bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Dietary Inflammatory Index and S-Klotho Plasma Levels in Middle-Aged and Elderly People
Authors: Ma Teng-Chi , Zhou Jing , Wang Chen-Xi , Fang Min , Gao Feng
Published: May 2022

Background and Aims

Soluble Klotho (S-Klotho) is a protein that has anti-aging properties. Dietary inflammation index (DII) is closely related to various age-related diseases. However, whether DII is related to S-Klotho plasma levels is still controversial. It was the goal of this study to examine the link between DII and S-Klotho in middle-aged and elderly people.

Methods

Between 2007 and 2016, five NHANES cycles were conducted, with 12,315 middle-aged and elderly (aged 40–79) participants having S-Klotho tests and submitting dietary recall data. The inflammatory potential of a diet was determined using the DII. To determine the plasma levels of S-Klotho, we employed a solid-phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

There was a negative correlation between DII and S-Klotho plasma levels. In the threshold effect analysis model, the breakpoint was DII=1.3, and the negative correlation was more obvious when DII < 1.3 (β = −10.6, p = 0.001). When DII > 1.3, the correlation disappeared (p = 0.355). There may be a threshold saturation effect.

Conclusion

In middle-aged and older individuals, there is a negative connection between the pro-inflammatory dietary pattern as evaluated by DII and the plasma level of S-Klotho. Given the rationale for the findings and the study's limitations, the fundamental mechanisms generating inflammation warrant additional exploration.
A Descriptive Analysis of Macronutrient, Fatty Acid Profile, and Some Immunomodulatory Nutrients in Standard and Disease-Specific Enteral Formulae in Europe
Authors: Ruperto Mar , Montero-Bravo Ana , Partearroyo Teresa , Puga Ana M. , Varela-Moreiras Gregorio , Samaniego-Vaesken Maria de Lourdes
Published: May 2022

Foods for special medical purposes (FSMPs) are commercially available formulations used as a source of nutrition when administered orally or by tube feeding. This study examines, for the first time, the nutritional composition of enteral formulae (EFs) according to European nutritional guidelines. We developed a descriptive study on 118 EFs from 2020 to 2021. Formulae were classified as standard (SFs) and disease-specific (DSF). According to the protein-energy content, SFs were classified into G1, normoprotein-normocaloric; G2, normoprotein-hypercaloric; G3, hyperproteic-normocaloric; and G4, hyperproteic-hypercaloric. Disease-related formulae for metabolic stress, renal, cancer, pulmonary, diabetes, malabsorption, and surgery were studied. Macronutrient distribution, fatty acid profile (monounsaturated [MUFA], polyunsaturated [PUFA], saturated [SFA]), derived fat quality indexes, and immuno-modulatory nutrients (omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], arginine and nucleotides) per 1,500 kcal infused were calculated. In total, 53% were SFs, mainly normoproteic (G1, G2) with higher carbohydrate contents in normocaloric vs. hypercaloric SFs. The most balanced fatty acid profiles (MUFA: 17.7%; PUFA: 6.8%; SFA: 9.5%) belonged to G1. The PUFA/MUFA ratio: ≥0.5 was in 85.7% with a higher proportion of EPA+DHA (46%) vs. omega-3 (15.8%) in SFs. In DSFs (46.9%), higher carbohydrate content (>50%) was in malabsorption and surgery, whereas high-fat content (>50%) was in pulmonary and renal formulae. DSFs had higher SFA vs. MUFA content, except for diabetes. EPA and DHA were added in 45.5% (cancer, malabsorption, and surgery). Only 12.7% of DSFs had arginine and nucleotides. A higher proportion of SFs was found, in line with current European guidelines. Results highlighted a wide intra-group variability of nutrients among the formula selected. These findings are useful to evaluate the nutritional composition of EFs from a preventive and/or therapeutic perspective in clinical settings.
Vitamin D3 Nutritional Status Affects Gut Health of Salmonella-Challenged Laying Hens
Authors: Guo Fangshen , Geng Yanqiang , Abbas Waseem , Zhen Wenrui , Wang Shuiqing , Huang Yuechuan , Guo Yuming , Ma Qiugang , Wang Zhong
Published: May 2022

