Science Research Program Research Articles

Genetically, dietary sodium intake is causally associated with salt-sensitive hypertension risk in a community-based cohort study: a Mendelian randomization approach

Abstract Excessive dietary salt intake is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Salt sensitivity, i.e., an elevation in blood pressure in response to high dietary salt intake, has been associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. We investigated whether a causal association exists between dietary sodium intake and hypertension risk using Mendelian randomization (MR). We performed an MR study using data from a large genome-wide association study comprising 15,034 Korean adults in a community-based cohort study. A total of 1,282 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with dietary sodium intake, such as rs2960306, rs4343, and rs1937671, were selected as instrumental variables. The inverse variance weighted method was used to assess the evidence for causality. Higher dietary sodium intake was associated with salt-sensitive hypertension risk. The variants of SLC8E1 rs2241543 and ADD1 rs16843589 were strongly associated with increased blood pressure. In the logistic regression model, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, drinking, exercise, and body mass index, the GRK4 rs2960306TT genotype was inversely associated with hypertension risk (OR = 0.356, 95% CI = 0.236–0.476). However, the 2350GG genotype (ACE rs4343) exhibited a 2.11-fold increased hypertension risk (OR = 2.114, 95% CI = 2.004–2.224) relative to carriers of the 2350AA genotype, after adjusting for confounders. MR analysis revealed that the odds ratio for hypertension per 1 mg/day increment of dietary sodium intake was 2.24 in participants with the PRKG1 rs12414562 AA genotype. Our findings suggest that dietary sodium intake may be causally associated with hypertension risk. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education (2017R1D1A3B03034119, 2014M3C9A3064552), and the KRIBB Initiative program. This research was also supported by the Medical Research Center Program (2017R1A5A2015369). This work was supported (in part) by the Yonsei University Research Fund 2017. Bioresources for this study were provided by the National Biobank of Korea and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Republic of Korea (2017-009).

Retrospect and prospect regarding school psychology scholarship: Reflections of Lightner Witmer award winners.

This article provides reflections on several key elements important for establishing and sustaining successful research trajectories and scholarship within the field. Developed by several Lightner Witmer Award recipients, the article highlights several of Lightner Witmer's experiences and pioneering contributions, including the importance of his own mentors, collaborations with interdisciplinary professionals, and his emphasis on the relevance of scientific research programs and the practical implications for helping children. In an effort to move the field forward, we discuss important elements relevant to developing and sustaining successful research programs in school psychology including the importance of mentorship, collaboration, research methodologies, replicability, extramural funding, and dissemination. Throughout, we emphasize the importance of conducting research within the school context, which is consistent with the important influence of ecological systems articulated by Conoley, Powers, and Gutkin (2020), and reflects the hallmark of school psychology scholarship as an applied science. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Deep Convolutional Neural Network-Based Lymph Node Metastasis Prediction for Colon Cancer Using Histopathological Images

Background: Human evaluation of pathological slides cannot accurately predict lymph node metastasis (LNM), which is urgently needed to determine treatment and follow-up strategies for colon cancer. We aimed to develop an accurate histopathological feature for LNM in colon cancer. Methods: We developed a deep convolutional neural network model to distinguish the cancer tissue component of colon cancer using data from the tissue bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases and the pathology archive at the University Medical Center Mannheim in German. This model was applied to whole-slide pathological images of colon cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The predictive value of the peri-tumoral stroma (PTS) score for LNM was assessed. Findings: A total of 164 patients with stage I, II, and III colon cancer from TCGA were analyzed. The mean PTS score was 0.380 (±SD = 0.285), and significantly higher PTS scores were observed in patients in the LNM-positive group than those in the LNM-negative group (P < 0.001). In the univariate analyses, the PTS scores for the LNM-positive group were significantly higher than the scores for LNM-negative group (P < 0.001). Further, the PTS scores in lymphatic invasion and any one of perineural, lymphatic, or venous invasion were significantly increased in the LNM-positive group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001). Interpretation: We established the PTS score, a simplified reproducible parameter, for predicting LNM in colon cancer using computer-based analysis that could be used to guide treatment decisions. These findings warrant further confirmation through large prospective clinical trials. Funding Statement: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), which is funded by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (grant number: NRF-2019R1C1C1003524). Declaration of Interests: None of the authors have any conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong (KHNMC IRB 2020-09-025). The need for informed consent was waived because all data used in this study were de-identified.

