Key Growth Factors Research Articles

Expression pattern of EEF1A2 in brain tumors: Histological analysis and functional role as a promoter of EMT

AimsGlioblastomas are highly aggressive brain tumors with a very poor survival rate. EEF1A2, the proto-oncogenic isoform of the EEF1A translation factor family, has been found to be overexpressed and promoting tumorigenesis in multiple cancers. Interestingly, recent studies reported reduced expression of this protein in brain tumors, drawing our attention to find the functional role and mechanism of this protein in brain tumor progression. Main methodsUsing representative cell line as models, the role of EEF1A2 in cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed using MTS assay, scratch wound-healing assay, transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. Activation of key signaling pathways was assessed using western blots and real-time PCR. Finally, using immunohistochemistry we checked the protein levels of EEF1A2 in CNS tumors. Key findingsEEF1A2 was found to increase the proliferative, migratory and invasive properties of cell lines of both glial and neuronal origin. PI3K activation directly correlated with EEF1A2 levels. Protein levels of key EMT markers viz. Twist, Snail, and Slug were increased upon ectopic EEF1A2 expression. Furthermore, EEF1A2 was found to affect the expression levels of key inflammatory cytokines, growth factors and matrix metalloproteases. IHC analysis showed that EEF1A2 is upregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal tissue. SignificanceEEF1A2 acts as an oncogene in both neuronal and glial cells and triggers an EMT program via PI3K pathway. However, it shows enhanced expression in neuronal cells of the brain than the glial cells, which could explain the previously reported anomaly.

Satellite Image-Based Monitoring of Urban Land Use Change and Assessing the Driving Factors in Pokhara and Bharatpur Metropolitan Cities, Gandaki Basin, Nepal

Urban growth is a key indicator of economic development. At the same time, haphazard urban growth creates serious socioeconomic, environmental and urban land management problems. In this context, understanding the process of urban landscape change is important for guiding the sustainable growth of urban areas. This study analyzes the urban land changes during 1990–2018 in two metropolitan cities of Gandaki basin: Pokhara and Bharatpur. Landsat satellite images were analyzed using supervised classification methods. The results revealed that the built-up area has increased significantly by 300% in Pokhara and by nearly 500% in the Bharatpur during the past 28 years. Population growth, migration from surrounding areas due to urban facilities and the easy lifestyle in cities were found to be major determinants of urban growth within the study area. In addition, the changing urban definition and expansion of municipal boundaries are key factors for rapid urban growth. Both cities are likely to grow in the future as they are both located in areas that encompass the high levels of commercial activity and modern service facilities. The haphazard urban growth should be minimized through planning and policies for sustainable urban development.

Beclin 1 Promotes Endosome Recruitment of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Tyrosine Kinase Substrate to Suppress Tumor Proliferation.

Beclin 1 has nonautophagic functions that include its ability to regulate endocytic receptor trafficking. However, the contribution of this function to tumor suppression is poorly understood. Here, we provide in vivo evidence that Beclin 1 suppresses tumor proliferation by regulating the endocytic trafficking and degradation of the EGFR and transferrin (TFR1) receptors. Beclin 1 promoted endosomal recruitment of hepatocyte growth factor tyrosine kinase substrate (HRS), which was necessary for sorting surface receptors to intraluminal vesicles for signal silencing and lysosomal degradation. In tumors with low Beclin 1 expression, endosomal HRS recruitment was diminished and receptor function was sustained. Collectively, our results demonstrate a novel role for Beclin 1 in impeding tumor growth by coordinating the regulation of key growth factor and nutrient receptors. These data provide an explanation for how low levels of Beclin 1 facilitate tumor proliferation and contribute to poor cancer outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE: Beclin 1 controls the trafficking fate of growth regulatory receptors to suppress tumor proliferation.

Investment in human capital as the basis for the country’s economic growth

A key factor in modern economic growth is investment in people and in the development of human capital, as evidenced by the experience of many countries. Investments in human capital create conditions for sustainable economic growth, constant adaptation of the socio-economic structure to new areas of scientific and technological progress. In addition, investments in people form demand in many adjacent sectors, thereby causing a significant multiplier effect. Currently, the role of the state in this area is quite large. The role of the state is especially great in the most important spheres of the formation of human capital - in the field of education, health care and the allocation of research.

