bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Crushed bricks as aggregate in cement based binder
Authors: Palovcik J , Opravil T , Soukal F , Masilko J 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The work deals with the impact of crushed brick on properties of Portland cement binder. The source of brick recycled materials is not only the demolition waste, but also the waste from brick production. One way to reduce the amount of this recyclate is to use it in cement-based composite. The advantages of using bricks as aggregate are their lower bulk density compared to conventional aggregates. Economic and ecological benefits are also important, because less natural sources need to be mined. First, the phase composition of used brick aggregate, its particle size and morphology were analysed. Test specimens with different content of brick recyclate were prepared and tested for the mechanical properties. Subsequently, the microstructure of prepared samples was examined using a scanning electron microscope. The phase composition of samples was analysed by X-ray diffraction analysis.
The development of ultra-lightweight concrete based on foam glass aggregate.
Authors: Zach J , Bubenik J , Sedlmajer M 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Foam glass is currently a material produced from waste glass that cannot be used in the glass industry. Therefore, it is currently made from secondary raw materials obtained by recycling unusable waste glass. Due to the large proportion of closed pores in the material structure, the foam glass achieves excellent thermal insulation properties and limited water absorption. The porous structure of the glass is relatively regular, and the pores predominantly have a round character; therefore, the foam glass exhibits very good mechanical properties at a low density. Foam glass in the form of aggregate represents an interesting raw material from which it is possible to produce various types of light composites with a very good ratio of thermal insulation and mechanical properties. The contribution describes the results of research in the field of the development of ultra-lightweight aggregate concretes with subsequent use for producing prefabricated thermal insulating masonry elements for the construction of energy efficient buildings.
Durability of alkali-activated concretes containing cement kiln by-pass dust
Authors: Bilek V , Bilek V , Kalina L , Khestl F , Palovcik J , Simonova H 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The aim of the presented work was evaluation of an effect of various conditions on the performance of two developed concretes based on alkali-activated slag and cement kiln by-pass dust (BD). BD was used as a partial replacement of natural aggregates while slag as an aluminosilicate precursor activated by a combination of waterglass and sodium hydroxide solution (resulting silicate modulus of 0.5). The concretes differed only in an activator dose which was 4 and 6% of Na2O with respect to the slag weight. The prepared specimens were sealed-cured for the first 28 days and then their resistance to freeze-thaw cycles and aggressive solutions (ammonium nitrate, acetic acid and sulphates) was tested. Evolution of dynamic modulus showed that both concretes resisted well to freeze-thaw cycles as well as to most solutions, where their dynamic modulus tended to increase in most cases or did not change significantly. Only the concrete with 4% Na2O showed poor resistance to acetic acid solution as the specimens completely disintegrated until 50 days.
Mineralization of wooden elements by bypass cement kiln dust
