bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insertion of Basic Amino Acids in the Hemagglutinin Cleavage Site of H4N2 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV)—Reduced Virus Fitness in Chickens is Restored by Reassortment with Highly Pathogenic H5N1 AIV
Authors: Gischke Marcel , Ulrich Reiner , I. Fatola Olanrewaju , Scheibner David , Salaheldin Ahmed H. , Crossley Beate , Böttcher-Friebertshäuser Eva , Veits Jutta , Mettenleiter Thomas C. , Abdelwhab Elsayed M.
Published: April 2020

Highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are naturally restricted to H5 and H7 subtypes with a polybasic cleavage site (CS) in hemagglutinin (HA) and any AIV with an intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) ≥ 1.2. Although only a few non-H5/H7 viruses fulfill the criteria of HPAIV; it remains unclear why these viruses did not spread in domestic birds. In 2012, a unique H4N2 virus with a polybasic CS 322PEKRRTR/G329 was isolated from quails in California which, however, was avirulent in chickens. This is the only known non-H5/H7 virus with four basic amino acids in the HACS. Here, we investigated the virulence of this virus in chickens after expansion of the polybasic CS by substitution of T327R (322PEKRRRR/G329) or T327K (322PEKRRKR/G329) with or without reassortment with HPAIV H5N1 and H7N7. The impact of single mutations or reassortment on virus fitness in vitro and in vivo was studied. Efficient cell culture replication of T327R/K carrying H4N2 viruses increased by treatment with trypsin, particularly in MDCK cells, and reassortment with HPAIV H5N1. Replication, virus excretion and bird-to-bird transmission of H4N2 was remarkably compromised by the CS mutations, but restored after reassortment with HPAIV H5N1, although not with HPAIV H7N7. Viruses carrying the H4-HA with or without R327 or K327 mutations and the other seven gene segments from HPAIV H5N1 exhibited high virulence and efficient transmission in chickens. Together, increasing the number of basic amino acids in the H4N2 HACS was detrimental for viral fitness particularly in vivo but compensated by reassortment with HPAIV H5N1. This may explain the absence of non-H5/H7 HPAIV in poultry.
The Subcellular Localization and Oligomerization Preferences of NME1/NME2 upon Radiation-Induced DNA Damage
Authors: Radić Martina , Šoštar Marko , Weber Igor , Ćetković Helena , Slade Neda , Herak Bosnar Maja
Published: April 2020

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPK/NME/Nm23) are enzymes composed of subunits NME1/NDPK A and NME2/NDPK B, responsible for the maintenance of the cellular (d)NTP pool and involved in other cellular processes, such as metastasis suppression and DNA damage repair. Although eukaryotic NDPKs are active only as hexamers, it is unclear whether other NME functions require the hexameric form, and how the isoenzyme composition varies in different cellular compartments. To examine the effect of DNA damage on intracellular localization of NME1 and NME2 and the composition of NME oligomers in the nucleus and the cytoplasm, we used live-cell imaging and the FRET/FLIM technique. We showed that exogenous NME1 and NME2 proteins co-localize in the cytoplasm of non-irradiated cells, and move simultaneously to the nucleus after gamma irradiation. The FRET/FLIM experiments imply that, after DNA damage, there is a slight shift in the homomer/heteromer balance between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Collectively, our results indicate that, after irradiation, NME1 and NME2 engage in mutual functions in the nucleus, possibly performing specific functions in their homomeric states. Finally, we demonstrated that fluorophores fused to the N-termini of NME polypeptides produce the largest FRET effect and thus recommend this orientation for use in similar studies.
Expression and Role of IL-1β Signaling in Chondrocytes Associated with Retinoid Signaling during Fracture Healing
Authors: Shimo Tsuyoshi , Takebe Hiroaki , Okui Tatsuo , Kunisada Yuki , Ibaragi Soichiro , Obata Kyoichi , Kurio Naito , Shamsoon Karnoon , Fujii Saki , Hosoya Akihiro , Irie Kazuharu , Sasaki Akira , Iwamoto Masahiro
Published: April 2020

The process of fracture healing consists of an inflammatory reaction and cartilage and bone tissue reconstruction. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) signal is an important major factor in fracture healing, whereas its relevance to retinoid receptor (an RAR inverse agonist, which promotes endochondral bone formation) remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the expressions of IL-1β and retinoic acid receptor gamma (RARγ) in a rat fracture model and the effects of IL-1β in the presence of one of several RAR inverse agonists on chondrocytes. An immunohistochemical analysis revealed that IL-1β and RARγ were expressed in chondrocytes at the fracture site in the rat ribs on day 7 post-fracture. In chondrogenic ATDC5 cells, IL-1β decreases the levels of aggrecan and type II collagen but significantly increased the metalloproteinase-13 (Mmp13) mRNA by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. An RAR inverse agonist (AGN194310) inhibited IL-1β-stimulated Mmp13 and Ccn2 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated-kinases (pERK1/2) and p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were increased time-dependently by IL-1β treatment, and the IL-1β-induced p-p38 MAPK was inhibited by AGN194310. Experimental p38 inhibition led to a drop in the IL-1β-stimulated expressions of Mmp13 and Ccn2 mRNA. MMP13, CCN2, and p-p38 MAPK were expressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes near the invaded vascular endothelial cells. As a whole, these results point to role of the IL-1β via p38 MAPK as important signaling in the regulation of the endochondral bone formation in fracture healing, and to the actions of RAR inverse agonists as potentially relevant modulators of this process.
The Position and Complex Genomic Architecture of Plant T-DNA Insertions Revealed by 4SEE
Authors: Krispil Ronen , Tannenbaum Miriam , Sarusi-Portuguez Avital , Loza Olga , Raskina Olga , Hakim Ofir
Published: April 2020

