bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENGARUH SUBTITUSI TEPUNG WIJEN (Sesamum indicum) TERHADAP KANDUNGAN GIZI DAN MUTU ORGANOLEPTIK BISKUIT LABU KUNING (Cucurbita moschata)
Authors: Santika Novrila , Dara Widia
Published: July 2019

The aims of this study were to determine the effect of substitution of sesame powder ( Sesamum indicum) to nutrient content and organoleptic quality on pumpkin biscuits (Cucurbita moschata). This study was an experimental study using the desaign of completely randomized design (CRD) which consist of four treatments. This study was conducted in December 2017 with made to taste (organoleptic test) with 20 panelist and and laboratory test including analysis of ash content, water, protein, fat, carbohydrate and calcium biscuits. Based on organoleptic test results obtained that the best treatment is P3 with composition of wheat, pumpkin powder, and sesame powder (65% : 12% : 23%). The treatment P3 liked by panelist of color and texture attribute. The most biscuit aroma liked by panelist is P0's treatment  (without sesame flour increase). The most biscuit taste liked by panelist which is P2's treatment biscuit with whole-wheat compare composition, pumpkin powder and sesame powder (76%: 12%: 12%).  The highest average yield of calcium levels on P3 treatment of 0.65%. The higher the addition of sesame powder, the calcium biscuit level will increase so are with water content, ash, protein and fat will increase along with the addition of sesame powder. This is inversely related to carbohydrate levels of biscuits, which the more addition of sesame powder the carbohydrate content in biscuits decreased.
Progressive Education and Modernist Literature: Black Mountain College, 1933–1940
Authors: Beasley Rebecca
Published: July 2019

Black Mountain College (1933–57) is famous for the creative artists who taught and studied there. But behind its celebrated alumni was a modernist institution, whose liberal arts curriculum entwined modernist aesthetics with progressive principles developed from John Dewey. Under John Andrew Rice's pioneering leadership, Black Mountain College began to work out a democratic pedagogy of creative experience quite different from most other US institutions of Higher Education. Modernist principles of method informed the entire teaching situation and the relations between students and staff, rather than just being studied inside discrete textual objects.
The Role of NGOs in Financing Public Primary Education in Kenya
Authors: Obonyo Paul Muga , Waweru Samuel N , Adino Onyango G
Published: July 2019

The World Conference on Education for All, held in Jomtiem, Thailand 1990 stated that education is so diverse, complex and demanding to expect governments alone to meet the vast arrays of learner needs. The call for a multi-sectoral approach and building new alliances between governments, private, and NGOs forces was central to the thematic round tables on "NGOs and Literacy" and Mobilizing for "Education for All" (Hadaad 1990). This study examined the role of NGOs in financing public primary education in Budalangi, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to determine NGOs participation areas in public primary education provision focusing on disbursement procedures and equity considerations for different socio-economic groups; to find out the various sources of NGOs‘ funds; to reveal the challenges facing NGOs in their effort to support public primary education and finally, to find out the adequacy and relevance of NGOs support as perceived byschool heads, parents and pupils in the region. The study adopted a descriptive survey paradigm. The target population comprised of 16 NGOs supporting publicprimary education, 33 primary schools and 16518 pupils and their parents benefiting from NGOs support. The sample included nine NGOs, seven public primary schools and 111 pupils and their parents. This gave a total of 238 respondents. The data was collected using questionnaires for NGO administrators and head teachers and interview schedules for parents and pupils. The study found out that NGOs play a central role in promoting quality, access, equity and relevance of primary education by providing physical facilities, direct support to pupils and parents. It was noted that the number of supported pupils was significant (31%) in relation to the total school enrolment. However, NGOs faced the challenge of insufficient funds, lack of exit strategy and mistrust by the government. The study recommends that the NGOs should use capacity building for sustained support and to work hand in hand with the government and all other stakeholders in education to help Kenya meet her international commitment in achieving the MDG goal in Education and EFA goals adopted in Dakar in 2000.
Can Education Achieve Social Cohesion? Challenges for Kenya’s Education Sector in Attaining the Social Pillar of Vision 2030
Authors: Nyambura Salome
Published: July 2019

Education is considered critical in the development of a nation towing to its role of transmitting knowledge, skills and competencies. The question of whether education can promote social cohesion has and continues to be debated all over the world. The UNESCO commission (1996), identified one of the critical pillars of education for the 21 st Century as ̳Learning to live together.‘ Indeed the demand to achieve this has been heightened by globalization, which has rendered spatial boundaries void. In Kenya, the quest for social cohesion is bedevilled by political gimmicks that perpetuate ethnocentrism and often times lead to civil strife as was evident during the post-election violence (PEV) in 2007. As a result of this, the National Cohesion and Integration Act of 2008 was passed as part of Agenda IV reforms under the National Accord Reform Agenda. This led to the formation of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) whose mandate is to facilitate and promote equality of opportunity, good relations, harmony and peaceful coexistence between persons of different ethnic and racial backgrounds in Kenya and to advice the government thereof. This paper explores the role education can play in building social cohesion, especially in the period after PEV. Using personal experiences as an educator, I shall challenge the status quo in an attempt to chart the way forward for educators to contemplate as they strive to achieve national cohesion, which is a prerequisite to the attainment of Vision 2030.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) For Secondary School Teachers
Authors: Gathara Peter M
Published: July 2019