Authors: Majstrikova T , Khestl F , Mec P , Vojvodikova B 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The application of renewable and waste materials for the production of building materials is currently one of the main trends, especially with regard to environmental aspects. This is a reduction in the volume of materials that could be a waste and at the same time a reduction in the cost (including carbon footprint) for special wood treatment products that would have to be produced. One example given in this article is the possible application of a mineralization of wood matrix by kiln dust produced in a cement plant. This treatment can be primarily used in the production of wood-based panels bonded with cement, whose main purpose is to limit the leaching of soluble components, which affect the setting of the cement. If the cement kiln dust is applied for the mineralization of wooden elements, the flammability of wood can be positively influenced. Bypass cement kiln dusts contain significant amount of chloride, which in this case function as a reducing agent. In this article, the effect of the wood mineralization by the cement kiln dust from CEMMAC a.s. Horné Srnie was investigated on thermal degradation of wood by a simultaneous thermal analysis TG / DSC.
Neuronal tau species transfer to astrocytes and induce their loss according to tau aggregation state
Authors: Maté de Gérando Anastasie , d’Orange Marie , Augustin Emma , Joséphine Charlène , Aurégan Gwénaelle , Gaudin-Guérif Mylène , Guillermier Martine , Hérard Anne-Sophie , Stimmer Lev , Petit Fanny , Gipchtein Pauline , Jan Caroline , Escartin Carole , Selingue Erwan , Carvalho Kévin , Blum David , Brouillet Emmanuel , Hantraye Philippe , Gaillard Marie-Claude , Bonvento Gilles , Bemelmans Alexis-Pierre , Cambon Karine 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDeposits of different abnormal forms of tau in neurons and astrocytes represent key anatomo-pathological features of tauopathies. Although tau protein is highly enriched in neurons and poorly expressed by astrocytes, the origin of astrocytic tau is still elusive. Here, we used innovative gene transfer tools to model tauopathies in adult mouse brains and to investigate the origin of astrocytic tau. We showed in our adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based models and in Thy-Tau22 transgenic mice that astrocytic tau pathology can emerge secondarily to neuronal pathology. By designing an in vivo reporter system, we further demonstrated bidirectional exchanges of tau species between neurons and astrocytes. We then determined the consequences of tau accumulation in astrocytes on their survival in models displaying various status of tau aggregation. Using stereological counting of astrocytes, we report that, as for neurons, soluble tau species are highly toxic to some subpopulations of astrocytes in the hippocampus, whereas the accumulation of tau aggregates does not affect their survival. Thus, astrocytes are not mere bystanders of neuronal pathology. Our results strongly suggest that tau pathology in astrocytes may significantly contribute to clinical symptoms.
Truncated YY1 interacts with BASP1 through a 339KLK341 motif in YY1 and suppresses vascular smooth muscle cell growth and intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury
Authors: Santiago Fernando S , Li Yue , Zhong Ling , Raftery Mark J , Lins Laurence , Khachigian Levon M 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Aims
In-stent restenosis and late stent thrombosis are complications associated with the use of metallic and drug-coated stents. Strategies that inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation without affecting endothelial cell (EC) growth would be helpful in reducing complications arising from percutaneous interventions. SMC hyperplasia is also a pathologic feature of graft stenosis and fistula failure. Our group previously showed that forced expression of the injury-inducible zinc finger (ZNF) transcription factor, yin yang-1 (YY1), comprising 414 residues inhibits neointima formation in carotid arteries of rabbits and rats. YY1 inhibits SMC proliferation without affecting EC growth in vitro. Identifying a shorter version of YY1 retaining cell-selective inhibition would make it more amenable for potential use as a gene therapeutic agent.

