bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case Report: Wound Closure Acceleration in a Patient With Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Using a Lyophilised Amniotic Membrane
Authors: Lipový Bretislav , Hladík Martin , Štourač Petr , Forostyak Serhiy
Published: April 2021

Background: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare life-threatening disease that mainly affects the skin and mucous membranes, resulting from a toxic delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction (type IV reaction) to the presence of foreign antigens such as drugs. The clinical symptoms are caused by pathophysiological processes leading to massive apoptosis of keratinocytes in the dermo-epidermal junction. This results in the formation of a bulla and subsequent separation of the entire epidermis with the exposure of the dermis. The current approach in the local therapy of TEN prefers the use of biological dressings, which helps provide several critical requirements for defect healing; in particular, it helps in the acceleration of the spontaneous wound closure (re-epithelialization) of the skin defect and the reduction of the risk of development of various complications and infections, such as the risk of pathological scar maturation. This paper is a case report of the use of a lyophilized amniotic membrane (AM) for accelerating wound healing in a patient with TEN.

Case Presentation: We report a case of an 8-year-old girl transferred to our center with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of TEN. Despite the application of immunosuppressive therapy consisting of corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulins, we have observed disease progression and exfoliation of up to 60% of the total body surface area (TBSA). In the facial area, which is cosmetically privileged, we decided to use the lyophilized amniotic membrane (Amnioderm®) to cover up approximately 2% of the TBSA. Within 2 days after the application, we observed accelerated reepithelialisation, with rapid wound closure. We have not observed any side effects nor infections during the subsequent phases of wound healing. Skin defects in non-facial areas of the body were treated with synthetic dressings. When compared to the areas covered with the lyophilized AM, the healing process was prolonged.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first case study using a lyophilized amniotic membrane in the treatment of a patient with TEN. The AM application in the cosmetically-privileged area (face), proved to be very efficient in the treatment of TEN patients. The use of this allogeneic material demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and caused a unique acceleration of epithelialization and wound healing, yielding also excellent long-term results. The current study opens broad possibilities for clinical application of the used material, the improvement of current therapy of patients with TEN and better outcomes and recovery of patients.
Small Molecule Screen Reveals Joint Regulation of Stress Granule Formation and Lipid Droplet Biogenesis
Authors: Amen Triana , Kaganovich Daniel
Published: April 2021

Metabolic regulation is a necessary component of all stress response pathways, because all different mechanisms of stress-adaptation place high-energy demands on the cell. Mechanisms that integrate diverse stress response pathways with their metabolic components are therefore of great interest, but few are known. We show that stress granule (SG) formation, a common adaptive response to a variety of stresses, is reciprocally regulated by the pathways inducing lipid droplet accumulation. Inability to upregulate lipid droplets reduces stress granule formation. Stress granule formation in turn drives lipid droplet clustering and fatty acid accumulation. Our findings reveal a novel connection between stress response pathways and new modifiers of stress granule formation.
Taurine Attenuates the Hypotaurine-Induced Progression of CRC via ERK/RSK Signaling
Authors: Hou Xiaodan , Hu Junwei , Zhao Xinyu , Wei Qing , Zhao Rongping , Li Min , Li Qiong
Published: April 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and previous metabolomics work has demonstrated great promise in identifying specific small molecules of tumor phenotype. In the present study, we analyzed the metabolites of resected tissues through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and found that the concentration of taurine in CRC tissues diminished whereas the concentration of hypotaurine increased. The results in vitro demonstrated that taurine significantly suppressed cellular proliferation, metastasis, and colony formation whereas it induced apoptosis in CRC cells. Furthermore, taurine regulated the expression levels of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes in a dose-dependent manner. Taurine also alleviated hypotaurine-induced CRC progression, which was linked to the inhibition of the ERK/RSK-signaling pathway and diminution in intracellular hypotaurine. Taurine additionally attenuated hypotaurine-induced tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Patients with CRC exhibited lower levels of serum taurine, suggesting that taurine might be a promising biomarker reflecting a poor prognosis in CRC. Collectively, our results demonstrated that taurine-attenuated, hypotaurine-induced CRC progression provides a potential target for CRC therapy.
Hyperglycemia-Induced Dysregulated Fusion Intermediates in Insulin-Secreting Cells Visualized by Super-Resolution Microscopy
Authors: Yang Guoyi , Li Liuju , Liu Yanmei , Liang Kuo , Wei Lisi , Chen Liangyi
Published: April 2021

