bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Film-thinking and narrative indeterminacy
Authors: Billingham Jimmy
Published: August 2021

This article elaborates on Daniel Frampton’s concept of “film-thinking” to propose a novel conception of the status of the narrative event presented in film, providing an alternative to previous conceptions of narration and agency in film. More specifically, the article develop Frampton’s idea that the moving images of film manifest a particular and unique mode of “thought,” with the agent of this thought immanent within the images that it “thinks.” Frampton terms this agent a “filmind” and regards it as transsubjective, it is not an objective perspective, outside the world of the film, nor a subjective character perspective within it, but is immanent within the film-world which constitutes its intentionality as a unique mode of thought. The article utilises this model of filmic agency and the underlying ontological indeterminacy to reconsider the status of narrative events presented in the moving image of film and how we may conceptualise narrative agency and viewer activity in relation to this, especially with regards to flashbacks, voice-over and unreliable narration.
Montage in the portrait film
Authors: Tarrant Patrick
Published: August 2021

Since the portrait film eschews biography in favour of the more elusive and emergent dynamics of subjectivity, this article explores the relationship between the off-screen duration of people’s lives and the duration of their on-screen performances of Self. Pedro Costa’s Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie? (2001) is a feature-length portrait of the filmmakers Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet, set almost entirely within the confines of a film editing suite. Just as Costa’s subjects are trying to reveal a hidden smile through editing, in this article I analyse the hidden time of Straub and Huillet’s professional and personal lives, time that cannot possibly be squeezed into a feature-length film (without recourse to biographical storytelling), but which can nonetheless be read as the very material that fuels the subjects that do emerge in Costa’s portrait. This article advances the idea of a polyvalent montage assembled from multiple modes of duration in particular, and argues that this kind of montage is capable of illuminating the complex trajectory of subjects in time. If the duration of subjects’ lives is largely and necessarily elided from the time and space of the screen, the screen nonetheless remains an interstitial space where such elisions beget new durational possibilities.
Memories of a buried past, indications of a disregarded present
Authors: Schweigl Veronika
Published: August 2021

This article focuses on the interstices between past and present in Henri–François Imbert’s essay film No pasarán, album souvenir (2003). It examines Imbert’s strategies to reveal the largely unknown past of the Retirada, where nearly half a million Spanish Republicans fled to France after the victory of Franco in the Spanish Civil War in 1939. In addition the article investigates Imbert’s approach to link this often overlooked event of the past with the current situation of refugees in France. The aim of this paper is to analyse how No pasarán, album souvenir oscillates between spatio-temporalities and to explore the ways in which Imbert’s method of filmmaking functions as a transport mechanism through which memory resurfaces in the present.
Understanding Dutch film culture
Authors: Thissen Judith
Published: August 2021

In terms of cinema attendance, the Netherlands has always differed from other European countries. During the first decade of permanent film exhibition "a crucial phase in cinema's development as a mass medium" the movies failed to gain a firm foothold in Dutch society. After a discussion of the prevailing explanations for the low provision of cinemas in the Netherlands, this article develops a comparative analytical framework to better assess the regional dynamics at work within Dutch film culture. In particular, it looks at cinemagoing in the industrialised countryside, combining a qualitative examination of the local social and cultural infrastructure with a quantitative analysis of census data. The agro-industrial North Eastern part of Groningen and the mining district in the South of Limburg are singled out because in both regions we witness a very high density of film venues, suggesting metropolitan patterns in cinema attendance.
Art as a guaranty of sanity
Authors: Laine Tarja
Published: August 2021

This article examines how the body in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In (2011) is incorporated in artistic creation and vice versa. Drawing upon Paul Crowther’s notion of an internal relation between the artist’s experience and the work of art, it argues that the film communicates a vision of embodied artistic practice as a redemptive strategy used to resolve trauma resulting from the traditional body/soul dualism. A film that outlines how artistic creation can both express fractured inner reality and purge it from negative affect, The Skin I Live In demonstrates how the artist can overcome trauma, reinvent the sense of self, and reclaim personal agency.
Chairy tales
Authors: Wells Paul
Published: August 2021

This article addresses three issues of what I suggest here should be regarded as the shifting technological and matter-based apparatus of animation: first, the meanings and affect of objects and materials actually used in animated films; second, the visual dramaturgy made possible by objects and materials for animation screenwriters; and, third, the status of animation process materials as archival objects. The analysis looks at a number of animated films and specifically at their design form, material association, and narrative function to define what I will call the “scripted artefact”, and an “Animated Object Cycle”. This overview will also operate in a spirit of thinking about theories of practice and practices of theory in animation, and refer to both established theoretical perspectives as well as primary practice idioms.
Continuing the deviating tradition of Hungarian experimental film art
Authors: Gelencsér Gábor
Published: August 2021

