bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENYULUHAN PROTOKOL KESEHATAN PENCEGAHAN DAN PENGENDALIAN COVID-19 DI PANTI ASUHAN BAITUL ARIEF KOTA BANDUNG
Authors: Lisni Ida , Sutrisno Entris , Mardiyah Dewi , Suherdin Suherdin , Trisiani Desi
Published: October 2021

The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through the droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. We can be infected when we breathe the air containing the virus, we are too close to people who are already infected with COVID-19. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct outreach to the public regarding health protocols to prevent and control the transmission of covid-19. The Baitul Arief Orphanage, which is located in the middle of the city and a densely populated area, has 85 foster children who have activities both from foster children and activities from guests and donors who come and go. To prevent foster children from contracting COVID-19 by changing their lifestyle in accordance with government regulations, it is necessary to conduct Health Protocol Covid-19 Prevention and Control Counseling. The methods of implementing these activities include location surveys, presenting initiatives, implementing Covid-19 Health Protocol counseling, handing over hand washing equipment from the UBK community service team, 6-step hand washing practice with soap for, ordering the covid task force at an orphanage, and evaluation. Activities are documented and published through social media and mass media and journals. The results of education and evaluation of written tests increase children's knowledge and understanding as prevention and control of Covid-19. The lowest average score for foster children with elementary education level and the highest score for foster children with tertiary education. The existence of the Covid-19 Task Force in the form of an orphanage contributes to changes in behavior and builds self-awareness for foster children at the Baitul Arief orphanage in Bandung City.
Inoculum concentration and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in jatropha leaves (Jatropha curcas).
Authors: Paz-Lima Milton Luiz da , Rietjens Anderson Rodrigues , Silva Franciele Cristina , Silva Aline Suelen
Published: October 2021

Abstract – In Brazil has been stimulated the use of Jatropha curcas as an alternative for use in biodiesel. Anthracnose-of-jatropha is a frequent disease main in regions and seasons with hot and moisture weather. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inoculum concentrations and pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides in jatropha leaves. Fruits and leaves collected during the rainy season (Urutaí, GO) presenting leaf spot symptoms were taken to the laboratory for isolation and identification of the pathogen. In light microscope he observed that this was an isolated Colletotrichum sp. From this isolate two assays were performed: a) inoculating test mycelial disks on potted plants (treatments with and without injury); b) conidial suspensions were inoculated at concentrations of 103, 104, 105 and 106 conídios.mL-1 using the method of "detached leaves" (wounding treatments with and without injury). In the first assay the plants showed a latent period of 11 days with an average severity of 1 %. In the second trial in treated wounds showed the highest values of area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) for concentrations of 105 conídios.mL-1 (2938.2 + 178.5) and 106 conídios.mL-1 ( 3685.2 + 347.5), statistically different from the others. And in no injury treatments, dilution 104, 105 and 106 conídios.mL-1 statistically equal AACPD values differing only in minor inoculated concentration. Through this work we can see the pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides in jatropha and point the concentration of 106 conídios.mL-1 as ideal for testing and resistance studies jatropha anthracnose.
DÉFICIT NUTRICIONAL EM RATOS WISTAR
Authors: Estrela Dieferson da Costa , Carvalho Camila Gracyelle de , Guimarães Abraão Tiago Batista
Published: October 2021

A desnutrição causa diversos tipos de alterações, síndromes e doenças, afetando de forma generalizada ou não, vários parâmetros do indivíduo. Diante disso, o presente estudo objetivou avaliar os efeitos da restrição alimentar, em curto prazo, sobre parâmetros físicos, bioquímicos, hematológicos e histológicos em ratos Wistar. Para isso, fêmeas adultas com aproximadamente 90 dias de idade foram submetidas ao processo de restrição alimentar utilizando uma dieta contendo 6% de proteína. Já os animais do grupo controle foram aqueles alimentados com dieta comercial padrão contendo 19% de proteína. Após o estabelecimento da desnutrição, indicada pela diferença entre as massas corpóreas dos animais estudados, estes foram submetidos à eutanásia, tendo sido avaliada a massa absoluta e relativa do fígado, baço, coração, pâncreas, cérebro, rins e pulmões e glândulas suprarrenais, parâmetros bioquímicos e hematológicos, assim como a histologia do baço, fígado e rins desses animais. Os animais do grupo desnutrição apresentaram diminuição da concentração de leucócitos, triglicérides e lipoproteínas de muito baixa densidade (VLDL) e maior massa relativa do fígado, com presença de alterações histopatológicas incipientes quando comparados com os respectivos controles. Estes dados sugerem que a restrição alimentar, em curto prazo, é capaz de induzir o quadro de desnutrição e ocasionar sinais de alterações no fígado, mas não ocasiona alterações bioquímicas e hematológicas generalizada.
Fourier Ring Correlation and Anisotropic Kernel Density Estimation Improve Deep Learning Based SMLM Reconstruction of Microtubules
Authors: Berberich Andreas , Kurz Andreas , Reinhard Sebastian , Paul Torsten Johann , Burd Paul Ray , Sauer Markus , Kollmannsberger Philip
Published: October 2021

