bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytochemicals of Minthostachys diffusa Epling and Their Health-Promoting Bioactivities
Authors: Faraone Immacolata , Russo Daniela , Chiummiento Lucia , Fernandez Eloy , Choudhary Alka , Monné Magnus , Milella Luigi , Rai Dilip K.
Published: February 2020

The genus Minthostachys belonging to the Lamiaceae family, and is an important South American mint genus used commonly in folk medicine as an aroma in cooking. The phytochemical-rich samples of the aerial parts of Minthostachys diffusa Epling. were tested for pharmacological and health-promoting bioactivities using in vitro chemical and enzymatic assays. A range of radical scavenging activities of the samples against biological radicals such as nitric oxide and superoxide anion and against synthetic 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals, the ferric reducing antioxidant power and the lipid peroxidation inhibition were determined and ranked using the ‘relative antioxidant capacity index’ (RACI). The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest RACI of +1.12. Analysis of the various fractions’ inhibitory ability against enzymes involved in diabetes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and against enzymes associated with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) also suggested that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction showed more than 30 polyphenolic compounds, including triterpenes. The inhibitory cholinesterase effects of the triterpenes identified from M. diffusa were further analysed by in silico docking of these compounds into 3D-structures of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. This is the first study on pharmacological activities and phytochemical profiling of the aerial parts of M. diffusa, showing that this plant, normally used as food in South America, is also rich in health-promoting phytochemicals.
Individual Differences in Sweetness Ratings and Cross-Modal Aroma-Taste Interactions
Authors: Bertelsen Anne Sjoerup , Mielby Line Ahm , Alexi Niki , Byrne Derek Victor , Kidmose Ulla
Published: February 2020

Aroma-taste interactions, which are believed to occur due to previous coexposure (concurrent presence of aroma and taste), have been suggested as a strategy to aid sugar reduction in food and beverages. However, coexposures might be influenced by individual differences. We therefore hypothesized that aroma-taste interactions vary across individuals. The present study investigated how individual differences (gender, age, and sweet liker status) influenced the effect of aroma on sweetness intensity among young adults. An initial screening of five aromas, all congruent with sweet taste, for their sweetness enhancing effect was carried out using descriptive analysis. Among the aromas tested, vanilla was found most promising for its sweet enhancing effects and was therefore tested across three sucrose concentrations by 129 young adults. Among the subjects tested, females were found to be more susceptible to the sweetness enhancing effect of vanilla aroma than males. For males, the addition of vanilla aroma increased the sweet taste ratings significantly for the 22–25-year-olds, but not the 19–21-year-olds. Consumers were clustered according to their sweet liker status based on their liking for the samples. Although sweet taste ratings were found to vary with the sweet liker status, aroma enhanced the sweetness ratings similarly across clusters. These results call for more targeted product development in order to aid sugar reduction.
Do French Consumers Have the Same Social Representations of Pulses as Food Industry Professionals?
Authors: Melendrez-Ruiz Juliana , Arvisenet Gaëlle , Laugel Vincent , Chambaron Stéphanie , Monnery-Patris Sandrine
Published: February 2020

Pulses present many advantages for human health, nutrition, sustainability, and the environment. Despite efforts in recent years by the pulse industry and national authorities to favor pulses, consumption in France remains relatively low, at 1.7 kg/per person in 2016, compared to 1920 when it was around 7.2 kg/per person. To understand social representations of pulses in France, 80 French nonvegetarian consumers and 35 professionals from the pulse industry were asked to say five words spontaneously evoked by the inductor “pulses”. They then had to rank these five words in order of importance and rate their valence. The structural approach was used to analyze social representations for each group independently. Our results highlight differences in the structure and content of social representations for pulses. Consumer responses suggested only vague impressions of pulses, but taste evocations were nevertheless rated positively. By contrast, professionals tended to focus specifically on protein content and culinary preparation. These differences could explain some barriers to pulse consumption, and improved communication should be a key target. Efficient communication must consider the concepts most frequently used by consumers when referring to pulses, and those ranked as most important.
The Mean Staple Length of Wool Fibre Is Associated with Variation in the Ovine Keratin-Associated Protein 21-2 Gene
Authors: Li Shaobin , Zhou Huitong , Gong Hua , Zhao Fangfang , Wang Jiqing , Liu Xiu , Hu Jiang , Luo Yuzhu , Hickford Jon G.H.
Published: February 2020

