bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propagation of Surface Waves in a Rotating Coated Viscoelastic Half-Space under the Influence of Magnetic Field and Gravitational Forces
Authors: Mubaraki Ali , Althobaiti Saad , Nuruddeen Rahmatullah Ibrahim
Published: December 2021

The present manuscript focuses on the study of surface wave propagation in a rotating coated viscoelastic half-space and its response to external forces comprised of the magnetic field and gravitational forces. A celebrated normal mode analysis procedure is adopted as the methodology of interest for its high level of efficiency in the literature. The analytically obtained frequency equation is analyzed for certain scenarios of curiosity, in addition to the determination of the resulting displacements and stresses. Moreover, certain physical data of relevance with the viscoelasticity index of unity are considered for the numerical simulations. As for the findings, the presented graphical illustrations showed that both the magnetic field and rotation positively accelerated the dispersion of surface waves in the coated half-space, while the obtained approximate fields in the half-space are found to be oscillatory as they steadily move towards the limiting point.
Scenarios of Automated Mobility in Austria: Implications for Future Transport Policy
Authors: Soteropoulos Aggelos , Pfaffenbichler Paul , Berger Martin , Emberger Günter , Stickler Andrea , Dangschat Jens S.
Published: December 2021

Developments in the field of automated mobility will greatly change our mobility and the possibilities to get from one place to another. This paper presents different scenarios for personal mobility in Austria, anticipating the possibilities and developments in the field of automated vehicles (AVs). The scenarios were developed using a systematically formalized scenario technique and expand the social and political discourse on automated mobility, which is currently characterized by a lack of experience and visibility as an established transport service. Using system dynamics modeling techniques, i.e., the Metropolitan Activity Relocation Simulator (MARS), impacts of the scenarios on the Austrian transportation system are estimated. The simulations show that, without suitable transport policy measures, automated mobility will lead to a significant increase in the volume of individual traffic and to modal shift effects with lower traffic volumes for public transport, walking and cycling. In addition, without a link between AVs and post-fossil propulsion systems, increases in pollutant emissions can also be expected. In contrast, the simulation results of an increased use of AVs in public transport show positive effects for the support of a more sustainable mobility. Hence, transport policy measures accompanying the introduction and development of automated vehicles will be needed in the future to reach a sustainable development.
Cytokines and Biologic Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Caviglia Gian Paolo , Ribaldone Davide Giuseppe , Nicolosi Aurora , Pellicano Rinaldo
Published: December 2021

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory disorders, including Crohns’ disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), both characterized by a clinical relapsing course and an immune-mediated pathogenesis [...]
Construction of a High-Density Genetic Map for Pitaya Using the Whole Genome Resequencing Approach
Authors: Wu Zhijiang , Deng Haiyan , Liang Guidong , Ye Xiaoying , Qin Yonghua , Huang Lifang
Published: December 2021

Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is one of the most economic fleshy fruit tree crops. This study aimed at producing a high-density linkage genetic map of pitaya based on the whole genome resequencing (WGrS) approach. For this purpose, a bi-parental F1 population of 198 individuals was generated and genotyped by WGrS. High-quality polymorphic 6434 single polymorphism nucleotide (SNP) markers were extracted and used to construct a high-density linkage map. A total of 11 linkage groups were resolved as expected in accordance with the chromosome number. The map length was 14,128.7 cM with an average SNP interval of 2.2 cM. Homology with the sequenced reference genome was described, and the physical and genetic maps were compared with collinearity analysis. This linkage map in addition to the available genomic resources will help for quantitative trait mapping, evolutionary studies and marker-assisted selection in the important Hylocereus species.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection among School Population of One Developing Country. Do School Closures Protect Students and Teachers against SARS-CoV-2 Infection?
Authors: Colonia Carol Bibiana , Camerano-Ruiz Rosanna , Mora-Salamanca Andrés Felipe , Vásquez-Rodríguez Ana Beatriz , Pino-Gutiérrez Camilo Alberto , Pérez-Fonseca Luz Amparo , García-Quintero Deidamia , Ruiz-González Jennifer , Osejo-Villamil Iván , Ussa-Cristiano Edwin Alberto , de la Hoz-Restrepo Fernando
Published: December 2021

Evidence about the effectiveness of school closures as a measure to control the spread of COVID-19 is controversial. We posit that schools are not an important source of transmission; thus, we analyzed two surveillance methods: a web-based questionnaire and a telephone survey that monitored the impact of the pandemic due to COVID-19 cases in Bogotá, Colombia. We estimated the cumulative incidences for Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) and COVID-19 for each population group. Then, we assessed the differences using the cumulative incidence ratio (CIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI95%). The ARI incidence among students was 20.1 times higher when estimated from the telephone survey than from the online questionnaire (CIR: 20.1; CI95% 17.11–23.53). Likewise, the ARI incidence among schoolteachers was 10 times higher in the telephone survey (CIR: 9.8; CI95% 8.3–11.5). the incidence of COVID-19 among schoolteachers was 4.3 times higher than among students in the online questionnarie (CIR: 4.3, CI95%: 3.8–5.0) and 2.1 times higher in the telephone survey (CIR = 2.1, CI95%: 1.8–2.6), and this behavior was also observed in the general population data. Both methods showed a capacity to detect COVID-19 transmission among students and schoolteachers, but the telephone survey estimates were probably closer to the real incidence rate.
An Implementation Science Laboratory as One Approach to Whole System Improvement: A Canadian Healthcare Perspective
Authors: Flynn Rachel , Brooks Stephanie P. , Thomson Denise , Zimmermann Gabrielle L. , Johnson David , Wasylak Tracy
Published: December 2021