A review: crystal growth for high-performance all-inorganic perovskite solar cells

The key factors for high-quality all-inorganic perovskite crystal growth.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR WEB-COMMUNITIES OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS: A PRISMA-COMPLIANT EXPLORATION

Pursuing businesses through social media platforms has become an interesting trend for female entrepreneurs in the last few years and in modern society. It appears as a beneficial online tool to promote new entrepreneurial ideas and a key factor for innovation, poverty reduction, employment, and economic growth in many global rising economies, as well as a way of life among disadvantaged families. The aim of this study is to articulate the role of web-communities for closing the current gaps in knowledge regarding the effects of social media on female entrepreneurs and how the utilisation of such a platform assists in promoting their economic welfare and their social well-being. We have adopted an extensive key search strategy on different databases, including Scopus, EBSCO Academic Search Premier and ProQuest. Our findings confirm that social media has a direct contribution to empowering females in many countries to pursue business through such platforms. Our review further provides practical implementations and future recommendations as regards to the current existing gaps in knowledge and supports conducing systematic research leading to more extensive inclusion of social media studies and their relation to female empowerment as entrepreneurs.

Intangible Capital Indicators Based on Web Scraping of Social Media

Knowledge-based capital is a key factor for productivity growth. Over the past 15 years, it has been increasingly recognised that knowledge-based capital comprises much more than technological knowledge and that these other components are essentia for understanding productivity developments and competitiveness of both firms and economies. We develop selected indicators for knowledge-based capital,often denoted as intangible capital, on the basis of publicly available data from online platforms.These indicators based on data from Facebook and the employer branding and review platform Kununu are compared by OLS regressions with firm-level survey data from the Mannheim Innovation Panel (MIP). All regressions show a positive and significant relationship between survey-based firm-level expenditures for marketing and on-the-job training and the respective information stemming from the online platforms. We therefore explore the possibility of predicting brand equity and firm-specific human capital with machine learning methods.

Цифра и российское образование: управленческие аспекты

The article discusses the problems associated with the digitalization of Russian society, as well as the main factors and challenges associated with the educational training of modern personnel to improve the competitiveness of the Russian economy in the global world. The authors show that the key factor of human capital productivity growth is the development of creativity and creative potential of modern school and university graduates.

Швейцария и Евросоюз: особенности торгово-инвестиционных связей

The article studies specifics of trade and investment ties of Switzerland with EU countries. The author researches into the history of relations of Switzerland with EU, specifics of participation of this country in the process of European integration without membership in EU. The author pay attention on policy of neutrality and decentralization of Swiss economy and analyzes the special model of relations of two parties in the shape of bilateral or sectoral agreements as well as the factors determining main trends and periods of its development, profits and risks linked to Switzerland`s joining the EU, and the reasons standing in the way of conclusion of an institutional framework agreement with EU. The core argument is the Swiss reliance on direct democracy and bottom-up approach to governance as well as neutrality policy. The author underlines the factors of attractiveness of Switzerland for European partners first of all tied with competitiveness and diversity of the Swiss economy, it`s original niche character, export orientation, specialization on innovative sectors and development of clusters particular in biomedical technologies. On the basis of analysis and summarizing of statistics the author shows dynamics and specifics of trade and investment ties between Switzerland and the EU countries, merchandise structure of the foreign trade and importance of foreign investment as a key factor for economic growth in Switzerland. The author also assesses the role of multinational companies in Swiss economy as drives of its growth in the context of globalization and the impact on the number of jobs in Switzerland.

Nowy Lockeański argument na rzecz socjalizmu: kontraktualizm w świetle teorii ekonomicznej

This article analyses the implications from modern economic theory on political philosophy. As economic growth seems the main fact of economic life, so progress of science is a key factor of economic growth in the long perspective. Scientific knowledge analyzed by economic terms appears as a kind of public good. This statement was tested against Lockeian property theory, fundamental for modern liberalism. According to Lockeian arguments, private property is a consequence of human self-ownership. If humans are the owners of their bodies, the fruits of their labor are thus legimatized property for them. Nature is indispensable in production; however we could consider them as God’s Gift. According to Locke’s theory, natural resources are the common property of all humankind, unless the people choose agriculture and animal husbandry. As we consider all natural resources to be God’s Gift, we could see them as the property of the whole human race. This indicates a claim for the egalitarian distribution of social income. This reasoning is an Old Lockeian Argument for Socialism. The New Argument is based on the assumption that scientific knowledge is the key resource used in the process of production and that knowledge is a free gift for humanity from the community of scientists. Using the terminology of economics, scientific knowledge takes the form of public good. Therefore, as science is the main factor in technological progress and economic growth, their fruits should be distributed among all people in an egalitarian mode.