This article places Joseph and His Brothers—Scenes from a Peasant Bible (József és testvérei—Jelenetek egy parasztbibliából, 2003) by Hungarian experimental filmmaker András Jeles within the social, institutional and cultural context of Hungarian film production. It surveys the sociopolitical conditions that gave rise to the formal and political radicalism of Hungarian experimental cinema; it provides an insight into the workshop of the Béla Balázs Studio, which played a determining role in shaping the various alternative discourses of Hungarian filmmaking, and suggests that András Jeles’s work is a particular manifestation of form-breaking radicalism. Two different narrative and stylistic modes of expression in the film are examined: shadow play and infrared camera use, as is the deployment of these two kinds of visuality in the parallel structure of the film. Cultural memory and the technical conditions of the filmic medium are considered from the perspective of aesthetic experience.
Inf(l)ection of the medium
Authors: Dánél Mónika
Published: August 2021

Slitfilm (Résfilm, 2005) and The Gravedigger (A sírásó, 2010) are two Hungarian experimental films made using a slit camera. The director/photographer Sándor Kardos’s adaptations of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story “The Handkerchief” and of Rainer Maria Rilke’s “The Gravedigger” expose a particular “physiognomy” of the filmic medium through the use of this technique. Likewise, the face as the privileged medial surface for emotion becomes an uncanny, stretched painting with grotesque associations, similar to Francis Bacon’s paintings. The sharp, clear narrator’s voice, layering the literary texts “onto” the moving image further emphasises the colour-stained plasticity of the visible. Both films attempt to articulate a liminal experience: the cultural differences between the East and the West that are inherent in expressing and concealing emotions (Slitfilm) or the questions relating to life and death, the speakable/conceivable and the unspeakable/inconceivable (The Gravedigger) that are embedded in the communicative modalities of social interaction. Through the elastic flow of images, the face and the hand become two uncovered, visible, corporeal surfaces engaged in a rhythmic, chromatic relationship (due to the similar skin tones of face and hand), and thus gradually uncover the medium of the film as a palpable skin surface or violated, wounded flesh. The article approaches the fluid, sensuous imagery that displaces the human towards the inhuman uncanny of the unrecognisable flesh through Deleuzian concepts of fold and inflection.
Participatory Tree Carbon Measurement in Komolchari Village Common Forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts
Authors: Miah Md Danesh , Chowdhury Md Arif , Jashimuddin Mohammed
Published: July 2021

Climate change is taking place at a horrifying rate due to the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. REDD+ has been considered as a low-cost approach to reducing atmospheric carbon. A study on measurements of tree carbon through a participatory approach was conducted in Komolchari Village Common Forest (VCF) of Khagrachari under the Chittagong Hill Tracts to examine the contribution of local participants in the measurement of tree carbon. From the study, it was estimated that total tree biomass density measured by the forestry experts and the local participants were 147.40±31.26 tha-1and 135.95±27.54 tha-1, respectively, where total carbon density for trees was 73.70±15.63 tha-1and 67.98±13.77 tha-1, respectively. Furthermore, in the case of saplings, the estimated total biomass density measured by the forestry experts and the local participants were 33.63±3.50 tha-1 and 32.41±3.09 tha-1, respectively, where estimated total carbon density for saplings was 16.82±1.75 tha-1and 16.21±1.55 tha-1, respectively. From all of the findings, it was observed that a participatory approach was successfully conducted in the study area to collect data on the measurement of tree carbon. The study will help bring the profit in the carbon trade by reducing transaction costs in the case of collecting data on tree carbon measurement. The findings of the study can be useful for REDD+ implementation in Bangladesh.
The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 42(1): 1-23, 2020
Investigation of Pinning Force Density Fp and Critical Current Density Jc of Nd0.33Eu0.33Gd0.33Ba2Cu3Oy(NEG-123) Superconductors with Addition of 211 Phase Particles and Analysis with a Theoretical Evaluation Based on Flux Creep-Flow Model
Authors: Hasan MN , Muralidhar M
Published: July 2021

The pinning force density Fp and the critical current density Jc were investigated in Nd0.33Eu0.33Gd0.33Ba2Cu3O(NEG-123) superconductors with addition of NEG-211 and EG-211 secondary phase particles of the volume fractions up to 10 mol% by analyzing experimental data of DC magnetization and compared with theoretical calculation based on flux creep-flow model taking the pinning parameter into account. The pinning parameters such that the number of flux lines in the flux bundle (g2), the most probable value of pinning strength (Am), distribution width (σ2), upper critical field (Bc2) were determined so that a good fit was obtained between theoretical and experimental results.
The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 42(1): 24-38, 2020
Anisotropic Universe with Manimally Interacting Matter and Holographic Dark Energy
Authors: Alam Mohammad Moksud
Published: July 2021

The holographic dark energy (HDE), a form of dark energy, has been a useful tool in explaining the recent phase transition of the universe. In this paper, we study the anisotropic and homogeneous Bianchi type-III model of the universe filled with minimally interacting matter and holographic dark energy under the framework of the Brans-Dicke (BD) scalar tensor theory of gravitation. Considering two physically plausible conditions such as, (i) the special law of variation for Hubble parameter and (ii) the scalar expansion proportional to the shear scalar, we propose two new models namely, exponential expansion model and power law expansion model. We also show the dynamics of these models fit with existing observational data and literature thereof. The transit behavior of the equation of state parameter for dark energy has been analyzed graphically. The jerk parameter is also studied for both of the models describing cosmological evolution.
The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 42(1): 39-57, 2020
Construction Of A Psychophysical Scale Of Visual Comfort of Lighting Based On A Neural Network: preparation Of The Experiment
Authors: Budak Vladimir P. , Ilyina Ekaterina I.
Published: August 2021

