bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Pelvicaliceal Anatomy on “Post Eswl Stone Clearance of Lower Caliceal Stone"
Authors: Hoq Md Muzharul , Alam SM Mahbub , Awal MA , Rasul Md amanur , Saha Pranashis , Islam Faisal , Shahjamal Sharif , Hossain Abid
Published: February 2020

Objective: To find out stone clearance rate of lower calyx and to determine important anatomic predictive factors responsible for the stone clearance of lower calyx following ESWL.
Methods: This prospective quasi experimental study was conducted in the Department of Urology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from January 2006 to July 2007. Patients with single lower calyceal stone (Stone size d” 20mm), age between 12 to 75 years and were agreed to participate in the study were selected. Different lower calyceal predictive factors were measured from IVU with the help of radiologist before ESWL. Selected patients were treated with ESWL by siemens lithostar machine in the department of Urology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Patients were discharged on the same day with advice to follow up after 1 month. All patients were followed up with plain X- ray KUB region to see stone clearance. Purposive sampling methods were followed. Data were processed and analyzed using software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences).
Results: Lower caliceal stones with favorable anatomy (infundibulo-pelvic angle e”700, infundibular length d” 30mm, infundibular diameter >4mm, and infundibular length to diameter ratio < 7) were stone free in cases and was statistically significant in stone clearance. But number of minor calices , caliceal pelvic height and stone morphology have shown no impact on stone clearance in this study.
Conclusion: ESWL for lower caliceal stone should be recommended only those patients those have favorable anatomy for discharge of fragments.
Bangladesh Journal of Urology, Vol. 15, No. 1, Jan 2012 p.6-10
Tablet Development for a Hydroscopic Drug Using Solid Dispersion
Authors: Terenteva O. A. , Vainshtein V. A. , Flisyuk E. V. , Generalova Yu. E.
Published: February 2020

Introduction. Traumatic brain injury is a damage to the brain from an external mechanical force, possibly leading to permanent or temporary impairment of cognitive, physical, and psychosocial functions. It is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults. In connection with the above, the objective of developing new, more effective nootropic and antiasthenic drugs in the framework of restorative neurology is considered as one of the priority tasks of medical science in Russia.

Aim. Development the composition and technology of tablets containing a hygroscopic substance using solid dispersions.

Materials and methods. The pharmaceutical substance of a diethylaminoethanol derivative having antihypoxic, neuroprotective, adaptogenic and antioxidant effects is a hygroscopic powder. PEG 6000 was chosen as a matrix for solid dispersion production. Solid dispersions were obtained by high shear mixing and hot-melt extrusion. The technological properties of granulate and the quality indicators of the tablets were determined according to the methods described in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (14th edition).

Results and discussion. The lactose mixed with the DEAE-PEG composition alloy improve the technological properties of granulate.

Conclusion. A decrease water-absorbing ability of DEAE was achieved using PEG 6000 as a matrix carrier. The increase PEG content did not lead to a significant change in the kinetics of the release of DEAE from tablets.
Regulated differentiation of stem cells into an artificial 3D liver as a transplantable source
Authors: Chen Feng , Wang Hua , Xiao Jia
Published: February 2020

End-stage liver disease is one of the leading causes of death around the world. Since insufficient sources of transplantable liver and possible immune rejection severely hinder the wide application of conventional liver transplantation therapy, artificial three-dimensional (3D) liver culture and assembly from stem cells have become a new hope for patients with end-stage liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. However, the induced differentiation of single-layer or 3D-structured hepatocytes from stem cells cannot physiologically support essential liver functions due to the lack of formation of blood vessels, immune regulation, storage of vitamins, and other vital hepatic activities. Thus, there is emerging evidence showing that 3D organogenesis of artificial vascularized liver tissue from combined hepatic cell types derived from differentiated stem cells is practical for the treatment of end-stage liver diseases. The optimization of novel biomaterials, such as decellularized matrices and natural macromolecules, also strongly supports the organogenesis of 3D tissue with the desired complex structure. This review summarizes new research updates on novel differentiation protocols of stem cell-derived major hepatic cell types and the application of new supportive biomaterials. Future biological and clinical challenges of this concept are also discussed.
The pH-Dependent and Enzymatic Release of Cytarabine From Hydrophilic Polymer Conjugates
Authors: POLA R. , JANOUŠKOVÁ O. , ETRYCH T.
Published: February 2020

Cytarabine is one of the most efficient drugs in the treatment of hematological malignancies. In this work, we describe the synthesis and characterization of two different polymer conjugates of cytarabine that were designed for the controlled release of cytarabine within the leukemia cells. Reactive copolymers of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) and 3-(3-methacrylamidopropanoyl)thiazolidine-2-thione) or 3-(N-methacryloylglycyl-phenylalanylleucylglycyl)thiazolidine-2-thione were used in the study as reactive polymer precursors for reaction with cytarabine. The enzymatic release of cytarabine from the conjugate containing a GFLG spacer utilizing cathepsin B was verified. In addition to enzymolysis, the pH-dependent hydrolysis of cytarabine from both copolymers was also confirmed. Approximately 40 % and 20 % of the drug was released by spontaneous hydrolysis at pH 7.4 within 72 h from the polymer conjugates with the GFLG and β-Ala spacers, respectively. At pH 6.0, the spontaneous hydrolysis slowed down, and less than 10 % of the drug was liberated within 72 h. The results of the cytotoxicity evaluation of the polymer conjugates in vitro against various cell lines showed that the cytotoxicity of the polymer conjugates is approximately three times lower in comparison to free cytarabine.
Carbohydrate-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles for Radical Scavenging
Authors: MOSKVIN M. , HORÁK D.
Published: February 2020

Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles, 12 nm in size, were prepared by co-precipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) chlorides with ammonium hydroxide and oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. To achieve stability and biocompatibility, obtained particles were coated with silica, to which glucose and ascorbic acid were bound by different mechanisms. The composite particles were thoroughly characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, elemental analysis, and FT-Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy to determine composition, morphology, size and its distribution, ζ-potential, and scavenging of peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. As the particles showed promising antioxidative properties, they may have a possible application as a stable magnetically controlled scavenger of reactive oxygen species.
Bridging the Gap between Pre-census and Census-era Historical Data: Devising a Geo-sampling Model to Analyse Agricultural Production in the Long Run for Southeast Europe, 1840–1897
Authors: Kabadayi M. Erdem , Gerrits Piet , Boykov Grigor
Published: February 2020

This research introduces a novel geo-spatial sampling model to overcome a major difficulty in historical economic geography of Bulgarian lands during a crucial period: immediately before and after the de facto independence of the territory from the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the nineteenth century. At its core it seeks to investigate the research question how the Bulgarian independence affected agricultural production in two regions (centered around the cities of Plovdiv and Ruse) of today's Bulgaria, for which there are conflicting yet empirically unsubstantiated claims concerning the economic impact of the political independence. Using our be-spoke geo-sampling strategy we believe, we have sampled regionally representative commensurable agricultural data from the 1840s Ottoman archival documentation, in accord with agricultural censuses conducted by the nascent nation state of Bulgaria in the 1890s.
How Can Geographic Information in Text Documents be Visualized to Support Information Exploration in the Humanities?
Authors: Bruggmann André , Fabrikant Sara I. , Purves Ross S.
Published: February 2020

Finding and selecting interesting and relevant information in large online digital text archives can be challenging. We tackle this information access problem from a geographic information science perspective using a case study exploring a semi-structured historical encyclopedia. We propose a three-pronged approach for this, based around (1) automatic retrieval of spatio-temporal and thematic information from digital text documents; (2) transformation of the extracted information to spatialize and visualize spatio-temporal and thematic structures; and (3) integration of the spatialized displays in an interactive web interface driven by a user-centered design and evaluation approach. We implemented an interactive spatialized network display to allow identification of spatio-temporal relationships hidden in the text archive, complemented by an interactive self-organizing map display to visualize thematic relationships in these text documents. We evaluated the utility and usability of the developed interface in a user study with digital humanities scholars. Empirical results show that the developed interface supports target users in the humanities uncovering latent spatio-temporal and thematic relationships and generated new insights through the spatialized text collection. Adopting this approach, we illustrate one avenue to addressing the information access problem in the digital humanities from a GIScience perspective.
A Spatial Analysis of Selected Art: a GIScience-Humanities Interface
Authors: Griffith Daniel A.
Published: February 2020

This exposition presents little-known connections between geography, through geographic information systems (GISs), mathematics, through matrix algebra, and art, through paintings and images, adding to the geo-humanities, spatial humanities, and humanistic mathematics literature. To this end, findings summarized for spatial statistical analyses of selected Susie Rosmarin paintings (which are reminiscent of visualizations of certain mathematical quantities known as eigenvectors), remotely sensed images that have appeared in art exhibits, and selected famous paintings by historically renowned artists reveal that spatial autocorrelation constitutes a fundamental element of art. These analyses extend the tradition of visualizing fractals as art, and interfacing cartography with art. This paper promotes analytical art, and establishes additional commonalities for GIScience, mathematics, and art.
Anti–Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of the Ethanol Extract of Clerodendrum Cyrtophyllum Turcz in Copper Sulfate-Induced Inflammation in Zebrafish
Authors: Nguyen Thu Hang , Le Hong Diep , Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh , Pham The Hai , Nguyen Thi Mai , Cornet Valérie , Lambert Jérôme , Kestemont Patrick
Published: February 2020