Impaired insulin release is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes and is closely related to chronically elevated glucose concentrations, known as “glucotoxicity.” However, the molecular mechanisms by which glucotoxicity impairs insulin secretion remain poorly understood. In addition to known kiss-and-run and kiss-and-stay fusion events in INS-1 cells, ultrafast Hessian structured illumination microscopy (Hessian SIM) enables full fusion to be categorized according to the newly identified structures, such as ring fusion (those with enlarged pores) or dot fusion (those without apparent pores). In addition, we identified four fusion intermediates during insulin exocytosis: initial pore opening, vesicle collapse, enlarged pore formation, and final pore dilation. Long-term incubation in supraphysiological doses of glucose reduced exocytosis in general and increased the occurrence of kiss-and-run events at the expense of reduced full fusion. In addition, hyperglycemia delayed pore opening, vesicle collapse, and enlarged pore formation in full fusion events. It also reduced the size of apparently enlarged pores, all of which contributed to the compromised insulin secretion. These phenotypes were mostly due to the hyperglycemia-induced reduction in syntaxin-1A (Stx-1A) and SNAP-25 protein, since they could be recapitulated by the knockdown of endogenous Stx-1A and SNAP-25. These findings suggest essential roles for the vesicle fusion type and intermediates in regulating insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells in normal and disease conditions.
NiO Nanosheets Coupled With CdS Nanorods as 2D/1D Heterojunction for Improved Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Wei Lin , Zeng Deqian , Xie Zongzhuo , Zeng Qingru , Zheng Hongfei , Fujita Toyohisa , Wei Yuezhou
Published: April 2021

Designing low-cost, environment friendly, and highly active photocatalysts for water splitting is a promising path toward relieving energy issues. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanorods are uniformly anchored onto two-dimensional (2D) NiO nanosheets to achieve enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The optimized 2D/1D NiO/CdS photocatalyst exhibits a remarkable boosted hydrogen generation rate of 1,300 μmol h−1 g−1 under visible light, which is more than eight times higher than that of CdS nanorods. Moreover, the resultant 5% NiO/CdS composite displays excellent stability over four cycles for photocatalytic hydrogen production. The significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity of the 2D/1D NiO/CdS heterojunction can be attributed to the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers driven from the formation of p-n NiO/CdS heterojunction. This study paves a new way to develop 2D p-type NiO nanosheets-decorated n-type semiconductor photocatalysts for photocatalytic applications.
Phage Endolysin LysP108 Showed Promising Antibacterial Potential Against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lu Yifei , Wang Yingran , Wang Jing , Zhao Yan , Zhong Qiu , Li Gang , Fu Zhifeng , Lu Shuguang
Published: April 2021

As a potential antibacterial agent, endolysin can directly lyse Gram-positive bacteria from the outside and does not lead to drug resistance. Considering that XN108 is the first reported methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain in mainland China with a vancomycin MIC that exceeds 8 µg mL-1, we conducted a systematic study on its phage-encoded endolysin LysP108. Standard plate counting method revealed that LysP108 could lyse S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with damaged outer membrane, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of live bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that S. aureus cells could be lysed directly from the outside by LysP108. Live/dead bacteria staining results indicated that LysP108 possessed strong bactericidal ability, with an anti-bacterial rate of approximately 90%. Crystal violet staining results implied that LysP108 could also inhibit and destroy bacterial biofilms. In vivo animal experiments suggested that the area of subcutaneous abscess of mice infected with MRSA was significantly reduced after the combined injection of LysP108 and vancomycin in comparison with monotherapy. The synergistic antibacterial effects of LysP108 and vancomycin were confirmed. Therefore, the present data strongly support the idea that endolysin LysP108 exhibits promising antibacterial potential to be used as a candidate for the treatment of infections caused by MRSA.
Undoing Equivalence: Rethinking Carbon Accounting for Just Carbon Removal
Authors: Carton Wim , Lund Jens Friis , Dooley Kate
Published: April 2021

Concerns are increasingly raised over the centrality of carbon removal in climate policy, particularly in the guise of “net-zero” targets. Most significantly perhaps, treating emissions and removals as equivalent obscures emission reductions, resulting in “mitigation deterrence.” Yet the conflation of emission reductions and removals is only one among several implicit equivalences in carbon removal accounting. Here, we examine three other forms—carbon, geographical, and temporal equivalence—and discuss their implications for climate justice and the environmental risks with carbon removal. We conclude that “undoing” these equivalences would further a just response to the climate crisis and tentatively explore what such undoing might look like in practice.
Crossing the “Cookie Theft” Corpus Chasm: Applying What BERT Learns From Outside Data to the ADReSS Challenge Dementia Detection Task
Authors: Guo Yue , Li Changye , Roan Carol , Pakhomov Serguei , Cohen Trevor
Published: April 2021

Large amounts of labeled data are a prerequisite to training accurate and reliable machine learning models. However, in the medical domain in particular, this is also a stumbling block as accurately labeled data are hard to obtain. DementiaBank, a publicly available corpus of spontaneous speech samples from a picture description task widely used to study Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients' language characteristics and for training classification models to distinguish patients with AD from healthy controls, is relatively small—a limitation that is further exacerbated when restricting to the balanced subset used in the Alzheimer's Dementia Recognition through Spontaneous Speech (ADReSS) challenge. We build on previous work showing that the performance of traditional machine learning models on DementiaBank can be improved by the addition of normative data from other sources, evaluating the utility of such extrinsic data to further improve the performance of state-of-the-art deep learning based methods on the ADReSS challenge dementia detection task. To this end, we developed a new corpus of professionally transcribed recordings from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), resulting in 1366 additional Cookie Theft Task transcripts, increasing the available training data by an order of magnitude. Using these data in conjunction with DementiaBank is challenging because the WLS metadata corresponding to these transcripts do not contain dementia diagnoses. However, cognitive status of WLS participants can be inferred from results of several cognitive tests including semantic verbal fluency available in WLS data. In this work, we evaluate the utility of using the WLS ‘controls’ (participants without indications of abnormal cognitive status), and these data in conjunction with inferred ‘cases’ (participants with such indications) for training deep learning models to discriminate between language produced by patients with dementia and healthy controls. We find that incorporating WLS data during training a BERT model on ADReSS data improves its performance on the ADReSS dementia detection task, supporting the hypothesis that incorporating WLS data adds value in this context. We also demonstrate that weighted cost functions and additional prediction targets may be effective ways to address issues arising from class imbalance and confounding effects due to data provenance.
Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol 4: The Notable Risk Factor of Coronary Artery Disease Development
Authors: Wu Dongmei , Yang Qiuju , Su Baohua , Hao Jia , Ma Huirong , Yuan Weilan , Gao Junhui , Ding Feifei , Xu Yue , Wang Huifeng , Zhao Jiangman , Li Bingqiang
Published: April 2021

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, which has a long asymptomatic period of atherosclerosis. Thus, it is crucial to develop efficient strategies or biomarkers to assess the risk of CAD in asymptomatic individuals.

Methods: A total of 356 consecutive CAD patients and 164 non-CAD controls diagnosed using coronary angiography were recruited. Blood lipids, other baseline characteristics, and clinical information were investigated in this study. In addition, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) subfractions were classified and quantified using the Lipoprint system. Based on these data, we performed comprehensive analyses to investigate the risk factors for CAD development and to predict CAD risk.

Results: Triglyceride, LDLC-3, LDLC-4, LDLC-5, LDLC-6, and total small and dense LDL-C were significantly higher in the CAD patients than those in the controls, whereas LDLC-1 and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) had significantly lower levels in the CAD patients. Logistic regression analysis identified male [odds ratio (OR) = 2.875, P < 0.001], older age (OR = 1.018, P = 0.025), BMI (OR = 1.157, P < 0.001), smoking (OR = 4.554, P < 0.001), drinking (OR = 2.128, P < 0.016), hypertension (OR = 4.453, P < 0.001), and diabetes mellitus (OR = 8.776, P < 0.001) as clinical risk factors for CAD development. Among blood lipids, LDLC-3 (OR = 1.565, P < 0.001), LDLC-4 (OR = 3.566, P < 0.001), and LDLC-5 (OR = 6.866, P < 0.001) were identified as risk factors. To predict CAD risk, six machine learning models were constructed. The XGboost model showed the highest AUC score (0.945121), which could distinguish CAD patients from the controls with a high accuracy. LDLC-4 played the most important role in model construction.

Conclusions: The established models showed good performance for CAD risk prediction, which can help screen high-risk CAD patients in asymptomatic population, so that further examination and prevention treatment might be taken before any sudden or serious event.
A Serpin With a Finger in Many PAIs: PAI-1's Central Function in Thromboinflammation and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Morrow Gael B. , Whyte Claire S. , Mutch Nicola J.
Published: April 2021

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is a member of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) superfamily. PAI-1 is the principal inhibitor of the plasminogen activators, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Turbulence in the levels of PAI-1 tilts the balance of the hemostatic system resulting in bleeding or thrombotic complications. Not surprisingly, there is strong evidence that documents the role of PAI-1 in cardiovascular disease. The more recent uncovering of the coalition between the hemostatic and inflammatory pathways has exposed a distinct role for PAI-1. The storm of proinflammatory cytokines liberated during inflammation, including IL-6 and TNF-α, directly influence PAI-1 synthesis and increase circulating levels of this serpin. Consequently, elevated levels of PAI-1 are commonplace during infection and are frequently associated with a hypofibrinolytic state and thrombotic complications. Elevated PAI-1 levels are also a feature of metabolic syndrome, which is defined by a cluster of abnormalities including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and elevated triglyceride. Metabolic syndrome is in itself defined as a proinflammatory state associated with elevated levels of cytokines. In addition, insulin has a direct impact on PAI-1 synthesis bridging these pathways. This review describes the key physiological functions of PAI-1 and how these become perturbed during disease processes. We focus on the direct relationship between PAI-1 and inflammation and the repercussion in terms of an ensuing hypofibrinolytic state and thromboembolic complications. Collectively, these observations strengthen the utility of PAI-1 as a viable drug target for the treatment of various diseases.
Stretching and Contraction of Extensional Basins With Pre-Rift Salt: A Numerical Modeling Approach
Authors: Granado Pablo , Ruh Jonas B. , Santolaria Pablo , Strauss Philipp , Muñoz Josep Anton
Published: April 2021

We present a series of 2D thermo-mechanical numerical experiments of thick-skinned crustal extension including a pre-rift salt horizon and subsequent thin-, thick-skinned, or mixed styles of convergence accompanied by surface processes. Extension localization along steep basement faults produces half-graben structures and leads to variations in the original distribution of pre-rift salt. Thick-skinned extension rate and salt rheology control hanging wall accommodation space as well as the locus and timing of minibasin grounding. Upon shortening, extension-related basement steps hinder forward propagation of evolving shallow thrust systems; conversely, if full basin inversion takes place along every individual fault, the regional salt layer is placed back to its pre-extensional configuration, constituting a regionally continuous décollement. Continued shortening and basement involvement deform the shallow fold-thrust structures and locally breaches the shallow décollement. We aim at obtaining a series of structural, stratigraphic and kinematic templates of fold-and-thrust belts involving rift basins with an intervening pre-rift salt horizon. Numerical results are compared to natural cases of salt-related inversion tectonics to better understand their structural evolution.
Compositional Variation of Amphiboles During Magma Mixing: A Case Study of Huangyangshan A-Type Granite in Kalamaili Metallogenic Belt, East Junggar, China
Authors: Ye Chenyang , Feng Yonggang , Lei Ruxiong , Yang Gaoxue
Published: April 2021

The Huangyangshan A-type granitic pluton, distributed along the thrust fault in the Kalamaili region of East Junggar, Xinjiang, China, consists of alkaline granite containing abundant dioritic enclaves that formed via magma mixing. Both the host granite and the enclaves contain sodic amphiboles. The textural evidence indicates that amphiboles crystallized as a magmatic phase in both units. We determined major and trace element contents of amphiboles from both units to investigate the compositional variation of the amphiboles during the magma mixing process. The results show that cations of W- and C-site are influenced by chemical compositions of the magma whereas cations of A-, B- and T-site and Al3+ are controlled by crystal structure. Therefore, the variations of W- and C-site cations can reflect magma evolution. The core and rim of the amphiboles show similar trace element patterns, which also suggests that the amphiboles are late-stage phases. Furthermore, the amphibole-only thermometers yield reasonable estimates that are consistent with petrographic evidence. However, thermometers based on partition coefficients and all the currently available amphibole-based barometers that rely on Al contents or DAl cannot be applied to Fe-rich and Al-poor amphiboles.
Music Education for Surviving and Thriving: Cultivating Children’s Wonder, Senses, Emotional Wellbeing, and Wild Nature as a Means to Discover and Fulfill Their Life’s Purpose
Authors: Smith Tawnya D.
Published: April 2021

Children who are supported throughout childhood and adolescence to both maintain their sense of wonder in nature, and honor and explore their wild human nature, are well positioned to mature into soulcentric adults capable of living into their purpose in service to both their culture and the whole of life. However, our society’s ecocidal culture and unjust institutions often replicate oppressions and promote egocentric behaviors that preclude thriving. Additionally, many children are alienated from nature and are thought to have nature-deficit disorder, which can include both mental and physical maladies. In this article I explore conceptions of ecojustice education to further illustrate pathways for curriculum development in music education that might encourage children and adolescents to maintain their sense of wonder in nature, fully develop their sensory capacities, support their mental and emotional wellbeing, attune more carefully to their wild nature and soul’s purpose, and contribute to the environmental and social commons—all which might support human flourishing and the continued survival of our species.
Conservative or Aggressive? The Dynamic Adjustment of the Feed-in Tariff Policy for Photovoltaic Power Generation in China
Authors: Fu Yi , Hu Chang-hao , Yang Dong-xiao
Published: April 2021

With the technological progress of photovoltaic (PV) enterprises, the subsidy standard of PV power generation in China is declining. However, the conservative adjustment of feed-in tariff (FIT) policy is considered to increase the financial burden of the government, while the aggressive adjustment will have a serious impact on the PV enterprises and may reduce the research and development (R&D) investment of them. By constructing a game model between the government and PV enterprises, this article analyzes the relationship between the adjustment of government subsidy policy and R&D investment of PV enterprises. The evolution path and strategic stability of the system have been studied through evolutionary analysis and numerical simulation. Results show that three strategies may become the evolutionary stability strategy (ESS) of the system under certain conditions. Firstly, the investigation of these conditions reveals the strategy that the government chooses conservative adjustment and enterprises choose to increase R&D investment is more likely to be an ESS. Secondly, the initial preference of the government and enterprises cannot change the final result of system evolution, but only changes the speed of reaching it. Finally, the research on the interaction between government and enterprises illustrates that when the degree of influence is small, the ESS is that the government chooses aggressive adjustment and enterprises choose to increase R&D investment. But when the degree of influence is large enough, the government is more inclined to choose conservative adjustment and enterprises choose to increase R&D investment. The decision-making of the government should be focused on the interaction between the government and enterprises. The encouraging cooperation among PV enterprises, universities, and research institutions can promote the technological progress of the PV industry, so as to achieve the purpose of subsidy policies more effectively.
Interspecies Genomic Variation and Transcriptional Activeness of Secondary Metabolism-Related Genes in Aspergillus Section Fumigati
Authors: Takahashi Hiroki , Umemura Maiko , Ninomiya Akihiro , Kusuya Yoko , Shimizu Masaaki , Urayama Syun-ichi , Watanabe Akira , Kamei Katsuhiko , Yaguchi Takashi , Hagiwara Daisuke
Published: April 2021

Filamentous fungi produce various bioactive compounds that are biosynthesized by sets of proteins encoded in biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs). For an unknown reason, many BGCs are transcriptionally silent in laboratory conditions, which has hampered the discovery of novel fungal compounds. The transcriptional reactiveness of fungal secondary metabolism is not fully understood. To gain the comprehensive view, we conducted comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of nine closely-related species of Aspergillus section Fumigati (A. fumigatus, A. fumigatiaffinis, A. novofumigatus, A. thermomutatus, A. viridinutans, A. pseudoviridinutans, A. lentulus, A. udagawae, and Neosartorya fischeri). For expanding our knowledge, we newly sequenced genomes of A. viridinutans and A. pseudoviridinutans, and reassembled and reannotated the previously released genomes of A. lentulus and A. udagawae. Between 34 and 84 secondary metabolite (SM) backbone genes were identified in the genomes of these nine respective species, with 8.7–51.2% being unique to the species. A total of 247 SM backbone gene types were identified in the nine fungi. Ten BGCs are shared by all nine species. Transcriptomic analysis using A. fumigatus, A. lentulus, A. udagawae, A. viridinutans, and N. fischeri was conducted to compare expression levels of all SM backbone genes in four different culture conditions; 32–83% of SM backbone genes in these species were not expressed in the tested conditions, which reconfirmed that large part of fungal SM genes are hard to be expressed. The species-unique SM genes of the five species were expressed with lower frequency (18.8% in total) than the SM genes that are conserved in all five species (56%). These results suggest that the expression tendency of BGCs is correlated with their interspecies distribution pattern. Our findings increase understanding of the evolutionary processes associated with the regulation of fungal secondary metabolism.
The Promise of the Zebrafish Model for Parkinson’s Disease: Today’s Science and Tomorrow’s Treatment
Authors: Razali Khairiah , Othman Noratikah , Mohd Nasir Mohd Hamzah , Doolaanea Abd Almonem , Kumar Jaya , Ibrahim Wisam Nabeel , Mohamed Ibrahim Norlinah , Mohamed Wael M. Y.
Published: April 2021

The second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly is Parkinson’s disease (PD). Its etiology is unclear and there are no available disease-modifying medicines. Therefore, more evidence is required concerning its pathogenesis. The use of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is the basis of most animal models of PD. MPTP is metabolized by monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) to MPP + and induces the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in mammals. Zebrafish have been commonly used in developmental biology as a model organism, but owing to its perfect mix of properties, it is now emerging as a model for human diseases. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are cheap and easy to sustain, evolve rapidly, breed transparent embryos in large amounts, and are readily manipulated by different methods, particularly genetic ones. Furthermore, zebrafish are vertebrate species and mammalian findings obtained from zebrafish may be more applicable than those derived from genetic models of invertebrates such as Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. The resemblance cannot be taken for granted, however. The goal of the present review article is to highlight the promise of zebrafish as a PD animal model. As its aminergic structures, MPTP mode of action, and PINK1 roles mimic those of mammalians, zebrafish seems to be a viable model for studying PD. The roles of zebrafish MAO, however, vary from those of the two types of MAO present in mammals. The benefits unique to zebrafish, such as the ability to perform large-scale genetic or drug screens, should be exploited in future experiments utilizing zebrafish PD models.
Colony-Level 3D Photogrammetry Reveals That Total Linear Extension and Initial Growth Do Not Scale With Complex Morphological Growth in the Branching Coral, Acropora cervicornis
Authors: Million Wyatt C. , O’Donnell Sibelle , Bartels Erich , Kenkel Carly D.
Published: April 2021

The ability to quantify changes in the structural complexity of reefs and individual coral colonies that build them is vital to understanding, managing, and restoring the function of these ecosystems. However, traditional methods for quantifying coral growth in situ fail to accurately quantify the diversity of morphologies observed both among and within species that contribute to topographical complexity. Three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetry has emerged as a powerful tool for the quantification of reefscape complexity but has yet to be broadly adopted for quantifying the growth and morphology of individual coral colonies. Here we debut a high-throughput method for colony-level 3D photogrammetry and apply this technique to explore the relationship between linear extension and other growth metrics in Acropora cervicornis. We fate-tracked 156 individual coral transplants to test whether initial growth can be used to predict subsequent patterns of growth. We generated photographic series of fragments in a restoration nursery immediately before transplanting to natural reef sites and re-photographed coral at 6 months and 1 year post-transplantation. Photosets were used to build 3D models with Agisoft Metashape, which was automated to run on a high-performance computing system using a custom script to serially process models without the need for additional user input. Coral models were phenotyped in MeshLab to obtain measures of total linear extension (TLE), surface area, volume, and volume of interstitial space (i.e., the space between branches). 3D-model based measures of TLE were highly similar to by-hand measurements made in the field (r = 0.98), demonstrating that this method is compatible with established techniques without additional in water effort. However, we identified an allometric relationship between the change in TLE and the volume of interstitial space, indicating that growth in higher order traits is not necessarily a linear function of growth in branch length. Additionally, relationships among growth measures weakened when comparisons were made across time points, implying that the use of early growth to predict future performance is limited. Taken together, results show that 3D photogrammetry is an information rich method for quantifying colony-level growth and its application can help address contemporary questions in coral biology.
Biomass-Derived Carbonaceous Materials to Achieve High-Energy-Density Supercapacitors
Authors: Karamanova Boryana , Shipochka Maria , Georgiev Martin , Stankulov Toma , Stoyanova Antonia , Stoyanova Radostina
Published: April 2021

Biomass-derived carbonaceous materials are considered as one of the most perspective electrodes for symmetric supercapacitors working with alkaline-basic electrolytes. However, they still exhibit lower energy density. Herein, we demonstrate the capacitance performance of the commercial carbon product (YP-50F, “Kuraray Europe” GmbH), obtained from coconuts, in symmetric supercapacitors by using lithium and sodium organic electrolytes. It is found that YP-50F delivers higher energy density when lithium electrolyte containing LiBF4 salt is employed. The sodium electrolyte with NaPF6 salt is less aggressive toward YP-50F than that of LiPF6 salt, as a result of which a good capacitance performance is observed in the sodium electrolyte. The contributions of surface functional groups of YP-50F, as well as its compatibility with non-aqueous lithium and sodium electrolyte, are discussed on the basis of post-mortem scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data analyses. The obtained correlations could be of significance in order to design sustainable supercapacitors with high energy density.
Detecting Sex-Related Changes to the Metabolome of a Critically Endangered Freshwater Crayfish During the Mating Season
Authors: Lette Emily D. , Burnham Quinton F. , Lawler Nathan , Horwitz Pierre , Boyce Mary C. , Broadhurst David I. , Duffy Rodney , Koenders Annette
Published: April 2021

Captive breeding is a vital tool in the conservation of highly endangered species, as it is for the Margaret River hairy marron,Cherax tenuimanus, from the south west of Australia. A close relative,Cherax cainii, has almost completely displacedC. tenuimanusin the wild and is a successful aquaculture species, whereasC. tenuimanushas performed poorly in captivity. We used untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to obtain metabolomic profiles of female and maleC. tenuimanusheld in controlled aquarium conditions during their reproductive period. Using repeated haemolymph sampling we tracked the metabolomic profiles of animals just prior to and for a period of up to 34 days after pairing with a similar sized potential mate. We identified 54 reproducible annotated metabolites including amino acids, fatty acids, biogenic amines, purine and pyrimidine metabolites and excretion metabolites. Hierarchical clustering analysis distinguished five metabolite clusters. Principal component-canonical variate analysis clearly distinguished females from males, both unpaired and paired; similar trends in profile changes in both sexes after pairing; and a striking shift in males upon pairing. We discuss three main patterns of metabolomic responses: differentiation between sexes; reactive responses to the disturbance of pairing; and convergent response to the disturbance of pairing for males. Females generally had higher concentrations of metabolites involved in metabolic rate, mobilisation of energy stores and stress. Responses to the disturbance of pairing were also related to elevated stress. Females were mobilising lipid stores to deposit yolk, whereas males had a rapid and strong response to pairing, with shifts in metabolites associated with gonad development and communication, indicating males could complete reproductive readiness only once paired with a female. The metabolomic profiles support a previously proposed potential mechanism for displacement ofC. tenuimanusbyC. cainiiin the wild and identify several biomarkers for testing hypotheses regarding reproductive success using targeted metabolomics.
Toward an Understanding of Extracellular tRNA Biology
Authors: Torres Adrian Gabriel , Martí Eulàlia
Published: April 2021

Extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) including abundant full length tRNAs and tRNA fragments (tRFs) have recently garnered attention as a promising source of biomarkers and a novel mediator in cell-to-cell communication in eukaryotes. Depending on the physiological state of cells, tRNAs/tRFs are released to the extracellular space either contained in extracellular vesicles (EVs) or free, through a mechanism that is largely unknown. In this perspective article, we propose that extracellular tRNAs (ex-tRNAs) and/or extracellular tRFs (ex-tRFs) are relevant paracrine signaling molecules whose activity depends on the mechanisms of release by source cells and capture by recipient cells. We speculate on how ex-tRNA/ex-tRFs orchestrate the effects in target cells, depending on the type of sequence and the mechanisms of uptake. We further propose that tRNA modifications may be playing important roles in ex-tRNA biology.
The Dynamic SecYEG Translocon
Authors: Oswald Julia , Njenga Robert , Natriashvili Ana , Sarmah Pinku , Koch Hans-Georg
Published: April 2021