Implementation science (IS) has emerged as an integral component for evidence-based whole system improvement. IS studies the best methods to promote the systematic uptake of evidence-based interventions into routine practice to improve the quality and effectiveness of health service delivery and patient care. IS laboratories (IS labs) are one mechanism to integrate implementation science as an evidence-based approach to whole system improvement and to support a learning health system. This paper aims to examine if IS labs are a suitable approach to whole system improvement. We retrospectively analyzed an existing IS lab (Alberta, Canada’s Implementation Science Collaborative) to assess the potential of IS labs to perform as a whole system approach to improvement and to identify key activities and considerations for designing IS labs specifically to support learning health systems. Results from our evaluation show the extent to which IS labs support learning health systems through enabling infrastructures for system-wide improvement and research.
Effect of Forest Therapy on Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yeon Poung-Sik , Jeon Jin-Young , Jung Myeong-Seo , Min Gyeong-Min , Kim Ga-Yeon , Han Kyung-Mi , Shin Min-Ja , Jo Seong-Hee , Kim Jin-Gun , Shin Won-Sop
Published: December 2021

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of forest therapy on depression and anxiety using data obtained from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies. We searched SCOPUS, PubMed, MEDLINE(EBSCO), Web of science, Embase, Korean Studies Information Service System, Research Information Sharing Service, and DBpia to identify relevant studies published from January 1990 to December 2020 and identified 20 relevant studies for the synthesis. The methodological quality of eligible primary studies was assessed by ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I. Most primary studies were conducted in the Republic of Korea except for one study in Poland. Overall, forest therapy significantly improved depression (Hedges’s g = 1.133; 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.491 to −0.775) and anxiety (Hedges’s g = 1.715; 95% CI: −2.519 to −0.912). The quality assessment resulted in five RCTs that raised potential concerns in three and high risk in two. Fifteen quasi-experimental studies raised high for nine quasi-experimental studies and moderate for six studies. In conclusion, forest therapy is preventive management and non-pharmacologic treatment to improve depression and anxiety. However, the included studies lacked methodological rigor and required more comprehensive geographic application. Future research needs to determine optimal forest characteristics and systematic activities that can maximize the improvement of depression and anxiety.
A Meta-Analytical Review of Gender-Based School Bullying in Spain
Authors: Feijóo Sandra , Rodríguez-Fernández Raquel
Published: December 2021

School bullying continues to be one of the main challenges for the education community. Current research indicates that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, and other LGBT+ people suffer the highest rates of bullying, while other studies suggest that this bullying does not occur based on the victim’s actual sexual orientation or gender identity, but because they do not fit into the traditional gender roles. The aim of the present study was to carry out a meta-analytical study on the prevalence of gender-based bullying against LGBT+ schoolchildren and adolescents in Spain. Methods: The review was carried out following the recommendations of the PRISMA group and allowing us to identify a total of 24 studies. All of these studies were published since 2008, and most of them conducted cross-sectional survey-type research. It was also found that the instrument used to assess bullying varied greatly among studies, resulting in an enormous heterogeneity of research on this topic. Different meta-analyses were carried out according to the profile of involvement in bullying: victimisation, perpetration, and observation. In addition, three target populations were detected in the victimisation research: the general population, pre-identified bullying victims reporting the reasons behind the victimisation, and LGBT+ people. Results: The meta-analyses conducted with R have estimated the prevalence of observation of gender-based school bullying in Spain at 77.3%, perpetration at 13.3%, and victimisation at 8.6% among the general population. When the research focuses on previously identified victims, the rate was 3.6%, while if LGBT+ people are approached directly, the percentage increases to 51%. Conclusions: These rates reveal the need to develop specific preventive strategies in schools. Greater awareness of affective-sexual diversity and respect for those who do not conform to traditional gender roles should be promoted.
The Food and Health Environment in Junior Secondary Schools in Urban Burkina Faso: A Cross-Sectional Study of Administrators, Food Vendors and Early Adolescents
Authors: Mauti Joy , Mank Isabel , De Neve Jan-Walter , Gyengani Guillaume Alfred , Somé Paul-André , Shinde Sachin , Fawzi Wafaie , Bärnighausen Till , Vandormael Alain
Published: December 2021