Wool and hair fibres consist of a variety of proteins, including the keratin-associated proteins (KAPs). In this study, a putative ovine homologue of the human KAP21-2 gene (KRTAP21-2) was identified. It was located on chromosome 1 as a 201-bp open reading frame (ORF) in the ovine genome assembly from a Texel sheep (v.4 NC_019458.2: nt122932727 to 122932927). A polymerase chain reaction- single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis of this ORF, and subsequent DNA sequencing, identified five sequences (named A-E). The putative amino acid sequences that would be produced, shared some identity with each other and with other KAPs, but they were most similar to ovine KAP21-1, and phylogenetically related to human KAP21-2. The location of the ovine KRTAP21-2 sequence was consistent with the location of human KRTAP21-2, and this suggests they represent different variant forms of ovine KRTAP21-2. Variation in this gene was investigated in 389 Merino (sire) × Southdown-cross (ewe) lambs. These were derived from four independent sire-lines. The sequence variation was found to be associated with variation in five wool traits: including mean staple length (MSL), mean fibre diameter (MFD), fibre diameter standard deviation (FDSD), prickle factor (PF), and greasy fleece weight (GFW). The most persistent effect of KRTAP21-2 variation was with variation in MSL; with the MSL of sheep of genotype AC being 12.5% greater than those of genotype CE. A similar effect was observed from individual variant absence/presence models. This suggests that KRTAP21-2 should be further investigated as a possible gene-marker for improving MSL.
The Impact of the Moderating Effect of Psychological Health Status on Nurse Healthcare Management Information System Usage Intention
Authors: Hsiao Shih-Jung , Tseng Hsiao-Ting
Published: February 2020

Nurses play a key role in healthcare but work in a highly stressful and unfriendly environment. Therefore, many medical institutions have adopted nurse healthcare management information systems for nurses to relieve symptoms of mental stress and even improve their psychological health. The key to the success of these systems depends on how nurses intend to use them. In this study, the moderating effect of nurses’ psychological health status on their usage of these systems are discussed. This study used a mail survey method for nurses to obtain 1565 valid samples. The results show that perceived usefulness is insignificant toward the usage intention of nurses with a positive psychological health status, which indicates that this system does not meet the needs of these healthy nurses. Furthermore, perceived ease of use is insignificant toward the usage intention of nurses with a negative psychological health status, which indicates that a negative psychological health status may affect one’s behavior due to impatience. This study raises the serious issue that nurses should maintain their psychological health in order to ensure the quality of care for patients. People in various fields are expected to pay attention to the psychological health status of nurses and create a win–win situation for both patients and nurses.
The Energy Efficiency and the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in China
Authors: He Xianhui , Chiu Yung-ho , Chang Tzu-Han , Lin Tai-Yu , Wang Zebin
Published: February 2020

The rapid growth of China’s economy in recent years has greatly improved its citizens’ living standards, but economic growth consumes many various energy sources as well as produces harmful air pollution. Nitrogen oxides, SO2 (sulfur dioxide), and other polluting gases are damaging the environment and people’s health, with a particular spike in incidences of many air pollution-related diseases in recent years. While there have been many documents discussing China’s energy and environmental issues in the past, few of them analyze economic development, air pollution, and residents’ health together. Therefore, this study uses the modified undesirable dynamic two-stage DEA (data envelopment analysis) model to explore the economic, environmental, and health efficiencies of 30 provinces in China. The empirical results show the following: (1) Most provinces have lower efficiency values in the health stage than in the production stage. (2) Among the provinces with annual efficiency values below 1, their energy consumption, CO2 (carbon dioxide), and NOx (nitrogen oxide) efficiency values have mostly declined from 2013 to 2016, while their SO2 efficiency values have increased (less SO2 emissions). (3) The growth rate of SO2 efficiency in 2016 for 10 provinces is much higher than in previous years. (4) The health expenditure efficiencies of most provinces are at a lower level and show room for improvement. (5) In most provinces, the mortality rate is higher, but on a decreasing trend. (6) Finally, as representative for a typical respiratory infection, most provinces have a high level of tuberculosis efficiency, indicating that most areas of China are highly effective at respiratory disease governance.
Florida Citrus Nursery Trends and Strategies to Enhance Production of Field-Transplant Ready Citrus Plants
Authors: Vashisth Tripti , Chun Changpin , Ozores Hampton Monica
Published: February 2020

The Florida citrus industry is going through major changes and considerable replanting. Many growers are planting varieties, especially rootstocks, that are potentially productive under Huanglongbing (HLB; Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) prevalent conditions. However, the high demand for new plant material has put tremendous pressure on citrus nurseries and has created a bottleneck in production. Often it can take more than one year to produce field-transplant ready plants in nurseries; therefore, there is a critical need to accelerate plant production. This three-part study was conducted with the following objectives: (1) determine citrus nursery trends; (2) evaluate use of compost for rootstock germination; and, (3) evaluate use of compost for rootstock seedling growth. According to the nursery survey, rootstock seed germination and seedling growth were the most time-consuming, taking 6–8 months. Moreover, it was apparent from the survey results that 44% of the citrus nurseries were experimenting with potting mixes to achieve adequate plant growth and quality. Our greenhouse study demonstrated successful use of yard waste compost in place of peat moss in a potting mix. With use of 37% to 50% of compost in the potting mix, the overall germination rate and mean emergence time were improved to 70% in less than four weeks for US-897 rootstock as compared to no compost in the potting mix. In addition, 37% to 50% compost resulted in higher biomass accumulation in seedlings. When seedlings of rootstocks C-32 and Flying Dragon were grown with 37% to 50% compost, the growth rate and, therefore, percentage of successful budding were significantly increased as compared to no compost. In addition, substrate analysis indicated that a high compost potting media was rich in mineral nutrients, hence the use of fertilizer in nurseries could be minimized. Altogether, use of compost in place of peat moss seems promising and could accelerate germination and growth of rootstocks, reducing the production time as well as cost.
Surface Electromyographic Analysis of the Suprahyoid Muscles in Infants Based on Lingual Frenulum Attachment during Breastfeeding
Authors: França Ellia Christinne Lima , Albuquerque Lucas Carvalho Aragão , Martinelli Roberta Lopes de Castro , Gonçalves Ilda Machado Fiuza , Souza Cejana Baiocchi , Barbosa Maria Alves
Published: February 2020

