bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dominant associations of Ensifer medicae-Medicage polymorpha and Ensifer meliloti-Medicago lupulina in farmland and natural ecosystem
Authors: Tang Mingxing , Wang Hao Yu , Qi Xin , Yuan Bao Juan , Bin Zhang , Wang En Tao , Wang Bei Nan , Wang Fang , Liu Zhong Kuan , Liu Xiaoyun 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Aims

The nitrogen-fixing rhizobia associated with Medicago polymorpha and M. lupulina in Yunnan, China have been poorly documented. This study aims to analyze the diversity of rhizobia isolated from these two Medicago species and investigate the impact of abiotic (soil properties) and biotic (plant hosts) factors on Medicago-associated rhizobia in this region.
Methods

91 rhizobial isolates were characterized by RFLP of 16S rDNA and 16S–23S IGS, BOX-PCR fingerprinting, nodulation assays and phylogeny analyses based on housekeeping and symbiosis genes. The genetic diversity of the rhizobial isolates was assessed by the BOX AIR pattern and Shannon index. Additionally, the correlation of soil properties and rhizobial distribution was determined by the constrained analysis of principle coordinates (CAP) based on Bray-Curtis distance of presence/absence (PA) transformed species data.
Results

All the tested strains fell in the genus Ensifer and divided into two species, E. medicae and E. meliloti. Both host plants and soil properties contributed to the rhizobial diversity. For either E. meliloti or E. medicae, isolates from native host plants tended to be more genetically diverse than those of the same species from non-native hosts. The soil edaphic factor analysis elucidated that nitrogen, organic matter as well as Ca2+ and Na+ are the key factors to shape the biogeographical distribution of rhizobia.
Conclusions

