bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Members of the ELMOD protein family specify formation of distinct aperture domains on the Arabidopsis pollen surface
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Amom Prativa , Reeder Sarah H. , Lee Byung Ha , Helton Adam , Dobritsa Anna A. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPollen apertures, the characteristic gaps in pollen wall exine, have emerged as a model for studying the formation of distinct plasma-membrane domains. In each species, aperture number, position, and morphology are typically fixed; across species they vary widely. During pollen development certain plasma-membrane domains attract specific proteins and lipids and become protected from exine deposition, developing into apertures. However, how these aperture domains are selected is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that patterns of aperture domains in Arabidopsis are controlled by the members of the ancient ELMOD protein family, which, although important in animals, has not been studied in plants. We show that two members of this family, MACARON (MCR) and ELMOD_A, act upstream of the previously discovered aperture proteins and that their expression levels influence the number of aperture domains that form on the surface of developing pollen grains. We also show that a third ELMOD family member, ELMOD_E, can interfere with MCR and ELMOD_A activities, changing aperture morphology and producing new aperture patterns. Our findings reveal key players controlling early steps in aperture domain formation, identify residues important for their function, and open new avenues for investigating how diversity of aperture patterns in nature is achieved.
The Oncoprotein BCL6 Enables Cancer Cells to Evade Genotoxic Stress
Authors: Liu Yanan , Feng Juanjuan , Yuan Kun , Lu Yue , Li Kun , Guo Jiawei , Ma Chengbin , Chen Jing , Pang Xiufeng 
Published: June 2021

AbstractGenotoxic agents remain the mainstay of cancer treatment. Unfortunately, the clinical benefits are often countered by a rapid tumor adaptive response. Here, we report that the oncoprotein B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a core component that confers tumor adaptive resistance to genotoxic stress. Multiple genotoxic agents promoted BCL6 transactivation, which was positively correlated with a weakened therapeutic efficacy and a worse clinical outcome. Mechanistically, we discovered that treatment with the genotoxic agent etoposide led to the transcriptional reprogramming of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines, among which the interferon-α and interferon-γ responses were selectively and substantially enriched in resistant cells. Our results further revealed that the activation of interferon/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 axis directly upregulated BCL6 expression. The increased expression of BCL6 further repressed the tumor suppressor PTEN and consequently enabled resistant cancer cell survival. Accordingly, targeted inhibition of BCL6 remarkably enhanced etoposide-triggered DNA damage and apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings highlight the importance of BCL6 signaling in conquering tumor tolerance to genotoxic stress, further establishing a rationale for a combined approach with genotoxic agents and BCL6-targeted therapy.
Incorporating evolutionary and threat processes into crop wild relatives conservation
Authors: Tobón-Niedfeldt Wolke , Mastretta-Yanes Alicia , Urquiza-Haas Tania , Goettsch Bárbara , Cuervo-Robayo Angela P. , Urquiza-Haas Esmeralda , Orjuela-R. M. Andrea , Acevedo Gasman Francisca , Oliveros-Galindo Oswaldo , Burgeff Caroline , Rivera-Rodríguez Diana , de Jesús Sánchez González José , Alarcón-Guerrero Jesús , Sarukhán José , Koleff Patricia 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBiodiversity conservation calls for spatial explicit approaches to maximize the representation and persistence of genetic diversity given species’ idiosyncratic threats in mosaic landscapes, but conservation planning methodologies seldom account for this. Here, we introduce a novel approach that uses proxies of genetic diversity to identify conservation areas, applying systematic conservation planning tools to produce hierarchical prioritizations of the landscape. It accounts for: (i) evolutionary processes, including historical and environmental drivers of genetic diversity, and (ii) threat processes, considering taxa specific tolerance to human-modified habitats and their extinction risk status. We illustrate our approach with crop wild relatives (CWR) because their intra- and interspecific diversity is important for crop breeding and food security. Although we focus on Mesoamerican CWR within Mexico, our methodology offers new opportunities to effectively guide conservation and monitoring strategies to safeguard the evolutionary resilience of any taxa, including in regions of complex evolutionary histories and mosaic landscapes.
Dietary palmitic acid induces innate immune memory via ceramide production that enhances severity of acute septic shock and clearance of infection
Authors: Seufert AL , Hickman JW , Traxler SK , Peterson RM , Lashley SJ , Shulzhenko N , Napier RJ , Napier BA 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTrained immunity is an innate immune memory response that is induced by primary microbial or sterile stimuli that sensitizes monocytes and macrophages to a secondary pathogenic challenge, reprogramming the host response to infection and inflammatory disease. Nutritional components, such as dietary fatty acids, can act as inflammatory stimuli, but it is unknown if they can act as the primary stimuli in the context of innate immune memory. Here we find mice fed diets enriched in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) confer a hyper-inflammatory response to systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and increased mortality, independent of diet-induced microbiome and glycemic modulation. Ex vivo, we show monocytes and splenocytes from mice fed enriched SFAs do not have altered baseline inflammation, but enhanced responses to a secondary inflammatory challenge. Lipidomics identified enhanced free palmitic acid (PA) and PA-associated lipids in SFA-fed mice serum. We found pre-treatment with physiologically relevant concentrations of PA alone reprograms macrophages to induce a hyper-inflammatory response to secondary challenge with LPS. This response was found to be dependent on the synthesis of ceramide, and reversible when treated with oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated FA that depletes intracellular ceramide. In vivo, we found systemic PA confers enhanced inflammation and mortality during an acute septic response to systemic LPS, which was not reversible for up to 7 days post-PA-exposure. While PA-treatment is harmful for acute septic shock outcome, we find PA exposure enhanced clearance of Candida albicans in RAG-/- mice. These are the first data to implicate enriched dietary SFAs, and specifically PA, in the induction of long-lived innate immune memory that is detrimental during an acute septic response, but beneficial for clearance of pathogens.
Vision is required for the formation of binocular neurons prior to the classical critical period
Authors: Tan Liming , Ringach Dario L. , Zipursky S. Lawrence , Trachtenberg Joshua T. 
Published: June 2021