Связь линейного и радиального прироста сосны обыкновенной с осадками разного генезиса в лесах Керженского заповедника

Climatic signal in the linear and radial increment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing on the Russian Plain and particularly in Kerzhenskiy national reserve (the Republic of Tatarstan) is well examined. It was determined that precipitation is the key factor of the tree growth in the temperate climate. At the same time, changing character of precipitation was revealed on the Russian Plain for the last five decades. It is associated with long-term increase of convective showers and decrease of stratiform precipitation. Therefore, the study’s important task is to examine the relationship between Scots pine increment and the different types of precipitation. The issue examines the relations between linear and radial increment and precipitation of different genesis in three biotope types: moist, fresh and dry. The linear increment shows sensitivity to heavy showers in the beginning of the growing season when a tree strongly depends on soils moisture. All biotope types show a significant positive signal to the convective precipitation except moist biotope which shows a negative signal. It can be explained by water stress and oxygen deficit in the root layer. Stratiform precipitation has significant negative influence on the linear increment. This fact indicates a negative impact of the prolonged moisturizing on the increment of the current year and the quality of the renewal bud in the previous season. Radial tree increment demonstrates a less significant response to precipitation of different genesis. It is characterized by a positive relationship with proportion of heavy rains at the beginning of the current growing season when early wood forms and the second half of the previous year growing season when a more mature wood begins to form.

Intangible capital and business productivity in the hotel industry

Intangible capital is a key factor of productivity growth. This paper analyses how the internal intangible capital of the company and external intangible capital influence its productivity. This contribution focuses on the hotel industry since it is a key industry of the Spanish economy, such that any increase in its productivity has an impact on the entire economy. Both, the intangible capital of the company and that of the region in which the company is located are considered as determinants of productivity. Likewise, the importance of other agglomeration economies in the productivity of hotel companies is taken into account. A model estimates firm level determinants of productivity, controlling for regional characteristics that include intangible capital. The findings suggest that, as expected, investment of innovation by hotel companies and regions positively affects company productivity. In addition, there is evidence of the presence of agglomeration economies, both in specialization and urbanization economies. Also, the elasticity of the intangible capital itself is higher in smaller hotel companies.

Charophyte stoichiometry in temperate waters

In recent years, little scrutiny has been devoted to charophytes with regard to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents, their ratios and the factors controlling them. Data from published literature, and our own unpublished data, will be used along with environmental data to depict overall statistical distributions and controlling factors of charophyte stoichiometry, along with two hypotheses already suggested for plankton. Data on whole and decarbonated plants will be reviewed separately, but the role of the phosphorus-bound, external crust in the charophyte metabolism is still unclear. These algae have an intermediate carbon content, and lower nitrogen and phosphorus contents, among other aquatic plants. Hence their C:N and C:P ratios are usually higher than those of other submerged plants. Phosphorus is the outstanding key factor for charophyte growth and stoichiometry. Charophyte P content appears to be related to C, N and P sedimentary contents; a higher P content will result in increased growth rates. The maximal growth rates recorded occur at charophyte C:N:P ratios of 343-759:18-44:1, higher than the well-known Redfield values for optimal growth in other algae. While PAR irradiance partly controlled charophyte nitrogen content and the C:N ratio, UV-B radiation increased C and N content, albeit not affecting nutrient ratios. We conclude that the light:nutrient and the growth rate hypotheses hold true for charophytes. Increasing temperatures by global warming could decrease charophyte P content, thereby augmenting the C:P ratio. Further studies on charophyte stoichiometry are encouraged, specifically to disentangle the relationship between plant and carbonate crust and the role of stonewort stoichiometry in aquatic system.

Underlying Factors Influencing Consumers’ Trust and Loyalty in E-commerce

Customer loyalty and trust are the key factors for long-term profitability and growth for organizations. Regardless of the rapid growth and popularity of the e-commerce, still companies face difficulties in gaining customer loyalty and trust ( Eid, 2011 ). Therefore, the aim of this study is to underlie the factors that gauge e-customer’s trust and e-customer loyalty in Business-to-Consumer (B2C) domain. The data were drawn via 5-point Likert scale adapted questionnaire from 328 respondents who had an experience of e-commerce, who were of working class, and were residing in major urban cities of Pakistan, that is, Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied to test the hypotheses. The findings suggested that website user interface quality, information quality, awareness of e-commerce, and perceived privacy are significant predictors of e-customer trust (ECT) and in turn e-loyalty, whereas perceived security risk was found to have insignificant impact on ECT. This article contributes to enhance the determinants that have an influence in gaining customer trust and loyalty and provides interesting perspective of Pakistani consumers. The findings of the study are beneficial for the e-commerce industry in enhancing ECT and e-loyalty and help them in promoting their business online.

