bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical effect of Pediococcus acidilactici PMC48 on hyperpigmented skin
Authors: Park Hyun‐A , Seo Hoonhee , Kim Sukyung , Haq Asad Ul , Bae Sung Hae , Lee Hyun‐Ji , Ju Se Hee , Tajdozian Hanieh , Rahim Md Abdur , Ghorbanian Fatemeh , Barman Indrajeet , Yoon Youjin , Jo Sujin , Lee Youngkyoung , Cho Gyutae , Jo Hyein , Kim Mijung , Lee Saebim , Song Ho‐Yeon
Published: June 2023

Background

The excessive production and accumulation of melanin in the epidermal skin layer can result in skin hyperpigmentation and darkening. Current technologies for regulating melanin are based on inhibiting melanin biosynthesis. They have low effectiveness and safety issues.

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of Pediococcus acidilactici PMC48 as a probiotic strain in medicines and cosmetics for skin treatment.

Materials and Methods

Meanwhile, our research team has reported that P. acidilactici PMC48 strain isolated from sesame leaf kimchi can directly decompose the already synthesized melanin. It can also inhibit melanin biosynthesis. In the present study, we investigated the skin‐whitening effect of this strain by arranging an 8‐week clinical trial with 22 participants. PMC48 was applied to each participant's artificially UV‐induced tanned skin in the clinical trial. Its whitening effect was investigated based on visual evaluation, skin brightness, and melanin index.

Results

PMC48 showed a significant effect on the artificially induced pigmented skin. The color intensity of the tanned skin was decreased by 47.647%, and skin brightness was increased by 8.098% after the treatment period. PMC48 also significantly decreased the melanin index by 11.818%, indicating its tyrosinase inhibition capacity. Also, PMC48 improved skin moisture content level by 20.943%. Additionally, 16S rRNA‐based amplicon sequencing analysis showed a distinct increase in Lactobacillaceae in the skin by up to 11.2% at the family level without affecting other skin microbiota. Furthermore, it showed no toxicity in in vitro or in vivo analyses.

Discussion

These results indicate that P. acidilactici PMC48 is a promising probiotic strain that can be used to develop medicines and cosmetic products to solve skin‐related problems.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that P. acidilactici PMC48 can be a potential probiotic for the cosmetic industry against different skin disorders.
The Art of Phenomena Construction: A Framework for Coming Up with Research Phenomena beyond ‘the Usual Suspects’
Authors: Alvesson Mats , Sandberg Jörgen
Published: June 2023

Despite the centrality of research phenomena, the process of their definition is often neglected and reduced to a simple choosing of pre‐established subjects of interest. However, good research not only includes empirical work aimed at more or less ‘given as fact’ phenomena. It also involves phenomena construction: that is, the process of generating and establishing phenomena to investigate and theorize. We contend that phenomena construction is not separate from, but integral to, both the empirical and theorizing phases in research. As few phenomena are truly ‘given’ or straightforward to observe, good research calls for careful and creative construction of the phenomenon under investigation. We propose and elaborate a framework that enables researchers to generate and establish research phenomena beyond those currently available in their specific area of interest and, based on this, to produce more imaginative and impactful research.
Neuroimaging findings in 4342 hospitalized COVID‐19 subjects: A multicenter report from the United States and Europe
Authors: Faro Scott H. , Manmatharayan Arichena , Leiby Benjamin , Jain Neelu , Mohamed Feroze B. , Talekar Kiran S. , Doshi Amish , Jambor Ivan , Chang Sanders , Finkelstein Mark , Kremer Stephane , Lersy Francois , Lindgren Brenden , Figueiredo Nathalia M. , Gerevini Simonetta , Napolitano Angela , Jain Rajan , Dogra Siddhanth , Pillai Jay J. , Ryan Dan , Jager Rolf , Carletti Francesco , Mian Asim , Kaliev Artem , Anand Pria , Takahashi Courtney , Murat Ak , Colen Rivka , Mansueto Giancarlo , Pizzini Francesca
Published: June 2023

Background and Purpose

To determine the incidence of acute neuroimaging (NI) findings and comorbidities in the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID‐19)‐infected subjects in seven U.S. and four European hospitals.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of COVID‐19‐positive subjects with the following inclusion criteria: age >18, lab‐confirmed COVID‐19 infection, and acute NI findings (NI+) attributed to COVID‐19 on CT or MRI brain. NI+ and comorbidities in total hospitalized COVID‐19‐positive (TN) subjects were assessed.

Results

A total of 37,950 COVID‐19‐positive subjects were reviewed and 4342 underwent NI. NI+ incidence in subjects with NI was 10.1% (442/4342) including 7.9% (294/3701) in the United States and 22.8% (148/647) in Europe. NI+ incidence in TN was 1.16% (442/37,950). In NI (4342), incidence of ischemic stroke was 6.4% followed by intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (3.8%), encephalitis (0.5%), sinus venous thrombosis (0.2%), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (0.2%). White matter involvement was seen in 57% of NI+. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (54%) before cardiac disease (28.8%) and diabetes mellitus (27.7%). Cardiac disease (p < .025), diabetes (p < .014), and chronic kidney disease (p < .012) were more common in the United States.