Oxidative stress and inflammation are commonly present in many chronic diseases. These responses are closely related to pathophysiological processes. The inflammatory process can induce oxidative stress and vice versa through the activation of multiple pathways. Therefore, agents with antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activities are very useful in the treatment of many pathologies. Clerodendrum cyrthophyllum Turcz, a plant belonging to the Verbenaceae family, is used in Vietnamese traditional medicine for treating migraine, hypertension, inflammation of the throat, and rheumatic arthritis. Despite its usefulness, studies on its biological properties are still scarce. In this study, ethanol extract (EE) of leaves of C. cyrtophyllum showed protective activity against CuSO4 toxicity. The protective activity was proven to relate to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. EE exhibited relatively high antioxidant activity (IC50 of 16.45 µg/mL) as measured by DPPH assay. In an in vivo anti-antioxidant test, three days post fertilization (dpf) zebrafish larvae were treated with different concentrations of EE for 1 h and then exposed to 10 µM CuSO4 for 20 min to induce oxidative stress. Fluorescent probes were used to detect and quantify oxidative stress by measuring the fluorescent intensity (FI) in larvae. FI significantly decreased in the presence of EE at 5 and 20 µg/mL, demonstrating EE’s profound antioxidant effects, reducing or preventing oxidative stress from CuSO4. Moreover, the co-administration of EE also protected zebrafish larvae against oxidative damage from CuSO4 through down-regulation of hsp70 and gadd45bb expression and upregulation of sod. Due to copper accumulation in zebrafish tissues, the damage and oxidative stress were exacerbated overtime, resulting in the upregulation of genes related to inflammatory processes such as cox-2, pla2, c3a, mpo, and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (il-1ß, il-8, tnf-α, and il-10, respectively). However, the association of CuSO4 with EE significantly decreased the expression of cox-2, pla2, c3a, mpo, il-8, and il-1ß. Taken together, the results suggest that EE has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and may be useful in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.
Properties of the Iron Bacteria Biofouling on Ni–P–rGO Coating
Authors: Xu Zhiming , Sun Mingyang , Liu Zuodong , Wang Bingbing , Di Huishuang
Published: February 2020

Biofouling on heat exchange devices can decrease heat transfer efficiency, corrode materials, and even lead to safety accidents. Most heat exchange devices are made of carbon steel that efficiently produces biofouling. However, in this paper, a nickel–phosphorus–reduced graphene oxide (Ni–P–rGO) coating was prepared on carbon steel by electroless plating to investigate the properties of iron bacteria biofouling. The surface coating was analyzed via scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. After the carbon steel and the Ni–P–rGO coating were immersed into an iron bacteria solution for 120 h, the weight of the iron bacteria biofouling on the Ni–P–rGO coating sharply decreased when compared with the carbon steel. We can conclude that the concentration of graphene can affect the weight of iron bacteria biofouling. We also found that the coating solution with 40 mg/L of graphene performed the best in inhibiting biofouling by decreasing the weight of the biofouling by 97.2% compared to carbon steel.
Comprehensive Method to Test the Stability of High Bedding Rock Slop Subjected to Atomized Rain
Authors: Hou Zheng-jun , Yang Bao-quan , Zhang Lin , Chen Yuan , Yang Geng-xin
Published: February 2020

In the construction of high dams, many high rock slope failures occur due to flood discharge atomized rain. Based on the steel frame lifting technique and strength reduction materials, a comprehensive method is proposed in this paper to study the stability of high bedding rock slope subjected to atomized rain. The safety factor expression of the comprehensive method and the evaluation method for deformation instability were established according to the similarity theory of geomechanical model, failure criterion, and mutation theory. Strength reduction materials were developed to simulate the strength reduction of structural planes caused by rainfall infiltration. A typical test was carried out on the high bedding rock slope in the Baihetan Hydropower Station. The results showed that the failure modes of the bedding rock slope were of two types: sliding–fracturing and fracturing–sliding. The first slip block at the exposed place of the structural plane was sliding–fracturing. Other succeeding slip blocks were mainly of the fracturing–sliding type due to the blocking effect of the first slip block. The failure sequence of the slip blocks along the structural planes was graded into multiple levels. The slip blocks along the upper structural planes were formed first. Concrete plugs had effective reinforcement to improve the shear resistance of the structural planes and inhibit rock dislocation. Finite element method (FEM) simulation was also performed to simulate the whole process of slope failure. The FEM simulation results agreed well with the test results. This research provides an improved understanding of the physical behavior and the failure modes of high bedding rock slopes subjected to atomized rain.
Bacterial Enhancer Binding Proteins—AAA+ Proteins in Transcription Activation
Authors: Gao Forson , Danson Amy E. , Ye Fuzhou , Jovanovic Milija , Buck Martin , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: February 2020

Bacterial enhancer-binding proteins (bEBPs) are specialised transcriptional activators. bEBPs are hexameric AAA+ ATPases and use ATPase activities to remodel RNA polymerase (RNAP) complexes that contain the major variant sigma factor, σ54 to convert the initial closed complex to the transcription competent open complex. Earlier crystal structures of AAA+ domains alone have led to proposals of how nucleotide-bound states are sensed and propagated to substrate interactions. Recently, the structure of the AAA+ domain of a bEBP bound to RNAP-σ54-promoter DNA was revealed. Together with structures of the closed complex, an intermediate state where DNA is partially loaded into the RNAP cleft and the open promoter complex, a mechanistic understanding of how bEBPs use ATP to activate transcription can now be proposed. This review summarises current structural models and the emerging understanding of how this special class of AAA+ proteins utilises ATPase activities to allow σ54-dependent transcription initiation.
Traditional Uses, Bioactive Chemical Constituents, and Pharmacological and Toxicological Activities of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Fabaceae)
Authors: El-Saber Batiha Gaber , Magdy Beshbishy Amany , El-Mleeh Amany , M. Abdel-Daim Mohamed , Prasad Devkota Hari
Published: February 2020

