bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Root-associated bacteria modulate the specialised metabolome of Lithospermum officinale L.
Authors: Varela Alonso Alicia , Naranjo Henry D. , Rat Angélique , Rodić Nebojša , Nannou Christina I. , Lambropoulou Dimitra A. , Assimopoulou Andreana N. , Declerck Stéphane , Rödel Philipp , Schneider Carolin , Willems Anne
Published: August 2022

Bacteria influence plant growth and development and therefore are attractive resources for applications in agriculture. However, little is known about the impact of these microorganisms on secondary metabolite (SM) production by medicinal plants. Here we assessed, for the first time, the effects of bacteria on the modulation of SM production in the medicinal plant Lithospermum officinale (Boraginaceae family) with a focus on the naphthoquinones alkannin/shikonin and their derivatives (A/Sd). The study was conducted in an in vitro cultivation system developed for that purpose, as well as in a greenhouse. Targeted and non-targeted metabolomics were performed, and expression of the gene PGT encoding for a key enzyme in the A/S biosynthesis pathway was evaluated with qPCR. Three strains, Chitinophaga sp. R-73072, Xanthomonas sp. R-73098 and Pseudomonas sp. R-71838 induced a significant increase of A/Sd in L. officinale in both systems, demonstrating the strength of our approach for screening A/Sd-inducing bacteria. The bacterial treatments altered other plant metabolites derived from the shikimate pathway as well. Our results demonstrate that bacteria influence the biosynthesis of A/Sd and interact with different metabolic pathways. This work highlights the potential of bacteria to increase the production of SM in medicinal plants and reveals new patterns in the metabolome regulation of L. officinale.
Chromosome-specific potential intron polymorphism markers for large-scale genotyping applications in pomegranate
Authors: Patil Prakash Goudappa , Jamma Shivani , N Manjunatha , Bohra Abhishek , Pokhare Somnath , Dhinesh Babu Karuppannan , Murkute Ashutosh A. , Marathe Rajiv A.
Published: August 2022

Despite the availability of whole genome assemblies, the identification and utilization of gene-based marker systems has been limited in pomegranate. In the present study, we performed a genome-wide survey of intron length (IL) markers in the 36,524 annotated genes of the Tunisia genome. We identified and designed a total of 8,812 potential intron polymorphism (PIP) markers specific to 3,445 (13.40%) gene models that span 8 Tunisia chromosomes. The ePCR validation of all these PIP markers on the Tunisia genome revealed single-locus amplification for 1,233 (14%) markers corresponding to 958 (27.80%) genes. The markers yielding single amplicons were then mapped onto Tunisia chromosomes to develop a saturated linkage map. The functional categorization of 958 genes revealed them to be a part of the nucleus and the cytoplasm having protein binding and catalytic activity, and these genes are mainly involved in the metabolic process, including photosynthesis. Further, through ePCR, 1,233 PIP markers were assayed on multiple genomes, which resulted in the identification of 886 polymorphic markers with an average PIC value of 0.62. In silico comparative mapping based on physically mapped PIP markers indicates a higher synteny of Tunisia with the Dabenzi and Taishanhong genomes (>98%) in comparison with the AG2017 genome (95%). We then performed experimental validation of a subset of 100 PIP primers on eight pomegranate genotypes and identified 76 polymorphic markers, with 15 having PIC values ≥0.50. We demonstrated the potential utility of the developed markers by analyzing the genetic diversity of 31 pomegranate genotypes using 24 PIP markers. This study reports for the first time large-scale development of gene-based and chromosome-specific PIP markers, which would serve as a rich marker resource for genetic variation studies, functional gene discovery, and genomics-assisted breeding of pomegranate.
Three methods for inoculation of viral vectors into plants
Authors: Monroy-Borrego Andrea G. , Steinmetz Nicole F.
Published: August 2022

