Editorial: Biology of Cognitive Aging: Model Systems, Technologies, and Beyond

The author provides an introduction to a research issue of Frontiers in Genetics on models and techniques related to age-related memory impairment

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan is an important attachment factor for cell entry of Akabane and Schmallenberg viruses

Akabane (AKAV) and Schmallenberg (SBV) viruses are Orthobunyavirus transmitted by arthropod vectors with a broad cellular tropism in vitro as well as in vivo Both AKAV and SBV cause arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly syndrome in ruminants. The main cellular receptor and attachment factor for entry of these orthobunyaviruses are unknown. Here, we found that AKAV and SBV infections were inhibited by the addition of heparin or enzymatic removal of cell surface heparan sulfates. To confirm this finding, we prepared heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-knockout (KO) cells by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and measured the binding quantities of these viruses to cell surfaces. We observed a substantial reduction in AKAV and SBV binding to cells, limiting the infections by these viruses. These data demonstrate that HSPGs are important cellular attachment factors for AKAV and SBV, at least in vitro, to promote virus replication in susceptive cells. Importance: AKAV and SBV are the etiological agents of arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly syndrome in ruminants, which causes considerable economic losses in the livestock industry. Here, we identified heparan sulfate proteoglycan as a major cellular attachment factor for the entry of AKAV and SBV. Moreover, we found that heparin is a strong inhibitor of AKAV and SBV infections. Revealing the molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions is critical in order to understand virus biology and develop novel live attenuated vaccines

Multiplex stress resistance in cells from long‐lived dwarf mice

Mutations that extend nematode longevity by interference with IGF‐I/insulin sensing pathways also lead to resistance to multiple forms of stress. Here, we report that skin‐derived fibroblasts from Snell dwarf mice, already known to show increased longevity and delayed aspects of aging, are resistant to multiple forms of cellular stress, including UV light, heat, paraquat, H2O2, and the toxic metal cadmium. The findings suggest that increases in cellular resistance to stress may mediate extended longevity in mammals.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154324/1/fsb2fj021092fje-sup-0001-S1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154324/2/fsb2fj021092fje.pd

A study on refurbishment of multi-family houses in Malaysia - housing developed by Kuala Lumpur City Government in the ’80s -

In Asian countries including Malaysia, a lot of new residential areas (; New towns) are developed because of the rapid population increase in urban areas during mass housing era ;60-80’s. The designs of the residential buildings provided to New Towns have been influenced by Western design based on modernism, which has different origin from Asian traditional architectures. Residents living in New Towns refurbish their dwellings in daily basis, and these refurbishments represent gaps between their diversified living requirements and the provided standards on which dwelling design is based. In this study, we carried out investigations on refurbishments by residents for multi-family houses in Kuala Lumpur. Our focus is providing the right and eligible procedures and methodologies to configure sustainable New Town houses considering Malaysian cultural aspects. We extracted three areas from large-scale residential complexes developed during early mass housing era in Kuala Lumpur as investigation targets. Questionnaires were given to the residents, 102 of whom answered them, and 37 of whom agreed photographing insides of the dwellings, sketching their living plans, and hearing their daily lives. 54 among 102 answered they had conducted some refurbishments. Major refurbishments are categorized as follows; installation/removal of walls/dividers, changes on floor/wall surface finishes, expansion to outside, addition of bay windows and window roofs. In Conclusion, ・ Relationship between residents’ ways of living and refurbishments is clarified. Residents’ living activities spread not only inside of dwellings but also to semi-external spaces such as balconies. ・ Various kinds of refurbishments including additions of window roofs and expansions to outside suggest ways how to adjust dwellings to local climate conditions and ways of living. ・ The ways of living and refurbishments show their living needs in semi-external spaces with appropriate air circulation. ・ The housing design in the future should be based on local climate, environments and cultures

Solid phase epitaxy of molecular beam deposited amorphous GaAs on Si

Solid phase epitaxial (SPE) crystallization of amorphous GaAs on (100) Si tilted by 4° toward formed by molecular beam deposition (MBD) was first achieved by cw Kr laser irradiation for short durations. The ratio of As to Ga (y/x) in deposited amorphous GaxAsy films was varied from 0.4 to 1.2. During the laser irradiation, movement of the amorphous/crystalline interface was measured using time-resolved optical reflectivity (TROR). It was found from TROR and micro-Raman scattering measurements that hetero-SPE is attained in samples with As/Ga ratios ranging from 0.8 to 1.1 and that the interface roughness is larger than that observed in homo-SPE (e.g., MBD GaAs on GaAs and P+ ion-implanted GaAs)

Meta Analysis of Human AlzGene Database: Benefits and Limitations of Using C. elegans for the Study of Alzheimer\u27s Disease and Co-Morbid Conditions

Human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage studies have identified 695 genes associated with Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD), the vast majority of which are associated with late-onset AD. Although orthologs of these AD genes have been studied in several model species, orthologs in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, remain incompletely identified, with orthologs to only 17 AD-related genes identified in the C. elegans database, WormBase. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive search for additional C. elegans orthologs of AD genes using well-established programs, including OrthoList, which utilizes four ontology prediction programs. We also validated 680 of the AD genes as a unique gene from the AlzGene database, including 431 genes (63%) that are predicted to have orthologs in C. elegans. Another 178 human AD genes (26%) were associated with one or more other neurological diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson\u27s disease, and schizophrenia. Of these, there were 105 genes (59%) with orthologs in C. elegans. Interestingly, three AD genes (ACE, TNF, and MTHFR) were associated with all four of the other neurological diseases. The human AD genes were enriched in three major ontology pathway groups, including lipoprotein metabolism, hemostasis, and extracellular matrix organizations, as well as in pathways that are amyloid related (NOTCH signaling) and associated with neural (neurotransmitter clearance) and immune (advanced glycation end-product receptor signaling and TRAF6-NF-kappaB) systems. Thus, the results from this study provide a potentially useful system for assessing comorbidities that may be associated with late-onset AD and other neurological conditions. The technical advantages and limitations of the ortholog searches are further discussed

Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Activity of FTO/WO3/BiVO4 Electrode by Modified With Gold Nanoparticles for Water Oxidation Under Visible Light Irradiation

Gold nanoparticles were successfully deposited on FTO/WO3/BiVO4 electrode surface by means of electrolysis of AuCl4 - ions. The composite films were characterized by SEM, XPS and XRD techniques. An increase in photocurrent and a negative shift of onset potential for water oxidation were observed upon modification of the electrode surface with the Au particles. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to confirm the acceleration of charge transfer process by Au deposition at the electrode surface. The photocurrent action spectrum did not correlate with the plasmonic absorbance of Au nanoparticles at 560 nm, suggesting that the Au nanoparticles increased charge separation without undergoing a plasmon resonance effect under visible light irradiation