This study evidenced the microsymbiont preference of M. polymorpha to E. medicae and M. lupulina to E. meliloti, but also revealed the considerable impacts of both plant hosts and soil factors on the rhizobial diversity and biodistribution.
Minimal residual disease detection by multicolor flow cytometry in cryopreserved ovarian tissue from leukemia patients
Authors: Zver Tristan , Frontczak Sophie , Poirot Catherine , Rives-Ferraille Aurélie , Leroy-Martin Brigitte , Koscinski Isabelle , Arbez-Gindre Francine , Roux Christophe , Amiot Clotilde 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background
Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is a fertility-preservation option for women before gonadotoxic treatments. However, cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation must be performed with caution in women with malignancies that may metastasize to the ovaries. For this purpose, detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) in the ovarian cortex using sensitive methods is a crucial step. We developed an automated ovarian tissue dissociation method to obtain ovarian cell suspensions.
Results
We assessed MRD by multicolor flow cytometry (MFC) in cryopreserved ovarian cortex of 15 leukemia patients: 6 with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), 2 with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and 7 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Ovarian MRD was positive in 5 of the 15 leukemia patients (one T-ALL and 4 AML). No B-ALL patient was positive by MFC. Quantitative reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction was performed when a molecular marker was available, and confirmed the MFC results for 3 patients tested. Xenografts into immunodeficient mice were also performed with ovarian cortical tissue from 10 leukemia patients, with no evidence of leukemic cells after the 6-month grafting period.
Conclusions
In conclusion, this is the first study using MFC to detect MRD in ovarian cortical tissue from acute leukemia patients. MFC has been accepted in clinical practice for its ease of use, the large number of parameters available simultaneously, and high throughput analysis. We demonstrate here that MFC is a reliable method to detect MRD in cryopreserved ovarian tissue, with a view to controlling the oncological risk before ovarian tissue transplantation in leukemia patients.
Balance strategy in hoverboard control
Authors: Shushtari Mohammad , Takagi Atsushi , Lee Judy , Burdet Etienne , Arami Arash 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
This work investigates how people learn to perform lower limb control in a novel task with a hoverboard which requires maintaining dynamic balance. An experiment was designed to investigate the learning of balance and control strategies: i.e. hip versus ankle strategy. Motor learning was indicated by a decrease in total muscle activation and time to complete a trial. The results further show that participants with no prior experience of riding a hoverboard learn an ankle strategy to maintain their balance and control the hoverboard. This is supported by significantly stronger phase synchrony and lower dynamic time warping distance between the hoverboard plate orientation, that controls hoverboard motion, and the ankle angle when compared to the hip angle. A decrease of 14.2% in the co-activation of the muscles acting on the ankle joint also confirms the adoption of the ankle strategy. The adopted ankle strategy is robust to the foot orientation despite salient changes in muscle group activation patterns.
Towards Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Metallic Powder Production
Authors: MARTINEZ MELCHOR SALAZAR , Lagos-Galván Flavio Américo 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Intermetallic Fe-Al compounds have become very interesting materials due to their properties, such as good corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance, high resistance/weight ratios, creep resistance, good wear resistance, and low cost, including some applications where they could replace stainless steels. However, their low ductility at room temperature has limited their use. One of the solutions is to generate powders of these intermetallics and press them in the wished form. Current production methods of this type of powders are very high energy-consuming, polluting, and harmful for handling for human beings. Because of the environmental situation in our planet, it is necessary to develop more environmentally friendly processes, which have lower energy requirements. Therefore, a comparison of a novel water vapor-based FeAl powder manufacture process with Mechanical Alloying (MA), one of the most commonly used processes to produce this type of powder is made in this work. This comparison aims to focus on the advantages of the novel process concerning MA, the last one, considering environmental as well as energy criteria.
Hypoxia stimulates SUMOylation-dependent stabilization of KDM5B
Authors: Zhou Bingluo , Zhu Yiran , Xu Wenxia , Zhou Qiyin , Tan Linghui , Zhu Liyuan , Chen Hui , Feng Lifeng , Hou Tianlun , Wang Xian , Chen Dingwei , Jin Hongchuan 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background Hypoxia is an important characteristic of the tumor microenvironment. Tumor cells can survive and propagate under the hypoxia stress through activating a series of adaption response. The study on the mechanism of tumor hypoxia adaption is still of urgent significance to find effective therapeutic targets and strategies. Methods We compared the protein expression of KDM5B in tumor or normal tissues and cell lines by IHC and Western blotting (WB). CCK8 and cell colony formation assay was performed to evaluate the KDM5B caused growth inhibition. The transcriptome analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), flow cytometry analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were for exploring the downstream mechanism. And the SUMOylation assay and Ni-beads pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) were used to illustrate how did post-translation modification (PTM) regulate the KDM5B protein stabilization. Finally, tumor xenograft assay in nude mice verified the findings in vivo. Results We found that lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B) was upregulated in gastric cancer (GC) under hypoxia condition. The genetic knockdown or chemical inhibition of KDM5B impaired the growth of GC cell adapted to hypoxia. Inhibition of KDM5B caused significant cell cycle G1/S arrest through the transcription upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (CDKN1, also known as p21). Interestingly, the upregulation of KDM5B in hypoxia response was associated with the SUMOylation of KDM5B. SUMOylation stabilized KDM5B protein by reducing the competitive modification of ubiquitination. Furthermore, protein inhibitor of activated STAT 4 (PIAS4) was determined as the SUMO E3 ligase which increased the interaction with KDM5B under hypoxia condition. As the result, co-targeting KDM5B significantly improved the anti-tumor efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy in vivo. Conclusion Taken together, PIAS4 mediated SUMOylation stabilized KDM5B protein through disturbing ubiquitination-dependent proteasomal degradation to overcome hypoxia adaption. Targeting SUMOylation-dependent KDM5B upregulation might be considered when antiangiogenic therapy was applied in cancer treatment.
Tracing climate and land-use instability reveals new insights into the future of Earth’s remaining wilderness
Authors: Asamoah Ernest , Marco Moreno Di , Watson James , Beaumont Linda , Venter Oscar , Maina Joseph 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Accelerated loss of Earth’s wilderness over the last five decades underscores the urgency for efforts to retain the conservation value of these areas. Assessing how wilderness areas are likely to be impacted by the future environmental change is fundamental to achieving global biodiversity conservation goals. Using scenarios of climate and land-use change during baseline (1970–2005) and future (2015–2050) epochs, we found that climate change within wilderness areas is predicted to increase by ~ 47%, compared to a 19% increase in land-use change. Half (52%) of all wilderness areas may undergo climate change by 2050, limiting their capacity to shelter biodiversity. More significant changes are especially predicted to occur in the unprotected wilderness that supports unique assemblages of species and are therefore more important for biodiversity persistence. Countries with smaller and disconnected wilderness areas are disproportionately at risk from the combined impacts of climate and land-use change. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and preserving remaining intact natural ecosystems can help fortify these frontiers of biodiversity.
Optimal CT Contrast Enhancement Protocol for the Fontan Pathway: An Analysis Based on a 15-year Single-center Experience
Authors: Goo Hyun Woo 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
This retrospective study was performed to systemically compare several candidates for optimal contrast enhancement protocols of cardiothoracic CT dedicated for evaluating the Fontan pathway. Of 115 CT examinations from 89 patients, simultaneous injection of contrast agent via the arm and leg veins with 50% diluted contrast agent (group 1, n = 38), 60-second scan delay after leg vein injection (group 2, n = 41) or 3-minute scan delay (group 3, n = 36) was used to obtain optimal contrast enhancement. The degree and heterogeneity of cardiovascular enhancement, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were quantitatively evaluated. Histogram-assisted semi-quantitative evaluation was performed for heterogeneous enhancement, and a cut-off value indicating heterogeneous enhancement was determined by comparing the standard deviations between the cases showing homogeneous and heterogeneous enhancement. Contrast enhancement of the Fontan pathway, the standard deviation measured in the Fontan pathway, SNR, and CNR were more frequently lower in group 3 compared to groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.001). Homogeneous enhancement of the Fontan pathway based on the histogram-assisted semi-quantitative evaluation was more frequently seen in group 3 compared to groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.043‒0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the standard deviation was an excellent diagnostic test in determining the homogeneity of contrast enhancement (area under the curve = 0.991; 95% confidence interval, 0.988‒0.994; p < 0.001). Standard deviations > 105.1 HU could be considered to indicate heterogeneous enhancement with 73.2% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity. The protocol using a 3-minute scan delay best achieved homogeneous contrast enhancement in the Fontan pathway on cardiothoracic CT among the tested protocols. However, low contrast enhancement, SNR, and, CNR need to be improved.
NAD+ Improves Cognitive Function and Reduces Neuroinflammation By Ameliorating Mitochondrial Damage and Decreasing ROS Production in Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion Models Through Sirt1/PGC-1α Pathway