Agriculture is facing new challenges, with global warming modifying the survival chances for crops, and new pests on the horizon. To keep up with these challenges, gene delivery provides tools to increase crop yields. On the other hand, gene delivery also opens the door for molecular farming of pharmaceuticals in plants. However, towards increased food production and scalable molecular farming, there remain technical difficulties and regulatory hurdles to overcome. The industry-standard is transformation of plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but this method is limited to certain plants, requires set up of plant growth facilities and fermentation of bacteria, and introduces lipopolysaccharides contaminants into the system. Therefore, alternate methods are needed. Mechanical inoculation and spray methods have already been discussed in the literature – and here, we compare these methods with a newly introduced petiole injection technique. Because our interest lies in the development of plant viruses as immunotherapies targeting human health as well as gene delivery vectors for agriculture applications, we turned toward tobacco mosaic virus as a model system. We studied the effectiveness of three inoculation techniques: mechanical inoculation, Silwet-77 foliar spray and petiole injections. The foliar spray method was optimized, and we used 0.03% Silwet L-77 to induce infection using either TMV or a lysine-added mutant TMV-Lys. We developed a method using a needle-laden syringe to target and inject the plant virus directly into the vasculature of the plant – we tested injection into the stem and petiole. Stem inoculation resulted in toxicity, but the petiole injection technique was established as a viable strategy. TMV and TMV-Lys were purified from single plants and pooled leaf samples – overall there was little variation between the techniques, as measured by TMV or TMV-Lys yields, highlighting the feasibility of the syringe injection technique to produce virus nanoparticles. There was variation between yields from preparation to preparation with mechanical, spray and syringe inoculation yielding 40–141 mg, 36–56 mg, 18–56 mg TMV per 100 grams of leaves. Similar yields were obtained using TMV-Lys, with 24–38 mg, 17–28, 7–36 mg TMV-Lys per 100 grams of leaves for mechanical, spray and syringe inoculation, respectively. Each method has its advantages: spray inoculation is highly scalable and therefore may find application for farming, the syringe inoculation could provide a clean, aseptic, and controlled approach for molecular farming of pharmaceuticals under good manufacturing protocols (GMP) and would even be applicable for gene delivery to plants in space.
Dynamic changes in the transcriptome landscape of Arabidopsis thaliana in response to cold stress
Authors: Liu Yue , Cai Yajun , Li Yanzhuo , Zhang Xiaoling , Shi Nan , Zhao Jingze , Yang Hongchun
Published: August 2022

Plants must reprogram gene expression to adapt constantly changing environmental temperatures. With the increased occurrence of extremely low temperatures, the negative effects on plants, especially on growth and development, from cold stress are becoming more and more serious. In this research, strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq) was used to explore the dynamic changes in the transcriptome landscape of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to cold temperatures (4°C) at different times. In total, 7,623 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) exhibited dynamic temporal changes during the cold treatments. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in cold response, secondary metabolic processes, photosynthesis, glucosinolate biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Meanwhile, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were identified after the assembly of the transcripts, from which 247 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and their potential target genes were predicted. 3,621 differentially alternatively spliced (DAS) genes related to RNA splicing and spliceosome were identified, indicating enhanced transcriptome complexity due to the alternative splicing (AS) in the cold. In addition, 739 cold-regulated transcription factors (TFs) belonging to 52 gene families were identified as well. This research analyzed the dynamic changes of the transcriptome landscape in response to cold stress, which reveals more complete transcriptional patterns during short- and long-term cold treatment and provides new insights into functional studies of that how plants are affected by cold stress.
Focus meets motivation: When regulatory focus aligns with approach/avoidance motivation in creative processes
Authors: Mühlberger Christina , Endrejat Paul , Möller Julius , Herrmann Daniel , Kauffeld Simone , Jonas Eva
Published: August 2022

According to Regulatory Focus Theory, two systems determine our strategies to pursue goals – the promotion and the prevention system. Individuals with a dominant promotion system focus on achieving gains, i.e., promoters, and individuals with a dominant prevention system focus on avoiding losses, i.e., preventers. Regulatory Fit Theory suggests that a fit between this focus and the situation causes superior performance and makes individuals feel right. We transfer the fit idea to the interaction of dominant regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention) with motivational direction (approach vs. avoidance motivation). We investigated these interaction effects on individuals’ performance and their experience within creativity workshops. In Study 1 (N1 = 172), using multi-level analyses, we found that a promotion focus was associated with fluency and a prevention focus with elaborated ideas. This effect was stronger, when preventers also scored high on avoidance motivation. Further, preventers experienced more autonomy support and were more satisfied when they scored high on avoidance. Promoters high on approach motivation reported more autonomy support and more satisfaction than preventers high on approach motivation. For Study 2 (N2 = 112), we used an experimental design: After measuring regulatory focus, we manipulated approach vs. avoidance motivation in creativity workshops. Using multi-level analyses, we did not find main or interaction effects on fluency or elaboration but we found interaction effects on participants’ experience of the creativity workshop. Preventers were more satisfied when they received the avoidance condition. Promoters reported less autonomy support, lower satisfaction, and more perceived conflicts within their teams in the avoidance condition.
Approach with initiative or hold on passively? The impact of customer-perceived dependence on customer forgiveness in service failure
Authors: Chen Xin , Guo Shuojia , Xiong Jie , Hao Shuyi
Published: August 2022

Service failure is almost inevitable with the intensifying competition in the service market and expectation of heterogeneous customers. The customer–firm relationship can significantly influence customers’ subsequent attitudes and behaviors to the service provider when they encounter service failure. This study proposes a theoretical model to examine how customer-perceived dependence affects their forgiveness toward a service failure in attribution logic. According to an experiment with 138 and a survey with 428 commercial bank customers, we used a multivariate approach to validate our model. The results show that relationship-valued dependence (RVD) leads to external attribution, which is positively related to customer forgiveness. In contrast, switching-cost dependence (SCD) leads to internal attribution, which is negatively related to customer forgiveness. The relationship length is a relevant contextual factor that acts as a negative moderating factor. Our study contributes to the service recovery literature by elucidating the underlying process of forgiveness with the presence of the customer–firm dependence relationship.
Visual post-occupancy evaluation of a restorative garden using virtual reality photography: Restoration, emotions, and behavior in older and younger people
Authors: Boffi Marco , Pola Linda Grazia , Fermani Elisabetta , Senes Giulio , Inghilleri Paolo , Piga Barbara Ester Adele , Stancato Gabriele , Fumagalli Natalia
Published: August 2022