The spatial and temporal coordination of protein transport is an essential cornerstone of the bacterial adaptation to different environmental conditions. By adjusting the protein composition of extra-cytosolic compartments, like the inner and outer membranes or the periplasmic space, protein transport mechanisms help shaping protein homeostasis in response to various metabolic cues. The universally conserved SecYEG translocon acts at the center of bacterial protein transport and mediates the translocation of newly synthesized proteins into and across the cytoplasmic membrane. The ability of the SecYEG translocon to transport an enormous variety of different substrates is in part determined by its ability to interact with multiple targeting factors, chaperones and accessory proteins. These interactions are crucial for the assisted passage of newly synthesized proteins from the cytosol into the different bacterial compartments. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about SecYEG-mediated protein transport, primarily in the model organismEscherichia coli, and describe the dynamic interaction of the SecYEG translocon with its multiple partner proteins. We furthermore highlight how protein transport is regulated and explore recent developments in using the SecYEG translocon as an antimicrobial target.
Role of mTOR-Regulated Autophagy in Synaptic Plasticity Related Proteins Downregulation and the Reference Memory Deficits Induced by Anesthesia/Surgery in Aged Mice
Authors: Gao Sunan , Zhang Siyu , Zhou Hongmei , Tao Xiaoyan , Ni Yunjian , Pei Daqing , Kang Shuai , Yan Weiwei , Lu Jian
Published: April 2021

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases mortality and morbidity in perioperative patients and has become a major concern for patients and caregivers. Previous studies demonstrated that synaptic plasticity is closely related to cognitive function, anesthesia and surgery inhibit synaptic function. In central nervous system, autophagy is vital to synaptic plasticity, homeostasis of synapticproteins, synapse elimination, spine pruning, proper axon guidance, and when dysregulated, is associated with behavioral and memory functions disorders. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) negatively regulates the process of autophagy. This study aimed to explore whether rapamycin can ameliorate anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive deficits by inhibiting mTOR, activating autophagy and rising synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus. Aged C57BL/6J mice were used to establish POCD models with exploratory laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to measure reference memory after anesthesia and surgery. The levels of mTOR phosphorylation (p-mTOR), Beclin-1 and LC3-II were examined on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7 by western blotting. The levels of synaptophysin (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the hippocampus were also examined by western blotting. Here we showed that anesthesia/surgery impaired reference memory and induced the activation of mTOR, decreased the expression of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin-1 and LC3-II. A corresponding decline in the expression of neuronal/synaptic, plasticity-related proteins such as SYN and PSD-95 was also observed. Pretreating mice with rapamycin inhibited the activation of mTOR and restored autophagy function, also increased the expression of SYN and PSD-95. Furthermore, anesthesia/surgery-induced learning and memory deficits were also reversed by rapamycin pretreatment. In conclusion, anesthesia/surgery induced mTOR hyperactivation and autophagy impairments, and then reduced the levels of SYN and PSD-95 in the hippocampus. An mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, ameliorated anesthesia/surgery-related cognitive impairments by inhibiting the mTOR activity, inducing activation of autophagy, enhancing SYN and PSD-95 expression.
Photocatalytic Applications of Fe–Ag Co-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles in Removal of Flumioxazin Pesticide Residues in Water
Authors: Nageswara Rao Tentu , Prashanthi Y. , Ahmed Faheem , Kumar Shalendra , Arshi Nishat , Rajasekhar Reddy G. , Manohra Naidu Tentu
Published: April 2021

Fe–Ag co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared as a photocatalyst using a precipitation method for the removal of flumioxazin pesticide residues in water. The analytical method was validated with specificity, linearity, recovery, precision, the limit of quantification, and detection limit. Linearity was determined by different known concentrations of standard solutions. Detection limit was identified as the lowest concentration resulting in a 3-fold response to baseline noise. Photolytic and photocatalytic studies were conducted in borosil glass bottles under sunlight at a single fortification level (1.0 μg/mL) in Milli-Q water with various pH values (pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.0). The optimum catalyst concentration recommended for complete degradation was found to be 50 mg/L under sunlight. The HPLC-UV method was used to determine flumioxazin residues in water, and the rate constant, DT50, and DT90 values were calculated from the data obtained. The photolytic results do not indicate a significant residue loss due to adsorption. Fe–Ag co-doped TiO2 NPs are an outstanding decontaminating catalyst in various water samples.
Gaze-Based Intention Estimation for Shared Autonomy in Pick-and-Place Tasks
Authors: Fuchs Stefan , Belardinelli Anna
Published: April 2021

