bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant-biocompatible and stable catalase-based gelatin–alginate hydrogel scaffold with thermal wound healing capability: immobilization and delivery approach
Authors: Abdel-Mageed Heidi Mohamed , Abd El Aziz Amira Emad , Abdel Raouf Batoul Mohamed , Mohamed Saleh Ahmed , Nada Dina
Published: February 2022

Hydrogel-based matrix prepared using biopolymers is a new frontier of emerging platforms for enzyme immobilization for biomedical applications. Catalase (CAT) delivery can be effective in inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated prolongation of the wound healing process. In this study, to improve CAT stability for effective application, gelatin(Gel)–alginate (Alg) biocompatible hydrogel (Gel–Alg), as immobilization support, was prepared using calcium chloride as an ionic cross-linker. High entrapment efficiency of 92% was obtained with 2% Gel and 1.5% Alg. Hydrogel immobilized CAT (CAT–Gel–Alg) showed a wide range of pH from 4 to 9 and temperature stability between 20 to 60 °C, compared to free CAT. CAT–Gel–Alg kinetic parameters revealed an increased Km (24.15 mM) and a decreased Vmax (1.39 µmol H2O2/mg protein min) × 104. CAT–Gel–Alg retained 52% of its original activity after 20 consecutive catalytic runs and displayed improved thermal stability with a higher t1/2 value (half-life of 100.43 vs. 46 min). In addition, 85% of the initial activity was maintained after 8 weeks’ storage at 4 °C. At 24 h after thermal injury, a statistically significant difference in lesion sizes between the treated group and the control group was reported. Finally, our findings suggest that the superior CAT–Gel–Alg stability and reusability are resonant features for efficient biomedical applications, and ROS scavenging by CAT in the post-burn phase offers protection for local treatment of burned tissues with encouraging wound healing kinetics.
A novel multi-objective bi-level programming problem under intuitionistic fuzzy environment and its application in production planning problem
Authors: Singh V. P. , Sharma Kirti , Chakraborty Debjani , Ebrahimnejad Ali
Published: February 2022

This paper presents an optimization method to solve a multi-objective model of a bi-level linear programming problem with intuitionistic fuzzy coefficients. The idea is based on TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution) method. TOPSIS method is a multiple criteria method that identifies a satisfactory solution from a given set of alternatives based on the minimization of distance from an ideal point and maximization of distance from the nadir point simultaneously. A new model of multi-objective bi-level programming problem in an intuitionistic fuzzy environment has been considered. The problem is first reduced to a conventional multi-objective bi-level linear programming problem using accuracy function. Then the modified TOPSIS method is proposed to solve the problem at both the leader and the follower level where various linear/non-linear membership functions are used to represent the flexibility in the approach of decision-makers (DMs). The problem is solved hierarchically, i.e., first the problem at the leader level is solved and then the feasible region is extended by relaxing the decision variables controlled by the leader. The feasible region is extended to obtain a satisfactory solution for the DMs at both levels. Finally, the application of the proposed approach in the production planning of a company has been presented. An illustrative numerical example is also given to explain the methodology defined in this paper.
Cooperative multi-population Harris Hawks optimization for many-objective optimization
Authors: Yang Na , Tang Zhenzhou , Cai Xuebing , Chen Long , Hu Qian
Published: February 2022

This paper presents an efficient cooperative multi-populations swarm intelligence algorithm based on the Harris Hawks optimization (HHO) algorithm, named CMPMO-HHO, to solve multi-/many-objective optimization problems. Specifically, this paper firstly proposes a novel cooperative multi-populations framework with dual elite selection named CMPMO/des. With four excellent strategies, namely the one-to-one correspondence framework between the optimization objectives and the subpopulations, the global archive for information exchange and cooperation among subpopulations, the logistic chaotic single-dimensional perturbation strategy, and the dual elite selection mechanism based on the fast non-dominated sorting and the reference point-based approach, CMPMO/des achieves considerably high performance on solutions convergence and diversity. Thereafter, in each subpopulation, HHO is used as the single objective optimizer for its impressive high performance. Notably, however, the proposed CMPMO/des framework can work with any other single objective optimizer without modification. We comprehensively evaluated the performance of CMPMO-HHO on 34 multi-objective and 19 many-objective benchmark problems and extensively compared it with 13 state-of-the-art multi/many-objective optimization algorithms, three variants of CMPMO-HHO, and a CMPMO/des based many-objective genetic algorithm named CMPMO-GA. The results show that by taking the advantages of the CMPMO/des framework, CMPMO-HHO achieves promising performance in solving multi/many-objective optimization problems.
Software defect prediction based on nested-stacking and heterogeneous feature selection
Authors: Chen Li-qiong , Wang Can , Song Shi-long
Published: February 2022