The objective of this paper is to explore and analyze the role of mentoring in improving teacher development as a tool of Continuing Professional Development in the achievement of vision 2030.This has been necessitated by the aim of Kenya vision 2030 that strives in making the country globally competitive and prosperous with a high quality of life. This aim can be achieved when the current education system realizes that the trial and era teaching and take it or leave it professional development programmes are no longer acceptable. This has been necessitated by the diverse compositions of student population, changing paradigms in teaching and learning together with the changing expectations about the quality of education that are occurring at an unexpected rates. Teacher training is more than the mastery of certain practical knowledge, pedagogical skills and techniques. Therefore, CPD through mentoring plays an important role in teacher improvement geared towards classroom practices. This paper has highlighted the plight of secondary school teachers and the need for teachers to be involved in CPD. The methodology involved a vertical case mixed study approach design that involved analysis of macro and micro aspects using quantitative and qualitative techniques in the collection of data. Twelve secondary schools in Kirinyaga County were sampled for the survey while six others were subjected to an in-depth casestudy. The data analyzed indicated the importance of mentoring and involvement of other stakeholders in provision of CPD as laid out by the education policies. As the study indicates, there are several challenges‘ that are experienced by teachers in their quest for mentoring. In the light of these findings, mentoring of teachers can play an important role in improvement of classroom practices and the school as a whole. For the attainment of Vision 2030 teachers should be supported at the school level so that they can participate in and complete the programmes of mentoring that take place especially where young and newly recruited teachers are involved.
Indigenous African Education for Socio- Economic Development
Authors: Wandera Moses
Published: July 2019

Education in Africa has been in existence since time immemorial. This study sought to examine the activities of Lantana in Benin on their specialised training, Dogon of Mali in their world view, Futo Toro of Senegal in their various trades, Poro of Sierra Leone in the training of the youth, Takensi of Ghana in their social order and the Akan of Ghana. Also examined are the activities of the Chamba and Yoruba of Nigeria in their adult centred training and forecasting of the future respectively. The Chagga of Tanzania and the Abakwayaare were also examined on their initiative plays and economic activities. The paper also studied the Ndembu of Zambia on the past analysis and the activities of the Mijikenda of Kenya among other Kenyan tribes. The study used the theoretical framework of Emile Durkheim on the social and moral order, while the design of the study was on content analysis of available information and expectations. The study recommends positive approaches in the indigenouseducation that can be adapted, mainly for Kenya in its desire to achieve Vision 2030. However, further research should be done on specific values, foods, attitudes and the rule of law, how achieve social, political and economic progress in African nations and especially how the current economic integration blocks have followed the same pattern of the communities and their values.
Multilingualism in the Teaching of Gender Studies
Authors: Okemwa Pacificah F
Published: July 2019

How does one introduce the concept "gender" to a first year class? What aspects of their socio-cultural context may one embrace to demonstrate the ̳everyday‘ commonplace reality that gender alludes to? In what ways may students be involved in crafting the meaning of gender using their lived experiences? This paper will explore the use of African culture, more specifically; language, beliefs and practices associated with the social construction of gender. It is noted that much of the scholarship on the understanding of gender concepts are based on Western culture and experience. Yet, in Africa, culture as communicated through language is the overriding determinant of the lives of women, men, boys and girls. It is argued that within local cultural and social settings, the social construction of gender continues and that there are many actors. I n order to achieve vision 2030, and specifically the social pillar, gender equality must be one of the values communicated and taught in the school. In this regard, the paper will endeavour to demonstrate how this may be done. A procedure that incorporates and critiques African culture will be explored. It is anticipated that this will provide clues to social transformation and therefore, a way of working towards achieving gender equality.
Parental Influence on Children’s Self- esteem and Academic Performance among Secondary School Students in Two Counties in Kenya
Authors: Gitumu Margaret Wanjiru
Published: July 2019