One of the important questions in lighting engineering is to determine the sensation of discomfort from lighting installations. There is no unified psychophysical scale for assessing the visual comfort of lighting (VCL) at any arbitrary distribution of luminance in space. This article considers a mathematical model of the scale based on a neural network (NN) as an ‘expert’ that trained to determine the comfort of perception of lighting depending on the light source’s luminance and background. The experimental data obtained at the lighting engineering department of the National Research University “MPEI” were used to train the NN. The experiment results presented in this article are consistent with the numerical scale for estimating the VCL proposed by Lakiesch and Holladay. A new model allows predicting the sensation of VCL with an accuracy of up to 70 %. This work allows formulating criteria for NN’s input and output parameters to choose a metric for evaluating NN’s performance, such as the confusion matrix, ROC curves, and a metric, such as the probability distribution for each sensation depending on the input parameters. It clearly follows, that amount of initial data is not allowed to make a final conclusion. One more experiment required considering the algorithm used to calibrate the experimental installation, instructions for observers, and the obtained results processing.
Developing a Renewable Energy Based Off-Grid Electricity Solution for Nigeria
Authors: Best Herbert Eti
Published: August 2021

Nigeria has always depended on the national grid network for the supply of electricity across the country. Despite the various efforts at grid expansion, the national grid is yet to get to every part of the Nigeria. The cost of grid expansion, the massive size and difficult terrain of certain parts of the country make are the major limitation to national grid expansion. Thus, most rural dwellers are yet to get access or sufficient supply of electricity. Also, the heavy dependence on the grid network puts the country at risk of blackout in most part of the country should the grid break down. On the other hand, off-grid electrification, which is a modern means of electricity sourcing other than the grid network with the use of mini-grid or stand-alone systems, can serve, as alternative means of electricity, supply for Nigeria. Off-grid systems are dynamic and adaptable to fit the peculiarities of each region, such as: land topography, population size, energy sources, etc. This paper examined the various renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar, wind, and biomass as viable sources of energy which Nigeria can be explore to power off-grid platforms. However, there is a dearth of legal framework to support the use of renewable energy sources for off-grid electricity. Thus, there is need for legislative efforts by the legislature or regulation by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission to fill this gap.
Peran Orang Tua dan Peran Teman Sebaya pada Perilaku Seksual Remaja
Authors: Mulya Adelse Prima , Lukman Mamat , Yani Desy Indra
Published: July 2021

Perilaku seksual remaja semakin sering dijumpai dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Perilaku ini dapat dipengaruhi oleh kurangnya peran orang tua dalam mengawasi remaja serta pengaruh teman sebaya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat bagaimana hubungan peran orang tua dan teman sebaya terhadap perilaku seksual remaja. Penelitian ini bersifat kuantitatif dengan desain cross sectional study. Populasi dalam penelitian adalah semua siswa kelas X dan XI yang ada di salah satu SMA Kota Bandung yang berjumlah 580 orang. Sampel diambil menggunakan rumus estimasi absolute precision dan didapatkan jumlah sampel sebanyak 246 orang siswa. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner perilaku seksual remaja, peran orang tua dan peran teman sebaya. Keseluruhan kuesioner telah dilakukan uji Reabilitas dan uji Validitas. Data dianalisis menggunakan chi Square. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa 49,6% siswa berperilaku seksual berisiko tinggi, 53,3% memiliki orang tua yang berperan tidak baik pada perilaku seksual remaja, 55,7 % memiliki teman sebaya yang berperan besar dalam perilaku seksual mereka. Ada hubungan yang bermakna antara peran orang tua dengan perilaku seksual remaja, akan tetapi tidak ada hubungan yang bermakna antara peran teman sebaya dengan perilaku seksual remaja. Sekolah disarankan dapat membentuk peer group dan pendekatan milenial untuk merubah perilaku remaja.
Kepatuhan Perawat dalam Pencegahan Penularan Infeksi Covid-19
Authors: Hamdiah Dedeh , Umar Ernawati
Published: July 2021