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) is one of the most common pathogens associated with poultry health and foodborne Salmonellosis worldwide. The gut plays a pivotal role in inhibiting SE transintestinal transmission and contaminating poultry products. The nutritional status of vitamin D (VD) is involved in gut health apart from bone health. However, the impact of VD3 nutritional status on the gut health of Salmonella-challenged hens is rarely investigated. This study investigated the impact and possible mechanisms of VD3 nutritional status on the gut health of hens challenged with SE. Hens were fed basal diets with either 0 (deficient) or 3000 IU (sufficient) VD3/kg of diet, respectively. After 10 weeks of feeding, half of the hens were orally inoculated with either SE (1 × 109 CFU /bird). Results indicated that VD3 sufficiency reversed the disruptive effects on the laying performance of hens caused by Salmonella challenge or VD3 insufficiency by promoting VD3 metabolism. In addition, VD3 sufficiency ameliorated gut injury induced by either Salmonella or VD3 deficiency, shown by reducing Salmonella load and histopathological scores, suppressing TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses, and increasing expression of TJs along with decreasing pro-apoptotic protein expression and the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the jejunum. Besides, VD3 enriched the abundance of probiotics, such as Lactobacillus and Bacilli, and restored the balance of gut microflora. Collectively, dietary VD3 sufficient supplementation could alleviate Salmonella or VD3 deficiency-induced intestinal damage of hens via modulating intestinal immune, barrier function, apoptosis along with gut microbiota composition, revealing that VD3 could act as a novel nutritional strategy defending Salmonella invasion in hens.
Optimization of Protein Quality of Plant-Based Foods Through Digitalized Product Development
Authors: Rojas Conzuelo Zaray , Robyr Roger , Kopf-Bolanz Katrin A.
Published: May 2022

With the increasing availability of plant-based protein products that should serve as alternatives to animal-based protein products, it is necessary to develop not only environmentally friendly but also nutritious foods. Especially the protein content and quality are of concern in these products. The algorithm of NutriOpt was developed using linear programming to support the development of food products with a balanced amino acid profile while considering digestibility. The current version contains a database with 84 plant protein sources from different food groups (legumes, cereals, nuts, seeds) and with different grades of purification (flours, concentrates, isolates) from which NutriOpt can create mixtures with high protein quality while complying with constraints such as protein content, number of ingredients, and weight of the mixture. The program was tested through different case studies based on commercial plant-based drinks. It was possible to obtain formulations with a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) over 100 with ingredients and quantities potentially suitable for plant-based analogs. Our model can help to develop the second generation of plant-based product alternatives that can really be used as an alternative on long-term consumption. Further, there is still a great potential of expansion of the program for example to use press cakes or even to model whole menus or diets in the future.
Radiosurgery for Five to Fifteen Brain Metastases: A Single Centre Experience and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Rogers Susanne J. , Lomax Nicoletta , Alonso Sara , Lazeroms Tessa , Riesterer Oliver
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is now mainstream for patients with 1-4 brain metastases however the management of patients with 5 or more brain metastases remains controversial. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with 5 or more brain metastases and to compare with published series as a benchmarking exercise.

Methods

Patients with 5 or more brain metastases treated with a single isocentre dynamic conformal arc technique on a radiosurgery linac were identified from the institutional database. Endpoints were local control, distant brain failure, leptomeningeal disease and overall survival. Dosimetric data were extracted from the radiosurgery plans. Series reporting outcomes following SRS for multiple brain metastases were identified by a literature search.

Results

36 patients, of whom 35 could be evaluated, received SRS for 5 or more brain metastases between February 2015 and October 2021. 25 patients had 5-9 brain metastases (group 1) and 10 patients had 10-15 brain metastases (group 2). The mean number of brain metastases in group 1 was 6.3 (5-9) and 12.3 (10-15) in group 2. The median cumulative irradiated volume was 4.6 cm3 (1.25-11.01) in group 1 and 7.2 cm3 (2.6-11.1) in group 2. Median follow-up was 12 months. At last follow-up, local control rates per BM were 100% and 99.8% as compared with a median of 87% at 1 year in published series. Distant brain failure was 36% and 50% at a median interval of 5.2 months and 7.4 months after SRS in groups 1 and 2 respectively and brain metastasis velocity at 1 year was similar in both groups (9.7 and 11). 8/25 patients received further SRS and 7/35 patients received whole brain radiotherapy. Median overall survival was 10 months in group 1 and 15.7 months in group 2, which compares well with the 7.5 months derived from the literature. There was one neurological death in group 2, leptomeningeal disease was rare (2/35) and there were no cases of radionecrosis.

Conclusion

With careful patient selection, overall survival following SRS for multiple brain metastases is determined by the course of the extracranial disease. SRS is an efficacious and safe modality that can achieve intracranial disease control and should be offered to patients with 5 or more brain metastases and a constellation of good prognostic factors.
Understanding Pain and Trauma Symptoms in Veterans From Resting-State Connectivity: Unsupervised Modeling
Authors: Strigo Irina A. , Spadoni Andrea D. , Simmons Alan N.
Published: May 2022

