bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effect of Biochar on Irrigated Dwarf-Green Coconut Tree
Authors: Gondim Rubens , Maia Aline , Taniguchi Carlos , Muniz Celli , Araújo Tácito Almeida , de Melo André Teixeira , da Silva Janderson
Published: December 2021

The coconut tree is considered one of the greatest consumers of irrigation water, ranging from 100 to 240 L day−1. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of biochar application on decreased irrigation water needs in a 2-year irrigated dwarf coconut palm orchard field experiment. Biochar was characterized chemically and by electron microscope images. Biochar morphology presented several micropores indicating water retention potential. Amounts of biochar were tested (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 g of biochar per kg of soil), representing 0.0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; and 4.0 kg per plant. Micro sprinkler irrigation started following the planting of the 90-day old hybrid dwarf coconut seedlings. The impacts of the application of the biochar on the chemical attributes of the soil, biometry of the coconut plants, water storage in the 0–0.3 m soil layer, and the volume of irrigation water required by treatment were evaluated. After two years (2017 and 2018), the application of the biochar resulted in no statistically significant differences in the chemical attributes of the soil and biometric variables of plants between different treatments. The volume of annual irrigation water per plant versus biochar quantity demonstrated a decreasing effect, due to the increase of soil water storage. The dose of 40 g of biochar per kg of soil presented the highest two-year average soil water retention (0–0.3 m layer) among treatments (34, 36, 34, 38, and 45 mm, respectively), resulting in lower 2-year irrigation water demand (28, 36, 29, 28 and 20 L plant−1 day−1, respectively).
Emission Determination by Three Remote Sensing Methods in Two Release Trials
Authors: Elpelt-Wessel Imke , Reiser Martin , Morrison Daniel , Kranert Martin
Published: December 2021

Concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous dioxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere are rising continuously. The first step to reduce emissions from landfills is to gain better knowledge about the quantities emitted. There are several ways to quantify CH4 emissions at landfills. Comprehensive quality analyses of individual methods for emission rate quantification at landfills are few to date. In the present paper, the authors conducted two field trials with three different remote sensing methods to gain more knowledge about the possibilities and challenges in quantification of CH4 emissions from landfills. One release trial was conducted with released N2O as tracer and CH4 for quality assessment of the methods. In the second trial, the N2O tracer was released on a landfill to gain experience under field conditions. The well-established inverse dispersion modelling method (IDMM) was used based on concentration data of TDLAS (Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy)-instruments and on concentration data of a partly drone based Fourier-Transformation-Infrared-Spectroscopy (FTIR)-instrument. Additionally, a tracer-method with N2O-tracer and FTIR measurements was conducted. In both trials, IDMM based on TDLAS data and FTIR data provided the best results for high emission rates (15% deviation) and low emission rates (47% deviation). However, both methods have advantages, depending on the field of application. IDMM based on TDLAS measurements is the best choice for long-term measurements over several hours with constant wind conditions (8% deviation). The IDMM based on drone based FTIR measurements is the means of choice for measurements under changing wind conditions and where no linear measurement distances are possible.
Approximation of Fixed Points for Enriched Suzuki Nonexpansive Operators with an Application in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Ullah Kifayat , Ahmad Junaid , Arshad Muhammad , Ma Zhenhua
Published: December 2021

In this article, we introduce the class of enriched Suzuki nonexpansive (ESN) mappings. We show that this new class of mappings properly contains the class of Suzuki nonexpansive as well as the class of enriched nonexpansive mappings. We establish existence of fixed point and convergence of fixed point in a Hilbert space setting under the Krasnoselskii iteration process. One of the our main results is applied to solve a split feasibility problem (SFP) in this new setting of mappings. Our main results are a significant improvement of the corresponding results of the literature.
Improving Grain Yield via Promotion of Kernel Weight in High Yielding Winter Wheat Genotypes
Authors: Zhang Cong , Zheng Bangyou , He Yong
Published: December 2021