Tingginya angka kematian Covid-19 terhadap tenaga kesehatan disebabkan oleh faktor kepatuhan dalam penggunaan Alat Pelindung Diri (APD). Kepatuhan perawat merupakan kunci utama keberhasilan dalam pencegahan penularan infeksi Covid-19. Faktor risiko terhadap pencegahan penularan Covid-19 diantaranya ketersediaan APD, dukungan teman sejawat dan faktor kebutuhan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui hubungan faktor risiko terhadap kepatuhan perawat dalam pencegahan penularan infeksi Covid-19 Di Kota Serang, Banten. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah observasional analitik dengan rancangan cross sectional. Subjek penelitian ini adalah seluruh perawat yang aktif bekerja di Puskesmas wilayah Kota Serang. Penelitian ini menggunakan total sampling dengan uji statistik regresi logistik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan sebanyak 48,3% perawat tidak patuh dalam penggunaan APD, dan 55,2% perawat menyatakan tidak tersedia APD, 54% perawat butuh APD dalam pencegahan penularan infeksi Covid-19. Ada hubungan antara ketersediaan APD (p=0,002), dukungan teman sejawat (p=0,014) dan faktor kebutuhan (p=0,000) dengan kepatuhan perawat dalam pencegahan penularan infeksi Covid-19. Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah ada hubungan antara ketersediaan APD dan faktor kebutuhan dengan kepatuhan perawat dalam pencegahan penularan infeksi Covid-19 di Kota Serang Banten tahun 2020. Pihak terkait khususnya Puskesmas dan Dinas Kesehatan setempat perlu mengupayakan pemenuhan tersediaan APD yang memadai sebagai aspek kebutuhan rasa aman akan perlindungan dari ancaman bahaya penularan infeksi Covid-19.
SIMULASI CFD PEMBAKARAN OXY-FUEL PADA PACKAGE BOILER MENGGUNAKAN MODEL RADIASI DISCRETE ORDINATE
Authors: RIANSAH WILLY , SETIAWAN REZA , HANIFI RIZAL
Published: August 2021

Meningkatnya konsentrasi CO2 di atmosfer, mendorong umat manusia untuk melakukan penelitian tentang teknologi yang ramah lingkungan dan rendah emisi. Berbagai penelitian sudah dilakukan, salah satunya adalah pembakaran oxy-fuel. Pembakaran oxy-fuel merupakan salah satu teknologi penangkapan dan penyimpanan karbon (CCS), dimana bahan bakar dibakar dengan campuran oksigen murni dan daur ulang gas buang. Perbedaan kondisi tersebut dapat mempengaruhi suhu pembakaran dan perpindahan panas radiasi pada ruang pembakaran. Oleh sebab itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perbandingan suhu pembakaran dan perpindahan panas radiasi yang terjadi di dalam ruang bakar antara pembakaran udara dan pembakaran oxy-fuel. Objek penelitian ini adalah sebuah package boiler berjenis water tube boiler di salah satu unit pembangkit uap dengan kapasitas uap 100 ton/jam. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan simulasi CFD. Perpindahan panas radiasi dimodelkan dengan model radiasi Discrete Ordinate (DO) dan model Weighted Sum of Gray Gases (WSGG) yang digunakan untuk menghitung energi radiasi yang diserap dan dipancarkan oleh gas hasil pembakaran. Dari hasil simulasi CFD didapat bahwa suhu maksimum pembakaran pada pembakaran oxy-fuel yaitu sebesar 1.865,34℃ lebih tinggi dari pembakaran udara yaitu sebesar 1.837,01℃, begitupun dengan energi radiasi yang dipancarkan pada pembakaran oxy-fuel adalah sebesar 3,45 MW/m2 lebih tinggi dari pembakaran udara yaitu 2,75 MW/m2.
Study on a 3D-Bioprinted Tissue Model of Self-Assembled Nanopeptide Hydrogels Combined With Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Zhou Guanzhou , Tian Ailing , Yi Xin , Fan Lufeng , Shao Wenchong , Wu Han , Sun Nianfeng
Published: August 2021

Objective: This study aimed to observe the cell growth status and multidirectional differentiation ability in a 3D-bioprinted tissue model of self-assembled nanopeptides and human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs).

Methods: Primary Ad-MSCs were isolated, cultured, and identified by flow cytometry. Tissue models were printed via 3D bioprinting technology using a “biological ink” consisting of a mixed solution of self-assembled nanopeptides and Ad-MSCs. Ad-MSCs were induced into osteogenic, adipogenic, and endothelial differentiation and compared with the control groups by staining.

Results: The nanopeptide fiber was 10–30 nm in diameter and 200–500 nm in length under the atomic-force microscope. It had the characteristics of nano-scale materials. Flow cytometry showed that the isolated and cultured cells were positive for CD29 (98.51%), CD90 (97.87%), and CD166 (98.32%) but did not express CD31 (1.58%), CD34 (2.42%), CD45 (2.95%), or human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR (0.53%), consistent with the immunophenotype of Ad-MSCs. Then, a tissue model was printed using the biological ink, followed by induction of differentiation of Ad-MSCs within the tissue model. Alizarin red S staining showed the formation of calcium nodules in the osteogenesis induction experimental group, and oil red O stained lipid droplets in Ad-MSCs in the adipogenesis induction experimental group, whereas the two control groups were not stained.

Conclusion: Ad-MSCs from primary cultures have the characteristics of stem cells. Self-assembled nanopeptide hydrogel is a good tissue engineering material that can serve as an extracellular matrix. Ad-MSCs in the 3D-printed tissue model using a biological ink consisting of a mixed solution of self-assembled nanopeptides and Ad-MSCs grew well and still had strong differentiation ability.
Hematopoiesis Remains Permissive to Bone Marrow Transplantation After Expansion of Progenitors and Resumption of Blood Cell Production
Authors: Báječný Martin , Chen Chia-Ling , Faltusová Kateřina , Heizer Tomáš , Szikszai Katarína , Páral Petr , Šefc Luděk , Nečas Emanuel
Published: August 2021