Conclusion

This multicenter, multinational study investigated the incidence and spectrum of NI+ in 37,950 hospitalized adult COVID‐19 subjects including regional differences in incidences of NI+, associated comorbidities, and other demographics. NI+ incidence in TN was 1.16% including 0.95% in the United States and 2.09% in Europe. ICH, encephalitis, and ADEM were common in Europe, while ischemic strokes were more common in the United States. In this cohort, incidence and distribution of NI+ helped characterize the neurological complications of COVID‐19.
Using human genetics to understand the phenotypic association between chronotype and breast cancer
Authors: Wu Xueyao , Yang Chao , Zou Yanqiu , Jones Samuel E. , Zhao Xunying , Zhang Li , Han Zhitong , Hao Yu , Xiao Jinyu , Xiao Chenghan , Zhang Wenqiang , Yan Peijing , Cui Huijie , Tang Mingshuang , Wang Yutong , Chen Lin , Zhang Ling , Yao Yuqin , Liu Zhenmi , Li Jiayuan , Jiang Xia , Zhang Ben
Published: June 2023

Little is known regarding the shared genetic influences underlying the observed phenotypic association between chronotype and breast cancer in women. Leveraging summary statistics from the hitherto largest genome‐wide association study conducted in each trait, we investigated the genetic correlation, pleiotropic loci, and causal relationship of chronotype with overall breast cancer, and with its subtypes defined by the status of oestrogen receptor. We identified a negative genomic correlation between chronotype and overall breast cancer ( = −0.06, p = 3.00 × 10−4), consistent across oestrogen receptor‐positive ( = −0.05, p = 3.30 × 10−3) and oestrogen receptor‐negative subtypes ( = −0.05, p = 1.11 × 10−2). Five specific genomic regions were further identified as contributing a significant local genetic correlation. Cross‐trait meta‐analysis identified 78 loci shared between chronotype and breast cancer, of which 23 were novel. Transcriptome‐wide association study revealed 13 shared genes, targeting tissues of the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, and exocrine/endocrine systems. Mendelian randomisation demonstrated a significantly reduced risk of overall breast cancer (odds ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.83–0.94; p = 1.30 × 10−4) for genetically predicted morning chronotype. No reverse causality was found. Our work demonstrates an intrinsic link underlying chronotype and breast cancer, which may provide clues to inform management of sleep habits to improve female health.
Urinary bladder hemangiosarcoma in a cat treated with partial cystectomy and adjuvant metronomic cyclophosphamide and thalidomide
Authors: McNally Abigail , Rossanese Matteo , Suárez‐Bonnet Alejandro , Hardas Alexandros , Yale Andrew D.
Published: June 2023

Visceral hemangiosarcomas (HSA) are rare in cats and typically associated with aggressive biologic behavior and poor prognosis. A 4‐year‐old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was presented with a 3‐month history of hematuria and stranguria; ultrasonography identified a large bladder mass. Complete excision was achieved by partial cystectomy. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry for von Willebrand factor confirmed HSA. The cat was treated using adjuvant cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, and meloxicam for 8 months. Abdominal ultrasonography repeated at 2 months and computed tomography repeated at 5 and 19 months after diagnosis showed no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis. The cat was alive at last follow‐up (896 days). Although the cat described in this report experienced a more favorable prognosis compared to other visceral HSA locations, additional cases are needed to further understand the biological behavior of bladder HSAs and guide treatment decisions.
Prevalence of hypercalcemia in primary hypoadrenocorticism in dogs: Multicenter, retrospective study
Authors: Hall Harriet , Williams Timothy , Florey Jessica , Moreno Mireia Pascual , Black Victoria , Thompson Daniel , Skelly Barbara
Published: June 2023

Background

Hypoadrenocorticism is an important differential for hypercalcemia. The etiology of hypercalcemia in hypoadrenocorticism in dogs is unclear.

Objective

To review the prevalence of hypercalcemia and use statistical models to identify clinical, demographic, and biochemical variables associated with hypercalcemia in dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism.

Animals

One hundred ten dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism; 107 with recorded total calcium (TCa), 43 recorded ionized calcium (iCa).

Methods

Multicenter retrospective observational study at 4 UK referral hospitals. Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between independent variables of signalment, hypoadrenocorticism type (glucocorticoid only deficient hypoadrenocorticism [GHoC] vs glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficient hypoadrenocorticism [GMHoC]), clinicopathological variables and hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia was defined as elevated TCa, an elevated iCa, or both elevated TCa and iCa (Model 1) or as elevated iCa (Model 2).

Results

Overall prevalence of hypercalcemia was 34.5% (38/110). The odds of hypercalcemia (Model 1) were increased (P < .05) in dogs with GMHoC ([vs GHoC], OR [odds ratio] = 3.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.105‐13.463), higher serum creatinine (OR = 1.512, 95% CI 1.041‐2.197), and higher serum albumin (OR = 4.187, 95% CI 1.744‐10.048). The odds of ionized hypercalcemia (Model 2) were increased (P < .05) with reduced serum potassium concentration (OR = 0.401, 95% CI 0.184‐0.876) and younger age (OR = 0.737, 95% CI 0.558‐0.974).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This study identified several key clinical and biochemical variables associated with hypercalcemia in dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism. These findings aid understanding of the pathophysiology and etiology of hypercalcemia in dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism.
A market for citizenships: Should citizenship be commodified?
Authors: Bengtsson Ingemar
Published: June 2023