School enrolment rates have increased globally, making the school environment a unique setting to promote healthy nutrition and eating outcomes among early adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, we describe the food and health environment of junior secondary schools in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso, West Africa). We evaluated the food and health environment using three components: (1) the implementation of health-related policies or guidelines in the schools, (2) the provision of health, nutrition and water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) services in the schools, and (3) the quality of the school food environment, including foods sold by vendors. We used stratified random sampling to recruit 22 junior secondary schools from the five Ouagadougou districts in 2020. Trained fieldworkers collected standardized questionnaire data from 19 school administrators, 18 food vendors, and 1059 in-school adolescents. We report that only 7 out of 19 school administrators were aware of existing health-related policies and guidelines at their school and only 3 schools had a school health and nutrition curriculum in place. The overall provision of health, nutrition and WASH services was low or inadequate. Likely because of the lack of school canteens, 69% of the students bought snacks and unhealthy foods from food vendors. There is a critical need to improve the food and health environment of junior secondary schools in urban Burkina Faso.
Efficacy of Web-Based Supportive Interventions in Quality of Life in COPD Patients, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Calvache-Mateo Andrés , López-López Laura , Heredia-Ciuró Alejandro , Martín-Núñez Javier , Rodríguez-Torres Janet , Ortiz-Rubio Araceli , Valenza Marie Carmen
Published: December 2021

Background: Adults living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often have difficulties when trying to access health care services. Interactive communication technologies are a valuable tool to enable patients to access supportive interventions to cope with their disease. The aim of this revision and meta-analysis is to analyze the content and efficacy of web-based supportive interventions in quality of life in COPD. Methods: Medline (via PubMed), Web of Science, and Scopus were the databases used to select the studies for this systematic review. A screening, analysis, and assessment of the methodological quality was carried out by two independent researchers. A meta-analysis of the extracted data was performed. Results: A total of 9 of the 3089 studies reviewed met the inclusion criteria. Most repeated web content elements were educational and involved communication with healthcare professional content. Finally, seven of the nine studies were included in a quantitative analysis. Web-based supportive interventions significantly improved quality of life when added to usual care (SMD = −1.26, 95% CI = −1.65, −0.86; p < 0.001) but no significant differences were found when compared with an autonomous pedometer walking intervention (p = 0.64) or a face-to-face treatment (p = 0.82). Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that web-based supportive interventions may complement or accompany treatments in COPD patients due to the advantages of online interventions. The results obtained should be treated with caution due to the limited number of studies in this area and methodological weaknesses.
Perception of Stress and Styles of Coping with It in Parents Giving Kangaroo Mother Care to Their Children during Hospitalization in NICU
Authors: Zych Barbara , Błaż Witold , Dmoch-Gajzlerska Ewa , Kanadys Katarzyna , Lewandowska Anna , Nagórska Małgorzata
Published: December 2021

The experience of hospitalization of a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) may become distressing both for the baby and parent. The study aimed to assess the degree of parental stress and coping strategies in parents giving KMC to their babies hospitalized in NICU compared to the control group parents not giving KMC. The prospective observational study enrolled a cohort of 337 parents of premature babies hospitalized in NICU in 2016 in Eastern Poland. The Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations were used. The level of stress in parents giving KMC was defined as low or moderate. Analysis confirmed its greater presence in the group of parents initiating KMC late (2–3 weeks) compared to those starting this initiative in week 1 of a child’s life. An additional predictor of a higher level of stress in parents initiating KMC “late” was the hospital environment of a premature baby. Task oriented coping was the most common coping strategy in the study group. KMC and direct skin-to-skin contact of the parent with the baby was associated with a higher level of parental stress only initially and decreased with time and KMC frequency.
Kenyan Women Bearing the Cost of Climate Change
Authors: Allen Elizabeth M. , Munala Leso , Henderson Julie R.
Published: December 2021

Climate change-induced crises can aggravate intimate partner violence (IPV); the loss of income when weather affects the agricultural industry can exacerbate violence at home. In Kenya, climate change has increased precipitation during the rainy season and raised temperatures during the dry season, resulting in floods and droughts. For 75% of Kenyans, agricultural activities are their primary source of income. This research aims to assess patterns in IPV and severe weather events (SWE). We examined Integrated Public Use Microdata Series-Demographic Health Survey (IPUMS-DHS) data from 2008 and 2014 for IPV severity and frequency. We used Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) data along with GPS coordinates to identify SWEs (defined as any flood >10 days) by county in Kenya. Overall, women were more likely to experience IPV if their spouse worked in agriculture (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.10–1.36). There was a 60% increase in the odds of reporting IPV in counties that experienced an SWE as compared to counties that did not experience an SWE (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.35–1.89). This analysis further supports the growing body of research that suggests a relationship between climate change-related weather events and violence against women.
Integration of Mutational Signature Analysis with 3D Chromatin Data Unveils Differential AID-Related Mutagenesis in Indolent Lymphomas
Authors: Sepulveda-Yanez Julieta H. , Alvarez-Saravia Diego , Fernandez-Goycoolea Jose , Aldridge Jacqueline , van Bergen Cornelis A. M. , Posthuma Ward , Uribe-Paredes Roberto , Veelken Hendrik , Navarrete Marcelo A.
Published: December 2021

