bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal Trends in Obesity and Chronic disease risks among Young Adults: a 10-year Review at a Tertiary institution, Nigeria
Authors: Oluwasanu Abayomi Olabayo , Akinyemi Joshua Odunayo , Oluwasanu Mojisola Morenike , Oseghe Olabisi Bada , Oladoyinbo Olusola Lanre , Bello Jelili , Ajuwon Ademola Johnson , Jegede Ayodele Samuel , Danaei Goodarz , Akingbola Olufemi Oladapo
Published: February 2021

BackgroundThere is an increasing prevalence of obesity among college/university students in developing countries similar to the trend being observed in industrialized countries. Of great concern is the persistence of weight gain among this young population with the risk of being overweight and obese increasing with years of study and till adulthood. The aim of this study is to describe the trend and burden of overweight/obesity and emerging associated chronic disease risks among adolescents and young adults at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodThis is a 10-year retrospective review of medical records of students (undergraduate and post-graduate) admitted between 2009 and 2018 at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 60,168 participants were analysed. The Body mass index (BMI) categories were determined according to WHO standard definitions and blood pressure was classified according to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) ResultThe mean age of the study participants was 24.8, SD 8.4 years. A large majority was ≤ 40 years (95.1%). There was a slight male preponderance (51.5%) with a male to female ratio of 1.1:1; undergraduate students constituted 51.9%. The prevalence of BMI categories was underweight (10.5%), overweight and obesity 18.7% and 7.2% respectively. We found significant association between overweight/obesity and older age, being female and undergoing postgraduate study (p = 0.01). Furthermore, females had a higher burden of coexisting abnormal BMI characterized by co-occurrence of underweight, overweight and obesity. Hypertension was the most prevalent obesity-associated non-communicable disease in this study with a prevalence of 8.1%. Also, a third of the study population (35.1%) had prehypertension. Hypertension is significantly associated with age, male sex, overweight/obesity and family history of hypertension. Other rare obesity-associated diseases include asthma, diabetes, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis and gallstones.ConclusionThis study identified rising trends in the prevalence of obesity, a double burden of malnutrition among the study population and the emergence of non-communicable disease risks with a lifelong implication on their health and concomitant burden on the healthcare system. Cost-effective interventions are urgently needed at the secondary and tertiary-level educational institutions to address these issues.
Alzheimer’s Disease Prediction Using Long Short-Term Memory with Early-Phase 18F-Florbetaben Imaging Data
Authors: Kang Hyeon , Park Kyung Won , Kang Do-Young
Published: February 2021

Single amyloid-beta (Aβ) imaging test is not enough to rise to the challenge of making AD diagnosis because of Aβ-negative AD or positive cognitively normal (CN). We aimed to distinguish AD from CN with dual-phase 18F-Florbetaben (FBB) via machine learning algorithms and evaluate the AD positivity scores compared to delay-phase FBB (dFBB) which is currently adopted for AD diagnosis.A total of 264 patients (74 CN and 190 AD), who underwent FBB imaging test and neuropsychological tests were retrospectively analyzed. We compared three kinds of machine learning-based models and evaluated their performance with 4-fold cross validation.AD positivity scores estimated from dual-phase FBB showed better accuracy (ACC) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for AD detection (ACC: 84.091 %, AUROC: 0.900) than those from dFBB imaging (ACC: 81.364 %, AUROC: 0.890). The association between predicted AD positivity and the AD occurrence were compared, the use of dual-phase FBB was highest (OR: 56.333), followed by dFBB (OR: 35.182).These results show that the combined model which interpret dual-phase FBB with long short-term memory can be used to provide a more accurate AD positivity score, which shows a closer association with AD, than the prediction with only single-phase FBB.
Surviving a Decade or More After Coronary Revascularization in a Middle Eastern Population: The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus.
Authors: Alhaddad Imad A , Tabbalat Ramzi , Khader Yousef , Elkarmi Zaid , Dahabreh Zaid , Hammoudeh Ayman
Published: February 2021