Authors: Zhao Yao , Zhang Jiawei , Zheng Yaling , Zhang Yaxuan , Zhang Xiaojie , Wang Hongmei , Du Yu , Guan Jian , Wang Xiuzhe , Fu Jianliang 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background: Microglial mediated neuroinflammation plays an important role in vascular dementia, and modulating neuroinflammation has emerged as a promising treatment target. NAD + shows anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects in many neurodegenerative disease models, but its role in the chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is still unclear. Methods: The bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) was performed to establish CCH models in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were given daily intraperitoneal injection of NAD + for 8 weeks. Behavioral test and markers for neuronal death and neuroinflammation were analyzed. Mitochondrial damage and ROS production in microglia were also assessed. RNA-seq was performed to investigate the mechanistic pathway changes. For in vitro studies, Sirt1 was overexpressed in BV2 microglial cells to compare with NAD + treatment effects on mitochondrial injury and neuroinflammation. Results: NAD + administration rescued cognitive deficits and inhibited neuroinflammation by protecting mitochondria and decreasing ROS production in CCH rats. Results of mechanistic pathway analysis indicated that the detrimental effects of CCH might be associated with decreased gene expression of PPAR-γ co-activator1α (PGC-1α) and its upstream transcription factor Sirt1 , while NAD + treatment markedly reversed their decrease. In vitro study confirmed that NAD + administration had protective effects on hypoxia induced neuroinflammation and mitochondrial damage, as well as ROS production in BV2 microglia via Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway. Sirt1 overexpression mimicked the protective effects of NAD + treatment in BV2 microglia.Conclusions: NAD + ameliorated cognitive impairment and dampened neuroinflammation in CCH models in vivo and vitro, and these beneficial effects were associated with mitochondrial protection and ROS inhibition via activating Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway. Keywords: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, microglia, NAD + , mitochondria, ROS
COVID-19 guidance in humanitarian settings: The need for dynamic guidelines adapted to changing humanitarian crisis contexts
Authors: Odlum Alex , James Rosemary , Mahieu Audrey , Blanchet Karl , Altare Chiara , Singh Neha , Spiegel Paul 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background: For humanitarian organisations to respond effectively to complex crises, they require access to up-to-date evidence-based guidance. In addition, the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of adapting and updating global guidance to context-specific and evolving needs in fragile and humanitarian settings. Our study aimed to understand the use of evidence in humanitarian responses during COVID-19.Methods: We collected and analysed COVID-19 guidance documents, and conducted semi-structured interviews remotely with a variety of humanitarian organisations responding and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the COVID-19 Humanitarian platform, a website established by three universities in March 2020, to solicit, collate and document these experiences and knowledge.Results: We collected 180 guidance documents, and after excluding those that did not meet our inclusion criteria, analysed 131. We conducted 80 interviews with humanitarian organisations in the field, generating 61 published field experiences. Although COVID-19 guidance was quickly developed and disseminated in the initial phases of the crisis (from January to May 2020), updates or ongoing revision of the guidance has been limited. Interviews conducted between April and September 2020 showed that humanitarian organisations have responded to COVID-19 in innovative and context-specific ways, but have often had to adapt existing guidance to inform their operations in complex humanitarian settings.Conclusion: Experiences from the field indicate that adopting guidance to respond and adapt to COVID-19 is a complex process requiring innovation and collaboration based on the local context and resource availability. Global guidance aimed at humanitarian actors could be improved through responsive incorporation of contextualised field experiences in a timely manner using real-time feedback loops through online platforms like the COVID-19 Humanitarian platform.
Fly ash application in moorum embankment and its stability analysis using FLAC/SLOPE and Response Surface Method
Authors: Turkane Sagar Dattatray , Chouksey Sandeep Kumar 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
This paper presents the application of fly ash in moorum embankment by partial replacement of moorum with fly ash and its stability analysis has been carried out. An experimental investigation was carried out on moorum blended with fly ash at different proportions of fly ash by dry weight of soil for the moorum embankment stability analysis. The Index properties and strength properties were assessed by performing Atterberg's limit, specific gravity, grain size distribution, compaction test, direct shear test (DST), and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test respectively. The embankment slope stability analysis was performed using FLAC/SLOPE version 8.10 (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua) software at a various slope angle of 30°, 32°, and 34° and different heights of the embankment of 6 m, 8 m, and 10 m to calculate Factor of Safety (FOS). FOS decreases with the increment of fly ash content, the height of embankment, and slope angle respectively. In addition to the numerical analysis, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based (Face-Centered Central Composite Design) was used to predict FOS. The developed mathematical equation illustrates that the RSM model was statistically significant and the results give a reliable prediction of FOS.
A Polylactosamine Specific Lectin from Adenia hondala Induces Apoptosis and Necrosis in Human Epithelial Colon Cancer HT-29 Cells
Authors: Inamdar Shashikala R. , Jagadeesh Narasimhappagari , Hiremath Kavita Y. , Belur Shivakumar , Sharma Mamta 
Published: June 2021