Copper-Impregnated Three-Dimensional Mask Efficiently Inactivates SARS-CoV-2

Background: The antiviral properties of copper compounds have attracted interest among research communities amidst the recent SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. Here we fabricated a multilayer face mask impregnated with a copper substance and demonstrated significant time- and dose-dependent virucidal activity upon contact exposure to mask fabric. This study investigated the effectiveness of copper-impregnated mask material for efficient inactivation of highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 using in vitro models, and found it to be a potential strategy for mitigating the social burden caused by the current pandemic. Methods: SARS-CoV-2 was inoculated at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 onto three layered mask fabrics impregnated with 22%, or 49%, and 60% copper coated monolayered mask fabrics for 30 min, 1 h, and 2 h. After incubation, mask fabric was thoroughly washed and the level of viral inhibition was evaluated by in vitro cytopathy measurements, fluorescent microscopy, and viral copy number by qRT-PCR. Findings: After 3 DPI of post-infection, cells in the 0% copper-impregnated material treatment exhibited 100% cell destruction whereas the non-infected control cells were completely intact with no cytopathy. The highest level of viral inactivation was exhibited by the 22% copper-impregnated three-layer fabric which resulted in approximately 90% protection, whereas the 49% and 60% copper coated monolayer material resulted in approximately 70% inhibition of the virus on cytopathy, immunofluorescence, and RT-PCR-based viral copy number assessment. Interpretation: A copper-impregnated three-layer mask efficiently inactivated SARS-CoV-2 upon sustained contact, and can be used as a means to prevent accidental infections due to handling of contaminated masks. Funding Statement: This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2019R1A6A1A03033084) and LSK Finetex Co. Ltd, Goyang-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea. Declaration of Interests: Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, and all authors have agreed and approved the final manuscript. Ethics Approval Statement: All experiments using SARS-CoV-2 were performed in Korea Zoonosis Research Institute at Jeonbuk National University using enhanced biosafety level 3 (BSL3) containment procedures in KCDC approved laboratories.

Observed Time Burden With Isolation Precautions at Three University-Affiliated Hospitals in Korea

Background: Isolation precautions (IPs; ie, patient isolation with transmission-based precautions) are essential in hospital infection control interventions to prevent the transmission of healthcare-associated infections. Because IPs require healthcare personnel (HCP) to use personal protective equipment (PPE; eg, gown, gloves, and mask) to enter patient isolation rooms and perform hand hygiene (HH) frequently, IPs are often regarded as cumbersome tasks and may lead to fewer HCP visits. This observation study examined the time burden of IPs (ie, PPE use and HH) from time spent on HCP tasks, including patient treatment and care, in patient isolation rooms. Methods: With institutional review board approval, participating hospitals were recruited. At each hospital, assigned infection control nurses observed HCP tasks at patient isolation rooms of interest and recorded each task’s duration, using a stopwatch or timer and an observation form. For each observation block (ie, a duty period at 1 observation unit, regardless of the number of observed isolation rooms), unit-related information was collected, including the numbers of hospitalized patients, admission patients, discharge patients, isolation patients, and nurses. For each block, IP proportions were calculated by total time spent on IP divided by the total time spent on all tasks. Descriptive statistics, t test, ANOVA, and regression analyses were conducted using STATA version 16.0 software. Results: Three university-affiliated hospitals (838 average hospital beds, range 811–855) participated from April 2 to May 18, 2019 (for 7–9 days). In total, 2,901 tasks were monitored and the total time spent was 164,973 seconds; most tasks were done by nurses (89.2%) and females (86.8%). Although the most time-intensive task was procedures (eg, intravenous infusion) followed by medication, PPE use was the most frequent task followed by HH (Table 1). Regarding IP proportions, an overall average of 23.6% of total task time was spent on IPs (16.1% for PPE use and 7.5% for HH) in patient isolation rooms (Table 2). Notably, tasks in the tuberculosis isolation room of hospital B showed a greater HH proportion (13.7%) than PPE proportion (13.5%) because HCP usually use N95 masks only. Wards, compared to intensive care units (ICUs), showed higher PPE proportions (19.2%), potentially due to PPE stock in the nurse station and less PPE education compared to ICUs. Conclusions: Our study results demonstrated the substantial amount of time spent on IP compliance among all task durations in patient isolation rooms. To improve IP compliance, this time burden needs to be considered with greater system support, such as more nursing staff.Funding: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (Grant no. 2017R1D1A1B03036377).Disclosures: None