Introduction and aimsThere is scarcity of studies that evaluate cardiovascular events and repeat revascularization among Middle Eastern patients who have long-term survival after coronary artery revascularization. In this study, patients who survived at least 10 years after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) were assessed for the evolution of cardiovascular risk factors, occurrence of acute cardiovascular events and the need for further coronary revascularization procedures after the index coronary revascularization. Patients were classified according to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus (DM) at baseline. MethodsThe study enrolled consecutive ambulatory or in-patients who had PCI or CABG at least 10 years prior to enrollment. Collected data included cardiovascular risk factors at the time of the index revascularization and evolution of risk factors since then, occurrence of cardiovascular events and the need for coronary revascularization after the index procedure. Events were compared between patients with DM and no DM at baseline. ResultsThe study population consisted of 891 consecutive patients with 351 patients (39.4%) had DM and 540 patients (60.6%) had no DM. Of all patients, 123 (13.8%) were females with the DM group had more females compared to no DM group (19.7 vs 10%, p <0.001). Mean age of the study population at baseline was 53.9 + 8.8 years for DM patients and 53.0 + 9.8 years for no DM patients (p=0.16). At baseline, the DM group had more hypertension (70.9% vs 27.6%, p<0.0001), more dyslipidemias (12% vs 5.2%, p=0.001) but less smokers compared to no DM group (44.4% vs 58.3%, p<0.001). DM and no DM groups had similar proportion of PCI (65.5% vs 68.3%, p=0.42) and CABG at baseline (34.5% vs 31.7%, p=0.43).The mean time elapsed since the index coronary revascularization was 13.5 + 3.5 years for DM patients and 14.4 + 4.8 years for no DM (p=0.02). Following the index revascularization procedure, ACS events occurred in 40.7% of diabetic patients and in 41.6% in no DM patients (p=0.82). Heart failure and stroke developed in similar proportions in the DM and no DM groups (12.5% vs 13.3%, p=0.51) and (4.6% vs 5.9%, p=0.75) respectively. Repeat revascularization after the index procedure showed that DM group had more PCI compared to no DM group (52.7% vs 45.4%, p= 0.04) but proportions of CABG (7.1% vs 9.8%, p=0.20). ConclusionsIn this retrospective observation of Middle Eastern patients who survived at least a decade after coronary revascularization, DM group had more hypertension and dyslipidemias but less smokers compared to no DM at baseline. During follow up, DM group required more PCI revascularization compared with no DM group.
Mutant Firefly Luciferase Enzymes Resistant to the Inhibition by Sodium Chloride
Authors: Yawata Satoshi , Noda Kenichi , Shimomura Ai , Kuroda Akio
Published: February 2021

ObjectivesFirefly luciferase, one of the most extensively studied enzymes, has numerous applications. However, luciferase activity is inhibited by sodium chloride. This study aims to expand the applications of firefly luciferase in the presence of sodium chloride.ResultsWe first obtained two mutant luciferase enzymes whose inhibition were alleviated and identified these mutations as Val288Ile and Glu488Val. Under dialysis condition (140 mM sodium chloride), the wild type was inhibited to 44% of its original activity level. In contrast, the single mutants, Val288Ile and Glu488Val, retained 67% and 79% of their original activity, respectively. Next, we introduced Val288Ile and Glu488Val mutations into the wild-type luciferase to create a double mutant using site-directed mutagenesis. Notably, the double mutant retained its activity more than 95% of that in the absence of sodium chloride.ConclusionsThe mutant luciferase, named luciferase CR, was found to retain its activity in various concentrations of sodium chloride. The inhibition of luciferase CR under dialysis condition was more alleviated than either Val288Ile or Glu488Val alone, suggesting that the effect of the double mutation was cumulative. We discussed the effect of mutations on the alleviation of the inhibition by sodium chloride.
Efficacy of Subthreshold Photocoagulation for Persistent Diabetic Macular Edema After Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling: A Retrospective Comparative Study
Authors: Takashina Hirotsugu , Watanabe Akira , Komatsu Koji , Nakano Tadashi
Published: February 2021

Background

Subthreshold photocoagulation is one of the therapeutic options for treating diabetic macular edema, and have characteristic advantages, which are the lack of chorioretinal damage and the repeatability of the treatment. However, the effect of subthreshold photocoagulation is thought to be minimal among these options. In this study, we retrospectively examined the efficacy of repeated subthreshold photocoagulation for persistent diabetic macular edema after vitrectomy with peeling of the internal limiting membrane.
Methods

We enrolled ten consecutive eyes of eight patients who underwent monthly Endpoint Management™ (EpM) six times for diabetic macular edema that persisted for more than 3 months after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for epiretinal membrane, and classified according to the interval between vitrectomy and initial EpM (Group A: within 6 months, Group B: beyond 6 months). Two type of retinal thickness (central macular thickness and macular thickness within 3mm diameter of the fovea) were measured monthly using optical coherence tomography.
Results

Mean intervals between vitrectomy and initial EpM were 4.0 ± 1.2 months (range 3–6 months) in Group A (six eyes of five patients) and 17.3 ± 7.5 months (range 10–27 months) in Group B (four eyes of four patients). No other treatments were performed between vitrectomy and initial EpM in Group A, while triamcinolone acetonide injection in the sub-Tenon’s capsule was performed in two eyes in Group B (one eye was injected thrice, the other eye received a single injection). Improvement rates of mean central macular thickness after 6 months were 18.2% in all eyes, 10.8% in Group A, and 28.7% in Group B, and improvement rates of mean macular thickness within 3mm diameter of the fovea after 6 months were 8.5% in all eyes, 4.1% in Group A, and 15.3% in Group B.
Conclusions

Monthly EpM treatment was efficacious against persistent diabetic macular edema after internal limiting membrane peeling. In particular, the efficacy was greater in eyes in which the initial EpM was performed more than 6 months after vitrectomy. Furthermore, residual efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide, which was injected at the end of vitrectomy, might have contributed to the results.
The impact of tube replacement timing during LCIG therapy on PEG-J associated adverse events: a retrospective multicenter observational study
Authors: Yamashita Kanefumi , Yube Yukinori , Yamazaki Yukinao , Fukuchi Takehide , Kato Masaki , Koike Tomoyuki , Uehara Takeshi , Ikeda Yoshiou , Furune Satoshi , Murakami Hidehiro , Kubota Eiji , Fujioka Shinsuke , Sato Yoshinori , Jin Xiaoyi , Suzuki Tomohiko , Furukawa Kazuhiro , Tsuboi Yoshio
Published: February 2021