Starting from the assumption that citizenship is property that would be more valuable if it were transferable, the paper explores the idea of commodification of citizenship. The paper provides arguments in favor of commodification and recommendations to how the market for citizenships should be designed. A market for citizenships could result in an improved matching between employer and employee when citizens swap citizenship with each other. Successful States could issue new citizenships and thus make it possible for a greater share of the world population to live and work within the countries with the best institutions. The combined effect would be a higher global productivity. Additionally, market prices on citizenships would provide information on institutional quality and thus provide politicians with information on voters' preferences as well as voters with information on the quality of the work of the government. The market value of a tradable citizenship is also found to be a candidate as tax base for a redistributive tax on a global level that could address some of the inherent inequality with birthright citizenships. Those potential benefits aside, several problems with a market for citizenship are also found and discussed, among those the age‐dependent value of citizenships.
Outgrowing representationalism: Semantic remarks on Tracy Llanera's Richard Rorty: Outgrowing modern nihilism
Authors: Huetter‐Almerigi Yvonne
Published: June 2023

This article provides a semantic reading of Tracy Llanera's brilliant book Richard Rorty: Outgrowing Modern Nihilism. Llanera is reframing the debate of how to react to the malaise of modern nihilism by proposing a change of metaphor: instead of trying to “overcome” nihilism, we should try to “outgrow” nihilism. This article invites Llanera to shed more light on her project with respect to the semantic categories of realism and representationalism, and with respect to the growing field of conceptual engineering. Can Llanera's project be fruitfully understood as engineering the concepts of “transcendence” and “redemption”? How much of the project hangs on the idea that language does not represent but is rather a tool that helps us fulfill our varying needs? How neat is the entanglement of semantic and existential meaning?
Emerging subcutaneous mycoses by opportunistic filamentous fungi: A retrospective study in Northwest Spain
Authors: Taibo Ana , Seoane Estévez Alejandro , Martínez Campayo Nieves , Rodríguez Mayo María , Arévalo Bermúdez María del Pilar , Fonseca Eduardo
Published: June 2023

Background

Subcutaneous mycoses caused by opportunistic filamentous fungi are emerging infections in developed countries due to the longer survival of immunocompromised patients. The evidence published in relation to subcutaneous mycoses is fundamentally based on case reports and small case series.

Methods

We performed an observational retrospective study of subcutaneous mycoses caused by opportunistic filamentous fungi diagnosed at our institution between 2017 and 2022. This study aims to estimate the incidence rate of subcutaneous mycoses, identify which fungal species are involved, and analyse which clinical variables predispose to infection and if any are associated with mortality.

Results

Fifteen patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 61 years (range 27–84), and 80% of them were males. Alternaria spp. were the most common fungi. Two other organisms were frequently isolated: Scedosporium apiospermum and Fusarium solani. Among patients infected with F. solani, 66.7% died. The most common clinical presentation was suppurative nodules in the lower limbs and the main risk factors for infection were immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, previous trauma and transplantation, but they were not particularly associated with increased mortality. A statistically significant association with mortality was only found in the case of positive blood culture (p = <.001).

Conclusions

Phaeohyphomycosis has a lower risk of dissemination, especially when compared to subcutaneous mycoses caused by hyalohyphomycetes. It is important to convey the severity of these skin infections to the physicians involved in the treatment and follow‐up of susceptible patients to avoid misdiagnosis and delays in the treatment, especially in the case of hyalohyphomycosis.
Balamuthia mandrillarisamoebic encephalitis mimicking tuberculous meningitis
Authors: Ono Yoya , Higashida Kazuhiro , Yamanouchi Kanako , Nomura Shusuke , Hanamatsu Yuki , Saigo Chiemi , Tetsuka Nobuyuki , Shimohata Takayoshi
Published: June 2023

A 76‐year‐old female with no apparent immunosuppressive conditions and no history of exposure to freshwater and international travel presented with headache and nausea 3 weeks before the presentation. On admission, her consciousness was E4V4V6. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis with mononuclear cell predominance, elevated protein, and decreased glucose. Despite antibiotic and antiviral therapy, her consciousness and neck stiffness gradually worsened, right eye‐movement restriction appeared, and the right direct light reflex became absent. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed hydrocephalus in the inferior horn of the left lateral ventricle and meningeal enhancement around the brainstem and cerebellum. Tuberculous meningitis was suspected, and pyrazinamide, ethambutol, rifampicin, isoniazid, and dexamethasone were started. In addition, endoscopic biopsy was performed from the white matter around the inferior horn of the left lateral ventricle to exclude brain tumor. A brain biopsy specimen revealed eosinophilic round cytoplasm with vacuoles around blood vessels, and we diagnosed with amoebic encephalitis. We started azithromycin, flucytosine, rifampicin, and fluconazole, but her symptoms did not improve. She died 42 days after admission. In autopsy, the brain had not retained its structure due to autolysis. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of her brain biopsy specimen showed numerous amoebic cysts in the perivascular brain tissue. Analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA region of amoebas from brain biopsy and autopsy specimens revealed a sequence consistent withBalamuthia mandrillaris. Amoebic meningoencephalitis can present with features characteristic of tuberculous meningitis, such as cranial nerve palsies, hydrocephalus, and basal meningeal enhancement. Difficulties in diagnosing amoebic meningoencephalitis are attributed to the following factors: (1) excluding tuberculous meningitis by microbial testing is difficult, (2) amoebic meningoencephalitis has low incidence and can occur without obvious exposure history, (3) invasive brain biopsy is essential in diagnosing amoebic meningoencephalitis. We should recognize the possibility of amoebic meningoencephalitis when evidence of tuberculosis meningitis cannot be demonstrated.
Climbing mechanisms and the diversification of neotropical climbing plants across time and space
Authors: Sperotto Patrícia , Roque Nádia , Acevedo‐Rodríguez Pedro , Vasconcelos Thaís
Published: June 2023

Climbers germinate on the ground but need external support to sustain their stems, which are maintained attached to supports through modified organs, that is, climbing mechanisms. Specialized climbing mechanisms have been linked to higher diversification rates. Also, different mechanisms may have different support diameter restrictions, which might influence climbers' spatial distribution.