Software testing guarantees the delivery of high-quality software products, and software defect prediction (SDP) has become an important part of software testing. Software defect prediction is divided into traditional software defect prediction and just-in-time software defect prediction (JIT-SDP). However, most of the existing software defect prediction frameworks are relatively simplified, which makes it extremely difficult to provide developers with more detailed reference information. To improve the effectiveness of software defect prediction and realize effective software testing resource allocation, this paper proposes a software defect prediction framework based on Nested-Stacking and heterogeneous feature selection. The framework includes three stages: data set preprocessing and feature selection, Nested-Stacking classifier, and model classification performance evaluation. The novel heterogeneous feature selection and nested custom classifiers in the framework can effectively improve the accuracy of software defect prediction. This paper conducts experiments on two software defect data sets (Kamei, PROMISE), and demonstrates the classification performance of the model through two comprehensive evaluation indicators, AUC, and F1-score. The experiment carried out large-scale within-project defect prediction (WPDP) and cross-project defect prediction (CPDP). The results show that the framework proposed in this paper has an excellent classification performance on the two types of software defect data sets, and has been greatly improved compared with the baseline models.
Motion magnification multi-feature relation network for facial microexpression recognition
Authors: Zhang Jing , Yan Boyun , Du Xiaohui , Guo Quanhao , Hao Ruqian , Liu Juanxiu , Liu Lin , Ni Guangming , Weng Xiechuan , Liu Yong
Published: February 2022

Microexpressions cannot be observed easily due to their short duration and small-expression range. These properties pose considerable challenges for the recognition of microexpressions. Thus, video motion magnification techniques help us to see small motions previously invisible to the naked eye. This study aimed to enhance the microexpression features with the help of motion amplification technology. Also, a motion magnification multi-feature relation network (MMFRN) combining video motion amplification and two feature relation modules was proposed. The spatial feature is enlarged while completing the spatial feature extraction, which is used for classification. In addition, we transferred Resnet50 network to extract the global features and improve feature comprehensiveness. The magnification of the features is controlled through hyperparameter amplification factor α. The effects of different magnification factors on the results are compared, and the best is selected. The experiments have verified that the enlarged network can resolve the misclassification problem caused by the one-to-one correspondence between microexpressions and facial action coding units. On CASME II datasets, MMFRN outperforms the traditional recognition methods and other neural networks.
A novel feature based algorithm for soil type classification
Authors: Uddin Machbah , Hassan Md. Rakib
Published: February 2022

Agriculture is the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy and it is one of the largest employment sectors. In Bangladesh, the population is increasing rapidly and at the same time, the total cultivable land is decreasing significantly. To ensure maximum crop production using the limited land resources, it is essential to identify and select the appropriate type of soil because different crops need different soil types. Currently, there are two types of methods available to determine the soil type, namely chemical and image analysis. Although the first one is accurate, it is expensive and time consuming. On the other hand, image based soil classification is much cheaper and faster but its accuracy level is low. In this study, we present a novel feature based algorithm that combines quartile histogram oriented gradients (Q-HOG), most frequent $$\varphi $$
φ
-Pixels and a new feature selection method for classifying soil types. We have used four machine learning algorithms and evaluated the performance with different sets of features. We have also compared our work with two prominent and recent works on image-based soil classification systems. The experimental results show that the performance of our proposed method in terms of four standard evaluation metrics, namely accuracy, precision, F1_score, and recall scores are higher than the existing image-based soil classification systems.
Failure analysis and control measures of deep roadway with composite roof: a case study
Authors: Li Yongliang , Yang Renshu , Fang Shizheng , Lin Hai , Lu Shaojie , Zhu Ye , Wang Maosheng
Published: February 2022

There is great variation in the lithology and lamination thickness of composite roof in coal-measure strata; thus, the roof is prone to delamination and falling, and it is difficult to control the surrounding rock when developing roadway in such rock strata. In deep mining, the stress environment of surrounding rock is complex, and the mechanical response of the rock mass is different from that of the shallow rock mass. For composite-roof roadway excavated in deep rock mass, the key to safe and efficient production of the mine is ensuring the stability of the roadway. The present paper obtains typical failure characteristics and deformation and failure mechanisms of composite-roof roadway with a buried depth of 650 m at Zhaozhuang Coal Mine (Shanxi Province, China). On the basis of determining a reasonable cross-section shape of the roadway and according to the failure characteristics of the composite roof in different regions, the roof is divided into an unstable layer, metastable layer, and stable layer. The controlled unstable layer and metastable layer are regarded as a small structure while the stable layer is regarded as a large structure. A superimposed coupling support technology of large and small structures with a multi-level prestressed bearing arch formed by strong rebar bolts and highly prestressed cable bolts is put forward. The support technology provides good application results in the field. The study thus provides theoretical support and technical guidance for ground control under similar geological conditions.
The Unemployment Imbalance Between Non-English-Speaking Migrant Women and Australian Born Women
Authors: Haque Tariq Hassan , Haque M Ohidul
Published: February 2022

This study compares Non-English-Speaking migrant women’s unemployment situation with that of Australian born women, using the currently available 1% sample from the Australian 2016 Census data. A new general probit model is used to estimate the probability of unemployment for both groups combined, as well as for each of these groups separately to show the difference in unemployment rates between the two groups. Our contribution is to show how to estimate and test the imbalance in unemployment rates between the two groups. We show that the unemployment rate for Non-English-Speaking migrant women (7.2%) is significantly higher than for Australian born women (5.1%), but the gap is narrowing over time. We show that the unemployment rate for Non-English-Speaking migrant women increases when they are married and have children and when they have poor English proficiency and lower education levels. This implies that there is a significant higher probability of unemployment for Non-English-Speaking migrant women across human capital and demographic controls. We have discussed other dimensions of unemployment such as discrimination and cultural activities and shown that these are the main factors behind the relatively higher unemployment rate for Non-English-Speaking migrant women.
The Linear City: illustrating the logic of spatial equilibrium
Authors: Batty Michael
Published: February 2022

