bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Reveal Conserved Mechanisms in the Rice-Magnaporthe oryzae Interaction
Authors: Liang Dong , Qi Zhongqiang , Du Yan , Yu Junjie , Yu Mina , Zhang Rongsheng , Cao Huijuan , Pan Xiayan , Qiao Junqing , Song Tianqiao , Liu Youzhou , Chen Zhiyi , Liu Yongfeng
Published: April 2022

Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast disease and is responsible for major losses in rice production worldwide. Although numerous studies have focused on the interactions between Oryza sativa and M. oryzae, to date, the conserved mechanisms remain in part unclear. In this study, a comparative analysis of transcriptomes of O. sativa L. ssp. japonica cv. ‘Nipponbare’ interacting with three M. oryzae strains (248, 235, and 163) were performed to explore the conserved molecular mechanisms. Differentially expressed genes with similar expression patterns in the interactions between cultivar ‘Nipponbare’ and three M. oryzae strains were defined as Conserved Differentially Expressed Genes (CDEGs). These included 3,647 O. sativa CDEGs and 3,655 M. oryzae CDEGs. Four rice CDEGs (LOC_Os03g19270, LOC_Os07g36600, LOC_Os05g28740, and LOC_Os01g32780) encoding universal stress protein (USP) were induced within 24 h post-inoculation (hpi) by three M. oryzae strains. Meanwhile, overexpression of LOC_Os07g36600 resulted in enhanced rice resistance against M. oryzae. Furthermore, four rice genes coding light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding (LHC) protein (LOC_Os02g52650, LOC_Os09g12540, LOC_Os11g13850, LOC_Os05g22730) were also identified as CDEGs and were induced at 48 hpi, which might contribute to blast resistance through reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. MoCDIP4 is M. oryzae effector inducing rice cell death and were verified that include AA9 CAZy domain (namely GH61 domain). In this study, we found seven MoCDIP4-homologous genes coding proteins with signal peptides and AA9 CAZy domains, which were continuously up-regulated across all infection stages relative to uninoculated control. This study uncovered that genes are required for conserved mechanisms of rice-M. oryzae interaction, which includes rice genes encoding USP proteins and LHC proteins, as well as M. oryzae genes encoding AA9 proteins. This study will help us to understand how O. sativa responds to M. oryzae infections and the molecular mechanisms of M. oryzae pathogenicity.
Salicylic Acid Regulates Indole-3-Carbinol Biosynthesis Under Blue Light in Broccoli Sprouts (Brassica oleracea L.)
Authors: Wang Tao , Zhang Derui , Yang Boming , Su Nana , Cui Jin
Published: April 2022

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), an important secondary metabolite with strong anti-cancer ability, is widely found in cruciferous plants. Light and phytohormones are one of the most important external and internal signals, respectively, that control the growth, development, and secondary metabolism of the plant life cycle. However, there are few studies about the influence of the blue light and salicylic acid (SA) on the regulation of I3C accumulation. In this study, a negative correlation was found between the content of I3C and SA in different species. Among this, broccoli and Arabidopsis thaliana were chosen for further studies. We observed that blue light treatment increased the accumulation of I3C, and exogenous SA treatment significantly inhibited the accumulation of I3C in broccoli sprouts. Based on the RNA sequence, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that blue light promoted the enrichment of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in plant hormone signal transduction pathways. More specifically, downregulated expression of genes related to SA biosynthesis and upregulated expression of I3C genes related to metabolic pathway were observed under blue light. Taken together, these results suggested that SA negatively regulates blue light-induced I3C accumulation in broccoli sprouts.
The Viral Threat in Cotton: How New and Emerging Technologies Accelerate Virus Identification and Virus Resistance Breeding
Authors: Tarazi Roberto , Vaslin Maite F. S.
Published: April 2022

Cotton (Gossypium spp. L., Malvaceae) is the world’s largest source of natural fibers. Virus outbreaks are fast and economically devasting regarding cotton. Identifying new viruses is challenging as virus symptoms usually mimic nutrient deficiency, insect damage, and auxin herbicide injury. Traditional viral identification methods are costly and time-consuming. Developing new resistant cotton lines to face viral threats has been slow until the recent use of molecular virology, genomics, new breeding techniques (NBT), remote sensing, and artificial intelligence (AI). This perspective article demonstrates rapid, sensitive, and cheap technologies to identify viral diseases and propose their use for virus resistance breeding.
The Highly Repeat-Diverse (Peri) Centromeres of White Lupin (Lupinus albus L.)
Authors: Marques André , Hufnagel Bárbara , Soriano Alexandre , Péret Benjamin
Published: April 2022

