bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Proinflammatory Responses to Aspergillus fumigatus by Airway Epithelial Cells In Vitro Are Protease Dependent
Authors: Rowley Jessica , Namvar Sara , Gago Sara , Labram Briony , Bowyer Paul , Richardson Malcolm D. , Herrick Sarah E.
Published: June 2021

Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human respiratory mould pathogen. In addition to a barrier function, airway epithelium elicits a robust defence against inhaled A. fumigatus by initiating an immune response. The manner by which A. fumigatus initiates this response and the reasons for the immunological heterogeneity with different isolates are unclear. Both direct fungal cell wall–epithelial cell interaction and secretion of soluble proteases have been proposed as possible mechanisms. Our aim was to determine the contribution of fungal proteases to the induction of epithelial IL-6 and IL-8 in response to different A. fumigatus isolates. Airway epithelial cells were exposed to conidia from a low or high protease-producing strain of A. fumigatus, and IL-6 and IL-8 gene expression and protein production were quantified. The role of proteases in cytokine production was further determined using specific protease inhibitors. The proinflammatory cytokine response correlated with conidia germination and hyphal extension. IL-8 induction was significantly reduced in the presence of matrix metalloprotease or cysteine protease inhibitors. With a high protease-producing strain of A. fumigatus, IL-6 release was metalloprotease dependent. Dectin-1 antagonism also inhibited the production of both cytokines. In conclusion, A. fumigatus-secreted proteases mediate a proinflammatory response by airway epithelial cells in a strain-dependent manner.
Inositol Signaling in the Basidiomycete Fungus Schizophyllum commune
Authors: Murry Reyna , Traxler Lea , Pötschner Jessica , Krüger Thomas , Kniemeyer Olaf , Krause Katrin , Kothe Erika
Published: June 2021

Intracellular signaling is conserved in eukaryotes to allow for response to extracellular signals and to regulate development and cellular functions. In fungi, inositol phosphate signaling has been shown to be involved in growth, sexual reproduction, and metabolic adaptation. However, reports on mushroom-forming fungi are lacking so far. In Schizophyllum commune, an inositol monophosphatase has been found up-regulated during sexual development. The enzyme is crucial for inositol cycling, where it catalyzes the last step of inositol phosphate metabolism, restoring the inositol pool from the monophosphorylated inositol monophosphate. We overexpressed the gene in this model basidiomycete and verified its involvement in cell wall integrity and intracellular trafficking. Strong phenotypes in mushroom formation and cell metabolism were evidenced by proteome analyses. In addition, altered inositol signaling was shown to be involved in tolerance towards cesium and zinc, and increased metal tolerance towards cadmium, associated with induced expression of kinases and repression of phosphatases within the inositol cycle. The presence of the heavy metals Sr, Cs, Cd, and Zn lowered intracellular calcium levels. We could develop a model integrating inositol signaling in the known signal transduction pathways governed by Ras, G-protein coupled receptors, and cAMP, and elucidate their different roles in development.
Toward a Population-Based Breast Cancer Risk Stratification Approach? The Needs and Concerns of Healthcare Providers
Authors: Blouin-Bougie Jolyane , Amara Nabil , Simard Jacques
Published: June 2021

Given the expanding knowledge base in cancer genomics, risk-based screening is among the promising avenues to improve breast cancer (BC) prevention and early detection at the population level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HPs) regarding the implementation of such an approach and identify tools that can support HPs. After undertaking an in-depth thematic content analysis of the responses, 11 themes were identified. These were embedded into a logical model to distinguish the potential eligible participants (who?), the main clinical activities (how?) and associated tools (what?), the key factors of acceptability (which?), and the expected effects of the strategy (why?). Overall, it was found that the respondents positively welcomed the implementation of this strategy and agreed on some of the benefits that could accrue to women from tailored risk-based screening. Some important elements, however, deserve clarification. The results also highlight three main conditions that should be met to foster the acceptability of BC risk stratification: respecting the principle of equity, paying special attention to knowledge management, and rethinking human resources to capitalize on the strengths of the current workforce. Because the functioning of BC risk-based screening is not yet well defined, important planning work is required before advancing this organizational innovation, and outstanding issues must be resolved to get HPs on board.
Book Review “Cultural Finance: A World Map of Risk, Time and Money” by Thorsten Hens, Marc Oliver Rieger, and Mei Wang. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., 2020; ISBN 9789811221958
Authors: Huynh Anh Ngoc Quang , Huynh Toan Luu Duc
Published: June 2021

This is book review of “Cultural Finance, A World Map of Risk, Time and Money” edited by Thorsten Hens, Marc Oliver Rieger and Mei Wang. This book review’s focus point is on how “Cultural Finance, A World Map of Risk, Time and Money” develops, based on the book’s content, in the current studies of prospect theory preferences in 53 different countries. The book review starts with a literature review on studied research in “Cultural Finance, A World Map of Risk, Time and Money”, follows with short summaries of each chapter, and finally sums up its practical implication. This book greatly demonstrates the greatest care and thoroughness regarding the growth of cultural finance.
Kokosanolide D: A New Tetranortriterpenoid from Fruit Peels of Lansium domesticum Corr. cv Kokossan
Authors: Fauzi Fawwaz M. , Meilanie Sylvia R. , Zulfikar  , Farabi Kindi , Herlina Tati , Al Anshori Jamaludin , Mayanti Tri
Published: June 2021