Linear cities where activity is spread out along a transportation line, aim to offer the highest levels of accessibility to their adjacent populations as well as to the countryside. These city forms are popular amongst architects and planners in envisioning ideal cities but they are difficult to implement as they involve strict controls on development which often ignore human behaviour associated with where we locate and how we move. We briefly explore the history of these ideas, noting the latest proposal to build a 170 km city calledNeomin north west Saudi Arabia, a plan that has attracted considerable criticism for its apparent ignorance of how actual cities grow and evolve. We use a standard model of human mobility based on gravitational principles to define a set of equilibrium conditions that illustrate how a theoretical city on a line would, without any controls, successively adapt to such a new equilibrium. First, we represent the city on a line, showing how its population moves to an equilibrium along the line, and then we generalise this to a bigger two-dimensional space where the original line cutting across the grid evolves as populations maximise their accessibility over the entire space. In this two-dimensional world, we simulate different forms that reflect a balance of centralising versus decentralising forces, showing the power of such equilibria in destroying any idealised form. This approach informs our thinking about how far idealised future cities can depart from formal plans of the kind that the linear city imposes.
Linking Synoptic Patterns to Cloud Properties and Local Circulations Over Southeastern Texas
Authors: Wang Dié , Jensen Michael P. , Taylor Domenic , Kowalski Grace , Hogan Marcie , Wittemann Brian M. , Rakotoarivony Amanda , Giangrande Scott E. , Park J. Minnie
Published: February 2022

This study classifies meteorological regimes in the southeastern Texas region to identify environmental conditions that favor sea‐breeze induced convection. The classification is accomplished using a Self‐Organizing Map (SOM) approach. We applied SOM to 10 years of 700‐hPa geopotential height anomalies during the summer months from reanalysis data to distinguish three dominant synoptic regimes, with a continuum of transitional states between those. The primary regimes include: (a) a pre‐trough regime associated with a synoptic trough, (b) a post‐trough regime with upper‐level northerly flow, and (c) an anticyclonic regime within the westward extent of the Bermuda High. We project the data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite and the Next Generation Weather Radar system onto each SOM node to investigate the characteristics of cloud and precipitation properties in different regimes. When southeastern Texas is positioned to the southwest quadrant of a maritime high pressure system, an increased cloud frequency is observed over the region during the afternoon hours due to significant moisture advection. A confluence of synoptic southerly flow and sea‐breeze circulation commonly occurs in this regime. When a high pressure system is over southeastern Texas, the area is dominated by large‐scale subsidence with weak pressure gradients and moderate precipitable water vapor. This weak synoptic forcing is favorable for the formation of a sea‐breeze circulation. This is confirmed by an enhanced onshore flow and a decreased temperature at the surface in the early afternoon, as well as a sharp increase in radar echo top height.
Early Eocene Ocean Meridional Overturning Circulation: The Roles of Atmospheric Forcing and Strait Geometry
Authors: Zhang Yurui , de Boer Agatha M. , Lunt Daniel J. , Hutchinson David K. , Ross Phoebe , van de Flierdt Tina , Sexton Philip , Coxall Helen K. , Steinig Sebastian , Ladant Jean‐Baptiste , Zhu Jiang , Donnadieu Yannick , Zhang Zhongshi , Chan Wing‐Le , Abe‐Ouchi Ayako , Niezgodzki Igor , Lohmann Gerrit , Knorr Gregor , Poulsen Christopher J. , Huber Matt
Published: February 2022

Here, we compare the ocean overturning circulation of the early Eocene (47–56 Ma) in eight coupled climate model simulations from the Deep‐Time Model Intercomparison Project (DeepMIP) and investigate the causes of the observed inter‐model spread. The most common global meridional overturning circulation (MOC) feature of these simulations is the anticlockwise bottom cell, fed by sinking in the Southern Ocean. In the North Pacific, one model (GFDL) displays strong deepwater formation and one model (CESM) shows weak deepwater formation, while in the Atlantic two models show signs of weak intermediate water formation (MIROC and NorESM). The location of the Southern Ocean deepwater formation sites varies among models and relates to small differences in model geometry of the Southern Ocean gateways. Globally, convection occurs in the basins with smallest local freshwater gain from the atmosphere. The global MOC is insensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentrations from 1× (i.e., 280 ppm) to 3× (840 ppm) pre‐industrial levels. Only two models have simulations with higher CO2 (i.e., CESM and GFDL) and these show divergent responses, with a collapsed and active MOC, respectively, possibly due to differences in spin‐up conditions. Combining the multiple model results with available proxy data on abyssal ocean circulation highlights that strong Southern Hemisphere‐driven overturning is the most likely feature of the early Eocene. In the North Atlantic, unlike the present day, neither model results nor proxy data suggest deepwater formation in the open ocean during the early Eocene, while the evidence for deepwater formation in the North Pacific remains inconclusive.
ICEBEAR‐3D: A Low Elevation Imaging Radar Using a Non‐Uniform Coplanar Receiver Array for E Region Observations
Authors: Lozinsky Adam , Hussey Glenn , McWilliams Kathryn , Huyghebaert Devin , Galeschuk Draven
Published: February 2022

