bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triple Combination of Ascorbate, Menadione and the Inhibition of Peroxiredoxin-1 Produces Synergistic Cytotoxic Effects in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Bajor Malgorzata , Graczyk-Jarzynka Agnieszka , Marhelava Katsiaryna , Kurkowiak Malgorzata , Rahman Arman , Aura Claudia , Russell Niamh , Zych Agata O. , Firczuk Malgorzata , Winiarska Magdalena , Gallagher William M. , Zagozdzon Radoslaw
Published: April 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of mammary malignancy currently without satisfactory systemic treatment options. Agents generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as ascorbate (Asc) and menadione (Men), especially applied in combination, have been proposed as an alternative anticancer modality. However, their effectiveness can be hampered by the cytoprotective effects of elevated antioxidant enzymes (e.g., peroxiredoxins, PRDX) in cancer. In this study, PRDX1 mRNA and protein expression were assessed in TNBC tissues by analysis of the online RNA-seq datasets and immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray, respectively. We demonstrated that PRDX1 mRNA expression was markedly elevated in primary TNBC tumors as compared to non-malignant controls, with PRDX1 protein staining intensity correlating with favorable survival parameters. Subsequently, PRDX1 functionality in TNBC cell lines or non-malignant mammary cells was targeted by genetic silencing or chemically by auranofin (AUR). The PRDX1-knockdown or AUR treatment resulted in inhibition of the growth of TNBC cells in vitro. These cytotoxic effects were further synergistically potentiated by the incubation with a combination of the prooxidant agents, Asc and Men. In conclusion, we report that the PRDX1-related antioxidant system is essential for maintaining redox homeostasis in TNBC cells and can be an attractive therapeutic target in combination with ROS-generating agents.
Differential Activation of Glioprotective Intracellular Signaling Pathways in Primary Optic Nerve Head Astrocytes after Treatment with Different Classes of Antioxidants
Authors: Ghosh Anita K. , Rao Vidhya R. , Wisniewski Victoria J. , Zigrossi Alexandra D. , Floss Jamie , Koulen Peter , Stubbs Evan B , Kaja Simon
Published: April 2020

Optic nerve head astrocytes are the specialized glia cells that provide structural and trophic support to the optic nerve head. In response to cellular injury, optic nerve head astrocytes undergo reactive astrocytosis, the process of cellular activation associated with cytoskeletal remodeling, increases in the rate of proliferation and motility, and the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species. Antioxidant intervention has previously been proposed as a therapeutic approach for glaucomatous optic neuropathy, however, little is known regarding the response of optic nerve head astrocytes to antioxidants under physiological versus pathological conditions. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of three different antioxidants, manganese (III) tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin (Mn-TM-2-PyP), resveratrol and xanthohumol in primary optic nerve head astrocytes. Effects on the expression of the master regulator nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the antioxidant enzyme, manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and the pro-oxidant enzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4), were determined by quantitative immunoblotting. Furthermore, efficacy in preventing chemically and reactive astrocytosis-induced increases in cellular oxidative stress was quantified using cell viability assays. The results were compared to the effects of the prototypic antioxidant, Trolox. Antioxidants elicited highly differential changes in the expression levels of Nrf2, SOD2, and NOX4. Notably, Mn-TM-2-PyP increased SOD2 expression eight-fold, while resveratrol increased Nrf2 expression three-fold. In contrast, xanthohumol exerted no statistically significant changes in expression levels. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) uptake and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays were performed to assess cell viability after chemically and reactive astrocytosis-induced oxidative stress. Mn-TM-2-PyP exerted the most potent glioprotection by fully preventing the loss of cell viability, whereas resveratrol and xanthohumol partially restored cell viability. Our data provide the first evidence for a well-developed antioxidant defense system in optic nerve head astrocytes, which can be pharmacologically targeted by different classes of antioxidants.
Research on Multi-Scenario Variable Parameter Energy Management Strategy of Rural Community Microgrid
Authors: Guo Lidong , Yang Zilong , Wang Yibo , Xu Honghua
Published: April 2020

Many rural communities in western China use renewable energy-based clean energy supply methods, and the community microgrid system of “photovoltaic + energy storage + electric heating” has been widely used. However, the energy management effect of such a typical rural community microgrid system is not very satisfactory. Aiming at the problem of the comprehensive economic operation of the microgrid system in rural communities, a method for optimizing the operation strategy parameters of typical operating scenarios is proposed, and critical parameters of the real-time energy management strategy of the microgrid system are optimized. Through the evaluation of the annual time-scale simulation results, it is proved that the proposed strategy can improve the comprehensive economic benefits of the operation of the rural community microgrid system (comprehensive economic benefits include electricity bills and energy storage system (ESS) life loss). Relying on the actual community microgrid demonstration project system in western China, a community-level microgrid energy management monitoring system is built. The control strategy proposed in this paper is applied to the demonstration system for experimental verification. The operational data of the demonstration system shows that the proposed method is feasible and effective.
Multiparameter Fusion Decision Routing Algorithm for Energy-Constrained Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Yan Jiangyu , Cai Jinqi , Lu Zhilin , Tang Liangrui , Wu Runze
Published: April 2020