A novel tetranortriterpenoid named kokosanolide D has been isolated from fruit peels of Lansium domesticum. The structure of kokosanolide D was elucidated primarily on the basis of spectroscopic data including infrared, 1D and 2D-NMR, as well as high resolution mass spectroscopy analysis and comparison with related compounds previously reported.
Preparation of LiFePO4 Powders by Ultrasonic Spray Drying Method and Their Memory Effect
Authors: Lan Tu , Guo Xiaolong , Li De , Chen Yong
Published: June 2021

The memory effect of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) was first discovered in LiFePO4, but its origin and dependence are still not clear, which is essential for regulating the memory effect. In this paper, a home-made spray drying device was used to successfully synthesize LiFePO4 with an average particle size of about 1 μm, and we studied the influence of spray drying temperature on the memory effect of LiFePO4 in LIBs. The results showed that the increasing of spray drying temperature made the memory effect of LiFePO4 strengthen from 1.3 mV to 2.9 mV, while the capacity decreased by approximately 6%. The XRD refinement and FTIR spectra indicate that the enhancement of memory effect can be attributed to the increment of Li–Fe dislocations. This work reveals the dependence of memory effect of LiFePO4 on spray drying temperature, which will guide us to optimize the preparation process of electrode materials and improve the management system of LIBs.
Ultrafast Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Response Excited by fs Laser Pulses at 1550 nm in GaN Crystals
Authors: Petris Adrian , Gheorghe Petronela , Braniste Tudor , Tiginyanu Ion
Published: June 2021

The ultrafast third-order optical nonlinearity of c-plane GaN crystal, excited by ultrashort (fs) high-repetition-rate laser pulses at 1550 nm, wavelength important for optical communications, is investigated for the first time by optical third-harmonic generation in non-phase-matching conditions. As the thermo-optic effect that can arise in the sample by cumulative thermal effects induced by high-repetition-rate laser pulses cannot be responsible for the third-harmonic generation, the ultrafast nonlinear optical effect of solely electronic origin is the only one involved in this process. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of GaN crystal responsible for the third-harmonic generation process, an important indicative parameter for the potential use of this material in ultrafast photonic functionalities, is determined.
Effects of PCE on the Dispersion of Cement Particles and Initial Hydration
Authors: Zhu Weiwei , Feng Qingge , Luo Qi , Bai Xiukui , Lin Xianhao , Zhang Zhao
Published: June 2021

The effects of polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) on the dispersing properties and initial hydration of cement particles with various water-to-cement (w/c) ratios was investigated, including the water film thickness (WFT), rheology, fluidity, adsorption of PCEs, zeta potential, degree of hydration, hydration products. The experimental results demonstrate that the initial rheological and fluidity parameters were more sensitive to the PCE dosage at a lower w/c because the WFT and the zeta potential on cement particles change more significantly. Moreover, the higher adsorption amounts of the PCEs at a lower w/c lead to a stronger inhibition of the initial hydration, whilst, at the same PCE dosage, the cement pastes have a more rapid fluidity loss and quicker hydration reactions at a higher w/c due to a lower adsorption amount of the PCE on cement particles.
Mechanical Properties and Frictional Wear Characteristic of Pure Titanium Treated by Atmospheric Oxidation
Authors: Chen Tong , Koyama Shinji , Nishida Shinichi , Yu Lihua
Published: June 2021

Pure titanium was treated by atmospheric oxidation, and the effect of the treatment temperature on its performance was studied. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, wear testing, and scratch testing were used to evaluate the performance of the treated specimens. In order to evaluate the difficulty of compound formation during the different processing temperatures, Gibbs free energy was calculated. The experimental results show that the surface hardness of the sample can be improved at a certain oxidation treatment temperature. When the processing temperature is 850 °C, the surface hardness reaches the maximum value. The results of the scratch testing show that the hardened layer produced at this processing temperature has excellent peeling resistance. In addition, the wear depth and wear width are also at their minimum values at this processing temperature. Since the specimen treated at a processing temperature of 850 °C provides sufficiently high surface hardness and wear resistance in this research report, it is considered to be the optimal condition during practical application.
Chemical Modification as a Method of Improving Biocompatibility of Carbon Nonwovens
Authors: Frączyk Justyna , Magdziarz Sylwia , Stodolak-Zych Ewa , Dzierzkowska Ewa , Puchowicz Dorota , Kamińska Irena , Giełdowska Małgorzata , Boguń Maciej
Published: June 2021