Trauma and posttraumatic stress are highly comorbid with chronic pain and are often antecedents to developing chronic pain conditions. Pain and trauma are associated with greater utilization of medical services, greater use of psychiatric medication, and increased total cost of treatment. Despite the high overlap in the clinic, the neural mechanisms of pain and trauma are often studied separately. In this study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans were completed among a diagnostically heterogeneous sample of veterans with a range of back pain and trauma symptoms. Using Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation (GIMME), an effective functional connectivity analysis, we explored an unsupervised model deriving subgroups based on path similarity in a priori defined regions of interest (ROIs) from brain regions implicated in the experience of pain and trauma. Three subgroups were identified by patterns in functional connection and differed significantly on several psychological measures despite similar demographic and diagnostic characteristics. The first subgroup was highly connected overall, was characterized by functional connectivity from the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to the insula and scored low on pain and trauma symptoms. The second subgroup did not significantly differ from the first subgroup on pain and trauma measures but was characterized by functional connectivity from the ACC and NAc to the thalamus and from ACC to PCC. The third subgroup was characterized by functional connectivity from the thalamus and PCC to NAc and scored high on pain and trauma symptoms. Our results suggest that, despite demographic and diagnostic similarities, there may be neurobiologically dissociable biotypes with different mechanisms for managing pain and trauma. These findings may have implications for the determination of appropriate biotype-specific interventions that target these neurological systems.
Wound Healing Properties of Jasione montana Extracts and Their Main Secondary Metabolites
Authors: Juszczak Aleksandra Maria , Jakimiuk Katarzyna , Czarnomysy Robert , Strawa Jakub Władysław , Zovko Končić Marijana , Bielawski Krzysztof , Tomczyk Michał
Published: May 2022

The effects of different extracts obtained from Jasione montana L. (JM1–JM6) and their main metabolites on biological processes during wound healing were evaluated. The effect on wound closure in the scratch test was established, and collagen type I synthesis and anti-inflammatory effects were assessed by flow cytometry in a human dermal fibroblast model (PCS-201-012). Additionally, the antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP) and degree of inhibition of elastase participating in the proliferation processes of skin fibroblasts were determined in an in vitro model. The extracts and fractions were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detection (HPLC–PDA) to quantitatively characterize their main polyphenolic compounds. The high antioxidant activity of the JM4–JM5 fractions correlated with the content of luteolin and its derivative 7-O-glucoside. Luteolin also showed the highest anti-elastase activity with an IC50 value of 39.93 ± 1.06 μg/mL, and its substantial content in the JM4 fraction presumably determines its activity (359.03 ± 1.65 μg/mL). At lower concentrations (<50 μg/mL) of all extracts, cell proliferation and migration were significantly stimulated after 24 h of treatment. The stimulation of cell migration was comparable with that of allantoin, which was used as a positive control. However, most of the tested extracts showed limited capacity to affect collagen type I biosynthesis. Moreover, the tested samples exhibited a complex effect on cytokine secretion, and the strongest anti-inflammatory activity through the moderation of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 was observed for JM4 and luteolin. Based on the obtained results of the quantitative analysis, the anti-inflammatory activity of JM4 may be due to the high content of luteolin. In summary, extracts from J. montana, which is flavonoid-rich, promote the viability and accelerate the migration of fibroblasts as well as moderate oxidant and inflammatory processes and elastase activity. Hence, they may be potentially useful for topical therapeutic applications to stimulate the wound healing process.
Application and Prospect of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology in Reversing Drug Resistance of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Huang Lu , Liao Zhi , Liu Zhixi , Chen Yan , Huang Tingwenli , Xiao Hongtao
Published: May 2022

Cancer drug resistance has always been a major factor affecting the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, which reduces the quality of life of patients. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) technology, as an efficient and convenient new gene-editing technology, has provided a lot of help to the clinic and accelerated the research of cancer and drug resistance. In this review, we introduce the mechanisms of drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), discuss how the CRISPR/Cas9 system can reverse multidrug resistance in NSCLC, and focus on drug resistance gene mutations. To improve the prognosis of NSCLC patients and further improve patients’ quality of life, it is necessary to utilize the CRISPR/Cas9 system in systematic research on cancer drug resistance.
Antidepressants Fluoxetine Mediates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Autophagy of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Through the ATF4-AKT-mTOR Signaling Pathway
Authors: Shao Shali , Zhuang Xibing , Zhang Lin , Qiao Tiankui
Published: May 2022

Fluoxetine, one of the latest clinical antidepressants, is reported to have the anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells via immune-related pathways. However, the mechanism is still not known. This study mainly focused on the discovery of the molecular basis of the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine in lung cancer. The specific anti-proliferation effect and autophagy induced by fluoxetine on lung cancer cell were shown in CCK8 and immunofluorescence. The RNA sequence hinted that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related protein and mTOR pathway were enriched after fluoxetine treatment. Western blot results revealed that the ER stress pathway was activated by fluoxetine, including PERK, ATF4, and CHOP, while the AKT/mTOR pathway was inhibited. In addition, the transfection of ATF4 siRNA further discovered that ER stress participated in the inhibition of AKT/mTOR pathway and the induction of anti-proliferation and autophagy in the fluoxetine-treated cells. More importantly, fluoxetine was demonstrated to play cytotoxic activity in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Our results showed that fluoxetine triggered the ATF4-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway to induce cell cycle arrest and autophagy restraining cancer cells’ growth in lung cancer. This study found fluoxetine unaffected the proliferation of normal lung epithelial cells, providing safe clinical therapeutic strategies for lung cancer patients with depression.
Fraction of the T-Tubular Membrane as an Important Parameter in Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology: A New Way of Estimation
Authors: Švecová Olga , Bébarová Markéta , Šimurdová Milena , Šimurda Jiří
Published: May 2022

