bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations in the Gut Microbiota and Their Metabolites in Colorectal Cancer: Recent Progress and Future Prospects
Authors: Li Jing , Zhang Ai-hua , Wu Fang-fang , Wang Xi-jun
Published: February 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. The etiology and pathogenesis of CRC remain unclear. A growing body of evidence suggests dysbiosis of gut bacteria can contribute to the occurrence and development of CRC by generating harmful metabolites and changing host physiological processes. Metabolomics, a systems biology method, will systematically study the changes in metabolites in the physiological processes of the body, eventually playing a significant role in the detection of metabolic biomarkers and improving disease diagnosis and treatment. Metabolomics, in particular, has been highly beneficial in tracking microbially derived metabolites, which has substantially advanced our comprehension of host-microbiota metabolic interactions in CRC. This paper has briefly compiled recent research progress of the alterations of intestinal flora and its metabolites associated with CRC and the application of association analysis of metabolomics and gut microbiome in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of CRC; furthermore, we discuss the prospects for the problems and development direction of this association analysis in the study of CRC. Gut microbiota and their metabolites influence the progression and causation of CRC, and the association analysis of metabolomics and gut microbiome will provide novel strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of CRC.
Complicated Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Caused by SERAC1 Variants in a Chinese Family
Authors: Yan Dandan , Chen Shaopei , Cai Fengying , Shu Jianbo , Zhi Xiufang , Zheng Jie , Zhang Chunhua , Li Dong , Cai Chunquan
Published: February 2022

Background

The serine active site-containing protein 1 (SERAC1) biallelic variant usually causes MEGDEL syndrome, clinically characterized by increased excretion of 3-methylglutaconic in the urine, muscle hypotonia, sensorineural deafness, and Leigh-like lesions on brain MRI scans. In this study, we present a case from a Chinese family with disordered metabolism and dystonia owing to SERAC1 variants; the clinical phenotypes of the proband were different from those of MEGDEL syndrome but were similar to those juvenile-onset complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia. Thus, in this study, we aimed to confirm the relationship between SERAC1 variants and complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Methods

MRI and laboratory tests, including gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), were carried out for the proband. Whole-exome sequencing was used to detect the candidate SERAC1 variants. Variants were verified using Sanger sequencing. Various software programs (PolyPhen-2, MutationTaster, PROVEAN, and SIFT) were used to predict the pathogenicity of novel variants.

Results

Brain MRI scans showed a symmetric flake abnormal signal shadow in the bilateral basal ganglia in T2-weighted image (T2WI) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) analyses. The excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid was found to be increased in our GC/MS analysis. Whole-exome sequencing showed novel compound heterozygous variants, including a novel c.1495A>G (p.Met499Val) variant in exon 14 of SERAC1 inherited from the father and a novel c.721_722delAG (p.Leu242fs) variant in exon 8 inherited from the mother. The pathogenicity prediction results showed that these two variants were deleterious.

Conclusions

This study presented a patient with complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia caused by SERAC1 variants. These findings expand the number of known SERAC1 variants and the phenotypic spectrum associated with SERAC1 deficiency. This study may contribute to counseling and prevention of hereditary diseases through prenatal.
Quercetin Administration Following Hypoxia-Induced Neonatal Brain Damage Attenuates Later-Life Seizure Susceptibility and Anxiety-Related Behavior: Modulating Inflammatory Response
Authors: Wu Yan , Wei Huiping , Li Pei , Zhao Hui , Li Ruifang , Yang Feiyun
Published: February 2022

Background

Neonatal seizures commonly caused by hypoxia could lead to brain injury and cognitive deficits. Quercetin could cross the blood brain barrier and exerts neuroprotective effects in many neurological disease settings. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of quercetin in attenuating cognitive impairment following hypoxia-induced neonatal seizure (HINS).

Method

Sprague-Dawley rats at P7 were exposed to a premixed gas in a hypoxic chamber to induce brain injury, and then continuously administered with quercetin for 21 days. Pentylenetetrazol kindling was used to induce seizures in the evolution. After the hypoxic lesion was stablished, anxiety-related behavior of rats after HINS was assessed using open field test. Memory impairment of rats after HINS was evaluated using novel object-recognition test and elevated plus maze test. The serum and hippocampal concentrations of TNF-a, iNOS, IL-6 MCP-1, and IL-1β were measured using ELISA. The mRNA expression levels of TNF-a, iNOS, IL-6 in the hippocampus were determined using qRT-PCR. The protein levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65, and p-NF-κB p65 in the hippocampus were determined using Western blot.