SummaryDepth perception emerges from the development of binocular neurons in primary visual cortex. Vision is required for these neurons to acquire their mature responses to visual stimuli. The prevailing view is that vision does not influence binocular circuitry until the onset of the critical period, about a week after eye opening, and that plasticity of visual responses is triggered by increased inhibition. Here, we show that vision is required to form binocular neurons and to improve binocular tuning and matching from eye opening until critical period closure. Enhancing inhibition does not accelerate this process. Vision soon after eye opening improves the tuning properties of binocular neurons by strengthening and sharpening ipsilateral-eye cortical responses. This progressively changes the population of neurons in the binocular pool and this plasticity is sensitive to interocular differences prior to critical period onset. Thus, vision establishes binocular circuitry and guides binocular plasticity from eye opening.
Lipid nanodiscs facilitate the identification of a fragment compound inhibiting the enzymatic activity of the bacterial membrane protein MsbA
Authors: Fujimoto Kaoru , Senoo Akinobu , Nagatoishi Satoru , Takahashi Daisuke , Ueda Tadashi , Tsumoto Kouhei , Caaveiro Jose M.M. 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTMembrane proteins are critical elements of numerous therapeutic approaches ranging from cancer to bacterial infections. MsbA is a bacterial membrane protein that has received increasing attention as an antibacterial target for its role in the processing of Lipid A, a key precursor of lipopolysaccharide that is essential for bacterial growth. When employing nanodiscs it is possible to stabilize MsbA by providing a membrane-like environment that enhances its enzymatic activity. Taking advantage of this property we have carried out a fragment screening using the biophysical method of surface plasmon resonance. This approach identified several compounds that bind specifically to MsbA. In particular, one of these fragment molecules not only binds to the target, but also inhibits the ATPase activity of the MsbA protein. The similarity of this fragment to the adenine moiety of ATP points at a route to generate stronger and more potent inhibitors for MsbA and even other proteins of its family of ABC transporters. Collectively, our study reveals biophysical approaches that facilitate the identification of fragment candidates inhibiting the activity of membrane proteins.
Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Mauritius reveals a new wave of infections dominated by the B.1.1.318, a variant under investigation
Authors: Tegally Houriiyah , Ramuth Magalutcheemee , Amoaka Daniel , Scheepers Cathrine , Wilkinson Eduan , Giovanetti Marta , Lessells Richard J , Giandhari Jennifer , Ismail Arshad , Martin Darren , San Emmanuel James , Crawford Margaret , Daniels Rodney S , Harvey Ruth , Bahadoor Somduthsingh , Sonoo Janaki , Timol Myriam , Veerapa-Mangroo Lovena , Gottberg Anne von , Bhiman Jinal N. , de Oliveira Tulio , Manraj Shyam 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, has had a unique experience of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In March 2020, Mauritius endured a small first wave and quickly implemented control measures which allowed elimination of local transmission of SARS-CoV-2. When borders to the island reopened, it was accompanied by mandatory quarantine and testing of incoming passengers to avoid reintroduction of the virus into the community. As variants of concern (VOCs) emerged elsewhere in the world, Mauritius began using genomic surveillance to keep track of quarantined cases of these variants. In March 2021, another local outbreak occurred, and sequencing was used to investigate this new wave of local infections. Here, we analyze 154 SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes from Mauritius, which represent 12% of all the infections seem in Mauritius, these were both from specimens of incoming passengers before March 2021 and those of cases during the second wave. Our findings indicate that despite the presence of known VOCs Beta (B.1.351) and Alpha (B.1.1.7) among quarantined passengers, the second wave of local