The integration of T-DNA in plant genomes is widely used for basic research and agriculture. The high heterogeneity in the number of integration events per genome, their configuration, and their impact on genome integrity highlight the critical need to detect the genomic locations of T-DNA insertions and their associated chromosomal rearrangements, and the great challenge in doing so. Here, we present 4SEE, a circular chromosome conformation capture (4C)-based method for robust, rapid, and cost-efficient detection of the entire scope of T-DNA locations. Moreover, by measuring the chromosomal architecture of the plant genome flanking the T-DNA insertions, 4SEE outlines their associated complex chromosomal aberrations. Applying 4SEE to a collection of confirmed T-DNA lines revealed previously unmapped T-DNA insertions and chromosomal rearrangements such as inversions and translocations. Uncovering such events in a feasible, robust, and cost-effective manner by 4SEE in any plant of interest has implications for accurate annotation and phenotypic characterization of T-DNA insertion mutants and transgene expression in basic science applications as well as for plant biotechnology.
Array-Based Screening of Silver Nanoparticle Mineralization Peptides
Authors: Tanaka Masayoshi , Saito Shogo , Kita Reo , Jang Jaehee , Choi Yonghyun , Choi Jonghoon , Okochi Mina
Published: April 2020

The use of biomolecules in nanomaterial synthesis has received increasing attention, because they can function as a medium to produce inorganic materials in ambient conditions. Short peptides are putative ligands that interact with metallic surfaces, as they have the potential to control the synthesis of nanoscale materials. Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) mineralization using peptides has been investigated; however, further comprehensive analysis must be carried out, because the design of peptide mediated-AgNP properties is still highly challenging. Herein, we employed an array comprising 200 spot synthesis-based peptides, which were previously isolated as gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-binding and/or mineralization peptides, and the AgNP mineralization activity of each peptide was broadly evaluated. Among 10 peptides showing the highest AgNP-synthesis activity (TOP10), nine showed the presence of EE and E[X]E (E: glutamic acid, and X: any amino acid), whereas none of these motifs were found in the WORST25 (25 peptides showing the lowest AgNP synthesis activity) peptides. The size and morphology of the particles synthesized by TOP3 peptides were dependent on their sequences. These results suggested not only that array-based techniques are effective for the peptide screening of AgNP mineralization, but also that AgNP mineralization regulated by peptides has the potential for the synthesis of AgNPs, with controlled morphology in environmentally friendly conditions.
Expression of a NGATHA1 Gene from Medicago truncatula Delays Flowering Time and Enhances Stress Tolerance
Authors: Guo Tao , Wang Shumin , Li Yinruizhi , Yuan Jianbo , Xu Lixin , Zhang Tiejun , Chao Yuehui , Han Liebao
Published: April 2020

Shoot branching is one of the most variable determinants of crop yield, and the signaling pathways of plant branches have become a hot research topic. As an important transcription factor in the B3 family, NGATHA1 (NGA1), plays an important role in regulating plant lateral organ development and hormone synthesis and transport, but few studies of the role of this gene in the regulation of plant growth and stress tolerance have been reported. In this study, the NGA1 gene was isolated from Medicago truncatula (Mt) and its function was characterized. The cis-acting elements upstream of the 5′ end of MtNGA1 and the expression pattern of MtNGA1 were analyzed, and the results indicated that the gene may act as a regulator of stress resistance. A plant expression vector was constructed and transgenic Arabidopsis plants were obtained. Transgenic Arabidopsis showed delayed flowering time and reduced branching phenotypes. Genes involved in the regulation of branching and flowering were differentially expressed in transgenic plants compared with wild-type plants. Furthermore, transgenic plants demonstrated strong tolerances to salt- and mannitol-induced stresses, which may be due to the upregulated expression of NCED3 (NINE-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 3) by the MtNGA1 gene. These results provide useful information for the exploration and genetic modification use of MtNGA1 in the future.
Small Molecule-Induced Pancreatic β-Like Cell Development: Mechanistic Approaches and Available Strategies
Authors: Thakur Gitika , Lee Hyeon-Jeong , Jeon Ryoung-Hoon , Lee Sung-Lim , Rho Gyu-Jin
Published: April 2020

