Evaluation study of the urban governance of the COVID-19 crisis in the city of Antwerp.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has demanded crisis management at all governance levels. While most research has focused on responses of national governments, city-level governance had significant potential to develop tailored approaches. This study explored how the local COVID-19 response was organised and adapted to the specific city population and context in the City of Antwerp, Belgium.

Review: Connecting circularity to animal welfare calls for a 'novel' conceptual framework based on integrity.

The current food system is not sustainable. Circular agriculture aims to save the environment and produce food sustainably by closing nutrient cycles, possibly without improving animal welfare. This paper proposes a new conceptual framework, called a circular welfare economy (CWE), to facilitate a transition towards a sustainable agriculture based on integrity.

Dairy vs beef production - expert views on welfare of cattle in common food production systems.

Consumers' views and concerns about the welfare of farm animals may play an important role in their decision to consume dairy, meat and/or plants as their primary protein source. As animals are killed prematurely in both dairy and beef industries, it is important to quantify and compare welfare compromises in these two sectors before the point of death. Seventy world-leading bovine welfare experts based in 23 countries were asked to evaluate the likelihood of a bovine to experience 12 states of potential welfare concern, inspired by the Welfare Quality® protocol.

Soiling of Pig Pens: A Review of Eliminative Behaviour.

This is a comprehensive review on the pigs' normal eliminatory behaviour (i.e., defaecation and urination) and pen soiling.

Broiler welfare trade-off: A semi-quantitative welfare assessment for optimised welfare improvement based on an expert survey.

In order to support decision making on how to most effectively improve broiler welfare an innovative expert survey was conducted based on principles derived from semantic modelling. Twenty-seven experts, mainly broiler welfare scientists (n = 20; and 7 veterinarians), responded (response rate 38%) by giving welfare scores (GWS, scale 0-10) to 14 benchmarking housing systems (HSs), and explaining these overall scores by selecting, weighing and scoring main welfare parameters, including both input and output measures. Data exploration followed by REML (Linear Mixed Model) and ALM (Automatic Linear Modelling) analyses revealed 6 clusters of HSs, sorted from high to low welfare, i.

FcαRI Dynamics Are Regulated by GSK-3 and PKCζ During Cytokine Mediated Inside-Out Signaling.

IgA binding to FcαRI (CD89) is rapidly enhanced by cytokine induced inside-out signaling. Dephosphorylation of serine 263 in the intracellular tail of FcαRI by PP2A and PI3K activation are instrumental in this process. To further investigate these signaling pathways, we targeted downstream kinases of PI3K.

Selective pharmacological inhibitors of HDAC6 reveal biochemical activity but functional tolerance in cancer models.

Our study investigates the biochemical and functional impact of selective histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitors, a promising class of novel therapeutics, in several cancer models. Selective HDAC6 inhibitors (Tubathian A, Tubastatin A, Tubacin and Ricolinostat) and a non-selective HDAC inhibitor (Vorinostat) were evaluated on cancer cell lines derived from multiple tumour types in both an in vitro and in vivo setting as potential cancer therapeutics. Selective HDAC6 inhibitors resulted in α-tubulin acetylation with no impact on histone acetylation but failed to show any anti-cancer properties.

Heterocellular 3D scaffolds as biomimetic to recapitulate the tumor microenvironment of peritoneal metastases in vitro and in vivo.

Peritoneal metastasis is a major cause of death and preclinical models are urgently needed to enhance therapeutic progress. This study reports on a hybrid hydrogel-polylactic acid (PLA) scaffold that mimics the architecture of peritoneal metastases at the qualitative, quantitative and spatial level. Porous PLA scaffolds with controllable pore size, geometry and surface properties are functionalized by type I collagen hydrogel.

A 'meta-analysis' of effects of post-hatch food and water deprivation on development, performance and welfare of chickens.

A 'meta-analysis' was performed to determine effects of post-hatch food and water deprivation (PHFWD) on chicken development, performance and welfare (including health). Two types of meta-analysis were performed on peer-reviewed scientific publications: a quantitative 'meta-analysis' (MA) and a qualitative analysis (QA). Previously reported effects of PHFWD were quantified in the MA, for variables related to performance, mortality and relative yolk sac weight.

Radiotherapy-Activated Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promote Tumor Progression through Paracrine IGF1R Activation.

Preoperative radiotherapy (RT) is a mainstay in the management of rectal cancer, a tumor characterized by desmoplastic stroma containing cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). Although CAFs are abundantly present, the effects of RT to CAF and its impact on cancer cells are unknown. We evaluated the damage responses of CAF to RT and investigated changes in colorectal cancer cell growth, transcriptome, metabolome, and kinome in response to paracrine signals emerging from irradiated CAF.

Glucocorticoids indirectly decrease colon cancer cell proliferation and invasion via effects on cancer-associated fibroblasts.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) support cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Glucocorticoids (GCs), drugs often administered together with chemotherapy, are steroidal ligands of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a transcription factor which upon activation regulates expression of multiple genes involved in suppression of inflammation. We have previously shown that in dexamethasone (Dex)-treated CAFs derived from colon cancer, production and secretion of several factors related to cancer progression, such as tenascin C (TNC) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), were strongly suppressed.

Secretome analysis of breast cancer-associated adipose tissue to identify paracrine regulators of breast cancer growth.

Adipose tissue secretes a plethora of adipokines as evidenced by characterization of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue secretomes. However, adipose tissue composition and secretion pattern is depot and disease dependent, influencing the adipose tissue secretome. We investigated the secretome of cancer-associated adipose tissue (CAAT) explants from breast cancer patients and explored its role in breast cancer proliferation.

Insights into the myosin II inhibitory potency of A-ring-modified (S)-blebbistatin analogs.