It was shown that carbon nonwoven fabrics obtained from polyacrylonitrile fibers (PAN) by thermal conversion may be modified on the surface in order to improve their biological compatibility and cellular response, which is particularly important in the regeneration of bone or cartilage tissue. Surface functionalization of carbon nonwovens containing C–C double bonds was carried out using in situ generated diazonium salts derived from aromatic amines containing both electron-acceptor and electron-donor substituents. It was shown that the modification method characteristic for materials containing aromatic structures may be successfully applied to the functionalization of carbon materials. The effectiveness of the surface modification of carbon nonwoven fabrics was confirmed by the FTIR method using an ATR device. The proposed approach allows the incorporation of various functional groups on the nonwovens’ surface, which affects the morphology of fibers as well as their physicochemical properties (wettability). The introduction of a carboxyl group on the surface of nonwoven fabrics, in a reaction with 4-aminobenzoic acid, became a starting point for further modifications necessary for the attachment of RGD-type peptides facilitating cell adhesion to the surface of materials. The surface modification reduced the wettability (θ) of the carbon nonwoven by about 50%. The surface free energy (SFE) in the chemically modified and reference nonwovens remained similar, with the surface modification causing an increase in the polar component (ɣp). The modification of the fiber surface was heterogeneous in nature; however, it provided an attractive site of cell–materials interaction by contacting them to the fiber surface, which supports the adhesion process.
Fabrication of Functionally Graded Diamond/Al Composites by Liquid–Solid Separation Technology
Authors: Zhou Hongyu , Li Yaqiang , Wang Huimin , Ran Minrui , Tong Zhi , Zhang Weidong , Liu Junyou , Zheng Wenyue
Published: June 2021

The electronic packaging shell, the necessary material for hermetic packaging of large microelectronic device chips, is made by mechanical processing of a uniform block. However, the property variety requirements at different positions of the shell due to the performance have not been solved. An independently developed liquid–solid separation technology is applied to fabricate the diamond/Al composites with a graded distribution of diamond particles. The diamond content decreases along a gradient from the bottom of the shell, which houses the chips, to the top of the shell wall, which is welded with the cover plate. The bottom of the shell has a thermal conductivity (TC) of 169 W/mK, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 11.0 × 10−6/K, bending strength of 88 MPa, and diamond content of 48 vol.%. The top of the shell has a TC of 108 W/mK, CTE of 19.3 × 10−6/K, bending strength of 175 MPa, and diamond content of 15 vol.%, which solves the special requirements of different parts of the shell and helps to improve the thermal stability of packaging components. Moreover, the interfacial characteristics are also investigated. This work provides a promising approach for the preparation of packaging shells by near-net shape forming.
Three-Dimensional Zirconia-Based Scaffolds for Load-Bearing Bone-Regeneration Applications: Prospects and Challenges
Authors: Sakthiabirami Kumaresan , Soundharrajan Vaiyapuri , Kang Jin-Ho , Yang Yunzhi Peter , Park Sang-Won
Published: June 2021

The design of zirconia-based scaffolds using conventional techniques for bone-regeneration applications has been studied extensively. Similar to dental applications, the use of three-dimensional (3D) zirconia-based ceramics for bone tissue engineering (BTE) has recently attracted considerable attention because of their high mechanical strength and biocompatibility. However, techniques to fabricate zirconia-based scaffolds for bone regeneration are in a stage of infancy. Hence, the biological activities of zirconia-based ceramics for bone-regeneration applications have not been fully investigated, in contrast to the well-established calcium phosphate-based ceramics for bone-regeneration applications. This paper outlines recent research developments and challenges concerning numerous three-dimensional (3D) zirconia-based scaffolds and reviews the associated fundamental fabrication techniques, key 3D fabrication developments and practical encounters to identify the optimal 3D fabrication technique for obtaining 3D zirconia-based scaffolds suitable for real-world applications. This review mainly summarized the articles that focused on in vitro and in vivo studies along with the fundamental mechanical characterizations on the 3D zirconia-based scaffolds.
Peptides and Peptidomimetics as Inhibitors of Enzymes Involved in Fibrillar Collagen Degradation
Authors: Ledwoń Patrycja , Papini Anna Maria , Rovero Paolo , Latajka Rafal
Published: June 2021

Collagen fibres degradation is a complex process involving a variety of enzymes. Fibrillar collagens, namely type I, II, and III, are the most widely spread collagens in human body, e.g., they are responsible for tissue fibrillar structure and skin elasticity. Nevertheless, the hyperactivity of fibrotic process and collagen accumulation results with joints, bone, heart, lungs, kidneys or liver fibroses. Per contra, dysfunctional collagen turnover and its increased degradation leads to wound healing disruption, skin photoaging, and loss of firmness and elasticity. In this review we described the main enzymes participating in collagen degradation pathway, paying particular attention to enzymes degrading fibrillar collagen. Therefore, collagenases (MMP-1, -8, and -13), elastases, and cathepsins, together with their peptide and peptidomimetic inhibitors, are reviewed. This information, related to the design and synthesis of new inhibitors based on peptide structure, can be relevant for future research in the fields of chemistry, biology, medicine, and cosmeceuticals.
Ventilation Prediction for an Industrial Cement Raw Ball Mill by BNN—A “Conscious Lab” Approach
Authors: Fatahi Rasoul , Khosravi Rasoul , Siavoshi Hossein , Yazdani Samaneh , Hadavandi Esmaiel , Chehreh Chelgani Saeed
Published: June 2021