Natural environments have a restorative effect from mental/attentional fatigue, prevent stress, and help to revitalize psychological and physical resources. These benefits are crucial for promoting active aging, which is particularly relevant given the phenomenon of population aging in recent decades. To be considered restorative, green spaces have to meet specific requirements in ecological and psychological terms that can be assessed through Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), a multimethod approach commonly used by environmental psychologists and landscape architects after construction to evaluate the design outcomes from the users’ perspective. Generally, POEs consist of surveys and/or interviews accompanied by more or less structured observations of onsite users’ behavior. Despite this, various practical constraints can prevent physical access to the renovated area (e.g., weather conditions, time/resources limits, health issues, bureaucratic constraints). Exploiting digital tools for such an assessment can be a crucial support in such circumstances. The current study presents the visual POE of a restorative garden for older adults in Milan, Italy. We developed a web application, that includes the exp-EIA© patented method, which allows participants to virtually explore a visual simulation of the environment and provide their feedback. We identified 3 representative viewpoints in the redeveloped garden differing from each other for the functions and the design principles that inspired the transformation. For each point of view, we created 360° Virtual Reality photographs, that can be navigated by looking around, i.e., panning, from the standing point of each view. In connection to each virtual scene, a survey was conducted (N = 321). The focus was the psychological experience related to each viewpoint, assessed with two psychometric scales investigating the constructs of emotions (pleasure and arousal) and restoration (fascination, being away, coherence, scope, and environmental preference); such information is integrated with behavioral aspects, including the main activities prefigured by participants and their visual exploration of the VR photography. The results of the virtual exploration show that the garden is perceived as restorative, with a more intense effect in a spot purposely designed. The emotions experienced in the garden are positive and a mild level of arousal is observed. The behavioral dimension is characterized by predominantly contemplative activities and contact with nature. A cartographic representation of the psychological and behavioral data is developed, to support the maintenance of the garden.
Gendered difference in motivational profiles, achievement, and STEM aspiration of elementary school students
Authors: Olive Kezia , Tang Xin , Loukomies Anni , Juuti Kalle , Salmela-Aro Katariina
Published: August 2022

To better understand the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) aspiration, the article examines the critical role of domain-specific motivation (i.e., expectancy and task values). Using longitudinal data from 5th and 6th grade (∼11–12-year-old) students (n = 360, 55% girls), person-oriented analyses was applied to understand the gendered motivational profiles and their longitudinal influence on achievement and STEM aspiration. Specifically, we aimed to (1) derive motivational belief profiles regarding science, mathematics, and language (Finnish), (2) analyze the stability and change in the profiles between the 5th and 6th grade, (3) assess the relationship between motivational profiles and achievement and STEM aspiration, and (4) test for gender differences. We derived four motivational profiles for both years: high motivation in all subjects (∼21%), high mathematics motivation (∼46%), low mathematics motivation (∼11%), and low motivation in all subjects (∼8%). Latent transition analysis revealed that most students remained in the same profile throughout the 2 years. We found evidence of gendered differences in the motivational profiles and the chance of transitioning between profiles. More girls are characterized by low math motivation, while boys are more likely to transition to higher math motivation in 6th grade. The motivational difference is reflected in their achievement, although not strongly coupled with their STEM aspiration. The findings suggest that at this developmental stage, Finnish students have not developed a strong association between (gendered) STEM aspiration and their domain-specific motivation, although their motivation may have influenced their achievement. Interpretation and practical implications are discussed.
Motor features of abstract verbs determine their representations in the motor system
Authors: Li Xiang , Luo Dan , Wang Chao , Xia Yaoyuan , Jin Hua
Published: August 2022

Embodied cognition theory posits that concept representations inherently rely on sensorimotor experiences that accompany their acquisitions. This is well established through concrete concepts. However, it is debatable whether representations of abstract concepts are based on sensorimotor representations. This study investigated the causal role of associated motor experiences that accompany concept acquisition in the involvement of the motor system in the abstract verb processing. Through two experiments, we examined the action–sentence compatibility effect, in the test phase after an increase in motor features during the learning phase for abstract verbs with low motor features (Experiment 1) or novel words with no conceptual features at all (Experiment 2). After associated motor experiences were added in the word learning phase, action–sentence compatibility effect was found in the semantic processing tasks during the test phase for abstract verbs (Experiment 1a) and novel words (Experiment 2). This was lacking in the word font color judgment task requiring no semantic processing (Experiment 1b). Coupled with our previous study, these findings suggest that motor features formed during word learning could causally affect embodiment in the motor system for abstract verbs, and reactivation of motor experiences in abstract verb processing depends on a given task’s demands. Our study supports the view that conceptual representations, even abstract concepts, can be grounded in sensorimotor experiences.
Cognitive reserve and mental health in cognitive frailty phenotypes: Insights from a study with a Portuguese sample
Authors: Gaspar Pedro Miguel , Campos-Magdaleno María , Pereiro Arturo X. , Facal David , Juncos-Rabadán Onésimo
Published: August 2022