Single-molecule super-resolution microscopy (SMLM) techniques likedSTORM can reveal biological structures down to the nanometer scale. The achievable resolution is not only defined by the localization precision of individual fluorescent molecules, but also by their density, which becomes a limiting factor e.g., in expansion microscopy. Artificial deep neural networks can learn to reconstruct dense super-resolved structures such as microtubules from a sparse, noisy set of data points. This approach requires a robust method to assess the quality of a predicted density image and to quantitatively compare it to a ground truth image. Such a quality measure needs to be differentiable to be applied as loss function in deep learning. We developed a new trainable quality measure based on Fourier Ring Correlation (FRC) and used it to train deep neural networks to map a small number of sampling points to an underlying density. Smooth ground truth images of microtubules were generated from localization coordinates using an anisotropic Gaussian kernel density estimator. We show that the FRC criterion ideally complements the existing state-of-the-art multiscale structural similarity index, since both are interpretable and there is no trade-off between them during optimization. The TensorFlow implementation of our FRC metric can easily be integrated into existing deep learning workflows.
Growth and eGFP Production of CHO-K1 Suspension Cells Cultivated From Single Cell to Laboratory Scale
Authors: Schmitz Julian , Hertel Oliver , Yermakov Boris , Noll Thomas , Grünberger Alexander
Published: October 2021

Scaling down bioproduction processes has become a major driving force for more accelerated and efficient process development over the last decades. Especially expensive and time-consuming processes like the production of biopharmaceuticals with mammalian cell lines benefit clearly from miniaturization, due to higher parallelization and increased insights while at the same time decreasing experimental time and costs. Lately, novel microfluidic methods have been developed, especially microfluidic single-cell cultivation (MSCC) devices have been proved to be valuable to miniaturize the cultivation of mammalian cells. So far, growth characteristics of microfluidic cultivated cell lines were not systematically compared to larger cultivation scales; however, validation of a miniaturization tool against initial cultivation scales is mandatory to prove its applicability for bioprocess development. Here, we systematically investigate growth, morphology, and eGFP production of CHO-K1 cells in different cultivation scales ranging from a microfluidic chip (230 nl) to a shake flask (125 ml) and laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactor (2.0 L). Our study shows a high comparability regarding specific growth rates, cellular diameters, and eGFP production, which proves the feasibility of MSCC as a miniaturized cultivation tool for mammalian cell culture. In addition, we demonstrate that MSCC provides insights into cellular heterogeneity and single-cell dynamics concerning growth and production behavior which, when occurring in bioproduction processes, might severely affect process robustness.
Low-Coverage Whole Genome Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA From Immunosuppressed Cancer Patients Enables Tumor Fraction Determination and Reveals Relevant Copy Number Alterations
Authors: Bouzidi Amira , Labreche Karim , Baron Marine , Veyri Marianne , Denis Jérôme Alexandre , Touat Mehdi , Sanson Marc , Davi Frédéric , Guillerm Erell , Jouannet Stéphanie , Charlotte Frédéric , Bielle Franck , Choquet Sylvain , Boëlle Pierre-Yves , Cadranel Jacques , Leblond Véronique , Autran Brigitte , Lacorte Jean-Marc , Spano Jean-Philippe , Coulet Florence ,   the IDEATION study group
Published: October 2021

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis is a minimally invasive method that can be used to detect genomic abnormalities by directly testing a blood sample. This method is particularly useful for immunosuppressed patients, who are at high risk of complications from tissue biopsy. The cfDNA tumor fraction (TF) varies greatly across cancer type and between patients. Thus, the detection of molecular alterations is highly dependent on the circulating TF. In our study, we aimed to calculate the TF and characterize the copy number aberration (CNA) profile of cfDNA from patients with rare malignancies occurring in immunosuppressed environments or immune-privileged sites. To accomplish this, we recruited 36 patients: 19 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who were either human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive or organ transplant recipients, 5 HIV-positive lung cancer patients, and 12 patients with glioma. cfDNA was extracted from the patients’ plasma and sequenced using low-coverage whole genome sequencing (LC-WGS). The cfDNA TF was then calculated using the ichorCNA bioinformatic algorithm, based on the CNA profile. In parallel, we performed whole exome sequencing of patient tumor tissue and cfDNA samples with detectable TFs. We detected a cfDNA TF in 29% of immune-suppressed patients (one patient with lung cancer and six with systemic NHL), with a TF range from 8 to 70%. In these patients, the events detected in the CNA profile of cfDNA are well-known events associated with NHL and lung cancer. Moreover, cfDNA CNA profile correlated with the CNA profile of matched tumor tissue. No tumor-derived cfDNA was detected in the glioma patients. Our study shows that tumor genetic content is detectable in cfDNA from immunosuppressed patients with advanced NHL or lung cancer. LC-WGS is a time- and cost-effective method that can help select an appropriate strategy for performing extensive molecular analysis of cfDNA. This technique also enables characterization of CNAs in cfDNA when sufficient tumor content is available. Hence, this approach can be used to collect useful molecular information that is relevant to patient care.
AI-Model for Identifying Pathologic Myopia Based on Deep Learning Algorithms of Myopic Maculopathy Classification and “Plus” Lesion Detection in Fundus Images
Authors: Lu Li , Ren Peifang , Tang Xuyuan , Yang Ming , Yuan Minjie , Yu Wangshu , Huang Jiani , Zhou Enliang , Lu Lixian , He Qin , Zhu Miaomiao , Ke Genjie , Han Wei
Published: October 2021