Improving plant net photosynthetic rates and accelerating water-soluble carbohydrate accumulation play an important role in increasing the carbon sources for yield formation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Understanding and quantify the contribution of these traits to grain yield can provide a pathway towards increasing the yield potential of wheat. The objective of this study was to identify kernel weight gap for improving grain yield in 15 winter wheat genotypes grown in Shandong Province, China. A cluster analysis was conducted to classify the 15 wheat genotypes into high yielding (HY) and low yielding (LY) groups based on their performance in grain yield, harvest index, photosynthetic rate, kernels per square meter, and spikes per square meter from two years of field testing. While the grain yield was significantly higher in the HY group, its thousand kernel weight (TKW) was 8.8% lower than that of the LY group (p < 0.05). A structural equation model revealed that 83% of the total variation in grain yield for the HY group could be mainly explained by TKW, the flag leaf photosynthesis rate at the grain filling stage (Pn75), and flag leaf water-soluble carbohydrate content (WSC) at grain filling stage. Their effect values on yield were 0.579, 0.759, and 0.444, respectively. Our results suggest that increase of flag leaf photosynthesis and WSC could improve the TKW, and thus benefit for developing high yielding wheat cultivars.
Deep Ensemble Model for COVID-19 Diagnosis and Classification Using Chest CT Images
Authors: Ragab Mahmoud , Eljaaly Khalid , Alhakamy Nabil A. , Alhadrami Hani A. , Bahaddad Adel A. , Abo-Dahab Sayed M. , Khalil Eied M.
Published: December 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide, and medicinal resources have become inadequate in several regions. Computed tomography (CT) scans are capable of achieving precise and rapid COVID-19 diagnosis compared to the RT-PCR test. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), find it useful to design COVID-19 diagnoses using chest CT scans. In this aspect, this study concentrates on the design of an artificial intelligence-based ensemble model for the detection and classification (AIEM-DC) of COVID-19. The AIEM-DC technique aims to accurately detect and classify the COVID-19 using an ensemble of DL models. In addition, Gaussian filtering (GF)-based preprocessing technique is applied for the removal of noise and improve image quality. Moreover, a shark optimization algorithm (SOA) with an ensemble of DL models, namely recurrent neural networks (RNN), long short-term memory (LSTM), and gated recurrent unit (GRU), is employed for feature extraction. Furthermore, an improved bat algorithm with a multiclass support vector machine (IBA-MSVM) model is applied for the classification of CT scans. The design of the ensemble model with optimal parameter tuning of the MSVM model for COVID-19 classification shows the novelty of the work. The effectiveness of the AIEM-DC technique take place on benchmark CT image data set, and the results reported the promising classification performance of the AIEM-DC technique over the recent state-of-the-art approaches.
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) for Twelve Antimicrobials (Biocides and Antibiotics) in Eight Strains of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Rodríguez-Melcón Cristina , Alonso-Calleja Carlos , García-Fernández Camino , Carballo Javier , Capita Rosa
Published: December 2021

When selecting effective doses of antimicrobials, be they biocides or antibiotics, it is essential to know the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of these substances. The present research determined the MICs and MBCs for three biocides, sodium hypochlorite (SH), benzalkonium chloride (BC), and peracetic acid (PAA), and nine antibiotics in eight strains of Listeria monocytogenes of varying serotypes. Marked intra-species differences were observed in the resistance of L. monocytogenes to the biocides and antibiotics. The MICs (ppm) for the biocides ranged between 1750 and 4500 for SH, 0.25 and 20.00 for BC, and 1050 and 1700 for PAA. Their MBCs (ppm) ranged from 2250 to 4500 for SH, 0.50 to 20.00 for BC, and 1150 to 1800 for PAA. The MICs (ppm) for antibiotics lay between 1 and 15 for ampicillin, 8 and 150 for cephalothin, 20 and 170 for cefoxitin, 0.05 and 0.20 for erythromycin, 4 and 50 for chloramphenicol, 3 and 100 for gentamicin, 2 and 15 for tetracycline, 2 and 80 for vancomycin, and 160 and 430 for fosfomycin. The corresponding MBCs (ppm) were from 5 to 20 for ampicillin, 9 to 160 for cephalothin, 70 to 200 for cefoxitin, 4 to 5 for erythromycin, 9 to 70 for chloramphenicol, 5 to 100 for gentamicin, 3 to 30 for tetracycline, 3 to 90 for vancomycin, and 160 to 450 for fosfomycin. Notably, erythromycin showed considerable efficacy, demonstrated by the low values for both MIC and MBC. Based on EUCAST and the CLSI criteria, all strains were susceptible to erythromycin. All strains were resistant to cephalothin, cefoxitin, gentamicin, and fosfomycin. Further values for resistance were 87.50% for ampicillin and vancomycin, 75.00% for tetracycline, and 62.50% for chloramphenicol. The high prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a matter for concern. A positive correlation was found between MIC and MBC values for most of the biocides and antibiotics. The higher the hydrophobicity of the cell surface, the higher the susceptibility to biocides, suggesting that surface characteristics of bacterial cells influence resistance to these compounds.
Why Do Birds False Alarm Flight?
Authors: Root-Bernstein Meredith
Published: December 2021

False alarm flighting in avian flocks is common, and has been explained as a maladaptive information cascade. If false alarm flighting is maladaptive per se, then its frequency can only be explained by it being net adaptive in relation to some other benefit or equilibrium. However, I argue that natural selection cannot distinguish between false and true alarm flights that have similar energetic costs, opportunity costs, and outcomes. False alarm flighting cannot be maladaptive if natural selection cannot perceive the difference between true and false alarm flighting. Rather, the question to answer is what false and true alarm flighting both have in common that is adaptive per se. The fire drill hypothesis of alarm flighting posits that false alarm flights are an adaptive investment in practicing escape. The fire drill hypothesis predicts that all individuals can benefit from practicing escape, particularly juveniles. Flighting practice could improve recognition of and response time to alarm flighting signals, could compensate for inter-individual and within-day weight differences, and could aid the development of adaptive escape tactics. Mixed-age flocks with many juveniles are expected to false alarm flight more than adult flocks. Flocks that inhabit complex terrain should gain less from escape practice and should false alarm flight less. Behavioural ecology framings can be fruitfully complemented by other research traditions of learning and behaviour that are more focused on maturation and motor learning processes.
Benefits of Implementing Eye-Movement Training in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Review
Authors: Hilal Anis , Bazarah Mazen , Kapoula Zoï
Published: December 2021

