bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Targeting TAZ and YAP as a New Therapeutic Approach to Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Chan Lauren 
Published: April 2021

Introduction
Fibrosis is a major contributor to chronic kidney disease (CKD), for which no effective clinical treatment exists. The primary source of fibrosis is the activation of fibroblasts to the myofibroblast state. Fibroblast-myofibroblast transition requires transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and its canonical Smad signaling pathway.

Purpose
Recent findings suggest that mechanical stimuli affect fibroblast behavior. Nuclear localization of YAP/TAZ, closely associated mechanosensitive transcriptional co-factors, are regulated by substrate stiffness. As YAP/TAZ are Smad nuclear retention factors promoting TGF- β signaling, we hypothesized that YAP/TAZ inhibition could attenuate stiffness-mediated, TGF- β induced pro-fibrotic responses.

Methods
Immunostaining and immunoblotting were used to analyze localization and activity of YAP/TAZ and Smad levels, respectively.

Results
YAP/TAZ are in an active nuclear location in fibroblasts grown on stiff, fibrotic-like substrates (100kPa). In fibroblasts grown on soft substrates (2kPa), YAP/TAZ are primarily in an inactive cytosolic position. Cells grown on soft surfaces demonstrated strongly attenuated nuclear Smad 2/3 translocation and Smad-3 dependent transcription upon TGF-β stimulation, indicating impaired pro-fibrotic signaling. Verteporfin, a clinically approved drug with YAP inhibitory properties, was used to test the role of YAP/TAZ in reduced TGF-β signaling. Verteporfin reduced TGF-β-induced nuclear Smad2/3 accumulation and Smad3-mediated
transcription in fibroblasts grown on stiff surfaces. In vivo, Verteporfin significantly reduces markers of renal fibrosis.

Conclusions
Soft, healthy kidney-like substrates inhibit, while stiff fibrotic-like substrates promote, pro-fibrotic TGF-β Smad signalling. Verteporfin inactivates the YAP/TAZ fibroblast mechanosensor, reduces stiffness-augmented fibroblast responses to TGF-β through blockade of Smad signalling, and may be a novel anti-fibrotic agent for CKD.
1. Impact of Surface Stability and Hand Separation on Activation of Agonist and Stabilizing Muscles During Push-Up Exercise
Authors: Bhalla Mahadev 
Published: April 2021

Stability is an important factor to consider when designing an exercise program as recent studies have suggested that there can be benefits to performing exercises on unstable surfaces compared to rigid ones. Furthermore, to increase strength of the agonist muscles, pectoralis major and triceps brachii, various hand positions can also be implemented to increase stress on these muscles during an exercise. Thus, our goal was to test the impact that surface stability and hand position can have on muscle activity of stabilizing and agonist muscles during a push-up exercise. Surface electrodes were attached to specific stabilizing and agonist muscles and electromyography (EMG) data was used to measure muscle activity. When compared to a rigid surface, a push up exercise performed on an unstable surface of a BOSU ball resulted in higher muscle activity for all the stabilizing muscles, while only the pectoralis major had an increase in activity for the agonist muscle group. In regards to hand position, a narrow hand spacing resulted in greater activation of all the stabilizing muscles and was able to specifically target the triceps brachii, while the use of wide hand spacing only isolated the pectoralis major. Hence an exercise program consisting of push-ups can target the stabilizing muscles further by using an unstable surface and a narrow hand position. In regards to the agonist muscles, the use of a specific surface and hand position can allow the user to target the agonist muscle they desire in a more efficient manner.
4. The Role of Glycosylation in Cardiac Arrhythmias
Authors: Hulbert Maggie 
Published: April 2021

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a debilitating cardiac arrhythmia, and mutations or malfunctions in the human ether-a-go-go–related gene (hERG) are the most common cause of LQTS. hERG is responsible for the cardiac potassium current (IKr), which is important for cardiac repolarization. It has 6 transmembrane domains, ranging from S1 to S6, and a complex N-linked oligosaccharide chain resides on the extracellular S5 pore linker region. The role of this glycosylation chain in hERG function has not yet been well distinguished and in the current study we aim to investigate the relationship between hERG protease susceptibility and the presence of the glycosylation chain. Using molecular techniques, we demonstrate that de-glycosylated hERG channels are degraded by the serine protease Proteinase K at a much faster rate than their glycosylated counter parts. Additionally, through removal of the end-chain sialic acid residues using the enzyme neuraminidase, we conclude that it is likely the physical blockade of susceptible protease sites that grants wild type hERG this glycosylation-dependent protection as opposed to charge repulsion facilitated by specific sugars in the carbohydrate chain. Our data show that the glycosylation chain found on hERG plays a role in protecting the channel from protease degradation, and could provide valuable insight into the development of the cardiac arrhythmia Long QT Syndrome.
8. Evaluation of Snow Fungus Polysaccharides on benzo[a]pyrene-induced DNA Damage
Authors: Liu Daisy 
Published: April 2021

Snow fungus, Tremella fuciformis, has been demonstrated to have numerous health benefits including purported chemopreventive properties due to free radical-scavenging ability. Protective effects derived from snow fungus polysaccharides are evaluated on Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CCL-39) exposed to carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene known to cause free radical formation and oxidative stress to cells.
In this experiment, it was hypothesized that the naturally occurring polysaccharides in snow fungus are able to protect against or reduce oxidative stress-induced DNA damage. Polysaccharides were isolated through an alkaline extraction and in-vitro digestion. DNA damage was measured using the single-cell gel electrophoresis comet assay after exposure to benzo[a]pyrene and polysaccharide extract to lung fibroblasts. Results were calculated using the mean and standard deviation data of tail length and area, respectively. Each damaged cell was measured and analyzed through ImageJ Editing Software. The results indicate a promising trend which depict snow fungus polysaccharides yielding lower levels of DNA damage compared to cells exposed to benzo[a]pyrene and compared to the negative control (phosphate buffered saline and Dulbecco’s cell medium). This study suggests polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis could truly prevent cellular DNA damage by protecting against oxidative stress.
14. Implementing a Quantum Solution to Database Hierarchy Control
Authors: Percival Helen 
Published: April 2021

Data access control in a hierarchy is currently a complex structure. Diﬀerent groups need access to sets of data, some of which overlap, while the rest of the data remains secret. Managers and directors need to access the data that is hidden from regular users. To manage this, users are organized into partially ordered sets, or posets. Nodes in the posets represent users with the same access rights.
Current solutions use independent keys to access sections of data. This is chaotic, particularly for upper users in the hierarchy. A proposed solution is up-down computable keys, as described by Nagy and Akl in 2010 [1]. The downfall of this solution is that it is only applicable to stable posets. Users leaving and entering the organization at arbitrary levels or even moving within the structure, may invalidate multiple keys or even all the keys in a poset.
Nagy and Akl [1] propose a quantum mechanical solution; by managing systems with two keys per user, a quantum and a classical key, the database is able to use computable keys that the user has no access to. Instead of direct access to the key, the system uses the quantum and the classical keys to compute the access key.
The purpose of the study is to design a physical system to implement quantum key database access, able to accommodate large businesses and governments with large, ﬂuctuating and complex organizational hierarchies. Such a system would also be highly secure, suitable for databases with sensitive data.
References
[1] N. Nagy and S. G. Akl, “A quantum cryptographic solution to the problem of access control in a hierarchy,” Parallel Processing Letters, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 251–261, 2010.
20. Discovery of Novel Proteins Involved the Insulin/IGF-1 Signalling Pathway
Authors: Wei David (Wen Xiao) 
Published: April 2021