Activation-induced deaminase (AID) is required for somatic hypermutation in immunoglobulin genes, but also induces off-target mutations. Follicular lymphoma (FL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most frequent types of indolent B-cell tumors, are exposed to AID activity during lymphomagenesis. We designed a workflow integrating de novo mutational signatures extraction and fitting of COSMIC (Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer) signatures, with tridimensional chromatin conformation data (Hi-C). We applied the workflow to exome sequencing data from lymphoma samples. In 33 FL and 30 CLL samples, 42% and 34% of the contextual mutations could be traced to a known AID motif. We demonstrate that both CLL and FL share mutational processes dominated by spontaneous deamination, failures in DNA repair, and AID activity. The processes had equiproportional distribution across active and nonactive chromatin compartments in CLL. In contrast, canonical AID activity and failures in DNA repair pathways in FL were significantly higher within the active chromatin compartment. Analysis of DNA repair genes revealed a higher prevalence of base excision repair gene mutations (p = 0.02) in FL than CLL. These data indicate that AID activity drives the genetic landscapes of FL and CLL. However, the final result of AID-induced mutagenesis differs between these lymphomas depending on chromatin compartmentalization and mutations in DNA repair pathways.
In Vivo Efficacy of Neutrophil-Mediated Bone Regeneration Using a Rabbit Calvarial Defect Model
Authors: Herath Thanuja D. K. , Saigo Leonardo , Schaller Benoit , Larbi Anis , Teoh Swee Hin , Kirkpatrick Charles James , Goh Bee Tin
Published: December 2021

Reconstruction of bone due to surgical removal or disease-related bony defects is a clinical challenge. It is known that the immune system exerts positive immunomodulatory effects on tissue repair and regeneration. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo efficacy of autologous neutrophils on bone regeneration using a rabbit calvarial defect model. Methods: Twelve rabbits, each with two surgically created calvarial bone defects (10 mm diameter), were randomly divided into two groups; (i) single application of neutrophils (SA-NP) vs. SA-NP control, and (ii) repetitive application of neutrophils (RA-NP) vs. RA-NP control. The animals were euthanized at 4 and 8 weeks post-operatively and the treatment outcomes were evaluated by micro-computed tomography, histology, and histomorphometric analyses. Results: The micro-CT analysis showed a significantly higher bone volume fraction (bone volume/total volume) in the neutrophil-treated groups, i.e., median interquartile range (IQR) SA-NP (18) and RA-NP (24), compared with the untreated controls, i.e., SA-NP (7) and RA-NP (14) at 4 weeks (p < 0.05). Similarly, new bone area fraction (bone area/total area) was significantly higher in neutrophil-treated groups at 4 weeks (p < 0.05). Both SA-NP and RA-NP had a considerably higher bone volume and bone area at 8 weeks, although the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis at 8 weeks revealed a higher expression of osteocalcin in both SA-NP and RA-NP groups. Conclusions: The present study provides first hand evidence that autologous neutrophils may have a positive effect on promoting new bone formation. Future studies should be performed with a larger sample size in non-human primate models. If proven feasible, this new promising strategy could bring clinical benefits for bone defects to the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Sexual Disparities between Olfactory and Immune Gene Expression in the Olfactory Epithelium of Megalobrama amblycephala
Authors: Lv Maolin , Chen Xiuli , Huang Xin , Liu Ning , Wang Weimin , Liu Han
Published: December 2021

The olfactory organ is an important chemoreceptor in vertebrates. However, the sexual disparities in gene expression patterns in the olfactory organ in fish remain unstudied. Here, we conducted a transcriptome analysis of the olfactory epithelium (OE) of male and female blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) to identify the differences. The histological analysis showed that there were 22 leaf-like olfactory lamellaes on one side of the OE of the adult blunt snout bream. The sensory area of OE is enriched with ciliated receptor cells and microvilli receptor cells. The transcriptome analysis showed that only 10 out of 336 olfactory receptor genes (224 ORs, 5 V1Rs, 55 V2Rs, and 52 TAARs) exhibited significant expression differences between males and females, and most of the differentially expressed genes were related to the immune system. We also validated these results using qPCR: 10 OR genes and 6 immunity-related genes significantly differed between males and females. The FISH analysis results indicated that the ORs were mainly expressed at the edge of the olfactory lamellae. Collectively, our study reveals that gender is not an important factor influencing the expression of olfactory receptors, but the expression of immune genes varies greatly between the genders in blunt snout bream.
KLK4T2 Is a Hormonally Regulated Transcript from the KLK4 Locus
Authors: Lundwall Åke , Ylitalo Erik Bovinder , Wikström Pernilla , Brattsand Maria
Published: December 2021

