bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Micro-mechanical insights into the dynamics of crack propagation in snow fracture experiments
Authors: Bobillier Grégoire , Bergfeld Bastian , Dual Jürg , Gaume Johan , van Herwijnen Alec , Schweizer Jürg 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDry-snow slab avalanches result from crack propagation in a highly porous weak layer buried within a stratified and metastable snowpack. While our understanding of slab avalanche mechanisms improved with recent experimental and numerical advances, fundamental micro-mechanical processes remain poorly understood due to a lack of non-invasive monitoring techniques. Using a novel discrete micro-mechanical model, we reproduced crack propagation dynamics observed in field experiments, which employ the propagation saw test. The detailed microscopic analysis of weak layer stresses and bond breaking allowed us to define the crack tip location of closing crack faces, analyze its spatio-temporal characteristics and monitor the evolution of stress concentrations and the fracture process zone both in transient and steady-state regimes. Results highlight the occurrence of a steady state in crack speed and stress conditions for sufficiently long crack propagation distances (> 4 m). Crack propagation without external driving force except gravity is possible due to the local mixed-mode shear-compression stress nature at the crack tip induced by slab bending and weak layer volumetric collapse. Our result shed light into the microscopic origin of dynamic crack propagation in snow slab avalanche release that eventually will improve the evaluation of avalanche release sizes and thus hazard management and forecasting in mountainous regions.
Composition and function of the C1b/C1f region in the ciliary central apparatus
Authors: Joachimiak Ewa , Osinka Anna , Farahat Hanan , Świderska Bianka , Sitkiewicz Ewa , Poprzeczko Martyna , Fabczak Hanna , Wloga Dorota 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMotile cilia are ultrastructurally complex cell organelles with the ability to actively move. The highly conserved central apparatus of motile 9 × 2 + 2 cilia is composed of two microtubules and several large microtubule-bound projections, including the C1b/C1f supercomplex. The composition and function of C1b/C1f subunits has only recently started to emerge. We show that in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, C1b/C1f contains several evolutionarily conserved proteins: Spef2A, Cfap69, Cfap246/LRGUK, Adgb/androglobin, and a ciliate-specific protein Tt170/TTHERM_00205170. Deletion of genes encoding either Spef2A or Cfap69 led to a loss of the entire C1b projection and resulted in an abnormal vortex motion of cilia. Loss of either Cfap246 or Adgb caused only minor alterations in ciliary motility. Comparative analyses of wild-type and C1b-deficient mutant ciliomes revealed that the levels of subunits forming the adjacent C2b projection but not C1d projection are greatly reduced, indicating that C1b stabilizes C2b. Moreover, the levels of several IFT and BBS proteins, HSP70, and enzymes that catalyze the final steps of the glycolytic pathway: enolase ENO1 and pyruvate kinase PYK1, are also reduced in the C1b-less mutants.
Anticancer drug discovery from Iranian Chrysanthemum cultivars through system pharmacology exploration and experimental validation
Authors: Hodaei Mahboobeh , Rahimmalek Mehdi , Behbahani Mandana 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBreast cancer is the most common carcinoma in women, and natural products would be effective preventing some side effects of cancer treatment. In the present study, cytotoxic activities of different Iranian Chrysanthemum morifolium cultivars were evaluated in human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and human lymphocytes. A systems pharmacology approach was employed between major compounds of these cultivars (chlorogenic acid, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, ferulic acid, and apigenin) and known breast cancer drugs (tucatinib, methotrexate, tamoxifen, and mitomycin) with 22 breast cancer-related targets to analyze the mechanism through which Chrysanthemum cultivars act on breast cancer. Target validation was performed by the molecular docking method. The results indicated that Chrysanthemum extracts inhibited the proliferation of MCF7 cells in a dose- and cultivar-dependent manner. In all studied cultivars, the most effective extract concentration with the lowest viability of MCF-7 cells, was as much as 312 µg ml−1. Also, higher concentrations of the extracts (> 1000 µg ml−1) reduced the lymphocyte cell viability, demonstrating that these doses were toxic. The gene ontology analysis revealed the therapeutic effects of Chrysanthemum’s active compounds on breast cancer by regulating the biological processes of their protein targets. Moreover, it has been documented that rutin, owing to its anticancer effects and several other health benefits, is a promising multi-targeted herbal ingredient. Finally, the present study compared different Iranian Chrysanthemum cultivars to provide new insights into useful pharmaceutical applications.
The intimate relationship between structural relaxation and the energy landscape of monatomic liquid metals
Authors: Demmel Franz , Hennet Louis , Jakse Noel 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe characteristic property of a liquid, discriminating it from a solid, is its fluidity, which can be expressed by a velocity field. The reaction of the velocity field on forces is enshrined in the transport parameter viscosity. In contrast, a solid reacts to forces elastically through a displacement field, the particles are trapped in their potential minimum. The flow in a liquid needs enough thermal energy to overcome the changing potential barriers, which is supported through a continuous rearrangement of surrounding particles. Cooling a liquid will decrease the fluidity of a particle and the mobility of the neighbouring particles, resulting in an increase of the viscosity until the system comes to an arrest. This process with a concomitant slowing down of collective particle rearrangements might already start deep inside the liquid state. The idea of the potential energy landscape provides an attractive picture for these dramatic changes. However, despite the appealing idea there is a scarcity of quantitative assessments, in particular, when it comes to experimental studies. Here we present results on a monatomic liquid metal through a combination of ab initio molecular dynamics, neutron spectroscopy and inelastic x-ray scattering. We investigated the collective dynamics of liquid aluminium to reveal the changes in dynamics when the high temperature liquid is cooled towards solidification. The results demonstrate the main signatures of the energy landscape picture, a reduction in the internal atomic structural energy, a transition to a stretched relaxation process and a deviation from the high-temperature Arrhenius behavior of the relaxation time. All changes occur in the same temperature range at about $$1.4 \cdot T_{melting}$$

1.4
·

T

melting

, which can be regarded as the temperature when the liquid aluminium enters the landscape influenced phase and enters a more viscous liquid state towards solidification. The similarity in dynamics with other monatomic liquid metals suggests a universal dynamic crossover above the melting point.
An alternative domain-swapped structure of the Pyrococcus horikoshii PolII mini-intein
Authors: Williams Jennie E. , Jaramillo Mario V. , Li Zhong , Zhao Jing , Wang Chunyu , Li Hongmin , Mills Kenneth V. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractProtein splicing is a post-translational process by which an intein catalyzes its own excision from flanking polypeptides, or exteins, concomitant with extein ligation. Many inteins have nested homing endonuclease domains that facilitate their propagation into intein-less alleles, whereas other inteins lack the homing endonuclease (HEN) and are called mini-inteins. The mini-intein that interrupts the DNA PolII of Pyrococcus horikoshii has a linker region in place of the HEN domain that is shorter than the linker in a closely related intein from Pyrococcus abyssi. The P. horikoshii PolII intein requires a higher temperature for catalytic activity and is more stable to digestion by the thermostable protease thermolysin, suggesting that it is more rigid than the P. abyssi intein. We solved a crystal structure of the intein precursor that revealed a domain-swapped dimer. Inteins found as domain swapped dimers have been shown to promote intein-mediated protein alternative splicing, but the solved P. horikoshii PolII intein structure has an active site unlikely to be catalytically competent.
Comprehensive profiling of novel epithelial–mesenchymal transition mediators and their clinical significance in colorectal cancer
Authors: Ishikawa Satoshi , Nishida Naohiro , Fujino Shiki , Ogino Takayuki , Takahashi Hidekazu , Miyoshi Norikatsu , Uemura Mamoru , Satoh Taroh , Yamamoto Hirofumi , Mizushima Tsunekazu , Doki Yuichiro , Eguchi Hidetoshi 
Published: June 2021

AbstractEpithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a drastic phenotypic change during cancer metastasis and is one of the most important hallmarks of aggressive cancer. Although the overexpression of some specific transcription factors explains the functional alteration of EMT-induced cells, a complete picture of this biological process is yet to be elucidated. To comprehensively profile EMT-related genes in colorectal cancer, we quantified the EMT induction ability of each gene according to its similarity to the cancer stromal gene signature and termed it “mesenchymal score.” This bioinformatic approach successfully identified 90 candidate EMT mediators, which are strongly predictive of survival in clinical samples. Among these candidates, we discovered that the neuronal gene ARC, possibly originating from the retrotransposon, unexpectedly plays a crucial role in EMT induction. Profiling of novel EMT mediators we demonstrated here may help understand the complexity of the EMT program and open up new avenues for therapeutic intervention in colorectal cancer.
Estimating the heavy metal concentrations in topsoil in the Daxigou mining area, China, using multispectral satellite imagery
Authors: Yang Yun , Cui Qinfang , Jia Peng , Liu Jinbao , Bai Han 
Published: June 2021

AbstractA precise estimation of the heavy metal concentrations in soils using multispectral remote sensing technology is challenging. Herein, Landsat8 imagery, a digital elevation model, and geochemical data derived from soil samples are integrated to improve the accuracy of estimating the Cu, Pb, and As concentrations in topsoil, using the Daxigou mining area in Shaanxi Province, China, as a case study. The relationships between the three heavy metals and soil environmental factors were investigated. The optimal combination of factors associated with the elevated concentrations of each heavy metal was determined combining correlation analysis with collinearity tests. A back propagation network optimised using a genetic algorithm was trained with 80% of the data for samples and subsequently employed to estimate the heavy metal concentrations in the area. The validation results show that the RMSE of the proposed model is lower than those of the existing linear model and rule-based M5 model tree. From the spatial distribution map of the three metals concentrations using the proposed method, there are findings that high concentrations of the heavy metals studied occur in the mining area, across the slag storage area, on the sides of the road used for transporting ore materials, and along the base of slopes in the area. These findings are consistent with the survey results in the field. The validation and findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Alpha-synuclein increases in rodent and human spinal cord injury and promotes inflammation and tissue loss
Authors: Sauerbeck Andrew D. , Goldstein Evan Z. , Alfredo Anthony N. , Norenberg Michael , Marcillo Alexander , McTigue Dana M. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractSynucleinopathies are neurodegenerative diseases in which α-synuclein protein accumulates in neurons and glia. In these diseases, α-synuclein forms dense intracellular aggregates that are disease hallmarks and actively contribute to tissue pathology. Interestingly, many pathological mechanisms, including iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation, are shared between classical synucleinopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). However, to date, no studies have determined if α-synuclein accumulation occurs after human SCI. To examine this, cross-sections from injured and non-injured human spinal cords were immunolabeled for α-synuclein. This showed robust α-synuclein accumulation in profiles resembling axons and astrocytes in tissue surrounding the injury, revealing that α-synuclein markedly aggregates in traumatically injured human spinal cords. We also detected significant iron deposition in the injury site, a known catalyst for α-synuclein aggregation. Next a rodent SCI model mimicking the histological features of human SCI revealed aggregates and structurally altered monomers of α-synuclein are present after SCI. To determine if α-synuclein exacerbates SCI pathology, α-synuclein knockout mice were tested. Compared to wild type mice, α-synuclein knockout mice had significantly more spared axons and neurons and lower pro-inflammatory mediators, macrophage accumulation, and iron deposition in the injured spinal cord. Interestingly, locomotor analysis revealed that α-synuclein may be essential for dopamine-mediated hindlimb function after SCI. Collectively, the marked upregulation and long-lasting accumulation of α-synuclein and iron suggests that SCI may fit within the family of synucleinopathies and offer new therapeutic targets for promoting neuron preservation and improving function after spinal trauma.
The influence of high-efficiency particulate air filtration on mortality among multiple myeloma patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation
Authors: Tsai Chun-Kuang , Yeh Chiu-Mei , Hong Ying-Chung , Chen Po-Min , Liu Jin-Hwang , Gau Jyh-Pyng , Liu Chia-Jen 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAutologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) continues to be the standard treatment for transplant-eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients. A portion of MM patients received ASCT in an isolation room with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration. The effectiveness of the HEPA filtration on reducing treatment-related mortality (TRM) is controversial. We enrolled patients with newly diagnosed MM in Taiwan between 2000 and 2017. The primary endpoint of the study was TRM, which was defined as death within 100 days after ASCT. A total of 961 MM patients received ASCT. Of them, 480 patients (49.9%) received ASCT in an isolation room with HEPA filtration (HEPA group). The median overall survival from ASCT was 7.52 years for the HEPA group and 5.88 years for the remaining patients (non-HEPA group) (p = 0.370). The 100-day mortality rate was 1.5% and 1.0% for the HEPA and non-HEPA groups, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the 100-day mortality had no difference between the HEPA and non-HEPA groups (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65, 95% CI 0.52–5.23). The median cost for ASCT inpatient care was $13,777.6 and $6527.6 for the HEPA and non-HEPA groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Although half of MM patients in Taiwan received ASCT in HEPA room, it didn’t affect 100-day mortality.
Structural and optical properties of amorphous Si–Ge–Te thin films prepared by combinatorial sputtering
Authors: Mihai C. , Sava F. , Simandan I. D. , Galca A. C. , Burducea I. , Becherescu N. , Velea A. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe lack of order in amorphous chalcogenides offers them novel properties but also adds increased challenges in the discovery and design of advanced functional materials. The amorphous compositions in the Si–Ge–Te system are of interest for many applications such as optical data storage, optical sensors and Ovonic threshold switches. But an extended exploration of this system is still missing. In this study, magnetron co-sputtering is used for the combinatorial synthesis of thin film libraries, outside the glass formation domain. Compositional, structural and optical properties are investigated and discussed in the framework of topological constraint theory. The materials in the library are classified as stressed-rigid amorphous networks. The bandgap is heavily influenced by the Te content while the near-IR refractive index dependence on Ge concentration shows a minimum, which could be exploited in applications. A transition from a disordered to a more ordered amorphous network at 60 at% Te, is observed. The thermal stability study shows that the formed crystalline phases are dictated by the concentration of Ge and Te. New amorphous compositions in the Si–Ge–Te system were found and their properties explored, thus enabling an informed and rapid material selection and design for applications.
Long-term outcome of incidental cystic liver tumors in the general population
Authors: Blum S. F. U. , Ittermann T. , Kromrey M. L. , Dreyer C. M. , Seppelt D. , Hoffmann R. T. , Völzke H. , Kühn J. P. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAim of this study was to investigate frequency, incidence and risk factors of liver cysts in the general population in a longitudinal survey. Cyst frequency was investigated in 607 adult volunteers (288 women, 319 men, mean age 55 years) using strong T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Risk factors were investigated for occurrence, frequency and size of cystic lesions at baseline. Incidence and physiological growing of the lesions were observed in a 5-years follow-up. At baseline, 431 volunteers had 1,479 cysts (71.0%). The mean number of cysts per person was 3.4 ± 9.0. The mean size of cysts was 13.1 ± 11.7 mm. Women had a higher number of cysts than men (p = 0.026). Older and male volunteers demonstrated a higher cyst frequency (p = 0.002 and p = 0.025). Per one-year increase in age the chance for a liver cyst increased by 2%. Four-hundred seventeen volunteers had cysts in the follow-up, in 24.6% new lesions had occurred. Lesion size significantly increased in follow-up (p < 0.001). Age and male sex were associated with the occurrence of at least one liver cyst. Women had a higher average number of cysts. Cystic lesion progression is a physiological phenomenon in the long-term follow-up.