Traditional herbal remedies have been attracting attention as prospective alternative resources of therapy for diverse diseases across many nations. In recent decades, medicinal plants have been gaining wider acceptance due to the perception that these plants, as natural products, have fewer side effects and improved efficacy compared to their synthetic counterparts. Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Licorice) is a small perennial herb that has been traditionally used to treat many diseases, such as respiratory disorders, hyperdipsia, epilepsy, fever, sexual debility, paralysis, stomach ulcers, rheumatism, skin diseases, hemorrhagic diseases, and jaundice. Moreover, chemical analysis of the G. glabra extracts revealed the presence of several organic acids, liquirtin, rhamnoliquirilin, liquiritigenin, prenyllicoflavone A, glucoliquiritin apioside, 1-metho-xyphaseolin, shinpterocarpin, shinflavanone, licopyranocoumarin, glisoflavone, licoarylcoumarin, glycyrrhizin, isoangustone A, semilicoisoflavone B, licoriphenone, and 1-methoxyficifolinol, kanzonol R and several volatile components. Pharmacological activities of G. glabra have been evaluated against various microorganisms and parasites, including pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and Plasmodium falciparum, and completely eradicated P. yoelii parasites. Additionally, it shows antioxidant, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. The current review examined the phytochemical composition, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetics, and toxic activities of G. glabra extracts as well as its phytoconstituents.
Reduced SKP1 Expression Induces Chromosome Instability through Aberrant Cyclin E1 Protein Turnover
Authors: Thompson Laura L. , Baergen Allison K. , Lichtensztejn Zelda , McManus Kirk J.
Published: February 2020

Chromosome instability (CIN), or progressive changes in chromosome numbers, is an enabling feature of many cancers; however, the mechanisms giving rise to CIN remain poorly understood. To expand our mechanistic understanding of the molecular determinants of CIN in humans, we employed a cross-species approach to identify 164 human candidates to screen. Using quantitative imaging microscopy (QuantIM), we show that silencing 148 genes resulted in significant changes in CIN-associated phenotypes in two distinct cellular contexts. Ten genes were prioritized for validation based on cancer patient datasets revealing frequent gene copy number losses and associations with worse patient outcomes. QuantIM determined silencing of each gene-induced CIN, identifying novel roles for each as chromosome stability genes. SKP1 was selected for in-depth analyses as it forms part of SCF (SKP1, CUL1, FBox) complex, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets proteins for proteolytic degradation. Remarkably, SKP1 silencing induced increases in replication stress, DNA double strand breaks and chromothriptic events that were ascribed to aberrant increases in Cyclin E1 levels arising from reduced SKP1 expression. Collectively, these data reveal a high degree of evolutionary conservation between human and budding yeast CIN genes and further identify aberrant mechanisms associated with increases in chromothriptic events.
Food Consumption within Greek Households: Further Evidence from a National Representative Sample
Authors: Kostakis Ioannis , Paparas Dimitrios , Saiti Anna , Papadaki Stamatina
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study is to characterize the relationship between food consumption and socio-demographic characteristics in several groups of individuals. This is achieved by capturing the quantity of food purchased in categories on a microeconomic level. The empirical analysis is approached through the estimation of (a) expanded generalized linear models, (b) quantile regression models, (c) quadratic almost ideal demand system models and (d) Deaton’s (1988) approach. The results reveal that the composition of a household has a significant impact on the quantity of food consumed. In addition, price and income elasticities are estimated, confirming that the majority of food items are inelastic with respect to price and income except for meat. These findings can be used as a basis for considering food policy implications while evaluating the potential gains from applying specific policies.
Zeotropic Mixture Selection for an Organic Rankine Cycle Using a Single Screw Expander
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Zhang Yin , Li Zhenlei , Wang Jingfu , Wu Yuting , Ma Chongfang
Published: February 2020

The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is a popular and promising technology that has been widely studied and adopted in renewable and sustainable energy utilization and low-grade waste heat recovery. The use of zeotropic mixtures in ORC has been attracting more and more attention because of the possibility to match the temperature profile of the heat source by non-isothermal phase change, which reduces the irreversibility in the evaporator and the condenser. The selection of working fluid and expander is strongly interconnected. As a novel expander, a single screw expander was selected and used in this paper for efficient utilization of the wet zeotropic mixtures listed in REFPROP 9.1 in a low-temperature subcritical ORC system. Five indicators, namely net work, thermal efficiency, heat exchange load of condenser, temperature glide in evaporator, and temperature glide in condenser, were used to analyze the performance of an ORC system with wet and isentropic zeotropic mixtures as working fluids. The calculation and analysis results indicate that R441A with an expander outlet temperature of 320 K may be the suitable zeotropic mixture used for both open and close type heat source. R436B may be selected with an expander outlet temperature of 315 K. R432A may be selected with an expander outlet temperature from 295 K to 310 K.
Journey of American Building Physics: Steps Leading to the Current Scientific Revolution
Authors: Bomberg Mark , Romanska-Zapala Anna , Yarbrough David
Published: February 2020