The transverse-axial tubular system (t-tubules) plays an essential role in excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyocytes. Its remodelling is associated with various cardiac diseases. Numerous attempts were made to analyse characteristics essential for proper understanding of the t-tubules and their impact on cardiac cell function in health and disease. The currently available methodical approaches related to the fraction of the t-tubular membrane area produce diverse data. The widely used detubulation techniques cause irreversible cell impairment, thus, distinct cell samples have to be used for estimation of t-tubular parameters in untreated and detubulated cells. Our proposed alternative method is reversible and allows repetitive estimation of the fraction of t-tubular membrane (ft) in cardiomyocytes using short-term perfusion of the measured cell with a low-conductive isotonic sucrose solution. It results in a substantial increase in the electrical resistance of t-tubular lumen, thus, electrically separating the surface and t-tubular membranes. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp measurement and the new approach in enzymatically isolated rat atrial and ventricular myocytes, a set of data was measured and evaluated. The analysis of the electrical equivalent circuit resulted in the establishment of criteria for excluding measurements in which perfusion with a low conductivity solution did not affect the entire cell surface. As expected, the final average ft in ventricular myocytes (0.337 ± 0.017) was significantly higher than that in atrial myocytes (0.144 ± 0.015). The parameter ft could be estimated repetitively in a particular cell (0.345 ± 0.021 and 0.347 ± 0.023 in ventricular myocytes during the first and second sucrose perfusion, respectively). The new method is fast, simple, and leaves the measured cell intact. It can be applied in the course of experiments for which it is useful to estimate both the surface and t-tubular capacitance/area in a particular cell.
CGRP and the Calcitonin Receptor are Co-Expressed in Mouse, Rat and Human Trigeminal Ganglia Neurons
Authors: Rees Tayla A. , Russo Andrew F. , O’Carroll Simon J. , Hay Debbie L. , Walker Christopher S.
Published: May 2022

The neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is expressed in the trigeminal ganglia, a key site in craniofacial pain and migraine. CGRP potently activates two receptors: the CGRP receptor and the AMY1 receptor. These receptors are heterodimers consisting of receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) with either the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR) to form the CGRP receptor or the calcitonin receptor (CTR) to form the AMY1 receptor. The expression of the CGRP receptor in trigeminal ganglia has been described in several studies; however, there is comparatively limited data available describing AMY1 receptor expression and in which cellular subtypes it is found. This research aimed to determine the relative distributions of the AMY1 receptor subunit, CTR, and CGRP in neurons or glia in rat, mouse and human trigeminal ganglia. Antibodies against CTR, CGRP and neuronal/glial cell markers were applied to trigeminal ganglia sections to investigate their distribution. CTR-like and CGRP-like immunoreactivity were observed in both discrete and overlapping populations of neurons. In rats and mice, 30–40% of trigeminal ganglia neurons displayed CTR-like immunoreactivity in their cell bodies, with approximately 78–80% of these also containing CGRP-like immunoreactivity. Although human cases were more variable, a similar overall pattern of CTR-like immunoreactivity to rodents was observed in the human trigeminal ganglia. CTR and CGRP appeared to be primarily colocalized in small to medium sized neurons, suggesting that colocalization of CTR and CGRP may occur in C-fiber neurons. CGRP-like or CTR-like immunoreactivity were not typically observed in glial cells. Western blotting confirmed that CTR was expressed in the trigeminal ganglia of all three species. These results confirm that CTR is expressed in trigeminal ganglia neurons. The identification of populations of neurons that express both CGRP and CTR suggests that CGRP could act in an autocrine manner through a CTR-based receptor, such as the AMY1 receptor. Overall, this suggests that a trigeminal ganglia CTR-based receptor may be activated during migraine and could therefore represent a potential target to develop treatments for craniofacial pain and migraine.
The ATPase Inhibitory Factor 1 is a Tissue-Specific Physiological Regulator of the Structure and Function of Mitochondrial ATP Synthase: A Closer Look Into Neuronal Function
Authors: Domínguez-Zorita Sonia , Romero-Carramiñana Inés , Cuezva José M. , Esparza-Moltó Pau B.
Published: May 2022

The ATP synthase is an essential multifunctional enzyme complex of mitochondria that produces most of cellular ATP, shapes the structure of the inner membrane into cristae and regulates the signals that control cell fate or demise. The ATPase Inhibitory Factor 1 (IF1) functions in vivo as a physiological regulator of the ATP synthase and thereby controls mitochondrial structure and function, and the retrograde signaling pathways that reprogram nuclear gene expression. However, IF1 is not ubiquitously expressed in mammals, showing tissue-restricted expression in humans and mice and large expression differences between the two species in some tissues. Herein, we summarized key regulatory functions of IF1 for tissue homeostasis, with special emphasis on the deleterious effects that its genetic ablation in neurons has in learning. The development and characterization of tissue-specific mouse models with regulated expression of IF1 will be crucial to disentangle the contribution of the ATP synthase/IF1 axis in pathophysiology.
Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity Through Exhaled Breath Markers After Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Table 6
Authors: de Jong Feiko J. M. , Wingelaar Thijs T. , Brinkman Paul , van Ooij Pieter-Jan A. M. , Maitland-van der Zee Anke-Hilse , Hollmann Marcus W. , van Hulst Rob A.
Published: May 2022