We test these assumptions by linking climbing mechanisms to the spatiotemporal diversification of neotropical climbers. A dataset of climbing mechanisms is presented for 9071 species. WCVP was used to standardize species names, map geographical distributions, and estimate diversification rates of lineages with different mechanisms.

Twiners appear concentrated in the Dry Diagonal of South America and climbers with adhesive roots in the Chocó region and Central America. However, climbing mechanisms do not significantly influence the distribution of neotropical climbers. Also, we found no strong support for correlations between specialized climbing mechanisms and higher diversification rates.

Climbing mechanisms do not strongly impact the spatiotemporal diversification of neotropical climbers on a macroevolutionary scale. We argue that the climbing habit is a synnovation, meaning the spatiotemporal diversification it promotes is due to the sum effect of all the habit's traits rather than isolated traits, such as climbing mechanisms.
Compositional shifts associated with major evolutionary transitions in plants
Authors: Smith Stephen A. , Walker‐Hale Nathanael , Parins‐Fukuchi Charles Tomomi
Published: June 2023

Heterogeneity in gene trees, morphological characters, and composition has been associated with several major plant clades. Here, we examine heterogeneity in composition across a large transcriptomic dataset of plants to better understand whether locations of shifts in composition are shared across gene regions and whether directions of shifts within clades are shared across gene regions.

We estimate mixed models of composition for both nucleotide and amino acids across a recent large‐scale transcriptomic dataset for plants.

We find shifts in composition across both nucleotide and amino acid datasets, with more shifts detected in nucleotides. We find that Chlorophytes and lineages within experience the most shifts. However, many shifts occur at the origins of land, vascular, and seed plants. While genes in these clades do not typically share the same composition, they tend to shift in the same direction. We discuss potential causes of these patterns.

Compositional heterogeneity has been highlighted as a potential problem for phylogenetic analysis, but the variation presented here highlights the need to further investigate these patterns for the signal of biological processes.
Gold‐FISH enables targeted NanoSIMS analysis of plant‐associated bacteria
Authors: Schmidt Hannes , Gorka Stefan , Seki David , Schintlmeister Arno , Woebken Dagmar
Published: June 2023

Bacteria colonize plant roots and engage in reciprocal interactions with their hosts. However, the contribution of individual taxa or groups of bacteria to plant nutrition and fitness is not well characterized due to a lack of in situ evidence of bacterial activity.

To address this knowledge gap, we developed an analytical approach that combines the identification and localization of individual bacteria on root surfaces via gold‐based in situ hybridization with correlative NanoSIMS imaging of incorporated stable isotopes, indicative of metabolic activity.

We incubated Kosakonia strain DS‐1‐associated, gnotobiotically grown rice plants with 15N–N2 gas to detect in situ N2 fixation activity. Bacterial cells along the rhizoplane showed heterogeneous patterns of 15N enrichment, ranging from the natural isotope abundance levels up to 12.07 at% 15N (average and median of 3.36 and 2.85 at% 15N, respectively, n = 697 cells).

The presented correlative optical and chemical imaging analysis is applicable to a broad range of studies investigating plant–microbe interactions. For example, it enables verification of the in situ metabolic activity of host‐associated commercialized strains or plant growth‐promoting bacteria, thereby disentangling their role in plant nutrition. Such data facilitate the design of plant–microbe combinations for improvement of crop management.
Compensation Characteristics of Spinal Sagittal Malalignment According to Pelvic Incidence in Elderly Patients with Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Wang Dong‐Fan , Li Xiang‐Yu , Wang Wei , Li Yong‐Jin , Kong Chao , Lu Shi‐Bao
Published: June 2023

Objective

Compensation characteristics of spinal sagittal malalignment according to pelvic incidence (PI) have yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the difference in compensatory segments according to PI in elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS).

Methods

This retrospective study included 196 patients (143 females, 53 males) suffering from DLSS with an average age of 66.73 years in our department. Sagittal parameters were obtained on the whole spinal lateral radiograph, including T1‐T12 slope (T1S‐T12S), Cobb angle (CA) of the functional units of the thoracic spine, thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), PI, the ratio of PT to PI (PT/PI), PI minus LL mismatch (PI‐LL), sagittal vertical axis (SVA). Patients were divided into the low and high PI groups according to the median value of PI. With reference to the value of SVA and PI‐LL, each PI group was further grouped into the balance subgroup (SVA < 50 mm, PI‐LL ≤10°), hidden imbalance subgroup (SVA < 50 mm, PI‐LL > 10°), and imbalance subgroup (SVA ≥50 mm). Independent samples t‐test/Mann–Whitney U test, one‐way ANOVA/Kruskal‐Wallis test, and Person correlation analysis were utilized for statistical test.