Muscle electrical activity analysis can aid in the identification of oral motor dysfunctions, such as those resulting from an altered lingual frenulum, which consequently impairs feeding. Here, we aim to analyze the suprahyoid muscle electrical activity of infants via surface electromyography, based on lingual frenulum attachment to the sublingual aspect of the tongue and floor of the mouth during breastfeeding. In the present study, we have studied full-term infants of both genders, aged between 1 and 4 months old. The mean muscle activities were recorded in microvolts and converted into percent values of the reference value. Associations between the root mean square and independent variables were tested by one-way analysis of variance and Student’s t-test, with a significance level of 5% and test power of 95%, respectively. We evaluated 235 infants. Lower mean muscle electrical activity was observed with the lingual frenulum attached to apex/lower alveolar ridge, followed by attachment to the middle third/lower alveolar ridge, and between the middle third and apex/lower alveolar ridge. Greater suprahyoid muscle activity was observed with lingual frenulum attachment to the middle third of the tongue/sublingual caruncles, showing a coordination between swallowing, sucking, and breathing. Surface electromyography is effective in diagnosing lingual frenulum alterations, the attachment points of which raises doubt concerning the restriction of tongue mobility. Thus, it is possible to identify oral motor dysfunctions.
Comparison of the Relative Abuse Liability of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Extracts and Nicotine Alone in Adolescent Rats: A Behavioral Economic Analysis
Authors: Harris Andrew C. , Smethells John R. , Palumbo Mary , Goniewicz Maciej , LeSage Mark G.
Published: February 2020

Background: Characterizing the determinants of the abuse liability of electronic cigarettes (ECs) in adolescents is needed to inform product regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We recently reported that Vuse Menthol EC aerosol extract containing nicotine and a range of non-nicotine constituents (e.g., menthol, propylene glycol) had reduced aversive effects compared to nicotine alone in adolescent rats, whereas Aroma E-Juice EC aerosol extract did not. The current study used a behavioral economic approach to compare the relative abuse liability of these EC extracts and nicotine alone in an i.v. self-administration (SA) model in adolescents. Methods: Adolescents were tested for the SA of EC extracts prepared using an ethanol (ETOH) solvent or nicotine and saline, with and without 4% ETOH (i.e., the same concentration in the EC extracts) in 23 h/day sessions. Results. Although acquisition of SA was faster for nicotine + ETOH compared to all other formulations, the elasticity of demand for all nicotine-containing formulations was similar. Conclusions: EC aerosol extracts did not have greater abuse liability than nicotine alone in adolescents. These data suggest that nicotine may be the primary determinant of the abuse liability of these ECs in youth, at least in terms of the primary reinforcing effects of ECs mediated within the central nervous system.
Pollution, Particles, and Dementia: A Hypothetical Causative Pathway
Authors: Seaton Anthony , Tran Lang , Chen Ruoling , Maynard Robert L. , Whalley Lawrence J.
Published: February 2020

Epidemiological studies of air pollution have shown associations between exposure to particles and dementia. The mechanism of this is unclear. As these seem unlikely in terms of the very small dose likely to reach the brain in usual Western urban circumstances, we extend our 1995 hypothetical explanation of the association of air pollution with cardiac deaths as a plausible alternative explanation of its associations with dementia. Since our original proposal, it has become apparent that inflammation may be carried by blood from organ to organ by biologic microparticles derived from cell membranes. These transmit inflammatory messages to endothelial cells throughout the body as part of a general defensive response to assumed bacterial infection; particulate air pollution has recently been shown to be associated with their release into the blood. We propose that episodic release of biologic microparticles from pollution-induced lung inflammation causes secondary inflammation in the blood-brain barrier and cerebral microbleeds, culminating over time in cognitive impairment. Ultimately, by incomplete repair and accumulation of amyloid, this increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Importantly, this mechanism may also explain the relationships of other inflammatory conditions and environmental factors with cognitive decline, and point to new opportunities to understand and prevent dementia.
The Story of Goldilocks and Three Twitter’s APIs: A Pilot Study on Twitter Data Sources and Disclosure
Authors: Kim Yoonsang , Nordgren Rachel , Emery Sherry
Published: February 2020