Background

Research on prevalence of cognitive frailty phenotypes in community-dwelling older adults in different countries is important to estimate their prevalence and to determine the influence of cognitive reserve and mental health in order to prevent frailty. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of reversible and potentially reversible cognitive frailty (R-CF, PR-CF) in a Portuguese sample of old adults and explore the associations between these phenotypes and demographic, comorbidity, social support, cognitive reserve and mental health factors.

Methods

We assessed frailty (Fried criteria) in 250 community-dwelling older adults (179 women) aged 60 years or over (mean 71.04 years) without dementia, neurological or psychiatric disorders. Subjective cognitive decline and Mild cognitive impairment were diagnosed according to standard criteria. The questionnaires Charlson Index, Medical Outcomes Study Social Support, Cognitive Reserve Index and General Health were used for assessing comorbidity, social support, cognitive reserve and mental health, respectively.

Results

Prevalence of R-CF was 14%, and that of PR-CF, 15.2%. Cognitive frailty profiles differed significantly in relation to education, comorbidity, mental health, and cognitive reserve, but not in age or sex. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age, sex, comorbidity, social support, mental health, and cognitive reserve together predicted R-CF and PR-CF (90% specificity 75% sensitivity) with significant OR for mental health and cognitive reserve.

Discussion

Cognitive reserve and mental health are important factors predicting R-CF and PR-CF. We recommend assessing these factors for early detection of cognitive frailty and promoting psychological well-being and lifestyles that increase cognitive reserve in adults.
Assessment and correlates of autistic symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders measured with the PANSS Autism Severity Score: A systematic review
Authors: Nibbio Gabriele , Barlati Stefano , Calzavara-Pinton Irene , Necchini Nicola , Invernizzi Elena , Dell'Ovo Dario , Lisoni Jacopo , Deste Giacomo , Vita Antonio
Published: August 2022

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are considered separate entities, but the two spectra share important similarities, and the study of these areas of overlap represents a field of growing scientific interest. The PANSS Autism Score (PAUSS) was recently developed specifically to assess autistic symptoms in people living with SSD reliably and quickly. The aims of the present systematic review were to provide a comprehensive assessment of the use of the PAUSS scale in available literature and to systematically analyze cognitive, functional and neurobiological correlates of autistic symptoms measured with this instrument in SSD. The systematic literature search included three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO) as well as a manual search in Google Scholar and in reference lists of included papers. Screening and extraction were conducted by at least two independent reviewers. Out of 213 identified records, 22 articles referring to 15 original studies were included in the systematic review. Studies were conducted in several different countries by independent groups, showing consistent scientific interest in the use of the scale; most works focused on cognitive and functional correlates of ASD symptoms, but some also considered neurobiological features. Results of included studies showed that autistic symptoms in people with SSD are consistently associated with worse cognitive performance, especially in the social cognition domain, and with worse psychosocial functioning. However, the presence of autistic symptoms appears to also have a protective role, particularly on functioning, in subjects with more severe psychotic symptoms. Further exploring the impact of autistic symptoms could be of significant scientific and clinical interest, allowing the development of tailored interventions to improve treatment for people living with SSDs.
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia: How far have we traveled?
Authors: Pandey Ambu , Kalita Kamal Narayan
Published: August 2022

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia is a lack of adequate response to antipsychotic medications resulting in incomplete functional and social recovery from the illness. Different definitions have been proposed for clinical practice and research work. Antipsychotics that are used in the management of schizophrenia mainly act on multiple dopaminergic pathways which are implicated in the development of symptoms of schizophrenia. Newer antipsychotics also are implicated to affect the serotonergic pathways. Clozapine is the only evidence-based treatment available for the management of treatment-resistant cases. Neurobiologically, there is a considerable overlap between treatment-resistant and treatment-responsive cases. The factors that are implicated in the evolution of treatment resistance are still not conclusive. These make the management of such patients a challenge. However, certain peculiarities of treatment-resistant schizophrenia have been identified which can guide us in the early identification and precise treatment of the treatment-resistant cases.
The relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI among elementary students in Iran
Authors: Hosseinpour Fatemeh , Panahi Rahman , Omidi Baharan Ranjbar , Khorasani Erfan , Dehghankar Leila
Published: August 2022

Background

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among children worldwide. Stress and body mass index are also amongst the arguable risk factors which will affect people considerably. They include biological (hormones and blood sugar), socio-economic, and environmental factors and also lifestyle. In the present study, the relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI in children was therefore investigated.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional study of a descriptive-analytical type. A total of 350 students who were referred to the clinic of the faculty of dentistry at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences during 2021–2022 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in the study. First, the students underwent a dental examination after being measured on their height and weight. Then, two questionnaires; namely, demographic information and Children's Stress Symptom Scale (CSSS) of Scherer and Ryan-Wenger were completed by the children's parents through self-reporting. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23 and then descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied.