SARS-CoV-2 infections in Mauritius was caused by a single introduction and dominant circulation of the B.1.1.318 virus. The B.1.1.318 variant is characterized by fourteen non-synonymous mutations in the S-gene, with five encoded amino acid substitutions (T95I, E484K, D614G, P681H, D796H) and one deletion (Y144del) in the Spike glycoprotein. This variant seems to be increasing in prevalence and it is now present in 34 countries. This study highlights that despite having stopped the introduction of more transmissible VOCs by travel quarantines, a single undetected introduction of a B.1.1.318 lineage virus was enough to initiate a large local outbreak in Mauritius and demonstrated the need for continuous genomic surveillance to fully inform public health decisions.
Epigenetic Conditioning Induces Intergenerational Resilience to Dementia in a Mouse Model of Vascular Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Belmonte Krystal Courtney D. , Holmgren Eleanor B. , Wills Tiffany A. , Gidday Jeff M. 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundVascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), which occurs immediately or in delayed fashion in 25-30% of stroke survivors, or secondary to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, is the second leading cause of dementia following Alzheimer’s disease. To date, efficacious therapies are unavailable. We have shown previously in mice that repetitive hypoxic preconditioning (RHC) induces a long-lasting resilience to acute stroke (Stowe et al., 2011). More recently, we documented that untreated, first-generation adult progeny of mice exposed to RHC prior to mating are protected from retinal ischemic injury (Harman et al., 2020), consistent with accumulating evidence supporting the concept that long-lasting phenotypes induced epigenetically by intermittent stressors may be heritable. We undertook the present study to test the hypothesis that RHC will induce resilience to VCID, and that such RHC-induced resilience can also be inherited.MethodsChronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) was induced in C57BL/6J mice secondary to bilateral carotid artery stenosis with microcoils in both the parental (F0) generation, and in their untreated first-generation (F1) offspring. Cohorts of F0 mice were directly exposed to either 8 wks of RHC (1 h of systemic hypoxia [11% oxygen] 3x/week) or normoxia prior to CCH. Cohorts of F1 mice were derived from F0 mice treated with RHC prior to mating, and untreated, normoxic controls that were age-matched at the time of stenosis induction. Demyelination in the corpus callosum of F0 mice was assessed following 3 months of CCH by immunohistochemistry. Mice from both generations were assessed for short-term recognition memoryin vivoby novel object preference (NOP) testing following 3 months of CCH, and a month thereafter,ex vivomeasurements of CA1 hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) were recorded from the same animals as a metric of long-lasting changes in synaptic plasticity.ResultsThree months of CCH caused demyelination and concomitant impairments in recognition memory in control mice from both generations. However, these CCH-induced memory impairments were prevented in F0 animals directly treated with RHC, as well as in their untreated adult F1 progeny. Similarly, hippocampal LTP was preserved in the 4-month CCH cohorts of mice directly treated with RHC, and in their untreated offspring with CCH.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that RHC or other repetitively-presented, epigenetic-based therapeutics may hold promise for inducing a long-lasting resilience to VCID in treated individuals, and in their first-generation adult progeny.
A quasi-Monte Carlo statistical three-dimensional tolerance analysis method of products based on edge sampling
Authors: Zhou Chuanyuan , Liu Zhenyu , Qiu Chan , Tan Jianrong 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
The conventional statistical method of three-dimensional tolerance analysis requires numerous pseudo-random numbers and consumes enormous computations to increase the calculation accuracy, such as the Monte Carlo simulation. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel method to overcome the problems.