The environment in which a child is brought up is likely to influence the level of self-esteem of the child. As such, the death of parents that results in orphanhood may have setbacks on the development of self-esteem of orphans. Self-esteem is central to high academic performance and this is a key factor for development in any nation. The self-esteem of students may have  influence on academic work since the students with high self-esteem are said to perform highly academically. The purpose of this study was to find out whether there is significant difference in self-esteem levels of orphans and non orphans in Kirinyaga and Nyeri Counties, Kenya. This study was guided by Bowlby‘s theory of attachment. The study adopted a survey, which utilized casual comparative research design. According to the education offices in the two counties, the total population of students was 58,448 Simple random and purposive sampling methods were used to obtain the sample which was 400 students. The data was collected using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The major finding in this study was that the orphans registered lower level of self-esteem than non orphans. The study recommends that orphans should be incorporated into comprehensive child protection policies and programmes that would enlighten the caregivers on requirements for psychological development to ensure development of high self-esteem which would translate to high academic performance and high national development.
Peace Building in Schools Using African Traditional Values
Authors: Gachanga Timothy
Published: July 2019

This paper describes and presents the findings of a case study research on how primary school teachers build peace in schools through African traditional values. The study was conducted between September 2005 and January 2006 in Kariobangi and Korogocho in Nairobi, Kenya and sixty primary school teachers participated in the study. The overall picture generated by this research is that peace building through African traditional values cannot be underrated and should be a crucial way forward in all levels of learning in Kenya. A narrow conception of traditional African values and its importance in peace building by teachers could be responsible for the increase of violence in schools and society in general.
Adult education and development
Authors: Nthiga Purity M. , Kiguru Gatitu E. , Mwangi Phyllis W.
Published: July 2019

The Incheon Declaration 2015- “Towards 2030: a new vision for education,” recognizes the important role of education as the main driver of development, and therefore commits to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all(p. i).” The declaration further commits to “ensuring that all youth and adults, especially girls and women, achieve relevant and recognized functional literacy and numeracy levels and acquire life skills and that they are provided with adult learning and training opportunities (p. 7).”” This commitment is a clear recognition of the role of adult education in development.  Sadly, although adult education and lifelong learning are key for achieving social change and reducing poverty levels, the sector receives minimal attention in development  matters  in many African countries. According to UNESCO the adult education sub-sector of state education systems remains relatively underfunded and marginal despite the improved living conditions in many African countries since the 1990s. Few countries have specific, ratified national adult education policies while in some others adult education is seen as a human right but only practically enforceable subject to availability of resources. This paper outlines evidence of positive changes accrued from literacy and skills training project in one region in Somaliland.  In addition to literacy and numeracy, the participants in the project were trained in tailoring or cookery as well as on health, nutrition, hygiene and entrepreneurship. More so, the project offered micro-credit to those wishing to start small businesses.  Major developmental changes including employment, healthier families, businesses and better civic participation were realized by the individual participants, their families and the community. From this evidence the paper argues that it is important for countries in Africa to seriously harness the adult education sub-sector for development as one way of translating the Incheon commitment to tangible achievements
The Contribution of the German Neukirchen Mission (GNM) in the advent of Western Education in Tana River County, Kenya 1885-1986
Authors: Kimani Gitonga P. , Otiende James E. , Karugu Augustine M.
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of the German Neukirchen Mission (GNM) in the advent of Western Education in Tana River County, Kenya in the period 1885-1986.  The historical research design was preferred as the topic in question was a historical survey of the establishment and development of Western education in Tana River County from late 19th century to the last two decades before the close of the 20th century. Both primary and secondary sources of data were utilized.  There were three research instruments namely; interview schedules, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Document Analysis.  Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques were utilized though the latter to a larger extent.  Documents were analyzed through external and internal criticism. The results revealed that Western education was introduced in Tana River County majorly by the GNM.  This was in spite of many hardships and challenges that saw some other Christian missionary organizations like the Swedish Mission, Holy Ghost Fathers (HGF) and United Methodist Mission (UMM) vacate the area to other more friendly locations.  The British colonial government equally shied off from the area probably for perceiving it as an area without immediate and direct economic gains to the colony.  At independence, of all primary schools in existence in Tana River County, over 90% of them had been started by the GNM.  The four leading secondary schools in Tana River County namely Tarasaa, Hola, Wenje and Ngao all developed out of GNM initiatives.  The GNM achieved this even after being deported twice by the British Government during the WW I and WW II which put Germany and Britain in opposing camps. The findings point out the need to acknowledge the role of the German Neukirchen Mission (GNM) in the introduction of Western Education in Tana River County.  The findings also show that there is need as much as possible to ensure that differences of political nature are not allowed to affect the provision of vital social amenities like education.  The German missioners ought not to have been deported due to the conflict pitting their country and the British at the international level.  Moreover, the resilience and success of GNM where everyone else seems to have failed or avoided should be a reference point to stakeholders in education, notably, both the county and the national government on how to improve the education sector in the county and similar arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Teachers’ views Towards Academic Assessment for Learners with Autism
Authors: Wambugu Dorcas Wanjiru , Munala Christine Mwendo Matasio
Published: July 2019