The human kallikrein-related peptidase 4 (KLK4) and the transcribed pseudogene KLKP1 are reported to be highly expressed in the prostate. When trying to clone transcripts of KLKP1, we partly failed. Instead, we identified an androgen-regulated transcript, KLK4T2, which appeared to be a splice variant of KLK4 that also contained exons of KLKP1. Expression analysis of KLK4, KLK4T2, and KLKP1 transcripts in prostate cancer cell lines showed high levels of KLKP1 transcripts in the nucleus and in unfractionated cell extract, whereas it was almost completely absent in the cytoplasmatic fraction. This was in contrast to KLK4 and KLK4T2, which displayed high to moderate levels in the cytoplasm. In patient cohorts we found significantly higher expression of both KLK4T2 and KLK4 in benign prostatic hyperplasia compared to both primary prostate cancer and bone metastasis. Analysis of tissue panels demonstrated the highest expression of KLK4T2 in the prostate, but in contrast to the classical KLK4, relatively high levels were also found in placenta. So far, the function of KLK4T2 is still to be explored, but the structure of the translation product indicated that it generates a 17.4 kDa intracellular protein with possible regulatory function.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Roles of Anthocyanin- and Jasmonic Acid-Biosynthetic Pathways in Rapeseed in Response to High Light Stress
Authors: Luo Yuxiu , Teng Shoulian , Yin Hengxia , Zhang Shengping , Tuo Xiaoyun , Tran Lam-Son Phan
Published: December 2021

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is one of the major important oil crops worldwide and is largely cultivated in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP), where long and strong solar-radiation is well-known. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying rapeseed’s response to light stress are largely unknown. In the present study, the color of rapeseed seedlings changed from green to purple under high light (HL) stress conditions. Therefore, changes in anthocyanin metabolism and the transcriptome of rapeseed seedlings cultured under normal light (NL) and HL conditions were analyzed to dissect how rapeseed responds to HL at the molecular level. Results indicated that the contents of anthocyanins, especially glucosides of cyanidin, delphinidin, and petunidin, which were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), increased by 9.6-, 4.2-, and 59.7-fold in rapeseed seedlings exposed to HL conditions, respectively. Next, RNA-sequencing analysis identified 7390 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which included 4393 up-regulated and 2997 down-regulated genes. Among the up-regulated genes, many genes related to the anthocyanin-biosynthetic pathway were enriched. For example, genes encoding dihydroflavonol reductase (BnDFR) and anthocyanin synthase (BnANS) were especially induced by HL conditions, which was also confirmed by RT-qPCR analysis. In addition, two PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENTATION 2 (BnPAP2) and GLABRA3 (BnGL3) genes encoding MYB-type and bHLH-type transcription factors, respectively, whose expression was also up-regulated by HL stress, were found to be associated with the changes in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Many genes involved in the jasmonic acid (JA)-biosynthetic pathway were also up-regulated under HL conditions. This finding, which is in agreement with the well-known positive regulatory role of JA in anthocyanin biosynthesis, suggests that the JA may also play a key role in the responses of rapeseed seedlings to HL. Collectively, these data indicate that anthocyanin biosynthesis-related and JA biosynthesis-related pathways mediate HL responses in rapeseed. These findings collectively provide mechanistic insights into the mechanisms involved in the response of rapeseed to HL stress, and the identified key genes may potentially be used to improve HL tolerance of rapeseed cultivars through genetic engineering or breeding strategies.
Quantitative Proteomics and Differential Protein Abundance Analysis after the Depletion of PEX3 from Human Cells Identifies Additional Aspects of Protein Targeting to the ER
Authors: Zimmermann Richard , Lang Sven , Lerner Monika , Förster Friedrich , Nguyen Duy , Helms Volkhard , Schrul Bianca
Published: December 2021