The Ionospheric Continuous‐wave E region Bistatic Experimental Auroral Radar (ICEBEAR) has been reconfigured using a phase error minimization and stochastic antenna location perturbation technique. The resulting 45‐baseline sparse non‐uniform coplanar T‐shaped array, ICEBEAR‐3D, is used for aperture synthesis radar imaging of low elevation targets. The reconfigured receiver antenna array now has a field of view ±45° azimuth and 0°–45° elevation at 0.1° angular resolution. Within this field of view no aliasing occurs. Radar targets are imaged using the Suppressed Spherical Wave Harmonic Transform (Suppressed‐SWHT) technique. This imaging method uses precalculated constant coefficient matrices to solve the integral transform from visibility to brightness through direct matrix multiplication. The method then suppresses image artefacts (dirty beam) due to undersampling by combining brightness maps of differing harmonic order. Measuring elevation angles of targets at low elevations with radar interferometers has been a long standing problem. ICEBEAR‐3D elucidates the underlying misinterpretations of the conventional geometry for vertical interferometry especially for low elevation angles. The proper phase reference vertical interferometry geometry is given which allows radar interferometers to unambiguously measure elevation angles from zenith to horizon without special calibration. The receiver antenna array reconfiguration, Suppressed‐SWHT imaging technique, and proper geometry for vertical interferometry are validated by showing agreement of the meteor trail altitude distribution with numerous data sets from other radars.
Overcoming barriers in non-viral gene delivery for neurological applications
Authors: Tasset Aaron , Bellamkonda Arjun , Wang Wenliang , Pyatnitskiy Ilya , Ward Deidra , Peppas Nicholas , Wang Huiliang
Published: February 2022

Investigation of various strategies to overcome extracellular and intracellular barriers for improved gene delivery in neuronal applications utilizing non-viral vectors.
Luminescent porous metal–organic gels for efficient adsorption and sensitive detection of chlortetracycline hydrochloride assisted by smartphones and a test paper-based analytical device
Authors: Liu Meijun , Xia Shuai , Liu Zhi , Ma Taigang , Liu Zhisheng , Li Yangxue , Zou Donglei
Published: February 2022

Three porous and luminescent JLUE-MOGs are fabricated for the efficient removal of CTC, and on-site rapid and sensitive detection of CTC with the help of paper and a smartphone is realized.
An improved synthetic aperture radar‐scale invariant feature transform algorithm for interferometric imaging radar altimeter image registration
Authors: Wang Zhiyong , Li Hao , Wang Zihao , Ye Kaile
Published: February 2022

Interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA) integrating synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) is a new type of radar altimeter. InIRA will be widely adopted in marine scientific research and surface water topography measurements. Owing to the geometric distortion of InIRA images, there are difficulties in feature point extraction and matching, making InIRA registration challenging. Here, an improved SAR‐scale invariant feature transform (SIFT, SAR‐SIFT) algorithm is proposed to address these difficulties. First, a modified Harris non‐linear scale space is constructed using the Harris function and non‐linear scale space, and extracted the feature points according to the SAR‐SIFT algorithm. Second, the orbital parameters of InIRA are used to calculate the geographic coordinates of each feature point by Hermit interpolation. Subsequently, a geographic‐coordinate‐based method is proposed to match the feature points. The results show that the proposed algorithm gained more correct matches and improved the registration accuracy by 13% and 16.7% compared with the SIFT and SAR‐SIFT algorithms, respectively, and was 18% more time efficient than the SAR‐SIFT algorithm. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the SAR‐SIFT algorithm for InIRA image registration in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
Circuit modelling of aged‐polluted polymer insulators based on measured leakage current characteristics
Authors: Goudarzi Mohammad , Shahrtash Seyed Mohammad , Gholami Ahmad
Published: February 2022

A new equivalent circuit model for aged‐polluted polymer outdoor insulators is proposed here. The structure of the model is constructed as such that it can be applied in investigating the effect of insulator aging and dry band discharge intensity on leakage current (LC) characteristics. To implement the capability of modelling aged insulators, the measured leakage currents from laboratory tests on field aged MV insulators with different level of aging and hydrophobicity were examined. Furthermore, the samples were artificially polluted and the corresponding measured leakage currents from laboratory tests were employed as references. The proposed circuit model can consider the effect of pollution by its topology and represents the aging phenomenon of insulator by the changes in the values of its elements. High similarity between test results and model outputs has confirmed model ability to represent aging effect on LC characteristics. Finally, mathematical equations for model parameters in terms of aging level are extracted using curve fitting, in order to predict the age and life‐time of polymer insulator.
Metabolite Identification of Huangqi Jianzhong Tang in Rat Urine and Feces after Oral Administration Based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive-MS
Authors: Jia Lu , Qin Xuemei , Liu Yuetao
Published: February 2022