For energy-limited wireless sensor networks (WSNs), we propose a multiparameter fusion decision routing (MPFDR) algorithm in this study. This algorithm gives a comprehensive account of the residual energy and forward distance, single-hop transmission ratio, cache queue, and energy equilibrium degree. It calculates the routing evaluation parameters of the forward neighbors, realizing a multidirectional reflection of the network status. Simultaneously, combined with the defined routing selection strategy based on the parameter contribution degree and fuzzy contribution degree, the fusion contribution degree of each forward neighbor is obtained. Then, the node with the most considerable fusion contribution degree is selected as the next hop. Finally, the performance of the MPFDR algorithm is simulated and compared with other algorithms. Simulation results indicate that our algorithm has good congestion control ability in energy-limited wireless sensor networks and can significantly reduce the packet loss rate and average hops.
Evaluation of the Corrosion Resistance of Phosphate Coatings Deposited on the Surface of the Carbon Steel Used for Carabiners Manufacturing
Authors: Burduhos-Nergis Diana-Petronela , Vizureanu Petrica , Sandu Andrei Victor , Bejinariu Costica
Published: April 2020

This study aims to evaluate the corrosion resistance of carbon steel, used for carabiners manufacturing, coated with three different types of phosphate layer. The phosphate layers have been obtained by phosphate conversion coating with three different types of phosphate solutions: zinc-based solution, zinc-iron-based phosphate solution, and manganese-based phosphate solution. Additionally, the test was performed on zinc phosphate samples impregnated with molybdenum bisulfate-based oil and zinc phosphate samples further coated with a layer of elastomer-based paint. Considering the areas where the carabiners are used (civil engineering, navigation, oil industry, rescue operations, etc.), the corrosive environments studied are rainwater, Black Sea water, and fire extinguishing solution. The structure of the deposited layers was studied by scanning electron microscopy, while the interface structure between the alloy and corrosive environment was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to this study, the corrosion resistance of zinc-based phosphate coated samples and zinc/iron-based phosphate coated samples is higher than that of the studied carbon steel samples, despite the corrosion environment. Also, the most aggressive corrosion environment was the fire extinguishing solution.
Performance of a Solar Absorption Cooling System Using Nanofluids and a Membrane-Based Microchannel Desorber
Authors: Venegas María , García-Hernando Néstor , Zacarías Alejandro , de Vega Mercedes
Published: April 2020

In this work, the performance of a single effect absorption cooling system fed by solar thermal energy is evaluated. The absorption chiller includes a membrane-based microchannel desorber using three types of nanoparticles: Al2O3, CuO, or carbon nanotubes (CNT). Correlations available in the open literature to calculate the thermal conductivity of nanofluids are reviewed. Using experimental data for the water-lithium bromide solution (H2O-LiBr) with Al2O3 and CNT nanoparticles, the most appropriate correlation for thermal conductivity is selected. Nanofluid properties are evaluated using a concentration of nanoparticles of up to 5% in volume. The largest increase in the desorption rate (7.9%), with respect to using pure H2O-LiBr solution, is obtained using CNT nanoparticles and the maximum concentration of nanoparticles simulated. The performance of the chiller is evaluated and the daily solar coefficient of performance (SCOP) for the solar cooling facility is obtained. The best improvement with respect to the conventional system (without nanoparticles) represents an increase in the cooling effect of up to 6%. The maximum number of desorber modules recommended, always lower than 50, has been identified.
Research on 2D Laser Automatic Navigation Control for Standardized Orchard
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Guo Chengyang , Gao Zening , Sugirbay Adilet , Chen Jun , Chen Yu
Published: April 2020

With the increase of labor cost and the development of agricultural mechanization, standardized orchards suitable for autonomous operations of agricultural machinery will be a future development trend of the fruit-planting industry. For field-planting processes of standardized orchards, autonomous navigation of orchard vehicles in complex environments is the foundation of mechanized and intelligent field operations. In order to realize autonomous driving and path-tracking of vehicles in complex standardized orchards that involve much noise and interference between rows of fruit trees, an automatic navigation system was designed for orchard vehicles, based on 2D lasers. First, considering the agronomic requirements for orchard planting such as plant spacing, row spacing and trunk diameter, different filtering thresholds were established to eliminate discrete points of 2D laser point cloud data effectively. Euclidean clustering algorithm and the important geometric theorems of three points collinearity was used to extract the central feature points of the trunk, as the same time, navigation path was fitted based on the least square method. Secondly, an automatic navigation control algorithm was designed, and the fuzzy control was used to realize the dynamic adjustment of the apparent distance of the pure pursuit model. Finally, the reliability of the proposed approach was verified by simulation using MATLAB/Simulink, and field tests were carried out based on electric agricultural vehicle. Experimental results show that the method proposed in this study can effectively improve the precision of automatic navigation in complex orchard environment and realize the autonomous operation of orchard vehicles.
Telomere Length as a Biomarker of Biological Aging in Shift Workers
Authors: Ledda Caterina , Loreto Carla , Rapisarda Venerando
Published: April 2020