Plant genomes are known to be mainly composed of repetitive DNA sequences. Regardless of the non-genic function of these sequences, they are important for chromosome structure and stability during cell-cycle. Based on the recent available whole-genome assembly of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.; WL), we have in silico annotated and in situ mapped the main classes of DNA repeats identified with RepeatExplorer. A highly diverse and an abundance of satellite DNAs were found representing more than 10 families, where three of them were highly associated with CENH3-immunoprecipitated chromatin. Applying a strategy of several re-hybridization steps with different combinations of satDNA, rDNA, and LTR-RTs probes, we were able to construct a repeat-based chromosome map for the identification of most chromosome pairs. Two families of LTR retrotransposons, Ty1/copia SIRE and Ty3/gypsy Tekay, were highly abundant at pericentromeric regions, while the centromeric retrotransposon of WL (CRWL) from the CRM clade showed strong centromere-specific localization in most chromosomes and was also highly enriched with CENH3-immunoprecipitated chromatin. FISH mapping of repeat DNA showed some incongruences with the reference genome, which can be further used for improving the current version of the genome. Our results demonstrate that despite the relatively small genome of WL, a high diversity of pericentromeric repeats was found, emphasizing the rapid evolution of repeat sequences in plant genomes.
Effect and Mechanisms of State Boredom on Consumers’ Livestreaming Addiction
Authors: Zhang Nan , Li Jian
Published: April 2022

With the rapid development of livestreaming marketing in China, consumers spend an increasing amount of time watching and purchasing on the platform, which shows a trend of livestreaming addiction. In the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the addiction exacerbated by a surge of boredom caused by home quarantine. Based on the observation of this phenomenon, this research focused on whether state boredom could facilitate consumers’ livestreaming addiction and explored the associated mechanisms of this relationship. Based on three studies, this research found that state boredom had a positive effect on consumers’ livestreaming addiction, and this relationship worked through the mediating effect of consumers’ sensation seeking. We further verified a moderated mediation effect of consumers’ life meaning perception, where the indirect effect of state boredom on consumers’ livestreaming addiction via consumers’ sensation seeking existed for high and low levels of life meaning perception, but in opposite directions. The conclusions provided theoretical and practical implications of livestreaming marketing and healthy leisure consumption.
MicroRNA–Messenger RNA Regulatory Network Mediates Disrupted TH17 Cell Differentiation in Depression
Authors: Wang Haiyang , Liu Lanxiang , Chen Xueyi , Zhou Chanjuan , Rao Xuechen , Li Wenxia , Li Wenwen , Liu Yiyun , Fang Liang , Zhang Hongmei , Song Jinlin , Ji Ping , Xie Peng
Published: April 2022

Accumulating evidence indicates an important role for microRNA (miRNA)–messenger RNA (mRNA) regulatory networks in human depression. However, the mechanisms by which these networks act are complex and remain poorly understood. We used data mining to identify differentially expressed miRNAs from GSE81152 and GSE152267 datasets, and differentially expressed mRNAs were identified from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, the GlaxoSmithKline-High-Throughput Disease-specific target Identification Program, and the Janssen-Brain Resource Company study. We constructed a miRNA–mRNA regulatory network based on differentially expressed mRNAs that intersected with target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs, and then performed bioinformatics analysis of the network. The key candidate genes were assessed in the prefrontal cortex of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) depression mice by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Three differentially expressed miRNAs were commonly identified across the two datasets, and 119 intersecting differentially expressed mRNAs were identified. A miRNA–mRNA regulatory network including these three key differentially expressed miRNAs and 119 intersecting differentially expressed mRNAs was constructed. Functional analysis of the intersecting differentially expressed mRNAs revealed that an abnormal inflammatory response characterized by disturbed T-helper cell 17 (Th17) differentiation was the primary altered biological function. qRT-PCR validated the decreased expression of Th17 cell differentiation-related genes, including interleukin (IL)17A, IL21, IL22, and IL1β, and the increased expression of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma-t (RORγt) in CSDS mice, which showed significant depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. This study indicates that an abnormal inflammatory response characterized by disturbed Th17 cell differentiation is the primary altered biological process in major depressive disorder. Our findings indicate possible biomarkers and treatment targets and provide novel clues to understand the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder.
Altered Neural Reactivity in Adolescents With Nonsuicidal Self-Injury During Exposure to Self-Injury Related Cues: Electrophysiological Evidence From a Two-Choice Oddball Paradigm
Authors: Zhou Dong-Dong , Zhao Lin , Ma Ling-Li , Hu Jin-Hui , Chen Ran , Jiang Zheng-Hao , He Xiao-Qing , Peng Xin-Yu , Liu Xin-Yi , Li Xiao , Chen Wan-Jun , Wang Wo , Kuang Li
Published: April 2022

Background

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) may be a type of addiction, that is characterized by cue reactivity. We aimed to explore the behavioral performance and neural reactivity during exposure to self-injury cues in adolescents with NSSI and major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

Eighteen MDD patients, 18 MDD patients with NSSI, and 19 healthy controls (HC) were recruited to perform a two-choice oddball paradigm. All subjects were 12–18 years old. Neutral cues and self-injury related cues separately served as deviant stimuli. Difference waves in N2 and P3 (N2d and P3d) were derived from deviant waves minus standard waves. Accuracy cost and reaction time (RT) cost were used as behavioral indexes, while the N2d and P3d were used as electrophysiological indexes; the N2d reflects early conflict detection, and the P3d reflects the process of response inhibition.