Huangqi Jianzhong Tang (HQJZ), a famous traditional Chinese medicine formula, is widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in China. In this study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Exactive mass spectrometry was used to identify the metabolites in rat urine and feces after oral administration of HQJZ coupled with Compound Discover 3.0 software. The possible metabolic pathways were calculated and deduced based on 71 previous detected prototype compounds. As results, 88 compounds were identified in urine and feces, respectively. In urine sample, we identified 20 prototype compounds and 68 related metabolites. Meanwhile, a total of 21 prototype compounds and 67 related metabolites were identified in feces. Among them, flavonoids and saponins were the main ingredients in vivo. Further, we also speculated that HQJZ experienced oxidation, reduction, acetylation, methylation and glucuronic acid reaction in urine and feces. This study established a reliable method for the detection of prototype components and metabolites of traditional Chinese medicines, which would provide helpful information for further research into the active substances of HQJZ.
Tricuspid and mitral remodelling in atrial fibrillation: a three-dimensional echocardiographic study
Authors: Ortiz-Leon Xochitl A , Posada-Martinez Edith L , Trejo-Paredes Maria C , Ivey-Miranda Juan B , Pereira Jason , Crandall Ian , DaSilva Paul , Bouman Eileen , Brooks Alyssa , Gerardi Christine , Houle Helene , Hur David J , Lin Ben A , McNamara Robert L , Lombo-Lievano Bernardo , Akar Joseph G , Arias-Godinez Jose A , Sugeng Lissa
Published: February 2022

Aims

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with atrial enlargement, mitral annulus (MA) and tricuspid annulus (TA) dilation, and atrial functional regurgitation (AFR). However, less is known about the impact of AF on both atrioventricular valves in those with normal and abnormal ventricular function. We aimed to compare the remodelling of the TA and MA in patients with non-valvular AF without significant AFR.

Methods and results

Ninety-two patients referred for transoesophageal echocardiography were included and categorized into three groups: (i) AF with normal left ventricular (LV) function (Normal LV-AF), n = 36; (ii) AF with LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD-AF), n = 29; and (iii) Controls in sinus rhythm, n = 27. Three-dimensional MA and TA geometry were analysed using automated software. In patients with AF regardless of LV function, the MA and TA areas were larger compared with controls (LVSD-AF vs. Normal LV-AF vs. Controls, end-systolic MA: 5.2 ± 1.1 vs. 4.5 ± 0.7 vs. 3.9 ± 0.7 cm2/m2; end-systolic TA: 5.6 ± 1.3 vs. 5.3 ± 1.3 vs. 4.1 ± 0.7 cm2/m2; P < 0.05 for each comparison with Controls). TA and MA areas were not statistically different between the two AF groups. The TA increase over controls was greater than that of the MA in the Normal LV-AF group (27.7% vs. 15.6%, P = 0.041). Conversely, in the LVSD-AF group, MA and TA increased similarly (35.9% vs. 32.4%, P = 0.660).

Conclusion

Patients with AF showed dilation of both TA and MA compared with patients in sinus rhythm. In patients with normal LV function, AF was associated with greater TA dilation than MA dilation whereas in patients with LVSD the TA and MA were equally dilated.
Cordycepin exhibits anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects against gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice
Authors: Kong Wenjie , Liu Weidong , Wang Man , Hui Wenjia , Feng Yan , Lu Jiajie , Miranbieke Buya , Liu Huan , Gao Feng
Published: February 2022

Helicobacter pylori is one of the dominant members of gastric microbiota associated with gastritis. Chronic H. pylori colonization may yield detrimental consequences, including mucosal layer atrophy, gastritis, and gastric cancer. The traditional antibiotic treatment might result in antibiotic resistance. To overcome this obstacle, this study aims to investigate the potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of cordycepin on mice infected with H. pylori. A mouse model of H. pylori infection was established. The expression levels of target genes were evaluated by qRT-PCR, western blotting, or ELISA. The infiltrated Th17 cell population was determined by flow cytometry analysis. Our results demonstrated that the administration of cordycepin exhibited up to 3-fold antibacterial effect against H. pyloriin vivo. Cordycepin treatment resulted in around 50% inflammatory cytokine production (e.g. IL-6 and IL-1β) and about 60% immune cell infiltration (e.g. Th17 cells) when compared to vehicle control group. Thus, we confirmed that cordycepin conferred antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects on H. pylori-infected mice. Cordycepin may serve as a potential candidate for developing a therapeutic regimen for H. pylori-induced gastritis.
A systematic review of scope and quality of health economic evaluations conducted in Ethiopia
Authors: Erku Daniel , Mersha Amanual G , Ali Eskinder Eshetu , Gebretekle Gebremedhin B , Wubishet Befikadu L , Kassie Gizat Molla , Mulugeta Anwar , Mekonnen Alemayehu B , Eshetie Tesfahun C , Scuffham Paul
Published: February 2022