In cement mills, ventilation is a critical key for maintaining temperature and material transportation. However, relationships between operational variables and ventilation factors for an industrial cement ball mill were not addressed until today. This investigation is going to fill this gap based on a newly developed concept named “conscious laboratory (CL)”. For constructing the CL, a boosted neural network (BNN), as a recently developed comprehensive artificial intelligence model, was applied through over 35 different variables, with more than 2000 records monitored for an industrial cement ball mill. BNN could assess multivariable nonlinear relationships among this vast dataset, and indicated mill outlet pressure and the ampere of the separator fan had the highest rank for the ventilation prediction. BNN could accurately model ventilation factors based on the operational variables with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.6. BNN showed a lower error than other traditional machine learning models (RMSE: random forest 0.71, support vector regression: 0.76). Since improving the milling efficiency has an essential role in machine development and energy utilization, these results can open a new window to the optimal designing of comminution units for the material technologies.
No-Idle Flowshop Scheduling for Energy-Efficient Production: An Improved Optimization Framework
Authors: Cheng Chen-Yang , Lin Shih-Wei , Pourhejazy Pourya , Ying Kuo-Ching , Lin Yu-Zhe
Published: June 2021

Production environment in modern industries, like integrated circuits manufacturing, fiberglass processing, steelmaking, and ceramic frit, is characterized by zero idle-time between inbound and outbound jobs on every machine; this technical requirement improves energy efficiency, hence, has implications for cleaner production in other production situations. An exhaustive review of literature is first conducted to shed light on the development of no-idle flowshops. Considering the intractable nature of the problem, this research also develops an extended solution method for optimizing the Bi-objective No-Idle Permutation Flowshop Scheduling Problem (BNIPFSP). Extensive numerical tests and statistical analysis are conducted to evaluate the developed method, comparing it with the best-performing algorithm developed to solve the BNIPFSP. Overall, the proposed extension outperforms in terms of solution quality at the expense of a longer computational time. This research is concluded by providing suggestions for the future development of this understudied scheduling extension.
Dynamic Characteristics Analysis of ISD Suspension System under Different Working Conditions
Authors: Li Xiaopeng , Li Fanjie , Shang Dongyang
Published: June 2021

The “inerter-spring-damper” (ISD) suspension system is a suspension system composed of an inerter, spring, and damper. To study the ride comfort and stability of the vehicle by using the ISD suspension system, a vehicle model with ISD suspension is established in this paper. The vehicle model including vertical, pitch, roll, and yaw motion of the vehicle body. Based on the vehicle model, the differential equation of motion with ISD suspension is obtained. The dynamic responses of the ISD suspension system are investigated by using different road excitations. At the same time, the influence of coupled excitation and single excitation on the vibration reduction performance of the ISD suspension system is studied. Then, the dynamic responses of ISD suspension and passive suspension are compared, and the improvement of comprehensive vibration reduction performance of ISD suspension system is quantitatively analyzed. The numerical results illustrate the ISD suspension has the optimal vehicle speed under different road excitations, and the comprehensive vibration reduction performance of the ISD suspension is the best when driving at the optimal vehicle speed. Under different types of road excitation, ISD suspension shows excellent comprehensive vibration reduction performance. ISD suspension is more suitable for vibration reduction of complex roads than that of a single road.
Composite Anion-Exchange Membrane Fabricated by UV Cross-Linking Vinyl Imidazolium Poly(Phenylene Oxide) with Polyacrylamides and Their Testing for Use in Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Charyton Martyna , Iojoiu Cristina , Fischer Peter , Henrion Gerard , Etienne Mathieu , Donten Mateusz L.
Published: June 2021

Composite anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) consisting of a porous substrate and a vinyl imidazolium poly(phenylene oxide) (VIMPPO)/acrylamide copolymer layer were fabricated in a straightforward process, for use in redox flow batteries. The porous substrate was coated with a mixture of VIMPPO and acrylamide monomers, then subsequently exposed to UV irradiation, in order to obtain a radically cured ion-exchange coating. Combining VIMPPO with low-value reagents allowed to significantly reduce the amount of synthesized ionomer used to fabricate the mem- brane down to 15%. Varying the VIMPPO content also allowed tuning the ionic transport properties of the resulting AEM. A series of membranes with different VIMPPO/acrylamides ratios were prepared to assess the optimal composition by studying the changes of membranes properties—water uptake, area resistivity, permeability, and chemical stability. Characterization of the membranes was followed by cycling experiments in a vanadium RFB (VRFB) cell. Among three composite membranes, the one with VIMPPO 15% w/w—reached the highest energy efficiency (75.1%) matching the performance of commercial ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) used in VRFBs (Nafion® N 115: 75.0% and Fumasep® FAP 450: 73.0%). These results showed that the proposed composite AEM, fabricated in an industrially oriented process, could be considered to be a lower-cost alternative to the benchmarked IEMs.
PRF-Solution in Large Sinus Membrane Perforation with Simultaneous Implant Placement-Micro CT and Histological Analysis
Authors: Barbu Horia Mihail , Iancu Stefania Andrada , Hancu Violeta , Referendaru Daniel , Nissan Joseph , Naishlos Sarit
Published: June 2021