Shift work (SW) comprises a work schedule that involves recurring times of nonstandard work hours balanced to a fixed daily work plan with regular day work times and has been evaluated as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A) by IARC. SW may result in increased age acceleration. This systematic review aims to elucidate the usefulness of telomere length as a biomarker of biological aging in shift workers. All studies analyzed underline a shortening of telomere length in SW, and aging in shift workers and duration of work. Methodologies to measure biological aging are possible to advance efforts to clarify the basic biology of aging and provide clinicians an instrument to communicate complex health advice to workers. Telomere length measures can also give an instrument for precision medicine, useful for occupational physicians in age-related screening conditions.
A Review of the Potential Health Benefits of Low Alcohol and Alcohol-Free Beer: Effects of Ingredients and Craft Brewing Processes on Potentially Bioactive Metabolites
Authors: Mellor Duane D. , Hanna-Khalil Bishoy , Carson Raymond
Published: April 2020

Beer is a beverage of significant historical and cultural importance. Interest in the potential health effects of alcoholic beverages has largely focused on wine; however, there are a number of potentially beneficial bioactives that beer may contain that warrant further investigation. The challenge of considering any potential health benefits of beer are restricted by the negative consequences of its alcohol and energy content. There is potential to enhance the bioactive qualities of beer whilst reducing the alcohol and energy content through novel brewing approaches often used in craft brewing, in terms of ingredients, brewing methods and type of fermentation. Consumer demand to produce a greater variety of beer types, including alcohol-free beers, may also help to increase the number of beers which may have greater potential to improve health, with lower levels of alcohol, while still being tasty products. As low alcohol, prebiotic and bioactive containing beers are developed, it is important that their potential health benefits and risks are fully assessed.
A Factor Produced by Kaistia sp. 32K Accelerated the Motility of Methylobacterium sp. ME121
Authors: Usui Yoshiaki , Wakabayashi Yuu , Shimizu Tetsu , Tahara Yuhei O. , Miyata Makoto , Nakamura Akira , Ito Masahiro
Published: April 2020

Motile Methylobacterium sp. ME121 and non-motile Kaistia sp. 32K were isolated from the same soil sample. Interestingly, ME121 was significantly more motile in the coculture of ME121 and 32K than in the monoculture of ME121. This advanced motility of ME121 was also observed in the 32K culture supernatant. A swimming acceleration factor, which we named the K factor, was identified in the 32K culture supernatant, purified, characterized as an extracellular polysaccharide (5–10 kDa), and precipitated with 70% ethanol. These results suggest the possibility that the K factor was directly or indirectly sensed by the flagellar stator, accelerating the flagellar rotation of ME121. To the best of our knowledge, no reports describing an acceleration in motility due to coculture with two or more types of bacteria have been published. We propose a mechanism by which the increase in rotational force of the ME121 flagellar motor is caused by the introduction of the additional stator into the motor by the K factor.
PP1C and PP2A are p70S6K Phosphatases Whose Inhibition Ameliorates HLD12-Associated Inhibition of Oligodendroglial Cell Morphological Differentiation
Authors: Matsumoto Naoto , Miyamoto Yuki , Hattori Kohei , Ito Akihiro , Harada Hironori , Oizumi Hiroaki , Ohbuchi Katsuya , Mizoguchi Kazushige , Yamauchi Junji
Published: April 2020

Myelin sheaths created by oligodendroglial cells encase neuronal axons to achieve saltatory conduction and protect axons. Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) is a prototypic, hereditary demyelinating oligodendroglial disease of the central nervous system (CNS), and is currently known as hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 1 (HLD1). HLD12 is an autosomal recessive disorder responsible for the gene that encodes vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 11 homolog (VPS11). VPS11 is a member of the molecular group controlling the early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1)- and Rab7-positive vesicle-mediated protein trafficking to the lysosomal compartments. Herein, we show that the HLD12-associated Cys846-to-Gly (C846G) mutation of VPS11 leads to its aggregate formation with downregulated signaling through 70 kDa S6 protein kinase (p70S6K) in the oligodendroglial cell line FBD-102b as the model. In contrast, wild-type proteins are localized in both EEA1- and Rab7-positive vesicles. Cells harboring the C846G mutant constructs decrease differentiated phenotypes with web-like structures following differentiation, whereas parental cells exhibit them suitably. It is of note that we identify PP1C and PP2A as the protein phosphatases for phosphorylated Thr-389 of p70S6K essential for kinase activation in cells. The respective knockdown experiments or inhibitor treatment stimulates phosphorylation of p70S6K and ameliorates the inhibition of morphological differentiation, as well as the formation of protein aggregates. These results indicate that inhibition of p70S6K phosphatases PP1C and PP2A improves the defective morphological differentiation associated with HLD12 mutation, thereby hinting at amelioration based on a possible molecular and cellular pathological mechanism underlying HLD12.
Continuous-Flow Synthesis of β-Amino Acid Esters by Lipase-Catalyzed Michael Addition of Aromatic Amines
Authors: Du Li-Hua , Long Rui-Jie , Xue Miao , Chen Ping-Feng , Yang Meng-Jie , Luo Xi-Ping
Published: April 2020