Myosin II is an interesting target for therapeutic intervention, as it is involved in a large number of motility-based diseases. (S)-Blebbistatin is a known micromolar inhibitor of this protein. A new series of (S)-blebbistatin derivatives with a modified A-ring was synthesized and the myosin II inhibitory properties were evaluated in vitro.

Improved synthesis and comparative analysis of the tool properties of new and existing D-ring modified (S)-blebbistatin analogs.

(S)-Blebbistatin is a widely used research tool to study myosin II, an important regulator of many motility based diseases. Its potency is too low to be of clinical relevance, but identification of analogs with enhanced potency could deliver leads for targeted pharmacotherapeutics. This, however, requires a profound insight into the structure-activity relationship of the (S)-blebbistatin scaffold.

Exploration Feeding and Higher Space Allocation Improve Welfare of Growing-Finishing Pigs.

Lack of environmental enrichment and high stocking densities in growing-finishing pigs can lead to adverse social behaviors directed to pen mates, resulting in skin lesions, lameness, and tail biting. The objective of the study was to improve animal welfare and prevent biting behavior in an experiment with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design on exploration feeding, stocking density, and sex. We kept 550 pigs in 69 pens from 63 days to 171 days of life.

Corrigendum to The Competence of 7,8-Diacetoxy-4-Methylcoumarin and Other Polyphenolic Acetates in Mitigating the Oxidative Stress and their Role in Angiogenesis.

In the Original Research Article entitled "The Competence of 7, 8-Diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin and other Polyphenolic Acetates in Mitigating the Oxidative Stress and their Role in Angiogenesis" Published in Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 2, on page no.

ADAM-17/FHL2 colocalisation suggests interaction and role of these proteins in colorectal cancer.

FHL2 is a multifunctional scaffolding protein; its expression is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. ADAM-17 is a metalloprotease implicated in ectodomain shedding. FHL2 regulates ADAM-17 plasma membrane localisation, and FHL2 deficiency leads to decreased activity of ADAM-17 in mouse macrophages.

Discovery of (S)-3'-hydroxyblebbistatin and (S)-3'-aminoblebbistatin: polar myosin II inhibitors with superior research tool properties.

In search of myosin II inhibitors with superior research tool properties, a chemical optimization campaign of the blebbistatin scaffold was conducted in this paper. (S)-Blebbistatin is the best known small-molecule inhibitor of myosin II ATPase activity. Unfortunately, as a research tool this compound has several deficiencies: it is photolabile and (photo)toxic, has low water solubility, and its (fluorescent) precipitates interfere in (fluorescence) readouts.

When Neighbors Talk: Colon Cancer Cell Invasion and Tumor Microenvironment Myofibroblasts.

Historically, the word cancer is derived from the Latin cancer, as the red swollen arteries near a tumor reminded the physician Galenus and his fellow Romans of a red crab. Currently, cancer remains the disease to beat as it remains a leading cause of death worldwide (WHO). Tumors do not simply consist of cancer cells, as they can recruit normal cells, which will form the tumor-associated stroma.

Quantitative evaluation of single cell spread on collagen matrices.

Cells change their morphology as a response to environmental cues. The quantitative evaluation of single cell spread on extracellular matrices, such as type I collagen, is a key tool in cancer research. Inherent to the manual scoring of cellular spread is inter-observer but also intra-observer variation.

Colon cancer-derived myofibroblasts increase endothelial cell migration by glucocorticoid-sensitive secretion of a pro-migratory factor.

Angiogenesis is important in cancer progression and can be influenced by tumor-associated myofibroblasts. We addressed the hypothesis that glucocorticoids indirectly affect angiogenesis by altering the release of pro-angiogenic factors from colon cancer-derived myofibroblasts. Our study shows that glucocorticoids reduced prostanoids, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and angiopoietin-like protein-2 (ANGPTL2) levels, but increased angiogenin (ANG) in supernatant from human CT5.

Selective glucocorticoid receptor-activating adjuvant therapy in cancer treatments.

Although adverse effects and glucocorticoid resistance cripple their chronic use, glucocorticoids form the mainstay therapy for acute and chronic inflammatory disorders, and play an important role in treatment protocols of both lymphoid malignancies and as adjuvant to stimulate therapy tolerability in various solid tumors. Glucocorticoid binding to their designate glucocorticoid receptor (GR), sets off a plethora of cell-specific events including therapeutically desirable effects, such as cell death, as well as undesirable effects, including chemotherapy resistance, systemic side effects and glucocorticoid resistance. In this context, selective GR agonists and modulators (SEGRAMs) with a more restricted GR activity profile have been developed, holding promise for further clinical development in anti-inflammatory and potentially in cancer therapies.

Age and cellular context influence rectal prolapse formation in mice with caecal wall colorectal cancer xenografts.

In patients with rectal prolapse is the prevalence of colorectal cancer increased, suggesting that a colorectal tumor may induce rectal prolapse. Establishment of tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice after orthotopic inoculations of human colorectal cancer cells into the caecal wall is a widely used approach for the study of human colorectal cancer progression and preclinical evaluation of therapeutics. Remarkably, 70% of young mice carrying a COLO320DM caecal tumor showed symptoms of intussusception of the large bowel associated with intestinal lumen obstruction and rectal prolapse.

Genipin-crosslinked gelatin microspheres as a strategy to prevent postsurgical peritoneal adhesions: In vitro and in vivo characterization.

Background: Peritoneal adhesions are a common complication after abdominal surgery. They cause small bowel obstruction, female infertility and chronic abdominal pain. Peritoneal adhesions also hamper uniform drug distribution in the peritoneal cavity, thereby reducing the efficacy of intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreductive surgery.