Results

The mean BMI of the participating students was in the normal range. The prevalence of tooth decay among participants was 76.9% (269 people). The mean and standard deviation of stress scores was 6.85 ± 4.01 out of 26, which was at a low level. Also, the mean and standard deviation of the BMI were 22.78 ± 5.28, which was within the normal range. The results of the logistic regression showed that the variables of “father's level of education,” “family's economic status,” “the experience of the toothache during the past year,” “the oral health status,” “the frequency of tooth brushing,” “flossing,” “stress,” and “BMI” were influential factors in tooth decay (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Students who had improper BMI, more stress, less educated fathers, families with poor economic status, the experience of toothache within the past year, poor oral health status, and those who used toothbrushes and floss to a minimal degree suffered more tooth decay. Therefore, it is necessary that we pay more attention to these students in designing and implementing educational programs to prevent tooth decay.
COVID-19 classification using chest X-ray images: A framework of CNN-LSTM and improved max value moth flame optimization
Authors: Hamza Ameer , Attique Khan Muhammad , Wang Shui-Hua , Alqahtani Abdullah , Alsubai Shtwai , Binbusayyis Adel , Hussein Hany S. , Martinetz Thomas Markus , Alshazly Hammam
Published: August 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease that has claimed the lives of millions of people worldwide in the last 2 years. Because of the disease's rapid spread, it is critical to diagnose it at an early stage in order to reduce the rate of spread. The images of the lungs are used to diagnose this infection. In the last 2 years, many studies have been introduced to help with the diagnosis of COVID-19 from chest X-Ray images. Because all researchers are looking for a quick method to diagnose this virus, deep learning-based computer controlled techniques are more suitable as a second opinion for radiologists. In this article, we look at the issue of multisource fusion and redundant features. We proposed a CNN-LSTM and improved max value features optimization framework for COVID-19 classification to address these issues. The original images are acquired and the contrast is increased using a combination of filtering algorithms in the proposed architecture. The dataset is then augmented to increase its size, which is then used to train two deep learning networks called Modified EfficientNet B0 and CNN-LSTM. Both networks are built from scratch and extract information from the deep layers. Following the extraction of features, the serial based maximum value fusion technique is proposed to combine the best information of both deep models. However, a few redundant information is also noted; therefore, an improved max value based moth flame optimization algorithm is proposed. Through this algorithm, the best features are selected and finally classified through machine learning classifiers. The experimental process was conducted on three publically available datasets and achieved improved accuracy than the existing techniques. Moreover, the classifiers based comparison is also conducted and the cubic support vector machine gives better accuracy.
The use of portable OSL and IRSL measurements of NaCl in low dose assessments following a radiological or nuclear emergency
Authors: Alghamdi Hamdan , Sanderson David , Carmichael Lorna , Cresswell Alan , Martin L.
Published: August 2022

During recovery phases following a nuclear or radiological incident analyses of doses received by members of the public and responders are often required. Several methods have been investigated for use at different timescales after the incident, including assessments based on measurements of materials present at the time of the incident. Common salt has previously been shown to have potential for retrospective dosimetry in the mGy dose range using laboratory instrumentation. This preliminary study investigates the use of portable instruments, with unprepared commercially sourced salt, in dose ranges below 100 μGy. Responses from pulsed IRSL and portable OSL instruments were compared. For OSL measurements, detection limits of 7 μGy have been demonstrated, with detection limits of 30–340 μGy for the other instruments investigated. Dose responses in the 0–500 μGy range were determined for the most sensitive systems, which show a linear response over this dose range with a non-zero intercept representing doses received from environmental sources since manufacture of the salt. For use as a dosimeter, methods of removing or accounting for inherited signals will be required in this low dose range. The results demonstrate that salt has considerable potential for use in retrospective dosimetry below 100 μGy, and that measurements can be conducted with portable OSL instruments.
Identification of amadori products and oligosaccharide-glycated amino acids in brewer’s spent grain extract
Authors: Minestrini Martina , Charton Sophie , Iken Marcus , Larondelle Yvan , Renaut Jenny , Hausman Jean-Francois , Sergeant Kjell
Published: August 2022