A continuous-flow procedure for the synthesis of β-amino acid esters has been developed via lipase-catalyzed Michael reaction of various aromatic amines with acrylates. Lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus was first used to catalyze Michael addition reaction of aromatic amines. Compared with other methods, the salient features of this work include green reaction conditions (methanol as reaction medium), short residence time (30 min), readily available catalyst and a reaction process that is easy to control. This enzymatic synthesis of β-amino acid esters performed in continuous-flow microreactors is an innovation that provides a new strategy for the fast biotransformation of β-amino acid esters.
Effects of Climatic Warming and Wildfires on Recent Vegetation Changes in the Lake Baikal Basin
Authors: Safronov Alexander N.
Published: April 2020

The vegetation changes in the area of the Russian part of the Lake Baikal water basin for the period 2010–2018 were investigated using MCD12C1 land cover. The decline in swamp systems area began in 2012 and continued until 2015, after which it partially recovered during the heavy rain season in 2018. During the period of 2010–2018, the area covered by forests did not exceed 20.3% of the Baikal basin of the total portion of the Baikal basin under study. Deforestation began in 2013 and continued until 2017. Over 2013–2018, the forest level decreased by 12.1% compared to the forest state in 2013. The analysis of summer rainfalls and aridity indexes was performed by using CRU TS and GPCC climatic datasets. It is shown that the interannual variations of precipitation and aridity changes are determined by the variability of the global circulation of moist air masses. The MCD64A1 (burned area) and MCD14ML (active fires) MODIS products were used for investigation of the influence of wildfires on vegetation changes. The spatial hotspot distributions and burned areas in general correspond to aridity zones, but they cannot explain the 20-fold increase in the number of wildfires. Most of the hotspot locations are away from settlements, roads, and loggings, in difficult-to-access mountainous areas, as well as in the low-inhabited areas of Siberia. We assume that the nature of such ignitions includes dry thunderstorms, pyrocumulus lightning, or remote impact.
Comparison and Evaluation of Different Methods for the Feature Extraction from Educational Contents
Authors: Aguilar Jose , Salazar Camilo , Velasco Henry , Monsalve-Pulido Julian , Montoya Edwin
Published: April 2020

This paper analyses the capabilities of different techniques to build a semantic representation of educational digital resources. Educational digital resources are modeled using the Learning Object Metadata (LOM) standard, and these semantic representations can be obtained from different LOM fields, like the title, description, among others, in order to extract the features/characteristics from the digital resources. The feature extraction methods used in this paper are the Best Matching 25 (BM25), the Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), Doc2Vec, and the Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). The utilization of the features/descriptors generated by them are tested in three types of educational digital resources (scientific publications, learning objects, patents), a paraphrase corpus and two use cases: in an information retrieval context and in an educational recommendation system. For this analysis are used unsupervised metrics to determine the feature quality proposed by each one, which are two similarity functions and the entropy. In addition, the paper presents tests of the techniques for the classification of paraphrases. The experiments show that according to the type of content and metric, the performance of the feature extraction methods is very different; in some cases are better than the others, and in other cases is the inverse.
Embedded Exponentially-Fitted Explicit Runge-Kutta-Nyström Methods for Solving Periodic Problems
Authors: Demba Musa , Kumam Poom , Watthayu Wiboonsak , Phairatchatniyom Pawicha
Published: April 2020

In this work, a pair of embedded explicit exponentially-fitted Runge–Kutta–Nyström methods is formulated for solving special second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with periodic solutions. A variable step-size technique is used for the derivation of the 5(3) embedded pair, which provides a cheap local error estimation. The numerical results obtained signify that the new adapted method is more efficient and accurate compared with the existing methods.
Oral Hygiene Awareness and Practices among a Sample of Primary School Children in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Bhuiyan Md. Al-Amin , Anwar Humayra Binte , Anwar Rezwana Binte , Ali Mir Nowazesh , Agrawal Priyanka
Published: April 2020

Inadequate oral health knowledge and awareness is more likely to cause oral diseases among all age groups, including children. Reports about the oral health awareness and oral hygiene practices of children in Bangladesh are insufficient. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the oral health awareness and practices of junior school children in Mathbaria upazila of Pirojpur District, Bangladesh. The study covered 150 children aged 5 to 12 years of age from three primary schools. The study reveals that the students have limited awareness about oral health and poor knowledge of oral hygiene habits. Oral health awareness and hygiene practices amongst the school going children was found to be very poor and create a much-needed niche for implementing school-based oral health awareness and education projects/programs.
Optimal Thermodynamic Processes For Gases
Authors: Kushner Alexei , Lychagin Valentin , Roop Mikhail
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we consider an optimal control problem in the equilibrium thermodynamics of gases. The thermodynamic state of the gas is given by a Legendrian submanifold in a contact thermodynamic space. Using Pontryagin’s maximum principle, we find a thermodynamic process in this submanifold such that the gas maximizes the work functional. For ideal gases, this problem is shown to be integrable in Liouville’s sense and its solution is given by means of action-angle variables. For real gases considered to be a perturbation of ideal ones, the integrals are given asymptotically.
The Development of a BMI-Guided Shape Morphing Technique and the Effects of an Individualized Figure Rating Scale on Self-Perception of Body Size
Authors: Hudson Geoffrey M. , Lu Yao , Zhang Xiaoke , Hahn James , Zabal Johannah E. , Latif Finza , Philbeck John
Published: April 2020