Design/methodology/approach
With the combination of the quasi-Monte Carlo method and the unified Jacobian-torsor model, this paper proposes a three-dimensional tolerance analysis method based on edge sampling. By setting reasonable evaluation criteria, the sequence numbers representing relatively smaller deviations are excluded and the remaining numbers are selected and kept which represent deviations approximate to and still comply with the tolerance requirements.

Findings
The case study illustrates the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method in that it can reduce the sample size, diminish the computations, predict wider tolerance ranges and improve the accuracy of three-dimensional tolerance of precision assembly simultaneously.

Research limitations/implications
The proposed method may be applied only when the dimensional and geometric tolerances are interpreted in the three-dimensional tolerance representation model.

Practical implications
The proposed tolerance analysis method can evaluate the impact of manufacturing errors on the product structure quantitatively and provide a theoretical basis for structural design, process planning and manufacture inspection.

Originality/value
The paper is original in proposing edge sampling as a sampling strategy to generating deviation numbers in tolerance analysis.
Enhance corrosion behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy by tailoring the anodic oxidation time followed by heat treatment in simulated body fluid
Authors: Rahimi Mohammadreza , Mehdinavaz Aghdam Rouhollah , Heydarzadeh Sohi Mahmoud , Rezayan Ali Hossein , Ettelaei Maryam 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of anodizing time and heat treatment on morphology, phase and corrosion resistance of formed coating. To characterize the anodic oxide layer, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that was equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was hired. The corrosion behavior of oxide-coated samples was estimated by electrochemical polarization test in simulated body fluid (SBF).

Design/methodology/approach
Anodic oxidation method is applied to reinforce the corrosion and biological properties of biomaterials in the biomedical industry. In this paper, the alkaline NaOH (1 M) electrolyte was used for AZ31 magnesium alloy anodizing accompanied by heat treatment in the air.

Findings
It can be concluded that the best corrosion resistance belongs to the 10 min anodic oxidized sample and among the heat-treated samples the 30 min anodized sample represented the lowest corrosion rate.

Originality/value
In this study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge for the first time, this paper describes the effect of anodizing process time on NaOH (1 M) electrolyte at 3 V on corrosion behavior of magnesium AZ31 alloy with an alternate method to change the phase composition of the formed oxide layer. The morphology and composition of the obtained anodic oxide layer were investigated under the results of SEM, EDS and XRD. The corrosion behavior of the oxide coatings layer fabricated on the magnesium-based substrate was studied by the potentiodynamic polarization test in the SBF solution.
Teaching entrepreneurship in China: culture matters
Authors: Lyu Jiejie , Shepherd Deborah M. , Lee Kerry 
Published: June 2021

PurposeThe primary purpose of this research is to explore how the cultural context, in this case, China, influences the teaching of entrepreneurship that seeks to cultivate student entrepreneurs during their university experience.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study approach is adopted to explore how the cultural environment affects the delivery and application of entrepreneurship education to university students in a Chinese context. Seventeen student entrepreneurs and three lecturing staff members in three Chinese universities were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach.FindingsThe findings suggest that while Chinese universities have been importing teaching models and methods of entrepreneurship education from the United States and other countries, both students and educators are starting to recognise the need for teaching methods to be contextualised and designed based on national conditions and cultural characteristics. Findings from this study highlight cultural fusion and collision in the process of importing and implementing entrepreneurial teaching methods. For example, teaching students how to write a business plan appears to offer limited value for students' start-up activities and their venture development. The didactic teaching method centred on teachers without entrepreneurial experience works for the teaching “about” entrepreneurship but is paradoxical to the goal of teaching “for” entrepreneurship.Originality/valueLittle theoretical or empirical attention has been paid to the complexity of the cultural environment of teaching approaches to entrepreneurship education. This paper provides novel empirical insight into why the cultural environment plays a critical role in teaching approaches to entrepreneurship education and how these teaching approaches can be culturally nuanced to better meet the needs of nascent student entrepreneurs in various cultural contexts.
Financing renewable energy projects in the Dominican Republic: an empirical study
Authors: Donastorg Angelines Daihana , Renukappa Suresh , Suresh Subashini 
Published: June 2021

Purpose
Currently, renewable energy (RE) sources represent a crucial pillar in obtaining sustainable development, one of the global goals for all countries. However, this presents a unique challenge for emerging and developing countries. As the technical and financial issues remain a significant barrier in implementing RE projects, several mechanisms are available to aid the financial aspect of investing and implementing clean energy projects. This paper aims to discuss new and traditional trends in the financial area of renewable investment, focusing on the Dominican Republic (DR), identifying the gaps in the financial area regarding RE.

Design/methodology/approach
An empirical study was conducted in the DR. This country is located at the heart of the Caribbean. Given the complexity of RE and developing countries issues and the scarcity of comparable research in the area, an interpretivist research paradigm along with the qualitative methodology was adopted. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The study sample includes: directors, chief executive officers and managers responsible for the implementation of RE strategies in their respective departments/organisations. NVivo software was used for data management and the collected data was analysed using content analysis.

Findings
The research highlighted several severe financial handicaps regarding RE in the DR: The lack of RE assets recognition; lack of RE investment loans; perceived RE risk; and lack of financial guarantor. After extensive interviews with critical actors in the RE sector in the DR, the possible solutions and recommendations for avoiding locking the energy and economic sector in fossil fuel debt are: (a) diversification of RE technology assets recognition, (b) implementation of government RE fund, (c) RE education on all actors and (d) introduction and adoption of new financial trends such as green bonds, bank pooling, cooperatives and more.

Originality/value
This paper provides information and knowledge related to financial tools and policies that are available for the RE projects in the DR. The results have a socio-economic impact. This research provides a better understanding of the key financial tools to be explored by RE project developers in the developing countries. This study shows the gaps that exist between the knowledge that the stakeholders should possess and the actual knowledge that exists in the country regarding the financial aspect of an RE project.