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) is the most abundant by-product of the brewery industry. Its accessibility and chemical composition allow this material to be recycled for new applications mainly targeting the food industry, based on the health-promoting properties of phenolics in BSG extracts. This study investigates the major compounds identified in food-grade extracts from BSG by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyses, with a focus on the presence of Amadori products. These fructosyl-derivatives are identified for most of the proteinogenic amino acids but for instance also for gamma-aminobutyric acid. While previously proposed to be formed, we show that Amadori products are formed by reaction of amino acses, with a focus on the presence of Amadori products. These fructosyl-derivatives are identified for most of the proteinogenic amino acids but for instance also for gamma-aminobutyric acid. While previously proposed to be formed, we show that Amadori products are formed by reaction of amino acids with oligosaccharides up to five hexoses. Moreover, the same glycation pattern was also observed for other nitrogen-containing compounds such as phosphatidylethanolamine lipids. The presence of these Maillard reaction products and glycated forms of amino-compounds, due to heat-treatment during brewing or stabilization of BSG prior to further processing, may impact the valorization of this by-product and should thus be considered in future studies.
Dark matter as an effect of a minimal length
Authors: Bosso Pasquale , Fridman Mitja , Luciano Giuseppe Gaetano
Published: August 2022

In this work, we consider the implications of a phenomenological model of quantum gravitational effects related to a minimal length, implemented via the generalized uncertainty principle. Such effects are applied to the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy to derive a modified law of gravity through Verlinde’s conjecture. Implications on galactic scales, and in particular on the shape of rotational curves, are investigated, exploring the possibility to mimic dark matter-like effects via a minimal length.
Mm-wave polarimeter and profilometry design study for retrieving plasma density in the PANDORA experiment
Authors: Torrisi G. , Naselli E. , Mascali D. , Di Donato L. , Sorbello G.
Published: August 2022

In the recent past, the possibility to use a superconducting trap confining a hot and dense plasma as a tool to investigate radioactivity in astrophysical scenarios has been proposed. Making possible these kind of unprecedented measurements is the main aim of the PANDORA (Plasmas for Astrophysics Nuclear Decays Observation and Radiation for Archaeometry) project. In this context, it is planned to build a compact and flexible magnetic plasma trap where plasma reaches an electron density ne ∼ 1011–1013 cm−3, and an electron temperature, in units of kT, kTe ∼ 0.1–30 keV. The setup is conceived to be able to measure, for the first time, nuclear β-decay rates in stellar-like conditions in terms of ionization states. In this paper, the design study of a mm-wave polarimeter for the PANDORA plasma line-integrated electron density measurement is presented. The paper highlights the method of this type of measurements for the first time proposed for a magneto-plasma trap which represents an “intermediate” case between the ultra-compact plasma ion sources and the large-size thermonuclear fusion devices. Preliminary measurements at scaled microwave frequencies have carried out both on a “free-space” setup by using a wire-grid polarizer and a rotable Ka-band OMT + horn antennas system, and on a compact trap (called Flexible Plasma Trap) installed at INFN-LNS and used as PANDORA down-sized testbench are described. The polarimeter technique will support β-decay investigation by simultaneous measurements of the total plasma density, which is crucial to carefully evaluate the decay-constant and to extrapolate the laboratory observed data to the astrophysical scenarios. Moreover, this work proposes to adopt an electromagnetic inverse-scattering-based technique-based method to retrieve the electron density profile along the probing antennas line-of-sight. Numerical results of this so-called “inverse profilometry” are also shown.
Prediction of plasmaspheric hiss spectral classes
Authors: Kondrashov Dmitri , Drozdov Alexander Y. , Vech Daniel , Malaspina David M.
Published: August 2022

We present a random forests machine learning model for prediction of plasmaspheric hiss spectral classes from the Van Allen Probes dataset. The random forests model provides accurate prediction of plasmaspheric hiss spectral classes obtained by the self organizing map (SOM) unsupervised machine learning classification technique. The high predictive skill of the random forests model is largely determined by the distinct and different locations of a given spectral class (“no hiss”, “regular hiss”, and “low-frequency hiss”) in (MLAT, MLT, L) coordinate space, which are the main predictors of the simplest and most accurate base model. Adding to such a base model any other single predictor among different magnetospheric, geomagnetic, and solar wind conditions provides only minor and similarly incremental improvements in predictive skill, which is comparable to the one obtained when including all possible predictors, and thus confirming major role of spatial location for accurate prediction.
Clinical features and prognostic indicators in upper-tract urothelial carcinoma with bone metastasis
Authors: Zhou Mingping , Zhang Jianxin , Chen Xiaowei , Wang Zhan , Liang Wei
Published: August 2022

Purpose

With the gradual increase in the incidence of upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), its metastatic disease has attracted much attention. The prognosis of UTUC patients with bone metastasis is worse than that of UTUC patients with other metastases. Therefore, the current study is performed to analyze the clinicopathologic features and survival predictors among UTUC patients with bone metastasis.

Patients and methods

We reviewed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to select cases diagnosed with UTUC and bone metastasis at present from 2010 to 2016. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were first performed by applying univariate Cox regression analysis. Then we performed multivariate Cox analysis to determine independent predictors of survival. Forest plots were drawn by GraphPad 8.0.1 and used to visually display the results of multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier method was applied to intuitively show the prognosis difference of each independent risk factor.