Background

Levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) treatment, a new drug delivery system for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD), is covered by the health insurance in Japan since September 2016. Various LCIG procedure/device-associated adverse events (AEs) have been reported; however, reports on their treatment have been limited. This is the first multicenter study to clarify the frequency and timing of device-related AEs.
Methods

Between September 2016 and December 2018, 104 patients introduced to the LCIG treatment for advanced PD in 11 hospitals were included. The patients’ characteristics, AEs incidence, AEs time, and tube exchange time were investigated.
Results

The median follow-up period was 21.5 months. Minor AE cases were 29.4%, whereas major AE cases were 43.1%. Majority of major AEs (n = 55, 96.5%) were managed with endoscopic treatment, such as tube exchange. Few severe AEs required surgical treatment (n = 2, 3.5%). The mean (range) exposure to percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J) was 14.7 (0–33) months. One year after the LCIG treatment introduction, 55 patients (54.0%) retained the original PEG-J tube. The mean PEG-J tube exchange time was 10.8 ± 7.0 months in all patients, 11.6 ± 4.7 and 10.5 ± 7.7 months in patients with scheduled exchange and who underwent exchange due to AEs, respectively.
Conclusions

Some device-related AEs occurred during the LCIG treatment; however, only few were serious, most of which could be treated with simple procedures or tube replacement with endoscopy. Therefore, the LCIG treatment is feasible and safe and is a unique treatment option for PD, requiring endoscopists’ understanding and cooperation.
A decade of systematic camera trapping in two strictly protected areas reveals the demography of a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in Central Europe
Authors: Palmero Stefano , Belotti Elisa , Bufka Luděk , Gahbauer Martin , Heibl Christoph , Premier Joe , Weingarth Kirsten , Heurich Marco
Published: February 2021

Large carnivores are crucial for ecosystems but are increasingly threatened by human persecution and habitat destruction. Successful conservation of this guild requires information on long-term population dynamics through the demographic surveys. We camera trapped Eurasian lynx between 2009 and 2018 in two strictly protected areas in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem, estimating sex-specific demographic parameters using spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models as well as the relative abundance index of its prey species and a mesopredator seeking potential drivers of lynx population dynamics. Over 48 677 trap nights, we detected 65 lynx individuals. Density increased to 1.31 and 2.39 individuals/100 km2 for open and closed population SCR models, respectively, with positive population growth rates. Survival rates were high (females 83%, males 88%) and per capita recruitment was low (females 13%, males 9%), indicating a low yearly population turnover. Reproductive parameters showed successful reproduction. Our results reveal the importance of the study area as host to a saturated population and key source for the potential lynx metapopulation. The observed increasing lynx number is most likely represented by dispersing individuals due to reduced mortality outside the protected areas as the number of reproducing females inside remained constant. In what is the first open population SCR study on lynx, we provide demographic parameters contributing to the development of model-based population viability forecasting and inform lynx management in the study area as well as in similar contexts.
Clinical features, Epidemiology, Autoantibody status, HLA Haplotypes and Genetic Mechanisms of Type 1 diabetes mellitus among Children in Qatar
Authors: Haris Basma , Ahmed Ikhlak , Syed Najeeb , Almabrazi Hakeem , Saraswathi Saras , Al-Khawaga Sara , Saeed Amira , Mundekkadan Shihab , Mohamed Idris , Sharari Sanaa , Hawari Iman , Hamed Noor , Afyouni Houda , Abdel-Karim Tasneem , Mohammed Shayma , Khalifa Amel , Al-Maadheed Maryam , Zyoud Mahmoud , Shamekh Ahmed , Elawwa Ahmed , Al-Khalaf Fawziya , Tatari-Calderone Zohreh , Petrovski Goran , Hussain Khalid
Published: February 2021

Aims

- To describe the clinical features, epidemiology, autoantibody status, HLA haplotypes and genetic mechanisms of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).
Methods

- Patients (0–18 years) with diabetes were recruited. Clinical data was collected, autoantibodies and c-peptide were measured. Whole Genome Sequencing was performed. Genomic data analysis was compared with the known genes linked with T1DM and HLA alleles were studied.
Results

- 1096 patients had one or more antibody positivity. The incidence of T1DM in 2020 was 38.05 per 100,000 children and prevalence was 249.73. GAD65 was the most common autoantibody and IA2 was most specific. Variants in GSTCD, SKAP2, SLC9B1, BANK1 were most prevalent. An association of HLA haplotypes DQA1*03:01:01G (OR = 2.46, pvalue = 0.011) and DQB1*03:02:01G (OR = 2.43, p value = 0.022) was identified.
Conclusions