Results

Quercetin administration significantly reduced later-life seizure susceptibility, anxiety-related behavior, and memory impairments in the rats following the HINS when compared to the HINS group without treatment. Both serum and hippocampal proinflammatory cytokines levels were significantly elevated in the rat after HINS. TLR4 protein expressions were increased in the HINS group when compared to control group, and decreased in the group of quercetin. The protein level of p-NF-κB p65 was significantly lower in the quercetin group compared to the HINS group.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that Quercetin significantly reduced susceptibility to later-life seizures. Quercetin could downregulate inflammatory response through TLR4/ NF-κB pathway, thereby attenuating HINS-induced anxiety, hippocampal memory impairment, and cognitive impairment in later life following HINS.
Avasimibe Alleviates Disruption of the Airway Epithelial Barrier by Suppressing the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhou Zicong , Liang Shixiu , Zhou Zili , Liu Jieyi , Meng Xiaojing , Zou Fei , Yu Changhui , Cai Shaoxi
Published: February 2022

Avasimibe (Ava) is an acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) specific inhibitor and an established medicine for atherosclerosis, owing to its excellent and safe anti-inflammation effects in humans. However, its efficacy in asthma has not yet been reported. We first administered varying concentrations of avasimibe to house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthmatic mice; results showed that 20 mg/kg avasimibe most significantly reduced IL-4 and IL-5 production in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and total IgE in serum, and the avasimibe treatment also exhibited lower mucus secretion, decreased goblet and basal cells but increased ciliated cells compared to the HDM group. And the redistribution of adherens junction (AJ) proteins induced by HDM was far more less upon avasimibe administration. However, avasimibe did not reduce the cholesterol ester ratio in lung tissues or intracellular cholesterol ester, which is avasimibe’s main effect. Further analysis confirmed that avasimibe impaired epithelial basal cell proliferation independent of regulating cholesterol metabolism and we analyzed datasets using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and then found that the KRT5 gene (basal cell marker) expression is correlated with the β-catenin gene. Moreover, we found that β-catenin localized in cytomembrane upon avasimibe treatment. Avasimibe also reduced β-catenin phosphorylation in the cytoplasm and inactivated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway induced by HDMs, thereby alleviating the airway epithelial barrier disruption. Taken together, these findings indicated that avasimibe has potential as a new therapeutic option for allergic asthma.
Three-Dimensional Tunable Fibronectin-Collagen Platforms for Control of Cell Adhesion and Matrix Deposition
Authors: Asadishekari Maryam , Mpoyi Elie N. , Li Yifan , Eslami Javad , Walker Matthew , Cantini Marco , Gourdon Delphine
Published: February 2022

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex fibrillar network that couples a cell with its environment and directly regulates cells’ functions via structural, mechanical, and biochemical signals. The goal of this study was to engineer and characterize ECM-mimicking protein platforms with material properties covering both physiological and pathological (tumorous) tissues. We designed and fabricated three-dimensional (3D) fibrillar scaffolds comprising the two major components of the ECM, namely collagen (Col) and fibronectin (Fn), using a previously developed freeze-drying method. While scaffolds porous architecture and mechanics were controlled by varying Col I concentration, Fn deposition and conformation were tuned using varied immersion temperature and assessed via intramolecular Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Our data indicate that all scaffolds were able to support various crucial cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation and matrix deposition. Additionally, we show that, keeping the stiffness constant and tuning the conformation of the Fn layer used to coat the Col scaffolds, we were able to control not only the invasion of cells but also the conformation of the matrix they would deposit, from a compact to an unfolded structure (as observed in the breast tumor microenvironment). Therefore, these tunable scaffolds could be used as 3D cell culture models, in which ECM microarchitecture, mechanics and protein conformation are controlled over large volumes to investigate long-term mechanisms such as wound healing phases and/or vascularization mechanisms in both physiological and pathological (tumorous) microenvironments. These findings have implications for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Natriuretic Peptides and Blood Pressure Homeostasis: Implications for MANP, a Novel Guanylyl Cyclase a Receptor Activator for Hypertension
Authors: Cannone Valentina , Burnett John C.
Published: February 2022

The heart serves as an endocrine organ producing the hormones atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) which via the guanylyl cyclase A (GC-A) receptor and the second messenger cGMP participate in blood pressure homeostasis under physiologic conditions. Genetic models of the ANP gene or the GCA receptor together with genomic medicine have solidified the concept that both cardiac hormones are fundamental for blood pressure homeostasis and when deficient or disrupted they may contribute to human hypertension. Advances in peptide engineering have led to novel peptide therapeutics including the ANP-analog MANP for human hypertension. Most importantly a first in human study of MANP in essential hypertension has demonstrated its unique properties of aldosterone suppression and blood pressure reduction. Physiology and pharmacology ultimately lead us to innovative peptide-based therapeutics to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.
The Effect of the Quantity and Distribution of Teammates’ Tendency Toward Self-Interest and Altruism on Individual Decision-Making
Authors: Zou Mi , Feng Jinqiu , Qin Nan , Diao Jiangdong , Yang Yang , Liao Jiejie , Lin Jiabao , Mo Lei
Published: February 2022