Public health and social science increasingly use Twitter for behavioral and marketing surveillance. However, few studies provide sufficient detail about Twitter data collection to allow either direct comparisons between studies or to support replication. The three primary application programming interfaces (API) of Twitter data sources are Streaming, Search, and Firehose. To date, no clear guidance exists about the advantages and limitations of each API, or about the comparability of the amount, content, and user accounts of retrieved tweets from each API. Such information is crucial to the validity, interpretation, and replicability of research findings. This study examines whether tweets collected using the same search filters over the same time period, but calling different APIs, would retrieve comparable datasets. We collected tweets about anti-smoking, e-cigarettes, and tobacco using the aforementioned APIs. The retrieved tweets largely overlapped between three APIs, but each also retrieved unique tweets, and the extent of overlap varied over time and by topic, resulting in different trends and potentially supporting diverging inferences. Researchers need to understand how different data sources can influence both the amount, content, and user accounts of data they retrieve from social media, in order to assess the implications of their choice of data source.
Association between Malaria Infection and Early Childhood Development Mediated by Anemia in Rural Kenya
Authors: Milner Erin M. , Kariger Patricia , Pickering Amy J. , Stewart Christine P. , Byrd Kendra , Lin Audrie , Rao Gouthami , Achando Beryl , Dentz Holly N. , Null Clair , Fernald Lia C.H.
Published: February 2020

Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years of age, with most cases occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. Children in this age group in Africa are at greatest risk worldwide for developmental deficits. There are research gaps in quantifying the risks of mild malaria cases, understanding the pathways linking malaria infection and poor child development, and evaluating the impact of malaria on the development of children under five years. We analyzed the association between malaria infection and gross motor, communication, and personal social development in 592 children age 24 months in rural, western Kenya as part of the WASH Benefits environmental enteric dysfunction sub-study. Eighteen percent of children had malaria, 20% were at risk for gross motor delay, 21% were at risk for communication delay, and 23% were at risk for personal social delay. Having a positive malaria test was associated with increased risk for gross motor, communication, and personal social delay while adjusting for child characteristics, household demographics, study cluster, and intervention treatment arm. Mediation analyses suggested that anemia was a significant mediator in the pathway between malaria infection and risk for gross motor, communication, and personal social development delays. The proportion of the total effect of malaria on the risk of developmental delay that is mediated by anemia across the subscales was small (ranging from 9% of the effect on gross motor development to 16% of the effect on communication development mediated by anemia). Overall, malaria may be associated with short-term developmental delays during a vulnerable period of early life. Therefore, preventative malaria measures and immediate treatment are imperative for children’s optimal development, particularly in light of projections of continued high malaria transmission in Kenya and Africa.
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) System Impact on Fatality and Injury Reduction in China
Authors: Tan Hong , Zhao Fuquan , Hao Han , Liu Zongwei , Amer Amer Ahmad , Babiker Hassan
Published: February 2020

The automatic emergency braking (AEB) system is an effective intelligent vehicle active safety system for avoiding certain types of collisions. This study develops a national-level safety impact evaluation model for this intelligent vehicle function, including the potential maximum impact and realistic impact. The evaluation model was firstly applied in China to provide insights into Chinese policymaking. Road traffic fatality and severe injury trends, the proportion of different collision types, the effectiveness of collision avoidance, and the AEB market penetration rates are considered in the potential maximum impact scenario. Furthermore, the AEB activation rate and the technology’s technical limitations, including its effectiveness in different weather, light, and speed conditions, are discussed in the realistic scenario. With a 100% market penetration rate, fatalities could be reduced by 13.2%, and injuries could be reduced by 9.1%. Based on China’s policy, the market penetration rate of intelligent vehicles with AEB is predicted to be 34.0% in 2025 and 60.3% in 2030. With this large market penetration rate increase of AEB, the reductions in fatalities and severe injuries are 903–2309 and 2025–5055 in 2025; and 1483–3789 and 3895–7835 in 2030, respectively. Considering AEB’s activation rate and its three main limitations, the adjusted realistic result is approximately 2/5 of the potential maximum result.
Affect Path to Flood Protective Coping Behaviors Using SEM Based on a Survey in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Huang Jing , Cao Weiwei , Wang Huimin , Wang Zhiqiang
Published: February 2020

The initial concept of flood control has gradually shifted to flood risk management which emphasizes more public participation. Therefore, understanding the public’s protective coping behavioral patterns to floods is significant, and can help improve the effectiveness of public participation and implementation of flood-mitigation measures. However, the quantitative effect of socio-demographic factors on flood risk perception and behaviors is not clear. In this study, the socio-demographic factors are included to explore the quantitative relationship with and the affect path to flood protective coping behaviors with socio-demographic factors are studied. Shenzhen City in China is chosen as the study area, which suffers frequent urban floods every year. Questionnaire surveys are conducted in five flood-prone communities there, and 339 valid questionnaires were collected. The correlations between flood risk perception, flood risk knowledge, flood risk attitude, socio-demographic factors, and protective coping behaviors are analyzed firstly. A structural equation model (SEM) about these factors is then established to verify the correctness of hypothetical paths and discover new paths. The results indicates that socio-demographic factors and flood risk perception do not have impacts on protective coping behaviors directly, but are mediated by flood risk knowledge and flood risk attitude. Flood risk attitude is an important factor that affects protective coping behaviors directly. Moreover, two affect paths to flood protective coping behaviors are proposed. The findings of Shenzhen city in this study can be extended to other cities with similar characteristics, providing support for conducting effective flood mitigation measures.
Dynamics of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in An Arid Piedmont Plain in the Middle Reaches of the Kaxgar River Basin, Xinjiang, China
Authors: Wei Tianfeng , Shangguan Donghui , Shen Xia , Ding Yongjian , Yi Shuhua
Published: February 2020