Results

The median value of PI was 47.65°. 96 and 100 patients were assigned to low and high PI groups, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that the T8‐T12 slope and T10‐T12 slope were associated with PI‐LL in the high and low PI groups, respectively (all, p < 0.01). For segmental lordosis, T8‐9 to T11‐12 CA and T10‐11 to T11‐12 CA were associated with PI‐LL in the high and low PI groups, respectively (all, p < 0.01). In the high PI cohort, T8‐12 CA and PT increased significantly from the balance to imbalance subgroups (both, p < 0.05). In the low PI cohort, T10‐12 CA and PT first increased and then decreased from the balance to imbalance subgroups (both, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

T8‐12 was the main compensatory segment of the thoracic spine in patients with high PI, while it was T10‐12 in patients with low PI. In addition, the compensation potential of the lower thoracic spine and pelvis in patients with low PI was inferior to those with high PI.
The contralateral oblique fluoroscopic view is associated with a lower incidence of postdural puncture headache in patients undergoing percutaneous spinal cord stimulation
Authors: Madan Elena , Hussain Nasir , Gill Jatinder S. , Simopoulos Thomas T.
Published: June 2023

Background

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive therapy that is increasingly used to treat refractory neuropathic pain. Although this technique has a low incidence of serious long‐term adverse sequelae, the risk of complications such as inadvertent dural puncture remains.

Objectives

The goal of this article was to determine the impact of the contralateral oblique (CLO) fluoroscopic view incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) during spinal cord stimulator implantation as compared to lateral fluoroscopic view.

Methods

This was a single academic institution retrospective analysis of electronic medical records spanning an approximate 20‐year time period. Operative and postoperative notes were reviewed for details on dural puncture, including technique and spinal level of access, the development of a PDPH, and subsequent management.

Results

Over nearly two decades, a total of 1637 leads inserted resulted in 5 PDPH that were refractory to conservative measures but responded to epidural blood patch without long‐term complications. The incidence of PDPH per lead insertion utilizing loss of resistance and lateral fluoroscopic guidance was 0.8% (4/489). However, adoption of CLO guidance was associated with a lower rate of PDPH at 0.08% (1/1148), p < 0.02.

Conclusions

The incorporation of the CLO view to guide epidural needle placement can decrease the odds of a PDPH during percutaneous SCS procedures. This study further provides real‐world data supporting the potential enhanced accuracy of epidural needle placement in order to avoid unintentional puncture or trauma to deeper spinal anatomic structures.
Efficient proteome‐wide identification of transcription factors targeting Glu‐1: A case study for functional validation of TaB3‐2A1 in wheat
Authors: Xie Lina , Liu Siyang , Zhang Yong , Tian Wenfei , Xu Dengan , Li Jihu , Luo Xumei , Li Lingli , Bian Yingjie , Li Faji , Hao Yuanfeng , He Zhonghu , Xia Xianchun , Song Xiyue , Cao Shuanghe
Published: June 2023

High‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS), a major component of seed storage proteins (SSP) in wheat, largely determine processing quality. HMW‐GS encoded by GLU‐1 loci are mainly controlled at the transcriptional level by interactions between cis‐elements and transcription factors (TFs). We previously identified a conserved cis‐regulatory module CCRM1‐1 as the most essential cis‐element for Glu‐1 endosperm‐specific high expression. However, the TFs targeting CCRM1‐1 remained unknown. Here, we built the first DNA pull‐down plus liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry platform in wheat and identified 31 TFs interacting with CCRM1‐1. TaB3‐2A1 as proof of concept was confirmed to bind to CCRM1‐1 by yeast one hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Transactivation experiments demonstrated that TaB3‐2A1 repressed CCRM1‐1‐driven transcription activity. TaB3‐2A1 overexpression significantly reduced HMW‐GS and other SSP, but enhanced starch content. Transcriptome analyses confirmed that enhanced expression of TaB3‐2A1 down‐regulated SSP genes and up‐regulated starch synthesis‐related genes, such as TaAGPL3, TaAGPS2, TaGBSSI, TaSUS1 and TaSUS5, suggesting that it is an integrator modulating the balance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism. TaB3‐2A1 also had significant effects on agronomic traits, including heading date, plant height and grain weight. We identified two major haplotypes of TaB3‐2A1 and found that TaB3‐2A1‐Hap1 conferred lower seed protein content, but higher starch content, plant height and grain weight than TaB3‐2A1‐Hap2 and was subjected to positive selection in a panel of elite wheat cultivars. These findings provide a high‐efficiency tool to detect TFs binding to targeted promoters, considerable gene resources for dissecting regulatory mechanisms underlying Glu‐1 expression, and a useful gene for wheat improvement.
Sugar starvation activates the OsSnRK1a‐OsbHLH111/OsSGI1‐OsTPP7 module to mediate growth inhibition of rice
Authors: Wang Kun , Li Mengqi , Zhang Bo , Chang Yanpeng , An Shiheng , Zhao Wenli
Published: June 2023

