bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Systematic Review of Interventions for Enhancing Executive Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors:   Korean Association For Persons With Autism, Lee SoHyun , Lee Kwinam , Bong Guiyoung , Lee Haena
Published: August 2023

Executive function, a cognitive ability closely related to the core deficit areas of autism spectrum disorders, necessitates a thorough understanding of every child’s profile and provision of appropriate support. This study aimed to review the latest research trends and analyze the interventions targeting the enhancement of executive function in children with autism spectrum disorders. In accordance with the criteria, a total of 29 experimental studies were selected. An overview of general characteristics and a detailed analysis of specific intervention attributes were conducted. Executive function intervention studies among children with autism spectrum disorders have been underway since 2004, mostly in the fields of psychology and psychiatry, targeting primary school-aged children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. The most used interventions were cognitive behavioral/instructional strategies (CBIS) and exercise and movement (EXM). Notably, a high proportion of interventions were used to facilitate flexibility and inhibition subcategories of the executive function. Based on the findings, the future directions and educational implications regarding intervention aimed at enhancing executive function in children with autism spectrum disorders were discussed.
Analyzing the Utterance Type of School-age Children with High-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors:   Korean Association For Persons With Autism, Lee Heeran
Published: August 2023

This study investigated the types of utterances and analyzed the final functioning ending among Korean school-age children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by using the story retelling task. A total of fifteen children with ASD and fifteen vocabulary ability–matched typically developing (TD) children participated in the study. The utterances according to final and connective ending, fragment utterance, and incompletion for grammar were analyzed. The ASD group exhibited lower performances than the TD group on the utterance type analysis, however, there were no significant differences between the two groups. The results reveal that the ASD group produce similar utterance types in story retelling task with the language age-matched TD children. Furthermore, the results indicate that the utterance type analysis can be useful in assessing the language ability of school-age children with ASD.
The Effects of Petroleum Jelly Perineum Massage on Episiotomy and Perineum Healing in the 1st Stage of Labour: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: İRMAK ÇELİK Yağmur , DEMİRGÖZ BAL Meltem
Published: August 2023

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of perineal massage with vaseline on the episiotomy and perineal healing in nulliparous women.

Method: The double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 90 nulliparous women. In the interventions group, perineal massage was performed with Vaseline and without Vaseline from the active phase of labor. Control group no interventions were performed. Results: Perineal massage with vaseline in the intervention group significant decreased the rate of episiotomies (40%) compared to other group (p< 0.01). In the control group, the mean labor time was 10 hours 5 min, while in the perineal massage group with vaseline, this duration was determined to be 9 hours. (p
A novel method for noninvasive quantification of fractional flow reserve based on the custom function
Authors: Zhang Honghui , Song Xiaorui , Wu Rile , Li Na , Hou Qianwen , Xie Jinjie , Hou Yang , Qiao Aike
Published: August 2023

Boundary condition settings are key risk factors for the accuracy of noninvasive quantification of fractional flow reserve (FFR) based on computed tomography angiography (i.e., FFRCT). However, transient numerical simulation-based FFRCT often ignores the three-dimensional (3D) model of coronary artery and clinical statistics of hyperemia state set by boundary conditions, resulting in insufficient computational accuracy and high computational cost. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the custom function that combines the 3D model of the coronary artery and clinical statistics of hyperemia state for boundary condition setting, to accurately and quickly quantify FFRCT under steady-state numerical simulations. The 3D model of the coronary artery was reconstructed by patient computed tomography angiography (CTA), and coronary resting flow was determined from the volume and diameter of the 3D model. Then, we developed the custom function that took into account the interaction of stenotic resistance, microcirculation resistance, inlet aortic pressure, and clinical statistics of resting to hyperemia state due to the effect of adenosine on boundary condition settings, to accurately and rapidly identify coronary blood flow for quantification of FFRCT calculation (FFRU). We tested the diagnostic accuracy of FFRU calculation by comparing it with the existing methods (CTA, coronary angiography (QCA), and diameter-flow method for calculating FFR (FFRD)) based on invasive FFR of 86 vessels in 73 patients. The average computational time for FFRU calculation was greatly reduced from 1–4 h for transient numerical simulations to 5 min per simulation, which was 2-fold less than the FFRD method. According to the results of the Bland-Altman analysis, the consistency between FFRU and invasive FFR of 86 vessels was better than that of FFRD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for CTA, QCA, FFRD and FFRU at the lesion level were 0.62 (95% CI: 0.51–0.74), 0.67 (95% CI: 0.56–0.79), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.76–0.94), and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87–0.98), respectively. At the patient level, the AUC was 0.61 (95% CI: 0.48–0.74) for CTA, 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53–0.77) for QCA, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74–0.92) for FFRD, and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89–0.96) for FFRU. The proposed novel method might accurately and rapidly identify coronary blood flow, significantly improve the accuracy of FFRCT calculation, and support its wide application as a diagnostic indicator in clinical practice.
Strategic analysis of body composition indices and resting platelet ATP levels in professional soccer players for better platelet-rich plasma therapy
Authors: Ushiki Takashi , Mochizuki Tomoharu , Suzuki Katsuya , Kamimura Masami , Ishiguro Hajime , Suwabe Tatsuya , Watanabe Satoshi , Omori Go , Yamamoto Noriaki , Kawase Tomoyuki
Published: August 2023