Protein import into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the first step in the biogenesis of around 10,000 different soluble and membrane proteins in humans. It involves the co- or post-translational targeting of precursor polypeptides to the ER, and their subsequent membrane insertion or translocation. So far, three pathways for the ER targeting of precursor polypeptides and four pathways for the ER targeting of mRNAs have been described. Typically, these pathways deliver their substrates to the Sec61 polypeptide-conducting channel in the ER membrane. Next, the precursor polypeptides are inserted into the ER membrane or translocated into the ER lumen, which may involve auxiliary translocation components, such as the TRAP and Sec62/Sec63 complexes, or auxiliary membrane protein insertases, such as EMC and the TMCO1 complex. Recently, the PEX19/PEX3-dependent pathway, which has a well-known function in targeting and inserting various peroxisomal membrane proteins into pre-existent peroxisomal membranes, was also found to act in the targeting and, putatively, insertion of monotopic hairpin proteins into the ER. These either remain in the ER as resident ER membrane proteins, or are pinched off from the ER as components of new lipid droplets. Therefore, the question arose as to whether this pathway may play a more general role in ER protein targeting, i.e., whether it represents a fourth pathway for the ER targeting of precursor polypeptides. Thus, we addressed the client spectrum of the PEX19/PEX3-dependent pathway in both PEX3-depleted HeLa cells and PEX3-deficient Zellweger patient fibroblasts by an established approach which involved the label-free quantitative mass spectrometry of the total proteome of depleted or deficient cells, as well as differential protein abundance analysis. The negatively affected proteins included twelve peroxisomal proteins and two hairpin proteins of the ER, thus confirming two previously identified classes of putative PEX19/PEX3 clients in human cells. Interestingly, fourteen collagen-related proteins with signal peptides or N-terminal transmembrane helices belonging to the secretory pathway were also negatively affected by PEX3 deficiency, which may suggest compromised collagen biogenesis as a hitherto-unknown contributor to organ failures in the respective Zellweger patients.
The Extracellular Vesicles from the Commensal Staphylococcus Epidermidis ATCC12228 Strain Regulate Skin Inflammation in the Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis Murine Model
Authors: Gómez-Chávez Fernando , Cedillo-Peláez Carlos , Zapi-Colín Luis A. , Gutiérrez-González Guadalupe , Martínez-Torres Isaí , Peralta Humberto , Chavez-Galan Leslie , Avila-Calderón Erick D. , Contreras-Rodríguez Araceli , Bartolo-Aguilar Yaneth , Rodríguez-Martínez Sandra , Cancino-Diaz Mario E. , Cancino-Diaz Juan C.
Published: December 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are evaginations of the cytoplasmic membrane, containing nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, enzymes, and toxins. EVs participate in various bacterial physiological processes. Staphylococcus epidermidis interacts and communicates with the host skin. S. epidermidis’ EVs may have an essential role in this communication mechanism, modulating the immunological environment. This work aimed to evaluate if S. epidermidis’ EVs can modulate cytokine production by keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo using the imiquimod-induced psoriasis murine model. S. epidermidis’ EVs were obtained from a commensal strain (ATC12228EVs) and a clinical isolated strain (983EVs). EVs from both origins induced IL-6 expression in HaCaT keratinocyte cultures; nevertheless, 983EVs promoted a higher expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines VEGF-A, LL37, IL-8, and IL-17F than ATCC12228EVs. Moreover, in vivo imiquimod-induced psoriatic skin treated with ATCC12228EVs reduced the characteristic psoriatic skin features, such as acanthosis and cellular infiltrate, as well as VEGF-A, IL-6, KC, IL-23, IL-17F, IL-36γ, and IL-36R expression in a more efficient manner than 983EVs; however, in contrast, Foxp3 expression did not significantly change, and IL-36 receptor antagonist (IL-36Ra) was found to be increased. Our findings showed a distinctive immunological profile induction that is dependent on the clinical or commensal EV origin in a mice model of skin-like psoriasis. Characteristically, proteomics analysis showed differences in the EVs protein content, dependent on origin of the isolated EVs. Specifically, in ATCC12228EVs, we found the proteins glutamate dehydrogenase, ornithine carbamoyltransferase, arginine deiminase, carbamate kinase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, phenol-soluble β1/β2 modulin, and polyglycerol phosphate α-glucosyltransferase, which could be involved in the reduction of lesions in the murine imiquimod-induced psoriasis skin. Our results show that the commensal ATCC12228EVs have a greater protective/attenuating effect on the murine imiquimod-induced psoriasis by inducing IL-36Ra expression in comparison with EVs from a clinical isolate of S. epidermidis.
DNA Repair Genes as Drug Candidates for Early Breast Cancer Onset in Latin America: A Systematic Review
Authors: Urbina-Jara Laura Keren , Martinez-Ledesma Emmanuel , Rojas-Martinez Augusto , Rodriguez-Recio Francisco Ricardo , Ortiz-Lopez Rocio
Published: December 2021

The prevalence of breast cancer in young women (YWBC) has increased alarmingly. Significant efforts are being made to elucidate the biological mechanisms concerning the development, prognosis, and pathological response in early-onset breast cancer (BC) patients. Dysfunctional DNA repair proteins are implied in BC predisposition, progression, and therapy response, underscoring the need for further analyses on DNA repair genes. Public databases of large patient datasets such as METABRIC, TCGA, COSMIC, and cancer cell lines allow the identification of variants in DNA repair genes and possible precision drug candidates. This study aimed at identifying variants and drug candidates that may benefit Latin American (LA) YWBC. We analyzed pathogenic variants in 90 genes involved in DNA repair in public BC datasets from METABRIC, TCGA, COSMIC, CCLE, and COSMIC Cell Lines Project. Results showed that reported DNA repair germline variants in the LA dataset are underrepresented in large databases, in contrast to other populations. Additionally, only six gene repair variants in women under 50 years old from the study population were reported in BC cell lines. Therefore, there is a need for new approaches to study DNA repair variants reported in young women from LA.
GARCH (1,1) Models and Analysis of Stock Market Turmoil during COVID-19 Outbreak in an Emerging and Developed Economy
Authors: Setiawan Budi , Ben Abdallah Marwa , Fekete-Farkas Maria , Nathan Robert Jeyakumar , Zeman Zoltan
Published: December 2021