Sugar deficiency is the persistent challenge for plants during development. Trehalose‐6‐phosphate (T6P) is recognized as a key regulator in balancing plant sugar homeostasis. However, the underlying mechanisms by which sugar starvation limits plant development are unclear. Here, a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor (OsbHLH111) was named starvation‐associated growth inhibitor 1 (OsSGI1) and the focus is on the sugar shortage of rice. The transcript and protein levels of OsSGI1 were markedly increased during sugar starvation. The knockout mutants sgi1‐1/2/3 exhibited increased grain size and promoted seed germination and vegetative growth, which were opposite to those of overexpression lines. The direct binding of OsSGI1 to sucrose non‐fermenting‐1 (SNF1)‐related protein kinase 1a (OsSnRK1a) was enhanced during sugar shortage. Subsequently, OsSnRK1a‐dependent phosphorylation of OsSGI1 enhanced the direct binding to the E‐box of trehalose 6‐phosphate phosphatase 7 (OsTPP7) promoter, thus rose the transcription inhibition on OsTPP7, then elevated trehalose 6‐phosphate (Tre6P) content but decreased sucrose content. Meanwhile, OsSnRK1a degraded phosphorylated‐OsSGI1 by proteasome pathway to prevent the cumulative toxicity of OsSGI1. Overall, we established the OsSGI1‐OsTPP7‐Tre6P loop with OsSnRK1a as center and OsSGI1 as forward, which is activated by sugar starvation to regulate sugar homeostasis and thus inhibits rice growth.
The natural history of periodontal disease: The Java study—Origin, implementation, and results 35 years on
Authors: Van der Velden Ubele
Published: June 2023

This review describes the origin and results of the prospective longitudinal study to test potential prognostic indicators for periodontal breakdown in a population deprived of regular dental care. Experimental gingivitis studies in individuals highly susceptible or highly resistant to periodontitis showed that bleeding on probing developed quite differently: 50% versus 18% bleeding, respectively, after 18 days of no oral hygiene. This formed, together with other clinical and microbiological parameters, the basis for the 15‐year prospective study in the Java tea worker population to test potential prognostic indicators for periodontal breakdown. Evaluation showed that during the 15‐year observation period of this population aged 15‐25 years at baseline, the number of teeth decreased and the periodontal condition deteriorated. Gingival recession showed no increase during the first 7 years of observation, whereas a sixfold increase had occurred thereafter. Attachment loss doubled during the first 7 years, but almost tripled thereafter. Risk markers for disease onset/progression during the first 7 years of observation were age, the number of sites with subgingival calculus, and the subgingival presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Over the full period of 15 years the number of sites with a pocket depth of at least 5 mm and the number of sites with recession were identified as risk markers and male gender as a risk determinant. The prevalence of severe periodontitis amounted to 20% in 2002. Analysis showed that, already at baseline and throughout the study period, the periodontal condition in these individuals was more severe compared with the other participants. In conclusion, characteristics of susceptibility to periodontitis are already apparent in young adulthood.
Extraterritorial trade sanctions: Theory and application to the US–Iran–EU conflict
Authors: Janeba Eckhard
Published: June 2023

Under extraterritorial sanctions the sanctioning country extends its policies to trade of third countries with the sanctioned country. An example is President Trump's decision in 2018 to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multilateral agreement with Iran. In this article, I develop a game‐theoretic model to explain the emergence of extraterritorial sanctions. Such trade sanctions (i) do not arise when the harmful activity of the sanctioned country (“build a nuclear bomb”) is verifiable even if monetary transfers are ruled out, but (ii) emerge if a second activity (“sponsor international terrorism”) is not verifiable, and the sanctioning countries differ in their gains from trade with the sanctioned country, their harm from the non‐verifiable activity, and their cost from abandoning the international economic order. In the context of the US–Iran–EU conflict, I argue that the oil and gas fracking boom in the US together with former President Trump's ignorance of his international reputation are key factors in the emergence of extraterritorial trade sanctions.
Effects of out‐of‐school physical activity interventions based on self‐determination theory in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Tapia‐Serrano Miguel Á. , López‐Gajardo Miguel A. , Sánchez‐Miguel Pedro A. , González‐Ponce Inmaculada , García‐Calvo Tomás , Pulido Juan J. , Leo Francisco M.
Published: June 2023

Objective

This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to examine the effects of out‐of‐school physical activity (PA) interventions, based on Self‐Determination Theory (SDT), on basic psychological needs (BPN), motivation toward PA, and PA levels in youths.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analyses.

Method

We searched for intervention studies examining the effects of PA interventions based on SDT implemented outside the school published in English and Spanish in six electronic databases up to January 2022.

Results

Outcomes of interest were BPN, motivation, and PA levels. In total, nine studies were included in this review. Seven individual meta‐analyses were conducted for each variable, revealing nonsignificant clustered effects for the outcomes autonomy satisfaction (g = 0.12, 95% CI [−0.31, 0.55]), competence satisfaction (g = 0.02, 95% CI [−0.28, 0.32]), relatedness satisfaction (g = 0.13, 95% CI [−0.43, 0.68]), autonomous motivation (g = 0.15, 95% CI [−0.38, 0.67]), controlled motivation (g = 0.12, 95% CI [−0.32, 0.55]), amotivation (g = −0.36, 95% CI [−0.88, 0.16]), and PA behavior (g = 0.02, 95% CI [−0.08, 0.12]).

Conclusion

Meta‐analyses suggest that out‐of‐school PA interventions based on SDT are not effective in increasing levels of needs satisfaction, types of motivation, and PA levels.
Exploring artificial intelligence from a clinical perspective: A comparison and application analysis of two facial age predictors trained on a large‐scale Chinese cosmetic patient database
Authors: Zhang Meng M. , Di Wen J. , Song Tao , Yin Ning B. , Wang Yong Q.
Published: June 2023

Background

Age prediction powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can be used as an objective technique to assess the cosmetic effect of rejuvenation surgery. Existing age‐estimation models are trained on public datasets with the Caucasian race as the main reference, thus they are impractical for clinical application in Chinese patients.