- In this first prospective study, IA2 autoantibody was the most specific, some patients only have ZnT8 or IA2 autoantibodies thus underlining the necessity of profiling all 4 antibodies. The genes associated with T1DM in the Arab population were different from those that are common in the Caucasian population. HLA-DQ was enriched in the Qatari patients suggesting that it can be considered a major risk factor at an early age.
Financial Inclusion and CO2 Emissions in Asia: Implications for Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Hussain Shahzad , Ahmad Tanveer , Shahzad Syed Jawad Hussain
Published: February 2021

We examine the relationship between financial inclusion and carbon emissions. For this purpose, we develop a composite indicator of financial inclusion based on a broad set of attributes through principal component analysis (PCA) for 26 countries in the Asia region. Our robust panel regression analysis reveals a significant positive long-term impact of financial inclusion on carbon emissions. The pairwise causality test reveals unidirectional long-term causality running from financial inclusion to carbon emissions. The study suggests that policy makers may design policies that integrate accessible financial systems into climate change adaptation strategies in order to neutralize the side effect of financial inclusion deteriorating environmental quality and inclusive sustainable economic growth. JEL ClassificationO16; O44, Q54
A cancer-unique glycan: de-N-acetyl polysialic acid (dPSA) linked to cell surface nucleolin depends on re-expression of the fetal polysialyltransferase ST8SIA2 gene
Authors: Moe Gregory , Steirer Lindsay M. , Lee Joshua A. , Shivakumar Adarsha , Bolanos Alejandro D.
Published: February 2021

Background: Polysialic acid (PSA) modifies a few cell surface proteins in humans mainly during fetal development and some blood cells in adults. Two genes in humans, ST8SIA2 and ST8SIA4, code for polysialyltransferases that synthesize PSA. The product of ST8SIA2, STX, is highly expressed during fetal development and in many cancers but not in adult normal human cells. The product of ST8SIA4, PST1, is expressed in fetal and some adult tissues and also in many cancers. We identified a derivative of PSA containing de-N-acetyl neuraminic acid residues (dPSA), which is expressed on the cell surface of human cancer cell lines and tumors but not normal cells. Methods: dPSA-modified proteins in several human cancer cell lines and normal blood cells were identified using co-immunoprecipitation with anti-dPSA antibodies and mass spectroscopy. RNAi and CRISPR were used to knockdown and knockout, respectively, the polysialyltransferase genes in two different cell lines to determine effect on production of cell surface dPSA measured by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Results: We found that dPSA is linked to nucleolin, a nuclear protein reported to be on the cell surface of many cancers but not normal cells. Knocking down expression of ST8SIA2 with RNAi or knocking out each gene individually and in combination using CRISPR showed that cell surface dPSA depended on expression of ST8SIA2 and not ST8SIA4. Conclusions: The presence of dPSA specifically in a broad range of human cancers offers novel possibilities for targeting the dPSA antigen and synthetic pathway for detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer.
The correlation of syndecan-4 with disease activity and serological characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Zhao Juan , Ye Xia , Zhang Zhuoli
Published: February 2021

[Objectives]To investigate the expression of syndecan-4 in serum, synovial fluid (SF) and synovium in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing with osteoarthritis (OA) patients, and to analyze the correlation of syndecan-4 with disease activity of RA .[Methods]Syndecan-4 in sera of 60 RA patients, 20 OA patients, 20 healthy controls, and in paired SF of 23 RA patients were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). The expressions of syndecan-4 in synovium of 5 RA patients and 5 OA patients were detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of syndecan-4 of cultured synovial fibroblasts from RA and OA patients were detected by immunofluorescence. The correlation between serum syndecan-4 concentration and disease activity were analyzed in 60 RA patients.[Results]The serum syndedcan-4 concentration was significantly higher in RA patients than in OA patients and healthy controls, and was higher in rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive RA patients than in RF-negative ones. Syndecan-4 concentration in SF of RA patients was comparable with OA patients. Syndecan-4 expression in synovial tissue was similar between RA and OA patients. The syndecan-4 concentration was significantly lower in synovial fluid than in serum, either in RA or in OA patients. The serum and SF syndecan-4 concentrations were both positively correlated with RA disease activity scores.[Conclusion]The serum syndecan-4 concentration is higher in RA patients than in OA patients, and significantly higher in RF-positive RA patients than in RF-negative ones. The serum and SF syndecan-4 concentrations were both positively correlated with disease activity of RA patients.
Inhibition of CPT1a as a Prognostic Marker can Synergistically Enhance the Antileukemic Activity of ABT199
Authors: Mao Shihui , Ling Qing , Pan Jiajia , Li Fenglin , Huang Shujuan , Ye Wenle , Wei Wenwen , Lin Xiangjie , Qian Yu , Wang Yungui , Huang Xin , Huang Jiansong , Wang Jinghan , Jin Jie
Published: February 2021