Previous studies have explored the impact of the cost ratio of individual solutions versus collective solutions on people’s cooperation tendency in the presence of individual solutions. This study further explored the impact of team credibility on people’s propensity to cooperate in the presence of individual solutions. Study 1 investigated the influence of different level of altruistic tendencies or the self-interest tendencies of teammates on participants’ decision-making. Study 2 explored the influence of the distribution of altruistic tendencies or self-interest tendencies on participants’ decision-making. The results of Study 1 showed that the proportion of participants who chose the collective solution increased with an increase in the altruistic tendencies of the team. When the altruistic tendencies of the teammates reached a certain value, the proportion of participants taking the collective solution showed a trend to stabilize. Furthermore, the proportion of participants who chose the individual solution increased with the increase in the self-interest tendencies of the team. When the self-interest tendencies of the teammates reached a certain value, the individual solution was stably adopted. The results of Study 2 showed that with the total altruistic tendency remaining unchanged, the more altruistic group members that altruistic tendencies were allocated to, the higher a participant’s level of trust in the team would be, which showed the decentralized effect of altruistic tendencies. In the case that the total self-interest tendency was unchanged, the fewer self-interest group members the self-interest tendencies were allocated to, the higher a participant’s level of trust in the team would be, which showed the convergent effect of self-interest tendencies.
Impact of Abusive Supervision on Psychological Engagement and Absorptive Capacity Among Students: Mediating Role of Knowledge Hiding
Authors: Zhang Xiyun , Yu Jiawen
Published: February 2022

The research aims to estimate the impact of abusive supervision on psychological engagement and absorptive capacity under the mediating role of knowledge hiding. This study was cross-sectional and data were collected from employees of four different sectors through a questionnaire. The convenient sampling technique was used to collect data from 450 employees. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as a data analysis technique because the two-stage SEM technique produces precise and accurate estimates while modeling the path analysis. The output of the measurement model assessment confirmed that all measurement scales were reliable. In addition to this, structural model assessment confirmed that abusive supervision did not significantly predict the absorptive capacity and psychological engagement, although knowledge hiding negatively predicted psychological engagement.
Team Interdependence as a Substitute for Empowering Leadership Contribution to Team Meaningfulness and Performance
Authors: Lisak Alon , Harush Raveh , Icekson Tamar , Harel Sharon
Published: February 2022

This study uses a relational work design perspective to explore substitutes for leadership behaviors that promote team meaningfulness and performance. We propose that team task interdependence, a structural feature facilitating interaction among team members, can be a substitute for the contributions of empowering leadership. Data were collected from 47 R&D and technology implementation teams across three organizations in a cross-sectional field study. The results revealed that high task interdependence attenuated the contributions of empowering leadership concerning team meaningfulness and, indirectly, to team performance. These findings highlight that the importance of leaders as generators of team meaningfulness is contingent on team relational work design.
How Pause Duration Influences Impressions of English Speech: Comparison Between Native and Non-native Speakers
Authors: Liu Shimeng , Nakajima Yoshitaka , Chen Lihan , Arndt Sophia , Kakizoe Maki , Elliott Mark A. , Remijn Gerard B.
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the subjective impression of English speech would change when pause duration at punctuation marks was varied. Two listening experiments were performed in which written English speech segments were rated on a variety of evaluation items by both native-English speakers and non-native speakers (native-Chinese speakers and native-Japanese speakers). The ratings were then subjected to factor analysis. In the first experiment, the pauses in three segments were made into the same durations, from 0.075 to 4.8 s. Participants rated the segments on 23 evaluation items on a rating scale from 1 to 10. A varimax rotation after PCA (principal component analysis) led to two factors that were related to speech style. These two factors could be interpreted as representing speech naturalness and speech rate. Speech segments with a pause duration of 0.6 s received the highest naturalness evaluation, while perceived speech rate decreased as the physical pause duration increased, without any changes in utterance segments. In the second experiment, a full-factorial design of pause durations (0.15, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 s) within and between sentences, i.e., for commas and for periods, was implemented in two speech segments. The original speech segments and speech segments without any pauses were also included as control conditions. From ratings on 12 evaluation items, similar to Experiment 1, two factors representing speech naturalness and speech rate were obtained. The results showed again that the perceived speech rate decreased with an increase only in pause duration. As for speech naturalness, the highest evaluations occurred when pause durations were 0.6 s within sentences, and either 0.6 or 1.2 s between sentences. This recommends fixing all pause durations to 0.6 s as a practical way to train non-native speakers to make their spoken English appear more natural.
New Breakthroughs and Innovation Modes in English Education in Post-pandemic Era
Authors: Shen Yumin , Guo Hongyu
Published: February 2022