This is an overview of a Key Note lecture; the quote for this lecture is from T.S. Eliot: “We must not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive, where we began, and, to know the place for the first time”. This quote highlights that the process of scientific development goes in circles, yet each of them goes above the previous circle, building up the ladder of knowledge. Closing one circle and opening the next may be either be a quiet, unnoticeable event or a roaring loud, scientific revolution. Building science (physics) was started about 100 years ago, but only now are we closing its second circle. Perhaps, because of building physics’ role in the fourth industrial revolution, this discipline itself is undergoing a scientific revolution The first industrial revolution was based on steam generated by burning coal, the second was based on petroleum, and the third on electricity and concentrated electricity production. The current one, i.e., the fourth, is based on distributed energy sources combined with information technology.
Modelling and Evaluation of the Thermohydraulic Performance of Finned-Tube Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Gas Coolers
Authors: Chai Lei , Tsamos Konstantinos M. , Tassou Savvas A.
Published: February 2020

This paper investigates the thermohydraulic performance of finned-tube supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) gas coolers operating with refrigerant pressures near the critical point. A distributed modelling approach combined with the ε-NTU method has been developed for the simulation of the gas cooler. The heat transfer and pressure drop for each evenly divided segment are calculated using empirical correlations for Nusselt number and friction factor. The model was validated against test results and then used to investigate the influence of design and operating parameters on local and overall gas cooler performance. The results show that the refrigerant heat-transfer coefficient increases with decreasing temperature and reaches its maximum close to the pseudocritical temperature before beginning to decrease. The pressure drop increases along the flow direction with decreasing temperature. Overall performance results illustrate that higher refrigerant mass flow rate and decreasing finned-tube diameter lead to improved heat-transfer rates but also increased pressure drops. Design optimization of gas coolers should take into consideration their impact on overall refrigeration performance and life cycle cost. This is important in the drive to reduce the footprint of components, energy consumption, and environmental impacts of refrigeration and heat-pump systems. The present work provides practical guidance to the design of finned-tube gas coolers and can be used as the basis for the modelling of integrated sCO2 refrigeration and heat-pump systems.
Enterotoxin Genes, Antibiotic Susceptibility, and Biofilm Formation of Low-Temperature-Tolerant Bacillus cereus Isolated from Green Leaf Lettuce in the Cold Chain
Authors: Park Kyung Min , Kim Hyun Jung , Jeong Mooncheol , Koo Minseon
Published: February 2020

The prevalence and characteristics of low-temperature-tolerant Bacillus cereus (psychrotolerant B. cereus) in green leaf lettuce collected during cold chain were investigated. Among the 101 isolated B. cereus samples, only 18 were capable of growth at 7 °C, and these isolates shared potential health hazard characteristics with mesophilic isolates. Most psychrotolerant B. cereus isolates contained various combinations of nheA, nheB, nheC, hblA, hblA, hblC, hblD, cytK, and entFM. Most isolates of psychrotolerant B. cereus possessed at least two enterotoxin genes and 28% of isolates harbored tested nine enterotoxin genes. Additionally, the psychrotolerant B. cereus isolates showed resistance to tetracycline and rifampin and intermediate levels of resistance to clindamycin. A total of 23% of isolates among psychrotolerant B. cereus displayed a high level of biofilm formation at 7 °C than at 10 °C or 30 °C. The results of this study indicate that cold distribution and storage for green leaf lettuce may fail to maintain food safety due to the presence of enterotoxigenic, antibiotic-resistant, and strong biofilm forming psychrotolerant B. cereus isolates, which therefore poses a potential health risk to the consumer. Our findings provide the first account of the prevalence and characteristics of psychrotolerant B. cereus isolated from green leaf lettuce during cold storage, suggesting a potential hazard of psychrotolerant B. cereus isolates to public health and the food industry.
Evolution of Cooperation for Multiple Mutant Configurations on All Regular Graphs with N ≤ 14 Players
Authors: Richter Hendrik
Published: February 2020

We study the emergence of cooperation in structured populations with any arrangement of cooperators and defectors on the evolutionary graph. In a computational approach using structure coefficients defined for configurations describing such arrangements of any number of mutants, we provide results for weak selection to favor cooperation over defection on any regular graph with N ≤ 14 vertices. Furthermore, the properties of graphs that particularly promote cooperation are analyzed. It is shown that the number of graph cycles of a certain length is a good predictor for the values of the structure coefficient, and thus a tendency to favor cooperation. Another property of particularly cooperation-promoting regular graphs with a low degree is that they are structured to have blocks with clusters of mutants that are connected by cut vertices and/or hinge vertices.
A Multi-Wavelength View of OJ 287 Activity in 2015–2017: Implications of Spectral Changes on Central-Engine Models and MeV-GeV Emission Mechanism
Authors: Kushwaha Pankaj
Published: February 2020