Background: Pathologic myopia (PM) associated with myopic maculopathy (MM) and “Plus” lesions is a major cause of irreversible visual impairment worldwide. Therefore, we aimed to develop a series of deep learning algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI)–models for automatic PM identification, MM classification, and “Plus” lesion detection based on retinal fundus images.

Materials and Methods: Consecutive 37,659 retinal fundus images from 32,419 patients were collected. After excluding 5,649 ungradable images, a total dataset of 32,010 color retinal fundus images was manually graded for training and cross-validation according to the META-PM classification. We also retrospectively recruited 1,000 images from 732 patients from the three other hospitals in Zhejiang Province, serving as the external validation dataset. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and quadratic-weighted kappa score were calculated to evaluate the classification algorithms. The precision, recall, and F1-score were calculated to evaluate the object detection algorithms. The performance of all the algorithms was compared with the experts’ performance. To better understand the algorithms and clarify the direction of optimization, misclassification and visualization heatmap analyses were performed.

Results: In five-fold cross-validation, algorithm I achieved robust performance, with accuracy = 97.36% (95% CI: 0.9697, 0.9775), AUC = 0.995 (95% CI: 0.9933, 0.9967), sensitivity = 93.92% (95% CI: 0.9333, 0.9451), and specificity = 98.19% (95% CI: 0.9787, 0.9852). The macro-AUC, accuracy, and quadratic-weighted kappa were 0.979, 96.74% (95% CI: 0.963, 0.9718), and 0.988 (95% CI: 0.986, 0.990) for algorithm II. Algorithm III achieved an accuracy of 0.9703 to 0.9941 for classifying the “Plus” lesions and an F1-score of 0.6855 to 0.8890 for detecting and localizing lesions. The performance metrics in external validation dataset were comparable to those of the experts and were slightly inferior to those of cross-validation.

Conclusion: Our algorithms and AI-models were confirmed to achieve robust performance in real-world conditions. The application of our algorithms and AI-models has promise for facilitating clinical diagnosis and healthcare screening for PM on a large scale.
Muscle Satellite Cell Heterogeneity: Does Embryonic Origin Matter?
Authors: Rodriguez-Outeiriño Lara , Hernandez-Torres Francisco , Ramírez-de Acuña F. , Matías-Valiente Lidia , Sanchez-Fernandez Cristina , Franco Diego , Aranega Amelia Eva
Published: October 2021

Muscle regeneration is an important homeostatic process of adult skeletal muscle that recapitulates many aspects of embryonic myogenesis. Satellite cells (SCs) are the main muscle stem cells responsible for skeletal muscle regeneration. SCs reside between the myofiber basal lamina and the sarcolemma of the muscle fiber in a quiescent state. However, in response to physiological stimuli or muscle trauma, activated SCs transiently re-enter the cell cycle to proliferate and subsequently exit the cell cycle to differentiate or self-renew. Recent evidence has stated that SCs display functional heterogeneity linked to regenerative capability with an undifferentiated subgroup that is more prone to self-renewal, as well as committed progenitor cells ready for myogenic differentiation. Several lineage tracing studies suggest that such SC heterogeneity could be associated with different embryonic origins. Although it has been established that SCs are derived from the central dermomyotome, how a small subpopulation of the SCs progeny maintain their stem cell identity while most progress through the myogenic program to construct myofibers is not well understood. In this review, we synthesize the works supporting the different developmental origins of SCs as the genesis of their functional heterogeneity.
Periphery Biomarkers for Objective Diagnosis of Cognitive Decline in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Liu Yanchao , Zhang Shujuan , He Benrong , Chen Liangkai , Ke Dan , Zhao Shi , Zhang Yao , Wei Wei , Xu Zhipeng , Xu Zihui , Yin Ying , Mo Wen , Li Yanni , Gao Yang , Li Shihong , Wang Weijin , Yu Huiling , Wu Dongqin , Pi Guilin , Jiang Tao , Deng Mingmin , Xiong Rui , Lei Huiyang , Tian Na , He Ting , Sun Fei , Zhou Qiuzhi , Wang Xin , Ye Jinwang , Li Mengzhu , Hu Nan , Song Guoda , Peng Wenju , Zheng Chenghong , Zhang Huaqiu , Wang Jian-Zhi
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an independent risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and populations with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have high incidence to suffer from AD. Therefore, discerning who may be more vulnerable to MCI, among the increasing T2DM populations, is important for early intervention and eventually decreasing the prevalence rate of AD. This study was to explore whether the change of plasma β-amyloid (Aβ) could be a biomarker to distinguish MCI (T2DM-MCI) from non-MCI (T2DM-nMCI) in T2DM patients.