Diabetes is a metabolic disease which affects not only glucose metabolism but also lipid and protein metabolism. It encompasses two major types: type 1 and 2 diabetes. Despite the different etiologies of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM, respectively), the defining features of the two forms are insulin deficiency and resistance, respectively. Stem cell therapy is an efficient method for the treatment of diabetes, which can be achieved by differentiating pancreatic β-like cells. The consistent generation of glucose-responsive insulin releasing cells remains challenging. In this review article, we present basic concepts of pancreatic organogenesis, which intermittently provides a basis for engineering differentiation procedures, mainly based on the use of small molecules. Small molecules are more auspicious than any other growth factors, as they have unique, valuable properties like cell-permeability, as well as a nonimmunogenic nature; furthermore, they offer immense benefits in terms of generating efficient functional beta-like cells. We also summarize advances in the generation of stem cell-derived pancreatic cell lineages, especially endocrine β-like cells or islet organoids. The successful induction of stem cells depends on the quantity and quality of available stem cells and the efficient use of small molecules.
Suppression of Superficial Microglial Activation by Spinal Cord Stimulation Attenuates Neuropathic Pain Following Sciatic Nerve Injury in Rats
Authors: Shinoda Masamichi , Fujita Satoshi , Sugawara Shiori , Asano Sayaka , Koyama Ryo , Fujiwara Shintaro , Soma Kumi , Tamagawa Takaaki , Matsui Tomoyuki , Ikutame Daisuke , Ando Masatoshi , Osada Ayaka , Kimura Yuki , Kobayashi Kazutaka , Yamamoto Takamitsu , Kusama-Eguchi Kuniko , Kobayashi Masayuki , Hayashi Yoshinori , Iwata Koichi
Published: April 2020

We evaluated the mechanisms underlying the spinal cord stimulation (SCS)-induced analgesic effect on neuropathic pain following spared nerve injury (SNI). On day 3 after SNI, SCS was performed for 6 h by using electrodes paraspinally placed on the L4-S1 spinal cord. The effects of SCS and intraperitoneal minocycline administration on plantar mechanical sensitivity, microglial activation, and neuronal excitability in the L4 dorsal horn were assessed on day 3 after SNI. The somatosensory cortical responses to electrical stimulation of the hind paw on day 3 following SNI were examined by using in vivo optical imaging with a voltage-sensitive dye. On day 3 after SNI, plantar mechanical hypersensitivity and enhanced microglial activation were suppressed by minocycline or SCS, and L4 dorsal horn nociceptive neuronal hyperexcitability was suppressed by SCS. In vivo optical imaging also revealed that electrical stimulation of the hind paw-activated areas in the somatosensory cortex was decreased by SCS. The present findings suggest that SCS could suppress plantar SNI-induced neuropathic pain via inhibition of microglial activation in the L4 dorsal horn, which is involved in spinal neuronal hyperexcitability. SCS is likely to be a potential alternative and complementary medicine therapy to alleviate neuropathic pain following nerve injury.
Programmed Cell Death-1: Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 Interaction Protects Human Cardiomyocytes Against T-Cell Mediated Inflammation and Apoptosis Response In Vitro
Authors: Tay Woan Ting , Fang Yi-Hsien , Beh Suet Theng , Liu Yen-Wen , Hsu Ling-Wei , Yen Chia-Jui , Liu Ping-Yen
Published: April 2020

Aim: Immunological checkpoint therapy is considered a powerful method for cancer therapy and acts by re-activating autologous T cells to kill the cancer cell. Myocarditis cases have been reported in cancer patients after immunological therapy; for example, nivolumab treatment is a monoclonal antibody that blocks programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand-1 ligand interaction. This project provided insight into the inflammatory response as a benchmark to investigate the potential cardiotoxic effect of T cell response to the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) axis in regulating cardiomyocyte injury in vitro. Methods and Results: We investigated cardiomyopathy resulted from the PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade using the anti-PD-1 antibody in Rockefeller University embryonic stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (RUES2-CMs) and a melanoma tumor-bearing murine model. We found that nivolumab alone did not induce inflammatory-related proteins, including PD-L1 expression, and did not induce apoptosis, which was contrary to doxorubicin, a cardiotoxic chemotherapy drug. However, nivolumab was able to exacerbate the immune response by increasing cytokine and inflammatory gene expression in RUES2-CMs when co-cultured with CD4+ T lymphocytes and induced apoptosis. This effect was not observed when RUES2-CMs were co-cultured with CD8+ T lymphocytes. The in vivo model showed that the heart function of tumor-bearing mice was decreased after treatment with anti-PD-1 antibody and demonstrated a dilated left ventricle histological examination. The dilated left ventricle was associated with an infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes into the myocardium. PD-L1 and inflammatory-associated gene expression were significantly increased in anti-PD-1-treated tumor-bearing mice. Cleaved caspase-3 and mouse plasma cardiac troponin I expressions were increased significantly. Conclusion: PD-L1 expression on cardiomyocytes suppressed T-cell function. Blockade of PD-1 by nivolumab enhanced cardiomyocyte inflammation and apoptosis through the enhancement of T-cell response towards cardiomyocytes.
Tie-2 Cre-Mediated Deficiency of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 2 Potentiates Experimental Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonatal Mice
Authors: Menon Renuka T. , Shrestha Amrit Kumar , Barrios Roberto , Reynolds Corey , Shivanna Binoy
Published: April 2020