Methods

To develop and select an age‐estimation model appropriate for Chinese patients receiving rejuvenation treatment, we obtained a face database of 10 529 images from 1821 patients from the author's hospital and selected two representative age‐estimation algorithms for the model training. The prediction accuracies and the interpretability of calculation logic of these two facial age predictors were compared and analyzed.

Results

The mean absolute error (MAE) of a traditional support vector machine‐learning model was 10.185 years; the proportion of absolute error ≤6 years was 35.90% and 68.50% ≤12 years. The MAE of a deep‐learning model based on the VGG‐16 framework was 3.011 years; the proportion of absolute error ≤6 years was 90.20% and 100% ≤12 years. Compared with deep learning, traditional machine‐learning models have clearer computational logic, which allows them to give clinicians more specific treatment recommendations.

Conclusion

Experimental results show that deep‐learning exceeds traditional machine learning in the prediction of Chinese cosmetic patients' age. Although traditional machine learning model has better interpretability than deep‐learning model, deep‐learning is more accurate for clinical quantitative evaluation. Knowing the decision‐making logic behind the accurate prediction of deep‐learning is crucial for deeper clinical application, and requires further exploration.
The novel HLA‐C*07:1058 allele characterised by two different sequencing‐based typing techniques
Authors: Dhuyser Adèle , Silva Rodriguez Maël , Morel Thomas , Pérès Michaël , Aarnink Alice
Published: June 2023

The novel allele HLA‐C*07:1058 differs from HLA‐C*07:02:01:01 by one non‐synonymous nucleotide substitution in exon 4.
Conceptual Foundations of Sustainability
Authors: Malt Barbara C. , Majid Asifa
Published: June 2023

Threats to the health of our environment are numerous. Much research in science and engineering is devoted to documenting, understanding, and attempting to mitigate the harm itself. The root challenge for sustainability, however, is human behavior. As such, changes to human behaviors and the internal processes that drive them are also essential. Critical to understanding sustainability‐related behaviors is the individual's conceptualization of the natural world and its components and processes. The papers in this topiCS issue address these conceptualizations by drawing from anthropological, linguistic, educational, philosophical, and social cognitive perspectives as well as traditional psychological approaches to the study of concepts and their development in children. They engage with many domains bearing on environmental sustainability including climate change, biodiversity, land and water conservation, resource use, and design of the built environment. They coalesce around four broad themes: (a) What people know (or believe) about nature broadly and about specific aspects of nature, and how they acquire and use this knowledge; (b) how knowledge is expressed and shared via language; (c) how knowledge and beliefs interact with affective, social, and motivational influences to yield attitudes and behaviors; and (d) how members of different cultures and speakers of different languages differ in these ways. The papers also point to lessons for advancing sustainability via public policy and public messaging, education, conservation and nature management, and design of the built environment.
Fostering Collective Intelligence in Human–AI Collaboration: Laying the Groundwork for COHUMAIN
Authors: Gupta Pranav , Nguyen Thuy Ngoc , Gonzalez Cleotilde , Woolley Anita Williams
Published: June 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered machines are increasingly mediating our work and many of our managerial, economic, and cultural interactions. While technology enhances individual capability in many ways, how do we know that the sociotechnical system as a whole, consisting of a complex web of hundreds of human–machine interactions, is exhibiting collective intelligence? Research on human–machine interactions has been conducted within different disciplinary silos, resulting in social science models that underestimate technology and vice versa. Bringing together these different perspectives and methods at this juncture is critical. To truly advance our understanding of this important and quickly evolving area, we need vehicles to help research connect across disciplinary boundaries.

This paper advocates for establishing an interdisciplinary research domain—Collective Human‐Machine Intelligence (COHUMAIN). It outlines a research agenda for a holistic approach to designing and developing the dynamics of sociotechnical systems. In illustrating the kind of approach, we envision in this domain, we describe recent work on a sociocognitive architecture, the transactive systems model of collective intelligence, that articulates the critical processes underlying the emergence and maintenance of collective intelligence and extend it to human–AI systems. We connect this with synergistic work on a compatible cognitive architecture, instance‐based learning theory and apply it to the design of AI agents that collaborate with humans. We present this work as a call to researchers working on related questions to not only engage with our proposal but also develop their own sociocognitive architectures and unlock the real potential of human–machine intelligence.
Transcriptome analysis reveals that PbMYB61 and PbMYB308 are involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit stone cells
Authors: Zhu Yansong , Wang Yicheng , Jiang Huiyan , Liu Wenjun , Zhang Shuhui , Hou Xukai , Zhang Susu , Wang Nan , Zhang Rui , Zhang Zongying , Chen Xuesen
Published: June 2023