Stem Cells And Cell Therapy: A Sober View

Stem cells and cell therapy are one of the most widely discussed topics in the medical and biological literature. It is supposed to differentiate exogenous SC into various cell lineages and to replace senescent, dysfunctional, and damaged cells. However, in vitro differentiation with the expression of certain markers does not prove replacement of functioning cells in vivo. The application of cell therapies in cardiovascular, hepatic, neurodegenerative diseases, osteoarthritis, and diabetes mellitus is discussed in this article. Some publications exaggerate the successes of cell therapies without giving due consideration to potential adverse effects. In recent years, there has been a global increase in the number of clinics offering stem cell treatment with unproven efficiency. In conclusion, therapeutic methods with unproven efficacy and potential adverse effects should be applied within the framework of high-quality scientific research programs that are free of conflicts of interest.Key words: stem cells; cell therapy; cardiovascular diseases; osteoarthritis; liver cirrhosis; diabetes mellitus; central nervous system.

The Comprehensive Analyses of Mental Status in COVID-19 Patients, Health Care Workers and General Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The mental status of patients with Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (PCs), health care workers (HCWs) exposed to the COVID-19, and general population (GP) has be reported. However, no studies comprehensively investigated their mental status. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence, comparisons and risk factors of mental problems among three groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: 1300 participants including 137 PCs, 159 HCWs and 1003 GP were enrolled. The anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress symptom (PTSS) were assessed by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C). Findings: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety, depression and PTSS were 21.7%, 76.1% and 19.5% in PCs, 9.3%, 25.3% and 9.5% in HCWs, and 12.7%, 25.8% and 6.9% in GP, respectively. The SAS, SDS and PCL-C total scores differed among three groups after controlling for covariates (all, pInterpretation: Our data revealed the high prevalence of mental problems among PCs, HCWs and GP, and more serious mental problems in PCs than HCWs and GP as well as the significant effects of having friend or relative infected, married and age 30-40 years on mental problems in the different population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, these findings further suggested that mental problems in the different population should adopt the different psychological interventions to reduce their mental distress caused by the COVID-19.Funding Statement: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81771439), Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program (BE2018662), Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission Science Research Program (QNRC2016228, H2019056 and LGY2018010), Jiangsu Provincial Six Talent Peaks Project (WSN-165), Suzhou Municipal Sci-Tech Bureau Program (SS2019009), and CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology (KLMH2019K03).Declaration of Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest.Ethics Approval Statement: The protocol, questionnaire and informed consent of this study were approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University.

Perovskite Termination-Dependent Charge Transport Behaviors of the CsPbI3/Black Phosphorus van der Waals Heterostructure*Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51972266, 51672214, 11304248, and 11247230), theNatural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (Grant No. 2014JM1014), the Scientific Research Program Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Education Department (Grant No. 2013JK0624), the Fund Program for the Scientific

Fundamental understanding of interfacial charge behaviors is of great significance for the optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. However, the crucial roles of perovskite terminations in charge transport processes have not been completely clear. We investigate the charge transfer behaviors of the CsPbI3/black phosphorus (BP) van der Waals heterostructure by using the density functional theory calculations with a self-energy correction. The calculations at the atomic level demonstrate the type-II band alignments of the CsPbI3/BP heterostructure, which make electrons transfer from the perovskite side to monolayer BP. Moreover, the stronger interaction and narrower physical separation of the interfaces can lead to higher charge tunneling probabilities in the CsPbI3/BP heterostructure. Due to different electron affinities, the PbI2-terminated perovskite slab tends to collect electrons from the adjacent materials, whereas the CsI-termination prefers to inject electrons into transport materials. In addition, the interface coupling effect enhances the visible-light-region absorption of the CsPbI3/BP heterostructure. This study highlights the importance of the perovskite termination in the charge transport processes and provides theoretical guidelines to develop high-performance photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.