Introduction: The hyperbaric oxygen treatment table 6 (TT6) is widely used to manage dysbaric illnesses in divers and iatrogenic gas emboli in patients after surgery and other interventional procedures. These treatment tables can have adverse effects, such as pulmonary oxygen toxicity (POT). It is caused by reactive oxygen species’ damaging effect in lung tissue and is often experienced after multiple days of therapy. The subclinical pulmonary effects have not been determined. The primary aim of this study was to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath, indicative of subclinical POT after a TT6. Since the exposure would be limited, the secondary aim of this study was to determine whether these VOCs decreased to baseline levels within a few hours.

Methods: Fourteen healthy, non-smoking volunteers from the Royal Netherlands Navy underwent a TT6 at the Amsterdam University Medical Center—location AMC. Breath samples for GC-MS analysis were collected before the TT6 and 30 min, 2 and 4 h after finishing. The concentrations of ions before and after exposure were compared by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The VOCs were identified by comparing the chromatograms with the NIST library. Compound intensities over time were tested using Friedman tests, with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Bonferroni corrections used for post hoc analyses.

Results: Univariate analyses identified 11 compounds. Five compounds, isoprene, decane, nonane, nonanal and dodecane, showed significant changes after the Friedman test. Isoprene demonstrated a significant increase at 30 min after exposure and a subsequent decrease at 2 h. Other compounds remained constant, but declined significantly 4 h after exposure.

Discussion and Conclusion: The identified VOCs consisted mainly of (methyl) alkanes, which may be generated by peroxidation of cell membranes. Other compounds may be linked to inflammatory processes, oxidative stress responses or cellular metabolism. The hypothesis, that exhaled VOCs would increase after hyperbaric exposure as an indicator of subclinical POT, was not fulfilled, except for isoprene. Hence, no evident signs of POT or subclinical pulmonary damage were detected after a TT6. Further studies on individuals recently exposed to pulmonary irritants, such as divers and individuals exposed to other hyperbaric treatment regimens, are needed.
Rapid and Non-destructive Classification of New and Aged Maize Seeds Using Hyperspectral Image and Chemometric Methods
Authors: Wang Zheli , Huang Wenqian , Tian Xi , Long Yuan , Li Lianjie , Fan Shuxiang
Published: May 2022

The aged seeds have a significant influence on seed vigor and corn growth. Therefore, it is vital for the planting industry to identify aged seeds. In this study, hyperspectral reflectance imaging (1,000–2,000 nm) was employed for identifying aged maize seeds using seeds harvested in different years. The average spectra of the embryo side, endosperm side, and both sides were extracted. The support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used to develop classification models based on full spectra to evaluate the potential of hyperspectral imaging for maize seed detection and using the principal component analysis (PCA) and ANOVA to reduce data dimensionality and extract feature wavelengths. The classification models achieved perfect performance using full spectra with an accuracy of 100% for the prediction set. The performance of models established with the first three principal components was similar to full spectrum models, but that of PCA loading models was worse. Compared to other spectra, the two-band ratio (1,987 nm/1,079 nm) selected by ANOVA from embryo-side spectra achieved a better classification accuracy of 95% for the prediction set. The image texture features, including histogram statistics (HS) and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), were extracted from the two-band ratio image to establish fusion models. The results demonstrated that the two-band ratio selected from embryo-side spectra combined with image texture features achieved the classification of maize seeds harvested in different years with an accuracy of 97.5% for the prediction set. The overall results indicated that combining the two wavelengths with image texture features could detect aged maize seeds effectively. The proposed method was conducive to the development of multi-spectral detection equipment.
TCP Transcription Factors Involved in Shoot Development of Ma Bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro)
Authors: Jin Kangming , Wang Yujun , Zhuo Renying , Xu Jing , Lu Zhuchou , Fan Huijin , Huang Biyun , Qiao Guirong
Published: May 2022

Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) is the most widely cultivated clumping bamboo in Southern China and is valuable for both consumption and wood production. The development of bamboo shoots involving the occurrence of lateral buds is unique, and it affects both shoot yield and the resulting timber. Plant-specific TCP transcription factors are involved in plant growth and development, particularly in lateral bud outgrowth and morphogenesis. However, the comprehensive information of the TCP genes in Ma bamboo remains poorly understood. In this study, 66 TCP transcription factors were identified in Ma bamboo at the genome-wide level. Members of the same subfamily had conservative gene structures and conserved motifs. The collinear analysis demonstrated that segmental duplication occurred widely in the TCP transcription factors of Ma bamboo, which mainly led to the expansion of a gene family. Cis-acting elements related to growth and development and stress response were found in the promoter regions of DlTCPs. Expression patterns revealed that DlTCPs have tissue expression specificity, which is usually highly expressed in shoots and leaves. Subcellular localization and transcriptional self-activation experiments demonstrated that the five candidate TCP proteins were typical self-activating nuclear-localized transcription factors. Additionally, the transcriptome analysis of the bamboo shoot buds at different developmental stages helped to clarify the underlying functions of the TCP members during the growth of bamboo shoots. DlTCP12-C, significantly downregulated as the bamboo shoots developed, was selected to further verify its molecular function in Arabidopsis. The DlTCP12-C overexpressing lines exhibited a marked reduction in the number of rosettes and branches compared with the wild type in Arabidopsis, suggesting that DlTCP12-C conservatively inhibits lateral bud outgrowth and branching in plants. This study provides useful insights into the evolutionary patterns and molecular functions of the TCP transcription factors in Ma bamboo and provides a valuable reference for further research on the regulatory mechanism of bamboo shoot development and lateral bud growth.
The Cell Wall Polysaccharides Biosynthesis in Seaweeds: A Molecular Perspective
Authors: Shao Zhanru , Duan Delin
Published: May 2022

Cell wall polysaccharides (CWPS) of seaweeds play crucial roles in mechanical shear resistance, cell-cell adhesion and the interactions with changeable marine environments. They have diverse applications in food, cosmetics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and therapeutics. The recent boost of multi-omics sequence analysis has rapidly progressed the mining of presumed genes encoding enzymes involved in CWPS biosynthesis pathways. In this review, we summarize the biosynthetic pathways of alginate, fucoidan, agar, carrageenan and ulvan in seaweeds referred to the literatures on published genomes and biochemical characterization of encoded enzymes. Some transcriptomic data were briefly reported to discuss the correlation between gene expression levels and CWPS contents. Mannuronan C-5 epimerase (MC5E) and carbohydrate sulfotransferase (CST) are crucial enzymes for alginate and sulfated CWPS, respectively. Nonetheless, most CWPS-relevant genes were merely investigated by gene mining and phylogenetic analysis. We offer an integrative view of CWPS biosynthesis from a molecular perspective and discuss about the underlying regulation mechanism. However, a clear understanding of the relationship between chemical structure and bioactivities of CWPS is limited, and reverse genetic manipulation and effective gene editing tools need to be developed in future.
Promoting Factors to Stay at Work Among Employees With Common Mental Health Problems: A Multiple-Stakeholder Concept Mapping Study
Authors: van Hees Suzanne G. M. , Carlier Bouwine E. , Blonk Roland W. B. , Oomens Shirley
Published: May 2022

Most individuals affected by common mental health problems are employed and actually working. To promote stay at work by workplace interventions, it is crucial to understand the factors perceived by various workplace stakeholders, and its relative importance. This concept mapping study therefore explores perspectives of employees with common mental health problems (n = 18), supervisors (n = 17), and occupational health professionals (n = 14). Per stakeholder group, participants were interviewed to generate statements. Next, each participant sorted these statements on relatedness and importance. For each group, a concept map was created, using cluster analysis. Finally, focus group discussions were held to refine the maps. The three concept maps resulted in several clustered ideas that stakeholders had in common, grouped by thematic analysis into the following meta-clusters: (A) Employee’s experience of autonomy in work (employee’s responsibility, freedom to exert control, meaningful work), (B) Supervisor support (being proactive, connected, and involved), (C) Ways to match employee’s capacities to work (job accommodations), (D) Safe social climate in workplace (transparent organizational culture, collective responsibility in teams, collegial support), and (E) professional and organizational support, including collaboration with occupational health professionals. Promoting stay at work is a dynamic process that requires joined efforts by workplace stakeholders, in which more attention is needed to the interpersonal dynamics between employer and employee. Above all, a safe and trustful work environment, in which employee’s autonomy, capacities, and needs are addressed by the supervisor, forms a fundamental base to stay at work.
The Effect of Shadow Education on Hong Kong Student Wellbeing: Evidence From PISA 2018
Authors: Liang Han , Wang Zhongxing , Wu Wensheng
Published: May 2022

This study investigates the effect of shadow education on Hong Kong student wellbeing. The data were extracted from PISA 2018 (Programme For International Student Assessment 2018) of Hong Kong, and HLM analysis was conducted with student and school dimensions as the independent variables and student wellbeing as the dependent variable. The results in the student dimension showed that students attending shadow education had a significantly higher level of wellbeing than students who did not attend, and in the school dimension, that school competition climate had a significant impact on students' wellbeing; however, shadow education caused by schoolwork pressure and shadow education support appeared to have no significant impact on wellbeing. Furthermore, there was an interactive effect between competition climate and shadow education time which negatively affected wellbeing.
Exploring the Longitudinal Relationship Between Lockdown Policy Stringency and Public Negative Emotions Among 120 Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Role of Population Mobility
Authors: Gong Weigang , Ju Guodong , Zhu Meng , Wang Senhu , Guo Wei , Chen Yunsong
Published: May 2022

Background

To limit the spread of COVID-19, governments worldwide have implemented a series of lockdown policies to restrict the social activities of people. Although scholars suggest that such policies may produce negative effects on public emotions, the existing research is limited because it only provides a cross-sectional snapshot of the effect of lockdown policies in small and local samples. Using large-scale longitudinal cross-country data, the current study aims to gain a better understanding of the dynamic effect of lockdown policies on public emotions and their underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Drawing on a large-scale longitudinal data from multiple sources, the study employs fixed-effects models to analyze the association between lagged lockdown policy stringency and public negative emotions among 120 countries from February to July 2020 (N = 9,141 country-day observations). The bootstrapping mediation test is used to examine the mediation effects of increased population mobility in residential areas.