COVID-19 pandemic has led to uncertainties in the financial markets around the globe. The pandemic has caused volatilities in the financial market at varying magnitudes, in the emerging versus developed economy. To examine this phenomenon, this study investigates the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on stock market returns and volatility in an emerging economy, i.e., Indonesia, versus developed country, i.e., Hungary, using an event-study approach methodology utilizing GARCH (1,1) model. In this study, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) and the b (BUX) data were obtained from Investing and Bloomberg, covering two global events observed within the selected period from 27 September 2006 to 31 August 2021. The data is compared with the stock market volatility data from the global financial crisis in 2007/08. Findings reveal that the recent COVID-19 pandemic had negative stock market returns at a greater magnitude compared to the global financial crisis, in both the emerging and developed economy’s equity market. Stock markets in Indonesia and Hungary have experienced volatility during the crisis. While comparing the result between COVID-19 and the global financial crisis, we found that the volatility on the stock markets is higher in the COVID-19 pandemic than during the global financial crisis. The higher stock market negative returns and volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the lockdown and limited economic activities, which impacted supply and demand shock. The virus’s propagation and mutation are continually evolving, reminding us that the pandemic is far from over. Developed countries with larger fiscal space seem to find it easier to make responsive policies than countries with a tighter financial budget. Fiscal and monetary policies seem to be a quick solution to stabilize the economy and maintain investor confidence in the Indonesian and Hungarian capital markets. Furthermore, the extension of stock market volatility understanding ensures relevant information for investors, which benefits to mitigate the risk and build sustainable investments of the unprecedented events and enables the promotion of Sustainable Development Goal number 8 (SDG8) to communities, with access to financial products including the stock market, especially during economic and financial uncertainties.
Understanding Language Attrition through Orthography
Authors: Bermúdez-Margaretto Beatriz , Gallo Federico , Pokhoday Mikhail , Shtyrov Yury , Kreiner Hamutal , Myachykov Andriy
Published: December 2021

The decay in the proficiency of the native language (L1), known as first language attrition, is one of the least understood phenomena associated with the acquisition of a second language (L2). Indeed, the exact cause for the deterioration in L1 performance, be that either the interference from L2 acquisition or the less frequent use of L1, still remains elusive. In this opinion paper, we focus on one largely understudied aspect of L1 attrition—namely, the erosion of the L1 orthographic knowledge under the influence of L2 orthography. In particular, we propose to study differences in orthographic processing between mono- and bilingual populations as an approach, which, in turn, will allow to address both cognitive and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying L1 attrition. We discuss relevant experimental paradigms, variable manipulations and appropriate research methods that may help disentangle the largely debated question of L2 interference vs. L1 disuse, clarifying the nature of the L1 orthographic attrition.
Isochoric Specific Heat in the Dual Model of Liquids
Authors: Peluso Fabio
Published: December 2021

We continue in this paper to illustrate the implications of the dual model of liquids (DML) by deriving the expression for the isochoric specific heat as a function of the collective degree of freedom available at a given temperature and analyzing its dependence on temperature. Two main tasks have been accomplished. First, we show that the expression obtained for the isochoric specific heat in the DML is in line with the experimental results. Second, the expression has been compared with the analogous one obtained in another theoretical dual model of the liquid state, the phonon theory of liquid thermodynamics. This comparison allows providing interesting insights about the number of collective degrees of freedom available in a liquid and the value of the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient, two quantities that are related to each other in this framework.
Geometrical Investigation of Piezoelectric Patches for Broadband Energy Harvesting in Non-Deterministic Composite Plates
Authors: Muthalif Asan G. A. , Ali Abdelrahman , Renno Jamil , Wahid Azni N. , Nor Khairul A. M. , Nordin Nor Hidayati Diyana
Published: December 2021

Mechanical energy is the most ubiquitous form of energy that can be harvested and converted into useful electrical power. For this reason, the piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs), with their inherent electromechanical coupling and high-power density, have been widely incorporated in many applications to generate power from ambient mechanical vibrations. However, one of the main challenges to the wider adoption of PEHs is how to optimize their design for maximum energy harvesting. In this paper, an investigation was conducted on the energy harvesting from seven piezoelectric patch shapes (differing in the number of edges) when attached to a non-deterministic laminated composite (single/double lamina) plate subjected to change in fiber orientation. The performance of the PEHs was examined through a coupled-field finite element (FE) model. The plate was simply supported, and its dynamics were randomized by attaching randomly distributed point masses on the plate surface in addition to applying randomly located time-harmonic point forces. The randomization of point masses and point force location on a thin plate produce non-deterministic response. The design optimization was performed by employing the ensemble-responses of the electrical potential developed across the electrodes of the piezoelectric patches. The results present the optimal fiber orientation and patch shape for maximum energy harvesting in the case of single and double lamina composite plates. The results show that the performance is optimal at 0° or 90° fiber orientation for single-lamina, and at 0°/0° and 0°/90° fiber orientations for double-lamina composites. For frequencies below 25 Hz, patches with a low number of edges exhibited a higher harvesting performance (triangular for single-lamina/quadrilateral for double-lamina). As for the broadband frequencies (above 25 Hz), the performance was optimal for the patches with a higher number of edges (dodecagonal for single-lamina/octagonal for double-lamina).
hBN Flake Embedded Al2O3 Thin Film for Flexible Moisture Barrier
Authors: Jang Wonseok , Han Seunghun , Gu Taejun , Chae Heeyeop , Whang Dongmok
Published: December 2021