Background: The purpose of the study was to analyze the efficacy of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) as a single augmentation material for complicated cases of maxillary sinus floor elevation, resulting from membrane perforation or previous infections. Methods: Implant insertion in the posterior region of the maxilla was simultaneously performed with maxillary sinus floor augmentation. Schneiderian membrane elevation can be accompanied by extremely serious sinus membrane perforation, due to accidental tearing or intended incision for mucocele removal. PRFs were placed in the sinus cavity both for membrane sealing and sinus floor grafting. Radiological, histological and micro-CT analyses were performed. Implant survival was assessed every 6 months for 1 to 4 years, with a mean follow up of 1.8 years, after prosthetic loading. Radiological examinations were performed on CBCT at 9 and 12 and 36 months postoperatively and revealed improved degrees of radiopacity. Results: 19 implants were simultaneously placed in the course of nine maxillary sinus floor augmentation surgeries, with successful outcomes in terms of bone grafting and implant integration. New bone formation was evidenced 12 months postoperatively on radiological examination, micro-CT analysis, and histological analysis of a harvested bone segment from the augmented maxillary sinus. The mean gain in bone height of the sinus floor augmentation was 6.43 mm, with a maximum of 9 mm. The mean amount of vital bone obtained from histologic assessment was 52.30%, while bone volume/tissue volume ratio in micro-CT 3D had a mean of 50.32%. Conclusions: PRF may be considered as an alternative treatment for a single surgery of sinus augmentation with simultaneous implant placement, even in complicated cases with significant sinus membrane tearing.
Investigation of Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Ti-Al-V Titanium Alloys Obtained by Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Nokhrin Aleksey , Andreev Pavel , Boldin Maksim , Chuvil’deev Vladimir , Chegurov Mikhail , Smetanina Ksenia , Gryaznov Mikhail , Shotin Sergey , Nazarov Artem , Shcherbak Gleb , Murashov Artem , Nagicheva Galina
Published: June 2021

The research results of the microstructure and corrosion resistance of Ti and Ti-Al-V Russian industrial titanium alloys obtained by spark plasma sintering (SPS) are described. Investigations of the microstructure, phase composition, hardness, tensile strength, electrochemical corrosion resistance and hot salt corrosion of Ti-Al-V titanium alloy specimens were carried out. It was shown that the alloy specimens have a uniform highly dense microstructure and high hardness values. The studied alloys also have high resistance to electrochemical corrosion during tests in acidic aqueous solution causing the intergranular corrosion as well as high resistance to the hot salt corrosion. The assumption that the high hardness of the alloys as well as the differences in the corrosion resistance of the central and lateral parts of the specimens are due to the diffusion of carbon from the graphite mold into the specimen surface was suggested.
Metabolomic Study of High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese (DIO) and DIO Plus CCl4-Induced NASH Mice and the Effect of Obeticholic Acid
Authors: Zhu Nanlin , Huang Suling , Zhang Qingli , Zhao Zhuohui , Qu Hui , Ning Mengmeng , Leng Ying , Liu Jia
Published: June 2021

The pathophysiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complex process involving metabolic and inflammatory changes in livers and other organs, but the pathogenesis is still not well clarified. Two mouse models were established to study metabolic alteration of nonalcoholic fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, respectively. The concentrations of metabolites in serum, liver and intestine content were measured by the AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Kit (Biocrates Life Sciences, Innsbruck, Austria). Multivariate statistical methods, pathway analysis, enrichment analysis and correlation analysis were performed to analyze metabolomic data. The metabolic characteristics of liver, serum and intestine content could be distinctly distinguished from each group, indicating the occurrence of metabolic disturbance. Among them, metabolic alteration of liver and intestine content was more significant. Based on the metabolic data of liver, 19 differential metabolites were discovered between DIO and control, 12 between DIO-CCl4 and DIO, and 47 between DIO-CCl4 and normal. These metabolites were mainly associated with aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, lipid metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and amino metabolism. Further study revealed that the intervention of obeticholic acid (OCA) could partly reverse the damage of CCl4. The correlation analysis of metabolite levels and clinical parameters showed that phosphatidylcholines were negatively associated with serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, NAFLD activity score, and fibrosis score, while lysophosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, amino acids, and acylcarnitines shared the reverse pattern. Our study investigated metabolic alteration among control, NAFLD model, and OCA treatment groups, providing preclinical information to understand the mechanism of NAFLD and amelioration of OCA.
Dynamic Modeling and Frequency Characteristic Analysis of a Novel 3-PSS Flexible Parallel Micro-Manipulator
Authors: Ren Jun , Cao Qiuyu
Published: June 2021