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought drastic changes to English teaching as it has shifted from the offline mode before the pandemic to the online mode during the pandemic. However, in the post-pandemic era, there are still many problems in the effective implementation of the process of English teaching, leading to the inability of achieving better results in the quality and efficiency of English teaching and effective cultivation of students’ practical application ability. In recent years, English speaking has attracted the attention of experts and scholars. Therefore, this study constructs an interactive English-speaking practice scene based on a virtual character. A dual-modality emotion recognition method is proposed that mainly recognizes and analyzes facial expressions and physiological signals of students and the virtual character in each scene. Thereafter, the system adjusts the difficulty of the conversation according to the current state of students, toward making the conversation more conducive to the students’ understanding and gradually improving their English-speaking ability. The simulation compares nine facial expressions based on the eNTERFACE05 and CAS-PEAL datasets, which shows that the emotion recognition method proposed in this manuscript can effectively recognize students’ emotions in interactive English-speaking practice and reduce the recognition time to a great extent. The recognition accuracy of the nine facial expressions was close to 90% for the dual-modality emotion recognition method in the eNTERFACE05 dataset, and the recognition accuracy of the dual-modality emotion recognition method was significantly improved with an average improvement of approximately 5%.
Meaning in Life, Future Orientation and Support for Violent Radicalization Among Canadian College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Miconi Diana , Geenen Gabrielle , Frounfelker Rochelle L. , Levinsson Anna , Rousseau Cécile
Published: February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of uncertainty and social polarization in our societies, compromising young people's capacity to envision a positive future and maintain a meaningful sense of purpose in life. Within a positive youth development framework, the present study investigates the associations of a positive future orientation, presence of and search for meaning in life, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in a diverse sample of Canadian college students. In addition, we investigate the moderating role of future orientation in the association between presence of and search for a meaning in life and support for VR. A total of 3,100 college students in Québec (Canada) (69% female;Mage= 18.57,SDage= 1.76) completed an online survey during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from linear mixed-effects models indicate that a positive future orientation and a higher presence of a meaning in life were negatively and independently associated with support for VR. Search for meaning in life was not associated with support for VR. The magnitude of the negative association between presence of a meaning in life and support for VR was greater among students with a more positive future orientation. Schools and colleges are in a privileged position to implement preventive interventions to support a positive future orientation and the presence of a meaning in life among young people during these challenging and uncertain times and reduce the risk of violence related to extreme ideologies in our rapidly changing society.
Association Between Self-Perceived Stigma and Quality of Life Among Urban Chinese Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Attitude Toward Own Aging and Traditionality
Authors: Sun Tao , Zhang Shu-E , Yan Meng-yao , Lian Ting-hui , Yu Yi-qi , Yin Hong-yan , Zhao Chen-xi , Wang Yan-ping , Chang Xiao , Ji Ke-yu , Cheng Si-yu , Wang Xiao-he , Huang Xian-hong , Cao De-pin
Published: February 2022

Background

Ageism is a global challenge, which leads to a range of adverse outcomes for elderly people worldwide, which maybe more severe among urban older adults in a competitive society. However, how self-perceived ageism influences the quality of life in a sample of urban older adults remains inconclusive.

Objectives

The current study aims to assess the status of self-perceived stigma among urban Chinese older adults, identify its relationship with quality of life, and further explore whether both attitude toward own aging and traditionality moderate this relationship.

Materials and Methods

Primary data were collected through cross-sectional surveys among urban older adults in three provinces of China from October 2019 to December 2020. A total of 764 urban older adults were valid participants (effective response rate = 81.28%) and completed questionnaires via anonymous face-to-face interviews. Socio-demographic factors, self-perceived stigma, attitude toward own aging, traditionality, and quality of life were assessed using questionnaires that included the Self-perceived Stigma, Attitude Toward Own Aging, Traditionality, and SF-8 Scales.

Results

For urban Chinese older adults, the average score of self-perceived stigma was 2.041 ± 0.726. Self-perceived stigma (β = −0.391, p < 0.05) and attitude toward own aging (β = −0.211, p < 0.05) both influenced quality of life. Additionally, attitude toward own aging (β = −0.530, p < 0.05) and traditionality (β = −0.525, p < 0.05) moderated the association between self-perceived stigma and quality of life. Simple slope analysis revealed that when the level of negative attitude toward own aging and traditionality was higher, the strength of the influence of self-perceived stigma on quality of life was stronger.