The Kaxgar River Basin, a key section of the Tarim River Basin, is a typical ecologically fragile region that has undergone rapid changes to its spatial patterns over the preceding few decades. In particular, the expansion of salinized land has posed a severe threat to ecological restoration and economic development. This study monitored the rates and patterns of land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the plain area of Aketao County in the middle reaches of the Kaxgar River Basin. Five Landsat images (captured in 1990, 1998, 2002, 2013, and 2018) were divided into seven LULC types: built-up land, cultivated land, woodland and grassland, light-moderate salinized land, heavy salinized land, water areas, and bare land. Subsequently, their dynamic processes were analyzed. The results revealed that in 1990, the dominant LULCs were cultivated land, woodland and grassland, and bare land. Throughout the study period (from 1990 to 2018), the coverage of built-up land, cultivated land, bare land, water areas, and light-moderate salinized land increased; by contrast, that of the other LULC types decreased. The most marked LULC changes were the expansion of light-moderate salinized land (by 6.2% of the study area) and the shrinkage of woodland and grassland (by 9.4% of the study area). Almost all the analyzed LULC types underwent conversion to other types; such conversion occurred most frequently between 1998 and 2018. The conversions of woodland and grassland into cultivated land and light-moderate salinized land were the most notable phenomena. Another highly evident change was the conversion of heavy salinized land into bare land. These results revealed that the expansion of salinized land and the shrinkage of woodland and grassland in the study area were the most severe environmental changes. Therefore, ecological protection and salinization control are urgently required to enable local economic development while not exceeding the environmental carrying capacity and ensuring the safety of the “green corridor” in the lower reaches of the Kaxgar River Basin.
A Survey on Big Data for Trajectory Analytics
Authors: Ribeiro de Almeida Damião , de Souza Baptista Cláudio , Gomes de Andrade Fabio , Soares Amilcar
Published: February 2020

Trajectory data allow the study of the behavior of moving objects, from humans to animals. Wireless communication, mobile devices, and technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS) have contributed to the growth of the trajectory research field. With the considerable growth in the volume of trajectory data, storing such data into Spatial Database Management Systems (SDBMS) has become challenging. Hence, Spatial Big Data emerges as a data management technology for indexing, storing, and retrieving large volumes of spatio-temporal data. A Data Warehouse (DW) is one of the premier Big Data analysis and complex query processing infrastructures. Trajectory Data Warehouses (TDW) emerge as a DW dedicated to trajectory data analysis. A list and discussions on problems that use TDW and forward directions for the works in this field are the primary goals of this survey. This article collected state-of-the-art on Big Data trajectory analytics. Understanding how the research in trajectory data are being conducted, what main techniques have been used, and how they can be embedded in an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) architecture can enhance the efficiency and development of decision-making systems that deal with trajectory data.
IBTK Haploinsufficiency Affects the Tumor Microenvironment of Myc-Driven Lymphoma in E-myc Mice
Authors: Vecchio Eleonora , Fiume Giuseppe , Mignogna Chiara , Iaccino Enrico , Mimmi Selena , Maisano Domenico , Trapasso Francesco , Quinto Ileana
Published: February 2020

The tumor microenvironment is a dynamic and interactive supporting network of various components, including blood vessels, cytokines, chemokines, and immune cells, which sustain the tumor cell’s survival and growth. Murine models of lymphoma are useful to study tumor biology, the microenvironment, and mechanisms of response to therapy. Lymphomas are heterogeneous hematologic malignancies, and the complex microenvironment from which they arise and their multifaceted genetic basis represents a challenge for the generation and use of an appropriate murine model. So, it is important to choose the correct methodology. Recently, we supported the first evidence on the pro-oncogenic action of IBTK in Myc-driven B cell lymphomagenesis in mice, inhibiting apoptosis in the pre-cancerous stage. We used the transgenic Eμ-myc mouse model of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Ibtk hemizygous mice to evaluate the tumor development of Myc-driven lymphoma. Here, we report that the allelic loss of Ibtk alters the immunophenotype of Myc-driven B cell lymphomas, increasing the rate of pre-B cells and affecting the tumor microenvironment in Eμ-myc mice. In particular, we observed enhanced tumor angiogenesis, increasing pro-angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors, such as VEGF, MMP-9, CCL2, and VEGFD, and a significant recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages in lymphomas of Ibtk+/- Eμ-myc compared to Ibtk+/+ Eμ-myc mice. In summary, these results indicate that IBTK haploinsufficiency promotes Myc tumor development by modifying the tumor microenvironment.
Hepatitis C Virus p7 Induces Membrane Permeabilization by Interacting with Phosphatidylserine
Authors: Lee Hye-Ra , Lee Gi Young , You Deok-Gyun , Kim Hong Kyu , Yoo Young Do
Published: February 2020