Background: Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) provides an important source of energy to promote the growth of leukemia cells. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a(CPT1a), a rate-limiting enzyme of the essential step of FAO, can facilitate cancer metabolic adaptation. Previous reports demonstrated that CPT1a acts as a potential molecular target in solid tumors and hematologic disease. However, no systematic study was conducted to explore the its prognostic value and possible treatment strategies on acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods: The expression of CPT1a in 325 cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML) cases was evaluated using RT-PCR. The combination effects of ST1326 and ABT199 were studied in AML cells and primary patients. MTS was used to measure the cell proliferation rate. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry analysis was used to measure the apoptosis rate. western blot were used to measure the expression of Mcl-1.Results: In this study, we found AML patients with high CPT1a expression (n = 245) had a relatively short overall survival (P =0.01) and event free survival (P=0.032) compared to patients in low expression group (n =80). In parallel, downregulation of CPT1a inhibits proliferation of AML cells. We also performed a metabolomic analysis and observed a decrease of fatty acid in CPT1a high expression group comparing to low expression group, which confirms that CPT1a can facilitate FAO to provide energy fueling tumor growth. Moreover, we found downregulation of CPT1a sentitizes BCL-2 inhibitor ABT199 and CPT1a-selective inhibitor ST1326 combined with ABT199 has a strong synergistic effect to induce apoptosis in AML cells and primary patient blasts for the first time. The underlying synergistic mechanism might be that ST1326 inhibits pGSK3β and pERK expression, leading to downregulation of Mcl-1.Conclusion: our study indicates that overexpression of CPT1a predicts poor clinical outcome in AML. CPT1a-selective inhibitor ST1326 combined with Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT199 showed strongsynergistic inhibitory effects on AML.
Acoustic Structure Inverse Design and Optimization Using Deep Learning
Authors: Sun Xuecong , Jia Han , Yang Yuzhen , Zhao Han , Bi Yafeng , Sun Zhaoyong , Yang Jun
Published: February 2021

From ancient to modern times, acoustic structures have been used to control the propagation of acoustic waves. However, the design of acoustic structures has remained a time-consuming and computational resource-consuming iterative process. In recent years, deep learning has attracted unprecedented attention for its ability to tackle hard problems with large datasets, achieving state-of-the-art results in various tasks. In this work, an acoustic structure design method is proposed based on deep learning. Taking the design of multiorder Helmholtz resonator as an example, we experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Our method is not only able to give a very accurate prediction of the geometry of acoustic structures with multiple strong-coupling parameters, but also capable of improving the performance of evolutionary approaches in optimization for a desired property. Compared with the conventional numerical methods, our method is more efficient, universal and automatic, and it has a wide range of potential applications, such as speech enhancement, sound absorption and insulation.
Multiple Gastric Antrum Mucosal Schwann Cell Hamartoma on Incidental Screening Gastroscopy: A Case Report
Authors: chang lu , Feng Jizhen , Yao Zhigang , Zhao Shulei , Cheng Xiankui , Li Jiamei
Published: February 2021

Background：Mucosal Schwann cell hamartoma (MSCH) is a newly recognized neural lesion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. MSCHs are mostly solitary and occur in the colon and rectum. We present a case with multiple MSCHs arising in gastric antrum.Case presentation：A 49-year-old woman with atrophic gastritis was accidentally found to have multiple mucosal protrusion lesions in the gastric antrum during endoscopic follow-up. Biopsy specimens revealed a spindle cell lesion in the lamina propria with positive reaction to the S-100 and SOX-10 protein. The final diagnosis was MSCH.Conclusions: MSCH is a benign mucosal spindle cell lesion of the GI tract and does not associate with inherited syndromes. It is most commonly seen in the colorectum, but can also be found in stomach and gallbladder. In this case, MSCH occurred in gastric antrum with multiple lesions. MSCH is benign lesion and successive treatment, work-up and follow-up are unnecessary.
Comparative analysis of GRAS genes in six Cucurbitaceae species provides novel insights into their evolution and function
Authors: Zhang Qiqi , He Jun , Xu Yuanchao , Chai Sen , Sun Tianshu , Li Hongbo , Xin Hongjia , Xu Kuipeng , Zhang Zhonghua
Published: February 2021

Background

GRAS proteins are important transcription factors that play essential roles in diverse fundamental processes of plant growth and development. However, the features, evolution and potential functions of GRAS genes among the Cucurbit crops remain largely unknown.
Results

In this study, we identified 237 GRAS gene sequences from six Cucurbitaceae species. The genomes of Cucumis sativus L., Cucumis melo L., Benincasa hispida L., Citrullus lanatus L. and Lagenaria siceraria L. contain 35 to 37 GRAS genes, whereas 55 are present in Cucurbita moschata L. which should be derived from a recent whole genome duplication. These GRAS genes were divided into sixteen subfamilies on the basis of their phylogenetic relationships. In the SCLB and RAD1 subclade, three specific motifs were found in Cucurbitaceae species, implying the potential Cucurbitaceae-specific functions. Duplication and synteny analysis revealed that segmental and tandem duplication may be the main reasons for the expansion of the GRAS family in Cucurbitaceae species, and that whole-genome duplication is the main reason for the greater number of GRAS genes in Cucurbita moschata L.. Some GRAS genes exhibit tissue-specific, subfamily-specific or Cucurbitaceae-specific expression patterns, implying that they may play key roles in specific developmental processes in cucurbit crops.
Conclusions