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is one of the most debilitating eye-related illnesses worldwide. Eye-movement training is evolving to be a non-invasive, rapid, and effective method that is positively impacting vision and QoL (quality of life) in patients suffering from ARMD. This review aims to highlight why a greater adoption of eye-movement training in the clinical and research setting is of importance. A PubMed and ResearchGate search was performed for articles published between 1982 and 2020. Patients with advanced ARMD tend to experience a diminished QoL. Studies regarding eye-movement training for patients with central vision loss revealed overall significant improvements in reading speeds, fixation, and saccade performance. They also experienced less fatigue. In select studies, eye-movement training revealed an improvement in binocular vision, fixation, reading speed, and diminished reading exhaustion. The process of eye-movement training used in some of the studies was rather empirical. The latter requires standardization so that a uniform and applicable methodology can be adopted overall.
Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Levels Correlation with Other Inflammatory Factors in Prognosis of Disability and Death in Patients with Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Różański Dorota , Szlufik Stanisław , Tomasiuk Ryszard , Milanowski Łukasz , Figura Monika , Saramak Kamila , Myrcha Piotr , Koziorowski Dariusz
Published: December 2021

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an inflammatory biomarker elevated in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this 3-year follow-up prospective study was to evaluate suPAR levels in patients with a first ischemic stroke in correlation with CRP, PCT, NT-proCNP and endothelin 1-21 and to investigate the impact of suPAR on the outcome. Fifty-one patients (mean age 73.7+ = 11.9 years, 26 female and 25 male) were included. Samples were collected on the first (suPAR 1), third (suPAR 3) and seventh days after stroke onset (suPAR 7). Plasma samples were analyzed using ELISA. A phone interview was conducted to collect follow-up information after 24 and 36 months (modified Rankin Scale, mRS). A positive correlation between suPAR levels and other inflammatory biomarkers (except endothelin 3) was observed. A positive correlation between suPAR 3 and mRS score at 24 months was observed (p = 0.042). The logistic regression model revealed no significant effect of suPAR on death occurrence in the first 24 months: suPAR 1 (p = 0.8794), suPAR 3 (p = 0.2757), and suPAR 7 (p = 0.3652). The suPAR level is a potential inflammatory marker in ischemic stroke, and there is a correlation with other markers. There is no major impact on mortality. However, the suPAR level is associated with a degree of disability or dependence in daily activities 2 years after a stroke.
MRI-Based Radiomic Machine-Learning Model May Accurately Distinguish between Subjects with Internet Gaming Disorder and Healthy Controls
Authors: Han Xu , Wei Lei , Sun Yawen , Hu Ying , Wang Yao , Ding Weina , Wang Zhe , Jiang Wenqing , Wang He , Zhou Yan
Published: December 2021

Purpose To identify cerebral radiomic features related to the diagnosis of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and construct a radiomics-based machine-learning model for IGD diagnosis. Methods A total of 59 treatment-naïve subjects with IGD and 69 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and underwent anatomic and diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The features of the morphometric properties of gray matter and diffusion properties of white matter were extracted for each participant. After excluding the noise feature with single-factor analysis of variance, the remaining 179 features were included in an all-relevant feature selection procedure within cross-validation loops to identify features with significant discriminative power. Random forest classifiers were constructed and evaluated based on the identified features. Results No overall differences in the total brain volume (1,555,295.64 ± 152,316.31 mm3 vs. 154,491.19 ± 151,241.11 mm3), total gray (709,119.83 ± 59,534.46 mm3 vs. 751,018.21 ± 58,611.32 mm3) and white (465,054.49 ± 51,862.65 mm3 vs. 470,600.22 ± 47,006.67 mm3) matter volumes, and subcortical region volume (63,882.71 ± 5110.42 mm3 vs. 64,764.36 ± 4332.33 mm3) between the IGD and HC groups were observed. The mean classification accuracy was 73%. An altered cortical shape in the bilateral fusiform, left rostral middle frontal (rMFG), left cuneus, left parsopercularis (IFG), and regions around the right uncinate fasciculus (UF) and left internal capsule (IC) contributed significantly to group discrimination. Conclusions: Our study found the brain morphology alterations between IGD subjects and HCs through a radiomics-based machine-learning method, which may help revealing underlying IGD-related neurobiology mechanisms.
Evaluation of Damage Limit State for RC Frame Based on FE Modeling
Authors: Kristiawan Stefanus , Hapsari Isyana , Purwanto Edy , Marwahyudi Marwahyudi
Published: December 2021