Research has demonstrated that academic assessment is crucial for all, although there is limited information on academic assessment for learners with autism. The purpose of this study was to establish the views of teachers towards academic assessment for learners with autism at City Primary School in Nairobi County. The study adopted a qualitative paradigm with a case study approach where social constructivists’ epistemology was applied. Respondents were twenty, comprising of; one head teacher, one deputy head teacher, six teachers for special needs education and twelve teachers from the regular program but teaching in the inclusive class rooms. Non-probability sampling technique specifically using; unique case, snowball and convenient sampling techniques were used to select participants in the study. Data were collected through interview guides and focus group discussion guide. The data collected were transcribed and analysed qualitatively through open, axial and selective coding. Data were also categorized in relation to research questions of the study. The analysis involved developing a coding system based on samples of collected data and classifying major issues or themes that emerged. All the coded information was put together for summarization of the report. From the findings, two types of academic assessments were identified namely; authentic and standardized academic assessments. The findings also showed that teachers faced challenges when assessing learners with autism. Some of these challenges included; large amount of content in examinations, lack of policy guidelines for examining learners with autism and high parental expectation. The solutions to these challenges were that, teachers, government and parents had a role to play to enhance assessment of learners with autism.
The Implementation of New Religious and Moral Education Curriculum in Post-Independent Namibia
Authors: Iita Ananias , Iipinge Sakaria M.
Published: July 2019

This paper investigated the perceptions of Religious and Moral Education (RME) teachers with regard to the implementation of RME syllabus in Namibia. The paper engages a crucial global debate on paradigms for teaching religion and moral values while contributing to the literature through research in the Ompundja Circuit of Oshana Region, Namibia. Contrary to the previous colonial era when Christianity was the only recognized religion, the Republic of Namibia adopted a new constitution making it a secular state upon independence in 1990. This new constitution, however, brought new challenges to teachers who were previously trained only to teach Biblical Studies as a school subject. With this new constitution, Namibia adopted a policy of teaching a multi-cultural religious and moral education curriculum. The teaching of RME replaced Biblical Studies in the Namibian curriculum. Teachers are now required to make their learners aware of the different religious and moral values of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, African traditional religions, Bahai and others inextricably. This, paper, therefore, presents findings from a case study research conducted at Ompundja Circuit of Oshana Region in Namibia that examined the perceptions of Religious and Moral Education (RME) teachers with regard to the implementation of RME syllabus. Fourteen teachers from selected schools participated in this study. Teachers were interviewed, observed and later completed a set of questionnaire. Findings indicated that teachers’individual religious and moral values shaped the teaching and learning process; teachers’ individual religious and moral values played a major role regarding conflicting concerns over RME; and as most RME teachers were Christian, they felt a commitment to share their personal Christian religious beliefs and moral values. The paper recommends that teachers be provided with the necessary teaching resources and be trained to develop more confidence and broad understanding of RME as a subject.
EXOSC5 as a Novel Prognostic Marker Promotes Proliferation of Colorectal Cancer via Activating the ERK and AKT Pathways
Authors: Pan Hongda , Pan Jingxin , Song Shibo , Ji Lei , Lv Hong , Yang Zhangru
Published: July 2019

Background and Objective: Exosome component 5 (EXOSC5) is a novel cancer-related gene that is aberrantly expressed in various malignances. However, the molecular mechanism and biological role of EXOSC5 have not been explored in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we investigated the functions and mechanisms by which EXOSC5 promotes the progression of CRC.

Methods: EXOSC5 expressions in CRC cell lines and paired CRC and adjacent normal tissues were measured via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In vitro experiments including colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and flow cytometry and in vivo tumorigenesis assay were performed to explore the effects of EXOSC5 on growth of CRC. The impacts of EXOSC5 on ERK and Akt signaling pathways were measured by Western blot.

Results: The mRNA and protein expression levels of EXOSC5 were up-regulated in CRC as compared to adjacent normal tissues. IHC analysis indicated that high EXOSC5 level was positively associated with poor prognosis. EXOSC5 overexpression facilitated the growth of CRC cells, while EXOSC5 knockdown led to decreased proliferation, G1/S phase transition arrest. The oncogenic functions of EXOSC5 were associated with activation of the ERK and Akt pathways in CRC.

Conclusion: EXOSC5 is overexpressed in CRC and promotes CRC growth partly through activation of ERK and Akt signaling pathways. Accordingly, EXOSC5 may be a novel oncogene, and acts as a therapeutic target, or prognostic factor for CRC.
Museum Photo Archives and the History of the Art Market: A Digital Approach
Authors: Fuchsgruber Lukas
Published: July 2019

Digital images with metadata contain unique potential for research into the history of the art market. The embedding of digital images in a database allows for the possibility of an association with their historical context due to the presence of metadata, which includes economic data, such as the provenance chain, as well as information about collecting practices. The database becomes a historical reconstruction of context accompanying the reproductions of the works. In this paper, a case study of a museum photo archive of forgeries illustrates the ways in which digital methods can be helpful in analyzing these contexts. The archive was run by the secret “Verband von Museums-Beamten zur Abwehr von Fälschungen und unlauterem Geschäftsgebahren” (Association of Museum Officials for Defense against Fakes and Improper Business Practices). This archive allows the engagement of early 20th century museums in the art market to be traced within specific genres. The goal of the case study and methodology presented here is to learn more about the economic practices of museums. Specifically, this paper reconsiders a study by Timothy Wilson on fake maiolica, with a new focus on the involvement of museums in the art market.
Alleviated Oxidative Damage by Taraxacum officinale through the Induction of Nrf2-MAPK/PI3K Mediated HO-1 Activation in Murine Macrophages RAW 264.7 Cell Line
Authors: Yoon Hyun-Seo , Park Chung Mu
Published: July 2019

Taraxacum officinale has been consumed as a folk remedy due to its diverse physiological activities. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative potential of T. officinale water extract (TOWE) and ethanol extract (TOEE) against oxidative stress and compare their molecular mechanism via the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in RAW 264.7 cells. The antioxidative activity was evaluated through the radical scavenging assay, the cytoprotection assay against oxidative damage, and Western blot analysis. Both extracts dose-dependently induced HO-1 expression without any cytotoxicity in accordance with the activation of a transcription factor, nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In addition, TOWE induced HO-1 expression through the phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), while TOEE activated HO-1 by PI3K/Akt phosphorylation. In order to identify the antioxidative potential by HO-1 induction, oxidative damage-caused cell death by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was significantly attenuated by both extracts. Their antioxidative potential was confirmed by HO-1 selective inducer and inhibitor, cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), and tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), respectively. These results indicate that TOWE and TOEE potently alleviated oxidative damage via the induction of Nrf2/MAPK/PI3K mediated HO-1 induction in RAW 264.7 cells.
Prognostic Impact of Melatonin Receptors MT1 and MT2 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Jablonska Karolina , Nowinska Katarzyna , Piotrowska Aleksandra , Partynska Aleksandra , Katnik Ewa , Pawelczyk Konrad , Kmiecik Alicja , Glatzel-Plucinska Natalia , Podhorska-Okolow Marzenna , Dziegiel Piotr
Published: July 2019

Background: Several studies have investigated the inhibitory effect of melatonin on lung cancer cells. There are no data available on the prognostic impact of melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical studies of MT1 and MT2 were conducted on NSCLC (N = 786) and non-malignant lung tissue (NMLT) (N = 120) using tissue microarrays. Molecular studies were performed on frozen fragments of NSCLC (N = 62; real time PCR), NMLT (N = 24) and lung cancer cell lines NCI-H1703, A549 and IMR-90 (real time PCR, western blot). Results: The expression of both receptors was higher in NSCLC than in NMLT. Higher MT1 and MT2 expression levels (at protein and mRNA) were noted in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) compared to adenocarcinomas (AC). MT1 immunoexpression decreased as both the tumour size and the cancer stage increased in the whole cohort, while MT2 decreased as the cancer stage increased, with lymph node involvement (in the whole study group) and increasing malignancy grade (in SCC). Higher expression of MT2 was associated with a favorable prognosis. MT2 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in all analyzed NSCLC and in smoking patients. Conclusions: Our observations may point to the potential prognostic significance of MT2 in NSCLC.
Ischemia Is Related to Tumour Genetics in Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Brouwer Niels J. , Wierenga Annemijn P. A. , Gezgin Gülçin , Marinkovic Marina , Luyten Gregorius P. M. , Kroes Wilma G. M. , Versluis Mieke , van der Velden Pieter A. , Verdijk Robert M. , Jager Martine J.
Published: July 2019