The creation of personalized avatars that may be morphed to simulate realistic changes in body size is useful when studying self-perception of body size. One drawback is that these methods are resource intensive compared to rating scales that rely upon generalized drawings. Little is known about how body perception ratings compare across different methods, particularly across differing levels of personalized detail in visualizations. This knowledge is essential to inform future decisions about the appropriate tradeoff between personalized realism and resource availability. The current study aimed to determine the impact of varying degrees of personalized realism on self-perception of body size. We explored this topic in young adult women, using a generalized line drawing scale, as well as several types of personalized avatars, including 3D textured images presented in immersive virtual reality (VR). Body perception ratings using generalized line drawings were often higher than responses using individualized visualization methods. While the personalized details seemed to help with identification, there were few differences among the three conditions containing different amounts of individualized realism (e.g., photo-realistic texture). These results suggest that using scales based on personalized texture and limb dimensions are beneficial, although presentation in immersive VR may not be essential.
Power Converters in Power Electronics: Current Research Trends
Authors: Nguyen Minh-Khai
Published: April 2020

In recent years, power converters have played an important role in power electronics technology for different applications, such as renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, pulsed power generation, and biomedical [...]
Short-Range Structure of Ti0.63V0.27Fe0.10D1.73 from Neutron Total Scattering and Reverse Monte Carlo Modelling
Authors: Mauroy Henrik , Klyukin Konstantin , Shelyapina Marina G. , Keen David A. , Thøgersen Annett , Hauback Bjørn C. , Sørby Magnus H.
Published: April 2020

Ti-V-based body-centered cubic (BCC) alloys have potential for large-scale hydrogen storage if expensive vanadium is substituted with much cheaper Fe-containing ferrovanadium. Use of ferrovanadium reduces the alloys’ hydrogen storage capacity. This is puzzling since the amount of Fe is low and hydrogen atoms are accommodated in interstitial sites which are partly coordinated by Fe in many intermetallic compounds. The present work is aimed at finding a structural explanation for Fe-induced capacity loss in Ti-V alloys. Since such alloys and their hydrides are highly disordered without long-range occupational order of the different metal species, it was necessary to employ a technique which is sensitive to local structure. Neutron total scattering coupled with reverse Monte Carlo modelling was thus employed to elucidate short-range atomic correlations in Ti0.63V0.27Fe0.10D1.73 from the pair distribution function. It was found that Fe atoms form clusters and that the majority of the vacant interstitial sites are within these clusters. These clusters take the same face-centered cubic structure as the Ti-V matrix in the deuteride and thus they are not simply unreacted Fe which has a BCC structure. The presence of Fe clusters is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the clustering is driven by thermodynamics.
Real-Time Reconstruction of Contaminant Dispersion from Sparse Sensor Observations with Gappy POD Method
Authors: Tong Zheming , Li Yue
Published: April 2020

Real-time estimation of three-dimensional field data for enclosed spaces is critical to HVAC control. This task is challenging, especially for large enclosed spaces with complex geometry, due to the nonuniform distribution and nonlinear variations of many environmental variables. Moreover, constructing and maintaining a network of sensors to fully cover the entire space is very costly, and insufficient sensor data might deteriorate system performance. Facing such a dilemma, gappy proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) offers a solution to provide three-dimensional field data with a limited number of sensor measurements. In this study, a gappy POD method for real-time reconstruction of contaminant distribution in an enclosed space is proposed by combining the POD method with a limited number of sensor measurements. To evaluate the gappy POD method, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is utilized to perform a numerical simulation to validate the effectiveness of the gappy POD method in reconstructing contaminant distributions. In addition, the optimal sensor placement is given based on a quantitative metric to maximize the reconstruction accuracy, and the sensor placement constraints are also considered during the sensor design process. The gappy POD method is found to yield accurate reconstruction results. Further works will include the implementation of real-time control based on the POD method.
A FACTS Devices Allocation Procedure Attending to Load Share
Authors: Marrero Vera Samuel , Nuez Ignacio , Hernandez-Tejera Mario
Published: April 2020