Results

No significant main effects of group or cue or an effect of their interaction were observed on accuracy cost and P3d latency. For RT cost, N2d amplitude, and N2d latency, there was a significant main effect of cue. For P3d amplitude, there was a significant main effect of cue and a significant group × cue interaction. In the NSSI group, the P3d amplitude with self-injury cues was significantly larger than that with neutral cues. However, there was no such effect in the MDD and HC groups.

Conclusions

Adolescents with NSSI showed altered neural reactivity during exposure to self-injury cue. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our results.
Forecasting Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Incidence and Burden: The ViLA-Obesity Simulation Model
Authors: Nianogo Roch A. , Arah Onyebuchi A.
Published: April 2022

Background

Obesity is a major public health problem affecting millions of Americans and is considered one of the most potent risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Assessing future disease burden is important for informing policy-decision making for population health and healthcare.

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop a computer model of a cohort of children born in Los Angeles County to study the life course incidence and trends of obesity and its effect on type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

We built the Virtual Los Angeles cohort—ViLA, an agent-based model calibrated to the population of Los Angeles County. In particular, we developed the ViLA-Obesity model, a simulation suite within our ViLA platform that integrated trends in the causes and consequences of obesity, focusing on diabetes as a key obesity consequence during the life course. Each agent within the model exhibited obesity- and diabetes-related healthy and unhealthy behaviors such as sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity, fast-food consumption, fresh fruits, and vegetable consumption. In addition, agents could gain or lose weight and develop type 2 diabetes mellitus with a certain probability dependent on the agent's socio-demographics, past behaviors and past weight or type 2 diabetes status. We simulated 98,230 inhabitants from birth to age 65 years, living in 235 neighborhoods.

Results

The age-specific incidence of obesity generally increased from 10 to 30% across the life span with two notable peaks at age 6–12 and 30–39 years, while that of type 2 diabetes mellitus generally increased from <2% at age 18–24 to reach a peak of 25% at age 40–49. The 16-year risks of obesity were 32.1% (95% CI: 31.8%, 32.4%) for children aged 2–17 and 81% (95% CI: 80.8%, 81.3%) for adults aged 18–65. The 48-year risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus was 53.4% (95% CI: 53.1%, 53.7%) for adults aged 18–65.

Conclusion

This ViLA-Obesity model provides an insight into the future burden of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Los Angeles County, one of the most diverse places in the United States. It serves as a platform for conducting experiments for informing evidence-based policy-making.
Large-Scale SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing With Real-World Specimens
Authors: Parikh Ashish , Cooper Lauren , Frogel Daniel , Le Benger Kerry , Cooper Charles K. , Parvu Valentin
Published: April 2022

Real-world data are needed to establish SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing (RAT) as an effective and reliable approach for SARS-CoV-2 screening. This study included 1,952,931 individuals who provided upper respiratory specimens during SARS-CoV-2 screening at CityMD urgent care locations in the New York metropolitan area from October 2020 to March 2021. Positive and negative results, as determined by the BD Veritor™ System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen (Veritor), were obtained for all individuals, with reflex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing performed on a case-by-case basis, per standard of care. Using verification bias adjustment, two alternative model assumptions were utilized for RAT results with missing reflex RT-PCR results. The worst antigen diagnostic performance estimates asserted that missing RT-PCR results would show a distribution similar to those RT-PCR results actually obtained, based on symptom category. The best antigen diagnostic performance estimates asserted that individuals without RT-PCR results had a clinical presentation consistent with RAT results, and, therefore, missing RT-PCR results would agree with RAT results. For patients with symptoms or high-risk exposure, 25.3% (n = 86,811/343,253) of RAT results were positive; vs. 3.4% (n = 53,046/1,559,733) positive for asymptomatic individuals without high-risk exposure. Reflex RT-PCR results were obtained from 46.3% (n = 158,836/343,253) and 13.8% (n = 215,708/1,559,733) of symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, respectively. RT-PCR confirmed 94.4% (4,265/4,518) of positive and 90.6% (139,759/154,318) of negative RAT results in symptomatic individuals; and confirmed 83.4% (6,693/8,024) of positive and 95.3% (197,955/207,684) of negative RAT results in asymptomatic individuals. Applied assumptions for missing reflex RT-PCR results led to worst performance sensitivity estimates of 77.2 and 38.5% in the symptomatic and asymptomatic populations, respectively; assumptions for best performance estimates led to sensitivity values of 85.6 and 84.2%, respectively. Specificity values, regardless of assumptions or symptom category, ranged from 97.9–99.9%. At 10% SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, RAT positive predictive value was 86.9 and 99.0% for worst and best performance estimates across the total population, respectively; negative predictive values were >95% regardless of the applied assumption. Veritor test performance was consistent with that listed in the manufacturer instructions for use for symptomatic individuals. Real-world evidence should be gathered on RATs to support their efficacy as SARS-CoV-2 persists.
Implementation of a Rural Community Diagnostic Testing Strategy for SARS-CoV-2 in Upstate South Carolina
Authors: Plumb Emily V. , Ham Rachel E. , Napolitano Justin M. , King Kylie L. , Swann Theodore J. , Kalbaugh Corey A. , Rennert Lior , Dean Delphine
Published: April 2022

