bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tongqiao Mingmu formula alleviates retinal ganglion cell autophagy through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
Authors: Wang Liyuan , Yu Tianyang , Dong Feixue , Xu Jiayu , Fu Jin , Sun He 
Published: September 2022

AbstractGlaucoma is a severe blindness‐causing optic nerve disease characterized by a loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Previous studies have shown that the Tongqiao Mingmu (TQMM) formula can reduce retinal and optic nerve damage, but its mechanism of action requires further elucidation. In this study, an RGC injury model was prepared using glutamate and then treated with serum‐containing drug from the TQMM formula (hereafter called “TQMM formula serum”). In the glutamate‐induced RGC injury model, cell viability decreased with an increase in glutamate concentration, whereas the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers LC3 and Belicin‐1 increased. An adenovirus transfection experiment revealed that glutamate markedly promoted autophagic flux in RGCs. Notably, TQMM formula serum inhibited the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers, reduced autophagy flux, and reversed the damage caused by glutamate to RGCs. Furthermore, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was used to intervene in the RGC autophagy model and was found to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and enhance RGC autophagy. However, TQMM formula serum could generate an opposite effect and upregulate the expressions of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway genes and proteins. In conclusion, the TQMM formula can prevent glutamate‐induced autophagy in RGCs, possibly by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and reducing the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers LC3 and Belicin‐1 to attenuate autophagy and maintain RGC viability.
Resilient reverse logistics with blockchain technology in sustainable food supply chain management during COVID‐19
Authors: Kazancoglu Yigit , Ozbiltekin‐Pala Melisa , Sezer Muruvvet Deniz , Luthra Sunil , Kumar Anil 
Published: September 2022

AbstractCOVID‐19, which is a global problem, affects the all supply chains throughout the world. One of the supply chains most affected by COVID‐19 is food supply chains. Since the sustainable food supply chain processes are complex and vulnerable in terms of product variety, it has been negatively affected by the operational effects of COVID‐19. While the problems experienced in the supply chain processes and raw material constraints caused stops in production, the importance of new business models and production approaches came to the fore. One of the issues of increasing importance is the adoption of reverse logistics activities in sustainable food supply chains and increasing the resilience of food supply chains by integrating blockchain technology into processes. However, adapting blockchain technology to increase the resilience of reverse logistics activities in the food supply chain has advantages as well as risks that need to be considered. Therefore, it is aimed to determine these risks by using fuzzy synthetic evaluation method for eliminating the risks of blockchain adaptation for flexible reverse logistics in food supply chains to increase resiliency. The novelty of this study is that besides discussing about the benefits of BC‐T, it is to identify the risks it can create, to eliminate these risks and to guide the establishment of resilience in reverse logistics activities of SFSCs. According to results, the risks with the highest value among the subrisks are determined as data security risks. Data management risks are calculated as the risk with the highest value.
Chronic nitrate administration increases the expression the genes involved in the browning of white adipose tissue in female rats
Authors: Yousefzadeh Nasibeh , Jeddi Sajad , Afzali Hamideh , Kashfi Khosrow , Ghasemi Asghar 
Published: September 2022

AbstractNitrate, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, has antiobesity effect in female rats. This study hypothesized that the antiobesity effect of nitrate in female rats is due to the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Female Wistar rats (aged 8 months) were divided into two groups (n = 10/group): the control group received tap water and the nitrate group received water containing 100 mg/L of sodium nitrate for 9 months. At months 0, 3, 6, and 9, obesity indices were measured. At month 9, gonadal adipose tissue was used to measure messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ), PPAR‐γ coactivator 1‐α (PGC1‐α), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and adipocyte density and area. After the 9‐month intervention, nitrate‐treated rats had lower body weight, body mass index, thoracic circumference, and abdominal circumference by 6.4% (p = .012), 9.1% (p = .029), 6.0% (p = .056), and 5.7% (p = .098), respectively. In addition, nitrate‐treated rats had higher PPAR‐γ (mRNA: 1.78‐fold, p = .016 and protein: 19%, p = .076), PGC1‐α (mRNA: 1.69‐fold, p = .012 and protein: 68%, p = .001), and UCP1 (mRNA: 2.50‐fold, p = .001 and protein: 81%, p = .001) in gonadal adipose tissue. Nitrate also reduced adipocyte area by 35% (p = .054) and increased adipocyte density by 31% (p = .086). In conclusion, antiobesity effect of nitrate in female rats is associated with increased browning of gonadal adipose tissue as indicated by higher expression of PPAR‐γ, PGC1‐α, and UCP1 and reduced adipocyte area and increased adipocyte density.
Exosomes to control glioblastoma multiforme: Investigating the effects of mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes on C6 cells in vitro
Authors: Parsaei Houman , Moosavifar Mir Javad , Eftekharzadeh Mina , Ramezani Reihaneh , Barati Mahmood , Mirzaei Soheil , Nobakht Maliheh 
Published: September 2022

AbstractGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common, aggressive, fast‐growing tumor of the central nervous system that currently has no effective treatment. Although stem cell therapy has shown promising in vitro achievements, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) has always been a major hurdle to clinical success. To overcome this challenge, exosomes have been targeted as attractive drug delivery agents in numerous studies since they are small enough to enter the BBB. Furthermore, exosomes' characteristics and compositions are directly determined by the parent cell and these heritable traits affect their cell interactions. This article focuses on exosomes as an alternative to stem cell therapy to regulate glioma cell activity. Exosomes were isolated from rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMMSCs) by ultracentrifugation method and then characterized via western blot, dynamic light scattering, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Next, various concentrations of the exosomes were incubated with C6 cells and their effects at different time points were evaluated in vitro. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)−2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide and Annexin/Pi assay results confirmed that the isolated exosomes cause cell death mostly through apoptosis, and a linear correlation was observed between exosomes' concentration and their cytotoxicity. Following that, the scratch test, colony formation test, and Transwell assay confirmed exosomes' significant impact on the migration and invasion behavior of C6 cells. For the first time, rBMMSC‐derived exosomes have been used as a single treatment for GBM rather than in combination with other treatments or as a pharmaceutical carrier.
Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Erfassung von Kavitäten hyperelastischer Silikonklebstoffe
Authors: Schaaf Benjamin , Feldmann Markus , Lamm Lukas , Brepols Tim , Reese Stefanie , Seewald Robert , Schiebahn Alexander , Reisgen Uwe 
Published: September 2022

AbstractDie im Bereich des Structural Sealant Glazing (SSG) eingesetzten Silikonklebstoffe werden in der Regel als elastische Dickschichtklebung ausgeführt. Ab bestimmten Lastniveaus kommt es zur Bildung von Kavitäten innerhalb des Klebstoffgefüges. Diese sind insbesondere bei dünnschichtigen Klebungen bekannt, treten jedoch in Abhängigkeit der geometrischen Randbedingungen auch bei SSG‐Fugen auf. Da sie eine innere Schädigung des Klebstoffs darstellen, geht mit ihnen ein Steifigkeitsverlust einher. In diesem Beitrag werden verschieden Verfahren zur experimentellen Erfassung von Kavitäten vorgestellt. Diese werden quantifiziert und ihre Lage innerhalb des Klebstoffs bestimmt. Weiterhin wird der Einfluss der Klebfugengeometrie auf die Ausbildung von Kavitäten diskutiert.Experimental investigations for the detection of cavities of hyperelastic silicone adhesives. Silicone adhesives used in the field of structural sealant glazing (SSG) are usually designed as elastic thick‐layer bonds. At a certain load level cavities are formed within the bond. These are particularly known in thin‐layer adhesive bonds, but also occur in SSG joints depending on the geometric boundary conditions. Since they represent internal damage to the adhesive, they are related to a loss of stiffness. Different methods for the experimental detection of cavities are presented within this article. These are quantified and their local position within the adhesive is determined. Furthermore, the influence of the bond geometry on the formation of cavities is discussed.
Enhancing Auxiliary‐Mediated Native Chemical Ligation at Challenging Junctions with Pyridine Scaffolds
Authors: Trunschke Sebastian , Piemontese Emanuele , Fuchs Olaf , Abboud Skander , Seitz Oliver 
Published: September 2022