There has been an increased interest in health technology assessment and economic evaluations for health policy in Ethiopia over the last few years. In this systematic review, we examined the scope and quality of healthcare economic evaluation studies in Ethiopia. We searched seven electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, Econlit, York CRD databases and CEA Tufts) from inception to May 2021 to identify published full health economic evaluations of a health-related intervention or programme in Ethiopia. This was supplemented with forward and backward citation searches of included articles, manual search of key government websites, the Disease Control Priorities-Ethiopia project and WHO-CHOICE programme. The quality of reporting of economic evaluations was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. The extracted data were grouped into subcategories based on the subject of the economic evaluation, organized into tables and reported narratively. This review identified 34 full economic evaluations conducted between 2009 and 2021. Around 14 (41%) of studies focussed on health service delivery, 8 (24%) on pharmaceuticals, vaccines and devices, and 4 (12%) on public-health programmes. The interventions were mostly preventive in nature and focussed on communicable diseases (n = 19; 56%) and maternal and child health (n = 6; 18%). Cost-effectiveness ratios varied widely from cost-saving to more than US $37 313 per life saved depending on the setting, perspectives, types of interventions and disease conditions. While the overall quality of included studies was judged as moderate (meeting 69% of CHEERS checklist), only four out of 27 cost-effectiveness studies characterized heterogeneity. There is a need for building local technical capacity to enhance the design, conduct and reporting of health economic evaluations in Ethiopia.
MdMYB10 affects nitrogen uptake and reallocation by regulating the nitrate transporter MdNRT2.4-1 in red-fleshed apple
Authors: Liu Xin , Liu Hao-Feng , Li Hong-Liang , An Xiu-Hong , Song Lai-Qing , You Chun-Xiang , Zhao Ling-Ling , Tian Yi , Wang Xiao-Fei
Published: February 2022

Nitrate is the major nitrogen source for higher plants. In addition to serving as a nutrient, it is also a signaling molecule that regulates plant growth and development. Although membrane-bound nitrate transporter/peptide transporters (NRT/PTRs) have been extensively studied and shown to regulate nitrate uptake and movement, little is known about how these factors are regulated by the external nitrogen environment. Red-fleshed apple, whose coloration is determined by the transcription factor MdMYB10, had higher nitrate uptake efficiency than non-red-fleshed apple. Nitrate assimilation and utilization were higher in red-fleshed apple cultivars, and comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of genes encoding the NRT2s was increased in red-fleshed apple. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that MdMYB10 directly bound to the MdNRT2.4-1 promoter to transcriptionally activate its expression, resulting in enhanced nitrate uptake. MdMYB10 also controlled nitrate reallocation from old leaves to new leaves through MdNRT2.4-1. Overall, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanism by which MdMYB10 controls nitrate uptake and reallocation in apple, which facilitates adaptation to a low-nitrogen environment.
The transcription factor complex CmAP3-CmPI-CmUIF1 modulates carotenoid metabolism by directly regulating the carotenogenic gene CmCCD4a-2 in chrysanthemum
Authors: Lu Chenfei , Qu Jiaping , Deng Chengyan , Liu Fangye , Zhang Fan , Huang He , Dai Silan
Published: February 2022

Carotenoids are one of the most important pigments for the coloring of many plants, fruits, and flowers. Recently, significant progress has been made in carotenoid metabolism. However, our specific understanding of the transcriptional regulation that controls the expression of carotenoid metabolic genes remains extremely limited. Anemone-type chrysanthemums, a special group of chrysanthemum cultivars, contain elongated disc florets in the capitulum that usually differ in color from the ray florets because of their different carotenoid contents. In this study, the carotenoid composition and content of ray and disc florets from the anemone-type chrysanthemum cultivar “Dong Li Fen Gui” were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS), and the key structural gene CmCCD4a-2, whose differential expression resulted in different carotenoid contents in these two types of florets, was identified. The promoter sequence of CmCCD4a-2 was then used as bait to screen a chrysanthemum flower cDNA library, and the transcription factors (TFs) CmAP3 and CmUIF1 were identified. Y2H, BiFC, and Y3H experiments demonstrated that these two TFs were connected by CmPI to form a CmAP3-CmPI-CmUIF1 TF complex. This TF complex regulated carotenoid metabolism by directly activating the expression of CmCCD4a-2. A large number of target genes regulated directly by the CmAP3-CmPI-CmUIF1 TF complex, including carotenoid biosynthetic genes, flavonoid biosynthetic genes, and flower development-related genes, were identified by DNA-affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq). This result indicated that the CmAP3-CmPI-CmUIF1 TF complex may participate in multiple processes. These findings expand our knowledge of the transcriptional regulation of carotenoid metabolism in plants and will be helpful for manipulating carotenoid accumulation in chrysanthemum.
Genomic insights into longan evolution from a chromosome-level genome assembly and population genomics of longan accessions
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Jianguang , Li Zaiyuan , Liu Bo , Zhang Lili , Guo Dongliang , Huang Shilian , Qian Wanqiang , Guo Li
Published: February 2022