Background: Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is ambiguously thought to be more effective in elite athletes than in sedentary patients, although the possible importance of recipient responsiveness remains poorly understood. To address this issue, along with the well-known PRP quality, in this initial study, we evaluated two candidate biomarkers: body composition indices (BCIs), which reflect systemic physical conditions, and resting platelet ATP levels, which reflect platelet energy expenditure and the mass of energy generation units.

Methods: In this cross-sectional cohort study, blood samples were collected from male professional soccer players (PSPs) on a local professional team during the off-season and platelet ATP levels were quantified using an ATP luminescence assay kit. BCIs were measured using the body mass impedance method. Age-matched male sedentary participants were used as the controls.

Results: Among the BCIs, the body mass index, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and skeletal muscle weight levels were higher in the PSPs than in the controls. The platelet ATP levels in the PSPs group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The correlation between BMR and platelet ATP levels was moderately negative in the control group, but weakly positive in the PSPs group.

Conclusion: Owing to regular physical exercise, PSPs had higher BMR levels and lower platelet ATP levels without a significant mutual correlation compared to sedentary controls. This study did not indicate the influence of these biomarkers on the success of PRP therapy but provided evidence for a better understanding of PRP therapy, particularly for elite athletes.
3D printed inserts for reproducible high throughput screening of cell migration
Authors: Joshi Abhayraj S. , Madhusudanan Mukil , Mijakovic Ivan
Published: August 2023

Cell migration is a fundamental and complex phenomenon that occurs in normal physiology and in diseases like cancer. Hence, understanding cell migration is very important in the fields of developmental biology and biomedical sciences. Cell migration occurs in 3 dimensions (3D) and involves an interplay of migrating cell(s), neighboring cells, extracellular matrix, and signaling molecules. To understand this phenomenon, most of the currently available techniques still rely on 2-dimensional (2D) cell migration assay, also known as the scratch assay or the wound healing assay. These methods suffer from limited reproducibility in creating a cell-free region (a scratch or a wound). Mechanical/heat related stress to cells is another issue which hampers the applicability of these methods. To tackle these problems, we developed an alternative method based on 3D printed biocompatible cell inserts, for quantifying cell migration in 24-well plates. The inserts were successfully validated via a high throughput assay for following migration of lung cancer cell line (A549 cell line) in the presence of standard cell migration promoters and inhibitors. We also developed an accompanying image analysis pipeline which demonstrated that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methodologies for assessing the cell migration in terms of reproducibility and simplicity.
Noninvasive drug adherence monitoring of antipsychotic patients via finger sweat testing
Authors: Longman K. , Frampas C. , Lewis H. , Costa C. , Nilforooshan R. , Chambers M. , Bailey M.
Published: August 2023

Collection of finger sweat is explored here as a rapid and convenient way of monitoring patient adherence to antipsychotic drugs. Finger sweat samples (n = 426) collected from patients receiving treatment with clozapine, quetiapine and olanzapine were analysed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, including a subgroup of patients with paired plasma samples. Finger sweat samples were also analysed from a negative control group and patients who had handled antipsychotic medication only. The finger sweat test (based on the detection of parent drug in one donated sample) was 100% effective in monitoring adherence within commonly prescribed dosing ranges. In comparison to participants who handled the medication only, the test could distinguish between contact and administration through monitoring of the drug metabolite, or the level of parent drug. Additionally, in a subgroup of patients prescribed clozapine, a statistically significant correlation was observed between the mass of parent drug in finger sweat and plasma concentration. The finger sweat technology shows promise as a dignified, noninvasive method to monitor treatment adherence in patients taking antipsychotics.
One decade of b-value variations from volcano-tectonic seismicity as an early indicator of episodes of crisis in a volcano: the case of Copahue, Southern Andes
Authors: Farías Cristian , Lazo Jonathan , Basualto Daniel , Saavedra Marcela , Muñoz-Quiroz Felipe , Zúñiga-Urrea Lucas , Martínez-Bravo Rodrigo , Huentenao-Inostroza Ian , Sáez-Opazo Ramón
Published: August 2023