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a significant lung morbidity of infants, and disrupted lung angiogenesis is a hallmark of this disease. We observed that extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 support angiogenesis in vitro, and hyperoxia activates ERK1/2 in fetal human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) and in neonatal murine lungs; however, their role in experimental BPD and PH is unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that Tie2 Cre-mediated deficiency of ERK2 in the endothelial cells of neonatal murine lungs would potentiate hyperoxia-induced BPD and PH. We initially determined the role of ERK2 in in vitro angiogenesis using fetal HPMECs. To disrupt endothelial ERK2 signaling in the lungs, we decreased ERK2 expression by breeding ERK2flox/flox mice with Tie-Cre mice. One-day-old endothelial ERK2-sufficient (eERK2+/+) or –deficient (eERK2+/−) mice were exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia (FiO2 70%) for 14 d. We then performed lung morphometry, gene and protein expression studies, and echocardiography to determine the extent of inflammation, oxidative stress, and development of lungs and PH. The knockdown of ERK2 in HPMECs decreased in vitro angiogenesis. Hyperoxia increased lung inflammation and oxidative stress, decreased lung angiogenesis and alveolarization, and induced PH in neonatal mice; however, these effects were augmented in the presence of Tie2-Cre mediated endothelial ERK2 deficiency. Therefore, we conclude that endothelial ERK2 signaling is necessary to mitigate hyperoxia-induced experimental BPD and PH in neonatal mice. Our results indicate that endothelial ERK2 is a potential therapeutic target for the management of BPD and PH in infants.
Systemic Blood Immune Cell Populations as Biomarkers for the Outcome of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapies
Authors: Hernandez Carlos , Arasanz Hugo , Chocarro Luisa , Bocanegra Ana , Zuazo Miren , Fernandez-Hinojal Gonzalo , Blanco Ester , Vera Ruth , Escors David , Kochan Grazyna
Published: April 2020

The development of cancer immunotherapy in the last decade has followed a vertiginous rhythm. Nowadays, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) which include anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies are in clinical use for the treatment of numerous cancers. However, approximately only a third of the patients benefit from ICI therapies. Many efforts have been made for the identification of biomarkers allowing patient stratification into potential responders and progressors before the start of ICI therapies or for monitoring responses during treatment. While much attention is centered on biomarkers from the tumor microenvironment, in many cases biopsies are not available. The identification of systemic immune cell subsets that correlate with responses could provide promising biomarkers. Some of them have been reported to influence the response to ICI therapies, such as proliferation and activation status of CD8 and CD4 T cells, the expression of immune checkpoints in peripheral blood cells and the relative numbers of immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In addition, the profile of soluble factors in plasma samples could be associated to response or tumor progression. Here we will review the cellular subsets associated to response or progression in different studies and discuss their accuracy in diagnosis.
Development and Proof-of-Concept Application of Genome-Enabled Selection for Pea Grain Yield under Severe Terminal Drought
Authors: Annicchiarico Paolo , Nazzicari Nelson , Laouar Meriem , Thami-Alami Imane , Romani Massimo , Pecetti Luciano
Published: April 2020

Terminal drought is the main stress limiting pea (Pisum sativum L.) grain yield in Mediterranean environments. This study aimed to investigate genotype × environment (GE) interaction patterns, define a genomic selection (GS) model for yield under severe drought based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from genotyping-by-sequencing, and compare GS with phenotypic selection (PS) and marker-assisted selection (MAS). Some 288 lines belonging to three connected RIL populations were evaluated in a managed-stress (MS) environment of Northern Italy, Marchouch (Morocco), and Alger (Algeria). Intra-environment, cross-environment, and cross-population predictive ability were assessed by Ridge Regression best linear unbiased prediction (rrBLUP) and Bayesian Lasso models. GE interaction was particularly large across moderate-stress and severe-stress environments. In proof-of-concept experiments performed in a MS environment, GS models constructed from MS environment and Marchouch data applied to independent material separated top-performing lines from mid- and bottom-performing ones, and produced actual yield gains similar to PS. The latter result would imply somewhat greater GS efficiency when considering same selection costs, in partial agreement with predicted efficiency results. GS, which exploited drought escape and intrinsic drought tolerance, exhibited 18% greater selection efficiency than MAS (albeit with non-significant difference between selections) and moderate to high cross-population predictive ability. GS can be cost-efficient to raise yields under severe drought.
Transcriptomic Profiling in Fins of Atlantic Salmon Parasitized with Sea Lice: Evidence for an Early Imbalance Between Chalimus-Induced Immunomodulation and the Host’s Defense Response
Authors: Umasuthan Navaneethaiyer , Xue Xi , Caballero-Solares Albert , Kumar Surendra , Westcott Jillian D. , Chen Zhiyu , Fast Mark D. , Skugor Stanko , Nowak Barbara F. , Taylor Richard G. , Rise Matthew L.
Published: April 2020