Methods: Eight hundred fifty-two T2DM patients collected from five medical centers were assigned randomly to training and validation cohorts. Plasma Aβ, platelet glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotypes, and olfactory and cognitive functions were measured by ELISA, dot blot, RT-PCR, Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) olfactory test based on the diluted butanol, and Minimum Mental State Examination (MMSE) test, respectively, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied.

Results: Elevation of plasma Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 is an independent risk factor of MCI in T2DM patients. Although using Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 alone only reached an AUC of 0.631 for MCI diagnosis, addition of the elevated Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 to our previous model (i.e., activated platelet GSK-3β, ApoE ε4 genotype, olfactory decline, and aging) significantly increased the discriminating efficiency of T2DM-MCI from T2DM-nMCI, with an AUC of 0.846 (95% CI: 0.794–0.897) to 0.869 (95% CI: 0.822–0.916) in the training cohort and an AUC of 0.848 (95% CI: 0.815–0.882) to 0.867 (95% CI: 0.835–0.899) in the validation cohort, respectively.

Conclusion: A combination of the elevated plasma Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 with activated platelet GSK-3β, ApoE ε4 genotype, olfactory decline, and aging could efficiently diagnose MCI in T2DM patients. Further longitudinal studies may consummate the model for early prediction of AD.
Subcellular Specialization of Mitochondrial Form and Function in Skeletal Muscle Cells
Authors: Willingham T. Bradley , Ajayi Peter T. , Glancy Brian
Published: October 2021

Across different cell types and within single cells, mitochondria are heterogeneous in form and function. In skeletal muscle cells, morphologically and functionally distinct subpopulations of mitochondria have been identified, but the mechanisms by which the subcellular specialization of mitochondria contributes to energy homeostasis in working muscles remains unclear. Here, we discuss the current data regarding mitochondrial heterogeneity in skeletal muscle cells and highlight potential new lines of inquiry that have emerged due to advancements in cellular imaging technologies.
Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Monolith Catalysts for Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane
Authors: Liu Weijie , Cao Tianlong , Dai Xueya , Bai Yunli , Lu Xingyu , Li Fan , Qi Wei
Published: October 2021

It’s of paramount importance to develop renewable nanocarbon materials to replace conventional precious metal catalysts in alkane dehydrogenation reactions. Graphene-based materials with high surface area have great potential for light alkane dehydrogenation. However, the powder-like state of the graphene-based materials seriously limits their potential industrial applications. In the present work, a new synthetic route is designed to fabricate nitrogen-doped graphene-based monolith catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. The synthetic strategy combines the hydrothermal-aerogel and the post thermo-treatment procedures with urea and graphene as precursors. The structural characterization and kinetic analysis show that the monolithic catalyst well maintains the structural advantages of graphene with relatively high surface area and excellent thermal stability. The homogeneous distributed nitrogen species can effectively improve the yield of propylene (5.3% vs. 1.9%) and lower the activation energy (62.6 kJ mol−1 vs. 80.1 kJ mol−1) in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane reaction comparing with un-doped graphene monolith. An optimized doping amount at 1:1 weight content of the graphene to urea precursors could exhibit the best catalytic performance. The present work paves the way for developing novel and efficient nitrogen-doped graphene monolithic catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation reactions of propane.
Optimization Based on the Surface Plasmon Optical Properties of Adjustable Metal Nano-Microcavity System for Biosensing
Authors: Zhu Jin , Yang Yiye , Yin Yanping , Yuan Huining
Published: October 2021

This paper mainly studies the plasma optical properties of the silver nanorod and gold film system with gap structure. During the experiment, the finite element analysis method and COMSOL Multiphysics are used for modeling and simulation. The study changes the thickness of the PE spacer layer between the silver nanorod and the gold film, the conditions of the incident light and the surrounding environment medium. Due to the anisotropic characteristics of silver nanorod, the microcavity system is extremely sensitive to the changes of internal and external conditions, and the system exhibits strong performance along the long axis of the nanorod. By analyzing the extinction spectrum of the nanoparticle and the electric field section diagrams at resonance peak, it is found that the plasma optical properties of the system greatly depend on the gap distance, and the surrounding electric field of the silver nanorod is confined in the gap. Both ends of the nanorod and the gap are distributed with high concentrations of hot spots, which reflects the strong hybridization of multiple resonance modes. Under certain excitation conditions, the plasma hybridization behavior will produce a multi-pole mode, and the surface electric field distribution of the nanorod reflects the spatial directionality. In addition, the system is also highly sensitive to the environmental media, which will cause significant changes in its optical properties. The plasma microcavity system with silver nanorod and gold film studied in this paper can be used to develop high-sensitivity biosensors, which has great value in the field of biomedical detection.
Non-Arrhenian Temperature-Dependent Viscosity of Alkali(ne) Carbonate Melts at Mantle Pressures
Authors: Ritter Xenia , Guillot Bertrand , Sator Nicolas , Desmaele Elsa , Massuyeau Malcolm , Sanchez-Valle Carmen
Published: October 2021