This study provides insights into the features, evolution and potential functions of GRAS genes in Cucurbitaceae species, which may be associated with important agronomic traits.
Microfluidic Assaying of Circulating Tumor Cells and its Correlation with Muscle Invasiveness and Tumor Grade of Urothelial Bladder Cancer
Authors: Fu Guanghou , Cheng Kok Suen , Chen Anqi , Xu Zhijie , Chen Xiaoyi , Tian Junjie , Xu Congcong , Sun Yukun , Neoh Kuang Hong , Dai Yun , Han Ray P.S. , Jin Baiye
Published: February 2021

Background: Bladder cancer is characterized by its frequent recurrence and progression. Effective treatment strategies need to be based on an accurate risk stratification, in which muscle invasiveness and tumor grade represent the two most important factors. Traditional imaging techniques provide preliminary information about muscle invasiveness but are lacking in terms of accuracy. Although as the gold standard, pathological biopsy is only available after the surgery and cannot be performed longitudinally for long-term surveillance. Methods: In this work, we developed a microfluidic approach that interrogates circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of bladder cancer patients to reflect the risk stratification of the disease. Results：In a cohort of 48 bladder cancer patients comprising 33 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) cases and 15 muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) cases, the CTC count was found to be considerably higher in the MIBC group compared with the NMIBC group (4.67 vs. 1.88 CTCs/3 mL, P=0.019), and was significantly higher in high-grade bladder cancer patients verses low-grade bladder cancer patients (3.69 vs. 1.18 CTCs/3mL, P=0.024). Conclusions: This microfluidic assay of CTCs is believed to be a promising complementary tool for the risk stratification of bladder cancer.Trial registration: This research was conducted under the approval of the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital at Zhejiang University School of Medicine with the Registration No. 2015-218.
Altered Capsaicin Levels in Domesticated Chili Pepper Varieties Affect the Interaction Between a Generalist Herbivore and Its Ectoparasitoid
Authors: Chabaane Yosra , Arce Carla Cristina Marques , Glauser Gaetan , Benrey Betty
Published: February 2021

Plant domestication has commonly reduced levels of secondary metabolites known to confer resistance against insects. Chili pepper is a special case because the fruits of different varieties have been selected for lower and higher levels of capsaicin, the main compound associated with defense. This may have important consequences for insect herbivores and their natural enemies. Despite the widespread consumption of chili peppers worldwide, the effects of capsaicin on insects are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of capsaicin on a generalist herbivore, Spodoptora latifascia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its ectoparasitoid, Euplectrus platyhypenae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Using chili varieties with three pungency levels: non-pungent (Padron), mild (Cayenne) and highly pungent (Habanero), as well as artificial diets spiked with three different levels of synthetic capsaicin, we determined if higher capsaicin levels negatively affect the performance of these insects.Overall, capsaicin had a negative effect on both herbivore and parasitoid performance, particularly at high concentrations. Caterpillars reared on highly pungent fruits and high-capsaicin diet had longer development time, reduced pupation success, lower adult emergence, but also lower parasitism rates than caterpillars reared on mild or non-capsaicin treatments. In addition, we found that the caterpillars were capable of sequestering capsaicinoids in their haemolymph when fed on the high pungent variety with consequences for parasitoids’ performance and oviposition decisions. These results increase our understanding of the role of capsaicin as a chemical defense against insects and its potential implications for pest management.
Aggression in the Workplace Makes Social Distancing Difficult
Authors: Kokubun Keisuke , Yamakawa Yoshinori
Published: February 2021

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is still spreading. While social distancing has attracted attention as a measure to prevent the spread of infection, some occupations find it difficult to practice it. Therefore, we decided to investigate the differences in the ease of practicing social distancing depending on the occupation using the data on O*NET, an occupational information site.Methodology: Eight factors were extracted by performing exploratory factor analysis based on certain rules while eliminating arbitrariness as much as possible: adverse conditions, leadership, information processing, response to aggression, mechanical movement, autonomy, communication with the outside, and horizontal teamwork.Results: Adverse conditions, response to aggression, and horizontal teamwork had a positive correlation with physical proximity, while information processing, mechanical movement, autonomy, and communication with the outside had a negative correlation with it. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that response to aggression, not just teamwork, as assumed in previous studies, had the greatest influence on physical proximity.Conclusion: To maintain social distancing, it is necessary to constrain aggression in the workplace.
Adsorptive Removal of Manganese from Water Intended for Consumption by Use of Cost-effective Gisenyi Volcanic Rocks
Authors: Muhire Constantin , Itete Jay Rwaka
Published: February 2021

This study determined the capacity of Gisenyi volcanic rocks (GVR) located in Rwanda (Nothern Province) to remove manganese from groundwater. Various experimental conditions such as adsorbent dosage and contact time were investigated. The dosage of GVR has shown to be a highly influencing factor in manganese removal from groundwater. The adsorption proceeded via a fast initial metal removal followed by a slow uptake during the first 6 h and equilibrium after 24 h. For the initial manganese concentration of 1.5 mg/L, the removal efficiency varied from 42.5–72.9% for 4g/l and 20g/l of VGR dosage respectively. The Freundlich and Languimur isotherm constants indicated that the adsorption of Mn2+ on GVR is a physical process and favorable. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models also show that the adsorption of Mn2+ onto GVR is a physical process.
SELEÇÃO QUE VESTE A CAMISA
Authors: Huelsmann Ricardo , Laia Lucas , Carasek Eduardo
Published: February 2021