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) p7 is known to be a nonselective cation channel for HCV maturation. Because the interaction of HCV proteins with host lipids in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane is crucial for the budding process, the identification of p7–lipid interactions could be important for understanding the HCV life cycle. Here, we report that p7 interacts with phosphatidylserine (PS) to induce membrane permeabilization. The interaction of p7 with PS was not inhibited by Gd3+ ions, which have been known to interact with negatively charged lipids, but channel activity and p7-induced mitochondrial depolarization were inhibited by Gd3+ ions. From the present results, we suggest that the p7–PS interaction plays an essential role in regulating its ion channel function and could be a potential molecular target for anti-HCV therapy.
Potential Molecular Mimicry Proteins Responsive to α-pinene in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
Authors: Meng Fanli , Li Yongxia , Liu Zhenkai , Wang Xuan , Feng Yuqian , Zhang Wei , Zhang Xingyao
Published: February 2020

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is a nematode species that has damaged pine trees worldwide, but its pathogenesis has not been fully characterized. α-pinene helps protect host species during the early B. xylophilus infection and colonization stages. In this study, we identified potential molecular mimicry proteins based on a comparative transcriptomic analysis of B. xylophilus. The expression levels of three genes encoding secreted B. xylophilus proteins were influenced by α-pinene. We cloned one gene encoding a thaumatin-like protein, Bx-tlp-2 (accession number MK000287), and another gene encoding a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, Bx-cpi (accession number MK000288). Additionally, α-pinene appeared to induce Bx-tlp-1 expression, but had the opposite effect on Bx-cpi expression. An analysis of the expression of the potential molecular mimicry proteins in B. xylophilus infecting pine trees revealed that the α-pinene content was consistent with the expression levels of Bx-tlp-1 (Bx-cpi) and Pm-tlp (Pm-cpi) over time. Thus, these genes likely have important roles contributing to the infection of pine species by B. xylophilus. The results of this study may be relevant for future investigations of the functions of Bx-tlp-1, Bx-tlp-2 and Bx-cpi, which may provide a point to explore the relationship between B. xylophilus and host pines.
Characterization and Identification of Natural Antimicrobial Peptides on Different Organisms
Authors: Chung Chia-Ru , Jhong Jhih-Hua , Wang Zhuo , Chen Siyu , Wan Yu , Horng Jorng-Tzong , Lee Tzong-Yi
Published: February 2020

Because of the rapid development of multidrug resistance, conventional antibiotics cannot kill pathogenic bacteria efficiently. New antibiotic treatments such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can provide a possible solution to the antibiotic-resistance crisis. However, the identification of AMPs using experimental methods is expensive and time-consuming. Meanwhile, few studies use amino acid compositions (AACs) and physicochemical properties with different sequence lengths against different organisms to predict AMPs. Therefore, the major purpose of this study is to identify AMPs on seven categories of organisms, including amphibians, humans, fish, insects, plants, bacteria, and mammals. According to the one-rule attribute evaluation, the selected features were used to construct the predictive models based on the random forest algorithm. Compared to the accuracies of iAMP-2L (a web-server for identifying AMPs and their functional types), ADAM (a database of AMP), and MLAMP (a multi-label AMP classifier), the proposed method yielded higher than 92% in predicting AMPs on each category. Additionally, the sensitivities of the proposed models in the prediction of AMPs of seven organisms were higher than that of all other tools. Furthermore, several physicochemical properties (charge, hydrophobicity, polarity, polarizability, secondary structure, normalized van der Waals volume, and solvent accessibility) of AMPs were investigated according to their sequence lengths. As a result, the proposed method is a practical means to complement the existing tools in the characterization and identification of AMPs in different organisms.
Bumetanide Suppression of Angiogenesis in a Rat Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy
Authors: Guzel Sibel , Cai Charles L. , Ahmad Taimur , Quan Michelle , Valencia Gloria B. , Aranda Jacob V. , Beharry Kay D.
Published: February 2020

