistance. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, autophagy is important for cell survival under nutrient depletion and ER stress conditions. Experimental analyses of fission yeast autophagy machinery in the last 10 years have unveiled both similarities and differences in autophagosome biogenesis mechanisms between fission yeast and other model eukaryotes for autophagy research, in particular, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. More recently, selective autophagy pathways that deliver hydrolytic enzymes, the ER, and mitochondria to the vacuole have been discovered in fission yeast, yielding novel insights into how cargo selectivity can be achieved in autophagy. Here, we review the progress made in understanding the autophagy machinery in fission yeast.
Activation of the Renin–Angiotensin System Disrupts the Cytoskeletal Architecture of Human Urine-Derived Podocytes
Authors: Erichsen Lars , Thimm Chantelle , Bohndorf Martina , Rahman Md Shaifur , Wruck Wasco , Adjaye James
Published: March 2022

High blood pressure is one of the major public health problems that causes severe disorders in several tissues including the human kidney. One of the most important signaling pathways associated with the regulation of blood pressure is the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), with its main mediator angiotensin II (ANGII). Elevated levels of circulating and intracellular ANGII and aldosterone lead to pro-fibrotic, -inflammatory, and -hypertrophic milieu that causes remodeling and dysfunction in cardiovascular and renal tissues. Furthermore, ANGII has been recognized as a major risk factor for the induction of apoptosis in podocytes, ultimately leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the past, disease modeling of kidney-associated diseases was extremely difficult, as the derivation of kidney originated cells is very challenging. Here we describe a differentiation protocol for reproducible differentiation of sine oculis homeobox homolog 2 (SIX2)-positive urine-derived renal progenitor cells (UdRPCs) into podocytes bearing typical cellular processes. The UdRPCs-derived podocytes show the activation of the renin–angiotensin system by being responsive to ANGII stimulation. Our data reveal the ANGII-dependent downregulation of nephrin (NPHS1) and synaptopodin (SYNPO), resulting in the disruption of the podocyte cytoskeletal architecture, as shown by immunofluorescence-based detection of α-Actinin. Furthermore, we show that the cytoskeletal disruption is mainly mediated through angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) signaling and can be rescued by AGTR1 inhibition with the selective, competitive angiotensin II receptor type 1 antagonist, losartan. In the present manuscript we confirm and propose UdRPCs differentiated to podocytes as a unique cell type useful for studying nephrogenesis and associated diseases. Furthermore, the responsiveness of UdRPCs-derived podocytes to ANGII implies potential applications in nephrotoxicity studies and drug screening.
Increased Frequency of CD4+ Follicular Helper T and CD8+ Follicular T Cells in Human Lymph Node Biopsies during the Earliest Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Anang Dornatien Chuo , Ramwadhdoebe Tamara H. , Hähnlein Janine S. , van Kuijk Bo , Smits Noortje , van Lienden Krijn P. , Maas Mario , Gerlag Daniëlle M. , Tak Paul P. , de Vries Niek , van Baarsen Lisa G. M.
Published: March 2022

Follicular T helper cells (Tfh cells) provide key B-cell help and are essential in germinal center formation and (auto) antibody generation. To gain more insight into their role during the earliest phase of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we analyzed their frequencies, phenotypes, and cytokine profiles in peripheral blood and lymph node biopsies of healthy controls (HCs), autoantibody-positive individuals at risk for developing RA (RA-risk individuals), and early RA patients. Subsequently, we confirmed their presence in lymph nodes and synovial tissue of RA patients using immunofluorescence microscopy. In the blood, the frequency of Tfh cells did not differ between study groups. In lymphoid and synovial tissues, Tfh cells were localized in B-cell areas, and their frequency correlated with the frequency of CD19+ B cells. Compared to lymphoid tissues of healthy controls, those of RA patients and RA-risk individuals showed more CD19+ B cells, CD4+CXCR5+ follicular helper T cells, and CD8+CXCR5+ follicular T cells. These Tfh cells produced less IL-21 upon ex vivo stimulation. These findings suggest that Tfh cells may present a novel rationale for therapeutic targeting during the preclinical stage of RA to prevent further disease progression.
Novel Blood Vascular Endothelial Subtype-Specific Markers in Human Skin Unearthed by Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling
Authors: He Yuliang , Tacconi Carlotta , Dieterich Lothar C. , Kim Jihye , Restivo Gaetana , Gousopoulos Epameinondas , Lindenblatt Nicole , Levesque Mitchell P. , Claassen Manfred , Detmar Michael
Published: March 2022