Volcanoes can enter in episodes of unrest, which might end later in an eruption, with little warning. They are normally produced due to the inner dynamics of the volcano, but can also be triggered by external earthquakes. To detect these periods early, it becomes crucial to understand the dynamics of the different structures (such as fault systems) of the volcano, as they can act as magma pathways and can also generate instabilities on it. In this article we study the seismicity of Copahue (central-south Chile), which sits atop a complex system of faults, and was importantly affected by the 2010 Mw 8.8 Maule earthquake. We focused ourselves in the temporal variations of the b-value of the Gutenberg-Richter law during the 2012–2022 period. During this timeframe the volcano had a series of crises, which led to seven eruptive phases. Our results show that the system does exhibit signs of a future unrest phase weeks to months before there is a change on its alert level, and they are mostly linked to the activity of a N-S fault zone, located not beneath the main crater of Copahue, but around 10 km to the East. Most of the crises start after drops in the b-value of this structure, with sudden variations in b-value being also noticeable as a response to the 2015 Mw 8.3 Illapel earthquake. Our results show a correlation between instances of fluid injection and release in the relevant structures of an active volcano with the variations of the b-value. This allow us to use the temporal variations of the b-value as a tool to anticipate the inner dynamics of the system, particularly when there is a strong structural control on it, such as in the case of Copahue. We also found out that the influence of the 2010 Mw 8.8 Maule earthquake was long-lived, affecting mostly the structures that later destabilized the volcano for the most part of a decade, therefore enhancing magma injection into the whole system. This seems to have changed since 2021, which might indicate a waning in the influence of the megathrust earthquake in Copahue volcano.
Activities that early care educators are implementing in their childcare environments during the COVID-19 era
Authors: Obeng Cecilia , Obeng-Gyasi Emmanuel
Published: August 2023

Background

Teaching children about healthy lifestyles in early care settings can contribute to children’s optimal health during the COVID-19 era; this is because children are vulnerable to communicable diseases in such settings. This study aimed to discover the activities that early care educators are implementing in their childcare settings to assist children become healthy in the COVID- 19 era.

Methods

An open-ended survey was sent to early care providers through anonymous links. The requirement for participation was being an adult aged 18+ years and an educator in early care settings. Responses from 45 female educators (n = 45) were received, and those of three participants were excluded because of not responding to any of the main questions. A constant comparative approach was used to categorize and organize participants’ narratives into themes.

Results

Thirty-four out of the 42 participants indicated that they did activities on hand washing and how to use hand sanitizer. Some participants indicated that hand washing increased in their childcare settings. Others did some of their instructional activities such as reading, painting, and eating snacks outside the classrooms. Participants indicated that they walked around their childcare with children several times for children to get fresh air outside. There were others who canceled extracurricular activities at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others did not do any extra activities in their childcare settings during the COVID-19 era.

Conclusion

This study revealed teaching and related activities undertaken by the studied early care educators during COVID-19. It is recommended that higher education professors who train early care educators’ work with them to come up with health education activities that can help children obtain much-needed health knowledge and skills to ensure children’s optimal health during the COVID-19 era.
Chronic stress induces meiotic arrest failure and ovarian reserve decline via the cAMP signaling pathway
Authors: Jiang Yiwen , Xu Jing , Tao Chengqiu , Lin Yunying , Lin Xiaoqi , Li Ke , Liu Qiyu , Saiyin Hexige , Hu Shuanggang , Yao Guangxin , Sun Yun , Zhang Feng , Kang Yu , Xu Congjian , Zhang Ling
Published: August 2023

Chronic stress is suspected to be a causal factor of female subfertility; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that chronic stress inhibited the cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, leading to ovarian reserve decline in mice. A chronic stress model was constructed using restraint stress for 8 weeks. An elongated estrous cycle and a significant increase in the number of atretic follicles were observed in the stress group. We identified a significant increase in meiotic arrest failure (MAF) in oocytes in the stress group, characterized by condensed metaphase chromosomes, assembled spindles, or polar bodies in the oocytes. Whole-mount ovarian reserve estimation at the single-oocyte level using the CUBIC method (clear, unobstructed brain/body imaging cocktails and computational analysis) revealed a significant decrease in quiescent oocytes from 2,261/ovary in the control group to 1,373/ovary in the stress group. The number of growing oocytes also significantly decreased from 220/ovary in the control group to 150/ovary in the stress group. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis of the meiotic arrest maintenance pathways revealed significant downregulation of Gpr3, Nppc, and Npr2 in the stress group. These results indicate that blocking cAMP production contributes to MAF and a decline in ovarian reserve. Overall, we present new insights into the mechanisms underlying chronic-stress-induced oocyte loss and potential targets for ovarian reserve preservation.
Weight bearing training alleviates muscle atrophy and pyroptosis of middle-aged rats
Authors: Fu Pengyu , Gong Lijing , Yang Luyao , Tang Shuning , Ma Fangyuan
Published: August 2023

Background

Age-related muscle atrophy and adipose accumulation begin to occur in young and middle-aged individuals, and exercise at an early age improves body composition. Pyroptosis may play an essential role in age-related low-grade inflammation. This study aimed to explore the alleviation of muscle atrophy by weight-bearing training with increasing age via inhibition of pyroptosis.