Many damage limit states have been defined to characterize the extent of damages occurred in RC frame. Some of the damage limit states are defined by models that relate the limit states with the control points. Both control points and the limit state are expressed in term of response quantities. This research aims to evaluate the validity of such models by identifying the defined damage limit state with the corresponding damage based on FE modeling. The FE modeling provides a direct link between the damage and the response quantities. This link can be exploited as a basis for the evaluation. Based on the evaluation, this study proposed modified damage limit states. The response quantities with its corresponding progressive damage from FE simulation will also be used to inspect whether damage that can be expected to occur in the model structure is within the range estimated by the code based approach (CBA) damage limit state. Finally, fragility curves are constructed to assess the probability of the expected damage in the model structure under Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) and Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) scenarios. Utilizing the proposed damage limit states, the most probable damage in the structure falls in the category of slight if an earthquake at a level of DBE or MCE strikes the structure. However, at MCE level the probability of moderate damage attains 35%, or an increase by 23% compared to the DBE level.
Identification of Let-7 miRNA Activity as a Prognostic Biomarker of SHH Medulloblastoma
Authors: Westphal Maximillian S. , Lee Eunjee , Schadt Eric E. , Sholler Giselle S. , Zhu Jun
Published: December 2021

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common pediatric embryonal brain tumor. The current consensus classifies MB into four molecular subgroups: sonic hedgehog-activated (SHH), wingless-activated (WNT), Group 3, and Group 4. MYCN and let-7 play a critical role in MB. Thus, we inferred the activity of miRNAs in MB by using the ActMiR procedure. SHH-MB has higher MYCN expression than the other subgroups. We showed that high MYCN expression with high let-7 activity is significantly associated with worse overall survival, and this association was validated in an independent MB dataset. Altogether, our results suggest that let-7 activity and MYCN can further categorize heterogeneous SHH tumors into more and less-favorable prognostic subtypes, which provide critical information for personalizing treatment options for SHH-MB. Comparing the expression differences between the two SHH-MB prognostic subtypes with compound perturbation profiles, we identified FGFR inhibitors as one potential treatment option for SHH-MB patients with the less-favorable prognostic subtype.
Contemporary Treatment Patterns and Response in Relapsed/Refractory Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) across Five European Countries
Authors: Assaf Chalid , Waser Nathalie , Bagot Martine , He Mary , Li Tina , Dalal Mehul , Gavini Francois , Trinchese Fabrizio , Zomas Athanasios , Little Meredith , Pimpinelli Nicola , Ortiz-Romero Pablo L. , Illidge Timothy M.
Published: December 2021

The treatment pattern of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) remains diverse and patient-tailored. The objective of this study was to describe the treatment patterns and outcomes in CTCL patients who were refractory or had relapsed (R/R) after a systemic therapy. A retrospective chart review study was conducted at 27 sites in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK) of patients who received a first course of systemic therapy and relapsed or were refractory. Data were collected longitudinally from diagnosis to first-, second- and third-line therapy. The study included 157 patients, with a median follow-up of 3.2 years. In total, 151 proceeded to second-line and 90 to third-line therapy. In the first line (n = 147), patients were treated with diverse therapies, including single- and multi-agent chemotherapy in 67 (46%), retinoids in 39 (27%), interferon in 31 (21%), ECP in 4 (3%), corticosteroids in 3 (2%) and new biological agents in 3 (2%). In the second line, the use of chemotherapy and retinoids remained similar to the first line, while the use of new biologics increased slightly. In sharp contrast to the first line, combination chemotherapy was extremely diverse. In the third line, the use of chemotherapy remained high and diverse as in the second line. From the time of first R/R, the median PFS was 1.2 years and the median OS was 11.5 years. The presented real-world data on the current treatments used in the management of R/R CTCL in Europe demonstrate the significant heterogeneity of systemic therapies and combination therapies, as expected from the European guidelines.
Venetoclax for Children and Adolescents with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
Authors: Gibson Amber , Trabal Adriana , McCall David , Khazal Sajad , Toepfer Laurie , Bell Donna , Roth Michael , Mahadeo Kris , Nunez Cesar , Short Nicholas , DiNardo Courtney , Konopleva Marina , Issa Ghayas , Ravandi Farhad , Jain Nitin , Borthakur Gautam , Kantarjian Hagop , Jabbour Elias , Cuglievan Branko
Published: December 2021

Venetoclax is approved for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Expanding its use to the pediatric population is currently under investigation, but more robust data are needed. We retrospectively analyzed the safety and efficacy of venetoclax in children/AYA with ALL/LBL. We identified 18 patients (T-cell ALL, n = 7; T-cell LBL, n = 6; B-cell ALL, n = 5) aged 6–22 years. No new venetoclax safety signals were identified; the most common toxicity was myelosuppression. No deaths occurred within 30 days from the start of the therapy. A mean of 2.6 (range 0–8) prior lines of therapy were given. The mean duration of venetoclax was 4.06 months (range 0.2–24.67 months). Complete remission was achieved in 11 (61%) patients. Of the eight patients who remain alive, four are continuing on venetoclax combination therapy, and four proceeded to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Three patients who initially achieved CR, later relapsed, and are deceased. Nine patients are deceased, and one patient was lost to follow-up. Overall survival is 9.14 months (range 1.1–33.1), and progression-free survival is 7.34 months (range 0.2–33.1). This is the largest cohort of pediatric/AYA patients who received venetoclax for ALL/LBL. Our data support the consideration of venetoclax-based regimens in pediatric patients with R/R ALL/LBL and its investigation as upfront therapy for T-cell ALL/LBL.
BRG1 and NPM-ALK Are Co-Regulated in Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma; BRG1 Is a Potential Therapeutic Target in ALCL
Authors: Garland Gavin D. , Ducray Stephen P. , Jahangiri Leila , Pucci Perla , Amos Burke G. A. , Monahan Jack , Lai Raymond , Merkel Olaf , Schiefer Ana-Iris , Kenner Lukas , Bannister Andrew J. , Turner Suzanne D.
Published: December 2021