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1a) and its regulator von Hippel–Lindau protein (VHL) play an important role in tumour ischemia. Currently, drugs that target HIF1a are being developed to treat malignancies. Although HIF1a is known to be expressed in uveal melanoma (UM), it is as yet unknown which factors, such as tumour size or genetics, determine its expression. Therefore, we aimed to determine which tumour characteristics relate to HIF1a expression in UM. Data from 64 patients who were enucleated for UM were analysed. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was determined with the Illumina HT-12 v4 chip. In 54 cases, the status of chromosomes 3 and 8q, and BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) protein expression (immunohistochemistry) were determined. Findings were corroborated using data of 80 patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) study. A significantly increased expression of HIF1a, and a decreased expression of VHL were associated with monosomy 3/loss of BAP1 expression. The relationship between BAP1 loss and HIF1a expression was independent of chromosome 3. The largest basal diameter and tumour thickness showed no relationship with HIF1a. HIF1a expression related to an increased presence of infiltrating T cells and macrophages. From this study, we conclude that HIF1a is strongly related to tumour genetics in UM, especially to loss of BAP1 expression, and less to tumour size. Tumour ischemia is furthermore related to the presence of an inflammatory phenotype.
NF-κB Signaling Pathways in Osteoarthritic Cartilage Destruction
Authors: Choi Moon-Chang , Jo Jiwon , Park Jonggwan , Kang Hee Kyoung , Park Yoonkyung
Published: July 2019

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of joint disease associated with wear and tear, inflammation, and aging. Mechanical stress along with synovial inflammation promotes the degradation of the extracellular matrix in the cartilage, leading to the breakdown of joint cartilage. The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) transcription factor has long been recognized as a disease-contributing factor and, thus, has become a therapeutic target for OA. Because NF-κB is a versatile and multi-functional transcription factor involved in various biological processes, a comprehensive understanding of the functions or regulation of NF-κB in the OA pathology will aid in the development of targeted therapeutic strategies to protect the cartilage from OA damage and reduce the risk of potential side-effects. In this review, we discuss the roles of NF-κB in OA chondrocytes and related signaling pathways, including recent findings, to better understand pathological cartilage remodeling and provide potential therapeutic targets that can interfere with NF-κB signaling for OA treatment.
Response of the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to the DNA Damaging Agent Zeocin
Authors: Čížková Mária , Slavková Monika , Vítová Milada , Zachleder Vilém , Bišová Kateřina
Published: July 2019

DNA damage is a ubiquitous threat endangering DNA integrity in all living organisms. Responses to DNA damage include, among others, induction of DNA repair and blocking of cell cycle progression in order to prevent transmission of damaged DNA to daughter cells. Here, we tested the effect of the antibiotic zeocin, inducing double stranded DNA breaks, on the cell cycle of synchronized cultures of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. After zeocin application, DNA replication partially occurred but nuclear and cellular divisions were completely blocked. Application of zeocin combined with caffeine, known to alleviate DNA checkpoints, decreased cell viability significantly. This was probably caused by a partial overcoming of the cell cycle progression block in such cells, leading to aberrant cell divisions. The cell cycle block was accompanied by high steady state levels of mitotic cyclin-dependent kinase activity. The data indicate that DNA damage response in C. reinhardtii is connected to the cell cycle block, accompanied by increased and stabilized mitotic cyclin-dependent kinase activity.
Mathematical Modeling of Mucociliary Clearance: A Mini-Review
Authors: Xu Ling , Jiang Yi
Published: July 2019

Mucociliary clearance is an important innate host defense of the mammalian respiratory system, as it traps foreign substances, including pollutants, pathogens, and allergens, and transports them out of the airway. The underlying mechanism of the actuation and coordination of cilia, the interplay between the cilia and mucus, and the formation of the metachronal wave have been explored extensively both experimentally and mathematically. In this mini-review, we provide a survey of the mathematical models of mucociliary clearance, from the motion of one single cilium to the emergence of the metachronal wave in a group of them, from the fundamental theoretical study to the state-of-the-art three-dimensional simulations. The mechanism of cilium actuation is discussed, together with the mathematical simplification and the implications or caveats of the results.
MicroRNAs in Cardiac Diseases
Authors: Colpaert Robin M.W. , Calore Martina
Published: July 2019

Since their discovery 20 years ago, microRNAs have been related to posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in major cardiac physiological and pathological processes. We know now that cardiac muscle phenotypes are tightly regulated by multiple noncoding RNA species to maintain cardiac homeostasis. Upon stress or various pathological conditions, this class of non-coding RNAs has been found to modulate different cardiac pathological conditions, such as contractility, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, hypertrophy, and inherited cardiomyopathies. This review summarizes and updates microRNAs playing a role in the different processes underlying the pathogenic phenotypes of cardiac muscle and highlights their potential role as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Efficient Implementation of 2D and 3D Sparse Deconvolutional Neural Networks with a Uniform Architecture on FPGAs
Authors: Wang Deguang , Shen Junzhong , Wen Mei , Zhang Chunyuan
Published: July 2019