Parasitic sea lice (e.g., Lepeophtheirus salmonis) cause costly outbreaks in salmon farming. Molecular insights into parasite-induced host responses will provide the basis for improved management strategies. We investigated the early transcriptomic responses in pelvic fins of Atlantic salmon parasitized with chalimus I stage sea lice. Fin samples collected from non-infected (i.e., pre-infected) control (PRE) and at chalimus-attachment sites (ATT) and adjacent to chalimus-attachment sites (ADJ) from infected fish were used in profiling global gene expression using 44K microarrays. We identified 6568 differentially expressed probes (DEPs, FDR < 5%) that included 1928 shared DEPs between ATT and ADJ compared to PRE. The ATT versus ADJ comparison revealed 90 DEPs, all of which were upregulated in ATT samples. Gene ontology/pathway term network analyses revealed profound changes in physiological processes, including extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, tissue repair/remodeling and wound healing, immunity and defense, chemotaxis and signaling, antiviral response, and redox homeostasis in infected fins. The QPCR analysis of 37 microarray-identified transcripts representing these functional themes served to confirm the microarray results with a significant positive correlation (p < 0.0001). Most immune/defense-relevant transcripts were downregulated in both ATT and ADJ sites compared to PRE, suggesting that chalimus exerts immunosuppressive effects in the salmon’s fins. The comparison between ATT and ADJ sites demonstrated the upregulation of a suite of immune-relevant transcripts, evidencing the salmon’s attempt to mount an anti-lice response. We hypothesize that an imbalance between immunomodulation caused by chalimus during the early phase of infection and weak defense response manifested by Atlantic salmon makes it a susceptible host for L. salmonis.
Activation of AMPK under Hypoxia: Many Roads Leading to Rome
Authors: Dengler Franziska
Published: April 2020

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is known as a pivotal cellular energy sensor, mediating the adaptation to low energy levels by deactivating anabolic processes and activating catabolic processes in order to restore the cellular ATP supply when the cellular AMP/ATP ratio is increased. Besides this well-known role, it has also been shown to exert protective effects under hypoxia. While an insufficient supply with oxygen might easily deplete cellular energy levels, i.e., ATP concentration, manifold other mechanisms have been suggested and are heavily disputed regarding the activation of AMPK under hypoxia independently from cellular AMP concentrations. However, an activation of AMPK preceding energy depletion could induce a timely adaptation reaction preventing more serious damage. A connection between AMPK and the master regulator of hypoxic adaptation via gene transcription, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), has also been taken into account, orchestrating their concerted protective action. This review will summarize the current knowledge on mechanisms of AMPK activation under hypoxia and its interrelationship with HIF.
CBD Reverts the Mesenchymal Invasive Phenotype of Breast Cancer Cells Induced by the Inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β
Authors: García-Morales Lázaro , Castillo Aída M , Tapia Ramírez José , Zamudio-Meza Horacio , Domínguez-Robles Ma del Carmen , Meza Isaura
Published: April 2020

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been used to treat a variety of cancers and inflammatory conditions with controversial results. In previous work, we have shown that breast cancer MCF-7 cells, selected by their response to inflammatory IL-1β cytokine, acquire a malignant phenotype (6D cells) through an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). We evaluated CBD as a potential inhibitor of this transition and inducer of reversion to a non-invasive phenotype. It decreased 6D cell viability, downregulating expression of receptor CB1. The CBD blocked migration and progression of the IL-1β-induced signaling pathway IL-1β/IL-1RI/β-catenin, the driver of EMT. Cannabidiol reestablished the epithelial organization lost by dispersion of the cells and re-localized E-cadherin and β-catenin at the adherens junctions. It also prevented β-catenin nuclear translocation and decreased over-expression of genes for ∆Np63α, BIRC3, and ID1 proteins, induced by IL-1β for acquisition of malignant features. Cannabidiol inhibited the protein kinase B (AKT) activation, a crucial effector in the IL-1β/IL-1RI/β-catenin pathway, indicating that at this point there is crosstalk between IL-1β and CBD signaling which results in phenotype reversion. Our 6D cell system allowed step-by-step analysis of the phenotype transition and better understanding of mechanisms by which CBD blocks and reverts the effects of inflammatory IL-1β in the EMT.
Curcumin and Endometriosis
Authors: Vallée Alexandre , Lecarpentier Yves
Published: April 2020

Endometriosis is one of the main common gynecological disorders, which is characterized by the presence of glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Some findings have highlighted the main role of inflammation in endometriosis by acting on proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. Oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, could have a key role in the initiation and progression of endometriosis by resulting in inflammatory responses in the peritoneal cavity. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying this disease are still unclear and therapies are not currently efficient. Curcumin is a major anti-inflammatory agent. Several findings have highlighted the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties of curcumin. The purpose of this review is to summarize the potential action of curcumin in endometriosis by acting on inflammation, oxidative stress, invasion and adhesion, apoptosis and angiogenesis.
Effect of Cross-Frames on Load Distribution of Steel Bridges with Fractured Girder
Authors: Abedin Mohammad , Mehrabi Armin B.
Published: April 2020