The viscosity of carbonate melts is a fundamental parameter to constrain their migration and ascent rates through the mantle and ultimately, their role as carbon conveyors within the deep carbon cycle. Yet, data on the viscosity of carbonate melts have remained scarce due to experimental limitations and the lack of appropriate theoretical descriptions for molten carbonates. Here, we report the viscosity of K2Mg(CO3)2 and K2Ca(CO3)2 melts up to 13 GPa and 2,000 K by means of classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using optimized force fields and provide first evidence for non-Arrhenian temperature-dependent viscosity of molten carbonates at mantle pressures. The viscosity of K2Mg(CO3)2 and K2Ca(CO3)2 melts ranges respectively between 0.0056–0.0875 Pa s and 0.0046–0.0650 Pa s in the investigated pressure-temperature interval. Alkali(ne) carbonate melts, i.e. mixed alkali and alkaline earth carbonate melts -K2Mg(CO3)2 and K2Ca(CO3)2− display higher viscosity than alkaline earth carbonate melts -CaCO3 and MgCO3− at similar conditions, possibly reflecting the change in charge distribution upon addition of potassium. The non-Arrhenian temperature-dependence of the viscosity is accurately described by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann model with activation energies Ea for viscous flow that decrease with temperature at all investigated pressures, e.g. from ∼100 kJ/mol to ∼30 kJ/mol between 1,300 and 2,000 K at 3 GPa. Pressure is found to have a much more moderate effect on the viscosity of alkali(ne) carbonate melts, with activation volumes Va that decrease from 4.5 to 1.9 cm3/mol between 1,300 and 2,000 K. The non-Arrhenian temperature-viscosity relationship reported here could be exhibited by other carbonate melt compositions as observed for a broad range of silicate melt compositions and it should be thus considered when modeling the mobility of carbonate melts in the upper mantle.
Absence of Tropical Cyclone Genesis Over the Western North Pacific in July 2020 and Its Prediction by CFSv2
Authors: Tian Baoqiang , Fan Ke
Published: October 2021

There were no TCs generated in July 2020 over the western North Pacific (WNP), which was the first time this had happened during since 1980. This study attempts to understand the cause of there having been no TCs generated in July 2020, and evaluates the prediction skill for the large-scale environmental conditions associated with the TC genesis number (TCGN). Results show that the main causes were the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Indian Ocean (NIO) and North Atlantic in July and the abnormal decrease in SST from April and May in the Niño4 region. The NIO SST can affect the large-scale environmental conditions via the SST–precipitation–wind feedback mechanism. Through the interaction between the tropical North Atlantic and the NIO, the abnormally warm North Atlantic SST further strengthened the impact of the NIO SST on the environmental conditions. The monthly difference (MD) of the Niño4 index from April to May is significantly correlated with the TCGN in July. Not only can the Niño4 MD in May affect the environmental conditions by affecting the WNP anticyclone, but it can also affect the NIO SST and precipitation anomalies through a shift in the position of the Walker circulation. Besides, the activity of the MJO also had a certain impact on the absence of TC genesis in July 2020. Although CFSv2 can successfully predict the local feedback affecting the July TCGN, it fails to forecast the large-scale environmental conditions associated with the absence of TC genesis over the WNP in July 2020.
Development of the Online and Blended Teaching Readiness Assessment (OBTRA)
Authors: Los Ryan , De Jaeger Amy , Stoesz Brenda M.
Published: October 2021

The rapid shift to online teaching and learning in postsecondary education during COVID-19 forced institutions to provide additional support and resources to instructors, especially those who were teaching online for the first time. The Online and Blended Teaching Readiness Assessment (OBTRA) was designed to assess the perceptions and competencies of instructors undertaking the move to online teaching to identify strengths and limitations. The present study identified the underlying factor structure and evidence of construct validity of the OBTRA for a sample of 223 postsecondary instructors (data collected from November 2019 to January 2020). An exploratory factor analysis revealed 5 factors that were interpreted as Technology, Engagement and Communication, Pedagogy, Perceptions of Teaching Online, and Organization. OBTRA scores were also found to be positively correlated with scores obtained from measures of instructional practices and teacher efficacy. The next steps in the development of the OBTRA are to examine how it can be used to enable academic units to provide the most appropriate support and resources aligned with instructor needs and to guide instructors to the initial steps required for successful transition to online teaching.
Multimodal Video-Feedback: A Promising way of Giving Feedback on Student Research
Authors: Froehlich Dominik Emanuel , Guias Dorothea
Published: October 2021

Feedback is a valuable pedagogical tool to guide students through research projects and aid the acquisition of methodological knowledge. However, its potential is rarely exhausted. In this article, we describe one digital pedagogical solution to improve feedback practices in higher education: multimodal video-feedback. After showing the conceptually different process and outcomes of this technique relative to more traditional ways of giving feedback, we provide first empirical quantitative and qualitative evidence about its usefulness based on 77 course evaluations. We then discuss avenues for further research and how the practice itself could be developed and tailored to the specific needs to individual lecturers.
Potential of Photovoltaic Panels on Building Envelopes for Decentralized District Energy Systems
Authors: Middelhauve Luise , Girardin Luc , Baldi Francesco , Maréchal François
Published: October 2021

