bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chromosome-level genome and multi-omics analyses provide insights into the geo-herbalism properties of Alpinia oxyphylla
Authors: Pan Kun , Dai Shuiping , Tian Jianping , Zhang Junqing , Liu Jiaqi , Li Ming , Li Shanshan , Zhang Shengkui , Gao Bingmiao
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel (A. oxyphylla), one of the “Four Famous South Medicines” in China, is an essential understory cash crop that is planted widely in the Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian provinces. Particularly, A. oxyphylla from Hainan province is highly valued as the best national product for geo-herbalism and is an important indicator of traditional Chinese medicine efficacy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the formation of its quality remains unspecified.

Methods

To this end, we employed a multi-omics approach to investigate the authentic quality formation of A. oxyphylla.

Results

In this study, we present a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of A. oxyphylla, with contig N50 of 76.96 Mb and a size of approximately 2.08Gb. A total of 38,178 genes were annotated, and the long terminal repeats were found to have a high frequency of 61.70%. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a recent whole-genome duplication event (WGD), which occurred before A. oxyphylla’s divergence from W. villosa (~14 Mya) and is shared by other species from the Zingiberaceae family (Ks, ~0.3; 4DTv, ~0.125). Further, 17 regions from four provinces were comprehensively assessed for their metabolite content, and the quality of these four regions varied significantly. Finally, genomic, metabolic, and transcriptomic analyses undertaken on these regions revealed that the content of nootkatone in Hainan was significantly different from that in other provinces.

Discussion

Overall, our findings provide novel insights into germplasm conservation, geo-herbalism evaluation, and functional genomic research for the medicinal plant A. oxyphylla.
Developmental and temporal changes in petunia petal transcriptome reveal scent-repressing plant-specific RING–kinase–WD40 protein
Authors: Shor Ekaterina , Skaliter Oded , Sharon Elad , Kitsberg Yaarit , Bednarczyk Dominika , Kerzner Shane , Vainstein Danny , Tabach Yuval , Vainstein Alexander
Published: June 2023

In moth-pollinated petunias, production of floral volatiles initiates when the flower opens and occurs rhythmically during the day, for optimal flower–pollinator interaction. To characterize the developmental transcriptomic response to time of day, we generated RNA-Seq databases for corollas of floral buds and mature flowers in the morning and in the evening. Around 70% of transcripts accumulating in petals demonstrated significant changes in expression levels in response to the flowers’ transition from a 4.5-cm bud to a flower 1 day postanthesis (1DPA). Overall, 44% of the petal transcripts were differentially expressed in the morning vs. evening. Morning/evening changes were affected by flower developmental stage, with a 2.5-fold larger transcriptomic response to daytime in 1DPA flowers compared to buds. Analyzed genes known to encode enzymes in volatile organic compound biosynthesis were upregulated in 1DPA flowers vs. buds—in parallel with the activation of scent production. Based on analysis of global changes in the petal transcriptome, PhWD2 was identified as a putative scent-related factor. PhWD2 is a protein that is uniquely present in plants and has a three-domain structure: RING–kinase–WD40. Suppression of PhWD2 (termed UPPER - Unique Plant PhEnylpropanoid Regulator) resulted in a significant increase in the levels of volatiles emitted from and accumulated in internal pools, suggesting that it is a negative regulator of petunia floral scent production.
Conceptual metaphors and image construction of China in the space probe reports of China Daily: a social cognitive approach
Authors: Li Xueying , Lu Danyun
Published: June 2023