Aquaporins (AQPs) are involved in hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and retinal damage. Bumetanide is a diuretic agent, Na+/K+/Cl− cotransporter (NKCC1), and AQP 1–4 inhibitor. We tested the hypothesis that early postnatal treatment with bumetanide suppresses biomarkers of angiogenesis and decreases severe retinopathy oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Neonatal rats were exposed at birth (P0) to either (1) room air (RA); (2) hyperoxia (50% O2); or (3) intermittent hypoxia (IH) consisting of 50% O2 with brief, clustered episodes of 12% O2 from P0 to postnatal day 14 (P14), during which they were treated intraperitoneally (IP) with bumetanide (0.1 mg/kg/day) or an equivalent volume of saline, on P0–P2. Pups were examined at P14 or allowed to recover in RA from P14–P21. Retinal angiogenesis, morphometry, pathology, AQPs, and angiogenesis biomarkers were determined at P14 and P21. Bumetanide reduced vascular abnormalities associated with severe OIR. This was associated with reductions in AQP-4 and VEGF. Bumetanide suppressed sVEGFR-1 in the serum and vitreous fluid, but levels were increased in the ocular tissues during recovery. Similar responses were noted for IGF-I. In this model, early systemic bumetanide administration reduces severe OIR, the benefits of which appear to be mediated via suppression of AQP-4 and VEGF. Further studies are needed to determine whether bumetanide at the right doses may be considered a potential pharmacologic agent to treat retinal neovascularization.
miR-21-5p Under-Expression in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Modulates Intermittent Hypoxia with Re-Oxygenation-Induced-Cell Apoptosis and Cytotoxicity by Targeting Pro-Inflammatory TNF-α-TLR4 Signaling
Authors: Chen Yung-Che , Hsu Po-Yuan , Su Mao-Chang , Chin Chien-Hung , Liou Chia-Wei , Wang Ting-Ya , Lin Yong-Yong , Lee Chiu Ping , Lin Meng-Chih , Hsiao Chang-Chun
Published: February 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the anti-inflammatory role of microRNAs (miR)-21 and miR-23 targeting the TLR/TNF-α pathway in response to chronic intermittent hypoxia with re-oxygenation (IHR) injury in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Gene expression levels of the miR-21/23a, and their predicted target genes were assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 40 treatment-naive severe OSA patients, and 20 matched subjects with primary snoring (PS). Human monocytic THP-1 cell lines were induced to undergo apoptosis under IHR exposures, and transfected with miR-21-5p mimic. Both miR-21-5p and miR-23-3p gene expressions were decreased in OSA patients as compared with that in PS subjects, while TNF-α gene expression was increased. Both miR-21-5p and miR-23-3p gene expressions were negatively correlated with apnea hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index, while TNF-α gene expression positively correlated with apnea hypopnea index. In vitro IHR treatment resulted in decreased miR-21-5p and miR-23-3p expressions. Apoptosis, cytotoxicity, and gene expressions of their predicted target genes—including TNF-α, ELF2, NFAT5, HIF-2α, IL6, IL6R, EDNRB, and TLR4—were all increased in response to IHR, while all were reversed with miR-21-5p mimic transfection under IHR condition. The findings provide biological insight into mechanisms by which IHR-suppressed miRs protect cell apoptosis via inhibit inflammation, and indicate that over-expression of the miR-21-5p may be a new therapy for OSA.
EHMT2 Inhibition Induces Cell Death in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Altering the Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathway
Authors: Kim Haeun , Choi Seo Yoon , Lim Jinyeong , Lindroth Anders M. , Park Yoon Jung
Published: February 2020

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major subtype of lung cancer. Besides genetic and environmental factors, epigenetic alterations contribute to the tumorigenesis of NSCLC. Epigenetic changes are considered key drivers of cancer initiation and progression, and altered expression and activity of epigenetic modifiers reshape the epigenetic landscape in cancer cells. Euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2) is a histone methyltransferase and catalyzes mono- and di-methylation at histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me1 and H3K9me2, respectively), leading to gene silencing. EHMT2 overexpression has been reported in various types of cancer, including ovarian cancer and neuroblastoma, in relation to cell proliferation and metastasis. However, its role in NSCLC is not fully understood. In this study, we showed that EHMT2 gene expression was higher in NSCLC than normal lung tissue based on publicly available data. Inhibition of EHMT2 by BIX01294 (BIX) reduced cell viability of NSCLC cell lines via induction of autophagy. Through RNA sequencing analysis, we found that EHMT2 inhibition significantly affected the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. BIX treatment directly induced the expression of SREBF2, which is a master regulator of cholesterol biosynthesis, by lowering H3K9me1 and H3K9me2 at the promoter. Treatment of a cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor, 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC), partially recovered BIX-induced cell death by attenuating autophagy. Our data demonstrated that EHMT2 inhibition effectively induced cell death in NSCLC cells through altering cholesterol metabolism-dependent autophagy.
Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chondrospheroids Cultured in Hypoxia and a 3D Porous Chitosan/Chitin Nanocrystal Scaffold as a Platform for Cartilage Tissue Engineering
Authors: Zubillaga Veronica , Alonso-Varona Ana , Fernandes Susana C. M. , Salaberria Asier M. , Palomares Teodoro
Published: February 2020