The immense regenerative power of hematopoietic tissue stems from the activation of the immature stem cells and the progenitor cells. After partial damage, hematopoiesis is reconstituted through a period of intense regeneration when blood cell production originates from erythro-myeloid progenitors in the virtual absence of stem cells. Since the damaged hematopoiesis can also be reconstituted from transplanted hematopoietic cells, we asked whether this also leads to the transient state when activated progenitors initially execute blood cell production. We first showed that the early reconstitution of hematopoiesis from transplanted cells gives rise to extended populations of developmentally advanced but altered progenitor cells, similar to those previously identified in the bone marrow regenerating from endogenous cells. We then identified the cells that give rise to these progenitors after transplantation as LSK CD48–cells. In the submyeloablative irradiated host mice, the transplanted LSK CD48–cells preferably colonized the spleen. Unlike the endogenous hematopoiesis reconstituting cells, the transplanted whole bone marrow cells and sorted LSK CD48–cells had greater potential to differentiate to B-lymphopoiesis. Separate transplantation of the CD150–and CD150+subsets of LSK CD48–cells suggested that CD150–cells had a greater preference to B-lymphopoiesis than CD150+cells. In the intensively regenerating hematopoiesis, the CD71/Sca-1 plot of immature murine hematopoietic cells revealed that the expanded populations of altered myeloid progenitors were highly variable in the different places of hematopoietic tissues. This high variability is likely caused by the heterogeneity of the hematopoiesis supporting stroma. Lastly, we demonstrate that during the period when active hematopoiesis resumes from transplanted cells, the hematopoietic tissues still remain highly permissive for further engraftment of transplanted cells, particularly the stem cells. Thus, these results provide a rationale for the transplantation of the hematopoietic stem cells in successive doses that could be used to boost the transplantation outcome.
The Mammalian Family of Katanin Microtubule-Severing Enzymes
Authors: Lynn Nicole A. , Martinez Emily , Nguyen Hieu , Torres Jorge Z.
Published: August 2021

The katanin family of microtubule-severing enzymes is critical for cytoskeletal rearrangements that affect key cellular processes like division, migration, signaling, and homeostasis. In humans, aberrant expression, or dysfunction of the katanins, is linked to developmental, proliferative, and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review current knowledge on the mammalian family of katanins, including an overview of evolutionary conservation, functional domain organization, and the mechanisms that regulate katanin activity. We assess the function of katanins in dividing and non-dividing cells and how their dysregulation promotes impaired ciliary signaling and defects in developmental programs (corticogenesis, gametogenesis, and neurodevelopment) and contributes to neurodegeneration and cancer. We conclude with perspectives on future katanin research that will advance our understanding of this exciting and dynamic class of disease-associated enzymes.
N439K Variant in Spike Protein Alter the Infection Efficiency and Antigenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Zhou Wenyang , Xu Chang , Wang Pingping , Luo Meng , Xu Zhaochun , Cheng Rui , Jin Xiyun , Guo Yu , Xue Guangfu , Juan Liran , Anashkina Anastasia A. , Nie Huan , Jiang Qinghua
Published: August 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been undergoing various mutations. The analysis of the structural and energetic effects of mutations on protein-protein interactions between the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) or neutralizing monoclonal antibodies will be beneficial for epidemic surveillance, diagnosis, and optimization of neutralizing agents. According to the molecular dynamics simulation, a key mutation N439K in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD region created a new salt bridge with Glu329 of hACE2, which resulted in greater electrostatic complementarity, and created a weak salt bridge with Asp442 of RBD. Furthermore, the N439K-mutated RBD bound hACE2 with a higher affinity than wild-type, which may lead to more infectious. In addition, the N439K-mutated RBD was markedly resistant to the SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody REGN10987, which may lead to the failure of neutralization. The results show consistent with the previous experimental conclusion and clarify the structural mechanism under affinity changes. Our methods will offer guidance on the assessment of the infection efficiency and antigenicity effect of continuing mutations in SARS-CoV-2.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: Mechanisms and Prospects
Authors: Li Zhongkang , Zhang Mingle , Tian Yanpeng , Li Qian , Huang Xianghua
Published: August 2021

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a complex endocrine disease that severely affects the physiological and reproductive functions of females. The current conventional clinical treatment methods for POI are characterized by several side effects, and most do not effectively restore the physiological functions of the ovaries. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising regenerative medicine approach, which has received significant attention in the management of POI with high efficacy. Associated pre-clinical and clinical trials are also proceeding orderly. However, the therapeutic mechanisms underlying the MSCs-based treatment are complex and have not been fully elucidated. In brief, proliferation, apoptosis, immunization, autophagy, oxidative stress, and fibrosis of ovarian cells are modulated through paracrine effects after migration of MSCs to the injured ovary. This review summarizes therapeutic mechanisms of MSCs-based treatments in POI and explores their therapeutic potential in clinical practice. Therefore, this review will provide a theoretical basis for further research and clinical application of MSCs in POI.
Chaotropic and Kosmotropic Anions Regulate the Outcome of Enzyme-Mediated Dynamic Combinatorial Libraries of Cyclodextrins in Two Different Ways
Authors: Erichsen Andreas , Larsen Dennis , Beeren Sophie R.
Published: August 2021