The success of Shenzhou XIII and Chang'e-5 mission became a milestone in China's aerospace history and represented China's latest attempt to contribute to international space industry, which greatly promoted the China's national image. However, rare studies have examined the image construction in aerospace field. Thus, this study takes conceptual metaphors as the guiding theory and studies conceptual metaphors in China Daily news release on Chang'e-5 and Shenzhou XIII from 2008 to 2021. It focuses on the types of metaphors used, the semantic features of the metaphors, and the characteristics of Chinese images in aerospace field. It is found that China Daily widely uses conceptual metaphors in its news release on space probe, which mainly includes 11 conceptual metaphor categories such as “endeavor,” “great significance,” “time” and “journey,” and 20 types of conceptual metaphor subcategories, all of which are working together to construct the image of China in aerospace industry, which is characterized with the following features: a dream-building action with lofty goals, an enterprising action which represents the prosperity and progress of China, an exploratory action that is constantly forging ahead and pursuing, a leading action that opens a new chapter and leads a new journey, a braving action which dares to be the first to live in the space, and an achieving action to create a community with a shared future for mankind.
Obstacles and facilitators of cancer-related dyadic efficacy experienced by couples coping with non-metastatic cancers
Authors: Brosseau Danielle C. , Peláez Sandra , Ananng Bethsheba , Körner Annett
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Cancer-related dyadic efficacy is an individual’s confidence to work together with a partner to conjointly manage the effects of cancer and its treatment. In other health contexts, higher levels of dyadic efficacy have been associated with fewer symptoms of psychological distress and higher ratings of relationship satisfaction. The aim of the current study was to explore patient and partner perspectives on what obstructs and facilitates cancer-related dyadic efficacy.

Methods

These aims were accomplished through a secondary analysis of data collected as a part of a collective qualitative case study. Participants (N = 17 participants) were patients undergoing treatment or recently completed treatment (within 6 months) for a non-metastatic cancer and their partners. To enable in-depth discussions among participants, data was collected through five focus groups. Participants described obstacles and facilitators of dyadic efficacy as dimensions of a common influence. Consistent with these descriptions, reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify influences on cancer-related dyadic efficacy and their subsequent obstructive and facilitative dimensions.

Results

Four main categories of influence with the potential to obstruct or facilitate cancer-related dyadic efficacy were identified along with their subthemes: appraisals of the couple relationship (quality and togetherness), communication (pattern and interest in information), coping (strategy and evaluation), and responses to change (in tasks and roles and sex life). Eight obstructive and seven facilitative dimensions of these subthemes were described.Discussion: This first analysis of obstacles and facilitators of couples’ cancer-related dyadic efficacy capitalized on the experiential expertise of individuals with cancer and their partners. These thematic results are instructive for the design of dyadic efficacy-enhancing interventions for couples coping with cancer.
Case report: KETOLAND the psychoeducation program for ketogenic diet
Authors: Zanaboni Martina Paola , Pasca Ludovica , Geraci Maria Angela , Varesio Costanza , Guglielmetti Monica , Tagliabue Anna , Grumi Serena , De Giorgis Valentina
Published: June 2023

Glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms: epilepsy, movement disorders and neurocognitive impairment. The gold standard treatment for GLUT1DS are ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs), specifically classical ketogenic diet (CKD). Despite the benefits, CKD often represents a challenge for patients and their families since meal preparation is extremely demanding and deviates a lot from normal diet. To assure an optimal compliance to CKD a psychological support for parents and patients with GLUT1DS is highly recommended. Specifically, a psychoeducational intervention that ameliorates the knowledge about the illness and its therapy improves treatment' s adherence and efficacy. The aim of this case report is to investigate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational program, partially implemented through telepsychology, based on the theoretical model of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) to support KDT knowledge and adherence in a patient with GLUT1DS who presented a worsening of her clinical picture due to a sparse knowledge of KDTs principles which determined a low adherence. Thus, with this case report we propose a model of intervention with psychoeducation in a patient with a complex chronic disease.
Toward a reliable detection of arachnophobia: subjective, behavioral, and neurophysiological measures of fear response
Authors: Landová Eva , Rádlová Silvie , Pidnebesna Anna , Tomeček David , Janovcová Markéta , Peléšková Šárka , Sedláčková Kristýna , Štolhoferová Iveta , Polák Jakub , Hlinka Jaroslav , Frynta Daniel
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The administration of questionnaires presents an easy way of obtaining important knowledge about phobic patients. However, it is not well known how these subjective measurements correspond to the patient’s objective condition. Our study aimed to compare scores on questionnaires and image evaluation to the objective measurements of the behavioral approach test (BAT) and the neurophysiological effect of spiders extracted from fMRI measurements. The objective was to explore how reliably subjective statements about spiders and physiological and behavioral parameters discriminate between phobics and non-phobics, and what are the best predictors of overall brain activation.

Methods

Based on a clinical interview, 165 subjects were assigned to either a “phobic” or low-fear “control” group. Finally, 30 arachnophobic and 32 healthy control subjects (with low fear of spiders) participated in this study. They completed several questionnaires (SPQ, SNAQ, DS-R) and underwent a behavioral approach test (BAT) with a live tarantula. Then, they were measured in fMRI while watching blocks of pictures including spiders and snakes. Finally, the respondents rated all the visual stimuli according to perceived fear. We proposed the Spider Fear Index (SFI) as a value characterizing the level of spider fear, computed based on the fMRI measurements. We then treated this variable as the “neurophysiological effect of spiders” and examined its contribution to the respondents’ fear ratings of the stimuli seen during the fMRI using the redundancy analysis (RDA).

Results

The results for fear ranks revealed that the SFI, SNAQ, DS-R, and SPQ scores had a significant effect, while BAT and SPQ scores loaded in the same direction of the first multivariate axis. The SFI was strongly correlated with both SPQ and BAT scores in the pooled sample of arachnophobic and healthy control subjects.

Discussion

Both SPQ and BAT scores have a high informative value about the subject’s fear of spiders and together with subjective emotional evaluation of picture stimuli can be reliable predictors of spider phobia. These parameters provide easy and non-expensive but reliable measurement wherever more expensive devices such as magnetic resonance are not available. However, SFI still reflects individual variability within the phobic group, identifying individuals with higher brain activation, which may relate to more severe phobic reactions or other sources of fMRI signal variability.
Effects of aquatic exercises on physical fitness and quality of life in postmenopausal women: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Wen-Sheng , Mao Su-Jie , Zhang Shi-Kun , Xu Hong , Li Wei-Lu
Published: June 2023

Objective

In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate and update the effects of aquatic exercise on physical fitness and quality of life (QoL) in postmenopausal women.

Methods

The databases Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the topic from inception to July 2022. The GetData software was used to extract data from the published images. RevMan5.4 software was used for statistical analysis. Data are expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). I2 index was employed for heterogeneity. Egger's test was used to assess publication bias. We evaluated the methodological quality of included studies using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.

Results

We included 594 participants in 16 RCTs (19 comparison groups). The results indicated that aquatic exercise can significantly improve lower limb strength (LLS), upper limb strength (ULS), agility, flexibility, and overall QoL. No significant effects were found on aerobic capacity. Subgroup-analysis results indicated that aquatic exercise only significantly improved LLS, ULS, agility, and flexibility in postmenopausal women < 65 years of age. However, aquatic exercise improves the overall QoL both in postmenopausal women < 65 years and ≥ 65 years. Aquatic resistance exercise significantly improves LLS, ULS, agility and flexibility. In addition, aquatic aerobic exercise can effectively increase LLS, and combined aquatic aerobic and resistance exercise can enhance the overall QoL.

Conclusions

Aquatic exercise can effectively improve physical fitness and overall QoL in postmenopausal women, but has limited effects on aerobic capacity; thus, it is highly recommended in postmenopausal women.
Prevalence of unfavorable outcome in acute poisoning and associated factors at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Waktola Leta Gemeda , Melese Endalkachew Belayneh , Mesfin Nebiyu , Altaye Kassaye Demeke , Legese Gebrehiwot Lema
Published: June 2023

Background

Acute poisoning is a medical emergency in which the toxic effects occur almost immediately, usually within hours from the time of exposure, and can result from exposure to excessive doses of any chemical. It is the common cause of emergency admission, which may result in morbidity and mortality. There are a lot of factors that are associated with an increased magnitude of mortality and complication. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess the clinical characteristics of patients, unfavorable outcomes of acute poisoning, and associated factors to improve the quality of care, resource utilization, and decrease mortality.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the outcome and associated factors among acute poisoning patients at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia (2021).

Methods

A prospective follow-up study was conducted from January 2021 to September 2021 at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Data were collected using a comprehensively organized and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were entered using EPI data version 4.6.0 statistical software and then exported to Stata 14 for analysis. The data were analyzed for descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis was performed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify factors associated with the unfavorable outcome of acute poisoning. The result is presented in the form of tables, figures, and text using frequencies and summary statistics such as mean, SD, median, IQR, and percentage.

Result

A total of 233 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of unfavorable poisoning outcomes in acute poisoning was 17.6% (95% CI: 13.2, 23.1). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, known chronic medical comorbidities [AOR: 3.846 (1.619, 9.574); value of p: 0.014] and hospital stay of less than 48 h [AOR: 6.57 (2.03, 21.273); value of p: 0.002] were found to be independent factors associated with unfavorable outcomes in acute poisoning.

Conclusion

The magnitude of unfavorable poisoning outcomes was high in patients with acute poisoning. Having known medical comorbid illness and short hospital stay of less than 48 h were found to be associated with unfavorable outcomes.
Children’s Internet use and physical and psychosocial development
Authors: Novaković Svetlana , Milenković Sanja , Srećković Marijana , Backović Dušan , Ignjatović Vladimir , Capo Nataša , Stojanović Tamara , Vukomanović Vladimir , Sekulić Marija , Gavrilović Jagoda , Vuleta Katarina , Ignjatović Vesna
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Internet use (IU) commonly refers to sedentary lifestyle and may be addictive, especially among children. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between IU and some aspects of child physical and psychosocial development.

Methodology

We conducted a cross-sectional survey by using a screen-time based sedentary behavior questionnaire and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)—among 836 primary school children in the Braničevo District. The children’s medical records were analysed for vision problems and spinal deformities. Their body weight (BW) and height (BH) were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated as BW in kilograms divided by BH in meters squared (kg/m2).

Results

The average age of respondents was 13.4 (SD 1.2) years. The mean duration of daily Internet use and sedentary behavior was 236 (SD 156) and 422 (SD 184) minutes, respectively. There was no significant correlation between daily IU and vision problems (near sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, strabismus), and spinal deformities. However, daily Internet use is significantly associated with obesity (p < 0.001) and sedentary behavior (p = 0.01). There was significant correlation between emotional symptoms with total Internet usage time, and total sedentary score (p < 0.001 for both, r = 0.141 and r = 0.132, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the total sedentary score of children and hyperactivity/inattention (r = 0.167, p < 0.001), emotional symptoms (r = 0.132, p < 0.001), and conduct problems (r = 0.084, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In our study, children’s Internet use was associated with obesity, psychological disturbances and social maladjustment.
The role of WNT and IL-1 signaling in osteoarthritis: therapeutic implications for platelet-rich plasma therapy
Authors: Tonutti Antonio , Granata Valentina , Marrella Veronica , Sobacchi Cristina , Ragusa Rita , Sconza Cristiano , Rani Nicola , Di Matteo Berardo , Ceribelli Angela
Published: June 2023

Different from inflammatory arthritis, where biologicals and targeted synthetic molecules have revolutionized the disease course, no drug has demonstrated a disease modifying activity in osteoarthritis, which remains one of the most common causes of disability and chronic pain worldwide. The pharmacological therapy of osteoarthritis is mainly directed towards symptom and pain relief, and joint replacement is still the only curative strategy. Elucidating the disease pathophysiology is essential to understand which mechanisms can be targeted by innovative therapies. It has extensively been demonstrated that aberrant WNT and IL-1 signaling pathways are responsible for cartilage degeneration, impaired chondrocyte metabolism and differentiation, increased extracellular matrix degradation, and altered subchondral bone homeostasis. Platelet-rich plasma is an autologous blood derivative containing a concentration of platelets that is much higher than the whole blood counterpart and has shown promising results in the treatment of early knee osteoarthritis. Among the proposed mechanisms, the modulation of WNT and IL-1 pathways is of paramount importance and is herein reviewed in light of the proposed regenerative approaches.
An effectiveness-implementation trial protocol to evaluate PrEP initiation among U.S. cisgender women using eHealth tools vs. standard care
Authors: Izadi Lillee H. , Mmeje Okeoma , Drabo Emmanuel F. , Perin Jamie , Martin Stephen , Coleman Jenell S.
Published: June 2023

Background

The United States' (U.S.) initiative to End the HIV Epidemic aims to reduce new HIV infections in areas of high HIV prevalence. Despite national efforts to reduce HIV incidence, cisgender women continue to represent approximately one out of every five new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy; however, PrEP initiation among cisgender women is suboptimal, with only 10% of eligible women receiving PrEP prescriptions in 2019.

Methods

We designed a trial to test the effectiveness of interventions to increase PrEP initiation, while evaluating the implementation strategy (hybrid type II trial) in seven obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinics (two federally qualified health centers, three community-based, and two academic) in Baltimore, Maryland. A total of 42 OB/GYN providers will be enrolled and randomized (1:1:1) into one of three clinical trial arms (standard of care, patient-level intervention, or multi-level intervention). Eligible patients of enrolled providers will receive a sexual health questionnaire before their appointment through the electronic health record’s (EHR) patient portal. The questionnaire will be scored in three tiers (low, moderate, and high) to assess HIV risk. Patients at low risk will be offered an HIV test only, while those who score medium or high risk will be included in the clinical trial and assigned to the clinical trial arm associated with their provider. Differences in PrEP initiation, our primary outcome, across the three arms will be analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effect models with logistic regression. We will adjust results for demographic differences observed between arms and examine PrEP initiation stratified by patient’s and provider’s race and ethnicity.Additionally, a comprehensive economic analysis for each intervention will be conducted.

Discussion

We hypothesize that gathering information on sensitive sexual behaviors electronically, communicating HIV risk in an understandable and relatable format to patients and OB/GYN providers, and deploying EHR alerts will increase PrEP initiation and HIV testing.

Trial Registration

The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05412433) on 09 June 2022. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05412433?term=NCT05412433&draw=2&rank=1.
Encapsulation of sugar beet phytoglobin BvPgb 1.2 and myoglobin in a lipid sponge phase system
Authors: Gilbert Jennifer , Christensen Simon , Nylander Tommy , Bülow Leif
Published: June 2023

Globins are usually associated with oxygen carriage in vertebrates. However, plants also contain similar heme-containing proteins, called phytoglobins (Pgbs). Unlike conventional hemoglobin, these proteins are often linked to nitric oxide metabolism, energy metabolism and redox maintenance under hypoxic and related abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Class I and II non-symbiotic Pgbs (nsPgbs) have different degrees of heme hexacoordination. This involves direct interaction of the distal histidine in the E-helix with the sixth coordination site of the central iron, resulting in increased stability, in contrast to the oxygen storage linked to pentacoordinated globins, such as myoglobin (Mb). Due to their robustness, nsPgbs have substantial potential for various biomedical applications, particularly for iron supplementation. In this study, a class I nsPgb from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) was encapsulated in a lipid sponge phase system for potential protein delivery purposes and compared to a similar system of Mb containing nanoparticles. Bulk phases and dispersions were made with two lipid compositions (30/45/25 diglycerol monooleate (DGMO)/Capmul GMO-50/sorbitan monooleate (P80) and 28/42/30 DGMO/GMO-50/P80, where the DGMO/GMO-50 ratio was kept constant at 40/60). In addition, buffer effects on protein loading and particle formation were investigated. High concentrations of BvPgb1.2 (60 mg/mL) showed higher aggregation tendencies than Mb but these appeared to be transient. This property could be coupled to the higher isoelectric point (pI) of the BvPgb1.2 (7.85, compared to 6.8 for Mb), which make it more sensitive to small pH changes. In addition, excess protein/leakage was observed with Mb from the nanoparticles when analysed with size exclusion chromatography. This work highlighted the encapsulation efficiency of these proteins, which might be directly linked to difference in iron coordination and therefore, reactivity and lipid peroxidation. The interactions between the bulk phases and dispersion of the hemeproteins are complex, more research is needed to proper elucidate these relations in more detail, in order to facilitate the encapsulation capacity for heme-containing proteins in similar lipid-based systems.
Is there a right to knowledge about our origins?
Authors: Milligan Tony
Published: June 2023

Is there a right to knowledge about the origins of life and the origins of humanity? Here, I mean knowledge of a sort that astrobiology may be able to supply. And a right of the sort that might be acknowledged within international declarations, agreements, and codes of conduct. A distinguishing feature of the paper is an argument strategy that draws upon pragmatic discussions of animal rights and links a pragmatic idea of rights to interests. The background thought here is that discussions of rights in the non-human case can enrich our understanding of the rights that we should ascribe to humans as well as our understanding of what it means to ascribe a right. A right to knowledge about our origins can be supported by the classic autonomy-based approach towards rights, given that such a right would help to optimize the conditions under which autonomy is exercised. However, the case for a right to knowledge about origins strengthens when we draw upon a more interest-based approach and say that rights can also be tied to strong interests. In order to support the idea that humans have a sufficiently strong interest in the relevant kinds of knowledge, i.e., astrobiological knowledge about origins, appeal is made to the historical spread, depth and persistence of our human concern with origins, evidenced by Indigenous cosmologies and storytelling about how life began. Our history as a moral community is, in part, a history of reflection upon origins, with astrobiology functioning as a recent and productive way of engaging in such reflection.
Current practice and novel approaches in organ preservation
Authors: Ozgur Ozge Sila , Namsrai Bat-Erdene , Pruett Timothy L. , Bischof John C. , Toner Mehmet , Finger Erik B. , Uygun Korkut
Published: June 2023

Organ transplantation remains the only treatment option for patients with end-stage organ failure. The last decade has seen a flurry of activity in improving organ preservation technologies, which promise to increase utilization in a dramatic fashion. They also bring the promise of extending the preservation duration significantly, which opens the doors to sharing organs across local and international boundaries and transforms the field. In this work, we review the recent literature on machine perfusion of livers across various protocols in development and clinical use, in the context of extending the preservation duration. We then review the next generation of technologies that have the potential to further extend the limits and open the door to banking organs, including supercooling, partial freezing, and nanowarming, and outline the opportunities arising in the field for researchers in the short and long term.
Performances of novel custom 3D-printed cutting guide in canine caudal maxillectomy: a cadaveric study
Authors: Chambers Aidan , Traverson Marine , Neal Shelby , Konala Satyanarayana , Harrysson Ola
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Caudal maxillectomies are challenging procedures for most veterinary surgeons. Custom guides may allow the procedure to become more accessible.

Methods

A cadaveric study was performed to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of stereolithography guided (3D-printed) caudal maxillectomy. Mean absolute linear deviation from planned to performed cuts and mean procedure duration were compared pairwise between three study groups, with 10 canine cadaver head sides per group: 3D-printed guided caudal maxillectomy performed by an experienced surgeon (ESG) and a novice surgery resident (NSG), and freehand procedure performed by an experienced surgeon (ESF).

Results

Accuracy was systematically higher for ESG versus ESF, and statistically significant for 4 of 5 osteotomies (p < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in accuracy between ESG and NSG. The highest absolute mean linear deviation for ESG was <2 mm and >5 mm for ESF. Procedure duration was statistically significantly longer for ESG than ESF (p < 0.001), and for NSG than ESG (p < 0.001).

Discussion

Surgical accuracy of canine caudal maxillectomy was improved with the use of our novel custom cutting guide, despite a longer duration procedure. Improved accuracy obtained with the use of the custom cutting guide could prove beneficial in achieving complete oncologic margins. The time increase might be acceptable if hemorrhage can be adequately controlled in vivo. Further development in custom guides may improve the overall efficacy of the procedure.
Random forest Algorithm for the Classification of Spectral Data of Astronomical Objects
Authors: Solorio-Ramírez José-Luis , Jiménez-Cruz Raúl , Villuendas-Rey Yenny , Yáñez-Márquez Cornelio
Published: June 2023