AbstractTo expand the scope of native chemical ligation (NCL) beyond reactions at cysteine, ligation auxiliaries are appended to the peptide N‐terminus. After the introduction of a pyridine‐containing auxiliary, which provided access to challenging junctions (proline or β‐branched amino acids), we herein probe the role of the pyridine‐ring nitrogen. We observed side reactions leading to preliminary auxiliary loss. We describe a new easy to attach β‐mercapto‐β‐(4‐methoxy‐2‐pyridinyl)‐ethyl (MMPyE) auxiliary, which 1) has increased stability; 2) enables NCL at sterically encumbered junctions (e. g., Leu‐Val); and 3) allows removal under mildly basic (pH 8.5) conditions was introduced. The synthesis of a 120 aa long peptide containing eight MUC5AC tandem repeats via ligation of two 60mers demonstrates the usefulness. Making use of hitherto unexplored NCL to tyrosine, the MMPyE auxiliary provided access to a head‐to‐tail‐cyclized 21‐mer peptide and a His6‐tagged hexaphosphorylated peptide comprising 6 heptapeptide repeats of the RNA polymerase II C‐terminal domain.
Specific Lipid Studies in Complex Membranes by Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: van Beekveld Roy A. M. , Derks Maik G. N. , Kumar Raj , Smid Leanna , Maass Thorben , Medeiros‐Silva João , Breukink Eefjan , Weingarth Markus 
Published: September 2022

AbstractSpecific interactions with phospholipids are often critical for the function of proteins or drugs, but studying these interactions at high resolution remains difficult, especially in complex membranes that mimic biological conditions. In principle, molecular interactions with phospholipids could be directly probed by solid‐state NMR (ssNMR). However, due to the challenge to detect specific lipids in mixed liposomes and limited spectral sensitivity, ssNMR studies of specific lipids in complex membranes are scarce. Here, by using purified biological 13C,15N‐labeled phospholipids, we show that we can selectively detect traces of specific lipids in complex membranes. In combination with 1H‐detected ssNMR, we show that our approach provides unprecedented high‐resolution insights into the mechanisms of drugs that target specific lipids. This broadly applicable approach opens new opportunities for the molecular characterization of specific lipid interactions with proteins or drugs in complex fluid membranes.
Revisiting the Bithiophene Imide‐Based Polymer Donors: Molecular Aggregation and Orientation Control Enabling New Polymer Donors for High‐Performance All‐Polymer Solar Cells†
Authors: Yang Jie , Liu Bin , Lee Jin‐Woo , Wang Yimei , Sun Huiliang , Chen Zhicai , Bai Qingqing , Kim Bumjoon J. , Jiang Yan , Niu Li , Guo Xugang 
Published: September 2022