Background:
Altered expression of N-glycans such as polylactosamine is observed in
colon cancer. AHL, a polylactosamine specific lectin from Adenia hondala from a medicinal plant
from the Passifloraceae family has been reported earlier.

Objective:
The aim of the present study is to study the interaction of AHL with human colon cancer
epithelial HT-29 cells and colon cancer tissues.

Methods:
Cell viability was determined by MTT [3-[4, 5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium
bromide] assay, while cell surface binding, apoptosis by Annexin-V-PI assay and ROS production
using DCFDA [2’,7’ - dichlorofluorescindiacetate] kit method were analysed by flowcytometry,
immunohistochemistry was performed using biotinylated AHL, protein purification by
affinity chromatography using asialofetuin-coupled Sepharose -4B column.

Results:
AHL strongly binds to HT-29 cells with a Mean Fluorescence Intensity of 12.4, which
could be blocked by competing glycoprotein asialofetuin. AHL inhibits HT-29 cell growth in a
dose and time-dependent manner with IC50 of 2.5 μg/mL and differentially binds to human normal
and cancerous tissues. AHL induces apoptosis and slight necrosis in HT-29 cells with an increase
in the early apoptotic population of 25.1 and 36% for 24 h and 48 h respectively and necrotic population
of 1.5 and 4.6% at 24 h and 48 h respectively as revealed by Annexin-V-PI assay. AHL induces
the release of Reactive Oxygen Species in HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion:
To the best of knowledge, this is the first report on lectin from Adenia hondala which
is not a RIP with apoptotic and necrotic effects. These findings support the promising potential of
AHL in cancer research.
Serum HSP90-Alpha and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Biomarker
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Ilyas Amber , Syed Basir , Hashim Zehra , Ahmed Aftab , Zarina Shamshad 
Published: June 2021

Aim:
This study aims to perform differential protein expression analysis of serum samples
from Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) patients and healthy controls in search of potential
diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker(s).

Objective:
OSCC is usually diagnosed late, which results in poor survival and high mortality. Identification
of non-invasive prognostic biomarkers is of utmost importance for early diagnosis and
proper management of the disease; hence we used a proteomic approach to identify potential biomarkers
from serum.

Methods:
Serum samples (OSCC n=45 and control n=30) were depleted, and proteins were separated
using 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by identification by mass spectrometric analysis. Gene
expression analysis of identified proteins in malignant and normal tissue was also performed to
complement proteomics studies.

Results:
Among differentially expressed proteins, up-regulation of heat shock protein alpha (HSP90α)
from the serum of oral cancer patients was observed. We also observed elevated levels of
Haptoglobin (HP) along with downregulation of Type II keratin cytoskeletal 1(KRT1) and serum
albumin (ALB) in oral cancer patients. Gene expression studies on identified proteins in malignant
and normal tissue revealed a similar pattern with the exception of KRT1. We believe that elevated
levels of serum HSP90 alpha might be used as a potential biomarker.

Conclusion:
Our findings suggest a contribution of HSP90 alpha and other identified proteins in
oral pathology as pro/anti-apoptotic modulators, thus considering their potential as predictive biomarkers.
Polymer-Based Materials and their Applications in Image-Guided Cancer Therapy
Authors: Sun Yang , Ran Haitao , Liu Fan 
Published: June 2021

Background:
Advances in nanotechnology have enabled the combination of disease diagnosis
and therapy into a single nano package that has tremendous potential for the development of new
theranostic strategies. The variety of polymer-based materials has grown exponentially over the past
several decades. Such materials have great potential as carriers in disease detection imaging and image
monitoring and in systems for the precise delivery of drugs to specific target sites.

Objective:
In the present article, we review recent key developments in the synthesis of polymer-based
materials for various medical applications and their clinical trials.

Conclusion:
There is a growing range of multi-faceted, polymer-based materials with various functions.
These functions include carriers for image contrast agents, drug delivery systems, and real-time
image-guided systems for noninvasive or minimally invasive therapeutic procedures for cancer therapy.