Pear fruit stone cells have thick walls and are formed by the secondary deposition of lignin in the primary cell wall of thin‐walled cells. Their content and size seriously affect fruit characteristics related to edibility. To reveal the regulatory mechanism underlying stone cell formation during pear fruit development and to identify hub genes, we examined the stone cell and lignin contents of 30 ‘Shannongsu’ pear flesh samples and analyzed the transcriptomes of 15 pear flesh samples collected at five developmental stages. On the basis of the RNA‐seq data, 35 874 differentially expressed genes were detected. Additionally, two stone cell‐related modules were identified according to a WGCNA. A total of 42 lignin‐related structural genes were subsequently obtained. Furthermore, nine hub structural genes were identified in the lignin regulatory network. We also identified PbMYB61 and PbMYB308 as candidate transcriptional regulators of stone cell formation after analyzing co‐expression networks and phylogenetic relationships. Finally, we experimentally validated and characterized the candidate transcription factors and revealed that PbMYB61 regulates stone cell lignin formation by binding to the AC element in the PbLAC1 promoter to upregulate expression. However, PbMYB308 negatively regulates stone cell lignin synthesis by binding to PbMYB61 to form a dimer that cannot activate PbLAC1 expression. In this study, we explored the lignin synthesis‐related functions of MYB family members. The results presented herein are useful for elucidating the complex mechanisms underlying lignin biosynthesis during pear fruit stone cell development.
The astrocytic Na+‐HCO3− cotransporter, NBCe1, is dispensable for respiratory chemosensitivity
Authors: Li Keyong , Gonye Elizabeth C. , Stornetta Ruth L. , Bayliss Christopher B. , Yi Grace , Stornetta Daniel S. , Baca Serapio M. , Abbott Stephen B.G. , Guyenet Patrice G. , Bayliss Douglas A.
Published: June 2023

The interoceptive homeostatic mechanism that controls breathing, blood gases and acid‐base balance in response to changes in CO2/H+ is exquisitely sensitive, with convergent roles proposed for chemosensory brainstem neurons in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) and their supporting glial cells. For astrocytes, a central role for NBCe1, a Na+‐HCO3− cotransporter encoded by Slc4a4, has been envisaged in multiple mechanistic models (i.e. underlying enhanced CO2‐induced local extracellular acidification or purinergic signalling). We tested these NBCe1‐centric models by using conditional knockout mice in which Slc4a4 was deleted from astrocytes. In GFAP‐Cre;Slc4a4fl/fl mice we found diminished expression of Slc4a4 in RTN astrocytes by comparison to control littermates, and a concomitant reduction in NBCe1‐mediated current. Despite disrupted NBCe1 function in RTN‐adjacent astrocytes from these conditional knockout mice, CO2‐induced activation of RTN neurons or astrocytes in vitro and in vivo, and CO2‐stimulated breathing, were indistinguishable from NBCe1‐intact littermates; hypoxia‐stimulated breathing and sighs were likewise unaffected. We obtained a more widespread deletion of NBCe1 in brainstem astrocytes by using tamoxifen‐treated Aldh1l1‐Cre/ERT2;Slc4a4fl/fl mice. Again, there was no difference in effects of CO2 or hypoxia on breathing or on neuron/astrocyte activation in NBCe1‐deleted mice. These data indicate that astrocytic NBCe1 is not required for the respiratory responses to these chemoreceptor stimuli in mice, and that any physiologically relevant astrocytic contributions must involve NBCe1‐independent mechanisms.

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Key points

The electrogenic NBCe1 transporter is proposed to mediate local astrocytic CO2/H+ sensing that enables excitatory modulation of nearby retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) neurons to support chemosensory control of breathing.

We used two different Cre mouse lines for cell‐specific and/or temporally regulated deletion of the NBCe1 gene (Slc4a4) in astrocytes to test this hypothesis.

In both mouse lines, Slc4a4 was depleted from RTN‐associated astrocytes but CO2‐induced Fos expression (i.e. cell activation) in RTN neurons and local astrocytes was intact.

Likewise, respiratory chemoreflexes evoked by changes in CO2 or O2 were unaffected by loss of astrocytic Slc4a4.

These data do not support the previously proposed role for NBCe1 in respiratory chemosensitivity mediated by astrocytes.
Analysis of Liquid Film Evaporation in Porous Particles: Toward Optimal Wick Parameters for Heat Transfer in Heat Pipes
Authors: Mei Xiaokang , Xie Yingxi , Chai Shitong , Wu Xiaohua , Lu Longsheng
Published: June 2023

Evaporation of working fluids inside capillary wicks determines the heat transfer capability of heat pipes. However, the relationship between wick parameters and evaporative heat transfer remains unclear. To establish a correlation between wick parameters of sintered porous particles and evaporation characteristics, a boundary condition model was developed, incorporating wick parameters such as particle radius (R), particle distance (d), apparent contact angle (θa), and initial liquid height (H). In the absence of a significant size effect, the profile of the liquid–vapor interface was determined using the boundary model by numerically solving the augmented Young–Laplace equation. Ammonia was used as an example to investigate evaporation characteristics. The curvature radius of the intrinsic meniscus (Re) was found to serve as a bridging factor between these wick parameters and evaporation characteristics. When Re exceeded 40.3 μm, a limitation in evaporative heat transfer within the thin film region was observed. The relationship between R, d, θa, and H was quantitatively described based on this evaporative heat transfer limit. Furthermore, a nondimensional analysis of the governing equation for the evaporating liquid film profile was conducted, yielding an influencing factor (λ) that governed the thin film profile. The proposed model and its outcomes could offer valuable theoretical insights for the structural design of sintered porous particles, the optimization of surface modification levels, and the determination of the appropriate working fluid charging ratio during the manufacturing process of heat pipes.