Comparative study on clinical efficacy of different methods for the treatment of intramural aortic hematoma
Authors: Luo Junfu , Zhao Wenpeng , Xu Jiasheng , Zou Rui , Zhang Kaihua , Wan Yanhua , Wan Shasha , Wang Riwei , Zeng Qingfu 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTo explore the difference of curative effect between different treatment modalities, in order to provide reference for the treatment of aortic intramural hematoma (IMH). 168 patients with aortic intramural hematoma diagnosed and treated from January 2010 to July 2020 were selected in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Among them, 48 patients were diagnosed with Stanford A aortic intramural hematoma and 120 were diagnosed with Stanford B aortic intramural hematoma. According to the therapeutic methods, patients were divided into conservative treatment group and endovascular treatment group (TEVAR). For endovascular treatment group, according to the different timing of surgery, can be divided into acute phase group (onset within 72 h) and non-acute phase group (time of onset > 72 h).The clinical data and follow-up data were collected and analyzed by variance analysis and χ2 test. There were 168 patients diagnosed with aortic intramural hematoma 39 of them were (81.25%) Stanford A aortic intramural hematoma patients with pleural or pericardial effusion. For patient with Stanford A aortic intramural hematoma, endovascular treatment was performed in 15 patients (31.2%), and 33 cases (68.8%) for conservative treatment. The average follow-up (24.9 ± 13.9) was months. There were 120 patients with Stanford type B aortic intramural hematoma (71.4%), 60 patients received endovascular treatment (50%), and 60 patients (50%) received conservative treatment, with an average follow-up of (27.8 ± 14.6) months. For Stanford A type aortic intramural hematoma patients when the maximum aortic diameter ≥ 50 mm or hematoma thickness ≥ 11 mm, with high morbidity and mortality, positive endovascular treatment can reduce complications and death. For patients with Stanford type B aortic intramural hematoma, when the maximum aortic diameter ≥ 40 mm or hematoma thickness ≥ 10 mm, with high morbidity and mortality, positive endovascular treatment can reduce complications and death. Both Stanford type A and B aortic intramural hematoma patients could benefit from the endovascular treatment when the initial maximum aortic diameter is ≥ 50 mm or the hematoma thickness is ≥ 11 mm.
Transcriptomic landscape of early age onset of colorectal cancer identifies novel genes and pathways in Indian CRC patients
Authors: Singh Manish Pratap , Rai Sandhya , Singh Nand K. , Srivastava Sameer 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPast decades of the current millennium have witnessed an unprecedented rise in Early age Onset of Colo Rectal Cancer (EOCRC) cases in India as well as across the globe. Unfortunately, EOCRCs are diagnosed at a more advanced stage of cancer. Moreover, the aetiology of EOCRC is not fully explored and still remains obscure. This study is aimed towards the identification of genes and pathways implicated in the EOCRC. In the present study, we performed high throughput RNA sequencing of colorectal tumor tissues for four EOCRC (median age 43.5 years) samples with adjacent mucosa and performed subsequent bioinformatics analysis to identify novel deregulated pathways and genes. Our integrated analysis identifies 17 hub genes (INSR, TNS1, IL1RAP, CD22, FCRLA, CXCL3, HGF, MS4A1, CD79B, CXCR2, IL1A, PTPN11, IRS1, IL1B, MET, TCL1A, and IL1R1). Pathway analysis of identified genes revealed that they were involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, cytokine–cytokine receptor pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Survival and stage plot analysis identified four genes CXCL3, IL1B, MET and TNS1 genes (p = 0.015, 0.038, 0.049 and 0.011 respectively), significantly associated with overall survival. Further, differential expression of TNS1 and MET were confirmed on the validation cohort of the 5 EOCRCs (median age < 50 years and sporadic origin). This is the first approach to find early age onset biomarkers in Indian CRC patients. Among these TNS1 and MET are novel for EOCRC and may serve as potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in future.