TEAM THAT GIVES ITS BEST. Football is the most practiced sport in the world, and admittedly one of the biggest cultural manifestations in Brazil. Its size and importance impact many fields of science. In this work, a playful and interactive activity is proposed, which allows the so beloved national sport and Chemistry to be united in a fun and reflective way, through the selection of the dream team. Each team can be formed by the desired tactical lineup, placing the player of your choice in the eleven available positions, describing its characteristic that makes it there. Even though it is derived from a competitive sport, there is no singular winner in this strategy, since everyone involved wins, due to the reflections and considerations developed, to the stimulus of creativity and to the fun involved in recreational activities like this.
On the 250 th anniversary of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Authors:   Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Vieweg Klaus , Ivanenko Anton A. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Muravev Andrei N. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: February 2021

Two and a half centuries since the birth of Hegel give reason to try to understand why he, like other great philosophers irrelevant of how many centuries ago they were born, should not be forgotten. The first part of the article deals with the content of the central and most difficult part of Hegel’s Science of logic — the doctrine of essence. This particular work illustrates that its creator successfully passed between the Scylla of realism, which insists on the immediacy of knowledge, and the Charybdis of constructivism, which advocates its mediation. Hegel curbs the claims of mediation and immediacy to exclusivity revealing their concrete identity. The second part of the article explores the perspective of the theoretical and scientific knowledge of the spirit, discovered by Hegel, which makes it possible to avoid the extremes of historicism and essentialism that prevailed after Hegel in the sciences of the spirit. Historicism dissolves the unified essence of various spiritual phenomena in the flow of history, which it considers a purposeless element of change. Essentialism asserts the existence of this essence, but leaves it undefined. Hegel logically determines what is historical in the existence of the spirit, an what transcends history as its absolute goal. The last part of the article indicates the reason for the obvious underestimation of Hegel’s achievements by figures of modern philosophical culture. The place of the Hegelian system in the historical development of philosophy and its actual significance for modernity as a model of philosophical knowledge of truth, nature and spirit, without which the history of philosophy is not complete and cannot be understood as a whole, is determined.
The image of man and the visualization of political communication in the postmodern era
Authors:   St. Petersburg Mining University, Dorofeev Daniil Yu. , Semenova Vladislava N. ,   Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus
Published: February 2021

The article is devoted to anthropological problems of the human image in the history of culture and philosophy of the twentieth century and in processes of visualization of political communication in the postmodern era. In the first part of the article, it is proposed to consider the transition from the modern era to the postmodern era in the context of the main stages in the history of the relationship between word and image, language and visuality in European culture of the XX century. The understanding of the visual image as defined by discursive practitioners and understood as a text in the semiotic paradigm of the mid-twentieth century, primarily in the works of R. Barth, is analyzed in detail. The liberation of the visual image from language discourse, which begins at the end of the last century, leads to the active development of visual anthropology, and radical changes in the reproduction technology to a change in the ways of perceiving the world. The article examines the features of the functioning of human images existing in the public space, problems of perception and modern visual communication. The second part of the article examines the tendencies of the development of political ideologies in the postmodern era. The authors describe three coordinates of system of postmodern political ideologies: the disappearance of traditional political ideologies, the revolution of technology, the political changes of the 1980s and formation of “monotonous politics”. It is shown that in the postmodern era political ideologies are forced to minimize the theoretical justification of their fundamental principles, turning instead to new visual and virtual forms of promoting their ideas. The main tendencies are change of the form of political practices, rejection of traditional methods of formulating political ideas, visualization and virtualization of the theoretical and practical components of political activity. The specific features of theatricalization of political and art activism are revealed in the article. In addition, the main aspects of modern political communication are highlighted: functionality, superficiality, and network character.
Socio-political components in the design of smart city strategies as a basis of their sustainable development
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kurochkin Alexander
Published: February 2021

This article discusses the distinctive characteristics of the development of smart city technolo- gies, which swept over all the continents of the planet during the fourth industrial revolution. The author focuses on the consideration of the socio-political effects due to the introduction of these technologies and, above all, the new threats and challenges that they generate. These include the increase of technological inequality, the danger of complete control of information and the tightening of the space of an individual’s personal freedom, social disunity and degradation of urban communities. The technological breakthrough was in clear contradiction with the dynamics of social development. One of the possible ways to overcome the problem of social and techno- logical inequality is with the concept of a smart city focused on sustainable development, which offers an integrated approach to urban policy. The general conclusion that the author comes to is the need for balanced consideration of all components in smart city development projects, in addition to technological and service components. At the same time, the formation of a space for equal social communication, the institutionalization of urban communities, as well as co-social planning for the development of the urban ecosystem are of particular importance. Only if they are fully implemented can we hope for positive dynamics in overcoming new social and political challenges to urban development in the era of total digitalization.
A statistical approach for reconstructing natural streamflow series based on streamflow variation identification
Authors: Dang Chiheng , Zhang Hongbo , Singh Vijay P. , Zhi Tong , Zhang Jingru , Ding Hao
Published: February 2021