The insulin/insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signalling (IIS) pathway plays a key role in metabolism, growth and development. Though research has elucidated aspects of this pathway, it is not fully characterized or understood. A better understanding of the pathway will give insight into related diseases such as cancer. To discover novel proteins involved in the IIS pathway, the C. elegans worm was used due to the homology its insulin/IGF-1 receptor shares with that of humans.
To identify novel protein interactions with the insulin/IGF-1 receptor, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screen using a library of worm proteins. We found several separate interactions with the worm homolog of the HSP90 protein.
To support the involvement of HSP90 in the IIS pathway, we studied the phenotypes of worm strains with a mutant form of HSP90. They showed a similar phenotype to those that have a mutant form of the insulin/IGF-1 receptor, inappropriately entering a developmental stage known as dauer. This strongly suggests the involvement of HSP90 in the IIS pathway.
Based on previous research, we hypothesized the interaction between HSP90 and the insulin/IGF-1 receptor may allow it to bind other proteins. Thus, we performed a modified yeast two-hybrid screen to identify proteins which interact with the receptor in the presence of HSP90. The screen identified 15 interactions, many more than with the insulin/IGF-1 receptor alone, supporting this hypothesis.
Overall, we provide evidence of a novel interaction with insulin/IGF-1 receptor, suggesting HSP90 may be a potential target for developing therapies for IIS pathway related diseases.
22. Immune Response to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Authors: Wettlaufer Jillian 
Published: April 2021

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is one of the most common multidrug-resistant organisms isolated from the cystic fibrosis (CF) respiratory tract but it is unknown how it influences the long term clinical outcomes of CF patients.

Objective/Hypothesis: To characterize the immune response to S. maltophilia and its association with clinical outcomes in CF patients over time.
Methods: This was a longitudinal study from 2007-2014 of CF patients followed at The Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael’s Hospital. All patients were classified as: 1) those with chronic S. maltophilia: ³2 positive cultures/year, 2) intermittent S. maltophilia: 1 positive sputum culture/year, and 3) no S. maltophilia cultures/year with and without chronic P. aeruginosa. IgG/IgA/IgM serologic responses were measured in serial sera samples by ELISA using whole cell S. maltophilia antigen. Results were calculated as the ratio of the average serum sample optical density to the average optical density of the negative control wells. Antibody levels for each patient were compared longitudinally to their rate of decline in FEV1 % predicted, body mass index, and rate of hospitalization.

Results: S. maltophilia antibody levels were measured in 350 sera samples from 113 CF patients. Median baseline antibody levels were 1.56 (range 0.996-5.15) in chronic patients, 1.09 (range 0.907-3.79) in intermittent patients, and 1.12 (range 0.737-4.86) in patients with no S. maltophilia.
Conclusions:
Preliminary data suggests antibody levels to be significantly higher in patients with chronic S. maltophilia, and no significant difference between intermittent S. maltophilia and no S. maltophilia.
Física, gramática e pragmática dos sons de fala
Authors: Albano Eleonora C. 
Published: April 2021

Este artigo argumenta que a cisão entre a Fonética e a Fonologia deve ser superada em prol de uma visão integrada dos fatos fônicos, que vem obtendo crescente respaldo na literatura. Parte desse respaldo vem da evidência de que certos processos fônicos podem ser categóricos ou gradientes sob condições só ligeiramente distintas, tornando implausível a existência de um componente fonológico independente da fonética. Outra parte do respaldo vem da evidência contra a existência de uma mecânica fônica universal, o que torna implausível um componente fonético independente da fonologia. O artigo focaliza o último caso, cuja discussão na literatura é ainda insuficiente. A exposição baseia-se em quatro argumentos. O primeiro sustenta que mesmo as restrições biomecânicas mais fortes são flexíveis. O caso exemplar é a incompressibilidade da língua, decorrência incontornável do seu caráter de hidróstato muscular. O segundo argumento explora a manifestação da incompressibilidade numa região de conhecida instabilidade articulatória, o palato duro, mostrando que algumas das suas consequências estão, contudo, sujeitas a condições bastante abstratas. O terceiro argumento vai além, examinando processos fônicos relacionados à incompressibilidade em línguas com bases articulatórias distintas. O quarto argumento apoia-se em indícios de que as línguas tomam a base articulatória não só como postura preferencial, mas também como plataforma de alavancagem para a aquisição de linguagem. Em conjunto, esses argumentos sugerem fortemente que a Fonologia e a Fonética são interdependentes.
Primarily Results of a Real-Time Flash Flood Warning System in Vietnam
Authors: Chau Tran Kim , Thanh Nguyen Tien , Toan Nguyen The 
Published: April 2021

In recent years, losses and damages from flash floods have been steadily increasing worldwide as well as in Vietnam, due to physical factors, human activities, especially under a changing climate. This is a hotspot issue which requires immediate response from scientists and policy-makers to monitor and mitigate the negative impacts of flash floods. This study presents a way to reduce losses through increasing the accuracy of real-time flash flood warning systems in Vietnam, a case study developed for Ha Giang province where the topography is relatively complex with severe flash floods observed. The objective of this paper is to generate the real-time flash flood system based on bankfull discharge threshold. To do this, HEC-HMS model is applied to calibrate and validate observer inflow to the reservoir with nine automatic rain gauges installed. More importantly, on the basic of measured discharge at 35 locations from the fieldtrips, an empirical equation constructed is to identify the bankful discharge values. It bases on the relationship between basin characteristics of river length, basin area and bankfull discharge. The results indicate an effective approach to determine bankfull threshold with the established-empirical equation. On the scale of a small basin, it depicts the consistency of flood status and warning time with the reality. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091687 Full Text: PDF
A Review and Comprehensive Analysis of the Performance of University – Construction Industry Collaboration
Authors: Al-Gsim Ziad , Senin Aslan Amat , Bin Yusoff Mohd Effandi 
Published: April 2021

University–construction industry collaboration (UIC) has become an essential part of driving innovation and fostering construction industry growth. Measuring the performance of such collaboration is an emergent field of study that is scattered through the current literature. This study aims to identify the UIC performance indicators advocated by the top-cited references, and map UIC performance indicators in the context of the state of Qatar. The present research evaluated the literature related to measuring the performance of UIC, considering publications in selected scientific databases over the period of 2004 – 2020. The publications were obtained through a search of the Science Direct, Emerald Insight, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer Link, SAGE, Research Gate, and Taylor & Francis Online databases. Keywords used in searching for publications included university, construction industry, business, cooperation, collaboration, relation, performance, and measurement. The findings were discussed and confirmed in the context of Qatar’s education and innovation ecosystem through semi-structured interviews with two renowned scholars who are involved in UIC. The study revealed that both universities and the construction industry are increasingly focused on measuring the performance of collaboration through specific performance indicators. The results show that both universities and the construction industry share some interests when it comes to four key performance indicators. These performance indicators are (1) the number of registered patents, (2) the number of patent applications, (3) the number of innovations (process/marketing/product/organisational), and (4) the number of publications. This study contributes to a general understanding of measuring UIC performance and defining trends in this research field. It also highlights research limitations and provides an arena for future research in the field. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091688 Full Text: PDF
UPAYA PIMPINAN RANTING IKATAN PELAJAR MUHAMMADIYAH DALAM MENGEMBANGKAN NILAI-NILAI DEMOKRASI YANG BERNUANSA ISLAM DI SMA MUHAMMADIYAH 1 PONTIANAK
Authors: Sumantri Sumantri 
Published: April 2021