Methods and results
We dissected YY1 into a range of shorter fragments (YY1A-D, YY1Δ) and found that the first two ZNFs in YY1 (construct YY1B, spanning 52 residues) repressed SMC proliferation. Receptor binding domain analysis predicts a three-residue (339KLK341) interaction domain. Mutation of 339KLK341 to 339AAA341 in YY1B (called YY1Bm) abrogated YY1B’s ability to inhibit SMC but not EC proliferation and migration. Incubation of recombinant GST-YY1B and GST-YY1Bm with SMC lysates followed by precipitation with glutathione–agarose beads and mass spectrometric analysis identified a novel interaction between YY1B and BASP1. Overexpression of BASP1, like YY1, inhibited SMC but not EC proliferation and migration. BASP1 siRNA partially rescued SMC from growth inhibition by YY1B. In the rat carotid balloon injury model, adenoviral overexpression of YY1B, like full-length YY1, reduced neointima formation, whereas YY1Bm had no such effect. CD31+ immunostaining suggested YY1B could increase re-endothelialization in a 339KLK341-dependent manner.

Conclusion
These studies identify a truncated form of YY1 (YY1B) that can interact with BASP1 and inhibit SMC proliferation, migration, and intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury of rat carotid arteries as effectively as full length YY1. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of YY1B in vascular proliferative disease.
NLRP3 inflammasome is a key driver of obesity-induced atrial arrhythmias
Authors: Scott Jr Larry , Fender Anke C , Saljic Arnela , Li Luge , Chen Xiaohui , Wang Xiaolei , Linz Dominik , Lang Jilu , Hohl Mathias , Twomey Darragh , Pham Thuy T , Diaz-Lankenau Rodrigo , Chelu Mihail G , Kamler Markus , Entman Mark L , Taffet George E , Sanders Prashanthan , Dobrev Dobromir , Li Na 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Aims
Obesity, an established risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF), is frequently associated with enhanced inflammatory response. However, whether inflammatory signaling is causally linked to AF pathogenesis in obesity remains elusive. We recently demonstrated that the constitutive activation of the ‘NACHT, LRR, and PYD Domains-containing Protein 3’ (NLRP3) inflammasome promotes AF susceptibility. In this study, we hypothesized that the NLRP3 inflammasome is a key driver of obesity-induced AF.

Methods and results
Western blotting was performed to determine the level of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in atrial tissues of obese patients, sheep, and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. The increased body weight in patients, sheep, and mice was associated with enhanced NLRP3-inflammasome activation. To determine whether NLRP3 contributes to the obesity-induced atrial arrhythmogenesis, wild-type (WT) and NLRP3 homozygous knockout (NLRP3−/−) mice were subjected to high-fat-diet (HFD) or normal chow (NC) for 10 weeks. Relative to NC-fed WT mice, HFD-fed WT mice were more susceptible to pacing-induced AF with longer AF duration. In contrast, HFD-fed NLRP3−/− mice were resistant to pacing-induced AF. Optical mapping in DIO mice revealed an arrhythmogenic substrate characterized by abbreviated refractoriness and action potential duration (APD), two key determinants of reentry-promoting electrical remodeling. Upregulation of ultra-rapid delayed-rectifier K+-channel (Kv1.5) contributed to the shortening of atrial refractoriness. Increased profibrotic signaling and fibrosis along with abnormal Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) accompanied atrial arrhythmogenesis in DIO mice. Conversely, genetic ablation of Nlrp3 (NLRP3−/−) in HFD-fed mice prevented the increases in Kv1.5 and the evolution of electrical remodeling, the upregulation of profibrotic genes, and abnormal SR Ca2+ release in DIO mice.

Conclusion
These results demonstrate that the atrial NLRP3 inflammasome is a key driver of obesity-induced atrial arrhythmogenesis and establishes a mechanistic link between obesity-induced AF and NLRP3-inflammasome activation.
Estimating the cost-effectiveness of screening a general population for cardiovascular risk with high-sensitivity troponin-I
Authors: Jülicher Paul , Varounis Christos 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Aims
To estimate the cost-effectiveness of using the cardiac specific marker high-sensitivity troponin-I (hsTnI) for assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a general population.

Methods and results
A discrete-event simulation model was developed from a societal perspective of a low-risk (Germany) and a high-risk (Kazakhstan) country. The model compared a Screen&Prevent strategy guided by hsTnI against a do-nothing strategy. Risk functions were derived from published data of a prospective cohort study [Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study]. The model assessed the number of CVD events and deaths, healthy life years, direct and indirect costs in PPP 2018 Dollar, and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) over a time horizon of 10 years. Screen&Prevent reduced the number of CVD events per 1000 subjects by 5.1 and 5.0, equal to a number-needed-to-screen of 195 and 191 in Kazakhstan and Germany. Screen&Prevent was cost saving in Kazakhstan and cost-effective in Germany with an incremental-cost-effectiveness ratio of $6755 ($2294; $24 054) per QALY gained at an opportunity-cost based willingness-to-pay threshold of $27 373. Varying input variables in univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the analysis.