Dynamic modeling and frequency characteristic analysis of a novel 3-PSS (three-prismatic-spherical-spherical) flexible parallel micro-manipulator with three translational DOF in space were investigated in this paper. Firstly, the kinematics analysis was developed based on the pseudo-rigid body model. The Jacobian matrix and the relationship between the micro angular deformation of the flexible spherical hinge and the end pose of mobile platform were respectively obtained by employing vector closed-loop method and coordinate transformation method. Then, taking into account the elastic strain energy of the flexible spherical hinge, dynamic model of this mechanism was established via Lagrange equations, and the expression of natural frequency was further derived. Combined with a set of given parameters, natural frequencies of the system were calculated by using MATLAB software. For the comparison purpose, a simulated modal analysis of the mechanism with the same parameters was also performed by employing finite element ANSYS software. Results from numerical calculation and finite element simulation indicated that maximum error of their natural frequencies was 2.71%, which verified the correctness of the theoretical dynamic model. Finally, variations of natural frequencies with changes of the basic parameters were analyzed. Analysis results show that natural frequencies increase with the increase of the bending stiffness kbm of flexible spherical hinge and the difference in radius Er between static platform and mobile platform, while decrease with the increase of the length l of the link rod and the masses of the main components of mechanism. Besides, it can be further drawn from these obtained results that the natural frequencies increase with the increase of the angle θl between the link rod and the z axis of reference coordinate system. Considering that the increase of the stiffness kbm and the angle θl will reduce the scope of working space, it is recommended in designing the structure to choose a set of larger stiffness kbm and angle θl as much as possible under the premise of satisfying the working space.
A Novel SimpleDrop Chip for 3D Spheroid Formation and Anti-Cancer Drug Assay
Authors: Liu Xiaoli , Lin Huichao , Song Jiaao , Zhang Taiyi , Wang Xiaoying , Huang Xiaowen , Zheng Chengyun
Published: June 2021

Cell culture is important for the rapid screening of anti-cancer drug candidates, attracting intense interest. Traditional 2D cell culture has been widely utilized in cancer biological research. However, 3D cellular spheroids are able to recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment of tissues or tumors. Thus far, several 3D cell culture methods have been developed, for instance, the hanging drop method, spinner flasks and micropatterned plates. Nevertheless, these methods have been reported to have some disadvantages, for example, medium replacement is inconvenient or causes cellular damage. Here, we report on an easy-to-operate and useful micro-hole culture chip (SimpleDrop) for 3D cellular spheroid formation and culture and drug analysis, which has advantages over the traditional method in terms of its ease of operation, lack of shear force and environmentally friendliness. On this chip, we observed the formation of a 3D spheroid clearly. Three drugs (paclitaxel, cisplatin and methotrexate) were tested by both cell viability assay and drug-induced apoptotic assay. The results show that the three drugs present a similar conclusion: cell viability decreased over time and concentration. Moreover, the apoptotic experiment showed a similar trend to the live/dead cell assay, in that the fraction of the apoptotic and necrotic cells correlated with the concentration and time. All these results prove that our SimpleDrop method is a useful and easy method for the formation of 3D cellular spheroids, which shows its potential for both cell–cell interaction research, tissue engineering and anticancer drug screening.
Methods for the Manipulation of Herpesvirus Genome and the Application to Marek’s Disease Virus Research
Authors: Liao Yifei , Bajwa Kanika , Reddy Sanjay M. , Lupiani Blanca
Published: June 2021

Herpesviruses are a group of double-strand DNA viruses that infect a wide range of hosts, including humans and animals. In the past decades, numerous methods have been developed to manipulate herpesviruses genomes, from the introduction of random mutations to specific genome editing. The development of genome manipulation methods has largely advanced the study of viral genes function, contributing not only to the understanding of herpesvirus biology and pathogenesis, but also the generation of novel vaccines and therapies to control and treat diseases. In this review, we summarize the major methods of herpesvirus genome manipulation with emphasis in their application to Marek’s disease virus research.
Characteristics of Reconstituted Collagen Fibers from Chicken Keel Cartilage Depends on Salt Type for Removal of Proteoglycans
Authors: Pudło Anna , Juchniewicz Szymon , Kopeć Wiesław
Published: June 2021

The aim of the presented research was to obtain reconstituted atelocollagen fibers after extraction from poultry cartilage using the pepsin-acidic method in order to remove telopeptides from the tropocollagen. Firstly, we examined the extraction of collagen from the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) after proteoglycans (PG) had been removed by the action of salts, i.e., NaCl or chaotropic MgCl2. Additionally, the effects of the salt type used for PG and hyaluronic acid removal on the properties of self-assembled fibers in solutions at pH 7.4 and freeze-dried matrices were investigated. The basic features of the obtained fibers were characterized, including thermal properties using scanning calorimetry, rheological properties using dynamic oscillatory rheometry, and the structure by scanning electron microscopy. The fibers obtained after PG removal with both analyzed types of salts had similar thermal denaturation characteristics. However, the fibers after PG removal with NaCl, in contrast to those obtained after MgCl2 treatment, showed different rheological properties during gelatinization and smaller diameter size. Moreover, the degree of fibrillogenesis of collagens after NaCl treatment was complete compared to that with MgCl2, which was only partial (70%). The structures of fibers after lyophilization were fundamentally different. The matrices obtained after NaCl pretreatment form regular scaffolds in contrast to the thin, surface structures of the cartilage matrix after proteoglycans removal using MgCl2.
Microwave-Assisted Sequential One-Pot Synthesis of 8-Substituted Pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazines
Authors: Elie Jonathan , Fruit Corinne , Besson Thierry
Published: June 2021