Three-dimensional (3D) deconvolution is widely used in many computer vision applications. However, most previous works have only focused on accelerating two-dimensional (2D) deconvolutional neural networks (DCNNs) on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), while the acceleration of 3D DCNNs has not been well studied in depth as they have higher computational complexity and sparsity than 2D DCNNs. In this paper, we focus on the acceleration of both 2D and 3D sparse DCNNs on FPGAs by proposing efficient schemes for mapping 2D and 3D sparse DCNNs on a uniform architecture. Firstly, a pruning method is used to prune unimportant network connections and increase the sparsity of weights. After being pruned, the number of parameters of DCNNs is reduced significantly without accuracy loss. Secondly, the remaining non-zero weights are encoded in coordinate (COO) format, reducing the memory demands of parameters. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness of our work, we implement our accelerator design on the Xilinx VC709 evaluation platform for four real-life 2D and 3D DCNNs. After the first two steps, the storage required of DCNNs is reduced up to 3.9×. Results show that the performance of our method on the accelerator outperforms that of the our prior work by 2.5× to 3.6× in latency.
Influence of Microtopography and Soil Treatments on Tree Establishment on a Reclaimed Quarry
Authors: Franklin Jennifer , Buckley David
Published: July 2019

Research Highlights: Reclaimed minesites provide an opportunity to establish plantings of tree species of special concern, such as the American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marshall) Borkh.), white oak (Quercus alba L.) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.). Background and Objectives: Reforestation success may be influenced by the physical and chemical characteristics of the substrate, which can be manipulated as part of the reclamation process. The objective of this study was to test the effects of three common reclamation treatments on the establishment of the above species on quarry overburden. Materials and Methods: This study tested the influence of lime and fertilizer (100 or 400 kg/ha N) application, loose dumped substrate vs. single pass grading and the resulting microtopography, on the survival and growth of planted 1:0 seedlings over seven years on reclaimed quarry overburden. Results: Grading had a negative impact on the survival of all species. Lime and fertilizer also influenced survival, but effects differed between species. A single application of fertilizer at the time of planting had a lasting and significant influence on the growth of all species. At year seven, across all species, microtopography influenced root collar diameter. The greatest growth was seen on the east upper, and west mid-slope positions. Conclusions: Fertilization and microtopography created by different site preparation techniques at the time of stand establishment can have a significant influence on tree growth over the first seven years.
Response of Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency to Drought over China during 1982–2015: Spatiotemporal Variability and Resilience
Authors: Guo Limai , Sun Fubao , Liu Wenbin , Zhang Yongguang , Wang Hong , Cui Huijuan , Wang Hongquan , Zhang Jie , Du Benxu
Published: July 2019

Ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE describes carbon-water flux coupling in terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding response and resilience of WUE to drought are essential for sustainable water resource and ecosystem management under increasing drought risks over China due to climate warming. Here we analyzed the response of ecosystem WUE to drought (spatiotemporal variability and resilience) over China during 1982–2015 based on an evapotranspiration (ET) dataset based on the model tree ensemble (MTE) algorithm using flux-tower ET measurements and satellite-retrieved GPP data. The results showed that the multiyear average WUE was 1.55 g C kg−1 H2O over China. WUE increased in 77.1% of Chinese territory during the past 34 years. During drought periods, the ecosystem WUE increased mainly in the northeast of Inner Mongolia, Northeast China and some regions in southern China with abundant forests but decreased in northwestern and central China. An apparent lagging effect of drought on ecosystem WUE was observed in the east of Inner Mongolia and Northeast China, the west and east regions of North China and the central part of Tibetan Plateau. Some ecosystems (e.g., deciduous needle-leaf forests, deciduous broadleaf forests, evergreen broadleaf forests and evergreen needle-leaf forests) in Central China, Northeast and Southwest China exhibited relatively greater resilience to drought than others by improving their WUE. Our findings would provide useful information for Chinese government to adopt a reasonable approach for maintaining the structure and functions of ecosystems under drought disturbance in future.
A Homeostasis Hypothesis of Avian Influenza Resistance in Chickens
Authors: An Jing , Li Jinxiu , Wang Ying , Wang Jing , Li Qinghe , Zhou Huaijun , Hu Xiaoxiang , Zhao Yiqiang , Li Ning
Published: July 2019

Avian influenza has caused significant damage to the poultry industry globally. Consequently, efforts have been made to elucidate the disease mechanisms as well as the mechanisms of disease resistance. Here, by investigating two chicken breeds with distinct responses to avian influenza virus (AIV), Leghorn GB2 and Fayoumi M43, we compared their genome, methylation, and transcriptome differences. MX1, HSP90AB1, and HSP90B1 exhibited high degrees of genetic differentiation (FST) between the two species. Except for the MX1-involved direct anti-virus mechanism, we found that at the methylation and transcriptome levels, the more AIV-resistant breed, Fayoumi, exhibited less variation compared with Leghorn after AIV inoculation, which included change trends in differentially expressed regions, top-fold change genes with FDR-corrected p < 0.05, immune response related genes, and housekeeping genes. Fayoumi also showed better consistency regarding changes in methylation and changes at the transcriptome level. Our results suggest a homeostasis hypothesis for avian influenza resistance, with Fayoumi maintaining superior homeostasis at both the epigenetic and gene expression levels. Three candidate genes—MX1, HSP90AB1, and HSP90B1—showed genetic differentiation and altered gene expression, methylation, and protein expression, which merit attention in further functional studies.
Genetic Analyses of Tanzanian Local Chicken Ecotypes Challenged with Newcastle Disease Virus
Authors: Walugembe Muhammed , Mushi James R. , Amuzu-Aweh Esinam N. , Chiwanga Gaspar H. , Msoffe Peter L. , Wang Ying , Saelao Perot , Kelly Terra , Gallardo Rodrigo A. , Zhou Huaijun , Lamont Susan J. , Muhairwa Amandus P. , Dekkers Jack C.M.
Published: July 2019