Power system stability is a topic which is attracting considerable interest due to the increase of both electrical demand and distributed variable generation. Since Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices are an increasingly widespread solution to these issues, it is important to study how their allocation procedure should be done. This paper seeks to assess the influence of load share in FACTS devices allocation. Despite this interest, researchers, as well as system planners, have mainly focused on studying single power system configuration rather than using a wider approach. Keeping this in mind, we have iteratively created several load share scenarios based on an IEEE 14-bus test system. Subsequently, we have applied an heuristic procedure in order to demonstrate how load share may affect the results of the FACTS devices allocation procedure. Additionally, we have compared results from two different objective functions so as to evaluate our proposal. Finally, we have proposed a solution to FACTS allocation which takes load share into account. Our tests have revealed that, depending on the distribution of load within the power system, the optimal location for a FACTS device may change. Furthermore, we have also found some discrepancies and similarities between results from distinct objective functions.
Edible Insects in Africa in Terms of Food, Wildlife Resource, and Pest Management Legislation
Authors: Grabowski Nils Th. , Tchibozo Séverin , Abdulmawjood Amir , Acheuk Fatma , M’Saad Guerfali Meriem , Sayed Waheed A.A. , Plötz Madeleine
Published: April 2020

Entomophagy is an ancient and actually African tradition that has been receiving renewed attention since edible insects have been identified as one of the solutions to improve global nutrition. As any other foodstuff, insects should be regulated by the government to ensure product quality and consumer safety. The goal of the present paper was to assess the current legal status of edible insects in Africa. For that, corresponding authorities were contacted along with an extensive online search, relying mostly on the FAOLEX database. Except for Botswana, insects are not mentioned in national regulations, although the definitions for “foodstuff” allow their inclusion, i.e., general food law can also apply to insects. Contacted authorities tolerated entomophagy, even though no legal base existed. However, insects typically appear in laws pertaining the use of natural resources, making a permit necessary (in most cases). Pest management regulation can also refer to edible species, e.g., locusts or weevils. Farming is an option that should be assessed carefully. All this creates a complex, nation-specific situation regarding which insect may be used legally to what purpose. Recommendations for elements in future insect-related regulations from the food hygiene point of view are provided.
Innovative Water-Insoluble Edible Film Based on Biocatalytic Crosslink of Gelatin Rich in Glutamine
Authors: Ma Yanli , Yang Ruijin , Zhao Wei
Published: April 2020

Gelatin is a promising candidate for making bioplastic film; however, the water soluble property has limited its applications. Here, we have successfully fabricated a water-insoluble gelatin film with the assistance of biocatalysis. This innovative gelatin film could retain its original shape at ambient temperature (30 °C) or even in boiling water. Type E gelatin could form more covalent crosslinks when compared to that of conventional ones with the same amount of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase), and it exhibits obvious changes in terms of molecular weight, network structure, and mechanical strength. This work could provide a strategy for fabricating water-insoluble gelatin film and open routes for the development of bioplastic film using gelatin.
Volatile Organic Compounds Profiles to Determine Authenticity of Sweet Orange Juice Using Head Space Gas Chromatography Coupled with Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Zhou Qi , Li Guijie , Ou-Yang Zhu , Yi Xin , Huang Linhua , Wang Hua
Published: April 2020

An efficient and practical method for identifying mandarin juice over-blended into not from concentrate (NFC) orange juice was established. Juices were extracted from different cultivars of sweet orange and mandarin fruits. After being pasteurized, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the juice samples were extracted using headspace solid-phase microextraction, and qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry detection. Thirty-two VOCs contained in both the sweet orange juice and mandarin juice were used as variables, and the identification model for discriminating between the two varieties of juice was established by principal component analysis. Validation was applied by using common mandarin juices from Ponkan, Satsuma and Nanfengmiju cultivars blended at series of proportions into orange juices from Long-leaf, Olinda, and Hamlin cultivars. The model can visually identify a blending of mandarin juice at the volume fraction of 10% or above.
In Vivo Targets of Pasteurella Multocida Toxin
Authors: Banu Arshiya , Lax Alistair J. , Grigoriadis Agamemnon E.
Published: April 2020

Many Pasteurella multocida strains are carried as commensals, while some cause disease in animals and humans. Some type D strains cause atrophic rhinitis in pigs, where the causative agent is known to be the Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT). PMT activates three families of G-proteins—Gq/11, G12/13, and Gi/o—leading to cellular mitogenesis and other sequelae. The effects of PMT on whole animals in vivo have been investigated previously, but only at the level of organ-specific pathogenesis. We report here the first study to screen all the organs targeted by the toxin by using the QE antibody that recognizes only PMT-modified G-proteins. Under our experimental conditions, short-term treatment of PMT is shown to have multiple in vivo targets, demonstrating G-alpha protein modification, stimulation of proliferation markers and expression of active β-catenin in a tissue- and cell-specific manner. This highlights the usefulness of PMT as an important tool for dissecting the specific roles of different G-alpha proteins in vivo.
RNAseq-Based Prioritization Revealed COL6A5, COL8A1, COL10A1 and MIR146A as Common and Differential Susceptibility Biomarkers for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Confirmation from Genotyping Analysis of 1417 Italian Subjects
Authors: Caputo Valerio , Strafella Claudia , Termine Andrea , Campione Elena , Bianchi Luca , Novelli Giuseppe , Giardina Emiliano , Cascella Raffaella
Published: April 2020