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a T-cell malignancy driven in many cases by the product of a chromosomal translocation, nucleophosmin–anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK). NPM-ALK activates a plethora of pathways that drive the hallmarks of cancer, largely signalling pathways normally associated with cytokine and/or T-cell receptor-induced signalling. However, NPM-ALK is also located in the nucleus and its functions in this cellular compartment for the most part remain to be determined. We show that ALCL cell lines and primary patient tumours express the transcriptional activator BRG1 in a NPM-ALK-dependent manner. NPM-ALK regulates expression of BRG1 by post-translational mechanisms dependent on its kinase activity, protecting it from proteasomal degradation. Furthermore, we show that BRG1 drives a transcriptional programme associated with cell cycle progression. In turn, inhibition of BRG1 expression with specific shRNA decreases cell viability, suggesting that it may represent a key therapeutic target for the treatment of ALCL.
The Intricate Interplay between Cell Cycle Regulators and Autophagy in Cancer
Authors: Ziegler Dorian V. , Huber Katharina , Fajas Lluis
Published: December 2021

In the past decade, cell cycle regulators have extended their canonical role in cell cycle progression to the regulation of various cellular processes, including cellular metabolism. The regulation of metabolism is intimately connected with the function of autophagy, a catabolic process that promotes the efficient recycling of endogenous components from both extrinsic stress, e.g., nutrient deprivation, and intrinsic sub-lethal damage. Mediating cellular homeostasis and cytoprotection, autophagy is found to be dysregulated in numerous pathophysiological contexts, such as cancer. As an adaptative advantage, the upregulation of autophagy allows tumor cells to integrate stress signals, escaping multiple cell death mechanisms. Nevertheless, the precise role of autophagy during tumor development and progression remains highly context-dependent. Recently, multiple articles has suggested the importance of various cell cycle regulators in the modulation of autophagic processes. Here, we review the current clues indicating that cell-cycle regulators, including cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs), cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and E2F transcription factors, are intrinsically linked to the regulation of autophagy. As an increasing number of studies highlight the importance of autophagy in cancer progression, we finally evoke new perspectives in therapeutic avenues that may include both cell cycle inhibitors and autophagy modulators to synergize antitumor efficacy.
Bimetallic PdCo Nanoparticles Loaded in Amine Modified Polyacrylonitrile Hollow Spheres as Efficient Catalysts for Formic Acid Dehydrogenation
Authors: Li Yulin , She Ping , Ding Rundong , Li Da , Cai Hongtan , Hao Xiufeng , Jia Mingjun
Published: December 2021

Polyacrylonitrile hollow nanospheres (HPAN), derived from the polymerization of acrylonitrile in the presence of polystyrene emulsion (as template), were modified by surface amination with ethylenediamine (EDA), and then used as support for loading Pd or PdCo nanoparticles (NPs). The resultant bimetallic catalyst (named PdCo0.2/EDA-HPAN) can efficiently catalyze the additive-free dehydrogenation of formic acid with very high activity, selectivity and recyclability, showing turnover frequencies (TOF) of 4990 h−1 at 333 K and 915 h−1 at 303 K, respectively. The abundant surface amino groups and cyano group as well as the hollow structure of the support offer a suitable environment for achieving high dispersion of the Pd-based NPs on the surface of EDA-HPAN, thus generating ultra-small bimetallic NPs (bellow 1.0 nm) with high stability. The addition of a small portion of Co may adjust the electronic state of Pd species to a certain extent, which can further improve their capability for the dehydrogenation of formic acid. In addition, the surface amino groups may also play an important role in synergistically activating formic acid to generate formate, thus leading to efficient conversion of formic acid to hydrogen at mild conditions.
The Mitochondrial Antioxidant Sirtuin3 Cooperates with Lipid Metabolism to Safeguard Neurogenesis in Aging and Depression
Authors: Santos Sónia Sá , Moreira João B. , Costa Márcia , Rodrigues Rui S. , Sebastião Ana M. , Xapelli Sara , Solá Susana
Published: December 2021

Neural stem cells (NSCs), crucial for memory in the adult brain, are also pivotal to buffer depressive behavior. However, the mechanisms underlying the boost in NSC activity throughout life are still largely undiscovered. Here, we aimed to explore the role of deacetylase Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a central player in mitochondrial metabolism and oxidative protection, in the fate of NSC under aging and depression-like contexts. We showed that chronic treatment with tert-butyl hydroperoxide induces NSC aging, markedly reducing SIRT3 protein. SIRT3 overexpression, in turn, restored mitochondrial oxidative stress and the differentiation potential of aged NSCs. Notably, SIRT3 was also shown to physically interact with the long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD) in NSCs and to require its activation to prevent age-impaired neurogenesis. Finally, the SIRT3 regulatory network was investigated in vivo using the unpredictable chronic mild stress (uCMS) paradigm to mimic depressive-like behavior in mice. Interestingly, uCMS mice presented lower levels of neurogenesis and LCAD expression in the same neurogenic niches, being significantly rescued by physical exercise, a well-known upregulator of SIRT3 and lipid metabolism. Our results suggest that targeting NSC metabolism, namely through SIRT3, might be a suitable promising strategy to delay NSC aging and confer stress resilience.
Current Status and Future Perspectives on Machine Perfusion: A Treatment Platform to Restore and Regenerate Injured Lungs Using Cell and Cytokine Adsorption Therapy
Authors: Niroomand Anna , Hirdman Gabriel , Olm Franziska , Lindstedt Sandra
Published: December 2021

Since its advent in the 1990′s, ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has been studied and implemented as a tool to evaluate the quality of a donor organ prior to transplantation. It provides an invaluable window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention to render marginal lungs viable for transplantation. This ultimately aligns with the need of the lung transplant field to increase the number of available donor organs given critical shortages. As transplantation is the only option for patients with end-stage lung disease, advancements in technology are needed to decrease wait-list time and mortality. This review summarizes the results from the application of EVLP as a therapeutic intervention and focuses on the use of the platform with regard to cell therapies, cell product therapies, and cytokine filtration among other technologies. This review will summarize both the clinical and translational science being conducted in these aspects and will highlight the opportunities for EVLP to be developed as a powerful tool to increase the donor lung supply.
Could Causal Discovery in Proteogenomics Assist in Understanding Gene–Protein Relations? A Perennial Fruit Tree Case Study Using Sweet Cherry as a Model
Authors: Ganopoulou Maria , Michailidis Michail , Angelis Lefteris , Ganopoulos Ioannis , Molassiotis Athanassios , Xanthopoulou Aliki , Moysiadis Theodoros
Published: December 2021

Genome-wide transcriptome analysis is a method that produces important data on plant biology at a systemic level. The lack of understanding of the relationships between proteins and genes in plants necessitates a further thorough analysis at the proteogenomic level. Recently, our group generated a quantitative proteogenomic atlas of 15 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cv. ‘Tragana Edessis’ tissues represented by 29,247 genes and 7584 proteins. The aim of the current study was to perform a targeted analysis at the gene/protein level to assess the structure of their relation, and the biological implications. Weighted correlation network analysis and causal modeling were employed to, respectively, cluster the gene/protein pairs, and reveal their cause–effect relations, aiming to assess the associated biological functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that causal modeling has been employed within the proteogenomics concept in plants. The analysis revealed the complex nature of causal relations among genes/proteins that are important for traits of interest in perennial fruit trees, particularly regarding the fruit softening and ripening process in sweet cherry. Causal discovery could be used to highlight persistent relations at the gene/protein level, stimulating biological interpretation and facilitating further study of the proteogenomic atlas in plants.
The Role of p53 Protein in the Realization of the Exogenous Heat Shock Protein 70 Anti-Apoptotic Effect during Axotomy
Authors: Demyanenko Svetlana V. , Pitinova Maria A. , Dzreyan Valentina A. , Kalyuzhnaya Yuliya N. , Eid Moez A. , Abramov Andrey Y. , Evgen’ev Michael B. , Garbuz David G.
Published: December 2021

The search for effective neuroprotective agents for the treatment of neurotrauma has always been of great interest to researchers around the world. Extracellular heat shock protein 70 (eHsp70) is considered a promising agent to study, as it has been demonstrated to exert a significant neuroprotective activity against various neurodegenerative diseases. We showed that eHsp70 can penetrate neurons and glial cells when added to the incubation medium, and can accumulate in the nuclei of neurons and satellite glial cells after axotomy. eHsp70 reduces apoptosis and necrosis of the glial cells, but not the neurons. At the same time, co-localization of eHsp70 with p53 protein, one of the key regulators of apoptosis, was noted. eHsp70 reduces the level of the p53 protein apoptosis promoter both in glial cells and in the nuclei and cytoplasm of neurons, which indicates its neuroprotective effect. The ability of eHsp70 to reverse the proapoptotic effect of the p53 activator WR1065 may indicate its ability to regulate p53 activity or its proteosome-dependent degradation.
A Role for ER-Beta in the Effects of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and 27-Hydroxycholesterol on Breast Cancer Progression: Involvement of the IGF Signalling Pathway?
Authors: Mashat Reham M. , Zielinska Hanna A. , Holly Jeff M. P. , Perks Claire M.
Published: December 2021

Cholesterol—in particular, high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and its metabolite, 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC)—is correlated with increases in the risks of breast cancer and obesity. Although the high expression of LDL/27-OHC has been reported in breast cancer, its effects and mechanism of action remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we found that the effects of LDL on cell proliferation were mediated by the activation of the cytochrome P450 enzyme, sterol 27 hydroxylase, and cholesterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) in both ER-α-positive and ER-α-negative breast cancer cells. We found that treatment with 27-OHC only increased cell growth in oestrogen receptor-α (ER-α)-positive breast cancer cells in an ER-α-dependent manner, but, interestingly, the effects of 27-OHC on cell migration and invasion were independent of ER-α. Using ER-α-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, we found that 27-OHC similarly promoted cell invasion and migration, and this was mediated by oestrogen receptor β (ER-β). These results suggest that 27-OHC promotes breast cancer cell proliferation in ER-α-positive breast cancer cells via ER-α, but migration and invasion are mediated via ER-β in ER-α positive and negative cell lines. The addition of LDL/27OHC increased the production of IGF-I and the abundance of IGF-IR in TNBC. We further found that modulating ER-β using an agonist or antagonist increased or decreased, respectively, levels of the IGF-I and EGF receptors in TNBC. The inhibition of the insulin-like growth factor receptor blocked the effects of cholesterol on cell growth and the migration of TNBC. Using TCGA and METABRIC microarray expression data from invasive breast cancer carcinomas, we also observed that higher levels of ER-beta were associated with higher levels of IGF-IR. Thus, this study shows novel evidence that ER-β is central to the effects of LDL/27OHC on invasion, migration, and the IGF and EGF axes. Our data suggest that targeting ER-β in TNBC could be an alternative approach for downregulating IGF/EGF signalling and controlling the impact of LDL in breast cancer patients.
DSTYK Enhances Chemoresistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Ogbu Stella C. , Rojas Samuel , Weaver John , Musich Phillip R. , Zhang Jinyu , Yao Zhi Q. , Jiang Yong
Published: December 2021

Breast cancer, as the most prevalent cancer in women, is responsible for more than 15% of new cancer cases and about 6.9% of all cancer-related death in the US. A major cause of therapeutic failure in breast cancer is the development of resistance to chemotherapy, especially for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, how to overcome chemoresistance is the major challenge to improve the life expectancy of breast cancer patients. Our studies demonstrate that TNBC cells surviving the chronic treatment of chemotherapeutic drugs show significantly higher expression of the dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase (DSTYK) than non-treated parental cells. In our in vitro cellular models, DSTYK knockout via the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated technique results in apoptotic cell death of chemoresistant cells upon drug treatment. Moreover, DSTYK knockout promotes chemotherapeutic drug-induced tumor cell death in an orthotopic mouse model. These findings suggest that DSTYK exerts an important and previously unknown role in promoting chemoresistance. Our studies provide fundamental insight into the role of DSTYK in chemoresistance in TNBC cells and lay the foundation for the development of new strategies targeting DSTYK for improving TNBC therapy.
Apelin, APJ, and ELABELA: Role in Placental Function, Pregnancy, and Foetal Development—An Overview
Authors: Dawid Monika , Mlyczyńska Ewa , Jurek Małgorzata , Respekta Natalia , Pich Karolina , Kurowska Patrycja , Gieras Wiktoria , Milewicz Tomasz , Kotula-Balak Małgorzata , Rak Agnieszka
Published: December 2021

The apelinergic system, which includes the apelin receptor (APJ) as well as its two specific ligands, namely apelin and ELABELA (ELA/APELA/Toddler), have been the subject of many recent studies due to their pleiotropic effects in humans and other animals. Expression of these factors has been investigated in numerous tissues and organs—for example, the lungs, heart, uterus, and ovary. Moreover, a number of studies have been devoted to understanding the role of apelin and the entire apelinergic system in the most important processes in the body, starting from early stages of human life with regulation of placental function and the proper course of pregnancy. Disturbances in the balance of placental processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, or hormone secretion may lead to specific pregnancy pathologies; therefore, there is a great need to search for substances that would help in their early diagnosis or treatment. A number of studies have indicated that compounds of the apelinergic system could serve this purpose. Hence, in this review, we summarized the most important reports about the role of apelin and the entire apelinergic system in the regulation of placental physiology and pregnancy.
High-Content C. elegans Screen Identifies Natural Compounds Impacting Mitochondria-Lipid Homeostasis and Promoting Healthspan
Authors: Maglioni Silvia , Arsalan Nayna , Hamacher Anna , Afshar Shiwa , Schiavi Alfonso , Beller Mathias , Ventura Natascia
Published: December 2021