Results

The results show a statistically significant and positive association between lagged lockdown policy stringency and general public negative emotion (standardized coefficient = 0.32, CI = 0.30–0.35, p < 0.001). This pattern remains similar to other specific negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and helplessness. Moreover, the negative health effects of lockdown policy stringency are significantly mediated by increased mobility in residential areas (51–74% points, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The findings confirm that stringent lockdown policies have a negative effect on public emotions via confining population mobility residential areas. To tackle the COVID-19, future public health policies should pay more attention to the unintended negative consequences of lockdown measures on public emotions.
Poor Sleep in Community-Dwelling Polysubstance Users: Association With Khat Dependence, Metacognition, and Socio-Demographic Factors
Authors: Manzar Md Dilshad , Alghadir Ahmad H. , Khan Masood , Salahuddin Mohammed , Hassen Hamid Yimam , Almansour Ahmed M. , Nureye Dejen , Tekalign Eyob , Shah Showkat Ahmad , Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R. , Bahammam Ahmed S.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Poor sleep and cognitive deficits are often associated with increased drug use. However, no study has addressed the relationship between poor sleep, substance dependence, and metacognitive deficit in polysubstance users.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study with a simple random sampling involving community-dwelling polysubstance users (n = 326, age = 18–43 years) in Mizan, Ethiopia. Participants completed a brief sleep questionnaire, severity of dependence on khat (SDS-Khat), a brief meta-cognition questionnaire, and a socio-demographic survey.

Results

Majority (56.4%) of the polysubstance users had sleep disturbance. Chronic health conditions [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31–4.85], chronic conditions in the family (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.40–5.20), illiterate-primary level of educational status (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.30–4.04), higher SDS-Khat score (AOR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.13–1.72), and lower meta-cognition score (AOR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.84–0.97) predicted poor sleep in the polysubstance users. Moreover, low metacognition score and high SDS score also predicted additional sleep disturbances like chronic sleep insufficiency, lethargy and restlessness after nighttime sleep, socio-occupational dysfunctions, and daytime disturbances in polysubstance users.

Conclusion

Poor sleep, severe khat dependence, and metacognitive deficits are common in community polysubstance users. Moreover, poor sleep is associated with higher khat dependence, lower metacognitive ability, lower educational status, and the presence of chronic conditions in polysubstance users or their families.
The Concept of Social Health From an Iranian Perspective: A Qualitative Exploration
Authors: Soofizad Goli , Rakhshanderou Sakineh , Ramezankhani Ali , Ghaffari Mohtasham
Published: May 2022

Objective

As one of the health aspects, social health is less well-known than physical and mental aspects. In order to better understand this aspect and considering the importance of social context in its conceptualizing, the present study was performed aiming at explaining the social health and identification of its various aspects in the perspective of Iranian adults.

Methodology

The present study was conducted in 2021 with a qualitative approach and with the participation of Iranian adults and social health professionals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 36 participants who were selected by purposive sampling. The obtained data were analyzed using qualitative (conventional) content analysis and Granheim and Lundman method in the MAXQDA-2020. Guba and Lincoln criteria were observed to evaluate the quality of research results.

Results

Using data analysis, 3 main categories and 17 subcategories were obtained, including: (1) Conceptual scope of social health (social health as social capital, social health as mental health, social health as moral health), (2) Characteristics of social health (biologic, continual, acquired, evolutionary, relative), and (3) Social health dimensions (openness to interactions, social adaptability, social dutifulness, social self-esteem, mutual trust, communicational capability, social optimism, enjoying social support, public-oriented personality).

Conclusion

Since social health has a conceptual scope, it is important to try to strengthen and reproduce the dimensions of social health and at the same time use planning, policymaking and appropriate interventions to improve and to promote the dimensions of social health.
A Study Protocol for Persons With Neurological Diseases: Linking Rehabilitation Goals to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health With a Focus on Assistive Technology for Cognition and Its Effects
Authors: Lindner Helen , Buer Nina
Published: May 2022