Conclusion

Urban Chinese older adults were aware of the self-perceived stigma, which contributes to decreased quality of life. Attitude toward own aging and traditionality could moderate the association between self-perceived stigma and quality of life. When negative attitudes toward own aging and traditionality are higher, self-perceived stigma has a greater effect on the quality of life. More interventions related to relieving self-perceived stigma, traditionality, and negative attitude toward own aging should be considered to build a new modern society that emphasizes health, friendliness, well-being, and dignity for all ages.
Impact of Refutational Two-Sided Messages on Attitudes Toward Novel Vaccines Against Emerging Infectious Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Okuno Hideo , Arai Satoru , Suzuki Motoi , Kikkawa Toshiko
Published: February 2022

Two-sided messages that include two perspectives (i.e., risks and benefits) are more effective than one-sided messages that convey only one perspective (usually only the benefits). Refutational two-sided messages are effective for communicating risks regarding vaccines. To examine the effectiveness of refutational two-sided messages in risk communication regarding novel vaccines against emerging infectious diseases, we conducted the randomized controlled study based on a 3 × 3 × 2 mixed design (Intervention 1: vaccines against subcutaneous influenza, “novel severe infectious disease,” or intranasal influenza; intervention 2: one-sided, non-refutational two-sided, or refutational two-sided messages; two questionnaires) using a Japanese online panel. Participants completed questionnaires before and after receiving an attack message (negative information). We evaluated the impact of attack messages on the willingness to be vaccinated, and the anticipated regret of inaction (ARI). Among 1,184 participants, there was a significant difference in the willingness to be vaccinated among the message groups (p < 0.01). After receiving the attack message, willingness to be vaccinated decreased in the one-sided message group and increased in the non-refutational two-sided and refutational two-sided message groups. Additionally, ARI in the refutational two-sided message groups was significantly higher than in the one-sided groups (p = 0.03). In conclusion, two-sided messages are more effective than one-sided messages in terms of willingness to be vaccinated. Furthermore, the high ARI in the refutational two-sided message group indicated that refutational two-sided messages were more effective than one-sided messages for communicating the risks of vaccines, especially those against emerging infectious diseases.
Research Progress and Model Construction for Online Health Information Seeking Behavior
Authors: Liu Zhi-Wei
Published: February 2022

Under the background of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), online health information seeking has become one of the most important information needs of the public and even the only channel for health information seeking in this special period. A review of the research on online health information-seeking behavior will help give full play to the previous academic research, further emphasize the necessity of online health information-seeking research, and promote the development of research in this field. This study firstly presents the research overview of online health information-seeking behavior by using the informetric method. Secondly, an overview is carried out from the perspective of online health information platforms, groups, quality, satisfaction, etc., to explore the influencing factors and their relationships in the process of online health information seeking. On this basis, the existing behavioral models are integrated and sorted out to build a new behavioral theoretical model in line with the current online health information seeking.
Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain: How Should Emerging Technologies Be Governed?
Authors: Kalenzi Cornelius
Published: February 2022

Governing emerging technologies is one of the most important issues of the twenty-first century, and primarily concerns the public, private, and social initiatives that can shape the adoption and responsible development of digital technologies. This study surveys the emerging landscape of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) governance and maps the ecosystem of emerging platforms within industry and public and civil society. We identify the major players in the public, private, and civil society organizations and their underlying motivations, and examine the divergence and convergence of these motivation and the way they are likely to shape the future governance of these emerging technologies. There is a broad consensus that these technologies represent the present and future of economic growth, but they also pose significant risks to society. Indeed, there is also considerable confusion and disagreement among the major players about navigating the delicate balance between promoting these innovations and mitigating the risks they pose. While some in the industry are calling for self-regulation, others are calling for strong laws and state regulation to monitor these technologies. These disagreements, are likely to remain for the foreseeable future and may derail the optimal development of governance ecosystems across jurisdictions. Therefore, we propose that players should consider erecting new safeguards and using existing frameworks to protect consumers and society from the harms and dangers of these technologies. For instance, through re-examining existing legal and institutional arrangements to check whether these cater for emerging issues with new technologies, and as needed make necessary update/amendments. Further, there may be cases where existing legal and regulated systems are completely outdated and can't cover for new technologies, for example, when AI is used to influence political outcomes, or crypto currency frauds, or AI-powered autonomous vehicles, such cases call of agile governance regimes. This is important because different players in government, industry, and civil are still coming to terms with the governance challenges that these emerging technologies pose to society, and no one has a clear answer on optimal way to promote these technologies, at the same time limit the dangers they pose to users.
Squeezing More Juice out of Dielectric Elastomer Generators
Authors: Rosset Samuel , Anderson Iain A.
Published: February 2022