The aging process is concurrently shaped by genetic and extrinsic factors. In this work, we screened a small library of natural compounds, many of marine origin, to identify novel possible anti-aging interventions in Caenorhabditis elegans, a powerful model organism for aging studies. To this aim, we exploited a high-content microscopy platform to search for interventions able to induce phenotypes associated with mild mitochondrial stress, which is known to promote animal’s health- and lifespan. Worms were initially exposed to three different concentrations of the drugs in liquid culture, in search of those affecting animal size and expression of mitochondrial stress response genes. This was followed by a validation step with nine compounds on solid media to refine compounds concentration, which led to the identification of four compounds (namely isobavachalcone, manzamine A, kahalalide F and lutein) consistently affecting development, fertility, size and lipid content of the nematodes. Treatment of Drosophila cells with the four hits confirmed their effects on mitochondria activity and lipid content. Out of these four, two were specifically chosen for analysis of age-related parameters, kahalalide F and lutein, which conferred increased resistance to heat and oxidative stress and extended animals’ healthspan. We also found that, out of different mitochondrial stress response genes, only the C. elegans ortholog of the synaptic regulatory proteins neuroligins, nlg-1, was consistently induced by the two compounds and mediated lutein healthspan effects.
Using the MDASI-Adolescent for Early Symptom Identification and Mitigation of Symptom Impact on Daily Living in Adolescent and Young Adult Stem Cell Transplant Patients
Authors: Sheikh Irtiza N. , Miller Jeffrey , Shoberu Basirat , Andersen Clark R. , Wang Jian , Williams Loretta A. , Mahadeo Kris M. , Robert Rhonda
Published: December 2021

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) requires an intensive pre- and post-procedure course that leads to symptoms including fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and pain, all of which interfere significantly with activities of daily living. These symptoms place a substantial burden on patients during the time period surrounding transplant as well as during long-term recovery. The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) is a symptom-reporting survey that has been successfully used in adult patients with cancer and may have utility in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population. At the Children’s Cancer Hospital at MD Anderson Cancer Center, we adopted a modified version of the MDASI, the MDASI-adolescent (MDASI-Adol), as a standard of care for clinical practice in assessing the symptom burden of patients in the peri-transplant period. We then conducted a retrospective chart review to describe the clinical utility of implementing this symptom-screening tool in AYA patients admitted to our pediatric stem cell transplant service. Here, we report our findings on the symptom burden experienced by pediatric and AYA patients undergoing stem cell transplantation as reported on the MDASI-Adol. Our study confirmed that the MDASI-Adol was able to identify a high symptom burden related to HSCT in the AYA population and that it can be used to guide symptom-specific interventions prior to transplant and during recovery. Implementing a standard symptom-screening survey proved informative to our clinical practice and could mitigate treatment complications and alleviate symptom burden.
Familial Hyperaldosteronism Type 3 with a Rapidly Growing Adrenal Tumor: An In Situ Aldosterone Imaging Study
Authors: Takizawa Nae , Tanaka Susumu , Nishimoto Koshiro , Sugiura Yuki , Suematsu Makoto , Ohe Chisato , Ohsugi Haruyuki , Mizuno Yosuke , Mukai Kuniaki , Seki Tsugio , Oki Kenji , Gomez-Sanchez Celso E. , Matsuda Tadashi
Published: December 2021

Primary aldosteronism is most often caused by aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and bi-lateral adrenal hyperplasia. Most APAs are caused by somatic mutations of various ion channels and pumps, the most common being the inward-rectifying potassium channel KCNJ5. Germ line mutations of KCNJ5 cause familial hyperaldosteronism type 3 (FH3), which is associated with severe hyperaldosteronism and hypertension. We present an unusual case of FH3 in a young woman, first diagnosed with primary aldosteronism at the age of 6 years, with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy (left adrenal) to alleviate hyperaldosteronism. However, her hyperaldosteronism persisted. At the age of 26 years, tomography of the remaining adrenal revealed two different adrenal tumors, one of which grew substantially in 4 months; therefore, the adrenal gland was removed. A comprehensive histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular evaluation of various sections of the adrenal gland and in situ visualization of aldosterone, using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry, was performed. Aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) immunoreactivity was observed in the tumors and adrenal gland. The larger tumor also harbored a somatic β-catenin activating mutation. Aldosterone visualized in situ was only found in the subcapsular regions of the adrenal and not in the tumors. Collectively, this case of FH3 presented unusual tumor development and histological/molecular findings.
Effect of Thiourea Containing Composite Additives on Nickel Electrodeposition in Ammoniacal Solution
Authors: Yuan Liang , Chen Jinhong , Zhang Jingxiang , Sun Lingna
Published: December 2021

Composite additives have an important influence on the process of metal electrodeposition and the quality of a metal deposited layer. In this work, the additive thiourea (TU) was compounded with cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and polyethylene glycol 20,000 (PEG20000), and their effect on the cyclic voltammetric behavior, electrochemical nucleation mechanism, crystallographic orientations and surface morphology of the nickel electrodeposition in ammoniacal solution were experimentally investigated. The results show that the introduction of composite additives resulted in a stronger cathodic polarization and increased the nucleation overpotential (NOP) values significantly, which had an important impact on forming compact and smooth nickel deposits. The chronoamperometry analysis indicated that the reduction in nickel followed the 3D progressive nucleation mechanism in the presence of composite additives at the step potential of −1.16 V and −1.18 V. Smoother and finer nickel films were found using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images as the composite additives were used. X-ray diffraction revealed that all nickel deposit samples had the face-centered cubic structure, and five main crystal planes were displayed by the presence of composite additives in the electrolyte. Furthermore, the diffraction peaks of (111) and (200) crystal planes were slightly shifted toward lower 2θ values when thiourea was used in combination with additive CTAC or PEG20000. These results were beneficial for understanding the mechanisms and facilitating the rational design of additives for metal nickel electrodeposition.