By developing a partnership amongst a public university lab, local city government officials and community healthcare providers, we established a drive-through COVID-19 testing site aiming to improve access to SARS-CoV-2 testing in rural Upstate South Carolina. We collected information on symptoms and known exposures of individuals seeking testing to determine the number of pre- or asymptomatic individuals. We completed 71,102 SARS-CoV-2 tests in the community between December 2020-December 2021 and reported 91.49% of results within 24 h. We successfully identified 5,244 positive tests; 73.36% of these tests originated from individuals who did not report symptoms. Finally, we identified high transmission levels during two major surges and compared test positivity rates of the local and regional communities. Importantly, the local community had significantly lower test positivity rates than the regional community throughout 2021 (p < 0.001). While both communities reached peak case load and test positivity near the same time, the local community returned to moderate transmission as indicated by positivity 4 weeks before the regional community. Our university lab facilitated easy testing with fast turnaround times, which encouraged voluntary testing and helped identify a large number of non-symptomatic cases. Finding the balance of simplicity, accessibility, and community trust was vital to the success of our widespread community testing program for SARS-CoV-2.
A Single Application of Compost Can Leave Lasting Impacts on Soil Microbial Community Structure and Alter Cross-Domain Interaction Networks
Authors: Heisey Steven , Ryals Rebecca , Maaz Tai McClellan , Nguyen Nhu H.
Published: April 2022

Our current understanding suggests that nutrient management strategies applied to agricultural soils over multiple years are required to cause major and stable shifts in soil microbial communities. However, some studies suggest that agricultural soils can benefit even from sporadic, single additions of organic matter. Here we investigate how single additions of high-quality organic matter can cause significant shifts in microbial soil communities over multiple cropping cycles. We grew radishes in a tropical Oxisol soil for six crop cycles after a single application of a high-nitrogen compost or urea. At planting and before biomass harvest, we sampled soils influenced by the radish rhizosphere and sequenced bacterial and archaeal 16S and fungal ITS rDNA marker genes. We measured microbial richness and diversity, community composition and structure, and constructed correlation networks to predict cross-domain microbial interactions. We found that a single application of compost, compared to urea or control, resulted in a persistent improved plant biomass response and led to sustained changes in the soil microbial community throughout the duration of the 227-day study. Compost altered the structure of both the fungal and prokaryotic microbial communities, introduced new microorganisms that persisted in the resident soil system, and altered soil microbial correlation network structure and hub taxa. In contrast, fertilization with urea did not significantly alter the structure of soil microbial communities compared to the control but reduced network complexity and altered hub taxa. This study highlights the significant impacts that high-quality organic matter fertilization can exert on agricultural soil microbiomes and adds to the growing body of knowledge on using organic fertilizers as a way to steer the soil microbiome toward a healthier soil.
Mapping Women's Community Sport Participation to Inform Sport Development Initiatives: A Case Study of Row Ontario
Authors: Rich Kyle A. , Moore Emily , Boggs Jeffrey , Pegoraro Ann
Published: April 2022

Using a spatial analysis methodology, we analyzed sport participation through membership data of a Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) in Ontario, Canada. Specifically, our analysis brings attention to the participation of women and girls in Row Ontario and the urban and rural nature of the PSO's membership. This research was conducted in partnership with the PSO to provide insights into how contextual factors influence sport participation and how these findings can inform future sport development efforts. Our results demonstrate that women and girls represented the majority of participants within the PSO and highlight an opportunity to use participant centered approaches for sport development to grow women and girls' participation. This is a promising outcome as women and girls are generally underrepresented in sport and may face greater participation barriers in rural contexts.
Neoadjuvant Immuno-Chemotherapy: A New Perspective for Stage III NSCLC?
Authors: Yao Yuanshan , Tang Dongfang , Gao Wen , Zhang Huibiao
Published: April 2022

Background

Stage III Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogenous disease with novel treatment options. Recently, immunotherapy has attracted a lot of attention for advanced NSCLC.

Objective

The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immuno-chemotherapy for resectable stage III NSCLC.

Methods

We analyzed 11 stage III primary NSCLC surgical cases who had undergone standard lobectomy or bronchial sleeve resection and lymph node dissection between December 2020 and July 2021. The data analyzed included basic clinical features, serum levels of key biomarkers, clinical efficacy in the perioperative period, postoperative pathological results, postoperative complications and the incidence rates of Immune-Related Adverse Events.

Results

Eleven patients were enrolled in our study with a mean age of 67.7 ± 4.8 years, and 10 patients being men with former or current smoking history. Squamous carcinoma (10/11, 91.1%) was the most common cancer type. Six patients had stage IIIa, five had stage IIIb. All patients received two or three cycles of neoadjuvant immuno-chemotherapy, with the median duration between the last treatment and surgery being 39 days (range, 32–46 days). All patients underwent R0 resection with ten patients undergoing single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The median operative time was 170 min (range, 120–240 min). Only three (3/11, 27.3%) patients experienced mild postoperative complications and the mean hospital stay time was 6.9 days (range, 4–15 days). Nine (9/11, 81.8%) patients experienced major pathological response of which seven (7/11, 63.6%) was complete pathological response in postoperative results. The pathological stage was downgraded in 10 (10/11, 91.1%) patients, and although the incidence of Immune-Related Adverse Events was slightly higher (8/11, 72.7%), most events were grade 1–2 and did not delay surgery.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that neoadjuvant immuno-chemotherapy is feasible and relatively safe for resectable stage III primary NSCLC patients. We hope this new neoadjuvant immuno-chemotherapy model can improve overall survival and open a new era for stage III primary NSCLC patients.
Intracranial Venous Alteration in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Protocol for the Prospective and Observational SAH Multicenter Study (SMS)
Authors: Umana Giuseppe E. , Tomasi S. Ottavio , Palmisciano Paolo , Scalia Gianluca , Da Ros Valerio , Al-Schameri Rahman , Priola Stefano M. , Brunasso Lara , Giammalva Giuseppe Roberto , Paolini Federica , Costanzo Roberta , Bonosi Lapo , Gerardi Rosa Maria , Maugeri Rosario , Strigari Lidia , Stieg Philip E. , Esposito Giuseppe , Lawton Michael T. , Griessenauer Christoph J. , Winkler Peter A.
Published: April 2022

Background

Arterial vasospasm has been ascribed as the responsible etiology of delayed cerebral infarction in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), but other neurovascular structures may be involved. We present the protocol for a multicenter, prospective, observational study focused on analyzing morphological changes in cerebral veins of patients with aSAH.

Methods and Analysis

In a retrospective arm, we will collect head arterial and venous CT angiograms (CTA) of 50 patients with aSAH and 50 matching healthy controls at days 0–2 and 7–10, comparing morphological venous changes. A multicenter prospective observational study will follow. Patients aged ≥18 years of any gender with aSAH will be enrolled at 9 participating centers based on the predetermined eligibility criteria. A sample size of 52 aSAH patients is expected, and 52 healthy controls matched per age, gender, and comorbidities will be identified. For each patient, sequential CTA will be conducted upon admission (day 0–2), at 7–10 days, and at 14–21 days after aSAH, evaluating volumes and morphology of the cerebral deep veins and main cortical veins. One specialized image collecting center will analyze all anonymized CTA scans, performing volumetric calculation of targeted veins. Morphological venous changes over time will be evaluated using the Dice coefficient and the Jaccard index and scored using the Boeckh–Behrens system. Morphological venous changes will be correlated to clinical outcomes and compared between patients with aSAH and healthy-controls, and among groups based on surgical/endovascular treatments for aSAH.

Ethics and Dissemination

This protocol has been approved by the ethics committee and institutional review board of Ethikkommission, SALK, Salzburg, Austria, and will be approved at all participating sites. The study will comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained from all enrolled patients or their legal tutors. We will present our findings at academic conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

Approved Protocol Version and Registration

Version 2, 09 June 2021.
Influence of Contrast Agent Injection Scheme Customized by Dual-Source CT Based on Automatic Tube Voltage Technology on Image Quality and Radiation Dose of Coronary Artery Imaging
Authors: He Weiling , Chen Xin , Hu Rui , Sun Wenjie , Tan Weili
Published: April 2022

Objective

To explore the influence of a contrast agent injection scheme customized by dual-source CT based on automatic tube voltage technology on coronary imaging image quality and radiation dose.

Methods

A total of 205 patients who underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in our hospital from June 2021 to September 2021 were selected. 105 patients in the control group who underwent routine scanning according to body mass (BMI) and 100 patients in the observation group who set tube voltage and contrast agent dosage according to automatic tube voltage selection technology. CT values of the aortic root (AO); left anterior descending (LAD) branch; proximal, middle, and distal segments of the right coronary artery (RCA); and proximal and distal segments of left circumflex (LCX) branch were measured. We calculated the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the image. Image quality scoring and effective dose (ED) calculation were carried out.

Results

There was no significant difference in the CT value, SNR value, and CNR value of each part of the artery between the two groups (P > 0.05). Image quality scores of the control group and the observation group were 1.28 ± 0.25 and 1.25 ± 0.23, respectively, and there was no significant difference in scores (P > 0.05). In the control group, the dosage of comparator was 43.81 ± 6.74 ml, and the ED was 4.92 ± 1.26 mSv. The dosage of contrast agent in the observation group was 34.23 ± 6.39 ml, and ED was 3.05 ± 0.94 mSv. The dosage of contrast agent and ED in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The contrast agent injection scheme customized by dual-source CT based on automatic tube voltage technology can meet the clinical requirements of coronary image quality, reduce the radiation dose and contrast agent consumption, and help doctors choose a more accurate and reasonable examination scheme, which has certain clinical application value.
Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy Integrated Non-intubated Uniportal VATS in Localization and Resection of Pulmonary Nodules
Authors: Wang Rui , Jiang Yu , He Jiaxi , Lin Yuechun , Wang Zhufeng , Li Shuben
Published: April 2022

Background

With the development of computed tomography, the detection rate of pulmonary nodules is increasing. Accurate localization, minimally invasive resection, and rapid recovery are the most concentrated issues in modern thoracic surgery. However, some traditional procedures, including CT-guided localization and general intubated anesthesia, might prolong the operation and postoperative recovery. The integrated operating room provides a practical approach to achieve precise pulmonary nodule localization with real-time images using electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB). Meanwhile, the minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) under non-intubated anesthesia is also applied in the same place, enhancing operative efficiency and recovery after surgery.

Method

The patients with pulmonary nodules resection who underwent nodules localization and uniportal VATS under non-intubated anesthesia in the integrated operating room between September 2018 and December 2021 were identified and collected. They all received ENB localization before uniportal VATS under non-intubated anesthesia, provided by the same group of anesthesiologists and surgeons. Perioperative data of patients were analyzed and evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the procedure.

Result

A total of 243 patients with 251 pulmonary nodules underwent ICG staining localization by ENB. The mean calibration time and navigation time were 0.91 ± 0.43 min and 10.56 ± 7.24 min, respectively. Overall, successful navigation occurred in 248 (98.80%) nodules. All patients received thoracoscopic surgery after localization, including wedge resection (231, 92.03%), segmentectomy (13, 5.18%), and lobectomy (7, 2.79%). All nodules were completely resected without serious complications. The mean postoperative hospital was 1.80 ± 0.83 days.

Conclusion

ENB localization and nodules resection under non-intubated uniportal VATS in the integrated operating room provides a feasible and efficient approach to the pulmonary nodules patients, favoring the treatment precision and enhanced recovery.
Bioinformatic Analysis Reveals Hub Immune-Related Genes of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Authors: Rong Yanchao , Yang Hao , Xu Hailin , Li Shuting , Wang Peng , Wang Zhiyong , Zhang Yi , Zhu Wenkai , Tang Bing , Zhu Jiayuan , Hu Zhicheng
Published: April 2022

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a complex and devastating complication of diabetes mellitus that are usually stagnant in the inflammatory phase. However, oral wound healing, which is characterized by a rapid and scarless healing process, is regarded an ideal model of wound healing. Thus, we performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the previously published data regarding oral ulcers and DFUs and found that compared to oral wound healing, the activated pathways of DFUs were enriched in cellular metabolism-related pathways but lacked the activation of inflammatory and immune-related pathways. We also found that CXCL11, DDX60, IFI44, and IFI44L were remarkable nodes since they had the most connections with other members of the module. Meanwhile, CXCL10, IRF7, and DDX58 together formed a closed-loop relationship and occupied central positions in the entire network. The real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot was applied to validate the gene expression of the hub immune-related genes in the DFU tissues, it was found that CXCL11, IFI44, IFI44L, CXCL10 and IRF7 have a significant difference compared with normal wound tissues. Our research reveals some novel potential immune-related biomarkers and provides new insights into the molecular basis of this debilitating disease.
Mental Health Impact of Mass Depopulation of Swine on Veterinarians During COVID-19 Infrastructure Breakdown
Authors: Baysinger Angela , Kogan Lori R.
Published: April 2022

This study was designed to assess the mental health of swine veterinarians involved with mass depopulation events related to COVID-19 and compare them to swine veterinarians not involved in mass depopulation. Additionally, we assessed the well being, quality of life, psychological distress, burnout, and resilience in veterinarians who conducted depopulation events and the potential impact of depopulation methods on these factors. Finally, we identified coping methods utilized by swine veterinarians for improved well being. The study involved the distribution of an anonymous online survey, available December 2020 to January 2021, to swine veterinarians practicing in the United States. A total of 134 responses were analyzed. Stress related to the depopulation effort was predominantly an outcome of two factors: ethics of care (people and pigs) and perception of others (public, colleagues, family, friends, neighbors). Depopulation involvement was associated with burnout (p = 0.001). The depopulation method utilized significantly impacted depopulation distress (p = 0.007), perception of others (p< 0.001), and burnout (p< 0.001). Nearly one-third (29%) of all participants reported moderate levels of burnout. Based on these results, the call to action is to enhance the availability and visibility of existing mental health services and take necessary steps to destigmatize mental health. Additionally, it is critical to support the development of mental health programs for swine veterinarians through education, training, research, and transparent communication.
Striving for Health Equity: The Importance of Social Determinants of Health and Ethical Considerations in Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Authors: Hoven Hanno , Dragano Nico , Angerer Peter , Apfelbacher Christian , Backhaus Insa , Hoffmann Barbara , Icks Andrea , Wilm Stefan , Fangerau Heiner , Söhner Felicitas
Published: April 2022

Since the WHO’s “Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan” in 1999, pandemic preparedness plans at the international and national level have been constantly adapted with the common goal to respond early to outbreaks, identify risks, and outline promising interventions for pandemic containment. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, public health experts have started to reflect on the extent to which previous preparations have been helpful as well as on the gaps in pandemic preparedness planning. In the present commentary, we advocate for the inclusion of social and ethical factors in future pandemic planning—factors that have been insufficiently considered so far, although social determinants of infection risk and infectious disease severity contribute to aggravated social inequalities in health.
Yield and Quality of Rice under the Effects of Digestate Application
Authors: Ran Yi , Bai Xinlu , Long Yan , Ai Ping
Published: April 2022

As a major measure to handle livestock manure, digestate is the by-product during biogas production in anaerobic fermentation. Digestate can be returned to cropland as a replacement for chemical fertilizer regarding its cost-effectiveness and rich nutrient content. However, the optimal rates of digestate to substitute chemical fertilizer have not been validated academically. A field study on nine treatments of no fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, and digestate at different rates was conducted to investigate the effects of substituting chemical fertilizer with digestate. The results revealed that replacing chemical fertilizer with liquid digestate did not significantly affect the rice growth regarding the maximum number of seedlings, plant height, tiller numbers, spikelets numbers, ear length, the number of grains per spike, and grain yields. However, improvements were found in the maximum number of seedlings, plant height, tiller number spikelet numbers, the area of the second and third backward leaves, grain yields, and quality when liquid and solid digestate were combined. Furthermore, taking the nutrient inputs, rice growth, grain yield, and quality into consideration, applying liquid digestate of 150 t ha−1 and 75 t ha−1 of liquid combined with 15 t ha−1 solid digestate was suggested for rice production at the study venue.
The Assessment of the Bioeconomy and Biomass Sectors in Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Vlad Ionela Mițuko , Toma Elena
Published: April 2022

Since the enlargement of the European Union, the CEE (Central and Eastern European) countries have brought a larger share of agricultural and forest land with high potential for biomass and bioenergy. The progress of bioeconomy is intercorrelated with the dimension of agriculture, which is the major provider of biomass for food and feed and for other bio-based industries. This research aims to assess the dimension of agriculture-based and food-based bioeconomy, with focus on the production and use of biomass. Conducted over the 2008–2019 period with data from the EU and OECD, the study pointed out the role of CEE countries in the European bioeconomy. Thus, we estimated that the bioeconomy market reached, in 2019, a turnover of almost EUR 324 billion (around 14% of the EU level), respectively, EUR 79 billion from agriculture-based sectors and EUR 116.8 billion from food-based sectors. The number of employees has decreased; in 2019, in bioeconomy sectors were employed 6.9 million people (almost 40% of the EU bioeconomy employment). Regarding the production of biomass, the study has revealed an increase of the share in EU production from 25.7% in 2008 to 27.8% in 2019, due to a growth of biomass by 7.1%. With this study, we emphasize the need to support more sustainable demand of biomass and to make the bioeconomy market more competitive. In addition, we point out several problems of the bioeconomy sector, such as insufficient data, low productivity, and the unused or underused sources of biomass.
Differences in Fatty Acid Profile and Physical-Chemical Composition of Slavonska slanina—Dry Cured Smoked Bacon Produced from Black Slavonian Pig and Modern Pigs
Authors: Latin Katarina , Mastanjević Krešimir , Raguž Nikola , Bulaić Mateja , Lužaić Ras , Heffer Marija , Lukić Boris
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study was to compare the psysico-chemical composition and fatty acid (FFA) profile of traditional dry cured bacon Slavonska slanina, produced from the authentic Black Slavonian Pig (BP) and modern pigs (MP), using traditional homemade principles. The samples of Slavonska slanina produced from BP had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher fat content (78.32%) than the samples produced from MP (46.47%), while the samples produced from MP showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) protein and moisture content. The samples produced from BP also showed lower aw and salt content but higher pH. Determination of fatty acid composition was performed at the end of the production process. The composition of fatty acids with respect to the groups of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids was determined, as well as the ratios n-6/n-3 and PUFA/SFA. The results of fatty acid composition determination of Slavonska slanina produced from BP and MP show that oleic acid (C18: 1n9) is the most dominant fatty acid from the MUFA group (47.02 and 46.25%), the most common SFA acid was palmitic acid (C16: 0) (23.44 and 24.96%), and PUFA linoleic acid (C18: 2n-6c) (10.76 and 9.74%). The genotype had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the SFA and USFA composition of Slavonska slanina. The ratios PUFA/SFA (0.34–0.28) and n-6/n-3 (31.84–27.34) for samples of Slavonska slanina produced from BP and MP are in concordance with previously published data for different dry cured meat products, and do not comply with the nutritionally recommended values of international health organizations (PUFA/SFA > 0.4 and n-6/n-3 < 4).
Molecular Analysis of the Heterakis dispar Population in Domestic Geese Based on the ITS1-5.8rRNA-ITS2 Fragment
Authors: Bobrek Kamila , Gaweł Andrzej , Urbanowicz Joanna
Published: April 2022

Heterakidosis is a parasitic infection in birds caused by the cecal parasite Heterakis spp. The most common species in geese is H. dispar, the largest avian heterakids species. Because of a scarcity of data concerning the H. dispar population, the aim of this study was the genetic analysis of Heterakis dispar isolated from geese flocks based on the ITS1-5.8rRNA-ITS2 fragment. Among the 71 H. dispar specimens isolated from 20 geese flocks, six haplotypes were determined (A, B, C, D, E, and F). The four nucleotide substitutions were noted in both ITS fragments, and all of them were transitions between adenine and guanine, or thymine and cytosine. The most frequently noted haplotype was type A (45%), followed by type B (18.3%), type C and D (11.3%), type E (8.5%), and F (5.6%). Infection with nematodes from different haplotype groups was noted in 30% of the flocks, with type A being the most prevalent, followed by types B, D, or E to make up 100%. This study represents the first H. dispar population analysis based on the ITS1-5.8rRNA-ITS2 fragment.
Myostatin Knockout Limits Exercise-Induced Reduction in Bovine Erythrocyte Oxidative Stress by Enhancing the Efficiency of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway
Authors: Zhu Lin , Bai Chunling , Wang Xueqiao , Wei Zhuying , Gu Mingjuan , Zhou Xinyu , Su Guanghua , Liu Xuefei , Yang Lei , Li Guangpeng
Published: April 2022

Moderate exercise can strengthen the body, however, exhaustive exercise generates large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although erythrocytes have antioxidant systems that quickly eliminate ROS, erythrocytes become overwhelmed by ROS when the body is under oxidative stress, such as during exhaustive exercise. Myostatin (MSTN) has important effects on muscle hair development. Individuals lacking myostatin (MSTN) exhibit increased muscle mass. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which MSTN affects erythrocyte antioxidant changes after exhaustive exercise in cattle. Antioxidant and metabolite detection analysis, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and fatty acid methyl ester analysis were used to assess exercise-associated antioxidant changes in erythrocytes with or without MSTN. Knockdown of MSTN enhances Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity after exhaustive exercise. MSTN and its receptors were present on the erythrocyte membrane, but their levels, especially that of TGF-β RI, were significantly reduced in the absence of MSTN and following exhaustive exercise. Our results suggest that knockout of MSTN accelerates the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), thereby enhancing the antioxidant capacity of erythrocytes. These results provide important insights into the role of MSTN in erythrocyte antioxidant regulation after exhaustive exercise.
Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants Essential Oils: Experimental and Computational Approaches
Authors: Kandsi Fahd , Elbouzidi Amine , Lafdil Fatima Zahra , Meskali Nada , Azghar Ali , Addi Mohamed , Hano Christophe , Maleb Adil , Gseyra Nadia
Published: April 2022

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants, also known as Mexican tea, and locally known as Mkhinza, is a polymorphic annual and perennial herb, and it is widely used in folk medicine to treat a broad range of illnesses in Morocco. The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical content and the antioxidant and the antibacterial properties of essential oils isolated from D. ambrosioides aerial components, growing in Eastern Morocco (Figuig). Hydrodistillation was used to separate D. ambrosioides essential oils, and the abundance of each phytocompound was determined by using Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). In vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and inhibition of β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assays were used to determine D. ambrosioides essential oils’ antioxidant activity. The findings revealed relative antioxidative power and modest radical scavenging. The antibacterial activity of the essential oils was broad-spectrum, with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis as the most susceptible strains tested. To elucidate the physicochemical nature, drug-likeness, and the antioxidant and antibacterial action of the identified phytocomponents, computational techniques, such as ADMET analysis, and molecular docking were used.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Veterinarians in Germany on the Impact of the TÄHAV Amendment 2018 on Antimicrobial Use and Development of Antimicrobial Resistance in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Moerer Marianne , Merle Roswitha , Bäumer Wolfgang
Published: April 2022

To minimize the use of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, the 2018 amendment to the regulations of veterinary pharmacies (TÄHAV) introduced legal restrictions in Germany. In an online survey among German veterinarians, we investigated the influence of these requirements on the use of antibiotics in the treatment of dogs and cats and the development of resistance rates. It was found that, on average, between 21% and 30% of daily treated dogs and cats received antimicrobial therapy. The TÄHAV amendment led to a less frequent use of highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA) in 79% (240/303) of respondents and less antimicrobial use in general in 36% (108/303). As a result of these legal changes, 63% (190/303) of participants requested antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) more frequently. Participants consulted ASTs particularly frequently for treatment of otitis externa with 63% (190/303), cystitis with 55% (168/303), wounds with 44% (132/303), and pyoderma with 29% (88/303). Veterinarians also noted an increased loss of antimicrobial efficacy, especially when treating these diseases. The results of our survey confirm that the TÄHAV amendment is having a positive impact on prudent antibiotic use, with participants performing more ASTs, using HPCIA less frequently, and choosing alternative antimicrobials for therapy.