Methods

Ninety 8-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: (1) normal baseline group (N group, n = 10), sacrificed after adaptive feeding; control group (C group, n = 40); and weight-bearing running group (R group, n = 40). Blood samples, adipose tissue (AT), and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) were collected after 8, 16, 24, and 32-weeks intervention.

Results

The body weight, muscle mass, fat mass, plasma lipid, AT wet weight, adipocyte cross-sectional area (CSA), and apoptosis rates of AT and EDL were increased, while the muscle mass, wet weight, and fiber CSA of EDL were decreased by aging, which were reversed by exercise. Weight-bearing training promoted protein synthesis in EDL, inhibited protein degradation in EDL, and expression of pyroptotic key proteins in EDL and AT in rats.

Conclusion

Weight-bearing training improves body composition and alleviates age-related muscle atrophy in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of pyroptosis in the EDL and AT and the improvement of muscle protein metabolism.
Capacity configuration optimization for green hydrogen generation driven by solar-wind hybrid power based on comprehensive performance criteria
Authors: Su Wei , Zheng Wenjin , Li Qi , Yu Zhenyue , Han Yunbin , Bai Zhang
Published: August 2023

Green hydrogen generation driven by solar-wind hybrid power is a key strategy for obtaining the low-carbon energy, while by considering the fluctuation natures of solar-wind energy resource, the system capacity configuration of power generation, hydrogen production and essential storage devices need to be comprehensively optimized. In this work, a solar-wind hybrid green hydrogen production system is developed by combining the hydrogen storage equipment with the power grid, the coordinated operation strategy of solar-wind hybrid hydrogen production is proposed, furthermore, the NSGA-III algorithm is used to optimize the system capacity configuration with the comprehensive performance criteria of economy, environment and energy efficiency. Through the implemented case study with the hydrogen production capacity of 20,000 tons/year, the abandoned energy power rate will be reduced to 3.32% with the electrolytic cell average load factor of 64.77%, and the system achieves the remarkable carbon emission reduction. In addition, with the advantage of connect to the power grid, the generated surplus solar/wind power can be readily transmitted with addition income, when the sale price of produced hydrogen is suggested to 27.80 CNY/kgH2, the internal rate of return of the system reaches to 8% which present the reasonable economic potential. The research provides technical and methodological suggestions and guidance for the development of solar-wind hybrid hydrogen production schemes with favorable comprehensive performance.
The driving mechanism and path selection of green development in Chinese cities
Authors: Xisha Wang , Jinye Li
Published: August 2023

Green is the background color of high-quality development of Chinese cities. By constructing a theoretical model of the driving force and driving mechanism of China’s urban green development, this paper simulates the green development path of Chinese cities based on the panel data of Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020. The empirical results show that, firstly, the driven force formed by scientific and technological in novation, the action force formed by structural adjustment and the driven force formed by environmental regulation can drive Chinese cities to achieve green development. Secondly, the pressure of different paths on the ecological environment showed a gradual downward trend, the ecological environment pressure under the baseline scenario was the highest, and the ecological environment pressure driven by single factors may be lower than that driven by two factors. Finally, the comprehensive driven path formed by the combination of innovation driven, structure driven and environment a driven is a better path for China’s urban green development. Therefore, the green development of Chinese cities requires policy intervention, different cities need to formulate green development plans according to local conditions, and should consider the combination of policies. In the future, Chinese cities need to increase investment in science and technology, guide all entities to develop in the direction of resource conservation and pollution reduction, adjust the industrial structure, promote their development in the direction of cleanliness, increase environmental protection investment, standardize the development of all entities in the direction of environmental protection, and give full play to the synergy of the three major policies to achieve green development.
Coupling coordination of the water‒energy‒carbon system in three provinces of Northeastern China
Authors: Cao Yongqiang , Li Jing , Xie Linfu , Yao Jiaqi , Li Kexin , Zhang Ningyue , Ji Xinhui , Wang Mengran , Mo Fan , Zhai Haoran
Published: August 2023

Water resource consumption, energy consumption, and carbon emissions are key factors that restrict the level of regional development and affect the quality of the regional ecological environment. This study investigates three provinces in Northeastern China, using remote sensing and historical data from the period 2001–2019 to analyze the spatiotemporal trends of water and energy consumption, and carbon emissions. Using the AHP-entropy weight method, comprehensive analysis method, and system dynamics research method, the coupling relationships of the three subsystems (water‒energy‒carbon, WEC) were determined, and the development and changes over the next 20 years were simulated. The results show that: 1) Over the period 2001–2019, the comprehensive index of the WEC system in the three Northeastern provinces ranged from 0.0994 to 0.2314. 2) Over the period 2001–2019, the coupling degree of the WEC system in the three Northeastern provinces ranged from 0.9457 to 0.9985, equating to a high coupling stage level. However, the level of coupling coordination was low, with values ranging from 0.3151 to 0.4780, equating to a state of mild disorder or near disorder. 3) During the study period, water resource consumption, energy consumption, and carbon emissions all showed an increasing trend, with the former having the fastest growth rate. This study is of great significance for promoting the sustainable utilization of resources and green and low-carbon development in the three studied Northeastern provinces of China.
Transcriptome profiling of intact bowel wall reveals that PDE1A and SEMA3D are possible markers with roles in enteric smooth muscle apoptosis, proliferative disorders, and dysautonomia in Crohn’s disease
Authors: Yang Yun , Xia Lin , Yang Wenming , Wang Ziqiang , Meng Wenjian , Zhang Mingming , Ma Qin , Gou Junhe , Wang Junjian , Shu Ye , Wu Xiaoting
Published: August 2023

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex and multifactorial inflammatory condition, comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). While numerous studies have explored the immune response in IBD through transcriptional profiling of the enteric mucosa, the subtle distinctions in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis remain insufficiently understood.

Methods: The intact bowel wall specimens from IBD surgical patients were divided based on their inflammatory status into inflamed Crohn’s disease (iCD), inflamed ulcerative colitis (iUC) and non-inflamed (niBD) groups for RNA sequencing. Differential mRNA GO (Gene Ontology), and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes), and GSEA (Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) bioinformatic analyses were performed with a focus on the enteric autonomic nervous system (ANS) and smooth muscle cell (SMC). The transcriptome results were validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results: A total of 2099 differentially expressed genes were identified from the comparison between iCD and iUC. Regulation of SMC apoptosis and proliferation were significantly enriched in iCD, but not in iUC. The involved gene PDE1A in iCD was 4-fold and 1.5-fold upregulated at qPCR and IHC compared to that in iUC. Moreover, only iCD was significantly associated with the gene sets of ANS abnormality. The involved gene SEMA3D in iCD was upregulated 8- and 5-fold at qPCR and IHC levels compared to iUC.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that PDE1A and SEMA3D may serve as potential markers implicated in enteric smooth muscle apoptosis, proliferative disorders, and dysautonomia specifically in Crohn’s disease.
Integrative miRNA-mRNA network analysis to identify crucial pathways of salinity adaptation in brain transcriptome of Labeo rohita
Authors: Shukla Nitin , Vemula Harshini , Raval Ishan , Kumar Sujit , Shrivastava Vivek , Chaudhari Aparna , Patel Amrutlal K. , Joshi Chaitanya G.
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Brain being the master regulator of the physiology of animal, the current study focuses on the gene expression pattern of the brain tissue with special emphasis on regulation of growth, developmental process of an organism and cellular adaptation of Labeo rohita against unfavourable environmental conditions.

Methods: RNA-seq study was performed on collected brain samples at 8ppt salt concentration and analyzed for differential gene expression, functional annotation and miRNA-mRNA regulatory network.

Results: We found that 2450 genes were having significant differential up and down regulation. The study identified 20 hub genes based on maximal clique centrality algorithm. These hub genes were mainly involved in various signaling pathways, energy metabolism and ion transportation. Further, 326 up and 1214 down regulated genes were found to be targeted by 7 differentially expressed miRNAs i.e., oni-miR-10712, oni-miR-10736, ssa-miR-221-3p, ssa-miR-130d-1-5p, ssa-miR-144-5p and oni-miR-10628. Gene ontology analysis of these differentially expressed genes led to the finding that these genes were involved in signal transduction i.e., calcium, FOXO, PI3K-AKT, TGF-β, Wnt and p53 signalling pathways. Differentially expressed genes were also involved in regulation of immune response, environmental adaptation i.e., neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, ECM-receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules and circadian entrainment, osmoregulation and energy metabolism, which are critical for salinity adaptation.

Discussion: The findings of whole transcriptomic study on brain deciphered the miRNA-mRNA interaction patterns and pathways associated with salinity adaptation of L. rohita.
Genomic prediction and association mapping of maize grain yield in multi-environment trials based on reaction norm models
Authors: Tolley Seth A. , Brito Luiz F. , Wang Diane R. , Tuinstra Mitchell R.
Published: August 2023

Genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) is among the greatest challenges for maize breeding programs. Strong GEI limits both the prediction of genotype performance across variable environmental conditions and the identification of genomic regions associated with grain yield. Incorporating GEI into yield prediction models has been shown to improve prediction accuracy of yield; nevertheless, more work is needed to further understand this complex interaction across populations and environments. The main objectives of this study were to: 1) assess GEI in maize grain yield based on reaction norm models and predict hybrid performance across a gradient of environmental (EG) conditions and 2) perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and post-GWAS analyses for maize grain yield using data from 2014 to 2017 of the Genomes to Fields initiative hybrid trial. After quality control, 2,126 hybrids with genotypic and phenotypic data were assessed across 86 environments representing combinations of locations and years, although not all hybrids were evaluated in all environments. Heritability was greater in higher-yielding environments due to an increase in genetic variability in these environments in comparison to the low-yielding environments. GWAS was carried out for yield and five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the highest magnitude of effect were selected in each environment for follow-up analyses. Many candidate genes in proximity of selected SNPs have been previously reported with roles in stress response. Genomic prediction was performed to assess prediction accuracy of previously tested or untested hybrids in environments from a new growing season. Prediction accuracy was 0.34 for cross validation across years (CV0-Predicted EG) and 0.21 for cross validation across years with only untested hybrids (CV00-Predicted EG) when compared to Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUPs) that did not utilize genotypic or environmental relationships. Prediction accuracy improved to 0.80 (CV0-Predicted EG) and 0.60 (CV00-Predicted EG) when compared to the whole-dataset model that used the genomic relationships and the environmental gradient of all environments in the study. These results identify regions of the genome for future selection to improve yield and a methodology to increase the number of hybrids evaluated across locations of a multi-environment trial through genomic prediction.
Gene network inference from single-cell omics data and domain knowledge for constructing COVID-19-specific ICAM1-associated pathways
Authors: Odaka Mitsuhiro , Magnin Morgan , Inoue Katsumi
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a critical molecule responsible for interactions between cells. Previous studies have suggested that ICAM-1 triggers cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 or HTLV-1, that SARS-CoV-2 shares several features with these viruses via interactions between cells, and that SARS-CoV-2 cell-to-cell transmission is associated with COVID-19 severity. From these previous arguments, it is assumed that ICAM-1 can be related to SARS-CoV-2 cell-to-cell transmission in COVID-19 patients. Indeed, the time-dependent change of the ICAM-1 expression level has been detected in COVID-19 patients. However, signaling pathways that consist of ICAM-1 and other molecules interacting with ICAM-1 are not identified in COVID-19. For example, the current COVID-19 Disease Map has no entry for those pathways. Therefore, discovering unknown ICAM1-associated pathways will be indispensable for clarifying the mechanism of COVID-19.

Materials and methods: This study builds ICAM1-associated pathways by gene network inference from single-cell omics data and multiple knowledge bases. First, single-cell omics data analysis extracts coexpressed genes with significant differences in expression levels with spurious correlations removed. Second, knowledge bases validate the models. Finally, mapping the models onto existing pathways identifies new ICAM1-associated pathways.

Results: Comparison of the obtained pathways between different cell types and time points reproduces the known pathways and indicates the following two unknown pathways: (1) upstream pathway that includes proteins in the non-canonical NF-κB pathway and (2) downstream pathway that contains integrins and cytoskeleton or motor proteins for cell transformation.

Discussion: In this way, data-driven and knowledge-based approaches are integrated into gene network inference for ICAM1-associated pathway construction. The results can contribute to repairing and completing the COVID-19 Disease Map, thereby improving our understanding of the mechanism of COVID-19.
A nasal vaccine with inactivated whole-virion elicits protective mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in mice
Authors: Tokunoh Nagisa , Tamiya Shigeyuki , Watanabe Masato , Okamoto Toru , Anindita Jessica , Tanaka Hiroki , Ono Chikako , Hirai Toshiro , Akita Hidetaka , Matsuura Yoshiharu , Yoshioka Yasuo
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Vaccinations are ideal for reducing the severity of clinical manifestations and secondary complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); however, SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause morbidity and mortality worldwide. In contrast to parenteral vaccines such as messenger RNA vaccines, nasal vaccines are expected to be more effective in preventing viral infections in the upper respiratory tract, the primary locus for viral infection and transmission. In this study, we examined the prospects of an inactivated whole-virion (WV) vaccine administered intranasally against SARS-CoV-2.

Methods

Mice were immunized subcutaneously (subcutaneous vaccine) or intranasally (nasal vaccine) with the inactivated WV of SARS-CoV-2 as the antigen.

Results

The spike protein (S)-specific IgA level was found to be higher upon nasal vaccination than after subcutaneous vaccination. The level of S-specific IgG in the serum was also increased by the nasal vaccine, although it was lower than that induced by the subcutaneous vaccine. The nasal vaccine exhibited a stronger defense against viral invasion in the upper respiratory tract than the subcutaneous vaccine and unimmunized control; however, both subcutaneous and nasal vaccines provided protection in the lower respiratory tract. Furthermore, we found that intranasally administered inactivated WV elicited robust production of S-specific IgA in the nasal mucosa and IgG in the blood of mice previously vaccinated with messenger RNA encoding the S protein.

Discussion

Overall, these results suggest that a nasal vaccine containing inactivated WV can be a highly effective means of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Murine model identifies tropomyosin as IgE cross-reactive protein between house dust mite and coho salmon that possibly contributes to the development of salmon allergy
Authors: Yamamoto Risa , Izawa Kumi , Ando Tomoaki , Kaitani Ayako , Tanabe Atsushi , Yamada Hiromichi , Uchida Shino , Yoshikawa Akihisa , Kume Yasuharu , Toriumi Shun , Maehara Akie , Wang Hexing , Nagamine Masakazu , Negishi Naoko , Nakano Nobuhiro , Ebihara Nobuyuki , Shimizu Toshiaki , Ogawa Hideoki , Okumura Ko , Kitaura Jiro
Published: August 2023

Background

Recently, we have developed a method to identify IgE cross-reactive allergens. However, the mechanism by which IgE cross-reactive allergens cause food allergy is not yet fully understood how. In this study, we aimed to understand the underlying pathogenesis by identifying food allergens that cross-react with house dust mite allergens in a murine model.

Material and methods

Allergenic protein microarray analysis was conducted using serum from mice intraperitoneally injected with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) extract plus alum or alum alone as controls. Der p, Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), coho salmon extract-sensitized and control mice were analyzed. Serum levels of IgE against Der p, Der f, coho salmon extract, protein fractions of coho salmon extract separated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and anion exchange chromatography, and recombinant coho salmon tropomyosin or actin were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A murine model of cutaneous anaphylaxis or oral allergy syndrome (OAS) was established in Der p extract-sensitized mice stimulated with coho salmon extract, tropomyosin, or actin.

Results

Protein microarray analysis showed that coho salmon-derived proteins were highly bound to serum IgE in Der p extract-sensitized mice. Serum IgE from Der p or Der f extract-sensitized mice was bound to coho salmon extract, whereas serum IgE from coho salmon extract-sensitized mice was bound to Der p or Der f extract. Analysis of the murine model showed that cutaneous anaphylaxis and oral allergic reaction were evident in Der p extract-sensitized mice stimulated by coho salmon extract. Serum IgE from Der p or Der f extract-sensitized mice was bound strongly to protein fractions separated by anion exchange chromatography of coho salmon proteins precipitated with 50% ammonium sulfate, which massively contained the approximately 38 kDa protein. We found that serum IgE from Der p extract-sensitized mice was bound to recombinant coho salmon tropomyosin. Der p extract-sensitized mice exhibited cutaneous anaphylaxis in response to coho salmon tropomyosin.

Conclusion

Our results showed IgE cross-reactivity of tropomyosin between Dermatophagoides and coho salmon which illustrates salmon allergy following sensitization with the house dust mite Dermatophagoides. Our method for identifying IgE cross-reactive allergens will help understand the underlying mechanisms of food allergies.
Research progress on the mechanism of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase in intestinal immunity
Authors: Zhong Guoqiang , He Chengcheng , Wang Shanping , Lin Chuangzhen , Li Mingsong
Published: August 2023

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a general term encompassing Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), and other conditions, is a chronic and relapsing autoimmune disease that can occur in any part of the digestive tract. While the cause of IBD remains unclear, it is acknowledged that the disease has much to do with the dysregulation of intestinal immunity. In the intestinal immune regulatory system, Cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (CH25H) plays an important role in regulating the function of immune cells and lipid metabolism through catalyzing the oxidation of cholesterol into 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC). Specifically, CH25H focuses its mechanism of regulating the inflammatory response, signal transduction and cell migration on various types of immune cells by binding to relevant receptors, and the mechanism of regulating lipid metabolism and immune cell function via the transcription factor Sterol Regulator-Binding Protein. Based on this foundation, this article will review the function of CH25H in intestinal immunity, aiming to provide evidence for supporting the discovery of early diagnostic and treatment targets for IBD.
C-reactive protein binds to short phosphoglycan repeats of Leishmania secreted proteophosphoglycans and activates complement
Authors: Seow Eu Shen , Doran Eve C. , Schroeder Jan-Hendrik , Rogers Matthew E. , Raynes John G.
Published: August 2023

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) binds to lipophosphoglycan (LPG), a virulence factor of Leishmania spp., through the repeating phosphodisaccharide region. We report here that both major components of promastigote secretory gel (PSG), the filamentous proteophosphoglycan (fPPG) and the secreted acid phosphatase (ScAP), are also ligands. CRP binding was mainly associated with the flagellar pocket when LPG deficient Leishmania mexicana parasites were examined by fluorescent microscopy, consistent with binding to secreted material. ScAP is a major ligand in purified fPPG from parasite culture as demonstrated by much reduced binding to a ScAP deficient mutant fPPG in plate binding assays and ligand blotting. Nevertheless, in sandfly derived PSG fPPG is a major component and the major CRP binding component. Previously we showed high avidity of CRP for LPG ligand required multiple disaccharide repeats. ScAP and fPPG only have short repeats but they retain high avidity for CRP revealed by surface plasmon resonance because they are found in multiple copies on the phosphoglycan. The fPPG from many species such as L. donovani and L. mexicana bound CRP strongly but L. tropica and L. amazonensis had low amounts of binding. The extent of side chain substitution of [-PO4-6Galβ1-4Manα1-] disaccharides correlates inversely with binding of CRP. The ligand for the CRP on different species all had similar binding avidity as the half maximal binding concentration was similar. Since the PSG is injected with the parasites into host blood pools and phosphoglycans (PG) are known to deplete complement, we showed that CRP makes a significant contribution to the activation of complement by PSG using serum from naive donors.
Phenotypic and genetic characterization of Africanized Apis mellifera colonies with natural tolerance to Varroa destructor and contrasting defensive behavior
Authors: Bianchi Eliana Mariel , Ferrari Carolina , Aguirre Natalia C. , Filippi Carla V. , Vera Pablo A. , Puebla Andrea Fabiana , Gennari Gerardo P. , Rodríguez Graciela A. , Scannapieco Alejandra Carla , Acuña Cintia V. , Lanzavecchia Silvia B.
Published: August 2023

Africanized Apis mellifera colonies with promising characteristics for beekeeping have been detected in northern Argentina (subtropical climate) and are considered of interest for breeding programs. Integral evaluation of this feral material revealed high colony strength and resistance/tolerance to brood diseases. However, these Africanized honeybees (AHB) also showed variable negative behavioral traits for beekeeping, such as defensiveness, tendency to swarm and avoidance behavior. We developed a protocol for the selection of AHB stocks based on defensive behavior and characterized contrasting colonies for this trait using NGS technologies. For this purpose, population and behavioral parameters were surveyed throughout a beekeeping season in nine daughter colonies obtained from a mother colony (A1 mitochondrial haplotype) with valuable characteristics (tolerance to the mite Varroa destructor, high colony strength and low defensiveness). A Defensive Behavior Index was developed and tested in the colonies under study. Mother and two daughter colonies displaying contrasting defensive behavior were analyzed by ddRADseq. High-quality DNA samples were obtained from 16 workers of each colony. Six pooled samples, including two replicates of each of the three colonies, were processed. A total of 12,971 SNPs were detected against the reference genome of A. mellifera, 142 of which showed significant differences between colonies. We detected SNPs in coding regions, lncRNA, miRNA, rRNA, tRNA, among others. From the original data set, we also identified 647 SNPs located in protein-coding regions, 128 of which are related to 21 genes previously associated with defensive behavior, such as dop3 and dopR2, CaMKII and ADAR, obp9 and obp10, and members of the 5-HT family. We discuss the obtained results by considering the influence of polyandry and paternal lineages on the defensive behavior in AHB and provide baseline information to use this innovative molecular approach, ddRADseq, to assist in the selection and evaluation of honey bee stocks showing low defensive behavior for commercial uses.
A new marine ciliate, Apofrontonia jejuensis n. sp. (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea) from Jeju Island, South Korea, and an improved diagnosis of the genus Apofrontonia
Authors: Quintela-Alonso Pablo , Omar Atef , Moon Ji Hye , Jung Jae-Ho
Published: August 2023

The genusApofrontoniacomprises vicarious species that until now have only been described in a few locations worldwide. It was assigned to the family Frontoniidae based on two diagnostic features, i.e., the closely arranged kinetal rows in the peniculi and vestibular kineties on the right side of the vestibular cavity’s opening. The first phylogenetic analysis of the genus was based on the 18S rRNA gene, and it was limited not only by the unavailability of other gene sequences from other species within the genus but also by the Peniculia in general.Apofrontonia jejuensisn. sp. was discovered in the coastal waters of Jeju Island, South Korea. Besides the genus-specific features,A. jejuensisn. sp. exhibits a fibrillar system associated with the oral ciliature, likely linked to nematodesmata-like structures, as seen inFrontoniaspecies. This study increases the taxon sampling, offers further insights in the morphological variability of the genusApofrontonia, and provides additional molecular support for its distinction from the genusFrontonia.