In steel girder bridges, fracture of one girder may occur without noticeable bridge profile changes. It is critical to ensure that the bridge will have adequate capacity to prevent collapse until the next cycle of inspection discovers the damage. It is realized that once one of the bridge girders is fractured, vertical loads need to be distributed through an alternative path to the intact girder(s). In this case, cross-frames can play an important role in transferring the loads and preventing from sudden collapse. This paper investigates the impact of cross-frames on load distribution after a fracture is occurred in one girder. Bridge configurations with different cross-frame spacing were studied using finite element modeling and simulation of the bridge behavior with a fractured steel plate girder. Nonlinear and dynamic solution methods were used for these analyses. Results of this investigation demonstrated the important role cross-frames can play in providing some reserved capacity for the bridge with fractured girder to enhance the bridge redundancy. The contribution of the cross-frames and the behavior of the bridge after fracture in one girder however depends on the configuration of the bridge. A study of the variation of the effect of cross-frames with respect to the number of girders is also included in this paper.
Polymeric Composites Based on Carboxymethyl Cellulose Cryogel and Conductive Polymers: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Demirci Sahin , Sutekin S. Duygu , Sahiner Nurettin
Published: April 2020

In this study, a super porous polymeric network prepared from a natural polymer, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), was used as a scaffold in the preparation of conductive polymers such as poly(Aniline) (PANi), poly(Pyrrole) (PPy), and poly(Thiophene) (PTh). CMC–conductive polymer composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques, and conductivity measurements. The highest conductivity was observed as 4.36 × 10−4 ± 4.63 × 10−5 S·cm−1 for CMC–PANi cryogel composite. The changes in conductivity of prepared CMC cryogel and its corresponding PAN, PPy, and PTh composites were tested against HCl and NH3 vapor. The changes in conductivity values of CMC cryogel upon HCl and NH3 vapor treatment were found to increase 1.5- and 2-fold, respectively, whereas CMC–PANi composites showed a 143-fold increase in conductivity upon HCl and a 12-fold decrease in conductivity upon NH3 treatment, suggesting the use of natural polymer–conductive polymer composites as sensor for these gases.
A New Pseudo-Spectral Method Using the Discrete Cosine Transform
Authors: Ito Izumi
Published: April 2020

The pseudo-spectral (PS) method on the basis of the Fourier transform is a numerical method for estimating derivatives. Generally, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is used when implementing the PS method. However, when the values on both sides of the sequences differ significantly, oscillatory approximations around both sides appear due to the periodicity resulting from the DFT. To address this problem, we propose a new PS method based on symmetric extension. We mathematically derive the proposed method using the discrete cosine transform (DCT) in the forward transform from the relation between DFT and DCT. DCT allows a sequence to function as a symmetrically extended sequence and estimates derivatives in the transformed domain. The superior performance of the proposed method is demonstrated through image interpolation. Potential applications of the proposed method are numerical simulations using the Fourier based PS method in many fields such as fluid dynamics, meteorology, and geophysics.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improve the Performance of Sweet Sorghum Grown in a Mo-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Shi Zhaoyong , Zhang Jiacheng , Lu Shichuan , Li Yang , Wang Fayuan
Published: April 2020

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are among the most ubiquitous soil plant-symbiotic fungi in terrestrial environments and can alleviate the toxic effects of various contaminants on plants. As an essential micronutrient for higher plants, molybdenum (Mo) can cause toxic effects at excess levels. However, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal impacts on plant performance and Mo accumulation under Mo-contamination still require to be explored. We first studied the effects of Claroideoglomus etunicatum BEG168 on plant biomass production and Mo accumulation in a biofuel crop, sweet sorghum, grown in an agricultural soil spiked with different concentrations of MoS2. The results showed that the addition of Mo produced no adverse effects on plant biomass, N and P uptake, and root colonization rate, indicating Mo has no phytotoxicity and fungitoxicity at the test concentrations. The addition of Mo did not increase and even decreased S concentrations in plant tissues. Arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation significantly enhanced plant biomass production and Mo concentrations in both shoots and roots, resulting in increased Mo uptake by mycorrhizal plants. Overall, arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation promoted the absorption of P, N and S by sweet sorghum plants, improved photosystem (PS) II photochemical efficiency and comprehensive photosynthesis performance. In conclusion, MoS2 increased Mo accumulation in plant tissues but produced no toxicity, while arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation could improve plant performance via enhancing nutrient uptake and photochemical efficiency. Sweet sorghum, together with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, shows a promising potential for phytoremediation of Mo-contaminated farmland and revegetation of Mo-mine disturbed areas, as well as biomass production on such sites.
Natural Resource Conservation Based on Community Economic Empowerment: Perspectives on Watershed Management and Slum Settlements in Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Surya Batara , Syafri Syafri , Sahban Hernita , Sakti Harry Hardian
Published: April 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of slum development, community poverty, and community behavior on environmental degradation in the Tallo river basin in Makassar City and to analyze the effects of natural resource conservation, economic empowerment, community capacity building on the productivity of economic enterprises and ecosystem-based sustainability. This study uses a qualitative-quantitative approach in sequence. Data were obtained through observation, surveys, and documentation. The research findings show that slums, poverty, and community behavior have a significant effect on the decline in the environmental quality of the Tallo river basin in Makassar City, with a coefficient of determination of 32.2%. The results showed that the conservation of natural resources, economic empowerment, and community capacity building were positively correlated to increasing the productivity of community economic enterprises and the sustainability of watershed ecosystems. The assertion is that watershed conservation, integrated with economic empowerment, contributes positively to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This study offers the concept of conservation of natural resources based on community economic empowerment as a solution to the handling of slums for the case of metropolitan cities in Indonesia, to support metropolitan city development programs nationally.
Influence of Logos on Social Attitudes toward the Landscape of Protected Areas: The Case of National and Natural Parks in Spain
Authors: Caballero-Calvo Andrés , Serrano-Montes José Luis
Published: April 2020