Dielectric elastomer generators are soft structures capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. Here, we develop a theoretical model of the triangular harvesting cycle that enables the harvesting of most of the available electrical energy while not requiring active monitoring of the charge-voltage state on the DEG. This cycle is therefore interesting for small-scale generators for which a monitoring circuit would be energetically too costly. Our model enables the identification of the optimal value of the circuit’s parameters such as storage capacitor and priming voltage values and show that for capacitance swings up to 6, 94% of the available electrical energy can be harvested. The model is experimentally validated with a conical generator, and the effect of non-constant deformation amplitudes is examined. Energy densities up to 46 mJcm−3 were obtained for an electric field of 50 V µm−1.
Characterization of Immune Cells in Oral Tissues of Non-human Primates
Authors: Hernandez Jamie L. , Park Jaehyung , Hughes Sean M. , Hladik Florian , Woodrow Kim A.
Published: February 2022

The oral mucosa contains distinct tissue sites with immune niches capable of either immunogenic or tolerogenic responses. However, immune cell compositions within oral mucosal tissues at homeostasis have not been well-characterized in human relevant tissues. Non-human primates (NHP) are a major model for the human immune system and oral anatomy, and therefore improved understanding of NHP oral immune cell populations can provide important insights for studying disease pathologies and developing therapies. Herein, we characterize immune cell types of three sites within the oral cavity (buccal, sublingual, lingual tonsil) sampled by biopsy and cytobrush in pigtail macaques. Tonsil biopsies had more T-cells, dendritic cells (DCs), DC subtypes, and CD4+ T-cells than buccal or sublingual biopsies when normalized by tissue mass. Biopsy proved to collect more immune cells than cytobrushes, however frequencies of CD45+ subpopulations were comparable between methods. Live cells isolated from biopsied tonsils had greater CD45+ leukocyte frequencies (mean 31.6 ± SD 20.4%) than buccal (13.8 ± 4.6%) or sublingual (10.0 ± 5.1%) tissues. T-cells composed more than half of the CD45+ population in sublingual tissue (60.1 ± 9.6%) and the tonsil (54.6 ± 7.5%), but only 31.9 ± 7.2% in buccal samples. CD20+ B-cells composed a greater percentage of CD45+ leukocytes in the tonsil (12.8 ± 9.1%) than buccal (1.2 ± 1.0%) or sublingual tissues (0.8 ± 1.2%). Immune population comparisons are also made between sex and age. These results present an important step for understanding the oral immune environment, oral disease, and site-specific therapy development.
Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Weeds and Crops Discrimination From UAS Imagery
Authors: Hashemi-Beni Leila , Gebrehiwot Asmamaw , Karimoddini Ali , Shahbazi Abolghasem , Dorbu Freda
Published: February 2022

Weeds are among the significant factors that could harm crop yield by invading crops and smother pastures, and significantly decrease the quality of the harvested crops. Herbicides are widely used in agriculture to control weeds; however, excessive use of herbicides in agriculture can lead to environmental pollution as well as yield reduction. Accurate mapping of crops/weeds is essential to determine weeds’ location and locally treat those areas. Increasing demand for flexible, accurate and lower cost precision agriculture technology has resulted in advancements in UAS-based remote sensing data collection and methods. Deep learning methods have been successfully employed for UAS data processing and mapping tasks in different domains. This research investigate, compares and evaluates the performance of deep learning methods for crop/weed discrimination on two open-source and published benchmark datasets captured by different UASs (field robot and UAV) and labeled by experts. We specifically investigate the following architectures: 1) U-Net Model 2) SegNet 3) FCN (FCN-32s, FCN-16s, FCN-8s) 4) DepLabV3+. The deep learning models were fine-tuned to classify the UAS datasets into three classes (background, crops, and weeds). The classification accuracy achieved by U-Net is 77.9% higher than 62.6% of SegNet, 68.4% of FCN-32s, 77.2% of FCN-16s, and slightly lower than 81.1% of FCN-8s, and 84.3% of DepLab v3+. Experimental results showed that the ResNet-18 based segmentation model such as DepLab v3+ could precisely extract weeds compared to other classifiers.
Challenges and Sustainability Dynamics of Urban Agriculture in the Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana: A Study of Bolgatanga Municipality
Authors: Kuusaana Elias D. , Ayurienga Isaac , Eledi Kuusaana Joyce A. , Kidido Joseph K. , Abdulai Ibrahim A.
Published: February 2022