A diverse range of observational results and peculiar properties across the domains of observation have made OJ 287 one of the best-explored BL Lac objects on the issues of relativistic jets and accretion physics as well as the strong theory of gravity. We here present a brief compilation of observational results from the literature and inferences/insights from the extensive studies but focus on the interpretation of its ∼12-yr quasi-periodic optical outbursts (QPOOs) and high energy emission mechanisms. The QPOOs in one model are attributed to the disk-impact related to dynamics of the binary SMBHs while alternative models attribute it to the geometrical effect related to the precession of a single jet or double jets. We discuss implications of the new spectral features reported during the 2015–2017 multi-wavelength high activity of the source—a break in the NIR-optical spectrum and hardening of the MeV-GeV emission accompanied by a shift in the location of its peak, in the context of the two. The reported NIR-optical break nicely fits the description of a standard accretion disk emission from an SMBH of mass ∼ 10 10 M ⊙ while the time of its first appearance at the end of May, 2013 (MJD 56439) is in close coincidence with the time of impact predicted by the disk-impact binary SMBH model. This spectral and temporal coincidence with the model parameters of the disk-impact binary SMBH model provides independent evidence in favor of the model over the geometrical models which argue for a total central-engine mass in the range of 10 7 - 9 M ⊙ . On the other hand, the MeV-GeV spectral change is naturally reproduced by the inverse Compton scattering of photons from the broad-line region and is consistent with the detection of broad emission lines during the previous cycles of quasi-periodic outbursts. Combining this with previous SED studies suggests that in, OJ 287, the MeV-GeV emission results from external Comptonization.
Parental Monitoring and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use: The Mediating Role of Escape Motivation and the Moderating Role of Shyness
Authors: Fu Xinchen , Liu Jingxuan , Liu Ru-De , Ding Yi , Wang Jia , Zhen Rui , Jin Fangkai
Published: February 2020

In an attempt to reduce the negative consequences of adolescent media use, parents often monitor their children’s online activities. However, research suggests that parental monitoring often does not reduce children’s problematic mobile phone use as expected. Based on the results of a survey of 584 Chinese adolescents, we found that parental monitoring positively predicted children’s problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) within a Chinese cultural context. The results also showed that children’s escape motivation partially mediated this relationship, while their level of shyness moderated both the mediated path and the direct impact of parental monitoring on children’s PMPU. The findings suggested that a higher level of shyness increased the likelihood that parental monitoring would increase the child’s escape motivation and PMPU. The study results provide guidelines for parents and educators regarding interventions for adolescents’ problematic phone use.
An English-Chinese Machine Translation and Evaluation Method for Geographical Names
Authors: Ren Hongkai , Mao Xi , Ma Weijun , Wang Jizhou , Wang Linyun
Published: February 2020

In recent years, with increasing international communication and cooperation, the consensus of toponymic information among different countries has become increasingly important. A large number of English geographical names are in urgent need of translation into Chinese, but there are few studies on machine translation of geographical names at present. Therefore, this paper proposes a method of automatically translating English geographical names into Chinese. First, the lexical structure of the geographic names is analyzed to divide the whole name into two parts, the special name and the general name, in an approach based on the statistical template model that implements pointwise mutual information and a directed acyclic graph data structure on the extracted names from different categories of a geographical name corpus. Second, the two parts of the geographic names are translated. The general name can be directly translated via methods of free translation. For the transliteration of the special name, the phonetic symbols are generated based on the cyclic neural network, and then, the syllables are divided based on the minimum entropy and converted into Chinese characters. Finally, the two parts of Chinese characters are combined, and criteria are prepared to evaluate the translation reliability according to the translation process to realize automatic quality inspection and screening of geographical names. As the experimental results show, the method is effective in the translation process of English geographic names into Chinese. This method can be easily extended to other languages such as Arabic.
Sewage Sludge ZnCl2-Activated Carbon Intercalated MgFe–LDH Nanocomposites: Insight of the Sorption Mechanism of Improved Removal of Phenol from Water
Authors: Mu’azu Nuhu Dalhat , Zubair Mukarram , Jarrah Nabeel , Alagha Omar , Al-Harthi Mamdouh A. , Essa Mohammed H.
Published: February 2020

This work reports the synthesis of new layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites using sewage-based ZnCl2-activated carbon (AC) intercalated with MgFe (AC-MgFe-LDH) and an evaluation of their adsorptive performance for phenol removal from water. The effect of the AC loading on the final properties of synthesized composites was investigated via various characterization techniques. The results showed efficient decoration at 0.1–0.25 g AC loading within the layers of AC–MgFe composites LDH, which was reflected in the higher surface area (233.75 m2/g) and surface functionalities (OH, NO3, C-O-C, and MMO) yielding a significant improvement of the phenol removal efficiency. However, at higher contents, AC loading led to the breakage of the LDH structure and agglomeration, as indicated by the deterioration in the textural and structural properties. The isotherm and kinetic data were well fitted by the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order model, respectively, with a maximum obtained monolayer adsorption capacity of 138.69 mg/g. The thermodynamics results demonstrated that phenol adsorption is an endothermic process. The sorption mechanism of phenol molecules on the AC–MgFe composite was governed by chemical bonding with OH, C=O, and MMO groups and pore diffusion via π–π interactions. Superior phenol removal with excellent recyclability up to five cycles of the new AC–MgFe composite suggested its use as a potential adsorbent for effective phenol removal from water and wastewater streams.
Periodic Membrane Potential and Ca2+ Oscillations in T Cells Forming an Immune Synapse
Authors: Papp Ferenc , Hajdu Peter , Tajti Gabor , Toth Agnes , Nagy Eva , Fazekas Zsolt , Kovacs Sandor , Vámosi György , Varga Zoltan , Panyi Gyorgy
Published: February 2020