Psoriasis (Ps) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) are characterized by a multifactorial etiology, involving genetic and environmental factors. The present study aimed to investigate polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes involved in extracellular matrix and cell homeostasis and microRNA genes as susceptibility biomarkers for Ps and PsA. Bioinformatic analysis on public RNA-seq data allowed for selection of rs12488457 (A/C, COL6A5), rs13081855 (G/T, COL8A1), rs3812111 (A/T, COL10A1) and rs2910164 (C/G, MIR146A) as candidate biomarkers. These polymorphisms were analyzed by Real-Time PCR in a cohort of 1417 Italian patients (393 Ps, 424 PsA, 600 controls). Statistical and bioinformatic tools were utilized for assessing the genetic association and predicting the effects of the selected SNPs. rs12488457, rs13081855 and rs2910164 were significantly associated with both Ps (p = 1.39 × 10−8, p = 4.52 × 10−4, p = 0.04, respectively) and PsA (p = 5.12 × 10−5, p = 1.19 × 10−6, p = 0.01, respectively). rs3812111, instead, was associated only with PsA (p = 0.005). Bioinformatic analysis revealed common and differential biological pathways involved in Ps and PsA. COL6A5 and COL8A1 take part in the proliferation and angiogenic pathways which are altered in Ps/PsA and contribute to inflammation together with MIR146A. On the other hand, the exclusive association of COL10A1 with PsA highlighted the specific involvement of bone metabolism in PsA.
Knockout of ACTB and ACTG1 with CRISPR/Cas9(D10A) Technique Shows that Non-Muscle β and γ Actin Are Not Equal in Relation to Human Melanoma Cells’ Motility and Focal Adhesion Formation
Authors: Malek Natalia , Mrówczyńska Ewa , Michrowska Aleksandra , Mazurkiewicz Ewa , Pavlyk Iuliia , Mazur Antonina Joanna
Published: April 2020

Non-muscle actins have been studied for many decades; however, the reason for the existence of both isoforms is still unclear. Here we show, for the first time, a successful inactivation of the ACTB (CRISPR clones with inactivated ACTB, CR-ACTB) and ACTG1 (CRISPR clones with inactivated ACTG1, CR-ACTG1) genes in human melanoma cells (A375) via the RNA-guided D10A mutated Cas9 nuclease gene editing [CRISPR/Cas9(D10A)] technique. This approach allowed us to evaluate how melanoma cell motility was impacted by the lack of either β actin coded by ACTB or γ actin coded by ACTG1. First, we observed different distributions of β and γ actin in the cells, and the absence of one actin isoform was compensated for via increased expression of the other isoform. Moreover, we noted that γ actin knockout had more severe consequences on cell migration and invasion than β actin knockout. Next, we observed that the formation rate of bundled stress fibers in CR-ACTG1 cells was increased, but lamellipodial activity in these cells was impaired, compared to controls. Finally, we discovered that the formation rate of focal adhesions (FAs) and, subsequently, FA-dependent signaling were altered in both the CR-ACTB and CR-ACTG1 clones; however, a more detrimental effect was observed for γ actin-deficient cells. Our research shows that both non-muscle actins play distinctive roles in melanoma cells’ FA formation and motility.
Cloning and Functional Analysis of BcMYB101 Gene Involved in Leaf Development in Pak Choi (Brassica rapa ssp. Chinensis)
Authors: Hou Hualan , Zhang Changwei , Hou Xilin
Published: April 2020

As one of the largest transcription factor families, MYB transcription factors are widely present, and they are involved in a diverse range of physiological activities in plants, such as leaf development. GAMYB genes belong to the R2R3-MYB subfamily, which includes the MYB33/65/101 gene, and these genes are studied well in seed germination and flowering, but their roles in leaf development are poorly understood. In the current study, we isolated a GAMYB transcription factor from pak choi, BcMYB101, and analyzed its characteristics and function. The sequence structure analysis indicated that BcMYB101 has a highly conserved R2R3 DNA-binding domain in the N-terminal region and three GAMYB-specific motifs (Box1, Box2, and Box3). The expression pattern of diverse tissues revealed that BcMYB101 has a higher transcript level in the petiole, leaf, root, and floral organs. Furthermore, the expression level was significantly elevated after GA (gibberellin) treatment, suggesting that the BcMYB101 response was positively regulated by GA. Subcellular localization exhibited that BcMYB101 was only present in the nuclear region, consistent with the characterization of the transcription factor. The overexpression of BcMYB101 elucidated that BcMYB101 increased leaf number and resulted in downward-curling cauline leaves. Moreover, the virus-induced BcMYB101 silencing displayed that BcMYB101 is involved in the regulation of curly leaves. Furthermore, we discovered that BcMYB101 has two trans-activation activities and one interaction protein, BcTCH4, using a trans-activation activity assay and a yeast two-hybrid assay, respectively. In this study, we firstly isolated the BcMYB101 gene and explored its function in leaf development, thereby providing a solid foundation for further research on the regulatory mechanism of leaf shape in Brassica or other species.
P38α-MAPK Signaling Inhibition Attenuates Soleus Atrophy during Early Stages of Muscle Unloading
Authors: Belova Svetlana P. , Mochalova Ekaterina P. , Kostrominova Tatiana Y. , Shenkman Boris S. , Nemirovskaya Tatiana L.
Published: April 2020