Comprehensive SummaryBithiophene imide (BTI)‐based polymers have been promising photovoltaic materials due to their high mobility and tunable energy levels. However, BTI polymers have rarely been revisited since organic solar cells (OSCs) entered the era of non‐fullerene electron acceptors (NFEA) likely owing to their incompatibility with NFEAs. Herein, fine‐tuning the aggregation and orientation of BTI‐based donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) polymer donors was achieved by incorporating the linear n‐octyl group into thiophene π‐bridge. The resulting polymer donor G15 shows excellent compatibility with NFEA L15 (polymer acceptor). The G15‐based all‐polymer OSCs achieve high power conversion efficiency of 15.17%. This is significantly higher than that (< 5%) of its analogue with isomerized branched alkyl chains and also among the highest values for all‐polymer OSCs. The results highlight that well‐tailored BTI polymer donors are attractive photovoltaic materials for further exploration in non‐fullerene organic solar cells.
Genetic parameters and selection of common bean lines with high nutritional and agronomic quality
Authors: Martins Saulo Muniz , Bittencourt Caroline Domingos , Melo Leonardo Cunha , Aguiar Marcelo Sfeir , Almeida Valter Martins de , Souza Thiago Lívio P. O. , Pereira Helton Santos 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe aim of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) breeding has always been to increase agronomic quality. Recently, the nutritional quality of the grain has been gaining importance. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for traits related to nutritional and agronomic quality and to select lines for an assessment stage in multiple environments and/or for use as new parents. Initially, 37 lines were evaluated in three environments for nine agronomic and nutritional traits. Of these lines, 15 stood out and were assessed in another five environments. The mixed model (restricted maximum likelihood–best linear unbiased prediction) procedure and multivariate analysis were adopted for processing the phenotypic data. There was genetic variability among the lines assessed for all the traits. The heritability estimates for the agronomic traits ranged from 29% for plant architecture to 94% for reaction to anthracnose. Heritability estimates for the nutritional traits were 77% for grain iron concentration and 79% for zinc concentration. Multivariate analysis, based on all the traits and on all the environments (eight), identified three groups of lines and allowed selection of the lines CNFC 18092, CNFC 18097, CNFC 18114, and BRS Sublime to carry out new crosses, for they showed specific superiority for some traits and the possibility of greater genetic diversity in the populations. The lines CNFC 18091, CNFC 18092, and CNFC 18106 were selected for assessment in experiments in multiple environments because they combine high agronomic and nutritional quality.
Is Russia's Research Ethics Culture Reliable?
Authors: Litewka Sergio G. , Moreno Jonathan D. 
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACTThe Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the imposition of economic sanctions intended to isolate Russia from much of global commerce, which implicitly includes the medical research enterprise. The prospect of ongoing isolation of Russia's substantial research enterprise raises issues related to but distinct from the more familiar problem of corruption. In this paper, we identify reasons that the culture of research ethics in Russia may have been weak even before the war, contributing to hard questions about its future role in the global clinical research community.
Improving stable isotope assessments of inter‐ and intra‐species variation in coral reef fish trophic strategies
Authors: Cybulski Jonathan D. , Skinner Christina , Wan Zhongyue , Wong Carmen K. M. , Toonen Robert J. , Gaither Michelle R. , Soong Keryea , Wyatt Alex S. J. , Baker David M. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractFish have one of the highest occurrences of individual specialization in trophic strategies among Eukaryotes. Yet, few studies characterize this variation during trophic niche analysis, limiting our understanding of aquatic food web dynamics. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) with advanced Bayesian statistics is one way to incorporate this individual trophic variation when quantifying niche size. However, studies using SIA to investigate trophodynamics have mostly focused on species‐ or guild‐level (i.e., assumed similar trophic strategy) analyses in settings where source isotopes are well‐resolved. These parameters are uncommon in an ecological context. Here, we use Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R (SIBER) to investigate cross‐guild trophodynamics of 11 reef fish species within an oceanic atoll. We compared two‐ (δ15N and δ13C) versus three‐dimensional (δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S) reconstructions of isotopic niche space for interpreting guild‐, species‐, and individual‐level trophic strategies. Reef fish isotope compositions varied significantly among, but also within, guilds. Individuals of the same species did not cluster together based on their isotope values, suggesting within‐species specializations. Furthermore, while two‐dimensional isotopic niches helped differentiate reef fish resource use, niche overlap among species was exceptionally high. The addition of δ34S and the generation of three‐dimensional isotopic niches were needed to further characterize their isotopic niches and better evaluate potential trophic strategies. These data suggest that δ34S may reveal fluctuations in resource availability, which are not detectable using only δ15N and δ13C. We recommend that researchers include δ34S in future aquatic food web studies.
Preparation of a pH‐responsive chitosan‐montmorillonite‐nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots nanocarrier for attenuating doxorubicin limitations in cancer therapy
Authors: Rahmani Erfan , Pourmadadi Mehrab , Ghorbanian Sohrab Ali , Yazdian Fatemeh , Rashedi Hamid , Navaee Mona 
Published: September 2022

AbstractDespite its widespread usage as a chemotherapy drug in cancer treatment, doxorubicin (DOX) has limitations such as short in vivo circulation time, low solubility, and poor permeability. In this regard, a pH‐responsive chitosan (CS)‐ montmorillonite (MMT)‐ nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) nanocomposite was first developed, loaded with DOX, and then incorporated into a double emulsion to further develop the sustained release. The incorporated NCQDs into the CS‐MMT hydrogel exhibited enhanced loading and entrapment efficiencies. The presence of NCQDs nanoparticles in the CS‐MMT hydrogel also resulted in an extended pH‐responsive release of DOX over a period of 96 h compared to that of CS‐MMT‐DOX nanocarriers at pH 5.4. Based on the Korsmeyer‐Peppas model, there was a controlled DOX release at pH 5.4, while no diffusion was observed at pH 7.4, indicating fewer side effects. MTT assay showed that the cytotoxicity of DOX‐loaded CS‐MMT‐NCQDs hydrogel nanocomposite was significantly higher than those of free DOX (p < 0.001) and CS‐MMT‐NCQDs (p < 0.001) on MCF‐7 cells. Flow cytometry results demonstrated that a higher apoptosis induction achieved after incorporating NCQDs nanoparticles into CS‐MMT‐DOX nanocarrier. These findings suggest that the DOX‐loaded nanocomposite is a promising candidate for the targeted treatment of cancer cells.
Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging connectome features are predictive of functional lateralization of semantic processing in the anterior temporal lobes
Authors: Zahnert Felix , Kräling Gunter , Melms Leander , Belke Marcus , Kleinholdermann Urs , Timmermann Lars , Hirsch Martin , Jansen Andreas , Mross Peter , Menzler Katja , Habermehl Lena , Knake Susanne 
Published: September 2022