Articular cartilage degeneration is one of the most common causes of pain and disability in middle-aged and older people. Tissue engineering (TE) has shown great therapeutic promise for this condition. The design of cartilage regeneration constructs must take into account the specific characteristics of the cartilaginous matrix, as well as the avascular nature of cartilage and its cells’ peculiar arrangement in isogenic groups. Keeping these factors in mind, we have designed a 3D porous scaffold based on genipin-crosslinked chitosan/chitin nanocrystals for spheroid chondral differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) induced in hypoxic conditions. First, we demonstrated that, under low oxygen conditions, the chondrospheroids obtained express cartilage-specific markers including collagen type II (COL2A1) and aggrecan, lacking expression of osteogenic differentiation marker collagen type I (COL1A2). These results were associated with an increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, which positively directs COL2A1 and aggrecan expression. Finally, we determined the most suitable chondrogenic differentiation pattern when hASC spheroids were seeded in the 3D porous scaffold under hypoxia and obtained a chondral extracellular matrix with a high sulphated glycosaminoglycan content, which is characteristic of articular cartilage. These findings highlight the potential use of such templates in cartilage tissue engineering.
Comparison between Geostatistical Interpolation and Numerical Weather Model Predictions for Meteorological Conditions Mapping
Authors: López Gómez Javier , Troncoso Pastoriza Francisco , Granada Álvarez Enrique , Eguía Oller Pablo
Published: February 2020

Mapping of meteorological conditions surrounding road infrastructures is a critical tool to identify high-risk spots related to harsh weather. However, local or regional data are not always available, and researchers and authorities must rely on coarser observations or predictions. Thus, choosing a suitable method for downscaling global data to local levels becomes essential to obtain accurate information. This work presents a deep analysis of the performance of two of these methods, commonly used in meteorology science: Universal Kriging geostatistical interpolation and Weather Research and Forecasting numerical weather prediction outputs. Estimations from both techniques are compared on 11 locations in central continental Portugal during January 2019, using measured data from a weather station network as the ground truth. Results show the different performance characteristics of both algorithms based on the nature of the specific variable interpolated, highlighting potential correlations to obtain the most accurate data for each case. Hence, this work provides a solid foundation for the selection of the most appropriate tool for mapping of weather conditions at the local level over linear transport infrastructures.
Interference Competition for Mutualism between Ant Species Mediates Ant-Mealybug Associations
Authors: Liu Yongheng , Xu Chong , Li Qiuling , Zhou Aiming
Published: February 2020

Ant-hemipteran mutualism has been well documented, and many studies have reported the interference competition between ant species for the mutualism. However, little is known on how this interference competition impacts the reciprocally beneficial association. Previous studies demonstrated that the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) has established close mutual relationship with the ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius). The sympatric ants, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) and Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander) were frequently observed to compete for nutrient honeydew produced by P. solenopsis with T. melanocephalum. Herein, we investigated the effects of interference competition between the ant species on the ant-mealybug interactions. Phenacoccus solenopsis benefited from the tending by T. melanocephalum and P. longicornis. Interference competition between T. melanocephalum and P. longicornis interrupted the mutualism, suppressed the trailing activity of both species, but negligibly influenced the parasitism of Aenasius bambawalei Hayat, a solitary endoparasitoid of P. solenopsis. Harmonia axyridis, a predator of P. solenopsis, showed a significant avoidance when encountering with T. melanocephalum or P. longicornis, but not T. bicarinatum. Ant workers showed higher aggressiveness and lower exploratory activity when T. melanocephalum encountered P. longicornis. However, competition between T. melanocephalum and T. bicarinatum seldom influenced the trailing and exploratory activity of T. melanocephalum. It is concluded that interference competition for mutualism between ant species can mediate ant-mealybug associations and the fitness of mealybug colony. Our results also demonstrate that the effects of interference competition between ant species on ant-mealybug mutualism are varied among ant species.
Ovitraps Provide a Reliable Estimate of Wolbachia Frequency during wMelBr Strain Deployment in a Geographically Isolated Aedes aegypti Population
Authors: de Jesus Camila P. , Dias Fernando B.S. , Villela Daniel M.A. , Maciel-de-Freitas Rafael
Published: February 2020

Deployment of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying the endosymbiont bacterium Wolbachia has been identified as a promising strategy to reduce dengue, chikungunya, and Zika transmission. We investigated whether sampling larvae from ovitraps can provide reliable estimates on Wolbachia frequency during releases, as compared to the expensive adult-based BG-Sentinel. We conducted pilot releases in a semi-field system (SFS) divided into six cages of 21 m2, each with five ovitraps. Five treatments were chosen to represent different points of a hypothetical invasion curve: 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 90% of Wolbachia frequency. Collected eggs were counted and hatched, and the individuals from a net sample of 27% of larvae per treatment were screened for Wolbachia presence by RT-qPCR. Ovitrap positioning had no effect on egg hatching rate. Treatment strongly affected the number of eggs collected and also the hatching rate, especially when Wolbachia was at a 10% frequency. A second observation was done during the release of Wolbachia in Rio under a population replacement approach when bacterium frequency was estimated using 30 BG-Sentinel traps and 45 ovitraps simultaneously. By individually screening 35% (N = 3904) of larvae collected by RT-qPCR, we were able to produce a similar invasion curve to the one observed when all adults were individually screened. If sampling is reduced to 20%, monitoring Wolbachia frequency with 45 ovitraps would be roughly half the cost of screening all adult mosquitoes captured by 30 BG-Sentinels. Our findings support the scale-up of Wolbachia releases, especially in areas with limited resources to afford massive trapping with BG-Sentinel traps.