Conclusion
Assessing the cardiovascular risk with hsTnI in a general population and subsequently referring those at high risk to preventive means would very likely be cost-effective or cost-saving by avoiding CVD events and associated direct and indirect costs. This conclusion is retained even if only the direct costs or only the costs for screening and prevention are considered. Future studies should evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness of hsTnI-guided assessment strategies against established risk algorithms.
Nicolas Bernier’s ‘Principes de composition’ and the Italian partimento tradition
Authors: Montagnier Jean-Paul C 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
French compositional treatises penned between c.1600 and c.1750 rarely if ever provide any instructional exercises with basses, from which apprentice composers could create multi-voice pieces by applying the rules described by their authors. Instead, these treatises—of which the most famous and widespread were no doubt those by Parran (1639), Mignot (1656), Masson (1697) and Rameau (1722)—reproduce a number of more or less extended examples to illustrate particular theoretical points. Nicolas Bernier’s handwritten ‘Principes de composition’ (c.1726–1734) stands out as the only known French tutorial of the period to supply basses akin to the contemporary partimenti used by Italian music teachers to instruct young pupils in the art of extemporaneous composition. Bernier is said to have studied with Caldara—though Corelli is more likely—in Rome, before settling in Paris in 1692. Thus not only do the partimento-like basses included in his ‘Principes de composition’ offer an echo of his studies with these Italian masters, but they may also reflect the Roman beginnings of the pedagogical partimento tradition. The Bernier treatise provides rare testimony of the importance of Corelli’s six opuses in the Italian contrappunto pratico tradition in the period 1690–1730. This article puts Bernier’s ‘Principes’ into context, and then examines his hitherto overlooked basses, their originality, and their pedagogical implications.
Microalgal–bacterial consortia unveil distinct physiological changes to facilitate growth of microalgae
Authors: Perera Isiri Adhiwarie , Abinandan Sudharsanam , R. Subashchandrabose Suresh , Venkateswarlu Kadiyala , Naidu Ravi , Megharaj Mallavarapu 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT
Physiological changes that drive the microalgal–bacterial consortia are poorly understood so far. In the present novel study, we initially assessed five morphologically distinct microalgae for their ability in establishing consortia in Bold's basal medium with a bacterial strain, Variovorax paradoxus IS1, all isolated from wastewaters. Tetradesmus obliquus IS2 and Coelastrella sp. IS3 were further selected for gaining insights into physiological changes, including those of metabolomes in consortia involving V. paradoxus IS1. The distinct parameters investigated were pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids), reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipids and metabolites that are implicated in major metabolic pathways. There was a significant increase (&gt;1.2-fold) in pigments, viz., chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, decrease in ROS and an enhanced lipid yield (&gt;2-fold) in consortia than in individual cultures. In addition, the differential regulation of cellular metabolites such as sugars, amino acids, organic acids and phytohormones was distinct among the two microalgal–bacterial consortia. Our results thus indicate that the selected microalgal strains, T. obliquus IS2 and Coelastrella sp. IS3, developed efficient consortia with V. paradoxus IS1 by effecting the required physiological changes, including metabolomics. Such microalgal–bacterial consortia could largely be used in wastewater treatment and for production of value-added metabolites.
BiG-SLiCE: A highly scalable tool maps the diversity of 1.2 million biosynthetic gene clusters
Authors: Kautsar Satria A , van der Hooft Justin J J , de Ridder Dick , Medema Marnix H 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Background
Genome mining for biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) has become an integral part of natural product discovery. The &gt;200,000 microbial genomes now publicly available hold information on abundant novel chemistry. One way to navigate this vast genomic diversity is through comparative analysis of homologous BGCs, which allows identification of cross-species patterns that can be matched to the presence of metabolites or biological activities. However, current tools are hindered by a bottleneck caused by the expensive network-based approach used to group these BGCs into gene cluster families (GCFs).

Results
Here, we introduce BiG-SLiCE, a tool designed to cluster massive numbers of BGCs. By representing them in Euclidean space, BiG-SLiCE can group BGCs into GCFs in a non-pairwise, near-linear fashion. We used BiG-SLiCE to analyze 1,225,071 BGCs collected from 209,206 publicly available microbial genomes and metagenome-assembled genomes within 10 days on a typical 36-core CPU server. We demonstrate the utility of such analyses by reconstructing a global map of secondary metabolic diversity across taxonomy to identify uncharted biosynthetic potential. BiG-SLiCE also provides a “query mode” that can efficiently place newly sequenced BGCs into previously computed GCFs, plus a powerful output visualization engine that facilitates user-friendly data exploration.