This study is the first analysis of the influence of the design of the logos of the National and Natural Parks of Spain on social attitudes toward these protected areas (PAs). The effect of certain elements in the logo of a PA on its attractiveness and on support for its conservation was explored through a questionnaire survey of groups of university students. The respondents were asked to choose between different park logos, using three main criteria: tourist interest, conservation priority, and willingness to pay for conservation. The results showed a higher preference for PAs whose logos include animals and a lower preference for those with heritage elements. No significant differences were found in terms of types of university programs. The results suggest that greater attention should be paid to the role of iconographic elements in considerations of the protection and management of landscapes. This study adds to our understanding of the social mechanisms that influence the interest of the public in Natural and National Parks. These results can be used to increase the involvement of the general population in conservation goals, contributing to the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of PAs.
Pronouns, Interrogatives, and (Quichua-Media Lengua) Code-Switching: The Eyes Have It
Authors: Lipski John M.
Published: April 2020

This study examines the processing of two putatively problematic intra-sentential code-switching configurations, following subject pronouns and interrogatives, in a bilingual speech community in which there are no confounding grammatical differences. The languages are Ecuadoran Quichua and the mixed language known as Media Lengua, consisting of the entire Quichua morphosyntactic system but with all lexical roots replaced by their Spanish counterparts. In eye-tracking processing experiments utilizing the visual world paradigm with auditorily presented stimuli, Quichua–Media Lengua bilinguals identified the languages more quickly after pronouns and interrogatives than after lexical items, while acknowledgement of code-switches after pronouns and interrogatives was delayed in comparison with switches following lexical items. The facilitation effect of pronouns and interrogatives evidently provokes a surprise reaction when they are immediately followed by items from another language, and this relative delay may play a role in the low acceptability of code-switched utterances that otherwise violate no grammatical constraints.
Sinterability and Dielectric Properties of LiTaO3-Based Ceramics with Addition of CoO
Authors: Zhang Youfeng , Yao Yali , He Shasha
Published: April 2020

Lithium tantalite (LiTaO3) is a common piezoelectric and ferroelectric crystal, but the LiTaO3 polycrystalline ceramics have rarely been reported, and their refractory character presents difficulties in their fabrication. In this study, LiTaO3-based ceramics with different amounts of CoO were prepared by pressureless sintering at 1250 °C, and the effects of the amount of sintering aid on the sinterability, microstructure, and dielectric properties of the ceramics were investigated. The relative densities of the LiTaO3-based ceramics were significantly improved by the addition of CoO powder. The LiTaO3-based ceramics achieved the highest relative density (89.4%) and obtained a well-grained microstructure when the added amount of CoO was 5 wt.%. Only the LiTaO3 phase in the ceramics was observed, indicating that the ions Co diffused into the LiTaO3 lattices and mainly existed in two forms: Co2+ and Co3+. The effects of the added amount of CoO on the dielectric properties of the LiTaO3-based ceramics were studied thoroughly. Consequently, the dielectric constant was enhanced, and the dielectric loss decreased in the LiTaO3-based ceramics with the addition of CoO. The optimal value was obtained at 5 wt.% of CoO-added LiTaO3-based ceramics.
Platinum Atoms and Nanoparticles Embedded Porous Carbons for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Kang Jialing , Wang Mengjia , Lu Chenbao , Ke Changchun , Liu Pan , Zhu Jinhui , Qiu Feng , Zhuang Xiaodong
Published: April 2020