The expected increase of the penetration of distributed renewable energy technologies into the electricity grid is expected to lead to major challenges. As a main stakeholder, authorities often lack the appropriate tools to frame and encourage the transition and monitor the impact of energy transition policies. This paper aims at combining relatively detailed modeling of the PV generation potential on the building’s envelope while retaining the energy system optimization approach. The problem is addressed as a multiobjective, mixed-integer linear programming problem. Compared to the existing literature in the field, the proposed approach combines advanced modeling of the energy generation potential from PV panels with detailed representation of the district energy systems, thus allowing an accurate representation of the interaction between the energy generation from PV and the rest of the system. The proposed approach was applied to a typical residential district in Switzerland. The results of the application of the proposed method show that the district can achieve carbon neutrality based on PV energy alone, but this requires covering all the available district’s rooftops and part of the district’s facades. Whereas facades are generally disregarded due to their lower generation potential, the results also allow concluding that facade PV can be economically convenient for a wide range of electricity prices, including those currently used by the Swiss grid operators. Achieving self-sufficiency at district scale is challenging: it can be achieved by covering approximately 42–100% of the available surface when the round-trip efficiency decreases from 100 to 50%. The results underline the importance of storage for achieving self-sufficiency: even with 100%, round-trip efficiency for the storage, very large capacities are required. However, energy demand reduction through renovation would allow reaching self-sufficiency with half of the PV and storage capacity required.
Variation in Onset of Leaf Unfolding and Wood Formation in a Central African Tropical Tree Species
Authors: Angoboy Ilondea Bhely , Beeckman Hans , Van Acker Joris , Van den Bulcke Jan , Fayolle Adeline , Couralet Camille , Hubau Wannes , Kafuti Chadrack , Rousseau Mélissa , Kaka di-Makwala Alain , Bourland Nils , Deklerck Victor , Kasongo Yakusu Emmanuel , Ewango Corneille , De Mil Tom
Published: October 2021

A diversity of phenological strategies has been reported for tropical tree species. Defoliation and seasonal dormancy of cambial activity inform us on how trees cope with water stress during the dry season, or maximize the use of resources during the rainy season. Here, we study the matching between leaf phenology (unfolding and shedding) and cambial activity for Prioria balsamifera, a key timber species in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In particular, we (i) evaluated the seasonality of cambial activity and synchrony of phenology among trees in response to climate and (ii) identified the seasonality of leaf phenology and its relation with cambial phenology. The study was conducted in the Luki Man and Biosphere Reserve, located in the Mayombe forest at the southern margin of the Congo Basin. Historic defoliation data were collected every ten days using weekly crown observations whereas recent observations involved time-lapse cameras. Cambial pinning was performed on ten trees during 20 months and radius dendrometers were installed on three trees during 13 months. Tree rings were measured on cores from 13 trees and growth synchrony was evaluated. We found that P. balsamifera defoliates annually with a peak observed at the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season. The new leaves unfolded shortly after shedding of the old leaves. The peak defoliation dates varied across years from September 12 to November 14 and the fraction of number of trees that defoliated at a given time was found to be negatively correlated with annual rainfall and temperature; during the dry season, when precipitation and temperatures are the lowest. Wood formation (radial growth), was found to be highly seasonal, with cambial dormancy occurring during the dry season and growth starting at the beginning of the rainy season. Individual ring-width series did not cross date well. The within species variability of leaf phenology and cambial rhythms provides indication about resistance of the population against climatic changes.
A Fire Regime Zoning System for China
Authors: Zong Xuezheng , Tian Xiaorui , Liu Jialei
Published: October 2021

Understanding fire regimes is central to fire management. In our study, we analyzed the fire weather and forest fire regime of China using fire data from satellite remote sensing and statistics from 2000 to 2020. The fire weather index system was calculated from observed weather data for 2007 to 2017. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, we created a zoning system for China based on the spatial distribution characteristics of fire regimes and vegetation. The fire seasons varied between regions because of differences in vegetation, climate and ignition sources. The fire seasons in the north were spring and autumn. In the south and southwest forest regions, the fire seasons were winter and spring. Most forest fires occurred in southern China, but the average burned area per fire was lower compared with fires in the northeast. The zoning system includes 13 forest fire regime zones with specific fire characteristics according to quantitative variables. These zones are further divided into 17 fire regime units based on qualitative variables. Each fire regime unit has unique characteristics for regime, climate and vegetation type. Human activity was the main cause of fires, especially in south China, where the population density is high. Fire management should be tailored to each fire regime type based on fire characteristics and management targets.
Complex Age- and Cancer-Related Changes in Human Blood Transcriptome—Implications for Pan-Cancer Diagnostics
Authors: Qi Fei , Gao Fan , Cai Ye , Han Xueer , Qi Yao , Ni Jiawen , Sun Jianfeng , Huang Shengquan , Chen Shaohua , Wu Chunlin , Kapranov Philipp
Published: October 2021