Newcastle Disease (ND) is a continuing global threat to domestic poultry, especially in developing countries, where severe outbreaks of velogenic ND virus (NDV) often cause major economic losses to households. Local chickens are of great importance to rural family livelihoods through provision of high-quality protein. To investigate the genetic basis of host response to NDV, three popular Tanzanian chicken ecotypes (regional populations) were challenged with a lentogenic (vaccine) strain of NDV at 28 days of age. Various host response phenotypes, including anti-NDV antibody levels (pre-infection and 10 days post-infection, dpi), and viral load (2 and 6 dpi) were measured, in addition to growth rate. We estimated genetic parameters and conducted genome-wide association study analyses by genotyping 1399 chickens using the Affymetrix 600K chicken SNP chip. Estimates of heritability of the evaluated traits were moderate (0.18–0.35). Five quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with growth and/or response to NDV were identified by single-SNP analyses, with some regions explaining ≥1% of genetic variance based on the Bayes-B method. Immune related genes, such as ETS1, TIRAP, and KIRREL3, were located in regions associated with viral load at 6 dpi. The moderate estimates of heritability and identified QTL indicate that NDV response traits may be improved through selective breeding of chickens to enhance increased NDV resistance and vaccine efficacy in Tanzanian local ecotypes.
The Role of Eicosanoids in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Biringer Roger G.
Published: July 2019

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders known. Estimates from the Alzheimer’s Association suggest that there are currently 5.8 million Americans living with the disease and that this will rise to 14 million by 2050. Research over the decades has revealed that AD pathology is complex and involves a number of cellular processes. In addition to the well-studied amyloid-β and tau pathology, oxidative damage to lipids and inflammation are also intimately involved. One aspect all these processes share is eicosanoid signaling. Eicosanoids are derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids by enzymatic or non-enzymatic means and serve as short-lived autocrine or paracrine agents. Some of these eicosanoids serve to exacerbate AD pathology while others serve to remediate AD pathology. A thorough understanding of eicosanoid signaling is paramount for understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing potential treatments for AD. In this review, eicosanoid metabolism is examined in terms of in vivo production, sites of production, receptor signaling, non-AD biological functions, and known participation in AD pathology.
HDL Cholesterol as a Marker of Disease Severity and Prognosis in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Jonas Kamil , Kopeć Grzegorz
Published: July 2019

The impact of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol on the development of atherosclerosis and diseases of systemic circulation has been well documented both in experimental and registry studies. Recent discoveries in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) revealed a significant impact of HDL on pulmonary artery vasoreactivity and patients’ prognosis. The vasoprotective activity of HDL primarily involves vascular endothelium that also plays a central role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) pathobiology. However, the exact mechanism in which this lipoprotein fraction exerts its effect in pulmonary circulation is still under investigation. This paper reviews potential vasoprotective mechanisms of HDL in pulmonary circulation and presents current clinical reports on the role of HDL in PAH patients.
14-3-3 Proteins Are on the Crossroads of Cancer, Aging, and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease
Authors: Fan Xiaolan , Cui Lang , Zeng Yao , Song Wenhao , Gaur Uma , Yang Mingyao
Published: July 2019

14-3-3 proteins are a family of conserved regulatory adaptor molecules which are expressed in all eukaryotic cells. These proteins participate in a variety of intracellular processes by recognizing specific phosphorylation motifs and interacting with hundreds of target proteins. Also, 14-3-3 proteins act as molecular chaperones, preventing the aggregation of unfolded proteins under conditions of cellular stress. Furthermore, 14-3-3 proteins have been shown to have similar expression patterns in tumors, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, we put forward the idea that the adaptor activity and chaperone-like activity of 14-3-3 proteins might play a substantial role in the above-mentioned conditions. Interestingly, 14-3-3 proteins are considered to be standing at the crossroads of cancer, aging, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. There are great possibilities to improve the above-mentioned diseases and conditions through intervention in the activity of the 14-3-3 protein family.