Due to the growing demand for energy and imminent environmental issues, hydrogen energy has attracted widespread attention as an alternative to traditional fossil energy. Platinum (Pt) catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a promising technology to produce hydrogen because the consumed electricity can be generated from renewable energy. To overcome the high cost of Pt, one effective strategy is decreasing the Pt nanoparticle (NP) size from submicron to nano-scale or even down to single atom level for efficient interacting water molecules. Herein, atomically dispersed Pt and ultra-fine Pt NPs embedded porous carbons were prepared through the pyrolysis of Pt porphyrin-based conjugated microporous polymer. As-prepared electrocatalyst exhibit high HER activity with overpotential of down to 31 mV at 10 mA cm−2, and mass activity of up to 1.3 A mgPt−1 at overpotential of 100 mV, which is double of commercial Pt/C (0.66 A mgPt−1). Such promising performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the atomically dispersed Pt and ultra-fine Pt NPs. This work provides a new strategy to prepare porous carbons with both atomically dispersed metal active sites and corresponding metal NPs for various electrocatalysis, such as oxygen reduction reaction, carbon dioxide reduction, etc.
Impact of Reinforcement Ratio on Shear Behavior of I-Shaped UHPC Beams with and without Fiber Shear Reinforcement
Authors: Yavas Altug , Goker Cumali Ogun
Published: April 2020

In the presented paper, the impacts of steel fiber use and tensile reinforcement ratio on shear behavior of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) beams were investigated from the point of different tensile reinforcement ratios. In the scope of the experimental program, a total of eight beams consisting of four reinforcement ratios representing low to high ratios ranged from 0.8% to 2.2% were casted without shear reinforcement and subjected to the four-point loading test. While half of the test beams included 30 mm end-hooked steel fibers (SF-UHPC) with 2.0 vol%, the remaining beams were produced without the fiber to show possible effectiveness of the fiber use. The shear performances were discussed in terms of the load—deflection response, cracking pattern and failure mode, first cracking load and ultimate shear strength. In this sense, all the non-fiber beams were failed by shear with a dramatic load drop, regardless of the tensile reinforcement amount, before the yielding of reinforcement and they produced no deflection capability. The test results showed that while the inclusion of steel fibers to the UHPC mixture with low reinforcement ratios changed the failure mode from the shear to flexure, it significantly enhanced the ultimate shear strength in the case of higher reinforcement ratio through the SF-UHPC’ superior mechanical properties and fibers’ crack-bridging ability.
How to Select 2D and 3D Roughness Parameters at Their Relevant Scales by the Analysis of Covariance
Authors: Tchoundjeu Stephane , Bigerelle Maxence , Robbe-Valloire Francois , Da Silva Botelho Tony , Jarnias Frederic
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a multi-scale methodology is proposed to model and characterize the effect of two lubricants on changes in surface morphology during a running-in test. The test concerns two steels samples, mounted on a twin-disc tribometer to test each of lubricants A and B for a period of 42 h. The changes are characterized by the standardized roughness parameters given in ISO 25178. A technique involving replication is used to monitor wear during the test. Using all these replication measurements, a multi-scale methodology is applied. These selected models highlighted the relevant parameters for quantifying wear during lifespan, and also showed that lubricant A was better able to preserve surface integrity during wear than lubricant B.
Effect of T-Shape Shoulder Fillet on the Plastic Deformation Properties of SS400 and LYS160 Steel
Authors: Zhang Chaofeng , Shixi Chen , Lin Xuchuan , Zhao Junhua , Wang Quanlong
Published: April 2020

Shoulder fillets are widely used in the structural optimization design of metal dampers. However, the plastic deformation property of dampers affected by stress concentration, owing to different fillets, has not been explored in-depth. In this study, two typical metal damper materials with different plastic deformation, i.e., ordinary steel SS400 and low-yield-strength steel LYS160, were investigated. The strengthening effect of fillets under different loading is evaluated by comparing the mechanical properties of different fillet heights. Furthermore, the effect of the stress concentration caused by different fillet shapes, based on the failure mode of materials, is discussed. Subsequently, the fatigue degradation effect under the reciprocating shear loading is studied. Based on a series of studies on the deformation properties of fillets in different ductile materials, the basis for the structural optimization design under plastic deformation is provided.
Low-Carbon Concrete Based on Binary Biomass Ash–Silica Fume Binder to Produce Eco-Friendly Paving Blocks
Authors: Campos Teixeira André Henrique , Soares Junior Paulo Roberto Ribeiro , Silva Thiago Henrique , Barreto Richard Rodrigues , Silva Bezerra Augusto Cesar da
Published: April 2020

The civil construction industry consumes huge amounts of raw materials and energy, especially infrastructure. Thus, the use of eco-friendly materials is indispensable to promote sustainable development. In this context, the present work investigated low-carbon concrete to produce eco-friendly paving blocks. The binder was defined according to two approaches. In the first, a binary binder developed with eucalyptus biomass ash (EBA) and silica fume (SF) was used, in total replacement for Portland cement. In the second, the mixture of residues was used as a precursor in alkali-activation reactions, forming alkali-activated binder. The experimental approach was carried out using five different mixtures, obtained by varying the amount of water or sodium hydroxide solution. The characterization of this new material was carried out using compressive strength, expandability, water absorption, deep abrasion, microstructural investigation, and organic matter degradation potential. The results showed that the EBA-SF system has a performance compatible with Portland cement when used as an alternative binder, in addition to functioning as a precursor to alkali-activated concrete. The blocks produced degraded organic matter, and this degradation is more intense with the incidence of UV. In this way, the EBA-SF binder can be successfully used for the manufacture of ecological paving blocks with low carbon emissions.