Early cancer detection is the key to a positive clinical outcome. While a number of early diagnostics methods exist in clinics today, they tend to be invasive and limited to a few cancer types. Thus, a clear need exists for non-invasive diagnostics methods that can be used to detect the presence of cancer of any type. Liquid biopsy based on analysis of molecular components of peripheral blood has shown significant promise in such pan-cancer diagnostics; however, existing methods based on this approach require improvements, especially in sensitivity of early-stage cancer detection. The improvement would likely require diagnostics assays based on multiple different types of biomarkers and, thus, calls for identification of novel types of cancer-related biomarkers that can be used in liquid biopsy. Whole-blood transcriptome, especially its non-coding component, represents an obvious yet under-explored biomarker for pan-cancer detection. In this study, we show that whole transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq could indeed serve as a viable biomarker for pan-cancer detection. Furthermore, a class of long non-coding (lnc) RNAs, very long intergenic non-coding (vlinc) RNAs, demonstrated superior performance compared with protein-coding mRNAs. Finally, we show that age and presence of non-blood cancers change transcriptome in similar, yet not identical, directions and explore implications of this observation for pan-cancer diagnostics.
“γδT Cell-IL17A-Neutrophil” Axis Drives Immunosuppression and Confers Breast Cancer Resistance to High-Dose Anti-VEGFR2 Therapy
Authors: Zhang Zhigang , Yang Chenghui , Li Lili , Zhu Ying , Su Ke , Zhai Lingyun , Wang Zhen , Huang Jian
Published: October 2021

Angiogenesis is an essential physiological process and hallmark of cancer. Currently, antiangiogenic therapy, mostly targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGFR2 signaling axis, is commonly used in the clinic for solid tumors. However, antiangiogenic therapies for breast cancer patients have produced limited survival benefits since cancer cells rapidly resistant to anti-VEGFR2 therapy. We applied the low-dose and high-dose VEGFR2 mAb or VEGFR2-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) agents in multiple breast cancer mouse models and found that low-dose VEGFR2 mAb or VEGFR2-TKI achieved good effects in controlling cancer progression, while high-dose treatment was not effective. To further investigate the mechanism involved in regulating the drug resistance, we found that high-dose anti-VEGFR2 treatment elicited IL17A expression in γδ T cells via VEGFR1-PI3K-AKT pathway activation and then promoted N2-like neutrophil polarization, thus inducing CD8+ T cell exhaustion to shape an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Combining anti-VEGFR2 therapy with immunotherapy such as IL17A, PD-1 or Ly-6G mAb therapy, which targeting the immunomodulatory axis of “γδT17 cells-N2 neutrophils” in vivo, showed promising therapeutic effects in breast cancer treatment. This study illustrates the potential mechanism of antiangiogenic therapy resistance in breast cancer and provides synergy treatment for cancer.
The Genomic Organization of the LILR Region Remained Largely Conserved Throughout Primate Evolution: Implications for Health And Disease
Authors: Storm Lisanne , Bruijnesteijn Jesse , de Groot Natasja G. , Bontrop Ronald E.
Published: October 2021

The genes of the leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor (LILR) family map to the leukocyte receptor complex (LRC) on chromosome 19, and consist of both activating and inhibiting entities. These receptors are often involved in regulating immune responses, and are considered to play a role in health and disease. The humanLILRregion and evolutionary equivalents in some rodent and bird species have been thoroughly characterized. In non-human primates, theLILRregion is annotated, but a thorough comparison between humans and non-human primates has not yet been documented. Therefore, it was decided to undertake a comprehensive comparison of the human and non-human primateLILRregion at the genomic level. During primate evolution the organization of theLILRregion remained largely conserved. One major exception, however, is provided by the common marmoset, a New World monkey species, which seems to feature a substantial contraction of the number ofLILRgenes in both the centromeric and the telomeric region. Furthermore, genomic analysis revealed that the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor geneKIR3DX1, which maps in theLILRregion, features one copy in humans and great ape species. A second copy, which might have been introduced by a duplication event, was observed in the lesser apes, and in Old and New World monkey species. The highly conserved gene organization allowed us to standardize theLILRgene nomenclature for non-human primate species, and implies that most of the receptors encoded by these genes likely fulfill highly preserved functions.
Repertoire of Naturally Acquired Maternal Antibodies Transferred to Infants for Protection Against Shigellosis
Authors: Ndungo Esther , Andronescu Liana R. , Buchwald Andrea G. , Lemme-Dumit Jose M. , Mawindo Patricia , Kapoor Neeraj , Fairman Jeff , Laufer Miriam K. , Pasetti Marcela F.
Published: October 2021