Results

We finally identified 380 UTUC patients with bone metastasis for survival analysis, of which 230 males (60.5%) and 150 females (39.5%). The mean and median age at diagnosis were 71 and 72 years, respectively. Simultaneous lung metastasis (33.4%) and liver metastasis (31.1%) were more common in UTUC patients with bone metastasis. The 1-year OS and CSS rates of this research population were 23.8% and 26.6%, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling controlling for surgery, chemotherapy, brain metastasis, liver metastasis, lung metastasis, and marital status, revealed that surgery, chemotherapy, no liver metastasis, no lung metastasis, and married status predicted for better OS and CSS.

Conclusion

Surgery and chemotherapy are optimal management of UTUC patients with bone metastasis. Active treatments on lung and liver metastases should be performed. The prognosis of patients with unmarried status or others should be further improved.
The role of peripheral blood eosinophil counts in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection patients
Authors: Qin Xichun , Gao Yaxuan , Jiang Yi , Zhu Feng , Xie Wei , Tang Xinlong , Xue Yunxing , Wang Dongjin , Cao Hailong
Published: August 2022

Background

Acute Stanford-A aortic dissection (AAAD) is a devastating cardiovascular condition with high mortality, therefore identifying risk prognosis factors is vital for the risk stratification of patients with AAAD. Here, we investigated peripheral blood eosinophil (EOS) counts in patients with AAAD and their possible biological implications.

Methods

We performed a single center retrospective cohort study. From 2011 to 2021, a total of 1,190 patients underwent AAAD surgery. Patients were categorized first by death and then admission EOS counts (0.00 × 109/L or >0.00 × 109/L). Demographics, laboratory data, and outcomes were analyzed using standard statistical analyses. Ascending aorta specimens were used for western blotting and histological assessments.

Results

Death group patients had lower EOS counts than the non-death group (P = 0.008). When patients were stratified using mean blood EOS counts: 681 patients had low (0.00 × 109/L) and 499 had high (>0.00 × 109/L) counts. Patients with low EOS counts at admission were more likely to have a higher mortality risk (P = 0.017) and longer treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) days (P = 0.033) than patients with normal EOS counts. Also, the five blood coagulation items between both groups showed significantly different (P < 0.001). Hematoxylin & eosin-stained cross-sections of the ascending aorta false lumen showed that EOSs were readily observed in thrombi in the false lumen of the aorta.

Conclusions

Peripheral blood EOS counts may be involved in thrombosis and could be an effective and efficient indicator for the diagnosis, evaluation, and prognosis monitoring of patients with AAAD.
Case report: Cavernous hemangioma in the right frontoparietal junction
Authors: Cao Xuemin , Chen Xiaoshuai , Wang Yi , Feng Shangang , Wang Zengwu
Published: August 2022

Background

Primary intraosseous cavernous hemangioma is a benign tumor with slow growth and is rarely seen in clinics. The clinical manifestations of most patients are progressive enlargement of the head mass.

Case presentation

We report a 30-year-old female patient with cavernous hemangioma at the frontoparietal junction. Upon admission, the right frontal lobe mass was progressively enlarged for 3 years and underwent lesion resection and stage I skull reconstruction. The postoperative outcome was good, with no recurrence at 1-year follow-up.

Conclusion

Primary intraosseous cavernous hemangioma is a relatively rare clinical tumor, the pathogenesis of which is still unclear, and most of them have no specific clinical manifestations. Characteristic imaging findings are highly suspicious of this disease, but the definitive diagnosis still depends on histopathological examination. Currently, total surgical resection of the tumor is a relatively effective and preferred treatment.
Emergence and Molecular Characterization of an Avian Hepatitis E Virus From Donglan Black Chicken in Southern China
Authors: Fu Fumei , Deng Qiaomu , Li Qiuhong , Zhu Weiyu , Guo Jinhan , Wei Ping
Published: August 2022