Longan (Dimocarpus longan) is a subtropical fruit tree best known for its nutritious fruit and regarded as a valuable tonic and traditional medicine since ancient times. A high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly is valuable for functional genomic study and genetic improvement of longan. Here, we report a chromosome-level reference genome sequence for the longan cultivar JDB. The assembled genome is 455.5 Mb in size and anchored to fifteen chromosomes, representing a significant improvement in contiguity (contig N50 = 12.1 Mb, scaffold N50 = 29.5 Mb) over a previous draft assembly. A total of 40 420 protein-coding genes were predicted in the D. longan genome. Synteny analysis suggests that longan shares the widespread gamma event with core eudicots but has no other whole genome duplications. Comparative genomics showed that the D. longan genome experienced significant expansions of UDP-glucosyltransferase and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis-related gene families. Deep genome sequencing analysis of longan cultivars identified longan biogeography as a major contributing factor to its genetic diversity and revealed clear population admixture and introgression among cultivars of different geographic origins, suggesting a likely migration trajectory of longan that is confirmed by existing historical records. Finally, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of longan cultivars identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for six different fruit quality traits and revealed a shared QTL that contained three genes for total soluble solids and seed weight. The chromosome-level reference genome assembly, annotation, and population genetic resources for D. longan will facilitate the molecular studies and breeding of desirable longan cultivars in the future.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of VvbZIP36 promotes anthocyanin accumulation in grapevine (Vitis vinifera)
Authors: Tu Mingxing , Fang Jinghao , Zhao Ruikang , Liu Xingyu , Yin Wuchen , Wang Ya , Wang Xianhang , Wang Xiping , Fang Yulin
Published: February 2022

Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that have a variety of biological functions, including pigmentation. The accumulation of anthocyanins is regulated by both transcriptional activators and repressors. Studies have shown that bZIP family members act primarily as positive regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis, but there are few reports of negative regulation. Here, we report that a grapevine (Vitis vinifera) bZIP gene from group K, VvbZIP36, acts as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Knocking out one allele of VvbZIP36 in grapevine with CRISPR/Cas9 promoted anthocyanin accumulation. Correlation analysis of transcriptome and metabolome data showed that a range of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes were activated in VvbZIP36 mutant plants relative to the wild type, resulting in the accumulation of related metabolites, including naringenin chalcone, naringenin, dihydroflavonols, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. The synthesis of stilbenes (α-viniferin), lignans, and some flavonols (including quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, and kaempferol-7-O-rhamnoside) was significantly inhibited, and several genes linked to their metabolism were downregulated in the mutant plants. In summary, our results demonstrate that VvbZIP36 is a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis that plays a role in balancing the synthesis of stilbenes (α-viniferin), lignans, flavonols, and anthocyanins.
Identification of a WRKY transcriptional activator from Camellia sinensis that regulates methylated EGCG biosynthesis
Authors: Luo Yong , Huang Xiang-xiang , Song Xiao-feng , Wen Bei-bei , Xie Nian-ci , Wang Kun-bo , Huang Jian-an , Liu Zhong-hua
Published: February 2022

Naturally occurring methylated catechins, especially methylated EGCG in tea leaves, are known to have many health benefits. Although the genes involved in methylated EGCG biosynthesis have been studied extensively, the transcription factors that control methylated EGCG biosynthesis are still poorly understood. In the present study, a WRKY domain-containing protein termed CsWRKY57like was identified, which belongs to group IIc of the WRKY family and contains one conserved WRKY motif. CsWRKY57like was found to localize in the nucleus and function as a transcriptional activator; its expression was positively correlated with methylated EGCG level. In addition, CsWRKY57like activated the transcription of three genes related to methylated EGCG biosynthesis (CCoAOMT, CsLAR, and CsDFR), specifically interacting with their promoters by binding to the cis-acting element (C/T)TGAC(T/C). Further assays revealed that CsWRKY57like physically interacts with CsVQ4 and participates in the metabolic regulation of O-methylated catechin biosynthesis. We conclude that CsWRKY57like may positively impact the biosynthesis of methylated EGCG in the tea plant. These results comprehensively enrich the regulatory network of WRKY TFs associated with methylated EGCG and provide a potential strategy for the breeding of specific tea plant cultivars with high methylated EGCG levels.
Transcription factor CsWRKY40 regulates L-theanine hydrolysis by activating theCsPDX2.1promoter in tea leaves during withering
Authors: Cheng Haiyan , Wu Wei , Liu Xiaofen , Wang Yuefei , Xu Ping
Published: February 2022

L-Theanine is a crucial secondary metabolite in tea and positively determines the potential quality and health benefits of tea products. Previous work found that the content of L-theanine decreased during the withering process, although the specific mechanism is still unknown. Here, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed based on transcriptome data obtained previously. The key hydrolysis gene CsPDX2.1 in L-theanine metabolism and seven candidate transcription factors were screened out. Among these transcription factors, CsWRKY40 displayed the strongest activation on the CsPDX2.1 promoter (373.18-fold) by binding to the W box element, based on dual luciferase assay and EMSA results. The CsWRKY40 protein was located in the nucleoplasm, whereas CsPDX2.1 was found in both the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. Analysis of withering, water-retention, and water-loss treatments confirmed that water loss from tea leaves was the critical factor that affected ABA and L-theanine contents by activating the expression of CsWRKY40 and CsPDX2.1. Our results provide a new insight into the regulatory mechanism of L-theanine hydrolysis metabolism.
Genomic variation reveals demographic history and biological adaptation of the ancient relictual, lotus (Nelumbo Adans.)
Authors: Zheng Xingwen , Wang Tao , Cheng Teng , Zhao Lingling , Zheng Xingfei , Zhu Fenglin , Dong Chen , Xu Jinxing , Xie Keqiang , Hu Zhongli , Yang Liangbo , Diao Ying
Published: February 2022