Due to the vulnerability of organic optoelectronic devices to moisture and oxygen, thin-film moisture barriers have played a critical role in improving the lifetime of the devices. Here, we propose a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) embedded Al2O3 thin film as a flexible moisture barrier. After layer-by-layer (LBL) staking of polymer and hBN flake composite layer, Al2O3 was deposited on the nano-laminate template by spatial plasma atomic layer deposition (PEALD). Because the hBN flakes in Al2O3 thin film increase the diffusion path of moisture, the composite layer has a low water vapor transmission ratio (WVTR) value of 1.8 × 10−4 g/m2 day. Furthermore, as embedded hBN flakes restrict crack propagation, the composite film exhibits high mechanical stability in repeated 3 mm bending radius fatigue tests.
Corrosion and Wear Behavior of WC–10Co4Cr Coating under Saturated Salt Drilling Fluid
Authors: Yin Hao , Liang Jian , Ren Xiaoyong , Zhao Jie , He Xin , Gu Yanhong
Published: December 2021

Coating on the surface is one of the main ways to improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of materials. In this work, the corrosion, erosion, and wear resistance of WC–10Co4Cr coating and 27CrMoV substrate were compared by simulating the actual working conditions of the drill pipe. The simulation results show that the most serious corrosion occurred at the pipe body and the dominating erosion arose at the pipe joint closing to the inlet of the flow field. WC–10Co4Cr coating has excellent protection to 27CrMoV substrate, resulting in a 400 mV increase in corrosion potential, a two-orders-of-magnitude decrease in the corrosion current, and four times the improvement of the impedance value. The erosion resistance of the WC–10Co4Cr coating increased to more than 30% higher than that of the 27CrMoV substrate. The friction coefficient of the WC–10Co4Cr coating was much lower than that of the 27CrMoV substrate, and the wear resistance of the coating was higher than that of the substrate.
FEM Analysis of Textile Reinforced Composite Materials Impact Behavior
Authors: Ionesi Savin Dorin , Ciobanu Luminita , Dumitras Catalin , Avadanei Manuela , Dulgheriu Ionut , Ionescu Irina , Loghin Maria Carmen
Published: December 2021

Composite materials reinforced with textile fabrics represent a complex subject. When explaining these materials, one must consider their mechanical behavior in general, and impact resistance in particular, as many applications are characterized by dynamic strains. Impact characteristics must be considered from the early stages of the design process in order to be controlled through structure, layer deposition and direction. Reinforcement materials are essential for the quality and behavior of composites, and textile reinforcements present a large range of advantages. It takes a good understanding of the requirements specific to an application to accurately design textile reinforcements. Currently, simulations of textile reinforcements and composites are efficient tools to forecast their behavior during both processing and use. The paper presents the steps that must be followed for modelling the impact behavior of composite materials, using finite element analysis (FEM). The FEM model built using Deform 3D software offers information concerning the behavior structure during impact. The behavior can be visualized for the structure as a whole and, for different sections, be considered significant. Furthermore, the structure’s strain can be visualized at any moment. In real impact tests, this is not possible due to the very short time interval and the impossibility to record inside the structure, as well as to record all significant stages using conventional means.
Topological Spin Textures and Their Applications
Authors: Medlej Israa , Zhang Xichao , Zivieri Roberto
Published: December 2021

Topological spin textures have been an extremely hot topic since their first experimental observation in 2009 [...]
Classification of Initial Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease through Pet Neuroimaging Modality and Deep Learning: Quantifying the Impact of Image Filtering Approaches
Authors: Tufail Ahsan Bin , Ma Yong-Kui , Kaabar Mohammed K. A. , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Khan Rahim , Cheikhrouhou Omar
Published: December 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a leading health concern affecting the elderly population worldwide. It is defined by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss. Neuroimaging modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging are routinely used in clinical settings to monitor the alterations in the brain during the course of progression of AD. Deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have found numerous applications in healthcare and other technologies. Together with neuroimaging modalities, they can be deployed in clinical settings to learn effective representations of data for different tasks such as classification, segmentation, detection, etc. Image filtering methods are instrumental in making images viable for image processing operations and have found numerous applications in image-processing-related tasks. In this work, we deployed 3D-CNNs to learn effective representations of PET modality data to quantify the impact of different image filtering approaches. We used box filtering, median filtering, Gaussian filtering, and modified Gaussian filtering approaches to preprocess the images and use them for classification using 3D-CNN architecture. Our findings suggest that these approaches are nearly equivalent and have no distinct advantage over one another. For the multiclass classification task between normal control (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD classes, the 3D-CNN architecture trained using Gaussian-filtered data performed the best. For binary classification between NC and MCI classes, the 3D-CNN architecture trained using median-filtered data performed the best, while, for binary classification between AD and MCI classes, the 3D-CNN architecture trained using modified Gaussian-filtered data performed the best. Finally, for binary classification between AD and NC classes, the 3D-CNN architecture trained using box-filtered data performed the best.