This paper reports a convenient sequential one-pot approach for the synthesis of an array of 14 pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazines, substituted in C8 by halogen (Br), various functions (CN and CO2Et) and alkyl or (het)aryl groups. This study confirms the interest of combining the efficient heating obtained under dielectric microwave heating and the achievement of sequential one-pot reactions, avoiding the tedious work-up and purification of intermediate compounds, achieving sustainable synthesis processes. Considering usual conventional methods, this microwave protocol is featured by advantages in terms of yields, reaction times, and convenient gram scale synthesis.
3D-Printed Nanocellulose-Based Cushioning–Antibacterial Dual-Function Food Packaging Aerogel
Authors: Zhou Wei , Fang Jiawei , Tang Shuwei , Wu Zhengguo , Wang Xiaoying
Published: June 2021

Cushioning and antibacterial packaging are the requirements of the storage and transportation of fruits and vegetables, which are essential for reducing the irreversible quality loss during the process. Herein, the composite of carboxymethyl nanocellulose, glycerin, and acrylamide derivatives acted as the shell and chitosan/AgNPs were immobilized in the core by using coaxial 3D-printing technology. Thus, the 3D-printed cushioning–antibacterial dual-function packaging aerogel with a shell–core structure (CNGA/C–AgNPs) was obtained. The CNGA/C–AgNPs packaging aerogel had good cushioning and resilience performance, and the average compression resilience rate was more than 90%. Although AgNPs was slowly released, CNGA/C–AgNPs packaging aerogel had an obvious antibacterial effect on E. coli and S. aureus. Moreover, the CNGA/C–AgNPs packaging aerogel was biodegradable. Due to the customization capabilities of 3D-printing technology, the prepared packaging aerogel can be adapted to more application scenarios by accurately designing and regulating the microstructure of aerogels, which provides a new idea for the development of food intelligent packaging.
Assessment of Concentrated Liquid Coffee Acceptance during Storage: Sensory and Physicochemical Perspective
Authors: Quintero Mónica , Velásquez Sebastián , Zapata Julián , López Carlos , Cisneros-Zevallos Luis
Published: June 2021

Concentrated liquid coffees (CLCs) refer to stored extracts stable at environmental temperature, used as ingredients in the retail market. Their low chemical stability affects the sensory profile. This study was performed in two CLCs, one without additives (BIB) and another with a mix of sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate additives (SD), stored at 25 °C for one year. Quantitative-Descriptive (QDA) and discriminant analyses permitted identifying the critical sensory attributes and their evolution over time. The concentrate without additives presented an acceptance limit of 196 days (evaluated at a 50% acceptance ratio), while the additives increased the shelf life up to 226 days (38.9% improvement). The rejection was related to a decreased aroma, increased acidity, and reduced bitterness. A bootstrapped feature selection version of Partial Least Square analysis further demonstrated that reactions of 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5CQA) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5diCQA) could cause changes in the aroma at the first degradation stage. In the following stages, changes in fructose and stearic acid contents, a key indicator of acceptance for both extracts possibly related to non-enzymatic reactions involving fructose and other compounds, might affect the bitterness and acidity. These results provided valuable information to understand flavor degradation in CLCs.
Crystallography, Molecular Modeling, and COX-2 Inhibition Studies on Indolizine Derivatives
Authors: Venugopala Katharigatta N. , Chandrashekharappa Sandeep , Tratrat Christophe , Deb Pran Kishore , Nagdeve Rahul D. , Nayak Susanta K. , Morsy Mohamed A. , Borah Pobitra , Mahomoodally Fawzi M. , Mailavaram Raghu Prasad , Attimarad Mahesh , Aldhubiab Bandar E. , Sreeharsha Nagaraja , Nair Anroop B. , Alwassil Osama I. , Haroun Michelyne , Mohanlall Viresh , Shinu Pottathil , Venugopala Rashmi , Kandeel Mahmoud , Nandeshwarappa Belakatte P. , Ibrahim Yasmine F.
Published: June 2021

The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme is an important target for drug discovery and development of novel anti-inflammatory agents. Selective COX-2 inhibitors have the advantage of reduced side-effects, which result from COX-1 inhibition that is usually observed with nonselective COX inhibitors. In this study, the design and synthesis of a new series of 7-methoxy indolizines as bioisostere indomethacin analogues (5a–e) were carried out and evaluated for COX-2 enzyme inhibition. All the compounds showed activity in micromolar ranges, and the compound diethyl 3-(4-cyanobenzoyl)-7-methoxyindolizine-1,2-dicarboxylate (5a) emerged as a promising COX-2 inhibitor with an IC50 of 5.84 µM, as compared to indomethacin (IC50 = 6.84 µM). The molecular modeling study of indolizines indicated that hydrophobic interactions were the major contribution to COX-2 inhibition. The title compound diethyl 3-(4-bromobenzoyl)-7-methoxyindolizine-1,2-dicarboxylate (5c) was subjected for single-crystal X-ray studies, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and energy framework calculations. The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the molecule (5c) crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with space group P 21/n with a = 12.0497(6)Å, b = 17.8324(10)Å, c = 19.6052(11)Å, α = 90.000°, β = 100.372(1)°, γ = 90.000°, and V = 4143.8(4)Å3. In addition, with the help of Crystal Explorer software program using the B3LYP/6-31G(d, p) basis set, the theoretical calculation of the interaction and graphical representation of energy value was measured in the form of the energy framework in terms of coulombic, dispersion, and total energy.
Potential Benefits of Flavonoids on the Progression of Atherosclerosis by Their Effect on Vascular Smooth Muscle Excitability
Authors: Grijalva-Guiza Rosa Edith , Jiménez-Garduño Aura Matilde , Hernández Luis Ricardo
Published: June 2021

Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites derived from plant-based foods, and they offer many health benefits in different stages of several diseases. This review will focus on their effects on ion channels expressed in vascular smooth muscle during atherosclerosis. Since ion channels can be regulated by redox potential, it is expected that during the onset of oxidative stress-related diseases, ion channels present changes in their conductive activity, impacting the progression of the disease. A typical oxidative stress-related condition is atherosclerosis, which involves the dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle. We aim to present the state of the art on how redox potential affects vascular smooth muscle ion channel function and summarize if the benefits observed in this disease by using flavonoids involve restoring the ion channel activity.
From Prebiotic Chemistry to Supramolecular Biomedical Materials: Exploring the Properties of Self-Assembling Nucleobase-Containing Peptides
Authors: Scognamiglio Pasqualina Liana , Platella Chiara , Napolitano Ettore , Musumeci Domenica , Roviello Giovanni Nicola
Published: June 2021

Peptides and their synthetic analogs are a class of molecules with enormous relevance as therapeutics for their ability to interact with biomacromolecules like nucleic acids and proteins, potentially interfering with biological pathways often involved in the onset and progression of pathologies of high social impact. Nucleobase-bearing peptides (nucleopeptides) and pseudopeptides (PNAs) offer further interesting possibilities related to their nucleobase-decorated nature for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, thanks to their reported ability to target complementary DNA and RNA strands. In addition, these chimeric compounds are endowed with intriguing self-assembling properties, which are at the heart of their investigation as self-replicating materials in prebiotic chemistry, as well as their application as constituents of innovative drug delivery systems and, more generally, as novel nanomaterials to be employed in biomedicine. Herein we describe the properties of nucleopeptides, PNAs and related supramolecular systems, and summarize some of the most relevant applications of these systems.
Defect Engineering and Anisotropic Modulation of Ionic Transport in Perovskite Solid Electrolyte LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3
Authors: Hong Jinhua , Kobayashi Shunsuke , Kuwabara Akihide , Ikuhara Yumi H. , Fujiwara Yasuyuki , Ikuhara Yuichi
Published: June 2021

Solid electrolytes, such as perovskite Li3xLa2/1−xTiO3, LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3 and garnet Li7La3Zr2O12 ceramic oxides, have attracted extensive attention in lithium-ion battery research due to their good chemical stability and the improvability of their ionic conductivity with great potential in solid electrolyte battery applications. These solid oxides eliminate safety issues and cycling instability, which are common challenges in the current commercial lithium-ion batteries based on organic liquid electrolytes. However, in practical applications, structural disorders such as point defects and grain boundaries play a dominating role in the ionic transport of these solid electrolytes, where defect engineering to tailor or improve the ionic conductive property is still seldom reported. Here, we demonstrate a defect engineering approach to alter the ionic conductive channels in LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3 (x = 0.1~0.13) electrolytes based on the rearrangements of La sites through a quenching process. The changes in the occupancy and interstitial defects of La ions lead to anisotropic modulation of ionic conductivity with the increase in quenching temperatures. Our trial in this work on the defect engineering of quenched electrolytes will offer opportunities to optimize ionic conductivity and benefit the solid electrolyte battery applications.
Differential Glycosite Profiling—A Versatile Method to Compare Membrane Glycoproteomes
Authors: Michalak Malwina , Kalteis Martin Simon , Ahadova Aysel , Kloor Matthias , Kriegsmann Mark , Kriegsmann Katharina , Warnken Uwe , Helm Dominic , Kopitz Jürgen
Published: June 2021

Glycosylation is the most prevalent and varied form of post-translational protein modifications. Protein glycosylation regulates multiple cellular functions, including protein folding, cell adhesion, molecular trafficking and clearance, receptor activation, signal transduction, and endocytosis. In particular, membrane proteins are frequently highly glycosylated, which is both linked to physiological processes and of high relevance in various disease mechanisms. The cellular glycome is increasingly considered to be a therapeutic target. Here we describe a new strategy to compare membrane glycoproteomes, thereby identifying proteins with altered glycan structures and the respective glycosites. The workflow started with an optimized procedure for the digestion of membrane proteins followed by the lectin-based isolation of glycopeptides. Since alterations in the glycan part of a glycopeptide cause mass alterations, analytical size exclusion chromatography was applied to detect these mass shifts. N-glycosidase treatment combined with nanoUPLC-coupled mass spectrometry identified the altered glycoproteins and respective glycosites. The methodology was established using the colon cancer cell line CX1, which was treated with 2-deoxy-glucose—a modulator of N-glycosylation. The described methodology is not restricted to cell culture, as it can also be adapted to tissue samples or body fluids. Altogether, it is a useful module in various experimental settings that target glycan functions.