AbstractAssessment of regional language lateralization is crucial in many scenarios, but not all populations are suited for its evaluation via task‐functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this study, the utility of structural connectome features for the classification of language lateralization in the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) was investigated. Laterality indices for semantic processing in the ATL were computed from task‐fMRI in 1038 subjects from the Human Connectome Project who were labeled as stronger rightward lateralized (RL) or stronger leftward to bilaterally lateralized (LL) in a data‐driven approach. Data of unrelated subjects (n = 432) were used for further analyses. Structural connectomes were generated from diffusion‐MRI tractography, and graph theoretical metrics (node degree, betweenness centrality) were computed. A neural network (NN) and a random forest (RF) classifier were trained on these metrics to classify subjects as RL or LL. After classification, comparisons of network measures were conducted via permutation testing. Degree‐based classifiers produced significant above‐chance predictions both during cross‐validation (NN: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.68[0.64–0.73], accuracy[CI] = 68.34%[63–73.2%]; RF: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.7[0.66–0.73], accuracy[CI] = 64.81%[60.9–68.5]) and testing (NN: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.69[0.53–0.84], accuracy[CI] = 68.09[53.2–80.9]; RF: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.68[0.53–0.84], accuracy[CI] = 68.09[55.3–80.9]). Comparison of network metrics revealed small effects of increased node degree within the right posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) in subjects with RL, while degree was decreased in the right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Above‐chance predictions of functional language lateralization in the ATL are possible based on diffusion‐MRI connectomes alone. Increased degree within the right pMTG as a right‐sided homologue of a known semantic hub, and decreased hubness of the right PCC may form a structural basis for rightward‐lateralized semantic processing.
Functional connectivity during orthographic, phonological, and semantic processing of Chinese characters identifies distinct visuospatial and phonosemantic networks
Authors: Liu Chun Yin , Tao Ran , Qin Lang , Matthews Stephen , Siok Wai Ting 
Published: September 2022

AbstractWhile neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions associated with single word reading, its three constituents, namely, orthography, phonology, and meaning, and the functional connectivity of their networks remain underexplored. This study examined the neurocognitive underpinnings of these neural activations and functional connectivity of the identified brain regions using a within‐subject design. Thirty‐one native Mandarin speakers performed orthographic, phonological, and semantic judgment tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results indicated that the three processes shared a core network consisting of a large region in the left prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and medial superior frontal gyrus but not the superior temporal gyrus. Orthographic processing more strongly recruited the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left superior parietal lobule and bilateral fusiform gyri; semantic processing more strongly recruited the left inferior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus, whereas phonological processing more strongly activated the dorsal part of the precentral gyrus. Functional connectivity analysis identified a posterior visuospatial network and a frontal phonosemantic network interfaced by the left middle frontal gyrus. We conclude that reading Chinese recruits cognitive resources that correspond to basic task demands with unique features best explained in connection with the individual reading subprocesses.
“Power does not exist, what exists is influence”: How mid‐level business and finance staff in private colleges navigate the higher education landscape
Authors: Dorantes Andrew R. , Schiffecker Sarah Maria , García Hugo A. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn this chapter, the experiences of mid‐level business and finance staff positions in private colleges are explored to illuminate how they engage the campus environment as they help navigate their institutional fiscal vitality through the lens of empowerment theory. Through qualitative interviewers, findings include how they negotiate shared governance with members of the community who have tenure and how they empower those around them.