We demonstrate how different anions from across the Hofmeister series can influence the behavior of enzyme-mediated dynamic combinatorial libraries of cyclodextrins (CDs). Using cyclodextrin glucanotransferase to catalyze reversible transglycosylation, dynamic mixtures of interconverting cyclodextrins can be formed wherein the relative concentrations of α-CD, β-CD and γ-CD is determined by their intrinsic stabilities and any stabilizing influences of added template (guest) molecules. Here, we find that addition of high concentrations of kosmotropic anions can be used to enhance the effects of added hydrophobic templates, while chaotropic anions can themselves act as templates, causing predictable and significant changes in the cyclodextrin composition due to weak, but specific, binding interactions with α-CD.
Influence of Electrolyte Concentration on Single-Molecule Sensing of Perfluorocarboxylic Acids
Authors: Yao Xinyun , Song Ning-Ning , Wang Jia , Zhao Xian , Cheng Meng-Yuan , Zuo Jiaqi , Qiu Kaipei
Published: August 2021

Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) are an emerging class of persistent organic pollutants. During the fabrication process, it is unavoidable to form PFCA homologs or isomers which exhibit distinct occurrence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. The precision measurement of PFCAs is therefore of significant importance. However, the existing characterization techniques, such as LC-MS/MS, cannot fully meet the requirement of isomer-specific analysis, largely due to the lack of authentic standards. Single-molecule sensors (SMSs) based on nanopore electrochemistry may be a feasible solution for PFCAs determination, thanks to their ultra-high spatiotemporal resolutions. Hence, as a first step, this work was to elucidate the influence of electrolyte concentration on the four most critical indicators of nanopore measurements, and furthermore, performance of nanopore SMSs. More specifically, three of the most representative short-chain PFCAs, perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), were adopted as the target analytes, aerolysin nanopore was employed as the sensing interface, and 2, 3 and 4 M KCl solutions were used as electrolytes. It was found that, when the concentration of KCl solution increased from 2 to 4 M, the conductance of aerolysin nanopore increased almost linearly at a rate of 0.5 nS per molar KCl within the whole voltage range, the current blockade of PFPeA at −50 mV increased from 61.74 to 66.57% owing to the enhanced steric exclusion effect, the maximum dwell time was more than doubled from 14.5 to 31.5 ms, and the barrier limited capture rate increased by 8.3 times from 0.46 to 3.85 Hz. As a result, when using 4 M KCl as the electrolyte, over 90% of the PFPeA, PFHxA and PFHpA were accurately identified from a mixed sample, and the calculated limit of detection of PFPeA reached 320 nM, more than 24 times lower than in 2 M KCl. It was thus clear that tuning the electrolyte concentration was a simple but very effective approach to improve the performance of nanopore SMSs for PFCAs determination.
The Evolution of Appendicular Muscles During the Fin-to-Limb Transition: Possible Insights Through Studies of Soft Tissues, a Perspective
Authors: Mansuit Rohan , Herrel Anthony
Published: August 2021

The evolution of the appendages during the fin-to-limb transition has been extensively studied, yet the majority of studies focused on the skeleton and the fossil record. Whereas the evolution of the anatomy of the appendicular musculature has been studied, the changes in the muscular architecture during the fin-to-limb transition remain largely unstudied, yet may provide important new insights. The fin-to-limb transition is associated with the appearance of a new mode of locomotion and the associated shift from pectoral to pelvic dominance. Here, we propose ways to investigate this question and review data on muscle mass and muscle architecture of the pectoral and pelvic muscles in extant vertebrates. We explore whether changes in appendage type are associated with changes in the muscular architecture and the relative investment in different muscle groups. These preliminary data show a general increase in the muscle mass of the appendages relative to the body mass during the fin-to-limb transition. The locomotor shift suggested to occur during the fin-to-limb transition appears supported by our preliminary data since in “fish” the pectoral fins are heavier than the pelvic fins, whereas in tetrapods, the forelimb muscles are less developed than the hind limb muscles. Finally, a shift in the investment in different muscle groups with an increase of the contribution of the superficial groups in tetrapods compared to “fish” appears to take place. Our study highlights the potential of investigating quantitative features of the locomotor muscles, yet also demonstrates the lack of quantitative data allowing to test these ideas.
Genetic Expression Screening of Arsenic Trioxide-Induced Cytotoxicity in KG-1a Cells Based on Bioinformatics Technology
Authors: Li Yahui , Feng Yingjie , Si Xiaohui , Zhao Chenjin , Wang Fanping , Niu Xinqing
Published: August 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant tumor of the hematopoietic system, and leukemia stem cells are responsible for AML chemoresistance and relapse. KG-1a cell is considered a leukemia stem cell-enriched cell line, which is resistant to chemotherapy. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is effective against acute promyelocytic leukemia as a first-line treatment agent, even as remission induction of relapsed cases. ATO has a cytotoxic effect on KG-1a cells, but the mechanism remains unclear. Our results demonstrated that ATO can inhibit cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and arrest KG-1a cells in the G2/M phase. Using transcriptome analysis, we investigated the candidate target genes regulated by ATO in KG-1a cells. The expression profile analysis showed that the ATO had significantly changed gene expression related to proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. Moreover, MYC, PCNA, and MCM7 were identified as crucial hub genes through protein–protein interaction network analysis; meanwhile, the expressions of them in both RNA and protein levels are down-regulated as confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Thus, our study suggests that ATO not only inhibits the expression of MYC, PCNA, and MCM7 but also leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in KG-1a cells. Overall, this study provided reliable clues for improving the ATO efficacy in AML.
Identification of a Hematopoietic Cell Population Emerging From Mouse Bone Marrow With Proliferative Potential In Vitro and Immunomodulatory Capacity
Authors: Marinescu Catalina-Iolanda , Preda Mihai Bogdan , Neculachi Carmen Alexandra , Rusu Evelyn Gabriela , Popescu Sinziana , Burlacu Alexandrina
Published: August 2021