To test the hypothesis that p38α-MAPK plays a critical role in the regulation of E3 ligase expression and skeletal muscle atrophy during unloading, we used VX-745, a selective p38α inhibitor. Three groups of rats were used: non-treated control (C), 3 days of unloading/hindlimb suspension (HS), and 3 days HS with VX-745 inhibitor (HSVX; 10 mg/kg/day). Total weight of soleus muscle in HS group was reduced compared to C (72.3 ± 2.5 vs 83.0 ± 3 mg, respectively), whereas muscle weight in the HSVX group was maintained (84.2 ± 5 mg). The expression of muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF1) mRNA was significantly increased in the HS group (165%), but not in the HSVX group (127%), when compared with the C group. The expression of muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) mRNA was increased in both HS and HSVX groups (294% and 271%, respectively) when compared with C group. The expression of ubiquitin mRNA was significantly higher in the HS (423%) than in the C and HSVX (200%) groups. VX-745 treatment blocked unloading-induced upregulation of calpain-1 mRNA expression (HS: 120%; HSVX: 107%). These results indicate that p38α-MAPK signaling regulates MuRF1 but not MAFbx E3 ligase expression and inhibits skeletal muscle atrophy during early stages of unloading.
Structural Characterization of Carbonic Anhydrase VIII and Effects of Missense Single Nucleotide Variations to Protein Structure and Function
Authors: Sanyanga Taremekedzwa Allan , Tastan Bishop Özlem
Published: April 2020

Human carbonic anhydrase 8 (CA-VIII) is an acatalytic isoform of the α -CA family. Though the protein cannot hydrate CO2, CA-VIII is essential for calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis within the body, and achieves this by allosterically inhibiting the binding of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) to the IP3 receptor type 1 (ITPR1) protein. However, the mechanism of interaction of CA-VIII to ITPR1 is not well understood. In addition, functional defects to CA-VIII due to non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNVs) result in Ca2+ dysregulation and the development of the phenotypes such as cerebellar ataxia, mental retardation and disequilibrium syndrome 3 (CAMRQ3). The pathogenesis of CAMRQ3 is also not well understood. The structure and function of CA-VIII was characterised, and pathogenesis of CAMRQ3 investigated. Structural and functional characterisation of CA-VIII was conducted through SiteMap and CPORT to identify potential binding site residues. The effects of four pathogenic nsSNVs, S100A, S100P, G162R and R237Q, and two benign S100L and E109D variants on CA-VIII structure and function was then investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, dynamic cross correlation (DCC) and dynamic residue network (DRN) analysis. SiteMap and CPORT analyses identified 38 unique CA-VIII residues that could potentially bind to ITPR1. MD analysis revealed less conformational sampling within the variant proteins and highlighted potential increases to variant protein rigidity. Dynamic cross correlation (DCC) showed that wild-type (WT) protein residue motion is predominately anti-correlated, with variant proteins showing no correlation to greater residue correlation. DRN revealed variant-associated increases to the accessibility of the N-terminal binding site residues, which could have implications for associations with ITPR1, and further highlighted differences to the mechanism of benign and pathogenic variants. SNV presence is associated with a reduction to the usage of Trp37 in all variants, which has implications for CA-VIII stability. The differences to variant mechanisms can be further investigated to understand pathogenesis of CAMRQ3, enhancing precision medicine-related studies into CA-VIII.
miRNAs in Lung Development and Diseases
Authors: Boateng Eistine , Krauss-Etschmann Susanne
Published: April 2020

The development of the lung involves a diverse group of molecules that regulate cellular processes, organ formation, and maturation. The various stages of lung development are marked by accumulation of small RNAs that promote or repress underlying mechanisms, depending on the physiological environment in utero and postnatally. To some extent, the pathogenesis of various lung diseases is regulated by small RNAs. In this review, we discussed miRNAs regulation of lung development and diseases, that is, COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension, and also highlighted possible connotations for human lung health.
The p38 MAPK Signaling Activation in Colorectal Cancer upon Therapeutic Treatments
Authors: Pranteda Angelina , Piastra Valentina , Stramucci Lorenzo , Fratantonio Deborah , Bossi Gianluca
Published: April 2020

Pharmacological treatment of colorectal carcinoma currently proceeds through the administration of a combination of different chemotherapeutic agents. In the case of rectal carcinoma, radiation therapy also represents a therapeutic strategy. In an attempt at translating much-needed new targeted therapy to the clinics, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors have been tested in clinical trials involving colorectal carcinoma patients, especially in combination with chemotherapy; however, despite the high expectations raised by a clear involvement of the p38 MAPK pathway in the response to therapeutic treatments, poor results have been obtained so far. In this work, we review recent insights into the exact role of the p38 MAPK pathway in response to currently available therapies for colorectal carcinoma, depicting an intricate scenario in which the p38 MAPK node presents many opportunities, as well as many challenges, for its perspective exploitation for clinical purposes.