Increasingly, urban land use planning is getting more complex as limited urban spaces are continuously allocated among diverse land uses. From previous urban food system studies in Ghana, it has become apparent that large portions of urban land parcels are unsustainably converted to urban infrastructure. Hence, the sustainability of the food system is significantly threatened by inefficient spatial and infrastructure planning mechanisms that fail to protect urban agricultural zones. Of critical concern is the fact that agricultural land use allocations on planning schemes are easily converted to residential uses under demand driven expropriations. In that respect, this study was undertaken in the Bolgatanga Township to understand how urban dwellers sustain urban agricultural practices within the city. Using field surveys, key informant interviews and GIS mapping, the study found that, the total sizes of agricultural lands have decreased significantly since 1996 as urban Bolgatanga began sprawling from the inner city through to the urban fringes. In the process, agricultural lands have decreased in terms of both size and contiguity at the household level, compelling farmers to create multiple segregated farmlands within residential neighborhoods in the form of compound farms or fenced urban gardens. Hence, some urban farmers continue to rely on undeveloped residential plots and open public spaces in the inner city for production, but they easily lose these as developments in residential neighborhoods intensifies. From the physical development pattern of the city, we conclude that urbanization in agrarian cities will exacerbate the challenges of food production if relevant policy interventions are unavailable to provide for and protect agricultural lands. The study recommends that, food-inclusive planning schemes should be the basis of future physical plans to guide land uses in the peri-urban and rural zones. This will require both political will and community consensus building on the necessity to preserve urban agricultural space to sustain food supply.
Agricultural Drought and Its Potential Impacts: Enabling Decision-Support for Food Security in Vulnerable Regions
Authors: Orimoloye Israel R.
Published: February 2022

Increasing demand for food and environmental stressors are some of the most challenging problems that human societies face today and these have encouraged new studies to examine drought impacts on food production. Seeking to discuss these important issues in the South African context, this study analyzed the impacts of drought on food security in one of the country's largest commercial agricultural land (Free State Province). Earth observation and crop data were acquired from Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS) and GrainSA databases, respectively for years 2011/2012–2020/2021 over Free State Province. Two crops namely, maize and sorghum were obtained from the database and analyzed accordingly to quantify drought impacts on the two crops. The result reveals that the years 2015 and 2018 were affected by extreme drought events (<10%) where the majority of the study area was impacted. Years 2011, 2016, 2018, and 2019 were severely affected by drought (>30%) and impacted the agricultural sector in the study area. Findings further revealed that maize production observed the lowest recorded in the year 2014 and 2015 with about 223,600 and 119,050 tons, respectively. More so, results further showed that sorghum production recorded the lowest production in years 2019, 2016, and 2015 with about 23,600, 24,640, and 24,150 tons, in that order during the period of study. The results confirm the impacts of drought on maize and sorghum productions in the year 2015 and other years that recorded the lowest productions during drought years. This development might have impacted food security in the study area, and this outcome will enable decision-making bodies on food security to enhance improved strategy in vulnerable areas.
Surgery and Surgery Approach Affect Survival of Patients With Stage I-IIA Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Study Based SEER Database by Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Chen Xiaolu , Zhu Jia-Li , Wang Huaying , Yu Wanjun , Xu Tao
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to observe the significance of surgery and its approach in stage I-IIA (according to 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Patients and Methods

A total of 1,421 patients from ages 31 to 93 years who were diagnosed with stage I-IIA SCLC in the SEER database from 2010 to 2015 were analyzed. The 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was used to minimize the effect of selection bias, and 355 pairs of patients' data was performed subsequent statistical analysis. K–M analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model were used to observe the role of surgery and other clinical features in the patients' prognoses on cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Results

Overall, within the whole cohort, the 3- and 5-year CSS rates were 41.0 and 34.0%, respectively. In a Cox regression that adjusted for other clinical features, patients were more likely to benefit from the surgery [hazard ratio (HR) 0.292, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.237–0.361, P < 0.001]. Unadjusted 5-year cancer-specific survival among those with surgery was 55.0%, compared with 23.0% among those without surgery. In the propensity scored-matched dataset, however, 5-year CSS among those with surgery was 54.0%, compared with 17.0% among those without surgery (HR 0.380, 95%CI 0.315–0.457, P < 0.001). In patients who received surgery, cases with lobectomy had a better 5-year CSS than those without lobectomy (65.0 vs. 39.0%). The lobectomy might be a protective factor for patients who underwent resection in CSS (HR 0.433, 95%CI 0.310–0.604, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

We suggested that the surgery and lobectomy were the independent prognostic as well as the protective factors in stage I-IIA SCLC patients. We recommended that patients with no surgical contraindications receive surgery, preferably, lobectomy.
Availability of Antibiotics for Veterinary Use on the Internet: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Garcia Juan F. , Diez M. Jose , Sahagun Ana M. , Diez Raquel , Sierra Matilde , Garcia Juan J. , López Cristina , Fernandez M. Nelida
Published: February 2022