Selective CO2 Photoconversion on Low-Coordinate TiO2

The selective conversion of CO2 into desired hydrocarbon products remains a challenge in photocatalysis. In this issue of Chem, Feng and colleagues report a strong-magnetic-field-assisted strategy for forming active low-coordinate (100) facets on TiO2 nanotubes, enabling selective photoconversion of CO2 into the C2 product C2H5OH under visible light.

Biological potential of the Carmen apple variety in the South of Dagestan

The article provides a pomological estimation of the Carmen apple variety cultivated in the southeastern foothill sub-province of Dagestan. The purpose of the research is to study the biological potential of the variety and to reveal the best in productivity apple scion/stock combinations that combine high adaptive capabilities for constructing intensive-type orchards in the commercial horticultural zone. The establishment of such orchards is associated with high material costs; therefore, improving the technology plays a crucial role. Especially important is the selection of scion/stock combinations in the production of apple planting material, which in the intensive horticulture should be characterized by precocity, stable productivity, high fruit quality and environmental sustainability. In Dagestan, fruit zones are sharply heterogeneous in terms of soil and climate conditions, which prevents the unification of the technology of intensive apple plantations. The most promising for the development of commercial horticulture is the South-Eastern foothill sub-province. Among the unfavorable environmental factors that negatively affect the vital activity of fruit crops in Dagestan, the first place is occupied by recurrent cold in spring and early frosts in autumn. In accordance with the Program of scientific research of the Federal Agrarian Scientific Center of the Republic of Dagestan, it is planned to study the influence of different stocks – dwarf M9, SK7 and medium-tall SK2, MM106 on the productivity of the Carmen variety. Based on the research results, biometric parameters of tree growth in a young orchard were studied depending on the design of the plantings. It is noted that at the three-year-old, the condition of the trees estimated on a 5-point scale is good. The height of the trees, depending on the stock, reached an average of 1.9 to 2.6 m. On dwarf rootstocks M9 and SK7, the diameter of the tree stem in the Carmen variety was 3.0-3.3 cm; on stocks SK2 and MM106, respectively 3.6-4.0 cm. The most prominent growth activity of trees of various scion/stock combinations reflects the total length of shoots. The smallest shoot length was observed in stands with dwarf rootstocks M-9 and SK-7, the largest – on medium-sized rootstocks MM-106. The largest number of fruit formations was on the dwarf rootstock SK7 (24.7 PCs.), with a planting scheme of 3.0×1.5 m; per square meter of food area, the number of fruit formations was 4.3-5.4 PCs./m2, and on stocks SK-2 and MM-106 with a planting scheme of 5.0×2.0 m their number was 2.1-2.2 PCs./m2.

Reinvigorating the Wiener-Hopf technique in the pursuit of understanding processes and materials.

Abstract This perspective originated during the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences research programme “Bringing pure and applied analysis together via the Wiener-Hopf technique, its generalisations and applications (WHT)”. It fuelled intensive discussions on current pure and applied mathematical challenges of the Wiener-Hopf technique, driven by its impact on real-world problems.

Jump ship, shift gears, or just keep on chugging: Assessing the responses to tensions between theory and evidence in contemporary cosmology

When is it reasonable to abandon a scientific research program? When would it be premature? We take up these questions in the context of a contemporary debate at the border between astrophysics and cosmology, the so-called “small-scale challenges” to the concordance model of cosmology (ΛCDM) and its cold dark matter paradigm. These challenges consist in discrepancies between the outputs of leading cosmological simulations and observational surveys, and have garnered titles such as the Missing Satellites, Too Big To Fail, and Cusp/Core problems. We argue that these challenges do not currently support a wholesale abandonment or even modification of cold dark matter. Indeed, the nature of the challenges suggests prioritizing the incorporation of known physics into cosmological simulations.

A 70-Gene Signature for Predicting Treatment Outcome in Advanced-Stage Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. The current approaches still have limitations in predicting the therapy outcome of each individual because of cancer heterogeneity. The goal of this study was to establish a gene expression signature that could help when choosing the right therapeutic method for the treatment of advanced-stage cervical cancer. The 666 patients were collected from four independent datasets. The 70-gene expression signature was established using univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The 70-gene signature was significantly different between low- and high-risk groups in the training dataset (p = 4.24e−6) and in the combined three validation datasets (p = 4.37e−3). Treatment of advanced-stage cancer patients in the high-risk group with molecular-targeted therapy combined with chemoradiotherapy yielded a better survival rate than with only chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.0746). However, treatment of the patients in the low-risk group with the combined therapy resulted in significantly lower survival (p = 0.00283). Functional classification of 70 genes revealed involvement of the angiogenesis pathway, specifically phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling (p = 0.040), extracellular matrix organization (p = 0.0452), and cell adhesion (p = 0.011). The 70-gene signature could predict the prognosis and indicate an optimal therapeutic modality in molecular-targeted therapy or chemotherapy for advanced-stage cervical cancer.

Government as the First Investor in Biopharmaceutical Innovation: Evidence From New Drug Approvals 2010–2019

The discovery and development of new medicines classically involves a linear process of basic biomedical research to uncover potential targets for drug action, followed by applied, or translational, research to identify candidate products and establish their effectiveness and safety. This Working Paper describes the public sector contribution to that process by tracing funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) related to published research on each of the 356 new drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from 2010-2019 as well as research on their 219 biological targets. Specifically, we describe the timelines of clinical development for these products and proxy measures of their importance, including designations as first-in- class or expedited approvals. We model the maturation of basic research on the biological targets to determine the initiation and established points of this research and demonstrate that none of these products were approved before this enabling research passed the established point. This body of essential research comprised 2 million publications, of which 424 thousand were supported by 515 thousand Funding Years of NIH Project support totaling $195 billion. Research on the 356 drugs comprised 244 thousand publications, of which 39 thousand were supported by 64 thousand Funding Years of NIH Project support totaling $36 billion. Overall, NIH funding contributed to research associated with every new drug approved from 2010-2019, totaling $230 billion. This funding supported investigator-initiated Research Projects, Cooperative Agreements for government-led research on topics of particular importance, as well as Research Program Projects and Centers and training to support the research infrastructure. This NIH funding also produced 22 thousand patents, which provided marketing exclusivity for 27 (8.6%) of the drugs approved 2010-2019. These data demonstrate the essential role of public sector-funded basic research in drug discovery and development, as well as the scale and character of this funding. It also demonstrates the limited mechanisms available for recognizing the value created by these early investments and ensuring appropriate public returns. This analysis demonstrates the importance of sustained public investment in basic biomedical science as well as the need for policy innovations that fully realize the value of public sector investments in pharmaceutical innovation that ensure that these investments yield meaningful improvements in health.

Contemporary challenges and ways to improve health risk assessment and management

We analyzed basic trends in improving risk assessment and management in Russia taking into account international experience; these trends arise from needs occurring in contemporary hygienic science and necessity to provide stronger resistance against new threats to population health. We substantiated specific tasks in development of health risk analysis mythology basing on preconditions for finding solutions to them in Russia; we also determined practical issues in its implementation that are the most vital and need solutions in the nearest future in order to eliminate adverse impacts on the environment and population health. The primary results are creation of a long-term strategy for the development of health risk analysis principles that takes into account the latest scientific data and is aimed at solving the following methodological and practical tasks: implementation of a systemic approach in estimating carcinogenic / non-carcinogenic risks; development of a unified approach to accomplishing toxicological «dose – response» examinations and interpreting their results which will take into account background morbidity and background dose burdens and determine susceptible population groups and behavioral models; threshold levels obtained via determining «benchmark» concentrations taking spontaneous background into account in order to determine new RfD and RfC and revise existing ones; use of micronvironmental approach in exposure estimation; use of risk assessment methodology in BAT parameters implementation for providing control over health safety after new approaches aimed at reducing emissions have been implemented in environmental protection. The necessity to improve approaches to health risk assessment and management and tasks solved within the process have been taken into account when the Branch scientific research program for 2021–2025 was developed by Rospotrebnadzor.

Современные вызовы и пути совершенствования оценки и управления рисками здоровью населения

We analyzed basic trends in improving risk assessment and management in Russia taking into account international experience; these trends arise from needs occurring in contemporary hygienic science and necessity to provide stronger resistance against new threats to population health. We substantiated specific tasks in development of health risk analysis mythology basing on preconditions for finding solutions to them in Russia; we also determined practical issues in its implementation that are the most vital and need solutions in the nearest future in order to eliminate adverse impacts on the environment and population health. The primary results are creation of a long-term strategy for the development of health risk analysis principles that takes into account the latest scientific data and is aimed at solving the following methodological and practical tasks: implementation of a systemic approach in estimating carcinogenic / non-carcinogenic risks; development of a unified approach to accomplishing toxicological «dose – response» examinations and interpreting their results which will take into account background morbidity and background dose burdens and determine susceptible population groups and behavioral models; threshold levels obtained via determining «benchmark» concentrations taking spontaneous background into account in order to determine new RfD and RfC and revise existing ones; use of micronvironmental approach in exposure estimation; use of risk assessment methodology in BAT parameters implementation for providing control over health safety after new approaches aimed at reducing emissions have been implemented in environmental protection. The necessity to improve approaches to health risk assessment and management and tasks solved within the process have been taken into account when the Branch scientific research program for 2021–2025 was developed by Rospotrebnadzor.

Biological perspectives on complexities of fisheries co-management: A case study of Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab

A thrust toward fisheries co-management systems occurred globally throughout the 1990s. This was partially influenced by the collapse of groundfish stocks including the iconic northern cod and other fisheries resources in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The management system for NL snow crab burgeoned during this period, largely in the absence of biological information for the resource. There is a high volume of theoretical literature advocating for the benefits of fisheries co-management, but little documented perspectives from fisheries scientists actively engaged in such management systems, nor literature detailing how co-management regimes could affect scientific research or assessment programs. In this paper, in context of a large fishery, we provide specific examples of how co-management processes can influence scientific research and monitoring programs and the biological functioning of important marine resources. We undertake critical evaluation on topics including spatial scales of management, fishery timing, fishery closures, collaborative research, and harvester perceptions of stock size. We conclude there are both scientific advantages and disadvantages to operating within co-management systems, but that the NL snow crab management system has evolved to promote processes problematic to provision of the best possible science advice. We conclude that adaptive co-management measures are required to address several current challenges in order to maximize scientific value within this system. In general, the paper demonstrates how flexibility is needed by all partners involved in resource co-management systems to adapt to fundamental scientific principles inherent in changing methodologies and the generation of knowledge.

Monitoring of the leopard seal population (Hydrurga leptonyx) in waters of the Argentine Islands (Ant-arctica)

The state of the leopard seal population (Hydrurga leptonyx Blainville, 1828) in waters of the Argentine Islands was studied during the periods April 2015 — March 2016 and April 2018 — March 2019 according to the objectives of the State Target Scientific and Technical Research Programme of Ukraine in Antarctica for the period 2011–2020. During the study period, 14 males and 16 females were recorded within the archipelago (1M : 1.1F ratio). About 7 % of the seals were young individuals and more than 90% were adults. Leopard seals were recorded during all periods of the year. In the summer-autumn period, within the archipelago, there were 2 to 4 individuals simultaneously. The maximum period of stay of the predators in waters of the archipelago was about two weeks. Two individuals for at least two weeks were recorded twice in waters of the archipelago. The maximum period of absence of the seals in waters of the archipelago was 118 days. It was found that the occurrence of leopard seals and hence the traces of their life activities in various years were of different nature. In the autumn (April–May) of 2015, they were seen less frequently, on average every 6.3 ± 2.5 days, and in the autumn of 2018, on the contrary, more frequently, on average every 2.5 ± 0.5 days. The activity of the leopard seal in the winter (June, August) of 2015 decreased by half. It was recorded that the animals appeared in waters of the archipelago on average every 12.7 ± 5.5 days, and in the winter of 2018 — 5.5 ± 1.9 days. In the autumn of 2018, the predators and traces of their vital activities were seen less often — every 6.6 ± 1.6 days. During the study period, out of 78 recorded cases of the leopard seal’s occurrence, about 56 % of cases were recorded when they were on ice floes, in other cases (44 %) — when they were in water. In addition, several crabeater seals were recorded three times on an ice floe at an insignificant distance from a leopard seal. One of the main prey items for leopard seals within the archipelago are birds, in particular the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), as well as crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophagus). The presence of two penguin colonies on Galindez Island attracts leopard seals to the archipelago. During the study period, successful leopard seal predation on penguins was recorded more than 20 times. Penguins were the most frequent prey of leopard seals in spring and summer, while crabeater seals in winter.

Effects of WC-Co reinforced Ni-based alloy by laser melting deposition: Wear resistance and corrosion resistance* *Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFB1103604), the Industrial Transformation and Upgrading Funds of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China (Grant No. RZJC-XM19-004), the Tianjin Municipal Special Program of Talents Development for Excellent Youth Scholars,

WC-Co reinforced C276 alloy composite coatings are fabricated on Q235 steel by laser melting deposition. The microstructure, hardness, wear performance, and electrochemical corrosion behavior of composite coating are studied. The results show that WC-Co particles are mostly uniformly distributed in the coating and provide favorable conditions for heterogeneous nucleation. The microstructure of C276/WC-Co composite coatings is composed of γ-Ni solid solution dendrites and MoNi solid solution eutectics. The WC-Co particles can effectively improve the hardness and wear resistance of C276 alloy. The average hardness of the composite coating containing 10-wt% WC-Co (447 HV0.2) are 1.26 times higher than that of the C276 alloy (356 HV0.2). The wear rate of composite coating containing 10-wt% WC-Co (6.95 × 10−3 mg/m) is just 3.5% of that of C276 coating (196.23 × 10−3 mg/m). However, comparing with Hastelloy C276, the corrosion resistance of C276/WC-Co composite coating decreases.

Abstract 2960: Anti-cancer activity of NCTD: promotion of pro-apoptosis and anti-invasion in human oral cancer cells

Abstract Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated analog of cantharidin isolated from blister beetles, has been used as a promising anticancer agent; however, the anti-tumor potentials of NCTD against human oral cancer has not been fully understood. Here, this study was aimed to investigate the pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive effect and its molecular targets of NCTD in human oral cancer cell lines. Trypan blue exclusion assay, live/dead assay, western blotting, 4-6-Diamidino-2-Phenylindole staining, flow cytometric analysis, Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase dUTP Nick end Labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunohistochemistry and tumor xenograft mice models were performed to investigate the pro-apoptotic effect of NCTD. Clonogenic, wound healing, invasion, zymography, western blotting and immunocytochemistry assays were performed to investigate the anti-invasive effect of NCTD. NCTD significantly inhibited cell growth and increased the number of dead cells in oral cancer cell lines. It induced the following apoptotic phenomena: (1) the cleavages of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and casepase-3; (2) increase in apoptotic morphological changes (nuclear condensation and fragmentation); (3) increase in annexin V-positive cells or sub-G1 population of cells. NCTD significantly activated the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. A p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) partially attenuated NCTD-induced apoptosis in oral cancer cell lines. NCTD strongly suppressed tumor growth in the tumor xenograft bearing HSC-3 cells, and the number of TUNEL-positive cells increased in NCTD-treated tumor tissues. Also, NCTD markedly suppressed the colony formation, migration, and invasion of YD-15 cells as well as the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. It disrupted F-actin reorganization through suppressing the FAK/Paxillin axis. Moreover, NCTD exhibited a powerful anti-invasive effect compared with that of PF-562271. Collectively, these results suggest that NCTD has a potential pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive activity against oral cancer cell lines. Therefore, these results suggest that NCTD could be a potential anticancer drug candidate for the treatment of human oral cancer. This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and future Planning [2017R1D1A1B03029317, 2018R1D1A1B07043080, and 2019R1A2C1085896]. Citation Format: Chi-Hyun Ahn, Kyoung-Ok Hong, Ji-Ae Shin, Seong Doo Hong, Sung-Dae Cho. Anti-cancer activity of NCTD: promotion of pro-apoptosis and anti-invasion in human oral cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2960.