bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Parasitic Parameters on DC–DC Converters and Their Method of Suppression in High Frequency Link 35 kV PV Systems
Authors: Li Rui , Shi Fangyuan , Cai Xu , Xu Haibo
Published: September 2019

Photovoltaic (PV) power generation has shown a trend towards large-scale medium- or high-voltage integration in recent years. The development of high-frequency link PV systems is necessary for the further improvement of system efficiency and the reduction of system cost. In the system, high-frequency high-step-up ratio LLC converters are one of the most important parts. However, the parasitic parameters of devices lead to a loss of zero-voltage switching (ZVS) in the LLC converter, greatly reducing the efficiency of the system, especially in such a high-frequency application. In this paper, a high-frequency link 35 kV PV system is presented. To suppress the influences of parasitic parameters in the LLC converter in the 35 kV PV system, the influence of parasitic parameters on ZVS is analyzed and expounded. Then, a suppression method is proposed to promote the realization of ZVS. This method adds a saturable inductor on the secondary side to achieve ZVS. The saturable inductor can effectively prevent the parasitic elements of the secondary side from participating in the resonance of the primary side. The experimental results show that this method achieves a higher efficiency than the traditional method by reducing the magnetic inductance.
Environmental Profile of the Manufacturing Process of Perovskite Photovoltaics: Harmonization of Life Cycle Assessment Studies
Authors: Maranghi Simone , Parisi Maria Laura , Basosi Riccardo , Sinicropi Adalgisa
Published: September 2019

The development of perovskite solar cell technology is steadily increasing. The extremely high photoconversion efficiency drives factor that makes these devices so attractive for photovoltaic energy production. However, the environmental impact of this technology could represent a crucial matter for industrial development, and the sustainability of perovskite solar cell is at the center of the scientific debate. The life cycle assessment studies available in the literature evaluate the environmental profile of this technology, but the outcomes vary consistently depending on the methodological choices and assumptions made by authors. In this work, we performed the harmonization of these life cycle assessment results to understand which are effectively the environmental hotspots of the perovskite solar cell fabrication. The outcomes of this analysis allowed us to outline an environmental ranking of the profiles of the several cell configurations investigated and, most importantly, to identify the material and energy flows that mostly contribute to the technology in terms of environmental impact.
The Effect of Temperature on Flowback Data Analysis in Shale Gas Reservoirs: A Simulation-Based Study
Authors: Yang Sen , Lai Fengpeng , Li Zhiping , Fu Yingkun , Wang Kongjie , Zhang Liang , Liang Yutao
Published: September 2019

During hydraulic fracturing, there is a temperature difference between the injected water and formation rock for shale gas wells. The objective of this study is to investigate how this temperature difference changes with time, and how it affects multiphase-flow modeling during the shut-in and flowback periods. We conducted numerical simulations to investigate the behaviors of fracture temperature in shale gas wells. The results show a significant increase in fracture temperature during the shut-in and flowback periods. Sensitivity analysis suggests that this temperature increase is strongly related to the thermal conductivity of formation rock, matrix permeability, and initial reservoir temperature. Simulation scenarios were further compared to investigate the effect of temperature on flowback data analysis. Without considering the thermal effect, flowback data analysis may yield an earlier fracture cleanup and overestimated fracture volume. In addition, this study suggests that the thermal effect may also have implications for optimizing flowback operations.
Comparative Analysis of Technical Route and Market Development for Light-Duty PHEV in China and the US
Authors: Zhang Baodi , Yang Fuyuan , Teng Lan , Ouyang Minggao , Guo Kunfang , Li Weifeng , Du Jiuyu
Published: September 2019

China and the US have become the world’s largest plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) markets. Powertrain architecture is the framework of PHEV technology which represents its technical route. The research on the market development and technical route of Chinese and American PHEV is helpful to grasp the internal law of the global PHEV market and technology situation, and thus is significant to lay out a development strategy and technical route but has not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, an evaluation method of three dimensions combining market sales, powertrain architectures and performance indexes was proposed for comparative analysis, and PHEV mainstream architectures were put forward. Besides, qualitative evaluation levels from nine dimensions were built for architecture analysis, and fuel consumption to curb weight (FC2CW) as an indicator was introduced for economy evaluation. Some conclusions can be drawn: (a) The most mainstream architecture in sales volume is four-wheel drive (4WD) Bridge, and that in models’ amount is P2 in China, while those respectively are PS and P2 in the US. This reflects that a difference exists between the choice of the consumers and that of the automakers, and another difference also exists between the two countries. (b) With the phasing down of subsidies, the single-motor parallel architecture may become the first choice of China’s next technical route, while the 4WD Bridge will still be the main architecture for sports utility vehicles (SUVs) or sports car. (c) Among the models of the top five sales, the types and sales of SUVs in China are significantly more, however, the fuel economy rankings of theirs in the US are relatively better. (d) It is difficult to distinguish which architecture has the absolute best economy, but the fuel economy of the series type in the two markets is not very good.
Temperature Dependent Parameter Estimation of Electrical Vehicle Batteries
Authors: Pózna Anna I. , Hangos Katalin M. , Magyar Attila
Published: September 2019