Natural streamflow reconstruction is highly significant to assess long-term trends, variability, and pattern of streamflow, and is critical for addressing implications of climate change for adaptive water resources management. This study proposed a simple statistical approach named NSR-SVI (natural streamflow reconstruction based on streamflow variation identification). As a hybrid model coupling Pettitt's test method with an iterative algorithm and iterative cumulative sum of squares algorithm, it can determine the reconstructed components and implement the recombination depending only on the information of change points in observed annual streamflow records. Results showed that NSR-SVI is suitable for reconstructing natural series and can provide the stable streamflow processes under different human influences to better serve the hydrologic design of water resource engineering. Also, the proposed approach combining the cumulative streamflow curve provides an innovative way to investigate the attributions of streamflow variation, and the performance has been verified by comparing with the relevant results in nearby basin.
Sosyal-Duygusal Yetkinlik Ölçeği'nin Türkçeye Uyarlanması ve Güvenilirlik-Geçerlilik Çalışması
Authors: Ay İnan , Temel Gülhan
Published: February 2021

Bireysel farklılıklara bağlı olarak bazı insanlar sosyal durumları sıkıntısız ele alırken, bazıları bu konuda daha az başarı gösterebilmektedir. Sosyal-duygusal yetkinlik (Social-Emotional Expertise) kavramı, bu farklılıkları daha iyi anlamak adına McBrien, Wild ve Bachorowski (2018) tarafından geliştirilmiş bir yapıdır. Bu araştırmanın genel amacı; McBrien vd. (2018) tarafından geliştirilmiş olan Sosyal-Duygusal Yetkinlik Ölçeği’nin (Social-Emotional Expertise Scale) Türkçeye uyarlanması ve güvenilirlik-geçerlilik analizlerinin incelenmesidir. Dil eşdeğerliliği çalışması kapsamında ölçeğin Türkçe ve İngilizce formlarından alınan puanlar arasındaki ilişkiye bakılmış ve bu ilişki .883, p˂.01 olarak bulunmuştur. Ölçeğin Cronbach Alpha katsayısı .855 ve test-tekrar test güvenilirlik katsayısı .838’tür. Ölçüt-bağımlı geçerliliğin incelenmesi amacıyla yapılan çalışmada kullanılan Asıl Form Schutte Duygusal Zeka Testi ile Sosyal-Duygusal Yetkinlik Ölçeği arasındaki ilişki .615, p˂.01 olarak bulunmuştur. Ölçeğin kişinin kendisi ve bir yakın arkadaşı tarafından kişinin kendisinin değerlendirildiği formlar arasındaki ilişki ise .556, p˂.01 olarak belirlenmiştir . Doğrulayıcı faktör analizinden elde edilen uyum indeksi değerleri sonucunda Sosyal-Duygusal Yetkinlik Ölçeği’nin orijinal formunda sunulan iki faktörlü yapısının Türk kültüründe doğrulandığı sonucuna varılmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen tüm bulgular, ölçeğin güvenilir ve geçerli bir ölçme aracı olduğunu destekler niteliktedir.
Recent Advances in Genome-wide Analyses of Plant Potassium Transporter Families
Authors: Lhamo Dhondup , Wang Chao , Gao Qifei , Luan Sheng
Published: February 2021

Plants require potassium (K+) as a macronutrient to support numerous physiological processes.
Understanding how this nutrient is transported, stored, and utilized within plants is crucial
for breeding crops with high K+ use efficiency. As K+ is not metabolized, cross-membrane transport
becomes a rate-limiting step for efficient distribution and utilization in plants. Several K+ transporter
families, such as KUP/HAK/KT and KEA transporters and Shaker-like and TPK channels,
play dominant roles in plant K+ transport processes. In this review, we provide a comprehensive
contemporary overview of our knowledge about these K+ transporter families in angiosperms, with
a major focus on the genome-wide identification of K+ transporter families, subcellular localization,
spatial expression, function and regulation. We also expanded the genome-wide search for the
K+ transporter genes and examined their tissue-specific expression in Camelina sativa, a polyploid
oil-seed crop with a potential to adapt to marginal lands for biofuel purposes and contribution to
sustainable agriculture. In addition, we present new insights and emphasis on the study of K+ transporters
in polyploids in an effort to generate crops with high K+ Utilization Efficiency (KUE).
Insights into Newly Approved Drugs from a Medicinal Chemistry Perspective
Authors: Lima Elys Juliane Cardoso , Gomes Renan Augusto , Fornari Evelin , da Silva Emery Flavio , Trossini Gustavo Henrique Goulart
Published: February 2021

The development of new drugs is becoming notably harder each decade. To overcome
the present pitfalls in the drug development pipeline, such as those related to potency, selectivity,
or absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity properties, medicinal chemistry
strategies need to be in continuous evolution and need to become even more multidisciplinary. In
this review, we present how structure-based, ligand-based, and fragment-based drug design
(SBDD, LBDD, and FBDD, respectively) and their respective techniques were used for the design
and optimization of successful cases of New Molecular Entities (NMEs) approved by the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA).