bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation and Taxonomic Characterization of Novel Haloarchaeal Isolates From Indian Solar Saltern: A Brief Review on Distribution of Bacteriorhodopsins and V-Type ATPases in Haloarchaea
Authors: Verma Dipesh Kumar , Chaudhary Chetna , Singh Latika , Sidhu Chandni , Siddhardha Busi , Prasad Senthil E. , Thakur Krishan Gopal
Published: December 2020

Haloarchaea inhabit high salinity environments worldwide. They are a potentially rich source of crucial biomolecules like carotenoids and industrially useful proteins. However, diversity in haloarchaea present in Indian high salinity environments is poorly studied. In the present study, we isolated 12 haloarchaeal strains from hypersaline Kottakuppam, Tamil Nadu solar saltern in India. 16S rRNA based taxonomic characterization of these isolates suggested that nine of them are novel strains that belong to genera Haloarcula, Halomicrobium, and Haloferax. Transmission electron microscopy suggests the polymorphic nature of these haloarchaeal isolates. Most of the haloarchaeal species are known to be high producers of carotenoids. We were able to isolate carotenoids from all these 12 isolates. The UV-Vis spectroscopy-based analysis suggests that bacterioruberin and lycopene are the major carotenoids produced by these isolates. Based on the visual inspection of the purified carotenoids, the isolates were classified into two broad categories i.e., yellow and orange, attributed to the differences in the ratio of bacterioruberin and lycopene as confirmed by the UV-Vis spectral analysis. Using a PCR-based screening assay, we were able to detect the presence of the bacteriorhodopsin gene (bop) in 11 isolates. We performed whole-genome sequencing for three bop positive and one bop negative haloarchaeal isolates. Whole-genome sequencing, followed by pan-genome analysis identified multiple unique genes involved in various biological functions. We also successfully cloned, expressed, and purified functional recombinant bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from one of the isolates using Escherichia coli as an expression host. BR has light-driven proton pumping activity resulting in the proton gradient across the membrane, which is utilized by V-Type ATPases to produce ATP. We analyzed the distribution of bop and other accessory genes involved in functional BR expression and ATP synthesis in all the representative haloarchaeal species. Our bioinformatics-based analysis of all the sequenced members of genus Haloarcula suggests that bop, if present, is usually inserted between the genes coding for B and D subunits of the V-type ATPases operon. This study provides new insights into the genomic variations in haloarchaea and reports expression of new BR variant having good expression in functional form in E. coli.
The Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein, Crp, Is Required for the Decolorization of Acid Yellow 36 in Shewanella putrefaciens CN32
Authors: Liu Weijie , Chen Ying , Zhou Xuge , Liu Jiawen , Zhu Jingrong , Wang Shiwei , Liu Cong , Sun Di
Published: December 2020

Shewanella shows good application potentials in the decolorization and detoxification of azo dye wastewater. However, the molecular mechanism of decolorization is still lacking. In this study, it was found that Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 exhibited good decolorization ability to various azo dyes, and a global regulatory protein cAMP receptor protein (Crp) was identified to be required for the decolorization of acid yellow 36 (AY) by constructing a transposon mutant library. Then, the molecular mechanism of AY decolorization regulated by Crp was further investigated. RT-qPCR and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) results showed that Crp was able to directly bind to the promoter region of the cymA gene and promote its expression. Riboflavin acting as an electron shuttle could accelerate the AY decolorization efficiency of S. putrefaciens CN32 wild-type (WT) but did not show a promoting effect to Δcrp mutant and ΔcymA mutant, further confirming that Crp promotes the decolorization through regulating electron transport chains. Moreover, the mutant with cymA overexpression could slightly enhance the AY decolorization efficiency compared with the WT strain. In addition, it was found that MtrA, MtrB, and MtrC partially contribute to the electron transfer from CymA to dye molecules, and other main electron transport chains need to be identified in future experiments. This study revealed the molecular mechanism of a global regulator Crp regulating the decolorization of azo dye, which is helpful in understanding the relationship between the decolorization and other metabolic processes in S. putrefaciens CN32.
Occurrence and Diversity of CTX-M-Producing Escherichia coli From the Seine River
Authors: Girlich Delphine , Bonnin Rémy A. , Naas Thierry
Published: December 2020

CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli are spreading since 1999 both in clinical and in community settings. Environmental samples such as rivers have also been pointed out as being vectors for ESBL producers. In this report, we have investigated the presence and the diversity of CTX-M-producing E. coli isolates in two samplings of the Seine River (next to Notre Dame), Paris France, performed in June 2016 and 2017. The total number of bacteria growing on the selective ChromID ESBL agar was 3.1 × 105 cfu/L (23.8% of all growing bacteria) in 2016, whereas it was 100-fold lower in 2017 (3 × 103 cfu/L; 8.3% of all growing bacteria). However, among them, the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli increased from <0.1 to 1.1% in one-year. ESBLs were exclusively of the CTX-M-type: CTX-M-1 (n = 5), CTX-M-15 (n = 7), CTX-M-14 (n = 1), and CTX-M-27 (n = 2). The isolates belonged to several multi locus sequence types, and a wide diversity of incompatibility groups of plasmids were identified in those E. coli isolates. The occurrence and diversity of E. coli isolates belonging to many clones and producing many CTX-M-variants have been identified in our study. The presence of these bacteria in rivers that are open again for recreational usage (swimming) is worrying as it may contribute to further dissemination of ESBL producers in the community.
Proteome of the Triatomine Digestive Tract: From Catalytic to Immune Pathways; Focusing on Annexin Expression
Authors: Gumiel Marcia , Mattos Debora Passos de , Vieira Cecília Stahl , Moraes Caroline Silva , Moreira Carlos José de Carvalho , Gonzalez Marcelo Salabert , Teixeira-Ferreira André , Waghabi Mariana , Azambuja Patricia , Carels Nicolas
Published: December 2020

Rhodnius prolixus,Panstrongylus megistus,Triatoma infestans, andDipetalogaster maximaare all triatomines and potential vectors of the protozoanTrypanosoma cruziresponsible for human Chagas’ disease. Considering that theT. cruzi’s cycle occurs inside the triatomine digestive tract (TDT), the analysis of the TDT protein profile is an essential step to understand TDT physiology duringT. cruziinfection. To characterize the protein profile of TDT ofD. maxima,P. megistus,R. prolixus, andT. infestans, a shotgun liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach was applied in this report. Most proteins were found to be closely related to metabolic pathways such as gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, citrate cycle, fatty acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, but also to the immune system. We annotated this new proteome contribution gathering it with those previously published in accordance with Gene Ontology and KEGG. Enzymes were classified in terms of class, acceptor, and function, while the proteins from the immune system were annotated by reference to the pathways of humoral response, cell cycle regulation, Toll, IMD, JNK, Jak-STAT, and MAPK, as available from the Insect Innate Immunity Database (IIID). These pathways were further subclassified in recognition, signaling, response, coagulation, melanization and none. Finally, phylogenetic affinities and gene expression of annexins were investigated for understanding their role in the protection and homeostasis of intestinal epithelial cells against the inflammation.
Silencing of lncRNA MIR497HG via CRISPR/Cas13d Induces Bladder Cancer Progression Through Promoting the Crosstalk Between Hippo/Yap and TGF-β/Smad Signaling
Authors: Zhuang Changshui , Liu Ying , Fu Shengqiang , Yuan Chaobo , Luo Jingwen , Huang Xueting , Yang Weifeng , Xie Wuwei , Zhuang Chengle
Published: December 2020

A subset of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), categorized as miRNA-host gene lncRNAs (lnc-miRHGs), is processed to produce miRNAs and involved in cancer progression. This work aimed to investigate the influences and the molecular mechanisms of lnc-miRHGs MIR497HG in bladder cancer (BCa). The miR-497 and miR-195 were derived from MIR497HG. We identified that lnc-miRHG MIR497HG and two harbored miRNAs, miR-497 and miR-195, were downregulated in BCa by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas and our dataset. Silencing of MIR497HG by CRISPR/Cas13d in BCa cell line 5637 promoted cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of MIR497HG suppressed cell progression in BCa cell line T24. MiR-497/miR-195 mimics rescued significantly the oncogenic roles of knockdown of MIR497HG by CRISPR/Cas13d in BCa. Mechanistically, miR-497 and miR-195 co-ordinately suppressed multiple key components in Hippo/Yap and transforming growth factor β signaling and particularly attenuated the interaction between Yap and Smad3. In addition, E2F4 was proven to be critical for silencing MIR497HG transcription in BCa cells. In short, we propose for the first time to reveal the function and mechanisms of MIR497HG in BCa. Blocking the pathological process may be a potential strategy for the treatment of BCa.
Synthetic Artificial Long Non-coding RNA Shows Higher Efficiency in Specific Malignant Phenotype Inhibition Compared to the CRISPR/Cas Systems
Authors: Yao Lin , Zhang Quan , Li Aolin , Ma Binglei , Zhang Zhenan , Liu Jun , Liang Lei , Zhu Shiyu , Gan Ying , Zhang Qian
Published: December 2020

Objective: Both oncogenic transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulator in human cancer by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, respectively. These phenomena raise questions about the ability of artificial device to regulate miRNAs and TFs simultaneously. In this study, we aimed to construct an artificial long non-coding RNA, “alncRNA,” which imitated CRISPR/Cas systems and to illuminate its therapeutic effects in bladder cancer cell lines. At the same time, we also compared the efficiency of alncRNA and CRISPR/Cas systems in regulating gene expression.

Study Design and Methods: Based on engineering principles of synthetic biology, we combined tandem arrayed cDNA sequences of aptamer for TFs with tandem arrayed cDNA copies of binding sites for the miRNAs to construct alncRNA. In order to prove the utility of this platform, we chose β -catenin, NF-κB, miR-940, and miR-495 as the functional targets and used the bladder cancer cell lines 5637 and T24 as the test models. Real-time Quantitative PCR (qPCR), dual-luciferase assay and relative phenotypic experiments were applied to severally test the expression of relative gene and therapeutic effects of our devices.

Result: Dual-luciferase assay indicated alncRNA could inhibit transcriptional activity of TFs. What’s more, the result of qPCR showed that expression levels of the relative TFs target genes and miRNAs were reduced by corresponding alncRNA and the inhibitory effect was better than CRIPSR dCas9-KRAB. By functional experiments, decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and motility inhibition were observed in alncRNA-infected bladder cells.

Conclusion: In summary, our synthetic devices indeed function as anti-tumor regulator, which synchronously accomplish transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in bladder cancer cell and show higher efficiency in specific malignant phenotype inhibition compared to the CRISPR/Cas systems. Most importantly, Anti-cancer effects were induced by the synthetic alncRNA in the bladder cancer lines. Our devices, therefore, provides a novel strategy for cancer therapy and could be a useful “weapon” for cancer cell.
Monoacylglycerol Lipase Knockdown Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Metastasis in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Hao , Guo Wei , Zhang Fan , Li Renda , Zhou Yang , Shao Fei , Feng Xiaoli , Tan Fengwei , Wang Jie , Gao Shugeng , Gao Yibo , He Jie
Published: December 2020

Abnormal metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MGLL), a key enzyme in lipid metabolism, has emerged as an important regulator of tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to characterize the role of MGLL in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). To this end, we used tissue microarrays to evaluate the expression of MGLL in LUAD tissue and assessed whether the levels of this protein are correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of LUAD. We found that the expression of MGLL is higher in LUAD samples than that in adjacent non-tumor tissues. In addition, elevated MGLL expression was found to be associated with advanced tumor progression and poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Functional studies further demonstrated that stable short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of MGLL inhibits tumor proliferation and metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo, and mechanistically, our data indicate that MGLL regulates Cyclin D1 and Cyclin B1 in LUAD cells. Moreover, we found that knockdown of MGLL suppresses the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) in A549 and H322 cells, and in clinical samples, expression of MMP14 is significantly correlated with MGLL expression. Taken together, our results indicate that MGLL plays an oncogenic role in LUAD progression and metastasis and may serve as a potential biomarker for disease prognosis and as a target for the development of personalized therapies.
Overall Survival Benefit in Rectal Cancer After Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy and Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Propensity-Matched Population-Based Study
Authors: Chen Zhiju , Li Shaowei , Wang Yehong , Fu Zhiming , Liu Ning , Wang Hao , Liu Xin
Published: December 2020

Background

It is well known that neoadjuvant radiotherapy could reduce local recurrence followed by surgical resection. However, evidence about oncologic efficacy of radiotherapy and survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant radiotherapy is still lacking.

Methods

This retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study identified patients with pathologically confirmed rectal cancer and receiving surgery with curative intent from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2004 through 2014. Overall survival was compared using the stratified log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used for identifying risk factor and developing prediction nomogram.

Results

A total of 22,008 (11,004 for each group) propensity-matched patients were identified. In the context of receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection, there was no significant difference in terms of overall survival between surgery alone group and neoadjuvant radiotherapy and surgery group, whether for stage I (log-rank test p = 0.467), stage II (log-rank test p = 0.310), or stage III (p = 0.994). In case of receiving a prior combination therapy of neoadjuvant radiotherapy and surgery, the following adjuvant chemotherapy could significantly improve overall survival for patients with stage I (log-rank test p <0.001), stage II (log-rank test p = 0.038), and stage III (log-rank test p = 0.014). Nomogram integrating clinicopathologic factors was developed to predict survival benefit associated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Calibration and ROC curves validated promising performance for the nomogram.

Conclusion

Patients with rectal cancer underwent neoadjuvant radiotherapy yield acceptable outcomes and are more likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of overall survival. These data would be evidential for advocating consistency in guideline adherence to the use of adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant radiotherapy.
Chinese Herbal Medicine for Reducing Chemotherapy-Associated Side-Effects in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Sha , So Tsz-him , Tang Guoyi , Tan Hor-Yue , Wang Ning , Ng Bacon Fung Leung , Chan Chris Kam Wa , Yu Edwin Chau-Leung , Feng Yibin
Published: December 2020

Background

Chemotherapy usually induces a variety of side-effects in cancer treatment as it cannot tell normal cells apart from cancer cells and kills both. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been regarded as a potential effective intervention for relieving the side-effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Objective

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of CHM as adjuvant therapy for reducing the chemotherapy-induced side-effects in the treatment of breast cancer.

Methods

Main electronic databases were searched up to May 2020 for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of CHM on breast cancer patients with chemotherapy. The PRISMA statement was adopted in this study and meta-analyses were performed.

Results

The included studies showed unsatisfied quality. Results based on available literature indicated that the adjunctive use of CHM with chemotherapy may reduce the chemotherapeutic agents-associated adverse events, including nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, alopecia, myelosuppression, and impaired immune function.

Conclusion

A confident conclusion could not be have due to the lack of large scale and high quality trials.
Role of Specific B-Cell Receptor Antigens in Lymphomagenesis
Authors: Thurner Lorenz , Hartmann Sylvia , Neumann Frank , Hoth Markus , Stilgenbauer Stephan , Küppers Ralf , Preuss Klaus-Dieter , Bewarder Moritz
Published: December 2020

The B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway is a crucial pathway of B cells, both for their survival and for antigen-mediated activation, proliferation and differentiation. Its activation is also critical for the genesis of many lymphoma types. BCR-mediated lymphoma proliferation may be caused by activating BCR-pathway mutations and/or by active or tonic stimulation of the BCR. BCRs of lymphomas have frequently been described as polyreactive. In this review, the role of specific target antigens of the BCRs of lymphomas is highlighted. These antigens have been found to be restricted to specific lymphoma entities. The antigens can be of infectious origin, such as H. pylori in gastric MALT lymphoma or RpoC of M. catarrhalis in nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, or they are autoantigens. Examples of such autoantigens are the BCR itself in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, LRPAP1 in mantle cell lymphoma, hyper-N-glycosylated SAMD14/neurabin-I in primary central nervous system lymphoma, hypo-phosphorylated ARS2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and hyper-phosphorylated SLP2, sumoylated HSP90 or saposin C in plasma cell dyscrasia. Notably, atypical posttranslational modifications are often responsible for the immunogenicity of many autoantigens. Possible therapeutic approaches evolving from these specific antigens are discussed.
Surgical Options for Pediatric Bilateral Vocal Cord Palsy: State of the Art
Authors: Trozzi Marilena , Meucci Duino , Salvati Antonio , Tropiano Maria Luisa , Bottero Sergio
Published: December 2020

Management of pediatric bilateral vocal cord palsy (BVCP) is a controversial and challenging topic. It may represent a severe obstructive condition usually associated with respiratory distress, and, in such condition, tracheostomy has been considered the gold standard for a long time. Many surgical options have been described and used to increase the glottic space in BVCP (1), with ongoing research of less invasive techniques. The challenge and current trend in our department and in many major pediatric centers is to avoid tracheotomy through an early treatment. Many techniques introduced in the last decade reduced the number of tracheotomies and increased the decannulation rate. Furthermore, we observed a recent increase in attention to preserve the quality of the voice with new techniques, such as endoscopic arytenoid abduction lateropexy which is in our opinion an important innovation to improve glottic space with satisfactory voice results. We present a review of the literature about the evolution of the treatment options for pediatric BVCP during the years.
Loss of Mitochondrial Control Impacts Renal Health
Authors: Srivastava Swayam Prakash , Kanasaki Keizo , Goodwin Julie E.
Published: December 2020

Disruption of mitochondrial biosynthesis or dynamics, or loss of control over mitochondrial regulation leads to a significant alteration in fuel preference and metabolic shifts that potentially affect the health of kidney cells. Mitochondria regulate metabolic networks which affect multiple cellular processes. Indeed, mitochondria have established themselves as therapeutic targets in several diseases. The importance of mitochondria in regulating the pathogenesis of several diseases has been recognized, however, there is limited understanding of mitochondrial biology in the kidney. This review provides an overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in kidney diseases. We describe the importance of mitochondria and mitochondrial sirtuins in the regulation of renal metabolic shifts in diverse cells types, and review this loss of control leads to increased cell-to-cell transdifferentiation processes and myofibroblast-metabolic shifts, which affect the pathophysiology of several kidney diseases. In addition, we examine mitochondrial-targeted therapeutic agents that offer potential leads in combating kidney diseases.
Knockdown lncRNA DLEU1 Inhibits Gliomas Progression and Promotes Temozolomide Chemosensitivity by Regulating Autophagy
Authors: Lv Qiao-Li , Wang Li-Chong , Li Dang-Chi , Lin Qian-Xia , Shen Xiao-Li , Liu Hai-Yun , Li Min , Ji Yu-Long , Qin Chong-Zhen , Chen Shu-Hui
Published: December 2020

Gliomas are the most fatal malignant cerebral tumors. Temozolomide (TMZ), as the primary chemotherapy drug, has been widely used in clinics. However, resistance of TMZ still remains to poor defined. LncRNAs have been reported to play crucial roles in progression of various cancers and resistance of multiple drugs. However, the biological function and underlying mechanisms of most lncRNAs in glioma still remains unclear. Based on the TCGA database, a total of 94 differentially expressed lncRNAs, including 16 up-regulated genes and 78 downregulated genes were identified between gliomas and normal brain tissues. Subsequently, lncRNA DLEU1, HOTAIR, and LOC00132111 were tested to be significantly related to overall survival (OS) between high- and low-expression groups. Additionally, we verified that lncRNA DLEU1 was high expressed in 108 gliomas, compared with 19 normal brain tissues. And high expression of lncRNA DLEU1 predicted a poor prognosis (HR = 1.703, 95%CI: 1.133–2.917, p-value = 0.0159). Moreover, functional assays revealed that knockdown of lncRNA DLEU1 could suppress the proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and reducing the S phase by down-regulating the CyclinD1 and p-AKT, as the well as migration and invasion by inhibiting the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, such as ZEB1, N-cadherin, β-catenin and snail in glioma cells. Furthermore, silencing lncRNA DLEU1 suppressed TMZ-activated autophagy via regulating the expression of P62 and LC3, and promoted sensitivity of glioma cells to TMZ by triggering apoptosis. Conclusively, our study indicated that lncRNA DLEU1 might perform as a prognostic potential target and underlying therapeutic target for sensitivity of glioma to TMZ.
Influence of Cigarettes and Alcohol on the Severity and Death of COVID-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Study in Wuhan, China
Authors: Dai Mengyuan , Tao Liyuan , Chen Zhen , Tian Zhi , Guo Xiaofang , Allen-Gipson Diane S. , Tan Ruirong , Li Rui , Chai Li , Ai Fen , Liu Miao
Published: December 2020

Background

The recent emergence and rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to public health crises worldwide. Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking (CS) are two known risk factors in many diseases including respiratory infections.

Methods

We performed a multi-center study in the four largest hospitals designated for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan. There are totally 1547 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 enrolled in the study, alcohol consumption and CS history were evaluated among these patients. The epidemiology, laboratory findings and outcomes of patients contracted COVID-19 were further studied.

Results

Our findings indicated that COVID-19 patients with a history of CS tend to have more severe outcomes than non-smoking patients. However, alcohol consumption did not reveal significant effects on neither development of severe illness nor death rates in COVID-19 patients.

Conclusion

CS is a risk factor for developing severe illness and increasing mortality during the SARS-CoV-2 infection. We believe that our findings will provide a better understanding on the effects of alcohol intake and CS exposure in COVID-19 patients.
Biofortification of Potato and Carrot With Iodine by Applying Different Soils and Irrigation With Iodine-Containing Water
Authors: Dobosy Péter , Endrédi Anett , Sandil Sirat , Vetési Viktória , Rékási Márk , Takács Tünde , Záray Gyula
Published: December 2020

Accumulation of iodine by potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and carrot (Daucus carota L. var. sativus) plants cultivated on different soils (sand, sandy silt, and silt) using irrigation water containing iodine at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.5 mg/L was investigated. In the edible organs of potato and carrot control plants grown on sand, sandy silt, and silt soils, the iodine concentrations were 0.15, 0.17, and 0.20 mg/kg (potato) and 0.012, 0.012, and 0.013 mg/kg (carrot); after the treatment by applying 0.5 mg/L iodine dosage, the iodine concentrations were 0.21, 0.19, 0.27 mg/kg (potato) and 3.5, 3.7, 3.0 mg/kg (carrot), respectively. Although the iodine treatment had no significant effect on the biomass production of these plants, in potato tubers, it resulted in higher Fe and lower Mg and P concentrations, whereas no similar trend was observable in carrot roots. The accumulation of Mn, Cu, Zn, and B in the edible part of both plants was not influenced by the iodine treatment. The soil properties did not have a significant impact on biomass production under the same environmental conditions. The concentration and the distribution of iodine in both plants were slightly modified by the growing medium; however, the photosynthetic efficiency and the chlorophyll content index of potato plants cultivated in silt soil increased significantly. Potato plant was not suitable for biofortification with iodine, while considering the iodine concentration and the moisture content of carrot roots, it can be calculated that consuming 100 g fresh carrot would cover about 38% of the daily iodine intake requirement for an average adult person.
A Comparison of Human and Computational Melody Prediction Through Familiarity and Expertise
Authors: Pesek Matevž , Medvešek Špela , Podlesek Anja , Tkalčič Marko , Marolt Matija
Published: December 2020

Melody prediction is an important aspect of music listening. The success of prediction, i.e., whether the next note played in a song is the same as the one predicted by the listener, depends on various factors. In the paper, we present two studies, where we assess how music familiarity and music expertise influence melody prediction in human listeners, and, expressed in appropriate data/algorithmic ways, computational models. To gather data on human listeners, we designed a melody prediction user study, where familiarity was controlled by two different music collections, while expertise was assessed by adapting the Music Sophistication Index instrument to Slovenian language. In the second study, we evaluated the melody prediction accuracy of computational melody prediction models. We evaluated two models, the SymCHM and the Implication-Realization model, which differ substantially in how they approach melody prediction. Our results show that both music familiarity and expertise affect the prediction accuracy of human listeners, as well as of computational models.
Testing Reliability of Biophilic Design Matrix Within Urban Residential Playrooms
Authors: Marte Ellen , Calumpit Abigail , de Sá Bessa Bárbara , Toledo Ashley , Fadda Roberta , Skoler Tricia
Published: December 2020

Playtime in urban cities has become an indoor activity for children due to limited access to natural outdoor environments. This product of urbanization makes the case for the introduction of biophilic design. However, playrooms are often neglected as a possibility in designing a natural space indoors. Interior designers and other specialists lack a reliable tool to identify and incorporate biophilic features into the design of these indoor environments in urban settings. The Biophilic Interior Design Matrix (BID-M) developed by McGee and Marshall-Baker quantifies 52 of Kellert’s biophilic design attributes to assess their presence and absence within interior spaces. We expanded its use by testing the matrix in a new type of space, urban playrooms, and coded images of 45 children’s playrooms within Manhattan residential buildings in New York City, including assessing a larger sample and reliability rate compared to McGee and Marshall-Baker’s research. Inter-rater reliability of the overall design matrix and individual matrix items was measured with percent agreement and free-marginal multirater kappa. Reliability testing showed overall good reliability of the overall design matrix. Several matrix items had low reliability between raters. Our findings show that the BID-M needs to be modified to better assess urban interior spaces for children.
Pinyin Spelling Promotes Reading Abilities of Adolescents Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language: Evidence From Mediation Models
Authors: Xiao Huimin , Xu Caihua , Rusamy Hetty
Published: December 2020

Pinyin is a phonological encoding system used to spell modern Chinese Mandarin due to the phonological opacity of Chinese characters. The present study examined the role of Pinyin spelling in the reading abilities of adolescents learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). A total of 158 Indonesian senior primary students were tested on Pinyin spelling, character production, listening comprehension, depth of vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension. Pinyin spelling skills were assessed by two measures, Pinyin Dictation (sentence dictation in Pinyin) and Pinyin Tagging (Pinyin writing for characters). Path analysis revealed that even after controlling for the effect of character production, Pinyin dictation performance influenced reading comprehension through the mediating effect of listening comprehension and the depth of vocabulary knowledge, and Pinyin tagging performance also influenced reading comprehension through the mediating effect of the depth of vocabulary knowledge. The results highlight the importance of Pinyin skills for Chinese reading abilities of CFL learners. As a reliable and explicit indicator of specifying Chinese phonological representations and processing, Pinyin spelling has a long-term and multifaceted influence on higher-level CFL abilities.
Mental Health Outcomes and Associations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in the United States
Authors: Kantor Bella Nichole , Kantor Jonathan
Published: December 2020

Pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to significant mental health stresses, potentially with modifiable risk factors. We performed an internet-based cross-sectional survey of an age-, sex-, and race-stratified representative sample from the US general population. Degrees of anxiety, depression, and loneliness were assessed using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the 8-item UCLA Loneliness Scale, respectively. Unadjusted and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations with baseline demographic characteristics. A total of 1,005 finished surveys were returned of the 1,020 started, yielding a completion rate of 98.5% in the survey panel. The mean (standard deviation) age of the respondents was 45 (16) years, and 494 (48.8%) were male. Overall, 264 subjects (26.8%) met the criteria for an anxiety disorder based on a GAD-7 cutoff of 10; a cutoff of 7 yielded 416 subjects (41.4%), meeting the clinical criteria for anxiety. On multivariable analysis, male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.49, 0.87]), identification as Black (OR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.31, 0.77]), and living in a larger home (OR = 0.46, 95% CI [0.24, 0.88]) were associated with a decreased odds of meeting the anxiety criteria. Rural location (OR 1.39, 95% CI [1.03, 1.89]), loneliness (OR 4.92, 95% CI [3.18, 7.62]), and history of hospitalization (OR = 2.04, 95% CI [1.38, 3.03]) were associated with increased odds of meeting the anxiety criteria. Two hundred thirty-two subjects (23.6%) met the criteria for clinical depression. On multivariable analysis, male sex (OR = 0.71, 95% CI [0.53, 0.95]), identifying as Black (OR = 0.62, 95% CI [0.40, 0.97]), increased time outdoors (OR = 0.51, 95% CI [0.29, 0.92]), and living in a larger home (OR = 0.35, 95% CI [0.18, 0.69]) were associated with decreased odds of meeting depression criteria. Having lost a job (OR = 1.64, 95% CI [1.05, 2.54]), loneliness (OR = 10.42, 95% CI [6.26, 17.36]), and history of hospitalization (OR = 2.42, 95% CI [1.62, 3.62]) were associated with an increased odds of meeting depression criteria. Income, media consumption, and religiosity were not associated with mental health outcomes. Anxiety and depression are common in the US general population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and are associated with potentially modifiable factors.
Psychometric Properties of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR) in Depressed Adolescents
Authors: Zhang Wu-Yang , Zhao Yan-Jie , Zhang Yao , He Fan , Pan Hong-Qing , Cheung Teris , Ungvari Gabor S. , Li Shu-Ying , Xiang Yu-Tao
Published: December 2020

Background: Accurate and reliable self-report measurement tools examining depressive symptoms are scant in child psychiatry. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Chinese Version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (C-QIDS-SR) in depressed adolescents in China.

Methods: Adolescents with major depressive episodes or bipolar depressive episodes were assessed using the C-QIDS-SR. The structure validity of the C-QIDS-SR was estimated using principal component analysis with varimax rotation.

Results: A total of 246 depressed adolescents were included in the study. Cronbach's alpha was 0.77. The correlation coefficient between the baseline and endpoint assessments was 0.49 (p < 0.001), whereas, the correlation coefficient between the C-QIDS-SR and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression−17 items (HAMD-17) was 0.63 (p < 0.001). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation demonstrated the unidimensional structure of the C-QIDS-SR.

Conclusion: The C-QIDS-SR is a reliable and valid instrument with acceptable psychometric properties to measure depressive symptoms in adolescents.
Effect of Face Masks on Interpersonal Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mheidly Nour , Fares Mohamad Y. , Zalzale Hussein , Fares Jawad
Published: December 2020

Interpersonal communication has been severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Protective measures, such as social distancing and face masks, are essential to mitigate efforts against the virus, but pose challenges on daily face-to-face communication. Face masks, particularly, muffle sounds and cover facial expressions that ease comprehension during live communication. Here, we explore the role of facial expressions in communication and we highlight how the face mask can hinder interpersonal connection. In addition, we offer coping strategies and skills that can ease communication with face masks as we navigate the current and any future pandemic.
Medical Students' Awareness of Smell Loss as a Predictor for Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Aldrees Turki , Almatrafi Sharif , Aldriweesh Turki , Mokhatrish Mohammad , Salamh Abdulaziz , Alkholaiwi Feras
Published: December 2020

Background: Anosmia has been reported as an early presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the pathophysiological mechanism of olfactory dysfunction is still unclear.

Aim: The aim of this study to evaluate the knowledge regarding common symptoms, anosmia, treatment options, and PPE among medical students in three different universities of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey conducted among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Google Forms was used to create the survey. The questionnaire included demographic information, knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, sources of information, and the level of awareness of specific symptoms (loss of smell and taste).

Results: A total of 494 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of the participants were aware of common COVID-19 symptoms like fever and cough (79.8 and 67.2%, respectively), but less than half were aware that smell or taste dysfunction might be a symptom of COVID-19 (44.3 and 30.2%, respectively). The present study revealed that the source of information also plays a critical role in medical students' awareness regarding the symptoms of COVID-19. Students using international organization's websites, medical databases, or published research had better knowledge of anosmia as a COVID-19 symptom compared to those who used WhatsApp, Google, or unofficial social media pages. In our study, a minority (11.9%) of the participants relied on unofficial social media pages as the main source of their information.

Conclusion: Saudi medical students understand that smell or taste dysfunction can be a potential symptom of COVID-19, but this knowledge was not as widespread as the knowledge regarding the most common COVID-19 symptoms.
15N-Fertilizer Recovery in Maize as an Additional Strategy for Understanding Nitrogen Fertilization Management with Blends of Controlled-Release and Conventional Urea
Authors: Garcia Pedro Lopes , Sermarini Renata Alcarde , Filho Carlos Roberto de Sant Ana , Bendassolli José Albertino , Boschiero Beatriz Nastaro , Trivelin Paulo Cesar Ocheuze
Published: December 2020

A single application of polymer-sulfur coated urea (PSCU) and conventional urea (U) is expected to ensure nitrogen (N) throughout the maize (Zea mays L.) growth cycle being U the likely main N-fertilizer supplier at the beginning and PSCU during the maize growth cycle. This research aimed to evaluate N fertilization management (split, incorporated, and broadcast application) and fertilizer blends (30%PSCU + 70%U and 70%PSCU + 30%U) on volatilization of ammonia (AV) and soil N mineral content (NM); plant N uptake (NU) and 15N-fertilizer recovery (NR); and yield (GY). Field experiments were conducted for two growing seasons (2017–2018 and 2019–2020) in Rhodic Eutrustox soil. U was treated with NBPT (N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide). N rate was 180 kg ha−1. AV reached 12% of the applied N (broadcast-applied 70%PSCU + 30%U, 2017–2018). The 30%PSCU + 70%U application resulted in higher NM at 40–60 cm depth in vegetative and reproductive stages in both seasons. The 70%PSCU + 30%U application resulted in the highest GY in 2017–2018, and the N treatments did not affect GY in 2019–2020. NR was 3% on average at vegetative leaf stage 4 (V4), and PSCU, the main N-fertilizer supplier applying 70%PSCU + 30%U. After V4, the main N-fertilizer supplier is PSCU for 70%PSCU + 30%U and U for 30%PSCU + 70%U application. These blends (incorporated, broadcast, and split application) can ensure N during the maize growth cycle, with NR of 72.5% at maturity (R6) being 47.9% in the grain.
Can a Combination of UAV-Derived Vegetation Indices with Biophysical Variables Improve Yield Variability Assessment in Smallholder Farms?
Authors: Adewopo Julius , Peter Helen , Mohammed Ibrahim , Kamara Alpha , Craufurd Peter , Vanlauwe Bernard
Published: December 2020