Conclusions
BiG-SLiCE opens up new possibilities to accelerate natural product discovery and offers a first step towards constructing a global and searchable interconnected network of BGCs. As more genomes are sequenced from understudied taxa, more information can be mined to highlight their potentially novel chemistry. BiG-SLiCE is available via https://github.com/medema-group/bigslice.
Gender–sexuality alliance membership and activities: associations with students’ comfort, confidence and awareness regarding substance use resources
Authors: Murchison Gabriel R , Rosenbach Sarah B , Poteat V Paul , Yoshikawa Hirokazu , Calzo Jerel P 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Belonging to a school Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is associated with lower substance use among LGBTQ+ youth. However, it is unknown whether GSA participation facilitates access to resources for substance use concerns. Using longitudinal data from 38 Massachusetts high schools, we compared sources of support for substance use concerns listed by GSA members (n = 361) and nonmembers (n = 1539). Subsequently, we tested whether GSA membership was associated with comfort, confidence and awareness regarding substance use resources in school and the community. Finally, we assessed whether specific GSA activities and discussions (e.g. social support) were associated with these outcomes. Among students with recent substance use, GSA membership was associated with greater comfort, confidence and awareness regarding school-based substance use resources in the spring semester, adjusted for fall semester levels and non-GSA club involvement. Furthermore, students in GSAs where members reported more advocacy and social support activities reported higher levels of comfort, confidence and awareness regarding community-based substance use resources. These results indicate that among students using alcohol or nicotine products, GSA members may be more receptive to school-based substance use prevention efforts. Furthermore, GSA-based social support and activism experiences may promote access to community-based substance use resources.
Henry Knighton, the Commons and the crisis of governance in the 1380s
Authors: Dodd Gwilym 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
This discussion provides the first in-depth investigation into the meaning and significance of a quite exceptional petition presented by the parliamentary Commons in the reign of Richard II. The petition survives as a unique copy in the chronicle of Henry Knighton: it was not recorded on the parliament roll. Knighton inserted the petition into his more general account of the Merciless Parliament of 1388. In this discussion I argue that the petition is most likely to have been presented in the parliament that met in the aftermath of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, and as a result holds great constitutional significance.
Signed, stamped, and sealed: delivering royal justice in early sixteenth-century England
Authors: Flannigan Laura 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
That Henry VIII’s will was stamped with a facsimile of his signature rather than authentically signed has long been taken as proof that it was ‘forged’ sometime around his death in 1547. This article explores the longer history of the stamp as an authorizing mechanism, locating its creation at the beginning of the reign for the purposes of justice-giving. An investigation of these earlier documents reveals that an initial ‘wet’ stamp served to expedite suits presented at the royal household and project the king’s authority outwards. The article therefore offers a revisionary account of the priorities and workings of Tudor governance.
Genetically regulated expression underlies cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy in diverse populations
Authors: Mulford Ashley J , Wing Claudia , Dolan M Eileen , Wheeler Heather E 
Published: January 2021

AbstractMost cancer chemotherapeutic agents are ineffective in a subset of patients; thus, it is important to consider the role of genetic variation in drug response. Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in 1000 Genomes Project populations of diverse ancestries are a useful model for determining how genetic factors impact the variation in cytotoxicity. In our study, LCLs from three 1000 Genomes Project populations of diverse ancestries were previously treated with increasing concentrations of eight chemotherapeutic drugs, and cell growth inhibition was measured at each dose with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) or area under the dose–response curve (AUC) as our phenotype for each drug. We conducted both genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) within and across ancestral populations. We identified four unique loci in GWAS and three genes in TWAS to be significantly associated with the chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity within and across ancestral populations. In the etoposide TWAS, increased STARD5 predicted expression associated with decreased etoposide IC50 (P = 8.5 × 10−8). Functional studies in A549, a lung cancer cell line, revealed that knockdown of STARD5 expression resulted in the decreased sensitivity to etoposide following exposure for 72 (P = 0.033) and 96 h (P = 0.0001). By identifying loci and genes associated with cytotoxicity across ancestral populations, we strive to understand the genetic factors impacting the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs and to contribute to the development of future cancer treatment.