Ample evidence pinpoints the phenotypic diversity of blood vessels (BVs) and site-specific functions of their lining endothelial cells (ECs). We harnessed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to dissect the molecular heterogeneity of blood vascular endothelial cells (BECs) in healthy adult human skin and identified six different subpopulations, signifying arterioles, post-arterial capillaries, pre-venular capillaries, post-capillary venules, venules and collecting venules. Individual BEC subtypes exhibited distinctive transcriptomic landscapes associated with diverse biological pathways. These functionally distinct dermal BV segments were characterized by their unique compositions of conventional and novel markers (e.g., arteriole marker GJA5; arteriole capillary markers ASS1 and S100A4; pre-venular capillary markers SOX17 and PLAUR; venular markers EGR2 and LRG1), many of which have been implicated in vascular remodeling upon inflammatory responses. Immunofluorescence staining of human skin sections and whole-mount skin blocks confirmed the discrete expression of these markers along the blood vascular tree in situ, further corroborating BEC heterogeneity in human skin. Overall, our study molecularly refines individual BV compartments, whilst the identification of novel subtype-specific signatures provides more insights for future studies dissecting the responses of distinct vessel segments under pathological conditions.
miRNAs Contained in Extracellular Vesicles Cargo Contribute to the Progression of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: An In Vitro Aproach
Authors: Santos-Álvarez Jovito Cesar , Velázquez-Enríquez Juan Manuel , García-Carrillo Rosendo , Rodríguez-Beas César , Ramírez-Hernández Alma Aurora , Reyes-Jiménez Edilburga , González-García Karina , López-Martínez Armando , Pérez-Campos Mayoral Laura , Aguilar-Ruiz Sergio Roberto , Romero-Tlalolini María de los Ángeles , Torres-Aguilar Honorio , Castro-Sánchez Luis , Arellanes-Robledo Jaime , Vásquez-Garzón Verónica Rocío , Baltiérrez-Hoyos Rafael
Published: March 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease. Lesions in the lung epithelium cause alterations in the microenvironment that promote fibroblast accumulation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) transport proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of this study was to characterize the differentially expressed miRNAs in the cargo of EVs obtained from the LL97 and LL29 fibroblast cell lines isolated from IPF lungs versus those derived from the CCD19 fibroblast cell line isolated from a healthy donors. We characterized EVs by ultracentrifugation, Western blotting, and dynamic light scattering. We identified miRNAs by small RNA-seq, a total of 1144 miRNAs, of which 1027 were known miRNAs; interestingly, 117 miRNAs were novel. Differential expression analysis showed that 77 miRNAs were upregulated and 68 were downregulated. In addition, pathway enrichment analyses from the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes identified several miRNA target genes in the categories, cell proliferation, regulation of apoptosis, pathways in cancer, and proteoglycans in cancer. Our data reveal that miRNAs contained in EVs cargo could be helpful as biomarkers for fibrogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention of IPF.
Platelets, Bacterial Adhesins and the Pneumococcus
Authors: Jahn Kristin , Kohler Thomas P. , Swiatek Lena-Sophie , Wiebe Sergej , Hammerschmidt Sven
Published: March 2022

Systemic infections with pathogenic or facultative pathogenic bacteria are associated with activation and aggregation of platelets leading to thrombocytopenia and activation of the clotting system. Bacterial proteins leading to platelet activation and aggregation have been identified, and while platelet receptors are recognized, induced signal transduction cascades are still often unknown. In addition to proteinaceous adhesins, pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae also produce toxins such as pneumolysin and alpha-hemolysin. They bind to cellular receptors or form pores, which can result in disturbance of physiological functions of platelets. Here, we discuss the bacteria-platelet interplay in the context of adhesin–receptor interactions and platelet-activating bacterial proteins, with a main emphasis on S. aureus and S. pneumoniae. More importantly, we summarize recent findings of how S. aureus toxins and the pore-forming toxin pneumolysin of S. pneumoniae interfere with platelet function. Finally, the relevance of platelet dysfunction due to killing by toxins and potential treatment interventions protecting platelets against cell death are summarized.
Epigenome-Wide Analysis Reveals DNA Methylation Alteration in ZFP57 and Its Target RASGFR2 in a Mexican Population Cohort with Autism
Authors: Aspra Queletzu , Cabrera-Mendoza Brenda , Morales-Marín Mirna Edith , Márquez Carla , Chicalote Carlos , Ballesteros Ana , Aguilar Miriam , Castro Xochitl , Gómez-Cotero Amalia , Balboa-Verduzco Ana María , Albores-Gallo Lilia , Nafate-López Omar , Marcín-Salazar Carlos Alfonso , Sánchez Patricia , Lanzagorta-Piñol Nuria , López-Armenta Fernando Omar , Nicolini Humberto
Published: March 2022

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) comprise a group of heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to ASD etiology. DNA methylation is particularly relevant for ASD due to its mediating role in the complex interaction between genotype and environment and has been implicated in ASD pathophysiology. The lack of diversity in DNA methylation studies in ASD individuals is remarkable. Since genetic and environmental factors are likely to vary across populations, the study of underrepresented populations is necessary to understand the molecular alterations involved in ASD and the risk factors underlying these changes. This study explored genome-wide differences in DNA methylation patterns in buccal epithelium cells between Mexican ASD patients (n = 27) and age-matched typically developing (TD: n = 15) children. DNA methylation profiles were evaluated with the Illumina 450k array. We evaluated the interaction between sex and ASD and found a differentially methylated region (DMR) over the 5′UTR region of ZFP57 and one of its targets, RASGRF2. These results match previous findings in brain tissue, which may indicate that ZFP57 could be used as a proxy for DNA methylation in different tissues. This is the first study performed in a Mexican, and subsequently, Latin American, population that evaluates DNA methylation in ASD patients.
sBCMA Plasma Level Dynamics and Anti-BCMA CAR-T-Cell Treatment in Relapsed Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Seipel Katja , Porret Naomi , Wiedemann Gertrud , Jeker Barbara , Bacher Vera Ulrike , Pabst Thomas
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND: Novel chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) target the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) expressed on multiple myeloma cells. Assays monitoring CAR-T cell expansion and treatment response are being implemented in clinical routine. METHODS: Plasma levels of soluble BCMA (sBCMA) and anti-BCMA CAR-T cell copy numbers were monitored in the blood, following CAR-T cell infusion in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma. sBCMA peptide concentration was determined in the plasma, applying a human BCMA/TNFRS17 ELISA. ddPCR was performed using probes targeting the intracellular signaling domains 4-1BB und CD3zeta of the anti-BCMA CAR-T construct. RESULTS: We report responses in the first five patients who received anti-BCMA CAR- T cell therapy at our center. Four patients achieved a complete remission (CR) in the bone marrow one month after CAR-T infusion, with three patients achieving stringent CR, determined by flow cytometry techniques. Anti-BCMA CAR-T cells were detectable in the peripheral blood for up to 300 days, with copy numbers peaking 7 to 14 days post-infusion. sBCMA plasma levels started declining one to ten days post infusion, reaching minimal levels 30 to 60 days post infusion, before rebounding to normal levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm a favorable response to treatment in four of the first five patients receiving anti-BCMA CAR-T at our hospital. Anti-BCMA CAR-T cell expansion seems to peak in the peripheral blood in a similar pattern compared to the CAR-T cell products already approved for lymphoma treatment. sBCMA plasma level may be a valid biomarker in assessing response to BCMA-targeting therapies in myeloma patients.
Recycling of Excavated Soils from Mini-Trenches Made on Road or Sidewalks to Install Public Utilities
Authors: Hussan Ali , Levacher Daniel , Mezazigh Salim , Nzabika Ilona , Dhervilly Philippe
Published: March 2022

Digging trenches on roads, sidewalks, or banks to accommodate public demands is required for the installation of water pipelines, natural gas lines, electric cables, and optical fibers. The soils extracted from these trenches always have substantial environmental and economic consequences, as these soils are frequently regarded as waste due to their poor engineering properties. As a result, a suitable location and method for disposing these excavated soils must be found, and this procedure is exceedingly costly, time consuming, and environmentally unfriendly. It is far more efficient to reuse these excavated soils for refilling the same trenches. This study is a part of a French national project. The national project aims to dig 5 to 25 cm wide trenches to install public utilities and to refill them using the same excavated material in the form of self-compacting mortar. The goal of this research is to determine the best ecofriendly binder for the soil excavated from various sites by conducting laboratory-scale physio-chemical and mechanical testing. This study examined the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) assessed by both destructive and non-destructive (ultrasonic) testing methods. By utilizing low CO2-emitting ecofriendly binders incorporating industrial byproducts (fly ash and GGBS), this work has broadened the possibility of reusing trench cuttings to refill the same trenches.
Lifecycle Analysis of Recycled Asphalt Pavements: Case Study Scenario Analyses of an Urban Highway Section
Authors: Hasan Aisha , Hasan Umair , Whyte Andrew , Al Jassmi Hamad
Published: March 2022