Shared autonomy aims at combining robotic and human control in the execution of remote, teleoperated tasks. This cooperative interaction cannot be brought about without the robot first recognizing the current human intention in a fast and reliable way so that a suitable assisting plan can be quickly instantiated and executed. Eye movements have long been known to be highly predictive of the cognitive agenda unfolding during manual tasks and constitute, hence, the earliest and most reliable behavioral cues for intention estimation. In this study, we present an experiment aimed at analyzing human behavior in simple teleoperated pick-and-place tasks in a simulated scenario and at devising a suitable model for early estimation of the current proximal intention. We show that scan paths are, as expected, heavily shaped by the current intention and that two types of Gaussian Hidden Markov Models, one more scene-specific and one more action-specific, achieve a very good prediction performance, while also generalizing to new users and spatial arrangements. We finally discuss how behavioral and model results suggest that eye movements reflect to some extent the invariance and generality of higher-level planning across object configurations, which can be leveraged by cooperative robotic systems.
Subtypes of Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness
Authors: Yagi Chihiro , Morita Yuka , Kitazawa Meiko , Yamagishi Tatsuya , Ohshima Shinsuke , Izumi Shuji , Takahashi Kuniyuki , Horii Arata
Published: April 2021

Background: Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a persistent chronic vestibular syndrome exacerbated by upright posture/walking, active or passive motion, and exposure to moving or complex visual stimuli. PPPD has four precursors: phobic postural vertigo, space-motion discomfort, visual vertigo, and chronic subjective dizziness. These four diseases share clinical features that form the basis of the diagnostic criteria for PPPD. Semiological similarities do not necessarily mean that PPPD is a single entity. However, if PPPD is not a single disorder but just a composite of four precursors, it may be subdivided according to the characteristics of each precursor.

Objective: To test whether PPPD is a single disorder, we attempted a subtyping of PPPD.

Methods: One-hundred-eight untreated patients with PPPD were enrolled in the study, who filled out the Niigata PPPD Questionnaire (NPQ) that consists of 12 questions on exacerbating factors for PPPD. A factor analysis of the patients' answers to the NPQ and a subsequent cluster analysis of the patients with PPPD using factors revealed by the factor analysis were performed. To validate our cluster classification, cluster differences were assessed using analysis of variance. Multiple comparison analyses were performed on demographical data, precipitating diseases, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and several vestibular tests to characterize each cluster.

Results: Factor analysis revealed three underlying factors among the exacerbating factors in the NPQ. Exacerbation by visual stimuli (visual factor) accounted for 47.4% of total variance in the questionnaire. Exacerbation by walking/active motion (active-motion factor) and by passive motion/standing (passive-motion/standing factor) accounted for 12.0 and 7.67% of variance, respectively. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters: the visual-dominant subtype (n = 49); the active motion-dominant subtype (n = 20); and the mixed subtype (n = 39). The patients in the active motion-dominant subtype were significantly older than those in the visual-dominant subtype. There were no significant differences among the subtypes in other demographical data or conventional vestibular tests.

Conclusions: The most common main exacerbating factor of PPPD was the visual factor. PPPD may be categorized into three subtypes. Conventional vestibular tests failed to point the characteristics of each subtype.
Characterization of Anthocyanins From Intraspecific Crosses of Monastrell With Other Premium Varieties
Authors: Gil-Muñoz R. , Moreno-Olivares J. D. , Paladines-Quezada D. F. , Bleda-Sánchez J. A. , Cebrían-Pérez A. , Giménez-Bañón M. J. , Fernández-Fernández J. I.
Published: April 2021

One way in which the wine sector is reacting to the challenge of climate change is to develop plant material that is adapted to the new conditions. Such a strategy will allow the continuation of quality viticulture in traditional winemaking areas that will otherwise be abandoned. The objective of this study was to characterize the anthocyanin composition and content of selected intraspecific hybrids of Monastrell with two other varieties (Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon). The experiment was carried out over three successive seasons, and the polyphenolic quality of the grapes and wines was assessed along with the adaptation of the hybrids to the high temperatures which will inevitably affect our area (south-eastern Spain). The results showed that, compared with grapes of the Monastrell variety and the wines made from them, most of the hybrids (MS10, MS34, and MC111) had a higher total anthocyanin concentration and overall content of acylated anthocyanins, depending on the year studied.
MiR-338-5p Inhibits EGF-Induced EMT in Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Targeting EGFR/ERK Signaling
Authors: Sun Jian , Chen Lin , Dong Ming
Published: April 2021

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway plays critical roles during cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and metastasis. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as one of the important receptors of EGF, undergoes autophosphorylation with the stimulation of EGF and activates MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and other pathways. Here, we identified EGFR was a target of miR-338-5p. Upon EGF treatment, overexpression of miR-338-5p not only downregulated EGFR expression and inhibited MAPK/ERK signaling, but also inhibited EMT and metastasis process of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells. In the clinical pathological analysis, miR-338-5p was significantly down-regulated in 44 pairs PC tissues and its expression was negatively associated with lymph node metastasis and AJCC stage. Furthermore, Overexpression of EGFR partially reversed the protective effect of miR-338-5p overexpression on EGF-mediated migration and invasion in PC cells. Taken together, miR-338-5p controls EGF-mediated EMT and metastasis in PC cells by targeting EGFR/ERK pathways. Here, we hope to provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer, and may help facilitating development of EGFR-based therapies for human cancer.