Functionalising Collagen-Based Scaffolds With Platelet-Rich Plasma for Enhanced Skin Wound Healing Potential.

Porous collagen-glycosaminoglycan (collagen-GAG) scaffolds have shown promising clinical results for wound healing; however, these scaffolds do not replace the dermal and epidermal layer simultaneously and rely on local endogenous signaling to direct healing. Functionalizing collagen-GAG scaffolds with signaling factors, and/or additional matrix molecules, could help overcome these challenges. An ideal candidate for this is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as it is a natural reservoir of growth factors, can be activated to form a fibrin gel, and is available intraoperatively. We tested the factors released from PRP (PRPr) and found that at specific concentrations, PRPr enhanced cell proliferation and migration and induced angiogenesis to a greater extent than fetal bovine serum (FBS) controls. This motivated us to develop a strategy to successfully incorporate PRP homogeneously within the pores of the collagen-GAG scaffolds. The composite scaffold released key growth factors for wound healing (FGF, TGFβ) and vascularization (VEGF, PDGF) for up to 14 days. In addition, the composite scaffold had enhanced mechanical properties (when compared to PRP gel alone), while providing a continuous upper surface of extracellular matrix (ECM) for keratinocyte seeding. The levels of the factors released from the composite scaffold were sufficient to sustain proliferation of key cells involved in wound healing, including human endothelial cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes; even in the absence of FBS supplementation. In functional in vitro and in vivo vascularization assays, our composite scaffold demonstrated increased angiogenic and vascularization potential, which is known to lead to enhanced wound healing. Upon pro-inflammatory induction, macrophages released lower levels of the pro-inflammatory marker MIP-1α when treated with PRPr; and released higher levels of the anti-inflammatory marker IL1-ra upon both pro- and anti-inflammatory induction when treated with the composite scaffold. Finally, our composite scaffold supported a co-culture system of human fibroblasts and keratinocytes that resulted in an epidermal-like layer, with keratinocytes constrained to the surface of the scaffold; by contrast, keratinocytes were observed infiltrating the PRP-free scaffold. This novel composite scaffold has the potential for rapid translation to the clinic by isolating PRP from a patient intraoperatively and combining it with regulatory approved scaffolds to enhance wound repair.

THE EFFICIENT USE OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN RUSSIA IN CONDITIONS OF CATCHING-UP DEVELOPMENT

The relationship of labor productivity with other macroeconomic indicators has been analyzed: the level of wages in current prices and taking into account the Paasche deflator index; dynamics of the gross domestic product; the dynamics of the share of food in the consumer basket; the indicators of changes in clean investments, that is a key factor in economic growth in the national economy. On the basis of empirical data, the trends of productivity growth in comparison with the growth of other macroeconomic indicators algebraically and graphically have been shown. It has been concluded, that the development of human resources is necessary, since low productivity is a brake on the economic growth of the country in the conditions of catching-up development.

Comparison of visceral adipose tissue DNA methylation and gene expression profiles in female adolescents with obesity

BackgroundEpigenetic changes in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) with obesity and their effects on gene expression are poorly understood, especially during emergent obesity in youth. The current study tested the hypothesis that methylation and gene expression profiles of key growth factor and inflammatory pathways are altered in VAT from obese compared to non-obese youth.MethodsVAT samples from adolescent females grouped as Lean (L; n = 15; age = 15 ± 3 years, BMI = 21.9 ± 3.0 kg/m2) or Obese (Ob; n = 15, age = 16 ± 2 years, BMI = 45.8 ± 9.8 kg/m2) were collected. Global methylation (n = 20) and gene expression (N = 30) patterns were profiled via microarray and interrogated for differences between groups by ANCOVA (p < 0.05), followed by biological pathway analyses.ResultsOverlapping differences in methylation and gene expression in 317 genes were found in VAT from obese compared to lean groups. PI3K/AKT Signaling (p = 1.83 × 10−6; 11/121 molecules in dataset/pathway) was significantly overrepresented in Ob VAT according to pathway analysis. Upregulations in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway mRNAs TFAM (p = 0.03; fold change = 1.8) and PPP2R5C (p = 0.03, FC = 2.6) were confirmed via qRT-PCR.ConclusionOur analyses show obesity-related differences in DNA methylation and gene expression in visceral adipose tissue of adolescent females. Specifically, we identified methylation site/gene expression pairs differentially regulated and mapped these differences to pathways including PI3K/AKT signaling, suggesting that PI3K/AKT signaling pathway dysfunction in obesity may be driven in part by changes in DNA methylation.