Avian hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major pathogen associated with hepatitis splenomegaly syndrome in chickens and has been reported in China. Phylogenetic trees, Bayesian analysis, positive selection sites screening, and recombination analysis were first used to comprehend the global avian HEVs. All the avian HEV strains, including a new isolate named GX20A1 got from Donglan Black chicken in Guangxi, China, were uniformly defined into four genotypes, and GX20A1, belongs to Genotype 3. The topology of the phylogenetic tree based on the sequences of a 339-bp fragment (coding the helicase) in open reading frame (ORF) 1 of the avian HEVs was consistent with that based on the full-genome sequence. The estimated evolution rate of avian HEVs is 2.73 × 10−3 substitution/site/year (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.01 × 10−4−4.91 × 10−3), and the estimated genetic diversity of the strains experienced a declining phase from 2010 to 2017 and stabilized after 2017. It was further found that the Genotype 3 HEVs, including isolates from Hungary and China, likely originated in the 1930s. Notably, GX20A1 was gathered in the same branch with a Genotype 3 Guangdong isolate CaHEV-GDSZ01, which appeared earlier than GX20A1. In addition, two positive selection sites were identified, one for each of ORF1 and ORF2. Overall, the study revealed that avian HEVs were uniformly defined into four genotypes, and a 339-bp fragment in ORF1 of the viral genome could be used for the classification. A Genotype 3 isolate GX20A1 was first found from Donglan Black chicken and most likely originated from Guangdong.
Development and characterization of a panel of anti-idiotype antibodies to 1C10 that cross-neutralize HIV-1 subtype B viruses
Authors: Kaku Yu , Matsumoto Kaho , Kuwata Takeo , Zahid Hasan Md , Biswas Shashwata , Gorny Miroslaw K. , Matsushita Shuzo
Published: August 2022

The V3 loop of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein (Env) is one of the conserved immunogenic regions targeted by neutralizing antibodies (nAb). Two different binding modes of anti-V3 abs have been reported in studies using two V3 mimotopes: the ladle-type and cradle-type. We previously isolated a ladle-type nAb, 1C10, that potently and broadly neutralized clade B viruses. Despite its potent neutralization activity, 1C10 possesses no unique features in its amino acid sequence. We hypothesized that the neutralization potency of 1C10 is derived from its antigen-binding characteristics, which are not a consequence of the two previously reported binding modes of anti-V3 nAbs. To analyze epitope-paratope interactions between 1C10 and the V3 loop, we produced five anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Id abs) from mice immunized with 1C10 nAb. The idiotopes of the anti-Id Abs on the 1C10 heavy chain were estimated by alanine scanning, germline reversion mutagenesis, and a 1C10 sibling clone. Next-generation sequencing combined with homology modeling revealed contact between R315 at the tip of the V3 loop and 1C10 by D53 of CDRH2 and Phe/Asp of CDRH3. These amino acids were enriched in the anti-Id-ab-reactive B cell receptors encoded by the IGHV3-30 gene. We also found that 20% of HIV-infected individuals had abs specific to the anti-Id abs, as well as both of the V3 mimotopes, that did not respond to the linear V3 peptide. Our findings showed that the anti-Id abs induced by 1C10 recognized a key amino acid formation essential for steric interactions between the ladle-type nAb and the V3 loop. We also revealed the coexistence of anti-V3 ab reactivity to V3 loop mimotopes and to the anti-Id abs in HIV-positive individuals.
A Pixel-Wise Foreign Object Debris Detection Method Based on Multi-Scale Feature Inpainting
Authors: Jing Ying , Zheng Hong , Zheng Wentao , Dong Kaihan
Published: August 2022

In the aviation industry, foreign object debris (FOD) on airport runways is a serious threat to aircraft during takeoff and landing. Therefore, FOD detection is important for improving the safety of aircraft flight. In this paper, an unsupervised anomaly detection method called Multi-Scale Feature Inpainting (MSFI) is proposed to perform FOD detection in images, in which FOD is defined as an anomaly. This method adopts a pre-trained deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to generate multi-scale features for the input images. Based on the multi-scale features, a deep feature inpainting module is designed and trained to learn how to reconstruct the missing region masked by the multi-scale grid masks. During the inference stage, an anomaly map for the test image is obtained by computing the difference between the original feature and its reconstruction. Based on the anomaly map, the abnormal regions are identified and located. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated on a newly collected FOD dataset and the public benchmark dataset MVTec AD. The results show that the proposed method is superior to other methods.
An Empirical Investigation into Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Agricultural Economic Performance in Baltic Countries: A Non-Linear Framework
Authors: Makutėnienė Daiva , Staugaitis Algirdas Justinas , Makutėnas Valdemaras , Juočiūnienė Dalia , Bilan Yuriy
Published: August 2022

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy has for decades been geared towards sustainable agricultural development, not only to ensure a fair income for farmers but also to tackle climate change and environmental degradation, emphasizing the link between agricultural economic activity and the importance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The importance of research in this area is reinforced by the EU’s ever-increasing sustainability ambitions in recent years, as set out in the European Green Deal, which has found a place in the new 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) policy to meet the EU’s 2050 target to achieve climate neutrality. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and economic performance for the agricultural sector in the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) from 1998 to 2019. These three countries have similar agricultural structures and similar natural conditions, so the research provides comparable results. The relationship was analyzed by using the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model that allows the estimation of short-term dynamics using a distributed delay component and long-term dynamics using a single cointegrating vector. The analysis of the research data showed that gross value-added changes influence greenhouse gas emissions in all three countries. The results of the research, on the other hand, suggested that there is evidence supporting the reverse ‘U-shaped’ impact of the environmental Kuznets curve (ECK) when assessing data from Lithuania and Estonia, but not from Latvia. The study’s findings have significant policy consequences.