Lotus (Nelumbo Adans.), a relict plant, is testimony to long-term sustained ecological success, but the underlying genetic changes related to its survival strategy remain unclear. Here, we assembled the high-quality lotus genome, investigated genome variation of lotus mutation accumulation (MA) lines and reconstructed the demographic history of wild Asian lotus. We identified and validated 43 base substitutions fixed in MA lines, implying a spontaneous mutation rate of 1.4 × 10−9 bases/generation in lotus shoot stem cells. The past history of the lotus revealed that the ancestors of the lotus in eastern and southern Asia could be traced back to ~20 million years ago and twice experienced significant bottlenecks and population splits. We further identified selected genes among three lotus groups in different habitats, suggesting that 453 differed genes between the tropical and temperate group and 410 differed genes between two subgroups from Northeastern China and the Yangtze River–Yellow River Basin might play important roles in natural selection in the lotus’s adaptation and resilience. Our findings not only improve understanding of the evolutionary history of the lotus and the genetic basis of its survival advantages, but also provide valuable data for addressing various questions in evolution and protection for relict plants.
Rootstock–scion exchanging mRNAs participate in the pathways of amino acid and fatty acid metabolism in cucumber under early chilling stress
Authors: Liu Wenqian , Wang Qing , Zhang Ruoyan , Liu Mengshuang , Wang Cuicui , Liu Zixi , Xiang Chenggang , Lu Xiaohong , Zhang Xiaojing , Li Xiaojun , Wang Tao , Gao Lihong , Zhang Wenna
Published: February 2022

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) often experiences chilling stress that limits its growth and productivity. Grafting is widely used to improve abiotic stress resistance by exploiting a vigorous root system, suggesting there exists systemic signals communication between distant organs. mRNAs are reported to be evolving fortification strategies involving long-distance signaling when plants suffer from chilling stress. However, the potential function of mobile mRNAs in alleviating chilling stress in grafted cucumber is still unknown. Here, the physiological changes, mobile mRNA profiles, and transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in above- and underground tissues of all graft combinations of cucumber and pumpkin responding to chilling stress were established and analyzed comprehensively. The co-relationship between the cluster of chilling-induced pumpkin mobile mRNAs with differentially expressed genes and differentially intensive metabolites revealed that four key chilling-induced pumpkin mobile mRNAs were highly related to glycine, serine, and threonine synthesis and fatty acid β-oxidative degradation metabolism in cucumber tissues of heterografts. The verification of mobile mRNAs, potential transport of metabolites, and exogenous application of key metabolites of the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway in cucumber seedlings confirmed the role of mobile mRNAs in regulating chilling responses in grafted cucumber. Our results build a link between the long-distance mRNAs of chilling-tolerant pumpkin and the fatty acid β-oxidative degradation metabolism of chilling-sensitive cucumber. They also help to uncover the mechanism of signaling interaction between scion and stock as a means of achieving chilling tolerance in grafted cucumber.
Evidence for two domestication lineages supporting a middle-eastern origin forBrassica oleraceacrops from diversified kale populations
Authors: Cai Chengcheng , Bucher Johan , Bakker Freek T , Bonnema Guusje
Published: February 2022

Brassica oleracea displays enormous phenotypic variation, including vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kales etc. Its domestication has not been clarified, despite several genetic studies and investigations of ancient literature. We used 14 152 high-quality SNP markers for population genetic studies and species-tree estimation (treating morphotypes as “species”) using SVD-quartets coalescent-modelling of a collection of 912 globally distributed accessions representing ten morphotypes of B. oleracea, wild B. oleracea accessions and nine related C9 Brassica species. Our genealogical tree provided evidence for two domestication lineages, the “leafy head” lineage (LHL) and the “arrested inflorescence” lineage (AIL). It also showed that kales are polyphyletic with regards to B. oleracea morphotypes, which fits ancient literature describing highly diverse kale types at around 400 BC. The SVD-quartets species tree topology showed that different kale clades are sister to either the LHL or the AIL. Cabbages from the middle-east formed the first-branching cabbage-clade, supporting the hypothesis that cabbage domestication started in the middle-east, which is confirmed by archeological evidence and historic writings. We hypothesize that cabbages and cauliflowers stem from kales introduced from Western Europe to the middle-east, possibly transported with the tin-trade routes in the Bronze age, to be re-introduced later into Europe. Cauliflower is the least diverse morphotype showing strong genetic differentiation with other morphotypes except broccoli, suggesting a strong genetic bottleneck. Genetic diversity reduced from landraces to modern hybrids for almost all morphotypes. This comprehensive Brassica C-group germplasm collection provides valuable genetic resources and a sound basis for B. oleracea breeding.