There is continuing interest in therapeutic applications of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Unlike human counterparts, mouse MSC are difficult to propagate in vitro due to their contamination with adherent hematopoietic cells that overgrow the cultures. Here we investigated the properties of these contaminating cells, referred to as bone marrow-derived proliferating hematopoietic cells (BM-PHC). The results showed that both BM-PHC and MSC had strong immunomodulatory properties on T cells in vitro, with PGE2 and NO involved in this mechanism. However, BM-PHC were stronger immunomodulators than MSC, with CCL-6 identified as putative molecule responsible for superior effects. In vivo studies showed that, in contrast to BM-PHC, MSC endorsed a more rapid xenograft tumor rejection, thus indicating a particular context in which only MSC therapy would produce positive outcomes. In conclusion, bone marrow contains two cell populations with immunomodulatory properties, which are valuable sources for therapeutic studies in specific disease-relevant contexts.
Using Artificial Seagrass for Promoting Positive Feedback Mechanisms in Seagrass Restoration
Authors: Carus Jana , Arndt Carmen , Schröder Boris , Thom Moritz , Villanueva Raúl , Paul Maike
Published: August 2021

Worldwide, seagrass meadows are under threat. Consequently, there is a strong need for seagrass restoration to guarantee the provision of related ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and habitat provision. Seagrass often grows in vast meadows in which the presence of seagrass itself leads to a reduction of hydrodynamic energy. By modifying the environment, seagrass thus serves as foundation species and ecosystem engineer improving habitat quality for itself and other species as well as positively affecting its own fitness. On the downside, this positive feedback mechanism can render natural recovery of vanished and destroyed seagrass meadows impossible. An innovative approach to promote positive feedback mechanisms in seagrass restoration is to create an artificial seagrass (ASG) that mimics the facilitation function of natural seagrass. ASG could provide a window of opportunity with respect to suitable hydrodynamic and light conditions as well as sediment stabilization to allow natural seagrass to re-establish. Here, we give an overview of challenges and open questions for the application of ASG to promote seagrass restoration based on experimental studies and restoration trials and we propose a general approach for the design of an ASG produced from biodegradable materials. Considering positive feedback mechanisms is crucial to support restoration attempts. ASG provides promising benefits when habitat conditions are too harsh for seagrass meadows to re-establish themselves.
Platelet-Rich Plasma for Bone Fracture Treatment: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence in Preclinical and Clinical Studies
Authors: Zhang Yangming , Xing Fei , Luo Rong , Duan Xin
Published: August 2021

Background:Recently, there is an increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for bone fracture treatment. Nevertheless, the effect of PRP for bone fracture treatment remains controversial and is still a matter of discussion. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRP injection for treatment of bone fracture.

Methods:The main bibliographic databases, including Medline, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library, were comprehensively searched for studies focusing on the application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on bone fracture treatment. All relevant articles were screened for eligibility and subdivided into the preclinical and clinical studies. Data were extracted and presented systematically.

Results:Finally, twenty-sixin vitropreclinical studies (basic studies), ninein vivopreclinical studies (animal studies), and nine clinical studies, met the selection criteria, and were included in the present systematic review. Preclinical studies showed an overall positive effect of PRP on osteoblast-like cellsin vitroand bone healing in animal models. The most used treatment for bone fracture in animal and clinical studies is fixation surgery combined with PRP injection. The clinical studies reported PRP shortened bony healing duration, and had no positive effect on improving the healing rate of closed fractures. However, the results of functional outcomes are controversial. Additionally, compared with control group, PRP would not increase the rate of postoperative wound infection.

Conclusion:The present systematic review confirmed the continuing interests of PRP as an additional treatment for bone fracture. Preclinical studies highlighted the potential value of PRP as promising therapy for bone fracture. However, the preclinical evidence did not translate into a similar result in the clinical studies. In addition, types of fractures and procedures of PRP preparation are heterogeneous in enrolled studies, which might result in controversial results. Meanwhile, characteristics of PRP, such as platelet concentration, the numbers of leukocytes, still need to be determined and further research is required.
A Cross-Platform Metabolomics Comparison Identifies Serum Metabolite Signatures of Liver Fibrosis Progression in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients
Authors: Shanmuganathan Meera , Sarfaraz Mohammad Omair , Kroezen Zachary , Philbrick Holly , Poon Richel , Don-Wauchope Andrew , Puglia Marco , Wishart David , Britz-McKibbin Philip
Published: August 2021