The immunological synapse (IS) is a specialized contact area formed between a T cell and an antigen presenting cell (APC). Besides molecules directly involved in antigen recognition such as the TCR/CD3 complex, ion channels important in the membrane potential and intracellular free Ca2+ concentration control of T cells are also recruited into the IS. These are the voltage-gated Kv1.3 and Ca2+-activated KCa3.1 K+ channels and the calcium release-activated Ca2+ channel (CRAC). However, the consequence of this recruitment on membrane potential and Ca2+ level control is not known. Here we demonstrate that the membrane potential (MP) of murine T cells conjugated with APCs in an IS shows characteristic oscillations. We found that depolarization of the membrane by current injection or by increased extracellular K+ concentration produced membrane potential oscillations (MPO) significantly more frequently in conjugated T cells than in lone T cells. Furthermore, oscillation of the free intracellular Ca2+ concentration could also be observed more frequently in cells forming an IS than in lone cells. We suggest that in the IS the special arrangement of channels and the constrained space between the interacting cells creates a favorable environment for these oscillations, which may enhance the signaling process leading to T cell activation.
The Transcriptome of Pig Spermatozoa, and Its Role in Fertility
Authors: Alvarez-Rodriguez Manuel , Martinez Cristina , Wright Dominic , Barranco Isabel , Roca Jordi , Rodriguez-Martinez Heriberto
Published: February 2020

In the study presented here we identified transcriptomic markers for fertility in the cargo of pig ejaculated spermatozoa using porcine-specific micro-arrays (GeneChip® miRNA 4.0 and GeneChip® Porcine Gene 1.0 ST). We report (i) the relative abundance of the ssc-miR-1285, miR-16, miR-4332, miR-92a, miR-671-5p, miR-4334-5p, miR-425-5p, miR-191, miR-92b-5p and miR-15b miRNAs, and (ii) the presence of 347 up-regulated and 174 down-regulated RNA transcripts in high-fertility breeding boars, based on differences of farrowing rate (FS) and litter size (LS), relative to low-fertility boars in the (Artificial Insemination) AI program. An overrepresentation analysis of the protein class (PANTHER) identified significant fold-increases for C-C chemokine binding (GO:0019957): CCR7, which activates B- and T-lymphocytes, 8-fold increase), XCR1 and CXCR4 (with ubiquitin as a natural ligand, 1.24-fold increase), cytokine receptor activity (GO:0005126): IL23R receptor of the IL23 protein, associated to JAK2 and STAT3, 3.4-fold increase), the TGF-receptor (PC00035) genes ACVR1C and ACVR2B (12-fold increase). Moreover, two micro-RNAs (miR-221 and mir-621) were down- and up-regulated, respectively, in high-fertility males. In conclusion, boars with different fertility performance possess a wide variety of differentially expressed RNA present in spermatozoa that would be attractive targets as non-invasive molecular markers for predicting fertility.
Ethylene Biosynthesis Inhibition Combined with Cyanide Degradation Confer Resistance to Quinclorac in Echinochloa crus-galli var. mitis
Authors: Zia Ul Haq Muhammad , Zhang Zheng , Wei Jiajia , Qiang Sheng
Published: February 2020

Echinochloa crus-galli var. mitis has rarely been reported for herbicide resistance, and no case of quinclorac resistance has been reported so far. Synthetic auxin-type herbicide quinclorac is used extensively to control rice weeds worldwide. A long history of using quinclorac in Chinese rice fields escalated the resistance in E. crus-galli var. mitis against this herbicide. Bioassays in Petri plates and pots exhibited four biotypes that evolved into resistance to quinclorac ranking as JS01-R > AH01-R > JS02-R > JX01-R from three provinces of China. Ethylene production in these biotypes was negatively correlated with resistance level and positively correlated with growth inhibition. Determination of the related ethylene response pathway exhibited resistance in biotypes that recorded a decline in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content, ACC synthase oxidase activities, and less inducible ACS and ACO genes expressions than the susceptible biotype, suggesting that there was a positive correlation between quinclorac resistance and ethylene biosynthesis inhibition. Cyanides produced during the ethylene biosynthesis pathway mainly degraded by the activity of β-cyanoalanine synthase (β-CAS). Resistant biotypes exhibited higher β-CAS activity than the susceptible ones. Nucleotide changes were found in the EcCAS gene of resistant biotypes as compared to sensitive ones that caused three amino acid substitutions (Asn-105-Lys, Gln-195-Glu, and Gly-298-Val), resulting in alteration of enzyme structure, increased binding residues in the active site with its cofactor, and decreased binding free energy; hence, its activity was higher in resistant biotypes. Moreover, these mutations increased the structural stability of the enzyme. In view of the positive correlation between ethylene biosynthesis inhibition and cyanide degradation with resistance level, it is concluded that the alteration in ethylene response pathway or at least variation in ACC synthase and ACC oxidase enzyme activities—due to less relative expression of ACS and ACO genes and enhanced β-CAS activity, as well as mutation and increased relative expression of EcCAS gene—can be considered as a probable mechanism of quinclorac resistance in E. crus-galli var. mitis.
Synergistic Upregulation of Target Genes by TET1 and VP64 in the dCas9–SunTag Platform
Authors: Morita Sumiyo , Horii Takuro , Kimura Mika , Hatada Izuho
Published: February 2020