Shigellais the second leading cause of diarrheal diseases, accounting for >200,000 infections and >50,000 deaths in children under 5 years of age annually worldwide. The incidence ofShigella-induced diarrhea is relatively low during the first year of life and increases substantially, reaching its peak between 11 to 24 months of age. This epidemiological trend hints at an early protective immunity of maternal origin and an increase in disease incidence when maternally acquired immunity wanes. The magnitude, type, antigenic diversity, and antimicrobial activity of maternal antibodies transferredviaplacenta that can prevent shigellosis during early infancy are not known. To address this knowledge gap,Shigella-specific antibodies directed against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and virulence factors (IpaB, IpaC, IpaD, IpaH, and VirG), and antibody-mediated serum bactericidal (SBA) and opsonophagocytic killing antibody (OPKA) activity were measured in maternal and cord blood sera from a longitudinal cohort of mother-infant pairs living in rural Malawi. Protein-specific (very high levels) andShigellaLPS IgG were detected in maternal and cord blood sera; efficiency of placental transfer was 100% and 60%, respectively, and had preferential IgG subclass distribution (protein-specific IgG1 > LPS-specific IgG2). In contrast, SBA and OPKA activity in cord blood was substantially lower as compared to maternal serum and varied amongShigellaserotypes. LPS was identified as the primary target of SBA and OPKA activity. Maternal sera had remarkably elevatedShigella flexneri2a LPS IgM, indicative of recent exposure. Our study revealed a broad repertoire of maternally acquired antibodies in infants living in aShigella-endemic region and highlights the abundance of protein-specific antibodies and their likely contribution to disease prevention during the first months of life. These results contribute new knowledge on maternal infant immunity and target antigens that can inform the development of vaccines or therapeutics that can extend protection after maternally transferred immunity wanes.
Graded RhoA GTPase Expression in Treg Cells Distinguishes Tumor Immunity From Autoimmunity
Authors: Kalim Khalid W. , Yang Jun-Qi , Modur Vishnu , Nguyen Phuong , Li Yuan , Zheng Yi , Guo Fukun
Published: October 2021

RhoA of the Rho GTPase family is prenylated at its C-terminus. Prenylation of RhoA has been shown to control T helper 17 (Th17) cell-mediated colitis. By characterizing T cell-specific RhoA conditional knockout mice, we have recently shown that RhoA is required for Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation and Th2/Th17 cell-mediated allergic airway inflammation. It remains unclear whether RhoA plays a cell-intrinsic role in regulatory T (Treg) cells that suppress effector T cells such as Th2/Th17 cells to maintain immune tolerance and to promote tumor immune evasion. Here we have generated Treg cell-specific RhoA-deficient mice. We found that homozygous RhoA deletion in Treg cells led to early, fatal systemic inflammatory disorders. The autoimmune responses came from an increase in activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and in effector T cells including Th17, Th1 and Th2 cells. The immune activation was due to impaired Treg cell homeostasis and increased Treg cell plasticity. Interestingly, heterozygous RhoA deletion in Treg cells did not affect Treg cell homeostasis nor cause systemic autoimmunity but induced Treg cell plasticity and an increase in effector T cells. Importantly, heterozygous RhoA deletion significantly inhibited tumor growth, which was associated with tumor-infiltrating Treg cell plasticity and increased tumor-infiltrating effector T cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that graded RhoA expression in Treg cells distinguishes tumor immunity from autoimmunity and that rational targeting of RhoA in Treg cells may trigger anti-tumor T cell immunity without causing autoimmune responses.
Mapping Pulmonary and Systemic Inflammation in Preschool Aged Children With Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Shanthikumar Shivanthan , Ranganathan Sarath C. , Saffery Richard , Neeland Melanie R.
Published: October 2021

The immune landscape of the paediatric respiratory system remains largely uncharacterised and as a result, the mechanisms of globally important childhood respiratory diseases remain poorly understood. In this work, we used high parameter flow cytometry and inflammatory cytokine profiling to map the local [bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)] and systemic (whole blood) immune response in preschool aged children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and aged-matched healthy controls. We demonstrate that children with CF show pulmonary infiltration of CD66b+ granulocytes and increased levels of MIP-1α, MIG, MCP-1, IL-8, and IL-6 in BAL relative to healthy control children. Proportions of systemic neutrophils positively correlated with age in children with CF, whilst systemic CD4 T cells and B cells were inversely associated with age. Inflammatory cells in the BAL from both CF and healthy children expressed higher levels of activation and migration markers relative to their systemic counterparts. This work highlights the utility of multiplex immune profiling and advanced analytical pipelines to understand mechanisms of lung disease in childhood.
Extracellular Vesicles and DAMPs in Cancer: A Mini-Review
Authors: Abu Nadiah , Rus Bakarurraini Nurul Ainaa Adilah , Nasir Siti Nurmi
Published: October 2021

Certain cancer therapy has been shown to induce immunogenic cell death in cancer cells and may promote tumor progression instead. The external stress or stimuli may induce cell death and contribute toward the secretion of pro inflammatory molecules. The release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) upon induction of therapy or cell death has been shown to induce an inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the mechanism as to how the DAMPs are released and engage in such activity needs further in-depth investigation. Interestingly, some studies have shown that DAMPs can be released through extracellular vesicles (EVs) and can bind to receptors such as toll-like receptors (TCRs). Ample pre-clinical studies have shown that cancer-derived EVs are able to modulate immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. However, the information on the presence of such DAMPs within EVs is still elusive. Therefore, this mini-review attempts to summarize and appraise studies that have shown the presence of DAMPs within cancer-EVs and how it affects the downstream cellular process.