Metabolomics offers new insights into disease mechanisms that is enhanced when adopting orthogonal instrumental platforms to expand metabolome coverage, while also reducing false discoveries by independent replication. Herein, we report the first inter-method comparison when using multisegment injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (MSI-CE-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for characterizing the serum metabolome of patients with liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (n = 20) and non-HCV controls (n = 14). In this study, 60 and 30 serum metabolites were detected frequently (>75%) with good technical precision (median CV < 10%) from serum filtrate samples (n = 34) when using standardized protocols for MSI-CE-MS and NMR, respectively. Also, 20 serum metabolite concentrations were consistently measured by both methods over a 500-fold concentration range with an overall mean bias of 9.5% (n = 660). Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses independently confirmed that serum choline and histidine were consistently elevated (p < 0.05) in HCV patients with late-stage (F2-F4) as compared to early-stage (F0-F1) liver fibrosis. Overall, the ratio of serum choline to uric acid provided optimal differentiation of liver disease severity (AUC = 0.848, p = 0.00766) using a receiver operating characteristic curve, which was positively correlated with liver stiffness measurements by ultrasound imaging (r = 0.606, p = 0.0047). Moreover, serum 5-oxo-proline concentrations were higher in HCV patients as compared to non-HCV controls (F = 4.29, p = 0.0240) after adjustment for covariates (age, sex, BMI), indicative of elevated oxidative stress from glutathione depletion with the onset and progression of liver fibrosis. Both instrumental techniques enable rapid yet reliable quantification of serum metabolites in large-scale metabolomic studies with good overlap for biomarker replication. Advantages of MSI-CE-MS include greater metabolome coverage, lower operating costs, and smaller sample volume requirements, whereas NMR offers a robust platform supported by automated spectral and data processing software.
Electroacupuncture Pretreatment Prevents Cognitive Impairment Induced by Cerebral Ischemia–Reperfusion via Adenosine A1 Receptors in Rats
Authors: Shi Yiyi , Dai Qinxue , Ji Binbin , Huang Luping , Zhuang Xiuxiu , Mo Yunchang , Wang Junlu
Published: August 2021

A previous study has demonstrated that pretreatment with electroacupuncture (EA) induces rapid tolerance to focal cerebral ischemia. In the present study, we investigated whether adenosine receptor 1 (A1 R) is involved in EA pretreatment-induced cognitive impairment after focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Two hours after EA pretreatment, focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 120 min in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The neurobehavioral score, cognitive function [as determined by the Morris water maze (MWM) test], neuronal number, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was evaluated at 24 h after reperfusion in the presence or absence of CCPA (a selective A1 receptor agonist), DPCPX (a selective A1 receptor antagonist) into left lateral ventricle, or A1 short interfering RNA into the hippocampus area. The expression of the A1 receptor in the hippocampus was also investigated. The result showed that EA pretreatment upregulated the neuronal expression of the A1 receptor in the rat hippocampus at 90 min. And EA pretreatment reversed cognitive impairment, improved neurological outcome, and inhibited apoptosis at 24 h after reperfusion. Pretreatment with CCPA could imitate the beneficial effects of EA pretreatment. But the EA pretreatment effects were abolished by DPCPX. Furthermore, A1 receptor protein was reduced by A1 short interfering RNA which attenuated EA pretreatment-induced cognitive impairment.
Influence of Mpv17 on Hair-Cell Mitochondrial Homeostasis, Synapse Integrity, and Vulnerability to Damage in the Zebrafish Lateral Line
Authors: Holmgren Melanie , Sheets Lavinia
Published: August 2021

Noise exposure is particularly stressful to hair-cell mitochondria, which must produce enough energy to meet high metabolic demands as well as regulate local intracellular Ca2+concentrations. Mitochondrial Inner Membrane Protein 17 (Mpv17) functions as a non-selective cation channel and plays a role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. In zebrafish, hair cells inmpv17a9/a9mutants displayed elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevated mitochondrial calcium, hyperpolarized transmembrane potential, and greater vulnerability to neomycin, indicating impaired mitochondrial function. Using a strong water current to overstimulate hair cells in the zebrafish lateral line, we observedmpv17a9/a9mutant hair cells were more vulnerable to morphological disruption than wild type (WT) siblings simultaneously exposed to the same stimulus. To determine the role of mitochondrial homeostasis on hair-cell synapse integrity, we surveyed synapse number inmpv17a9/a9mutants and WT siblings as well as the sizes of presynaptic dense bodies (ribbons) and postsynaptic densities immediately following stimulus exposure. We observed mechanically injuredmpv17a9/a9neuromasts were not more vulnerable to synapse loss; they lost a similar number of synapses per hair cell relative to WT. Additionally, we quantified the size of hair cell pre- and postsynaptic structures following stimulation and observed significantly enlarged WT postsynaptic densities, yet relatively little change in the size ofmpv17a9/a9postsynaptic densities following stimulation. These results suggest chronically impaired hair-cell mitochondrial activity influences postsynaptic size under homeostatic conditions but does not exacerbate synapse loss following mechanical injury.