Parameter estimation of electrical vehicle batteries in the presence of temperature effect is addressed in this work. A simple parametric temperature dependent battery model is used for this purpose where the temperature dependence is described by static relationships. A two-step method is used that includes a parameter estimation step of the key parameters at different temperatures followed by a static optimization step that determines the temperature coefficients of the corresponding parameters. It was found that the temperature dependent parameter characteristics can be reliably estimated from charging profiles only. The proposed method can be used as a computationally effective way of determining the key battery parameters at a given temperature from their actual estimated values and from their previously determined static temperature dependence. The proposed parameter estimation method was verified by simulation experiments on a more complex battery model that also describes the detailed dynamic thermal behavior of the battery.
Bidirectional Power Flow Control of a Multi Input Converter for Energy Storage System
Authors: Tang Cheng-Yu , Lin Jun-Ting
Published: September 2019

The objective of this paper is to propose a multi-input DC-DC converter with bidirectional power flow control capability. Compared to the traditional power converter, the multi-input converter (MIC) can save on the number of components and the circuit cost. Under normal conditions, the MIC is able to transfer energy from different input sources to the load. However, if the battery module is adopted, both the charging or discharging features should be considered. Therefore, the bidirectional power flow control of the MIC is necessary. On the other hand, because of the inconsistency characteristics of batteries, unbalanced circuit operation might occur whereby the circuit and the battery might be damaged. Therefore, dynamic current regulation strategies are developed for the MIC. Consequently, the proposed MIC circuit is able to achieve the bidirectional power flow control capability as well as control the input currents independently. Detailed circuit analysis and comprehensive mathematical derivation and of the proposed MIC will be presented in this paper. Finally, both simulation and experimental results obtained from a 500 W prototype circuit verify the performance and feasibility of the proposed bidirectional multi-input converter.
Axisymmetric Numerical Investigation on Steam Bubble Condensation
Authors: Li Haibo , Tian Maocheng , Tang Liangliang
Published: September 2019

In order to obtain a high-accuracy and adaptable condensation phase change model, this paper selects the Nusselt number correlation formula that Kim proposed based on the experimental data and adjusts the Nusselt number in the bubble condensation process by calculating the phase change coefficient of the Lee model in the UDF. Through the simulation and fine-tuning of the 12 groups of operating conditions, the formula for the change of the phase change coefficient of the Lee model during the bubble condensation process is obtained. The accuracy and wide applicability of the variation formula are verified by comparison with various types of experimental data. The Lee model provides a certain reference for the numerical simulation of the bubble condensation process. The numerical simulation of the condensation process of vapor bubbles is carried out by using the formula of the phase change coefficient. The error between the simulation result of the bubble volume change and the experimental result is lower than ±15%, which basically verified the reliability of the numerical model adopted in this study. The bubble condensation process has been analyzed under various operating conditions. The simulation results show that when the bubble rises, disturbance occurs with the fluid and several tiny eddies are generated on the side of the bubble. Micro-circulation of the vapor inside the bubble accelerates the heat and mass transfer rate at the gas–liquid interface. When condensation occurs, the mass transfer rate at the interface is different and the pressure inside the bubble is higher than that around it.
Assessing the Effects of Sample Size on Parametrizing a Taper Curve Equation and the Resultant Stem-Volume Estimates
Authors: Saarinen Ninni , Kankare Ville , Pyörälä Jiri , Yrttimaa Tuomas , Liang Xinlian , Wulder Michael A. , Holopainen Markus , Hyyppä Juha , Vastaranta Mikko
Published: September 2019

Large and comprehensive datasets, traditionally based on destructive stem analysis or other labor-intensive approaches, are commonly considered as a necessity in developing stem-volume equations. The aim here was to investigate how a decreasing number of sample trees affects parametrizing an existing taper curve equation and resultant stem-volume estimates. Furthermore, the potential of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) in producing taper curves was examined. A TLS-based taper curve was derived for 246 Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) from southern Finland to parametrize an existing taper curve equation. To assess sensitivity of the parametrization regarding sample size, the number of Scots pines included in the parametrization varied between full census and 1 Scots pine at a time. Root mean square error of stem-volume estimates remained ≤20.9% and the mean absolute difference was relatively constant (≤9.0%) between stem-volume estimates when the sample size included ≥46 Scots pines. Thus, it can be concluded that, with a rather small sample size, a taper curve equation can be re-parametrized for local conditions using point clouds from TLS to produce consistent stem-volume estimates.
Effects of Fat and Fatty Acids on the Formation of Autolysosomes in the Livers from Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus Fulvidraco
Authors: Wu Li-Xiang , Wei Chuan-Chuan , Yang Shui-Bo , Zhao Tao , Luo Zhi
Published: September 2019

The autophagy-lysosome pathway, which involves many crucial genes and proteins, plays crucial roles in the maintenance of intracellular homeostasis by the degradation of damaged components. At present, some of these genes and proteins have been identified but their specific functions are largely unknown. This study was performed to clone and characterize the full-length cDNA sequences of nine key autolysosome-related genes (vps11, vps16, vps18, vps33b, vps41, lamp1, mcoln1, ctsd1 and tfeb) from yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco. The expression of these genes and the transcriptional responses to a high-fat diet and fatty acids (FAs) (palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA)) were investigated. The mRNAs of these genes could be detected in heart, liver, muscle, spleen, brain, mesenteric adipose tissue, intestine, kidney and ovary, but varied with the tissues. In the liver, the mRNA levels of the nine autolysosome-related genes were lower in fish fed a high-fat diet than those fed the control, indicating that a high-fat diet inhibited formation of autolysosomes. Palmitic acid (a saturated FA) significantly inhibited the formation of autolysosomes at 12 h, 24 h and 48 h incubation. In contrast, oleic acid (an unsaturated FA) significantly induced the formation of autolysosomes at 12 h, but inhibited them at 24 h. At 48 h, the effects of OA incubation on autolysosomes were OA concentration-dependent in primary hepatocytes of P. fulvidraco. The results of flow cytometry and laser confocal observations confirmed these results. PA and OA incubation also increased intracellular non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration at 12 h, 24 h and 48 h, and influenced mRNA levels of fatty acid binding protein (fabp) and fatty acid transport protein 4 (fatp4) which facilitate FA transport in primary hepatocytes of P. fulvidraco. The present study demonstrated the molecular characterization of the nine autolysosome-related genes and their transcriptional responses to fat and FAs in fish, which provides the basis for further exploring their regulatory mechanism in vertebrates.
ZCMM: A Novel Method Using Z-Curve Theory- Based and Position Weight Matrix for Predicting Nucleosome Positioning
Authors: Cui Ying , Xu Zelong , Li Jianzhong
Published: September 2019

Nucleosomes are the basic units of eukaryotes. The accurate positioning of nucleosomes plays a significant role in understanding many biological processes such as transcriptional regulation mechanisms and DNA replication and repair. Here, we describe the development of a novel method, termed ZCMM, based on Z-curve theory and position weight matrix (PWM). The ZCMM was trained and tested using the nucleosomal and linker sequences determined by support vector machine (SVM) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), and experimental results showed that the sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), accuracy (Acc), and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) values for ZCMM were 91.40%, 96.56%, 96.75%, and 0.88, respectively, and the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was 0.972. A ZCMM predictor was developed to predict nucleosome positioning in Homo sapiens (H. sapiens), Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) genomes, and the accuracy (Acc) values were 77.72%, 85.34%, and 93.62%, respectively. The maximum AUC values of the four species were 0.982, 0.861, 0.912 and 0.911, respectively. Another independent dataset for S. cerevisiae was used to predict nucleosome positioning. Compared with the results of Wu’s method, it was found that the Sn, Sp, Acc, and MCC of ZCMM results for S. cerevisiae were all higher, reaching 96.72%, 96.54%, 94.10%, and 0.88. Compared with the Guo’s method ‘iNuc-PseKNC’, the results of ZCMM for D. melanogaster were better. Meanwhile, the ZCMM was compared with some experimental data in vitro and in vivo for S. cerevisiae, and the results showed that the nucleosomes predicted by ZCMM were highly consistent with those confirmed by these experiments. Therefore, it was further confirmed that the ZCMM method has good accuracy and reliability in predicting nucleosome positioning.
The Role of Insulation in Patterning Gene Expression
Authors: Özdemir Isa , Gambetta Maria Cristina
Published: September 2019

Development is orchestrated by regulatory elements that turn genes ON or OFF in precise spatial and temporal patterns. Many safety mechanisms prevent inappropriate action of a regulatory element on the wrong gene promoter. In flies and mammals, dedicated DNA elements (insulators) recruit protein factors (insulator binding proteins, or IBPs) to shield promoters from regulatory elements. In mammals, a single IBP called CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is known, whereas genetic and biochemical analyses in Drosophila have identified a larger repertoire of IBPs. How insulators function at the molecular level is not fully understood, but it is currently thought that they fold chromosomes into conformations that affect regulatory element-promoter communication. Here, we review the discovery of insulators and describe their properties. We discuss recent genetic studies in flies and mice to address the question: Is gene insulation important for animal development? Comparing and contrasting observations in these two species reveal that they have different requirements for insulation, but that insulation is a conserved and critical gene regulation strategy.
Investigation of the Possible Role of RAD9 in Post-Diapaused Embryonic Development of the Brine Shrimp Artemia sinica
Authors: Huang Huifang , Chen Ce , Yao Feng , Li Xiuling , Wang Yanan , Shao Yuting , Wang Xinyao , Zhang Xingzheng , Jiang Tao , Hou Lin
Published: September 2019

Background: The cell cycle checkpoint protein RAD9 is a vital cell cycle regulator in eukaryotic cells. RAD9 is involved in diverse cellular functions by oligomer or monomer. However, the specific mechanism of its activity remains unknown in crustaceans, especially in embryonic diapause resumption of the brine shrimp Artemia sinica. Methods and Results: In the present article, a 1238 bp full-length cDNA of As–RAD9 gene, encoding 376 amino acids, was obtained from A. sinica. The expression pattern of As–RAD9 was analyzed by qPCR and Western blot. The mRNA expression level climbs to the top at the 10 h stage of embryo development, while the protein expression pattern is generally consistent with qPCR results. Moreover, the As–RADd9 related signaling proteins, As–RAD1, As–HUS1, As–RAD17, and As–CHK1, were also detected. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the location of As–RAD9 did not show tissue or organ specificity, and the intracellular expression was concentrated in the cytoplasm more than in the nucleus. We also explored the amount of As–RAD9 under the stresses of cold and high salinity, and the results indicate that As–RAD9 is a stress-related factor, though the mechanisms may be different in response to different stresses. Knocking down of the As–RAD9 gene led to embryonic development delay in A. sinica. Conclusions: All these results reveal that As–RAD9 is necessary for post-diapaused embryonic development in A. sinica.
Validity and Reliability of the Facility List Coder, a New Tool to Evaluate Community Food Environments
Authors: Arcila-Agudelo Ana María , Muñoz-Mora Juan Carlos , Farran-Codina Andreu
Published: September 2019

A community food environment plays an essential role in explaining the healthy lifestyle patterns of its community members. However, there is a lack of compelling quantitative approaches to evaluate these environments. This study introduces and validates a new tool named the facility list coder (FLC), whose purpose is to assess food environments based on data sources and classification algorithms. Using the case of Mataró (Spain), we randomly selected 301 grids areas (100 m2), in which we conducted street audits in order to physically identify all the facilities by name, address, and type. Then, audit-identified facilities were matched with those automatically-identified and were classified using the FLC to determine its quality. Our results suggest that automatically-identified and audit-identified food environments have a high level of agreement. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates and their respective 95% confidence intervals for the overall sample yield the result “excellent” (ICC ≥ 0.9) for the level of reliability of the FLC.
Long-Term Symptoms of Mobile Phone Use on Mobile Phone Addiction and Depression Among Korean Adolescents
Authors: Park So-Young , Yang Sonam , Shin Chang-Sik , Jang Hyunseok , Park So-Youn
Published: September 2019

This study aimed to compare the mean scores of mobile phone use, mobile phone addiction, and depressive symptoms at three-time points among Korean adolescents according to gender and to examine the differences in the long-term relationships among the three abovementioned variables between Korean boys and girls in a four-year period. Data for 1794 adolescents (897 boys and 897 girls) were obtained from three waves of the second panel of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. The study findings showed that at each of the three-time points, Korean girls tended to use their mobile phones more frequently and were at a higher risk of mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms than Korean boys. Significant changes were observed in the longitudinal relationships among phone use, mobile phone addiction, and depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents across time periods, but no gender differences were found in the strengths of these relationships. These findings contribute to expanding the knowledge base of mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Korean adolescents.
Household Health and Cropland Abandonment in Rural China: Theoretical Mechanism and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Deng Xin , Zeng Miao , Xu Dingde , Wei Feng , Qi Yanbin
Published: September 2019

Prior studies have fully explored the impacts of rural labor migration on land use forms. In contrast to prior studies, this study focuses on the health status of rural households and its quantitative impacts on cropland abandonment (CA). More specifically, under the guidance of the theoretical mechanism of “household health affects CA by labor supply”, this study employs survey data from 8031 households collected in 27 Chinese provinces in 2014 to explore the quantitative impacts of household health on CA. The results are as follows. (1) The higher the level of household health is, the less CA there is. (2) Compared with males, the impact of female health status on CA is more obvious. Thus, the relationship between household health and CA matters, not only because it may help to theoretically enhance the understanding of the importance of health in peasant households, but also because it may help to practically provide references for effective policies of CA from the perspective of rural medical services.
Standing Desks in a Grade 4 Classroom over the Full School Year
Authors: Parry Sharon , IR de Oliveira Beatriz , McVeigh Joanne A. , Ee Joyln , Jacques Angela , Straker Leon
Published: September 2019

School-aged children are spending increasingly long periods of time engaged in sedentary activities such as sitting. Recent school-based studies have examined the intervention effects of introducing standing desks into the classroom in the short and medium term. The aim of this repeated-measures crossover design study was to assess the sit-stand behaviour, waking sedentary time and physical activity, and musculoskeletal discomfort at the start and the end of a full school year following the provision of standing desks into a Grade 4 classroom. Accelerometry and musculoskeletal discomfort were measured in both standing and traditional desk conditions at the start and at the end of the school year. At both time points, when students used a standing desk, there was an increase in standing time (17–26 min/school day) and a reduction in sitting time (17–40 min/school day). There was no significant difference in sit-stand behaviour during school hours or sedentary time and physical activity during waking hours between the start and the end of the school year. Students were less likely to report discomfort in the neck and shoulders when using a standing desk and this finding was consistent over the full school year. The beneficial effects of using a standing desk were maintained over the full school year, after the novelty of using a standing desk had worn off.
Using Simulation Training to Promote Nurses’ Effective Handling of Workplace Violence: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Ming Jin-Lain , Huang Hui-Mei , Hung Shiao-Pei , Chang Ching-I , Hsu Yueh-Shuang , Tzeng Yuann-Meei , Huang Hsin-Yi , Hsu Teh-Fu
Published: September 2019

Background: Workplace violence in the health care sector has become a growing global problem. Research has shown that although caregivers comprise a high-risk group exposed to workplace violence, most of them lacked the skills and countermeasures against workplace violence. Therefore, through a quasi-experimental design, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of situational simulation training on the nursing staffs’ concept and self-confidence in coping with workplace violence. Methods: Workplace violence simulation trainings were applied based on the systematic literature review and the conclusions from focus group interviews with nursing staff. Data were obtained from structured questionnaires including: (1) baseline characteristics; (2) perception of aggression scale (POAS); and (3) confidence in coping with patient aggression. Results: The results revealed that training course intervention significantly improved the nursing staffs’ self-perception and confidence against workplace violence (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The “simulation education on workplace violence training” as the intervention significantly improved the workplace violence perception and confidence among nursing staffs in coping with aggression events.
A Transport Policy Whose Injury Impacts May Go Unnoticed: More Walking, Cycling and Use of Public Transport
Authors: Elvik Rune
Published: September 2019

It is an objective of transport policy in many countries and cities to promote walking, cycling and the use of public transport. This policy seeks to improve public health and reduce emissions contributing to global warming. It is, however, very likely that more walking, cycling and use of public transport will be associated with an increase in traffic injury. Moreover, it is likely that most of this increase will go unnoticed and not be recorded in official road accident statistics. Official statistics on traffic injury are known to be very incomplete as far as injuries to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport passengers are concerned. This incompleteness is a problem when assessing health impacts of more walking, cycling and travel by public transport. In this paper, studies made in the city of Oslo, Norway (population 700,000) are used to develop numerical examples showing how the estimated real and recorded number of injuries may change when 10% of person km of travel performed by car are transferred to walking, cycling or public transport. It is shown that not more than about 2% of the estimated change in the actual number of injured road users will be recorded by official statistics on traffic injury.
Differences of Rainfall–Malaria Associations in Lowland and Highland in Western Kenya
Authors: Matsushita Naohiko , Kim Yoonhee , Ng Chris Fook Sheng , Moriyama Masao , Igarashi Tamotsu , Yamamoto Kazuhide , Otieno Wellington , Minakawa Noboru , Hashizume Masahiro
Published: September 2019

Many studies have reported a relationship between climate factors and malaria. However, results were inconsistent across the areas. We examined associations between climate factors and malaria in two geographically different areas: lowland (lakeside area) and highland in Western Kenya. Associations between climate factors (rainfall, land surface temperature (LST), and lake water level (LWL)) and monthly malaria cases from 2000 to 2013 in six hospitals (two in lowland and four in highland) were analyzed using time-series regression analysis with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) and multivariate meta-analysis. We found positive rainfall–malaria overall associations in lowland with a peak at 120 mm of monthly rainfall with a relative risk (RR) of 7.32 (95% CI: 2.74, 19.56) (reference 0 mm), whereas similar associations were not found in highland. Positive associations were observed at lags of 2 to 4 months at rainfall around 100–200 mm in both lowland and highland. The RRs at 150 mm rainfall were 1.42 (95% CI: 1.18, 1.71) in lowland and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.33) in highland (at a lag of 3 months). LST and LWL did not show significant association with malaria. The results suggest that geographical characteristics can influence climate–malaria relationships.
InDel Marker Based Estimation of Multi-Gene Allele Contribution and Genetic Variations for Grain Size and Weight in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Gull Sadia , Haider Zulqarnain , Gu Houwen , Raza Khan Rana Ahsan , Miao Jun , Wenchen Tan , Uddin Saleem , Ahmad Irshad , Liang Guohua
Published: September 2019

The market success of any rice cultivar is exceedingly dependent on its grain appearance, as well as its grain yield, which define its demand by consumers as well as growers. The present study was undertaken to explore the contribution of nine major genes, qPE9~1, GW2, SLG7, GW5, GS3, GS7, GW8, GS5, and GS2, in regulating four size and weight related traits, i.e., grain length (GL), grain width (GW), grain thickness (GT), and thousand grain weight (TGW) in 204 diverse rice germplasms using Insertion/Deletion (InDel) markers. The studied germplasm displayed wide-ranging variability in the four studied traits. Except for three genes, all six genes showed considerable association with these traits with varying strengths. Whole germplasm of 204 genotypes could be categorized into three major clusters with different grain sizes and weights that could be utilized in rice breeding programs where grain appearance and weight are under consideration. The study revealed that TGW was 24.9% influenced by GL, 37.4% influenced by GW, and 49.1% influenced by GT. Hence, assuming the trend of trait selection, i.e., GT > GW > GL, for improving TGW in the rice yield enhancement programs. The InDel markers successfully identified a total of 38 alleles, out of which 27 alleles were major and were found in more than 20 genotypes. GL was associated with four genes (GS3, GS7, GW8, and GS2). GT was also found to be regulated by four different genes (GS3, GS7, GW8, and GS2) out of the nine studied genes. GW was found to be under the control of three studied genes (GW5, GW8, and GS2), whereas TGW was found to be under the influence of four genes (SLG7, GW5, GW8, and GS5) in the germplasm under study. The Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic means (UPGMA) tree based on the studied InDel marker loci segregated the whole germplasm into three distinct clusters with dissimilar grain sizes and weights. A two-dimensional scatter plot constructed using Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) based on InDel markers further separated the 204 rice germplasms into four sub-populations with prominent demarcations of extra-long, long, medium, and short grain type germplasms that can be utilized in breeding programs accordingly. The present study could help rice breeders to select a suitable InDel marker and in formulation of breeding strategies for improving grain appearance, as well as weight, to develop rice varieties to compete international market demands with higher yield returns. This study also confirms the efficient application of InDel markers in studying diverse types of rice germplasm, allelic frequencies, multiple-gene allele contributions, marker-trait associations, and genetic variations that can be explored further.
Targeting Nuclear Exporter Protein XPO1/CRM1 in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Sexton Rachel , Mahdi Zaid , Chaudhury Rahman , Beydoun Rafic , Aboukameel Amro , Khan Husain Y. , Baloglu Erkan , Senapedis William , Landesman Yosef , Tesfaye Anteneh , Kim Steve , Philip Philip A. , Azmi Asfar S.
Published: September 2019

Gastric cancer remains an unmet clinical problem in urgent need of newer and effective treatments. Here we show that the nuclear export protein, Exportin 1 (XPO1, chromosome region maintenance 1 or CRM1), is a promising molecular target in gastric cancer. We demonstrate significant overexpression of XPO1 in a cohort of histologically diverse gastric cancer patients with primary and metastatic disease. XPO1 RNA interference suppressed gastric cancer cell growth. Anti-tumor activity was observed with specific inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) compounds (selinexor/XPOVIO), second-generation compound KPT-8602/eltanexor, KPT-185 and +ve control Leptomycin B in three distinct gastric cancer cell lines. SINE compounds inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation, disrupted spheroid formation, induced apoptosis and halted cell cycle progression at the G1/S phase. Anti-tumor activity was concurrent with nuclear retention of tumor suppressor proteins and inhibition of colony formation. In combination studies, SINE compounds enhanced the efficacy of nab-paclitaxel in vitro and in vivo. More significantly, using non-coding RNA sequencing studies, we demonstrate for the first time that SINE compounds can alter the expression of non-coding RNAs (microRNAs and piwiRNAs). SINE treatment caused statistically significant downregulation of oncogenic miR-33b-3p in two distinct cell lines. These studies demonstrate the therapeutic significance of XPO1 in gastric cancer that warrants further clinical investigation.
Selecting an Appropriate Animal Model of Depression
Authors: Hao Yuanzhen , Ge Huixiang , Sun Mengyun , Gao Yun
Published: September 2019

Depression has become one of the most severe psychiatric disorders and endangers the health of living beings all over the world. In order to explore the molecular mechanism that underlies depression, different kinds of animal models of depression are used in laboratory experiments. However, a credible and reasonable animal model that is capable of imitating the pathologic mechanism of depression in mankind has yet to be found, resulting in a barrier to further investigation of depression. Nevertheless, it is possible to explain the pathologic mechanism of depression to a great extent by a rational modeling method and behavioral testing. This review aims to provide a reference for researchers by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of some common animal depression models.
Curcumin Mitigates Immune-Induced Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction by Campylobacter jejuni
Authors: Lobo de Sá Fábia Daniela , Butkevych Eduard , Nattramilarasu Praveen Kumar , Fromm Anja , Mousavi Soraya , Moos Verena , Golz Julia C. , Stingl Kerstin , Kittler Sophie , Seinige Diana , Kehrenberg Corinna , Heimesaat Markus M. , Bereswill Stefan , Schulzke Jörg-Dieter , Bücker Roland
Published: September 2019

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is the most common cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. The bacteria induce diarrhea and inflammation by invading the intestinal epithelium. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol from turmeric rhizome of Curcuma longa, a medical plant, and is commonly used in curry powder. The aim of this study was the investigation of the protective effects of curcumin against immune-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction in C. jejuni infection. The indirect C. jejuni-induced barrier defects and its protection by curcumin were analyzed in co-cultures with HT-29/B6-GR/MR epithelial cells together with differentiated THP-1 immune cells. Electrophysiological measurements revealed a reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) in infected co-cultures. An increase in fluorescein (332 Da) permeability in co-cultures as well as in the germ-free IL-10−/− mouse model after C. jejuni infection was shown. Curcumin treatment attenuated the C. jejuni-induced increase in fluorescein permeability in both models. Moreover, apoptosis induction, tight junction redistribution, and an increased inflammatory response—represented by TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 secretion—was observed in co-cultures after infection and reversed by curcumin. In conclusion, curcumin protects against indirect C. jejuni-triggered immune-induced barrier defects and might be a therapeutic and protective agent in patients.
Enhancing the Wound Healing Effect of Conditioned Medium Collected from Mesenchymal Stem Cells with High Passage Number Using Bioreducible Nanoparticles
Authors: Im Gwang-Bum , Kim Yeong Hwan , Kim Yu-Jin , Kim Sung-Won , Jung Euiyoung , Jeong Gun-Jae , Wang Ke , Kim Jinheung , Kim Dong-Ik , Kim Tae-Hyung , Yi Gi-Ra , Yu Taekyung , Bhang Suk Ho
Published: September 2019

Injecting human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) at wound sites is known to have a therapeutic effect; however, hMSCs have several limitations, such as low viability and poor engraftment after injection, as well as a potential risk of oncogenesis. The use of a conditioned medium (CM) was suggested as an alternative method for treating various wounds instead of direct hMSC administration. In addition to not having the adverse effects associated with hMSCs, a CM can be easily mass produced and can be stored for long-term, thereby making it useful for clinical applications. In general, a CM is collected from hMSCs with low passage number; whereas, the hMSCs with high passage number are usually discarded because of their low therapeutic efficacy as a result of reduced angiogenic factor secretion. Herein, we used a CM collected from high passage number (passage 12, P12) hMSCs treated with gold-iron nanoparticles (AuFe NPs). Our AuFe NPs were designed to release the iron ion intracellularly via endocytosis. Endosomes with low pH can dissolve iron from AuFe NPs, and thus, the intracellularly released iron ions up-regulate the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Through this mechanism, AuFe NPs improve the amount of VEGF expression from P12 hMSCs so that it is comparable to the amount of VEGF expression from low passage number (passage 6, P6), without treatment. Furthermore, we injected the CM retrieved from P12 MSCs treated with AuFe NPs in the mouse skin wound model (AuFe P12 group). AuFe P12 group revealed significantly enhanced angiogenesis in the mouse skin wound model compared to the high passage hMSC CM-injected group. Moreover, the result from the AuFe P12 group was similar to that of the low passage hMSC CM-injected group. Both the AuFe P12 group and low passage hMSC CM-injected group presented significantly enhanced re-epithelization, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling compared to the high passage hMSC CM-injected group. This study reveals a new strategy for tissue regeneration based on CM injection without considering the high cell passage count.
Human Cysteine Cathepsins Degrade Immunoglobulin G In Vitro in a Predictable Manner
Authors: Høglund Rune Alexander , Torsetnes Silje Bøen , Lossius Andreas , Bogen Bjarne , Homan E. Jane , Bremel Robert , Holmøy Trygve
Published: September 2019

Cysteine cathepsins are critical components of the adaptive immune system involved in the generation of epitopes for presentation on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules and have been implicated in degradation of autoantigens. Immunoglobulin variable regions with somatic mutations and random complementarity region 3 amino acid composition are inherently immunogenic. T cell reactivity towards immunoglobulin variable regions has been investigated in relation to specific diseases, as well as reactivity to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Yet, how the immunoglobulins, or the B cell receptors, are processed in endolysosomal compartments of professional antigen presenting cells has not been described in detail. Here we present in silico and in vitro experimental evidence suggesting that cysteine cathepsins S, L and B may have important roles in generating peptides fitting HLA class II molecules, capable of being presented to T cells, from monoclonal antibodies as well as from central nervous system proteins including a well described autoantigen. By combining neural net models with in vitro proteomics experiments, we further suggest how such degradation can be predicted, how it fits with available cellular models, and that it is immunoglobulin heavy chain variable family dependent. These findings are relevant for biotherapeutic drug design as well as to understand disease development. We also suggest how these tools can be improved, including improved machine learning methodology.
Phenotype Analysis of Retinal Dystrophies in Light of the Underlying Genetic Defects: Application to Cone and Cone-Rod Dystrophies
Authors: Boulanger-Scemama Elise , Mohand-Saïd Saddek , El Shamieh Said , Démontant Vanessa , Condroyer Christel , Antonio Aline , Michiels Christelle , Boyard Fiona , Saraiva Jean-Paul , Letexier Mélanie , Sahel José-Alain , Zeitz Christina , Audo Isabelle
Published: September 2019