Overexpression of a gene of interest is a general approach used in both basic research and therapeutic applications. However, the conventional approach involving overexpression of exogenous genes has difficulty achieving complete genome coverage, and is also limited by the cloning capacity of viral vectors. Therefore, an alternative approach would be to drive the expression of an endogenous gene using an artificial transcriptional activator. Fusion proteins of dCas9 and a transcription activation domain, such as dCas9–VP64, are widely used for activation of endogenous genes. However, when using a single sgRNA, the activation range is low. Consequently, tiling of several sgRNAs is required for robust transcriptional activation. Here we describe the screening of factors that exhibit the best synergistic activation of gene expression with TET1 in the dCas9–SunTag format. All seven factors examined showed some synergy with TET1. Among them, VP64 gave the best results. Thus, simultaneous tethering of VP64 and TET1 to a target gene using an optimized dCas9–SunTag format synergistically activates gene expression using a single sgRNA.
Genomic Prediction Accuracy of Seven Breeding Selection Traits Improved by QTL Identification in Flax
Authors: Lan Samuel , Zheng Chunfang , Hauck Kyle , McCausland Madison , Duguid Scott D. , Booker Helen M. , Cloutier Sylvie , You Frank M.
Published: February 2020

Molecular markers are one of the major factors affecting genomic prediction accuracy and the cost of genomic selection (GS). Previous studies have indicated that the use of quantitative trait loci (QTL) as markers in GS significantly increases prediction accuracy compared with genome-wide random single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. To optimize the selection of QTL markers in GS, a set of 260 lines from bi-parental populations with 17,277 genome-wide SNPs were used to evaluate the prediction accuracy for seed yield (YLD), days to maturity (DTM), iodine value (IOD), protein (PRO), oil (OIL), linoleic acid (LIO), and linolenic acid (LIN) contents. These seven traits were phenotyped over four years at two locations. Identification of quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) for the seven traits was performed using three types of statistical models for genome-wide association study: two SNP-based single-locus (SS), seven SNP-based multi-locus (SM), and one haplotype-block-based multi-locus (BM) models. The identified QTNs were then grouped into QTL based on haplotype blocks. For all seven traits, 133, 355, and 1208 unique QTL were identified by SS, SM, and BM, respectively. A total of 1420 unique QTL were obtained by SS+SM+BM, ranging from 254 (OIL, LIO) to 361 (YLD) for individual traits, whereas a total of 427 unique QTL were achieved by SS+SM, ranging from 56 (YLD) to 128 (LIO). SS models alone did not identify sufficient QTL for GS. The highest prediction accuracies were obtained using single-trait QTL identified by SS+SM+BM for OIL (0.929 ± 0.016), PRO (0.893 ± 0.023), YLD (0.892 ± 0.030), and DTM (0.730 ± 0.062), and by SS+SM for LIN (0.837 ± 0.053), LIO (0.835 ± 0.049), and IOD (0.835 ± 0.041). In terms of the number of QTL markers and prediction accuracy, SS+SM outperformed other models or combinations thereof. The use of all SNPs or QTL of all seven traits significantly reduced the prediction accuracy of traits. The results further validated that QTL outperformed high-density genome-wide random markers, and demonstrated that the combined use of single and multi-locus models can effectively identify a comprehensive set of QTL that improve prediction accuracy, but further studies on detection and removal of redundant or false-positive QTL to maximize prediction accuracy and minimize the number of QTL markers in GS are warranted.
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Activity of Indole-3-Acetic Acid Involves Induction of HO-1 and Neutralization of Free Radicals in RAW264.7 Cells
Authors: Ji Yun , Yin Wenzhen , Liang Yuan , Sun Lijun , Yin Yue , Zhang Weizhen
Published: February 2020

The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a tryptophan-derived metabolite from gut microbiota, attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. The present study was to unearth the protective effect and underlying mechanism of IAA against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response and free radical generation in RAW264.7 macrophages. IAA significantly ameliorated LPS-induced expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) as well as generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). LPS-triggered nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 was mitigated by IAA treatment. Further, an up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was observed in IAA-treated cells in dose-dependent manner under both normal and LPS-stimulated condition. Interference of HO-1 activity by tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP) impeded the alleviative effects of IAA on expression of IL-1β and IL-6 induced by LPS, whereas demonstrated no effect on its suppression of ROS and NO production. This result suggests a HO-1-dependent anti-inflammatory effect of IAA and its direct scavenging action on free radicals. Treatment with CH-223191, a specific antagonist of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), showed no significant effects on the beneficial role of IAA against inflammation and free radical generation. In summary, our findings indicate that IAA alleviates LPS-elicited inflammatory response and free radical generation in RAW264.7 macrophages by induction of HO-1 and direct neutralization of free radicals, a mechanism independent of AhR.