The misuse or overuse of antibiotics can favor the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, with a direct impact on human and animal health as well as on ecosystems. In this work, we have analyzed the web pages in which antibiotics for veterinary use can be purchased online. By using a specifically developed software, we carried out a detailed search to know if each individual antibiotic and the families included in the OIE list of antimicrobial agents of veterinary importance (in English and in Spanish) were sold, reviewing the offers according to the administration route and the species for which the antibiotics were intended. The greatest offer of antibiotics was for those compounds considered critically important by OIE. In the search in English, penicillins were available on 55.8% of the sites, tetracyclines on 55.0%, and fluoroquinolones on 52.7%. In Spanish, the families with the greatest presence were fluoroquinolones (67.9% of the sites), tetracyclines (67.9% of the sites), and penicillins (65.4% of the sites). Regarding individual antibiotics, the most offered in both searches were amoxicillin (49.6% of the sites in English and 57.7% in Spanish) and doxycycline (46.5% of the sites in English and 53.8% in Spanish). Most offers were for oral and parenteral administration and intended for cats and dogs and for bovines.
Mismatch Amplification Mutation Assays of Chikungunya Virus and O'nyong-Nyong Virus; A Simple and Reliable Method for Surveillance and Identification of Emerging Alphaviruses
Authors: Lwande Olivia Wesula , Luande Verah Nafula , Pereira de Freitas Amanda , Tajedin Leila , Ahlm Clas , Näslund Jonas , Evander Magnus , Bucht Göran
Published: February 2022

Background

The mosquito-borne alphaviruses chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) are closely related Alphaviruses that belong to the Semliki forest virus serocomplex. The two viruses are associated with large outbreaks with significant morbidity. However, they are transmitted by different mosquito vectors and accordingly need different prevention strategies. The viruses are difficult to distinguish clinically and there is a lack of sensitive and specific assays that can discriminate between CHIKV and ONNV. Therefore, there is a need for new methods that may be able to determine the true burden of the diseases caused by these viruses, especially in resource-poor settings.

Method

To distinguish between CHIKV and ONNV, we designed and optimized two genetic methods, melt analysis of mismatch amplification mutation assay (Melt-MAMA) and agarose gel-based mismatch amplification mutation assay (Agarose-MAMA). The identification was based on single nucleotide polymorphisms using two competing forward primers and a common reverse primer that targeted selected sites in the envelope genes (E1 and E2). A specific shift in the melting point and mobility on agarose gels was obtained by tailing one of the two competing primers with a G/C-rich stretch of nucleotides.

Results

The melting point analyses by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR Melt-MAMA) or gel-shift assay (Agarose-MAMA assay) for CHIKV and ONNV were found to be reproducible and the sensitivity of the two assays was estimated at under 100 template copies/reaction. Furthermore, no cross-reactivity with related viruses of the same serocomplex such as Mayaro virus, Ross River virus or Semliki forest virus was detected, or with other viruses such as Sindbis virus (Alphavirus), West Nile virus, dengue virus (Flavivirus), Inkoo virus and Tahyna virus (Orthobunyavirus). The results from the two assays were comparable when the obtained amplicons were analyzed by Melt-MAMA or by Agarose-MAMA.

Conclusion

Herein we present reliable and robust methods that can discriminate between CHIKV and ONNV. These methods can be used in well-equipped laboratories and basic clinical settings (e.g., in developing countries), as well as in field situations. The approach may also be applicable in the distinction of other closely-related mosquito-borne viruses that belong to the same serogroup.
Virulence Genes as Markers for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation in Dogs and Cats
Authors: Płókarz Daria , Czopowicz Michał , Bierowiec Karolina , Rypuła Krzysztof
Published: February 2022

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an ubiquitous bacterium and opportunistic pathogen that plays an important role in nosocomial infections. The presence of virulence factors and the biofilm-forming ability of this species contributes to a high risk of treatment complications. In this study, we examined the biofilm-forming ability and the prevalence of five virulence factor genes (pslA, pelA, ppyR, fliC, and nan1) in 271 P. aeruginosa isolates (212 from dogs and 59 from cats). Biofilm-forming ability was detected in 90.6% of isolates in dogs and 86.4% of isolates in cats. In P. aeruginosa isolates from both species, the most prevalent virulence factor gene was ppyR (97.2% in dogs and 98.3% in cats), followed by pslA (60.8% and 57.6%), fliC (60.4% and 69.5%), nan1 (45.3% and 44.1%), and pelA (40.1% and 33.9%, respectively). In dogs, a significantly higher proportion of biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa strains possessed the fliC gene compared to non-biofilm-forming strains (p = 0.015). In cats, a significantly lower proportion of biofilm-forming strains had the nan1 gene compared to non-biofilm-forming strains (p = 0.017). In conclusion, the presence of fliC gene and the absence of nan1 gene could be indicators of biofilm-forming ability of P. aeruginosa.