Roads account for a major part of energy/resource consumption and emission of GHGs, such as CO2, PM, NOx, O3, etc., due to high demand for virgin materials, specifically in developing regions. The applicability of recycled materials, such as recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and other alternative approaches for, e.g., warm-mix asphalt (WMA), in developed countries is hindered by project-specific constraints and lack of empirical studies in these regions. Lifecycle assessment studies on the usage of these road options from actual projects in the developing countries can aid decision makers choose sustainable material approaches by providing case study examples as guidelines. To that end, this study analyses environmental in/out-flows for a traditional approach and multiple green approaches (RAP and WMA) for a major highway section in Abu Dhabi through a 30-year (2015–2045) lifecycle approach. Roadworks were modelled in SimaPro according to real-world conditions, and the expected burden mitigation in each stage is calculated. Benefits of using optimum RAP-based options and a virgin-material-based WMA case against the baseline virgin material case were also investigated. Results showed benefits of WMA as higher than replacing virgin asphalt with recycled asphalt (25% RAP asphalt base, 15% RAP binder and wearing courses). Land use (19%) and energy consumption (16%) showed the highest reduction, followed by ozone depletion (14%), ionizing radiation (11%), PM (8%), acidification (7%) and global warming potential (6%) across all pavement lifecycle stages and environmental indicators. Similar results were obtained for other scenarios with lesser degrees of reduction, which show the significance of replacing HMA with WMA for real-world projects, specifically in mega road projects in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East towards cutting the significant carbon footprint of asphalt pavements.
λ/4–λ/4 Double-Layer Broadband Antireflective Coatings with Constant High Transmittance
Authors: Liu Hanxi , Wang Pingmei , Fan Qianyang , Luo Jianhui , Xiao Peiwen , Jiang Bo
Published: March 2022

Antireflective (AR) coatings can suppress the undesired interfacial Fresnel reflections, and they are widely used in optical devices and energy-related instruments. Conventional single-layer AR coatings, which only work at a single wavelength, encounter serious limitations in some practical applications because of their inherent properties. In this paper, λ/4–λ/4 double-layer antireflective (AR) coatings with constant high transmittance in a pre-determined wavelength range was prepared by the sol–gel method via acid-catalyzed and base-catalyzed SiO2 thin films. A double-layer antireflective coating with an almost constant transmittance value of 99.8% in the range of 550–700 nm was obtained, and the transmittance of this coating was higher than 99% in a wider range of 450–850 nm with a fluctuation of less than 1%. The coatings had good environmental stability and maintained constant high transmittance after two weeks of exposure in 50% humidity. The broadband AR coatings may have important applications in fields such as electroluminescent display.
Effect of β-Estradiol on Mono- and Mixed-Species Biofilms of Human Commensal Bacteria Lactobacillus paracasei AK508 and Micrococcus luteus C01 on Different Model Surfaces
Authors: Kiseleva Anastasia A. , Solovyeva Tatiana V. , Ovcharova Maria A. , Geras’kina Olga V. , Mart’yanov Sergey V. , Cherdyntseva Tatiana A. , Danilova Natalya D. , Zhurina Marina V. , Botchkova Ekaterina A. , Feofanov Alexey V. , Plakunov Vladimir K. , Gannesen Andrei V.
Published: March 2022

The impact of steroid hormones, and particularly estradiol, on human microbiota could be recognized as a substantial part of human-microbiota interactions. However, an area that remains poorly investigated is that of the skin and vaginal microbial communities and biofilms, which contain non-pathogenic bacteria of phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, especially probiotic bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus and the widespread, safe skin genus, Micrococcus. Experiments with Lactobacillus paracasei AK508 and Micrococcus luteus C01 biofilms on PTFE cubes showed dose-dependent effects of estradiol at concentrations of 0.22 nM and 22 nM. The hormone mostly inhibits L. paracasei growth and stimulates M. luteus. The presented studies of colony-forming unit (CFU) amountsand cell aggregation in biofilms on glass fiber filters showed the same general tendencies. Estradiol generally increased the aggregation of cells in monospecies communities and potentially changed the synthesis of antibacterial metabolites in L. paracasei. The balance between two bacteria in mixed-species biofilms depended on the initial adhesion stage, and when this stage was reduced, micrococci were more resistant to the antagonistic action of L. paracasei. Moreover, in mixed-species biofilms, the effect of estradiol on lactobacilli altered from inhibition to stimulation, potentially due to the presence of M. luteus. At the same time, ethanol as a solvent for estradiol at the concentration 0.6% acted mostly as an antagonist of the hormone and had an opposite effect on bacteria; nevertheless, the overlapping of ethanol and estradiol effects was shown to be minimal. The data obtained prove the complexity of microbial interactions and the regulatory effect of estradiol on commensal bacteria biofilms.