The rapid assessment of maize yields in a smallholder farming system is important for understanding its spatial and temporal variability and for timely agronomic decision-support. We assessed the predictability of maize grain yield using unmanned aerial/air vehicle (UAV)-derived vegetation indices (VI) with (out) biophysical variables on smallholder farms. High-resolution imageries were acquired with UAV-borne multispectral sensor at four and eight weeks after sowing (WAS) on 31 farmer managed fields (FMFs) and 12 nearby nutrient omission trials (NOTs) sown with two genotypes (hybrid and open-pollinated maize) across five locations within the core maize region of Nigeria. Acquired multispectral imageries were post-processed into three VIs, normalized difference VI (NDVI), normalized difference red-edge (NDRE), and green-normalized difference VI (GNDVI) while plant height (Ht) and percent canopy cover (CC) were measured within georeferenced plot locations. Result shows that the nutrient status had a significant effect on the grain yield (and variability) in NOTs, with a maximum grain yield of 9.3 t/ha, compared to 5.4 t/ha in FMFs. Generally, there was no relationship between UAV-derived VIs and grain yield at 4WAS (r < 0.02, p > 0.1), but significant correlations were observed at 8WAS (r ≤ 0.3; p < 0.001). Ht was positively correlated with grain yield at 4WAS (r = 0.5, R2 = 0.25, p < 0.001) and more strongly at 8WAS (r = 0.7, R2 = 0.55, p < 0.001), while the relationship between CC and yield was only significant at 8WAS. By accounting for within- and between-field variations in NOTs and FMFs (separately), predictability of grain yield from UAV-derived VIs was generally low (R2 ≤ 0.24); however, the inclusion of ground-measured biophysical variable (mainly Ht) improved the explained yield variability (R2 ≥ 0.62, Root Mean Square Error of Prediction, RMSEP ≤ 0.35) in NOTs but not in FMFs. We conclude that yield prediction with UAV-acquired imageries (before harvest) is more reliable under controlled experimental conditions (NOTs), compared to actual farmer managed fields where various confounding agronomic factors can amplify noise-signal ratio.
Biofertilizers Enhance Quality of Onion
Authors: Petrovic Bojana , Sękara Agnieszka , Pokluda Robert
Published: December 2020

This investigation was conducted to determine the effect of organic fertilizers on the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, antioxidant activity, crude fibre, and zinc in two onion cultivars, Stuttgarter Riesen and Rote Laaer, during 2016, 2017, and 2018. In this research, the following treatments were used: B-Stimul (contains Azospirillum Tarrand et al., Azotobacter Beij., Bacillus Cohn, Chlorella vulgaris Beij., and Herbaspirillum Baldani et al.), EkoBooster 2 (contains biostimulators and mineral salts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and Vermifit A (extract of compost of Californian earthworm). The results showed that the application of biofertilizers to onion resulted in the highest chlorophyll b content in 2017 in Stuttgarter Riesen. EkoBooster 2 positively affected crude fibre content in both cultivars, but only in 2016. Antioxidant activity was not significantly affected by the interaction of experimental factors. The application of the biostimulating fertilizers can have a positive impact on the quality parameters of onion, but the kind of fertilizer must be suited to seasonal conditions and the cultivar.
Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Stray Cats from Northern Italy: A Serological and Molecular Survey
Authors: Ebani Valentina Virginia , Guardone Lisa , Marra Federica , Altomonte Iolanda , Nardoni Simona , Mancianti Francesca
Published: December 2020

Cats may be affected by a wide range of arthropod-borne pathogens (ABPs) of medical and veterinary interest. Between February 2018 and October 2019, 85 blood samples were collected from stray cats from the Emilia Romagna region (northern Italy). Ticks (n = 28) on the examined cats were also collected. Serological and molecular methods were applied to search for infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella henselae, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia canis, Leishmania spp., Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Cytauxzoon spp. A total of 71 sera (83.5%) had antibodies to at least one investigated pathogen: 39 (45.9%) were positive for B. henselae, 32 (37.6%) positive for C. burnetii, 12 (14.1%) positive for E. canis, four (4.7%) positive for A. phagocytophilum, and two (2.4%) positive for Leishmania spp. A total of 47 (55.3%) DNA samples were positive by PCR for at least one investigated pathogen: 25 (29.4%) were positive for C. burnetii, 23 (27.1%) positive for B. henselae, two (2.4%) positive for E. canis, five (5.9%) positive for Leishmania spp., and two (2.4%) positive for Cytauxzoon spp. Coinfections were observed in 21 cats (24.7%). No positivity was found for A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., or Hepatozoon spp. All ticks were negative. A widespread presence of ABPs in the investigated area of northern Italy was shown. Accurate information on their prevalence may be relevant for feline veterinary medicine, as well as from a One Health perspective.
The Structural Characteristics, Management, and Challenges of Backyard Poultry Farming in Residential Areas of Turkey
Authors: Özdemir Demir
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to collect, for the first time, comprehensive information about the backyard poultry sector in Turkey. This included a profile of the poultry owners, flock characteristics, husbandry, housing conditions, the owners’ biosecurity measures and the challenges of backyard poultry farming in residential areas of Turkey. An online semi-structured survey was fully completed by 1094 respondents. The majority of respondents (91%) owned fewer than 50 birds and reported raising other poultry species besides chickens (64%). Most of the participants indicated that they kept poultry as food for family use (83%) and had been involved in chicken-raising activities for less than 10 years (86%). Free-range coops were the type of housing most preferred by the respondents (86%). However, there was a lack of awareness about poultry diseases and poultry health care conditions. Respondents that confirmed wild bird and rodent access to their feeders and drinkers reported high rates of internal-external parasites, Escherichia coli infections and chronic respiratory diseases (p < 0.001). Lack of regional regulations (84%), animal theft (80%), lack of information on poultry management (79%), minimizing predation (75%), and the need for vaccination and veterinary services (73%) were the most cited challenges. The results highlighted the need for improved biosecurity measures and for a regulatory framework that takes into account the risks to commercial poultry flocks and public health.