Impacts of dietary supplementation with p-coumaric acid and indole-3-acetic acid on survival and biochemical response of honey bees treated with tau-fluvalinate.

Pollinator populations are in decline worldwide. Multiple factors have been cited as potential causes to these declines. In honey bees, a combination of stressors is known to cause colony losses. Adequate nutrition is a key factor for honey bee growth and colony development. Several studies show that the nutritional quality of the diet is directly proportional to the ability of the bee to face challenges or stressors. We explored the effect of p-coumaric (600 μM) and indole-3-acetic acid (2, 20 or 200 μM) supplementation on the survival and activity of key detoxification enzymes of honey bees exposed to tau-fluvalinate. The dietary supplementation with p-coumaric and indole-3-acetic acids (20 μM) enhanced the survival of bees exposed to tau-fluvalinate (approximately 20%). We also showed that dietary p-coumaric acid increased the levels of cytochrome P450 and glutathione reductase activity in bees treated with tau-fluvalinate, as well as in the untreated controls, while glutathione-S-transferase activity was lower in treated bees than in untreated. In bees fed with indole-3-acetic acid, cytochrome P450 showed increased levels, however, glutathione-S-transferase showed the lowest activity. Moreover, the results showed that supplementation with p-coumaric and indole-3-acetic acids did not alter acetyl cholinesterase activity, nor did treatment with tau-fluvalinate. Altogether, the enzymatic changes related to the detoxification mechanisms observed in bees that were fed with p-coumaric and indole-3-acetic acids could be responsible for the increased survival of bees treated with tau-fluvalinate compared to those that received a control diet. The results presented in this study, together with previous studies, provide evidence of the importance of dietary phytochemicals in the response of honey bees to pesticide exposure. Moreover, these results are the first report of the beneficial effect of the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid on the survival of honey bees treated with tau-fluvalinate.

Functional role of glycosaminoglycans in decellularized lung extracellular matrix

Despite progress in use of decellularized lung scaffolds in ex vivo lung bioengineering schemes, including use of gels and other materials derived from the scaffolds, the detailed composition and functional role of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycans (PGs) and their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains remaining in decellularized lungs, is poorly understood. Using a commonly utilized detergent-based decellularization approach in human autopsy lungs resulted in disproportionate losses of GAGs with depletion of chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) > heparan sulfate (HS) > hyaluronic acid (HA). Specific changes in disaccharide composition of remaining GAGs were observed with disproportionate loss of NS and NS2S for HS groups and of 4S for CS/DS groups. No significant influence of smoking history, sex, time to autopsy, or age was observed in native vs. decellularized lungs. Notably, surface plasmon resonance demonstrated that GAGs remaining in decellularized lungs were unable to bind key matrix-associated growth factors FGF2, HGF, and TGFβ1. Growth of lung epithelial, pulmonary vascular, and stromal cells cultured on the surface of or embedded within gels derived from decellularized human lungs was differentially and combinatorially enhanced by replenishing specific GAGs and FGF2, HGF, and TGFβ1. In summary, lung decellularization results in loss and/or dysfunction of specific GAGs or side chains significantly affecting matrix-associated growth factor binding and lung cell metabolism. GAG and matrix-associated growth factor replenishment thus needs to be incorporated into schemes for investigations utilizing gels and other materials produced from decellularized human lungs. Statement of significanceDespite progress in use of decellularized lung scaffolds in ex vivo lung bioengineering schemes, including use of gels and other materials derived from the scaffolds, the detailed composition and functional role of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycans (PGs) and their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains remaining in decellularized lungs, is poorly understood. In the current studies, we demonstrate that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are significantly depleted during decellularization and those that remain are dysfunctional and unable to bind matrix-associated growth factors critical for cell growth and differentiation. Systematically repleting GAGs and matrix-associated growth factors to gels derived from decellularized human lung significantly and differentially affects cell growth. These studies highlight the importance of considering GAGs in decellularized lungs and their derivatives.

Impact of Industrial Agglomeration on Productivity: Evidence from Iran’s Food Industry

This paper aims to examine the effect of agglomeration on firm level productivity in Iran’s food manufacturing by employing a firm level dataset during 1986–2015 among firms for four districts. The empirical results show that agglomeration in north districts are key factors in productivity growth. In this work, we apply a spatial Bayes model that uses hierarchical techniques during the three terms. The productivity clustering map is able to capture such patterns as the high productivity area that appears in the south, north districts of Iran. This paper evaluates the effect of agglomeration on firm productivity in Iran’s food industries at district level. We find that regional market potential is the strong predictor of productivity; moreover, industrial agglomeration has a productivity-augmenting impact.