Upaya pimpinan ranting ikatan pelajar muhammadiyah dalam mengembangkan nilai-nilai demokrasi yang bernuansa islam di SMA muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak di bawah bimbingan Bapak Nilwani, S.Ag, M.Pd dan Wahdah, S. Ag, M. PdKajian tentang demokrasi tidak terbatas hanya yang berhubungan dengan pemerintahan dan politik semata tetapi ruang lingkupnya amat sangat luas, diantaranya yang berhubungan dengan dengan model kepemimpinan dalam keluarga, misalnya ada kepala keluarga ( Ayah) yang bersikap atau bergaya kepemimpinan yang tidak demokrasi (otoriter) demikian juga gaya kepemimpinan di lingkungan masyarakat, secara luas termasuk di organisasi kepemudaan, organisasi sekolah dan kemasyarakatan. Dari enam nilai demokrasi salah satunya ialah nilai demokrasi kerjasama, kerjasama akan terwujud jika semua individu mau berperan, tetapi sangat disayangkan seperti yang kita ketahui bahwa nilai demokrasi kerjasama sudah sangat memprihatinkan baik itu dikalangan masyarakat maupun di dalam organisasi perlajar, yang mana disini bukan hanya masyarakat saja tetapi Pelajarpun sudah kurangnya nilai demokrasi kerjasama. Adapun tujuan penelitian ini adalah ingin mengetahui dan mendeskripsikan tentang bagaimana Upaya Pimpinan Ranting IPM mengembangkan nilai-nilai Demokrasi yang bernuansa Islam di SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak, dan juga Untuk mengetahui dan mendeskripsikan tentang Faktor pendukung dan penghambat Pimpinan Ranting IPM dalam mengembangkan nilai-nilai Demokrasi yang bernuansa Islam di SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak . Adapun bentuk penelitian yang digunakan oleh peneliti dalam penelitian ini ialah bentuk penelitian kualitatif – deskriptif, Dalam penelitian ini peneliti menggunakan teknik pengumpulan data yaitu: wawancara, observasi dan dokumentasi. Yang menjadi informan kunci dalam penelitian ini ialah Pimpinan Ranting IPM, Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa upaya yang dilakukan Pimpinan Ranting IPM dalam mengembangkan nilai-nilai demokrasi yang bernuasa Islam yaitu melalui kegiatan sosial seperti penyembelihan hewan kurban disamping itu juga melalui saling menasehati dan mengingatkan, dan juga melalui kegiatan infak juma’at, disamping itu juga ada yang mendukung berkembangnya nilai demokrasi kerjasama atau tolong menolong yaitu melalui pembelajaran disekolah, kemudian adanya dukungan untuk berkerjasama, disamping itu juga ada faktor penghambat yaitu waktu, keberadaan Pembina dalam organisasi, partisipasi, kontirbusi dan kesadaran untuk berkerjasama.
PELAKSANAAN KEGIATAN MALAM BINA IMAN DAN TAQWA (MABIT) PADA KELAS ATAS ( III, IV, DAN V) DI SDIT DARUL IHSAN PONTIANAK TAHUN PELAJARAN 2019/2020
Authors: Andriyadi Andriyadi 
Published: April 2021

Pelaksanaan kegiatan malam bina iman dan taqwa (mabit) pada kelas atas ( III, IV, dan V) di SDIT Darul Ihsan Pontianak tahun pelajaran 2019/2020 di bawah bimbingan Bapak Elin B. Soemantri, S.Ag, M.Pd dan Wahdah, S. Ag, M. PdPenelitian ini dilatar belakangi oleh ketertarikan peneliti akan kegiatan Malam Bina Iman dan Taqwa (MABIT) yang dilaksanakan di SDIT Darul Ihsan Pontianak, mengingat dewasa ini problematika moral yang semakin kompleks khususnya di Indonesia. Sehingga perlu bimbingan keagamaan guna membentuk generasi yang berakhlak islami. Kegiatan MABIT menjadi salah satu solusi untuk menggembleng atau mendidik akhlak anak-anak di era modern, dengan menciptakan kegiatan yang menjadi kebiasaan seorang muslim menurut pandanngan islam. Bukan sebagai muslim yang hanya menyandang status di KTP saja, akan tetapi substansi muslim itu sendiri. Karena konsekuensi dari seorang muslim adalah menjalankan perintah Allah swt. dengan sepenuh hati dan menjauhi larangan-Nya sekuat tenaga. MABIT di SDIT Darul Ihsan Pontianak kali ini mengusung tema “Birrul Walidain” yaitu berbakti kepada kedua orang tua. Seperti yang sudah kita ketahui rasa hormat dan patuh anak-anak terhadap orang tua terkikis oleh arus kemajuan teknologi. Sehingga kegiatan MABIT diharapkan dapat memberikan edukasi dalam berbakti kepada kedua orang tua. Adapun MABIT kelas atas (III, IV, Dan V) sejalan dengan pendidikan anak dalam islam yaitu tentang anjuran sholat. Dimana pada rentang umur 7 sampai dengan 10 tahun Rasulullah saw. menganjurkan untuk diajarkan sholat. Dengan begitu, awal pembentukan akhlak dimulai dari sholatnya. Jadi seperti itulah salah satu pendidikan dalam islam dengan membentuk kebiasaan anak-anak mulai dari sejak dini. Maka dari itu dibuatlah kegiatan MABIT di SDIT Darul Ihsan Pontianak dengan desain pola hidup seorang muslim menurut pandangan islam.