Phenotypes observed in a large cohort of patients with cone and cone-rod dystrophies (COD/CORDs) are described based on multimodal retinal imaging features in order to help in analyzing massive next-generation sequencing data. Structural abnormalities of 58 subjects with molecular diagnosis of COD/CORDs were analyzed through specific retinal imaging including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (BAF/IRAF). Findings were analyzed with the underlying genetic defects. A ring of increased autofluorescence was mainly observed in patients with CRX and GUCY2D mutations (33% and 22% of cases respectively). “Speckled” autofluorescence was observed with mutations in three different genes (ABCA4 64%; C2Orf71 and PRPH2, 18% each). Peripapillary sparing was only found in association with mutations in ABCA4, although only present in 40% of such genotypes. Regarding SD-OCT, specific outer retinal abnormalities were more commonly observed in particular genotypes: focal retrofoveal interruption and GUCY2D mutations (50%), foveal sparing and CRX mutations (50%), and outer retinal atrophy associated with hyperreflective dots and ABCA4 mutations (69%). This study outlines the phenotypic heterogeneity of COD/CORDs hampering statistical correlations. A larger study correlating retinal imaging with genetic results is necessary to identify specific clinical features that may help in selecting pathogenic variants generated by high-throughput sequencing.
Changes in Membrane Ceramide Pools in Rat Soleus Muscle in Response to Short-Term Disuse
Authors: Petrov Alexey M. , Shalagina Maria N. , Protopopov Vladimir A. , Sergeev Valeriy G. , Ovechkin Sergey V. , Ovchinina Natalia G. , Sekunov Alexey V. , Zefirov Andrey L. , Zakirjanova Guzalia F. , Bryndina Irina G.
Published: September 2019

Lipid raft disruption is an early event during skeletal muscle unloading. Ceramide (Cer) serves as a signaling lipid that can contribute to lipid raft disturbance and muscle atrophy. Using biochemical and fluorescent approaches, the distribution of Cer and related molecules in the rat soleus muscle subjected to 12 h of hindlimb suspension (HS) was studied. HS led to upregulation of TNFα receptor 1 (TNFR1), Cer-producing enzymes, and acid and neutral sphingomyelinase (SMase) in detergent-resistant membranes (lipid rafts), which was accompanied by an increase in Cer and a decrease in sphingomyelin in this membrane fraction. Fluorescent labeling indicated increased Cer in the sarcoplasm as well as the junctional (synaptic) and extrajunctional compartments of the suspended muscles. Also, a loss of membrane asymmetry (a hallmark of membrane disturbance) was induced by HS. Pretreatment with clomipramine, a functional inhibitor of acid SMase, counteracted HS-mediated changes in the Cer/sphingomyelin ratio and acid SMase abundance as well as suppressed Cer accumulation in the intracellular membranes of junctional and extrajunctional regions. However, the elevation of plasma membrane Cer and disturbance of the membrane asymmetry were suppressed only in the junctional compartment. We suggest that acute HS leads to TNFR1 and SMase upregulation in the lipid raft fraction and deposition of Cer throughout the sarcolemma and intracellularly. Clomipramine-mediated downregulation of acid SMase can suppress Cer accumulation in all compartments, excluding the extrajunctional plasma membrane.
Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Attenuates d-Galactose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Restores Gut Microbiota in Rats
Authors: Liu Xiaoyan , Wu Chenxuan , Han Dong , Liu Jun , Liu Haijie , Jiang Zhengqiang
Published: September 2019

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) has received considerable attention for its various bioactive functions. The injection of d-galactose can cause aging-related injury which is usually resulted from oxidative stress on tissues and cells. In this study, d-galactose (200 mg/kg/day) was injected into rats, and the protective effects of PHGG (500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg/day) against oxidative damages, as well as its probiotic functions, were analyzed. The results showed that PHGG treatment at a concentration of 1500 mg/kg/day greatly reduced the levels of lactic acid, nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, advanced glycation end products, and increased the telomerase activity, by 7.60%, 9.25%, 12.28%, 14.58%, and 9.01%, respectively. Moreover, PHGG significantly elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes and decreased the content of malondialdehyde in rat serum and brain. The oxidative damage was also significantly alleviated in the liver and hippocampus and the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and choline acetyltransferase also increased. Furthermore, PHGG treatment could significantly regulated the expression of sirtuin 1, forkhead box O1, and tumor protein p53 in the hippocampus. It also increased the levels of organic acids and improved the composition of intestinal microbiota. These findings demonstrated that PHGG treatment could effectively alleviate the oxidative damage and dysbacteriosis.
Characterization and Establishment of an Immortalized Rabbit Melanocyte Cell Line Using the SV40 Large T Antigen
Authors: Chen Yang , Hu Shuaishuai , Wang Manman , Zhao Bohao , Yang Naisu , Li Jiali , Chen Qiuran , Liu Ming , Zhou Juan , Bao Guolian , Wu Xinsheng
Published: September 2019

Melanocytes (MCs) are specialized cells that synthesize melanin within the melanosome. Cultured MCs are useful in order to study their role in relation to pigmentation. However, MC isolation is laborious and the obtained cells have a limited culture time. In this study, we transformed lentivirus-mediated simian virus 40 Large T (SV40-LT) into primary rabbit melanocytes (Pri RMCs) to establish an immortalized cell line. Morphologically, the immortalized RMCs (Im RMC) were indistinguishable from the Pri RMCs, and dendrites were visible following Dopa staining. No significant differences in cell proliferation or growth between immortalized and primary RMCs were observed. Based on melanocyte-specific markers, the expression of MITF, TYR, and TYRP1 were detected by PCR, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot analysis. Through karyotype, soft agar, and tumorigenesis assays, the immortalized RMCs did not undergo malignant transformation. Our results show that Im RMCs can be used as a tool cell for future MC studies on the pigmentation mechanisms of fur animals.