Persons with neurological diseases often have some degree of cognitive impairment. They are in need of assistive technology for cognition (ATC) to compensate for cognitive impairments that affect their daily functioning. Goal setting in relation to cognitive deficits using ATC are common in clinical practice, and therapists often set several rehabilitation goals together with a patient. However, these rehabilitation goals are usually phrased differently, which limit the comparison of ATC and rehabilitation goals. It is thus valuable to link the goals to some standardized terminologies, such as the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Furthermore, goal achievement is seldom used to evaluate long-term effects of ATC in persons with neurological diseases and limited attention has been paid to the factors that predict goal achievement in using the ATC as cognitive support in persons with neurological diseases. The aim of the project is 3-fold. Firstly, we will use the ICF to link rehabilitation goals regarding the use of ATC in adults with neurological diseases. Secondly, we will evaluate effects of the ATC using goal achievement over a 5-year period. Thirdly, we will explore the variables that predict goal achievement in relation to the effects of ATC.
Realist Evaluation of the “Abiye” Safe Motherhood Initiative in Nigeria: Unveiling the Black-Box of Program Implementation and Health System Strengthening
Authors: Oladimeji Olawale J. , Fatusi Adesegun O.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Realist evaluation studies have spanned different aspects of medicine, especially in the field of public health. However, very few of these studies explicitly detailed how program implementation triggered outcomes that could strengthen understanding of its effect on Health System Strengthening in specific settings. In low- and middle-income countries, like Nigeria, there is a paucity of realist evaluation studies, despite the implementation of multiple intervention programs and projects in these countries. This article is aimed at unveiling the black-box of program implementation and Health System Strengthening of the “Abiye” Safe Motherhood Program in Ondo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it identified the role of contextual factors in the “Abiye” program in Ondo State, determined the mechanisms that facilitated or constrained outcomes of the “Abiye” program, and developed a Context Mechanism Outcome (CMO) Configuration from which a Middle Range Theory (MRT) can be framed.

Methodology

This was qualitative research structured along with the realist domains (Context, Mechanism, and Outcome). The Initial Program Theory was validated by the qualitative study, after which a new MRT was developed. The study population comprised key stakeholders, secondary stakeholders, and primary stakeholders in the Abiye safe motherhood program. Data was collected through 10 key informant interviews, 28 in-depth interviews, and six focus group discussions sessions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze all the qualitative data collected, and seven themes with 19 subthemes emerged in the study.

Results

We identified 13 contextual factors under five principal areas, with most of the factors playing enabling roles, some playing inhibitory roles, while very few played both roles. We elicited eight mechanisms, and some of these facilitated the outcomes, while some constrained the outcomes of the program. Health system strengthening was a key feature of the outcome of the program. We developed a middle-range theory based on the 6 CMO configurations we elicited from the study.

Conclusion and Policy Implications

Realist evaluation is an iterative process that looks beyond the surface to generate evidence. By applying the realist approach, we generated pieces of evidence that can be adapted for policymaking in public health interventions in LMIC.
The Contributions of Pandemic Severity, Government Stringency, Cultural Values and Internet Usage to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Data From 35 Countries
Authors: Rajkumar Ravi Philip
Published: May 2022

Emergent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been frequently reported in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may affect up to 17–18% of individuals. There is preliminary evidence that pandemic severity, cultural values, restrictions imposed by governments, and Internet usage may all influence the emergence of PTSD symptomatology. In this study, possible linear- and non-linear associations between these factors and the prevalence of PTSD symptoms across 35 countries were examined based on data from existing research. Evidence was found for a positive logarithmic relationship between the COVID-19 case-fatality ratio and PTSD (p = 0.046), a positive logarithmic relationship between power distance and PTSD (p = 0.047), and a trend toward a negative quadratic association with Internet usage (p = 0.051). No significant cross-national effect was observed for government restrictiveness. These findings suggest that strategies aimed at minimizing COVID-19 deaths, and at ensuring equitable access to essential resources, may be of use in reducing the emergence of PTSD symptoms at a population level during this pandemic.
Domain-Agnostic Outlier Ranking Algorithms—A Configurable Pipeline for Facilitating Outlier Detection in Scientific Datasets
Authors: Kerner Hannah R. , Rebbapragada Umaa , Wagstaff Kiri L. , Lu Steven , Dubayah Bryce , Huff Eric , Lee Jake , Raman Vinay , Kulshrestha Sakshum
Published: May 2022

Automatic detection of outliers is universally needed when working with scientific datasets, e.g., for cleaning datasets or flagging novel samples to guide instrument acquisition or scientific analysis. We present Domain-agnostic Outlier Ranking Algorithms (DORA), a configurable pipeline that facilitates application and evaluation of outlier detection methods in a variety of domains. DORA allows users to configure experiments by specifying the location of their dataset(s), the input data type, feature extraction methods, and which algorithms should be applied. DORA supports image, raster, time series, or feature vector input data types and outlier detection methods that include Isolation Forest, DEMUD, PCA, RX detector, Local RX, negative sampling, and probabilistic autoencoder. Each algorithm assigns an outlier score to each data sample. DORA provides results interpretation modules to help users process the results, including sorting samples by outlier score, evaluating the fraction of known outliers in n selections, clustering groups of similar outliers together, and web visualization. We demonstrated how DORA facilitates application, evaluation, and interpretation of outlier detection methods by performing experiments for three real-world datasets from Earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics, as well as one benchmark dataset (MNIST/Fashion-MNIST). We found that no single algorithm performed best across all datasets, underscoring the need for a tool that enables comparison of multiple algorithms.