Over time, human beings have built increasingly large astronomical observatories to increase the number of discoveries related to celestial objects. However, the amount of collected elements far exceeds the human capacity to analyze findings without help. For this reason, researchers must now turn to machine learning to analyze such data, identifying and classifying transient objects or events within extensive observations of the firmament. Algorithms from the family of random forests (an ensemble of decision trees) have become a powerful tool that can be used to classify astronomical events and objects. This work aims to illustrate the versatility of machine learning algorithms, such as decision trees, to facilitate the identification and classification of celestial bodies by manipulating hyperparameters and studying the attributes of celestial body datasets. By applying a random forest algorithm to a well-known dataset that includes three types of celestial bodies, its effectiveness was compared against some supervised classifiers of the most important approaches (Bayes, nearest neighbors, support vector machines, and neural networks). The results show that random forests are a good alternative for data analysis and classification in astronomical observations.
Carbon Footprint of an Orchard Tractor through a Life-Cycle Assessment Approach
Authors: Martelli Salvatore , Mocera Francesco , Somà Aurelio
Published: June 2023

The effects of climate change are reaching a point of no return. The necessity to reduce greenhouse gasses (GHGs) is currently notorious on several levels: academic, industrial, and political. The Paris Climate Agreement set a clear roadmap to limit pollutant emissions and reach carbon neutrality. Consequently, everything related to product life cycles, considering the entire supply chain, needs to be analyzed and reconsidered. The agricultural sector is no exception: indeed, it is responsible for 11% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Agri-construction sector accounts for 20–30% of all GHG emissions referred to the agricultural field. This study aimed to evaluate the GHG emissions of an orchard-specialized tractor operating in Europe considering a service life of ten years. The assessment was conducted through the life-cycle assessment (LCA) standardized methodology, combining secondary data, primary data, and a software database (Open LCA (v 1.10.3) software, Environmental Footprint (v 4) database). First, the functional unit, and the boundaries of the analysis are defined. Then, the tractor life cycle is analyzed considering its three main stages: manufacture, use, and disposal. Lastly, the results are discussed according to gate-to-gate and cradle-to-gate approaches. What emerged from the assessment was the production of 5.75 kg CO2eq. · kgvehicle−1 · year−1 for a single orchard specialized tractor and the predominance of use phase emissions (around 90% of the total).
The Effects of Plastic Mulching Combined with Different Fertilizer Applications on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Intensity, and Apple Yield in Northwestern China
Authors: Sompouviset Thongsouk , Ma Yanting , Sukkaew Eakkarin , Zheng Zhaoxia , Zhang Ai , Zheng Wei , Li Ziyan , Zhai Bingnian
Published: June 2023

Plastic mulching reduces weeds, conserves soil water, and boosts crop yield. However, most studies are insufficient when determining how plastic mulching affects greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly when used in conjunction with fertilizers. The purpose of this study was to determine the combined effect of plastic mulching and fertilizers on GHG emissions in apple orchards. A 3-year field experiment was conducted with two factors: mulching and fertilizers; (1) mulching treatments: plastic film (PM) and no mulching (NM); and (2) four fertilizer treatments: control (CK), organic fertilizer (M), inorganic fertilizer (NPK), and organic combined with inorganic fertilizer (MNPK), arranged in a two factorial randomized complete block design. The results showed that the mean annual N2O emissions ranged from 0.87 to 5.07 kg ha−1 in PM and from 0.75 to 2.90 kg ha−1 in NM. The mean CO2 emissions ranged from 2.10 to 6.68 t ha−1 in PM and from 1.98 to 4.27 t ha−1 in NM. MNPK contributed more to N2O and CO2 emissions in both PM and NM. The mean CH4 uptake rate ranged from 1.19 to 4.25 kg ha−1 in PM and from 1.14 to 6.75 kg ha−1 in NM. M treatment contributed more to CH4 uptake in both PM and NM. NKP treatments had higher greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) in PM and NM, while MNPK and NPK treatments had higher greenhouse gas potential (GWP) in PM and NM, respectively. These results suggest that plastic film mulching significantly raises the potential for soil GHG emissions and increases apple yield.
Combined Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic and Locust Plague on Grain Production and Trade Patterns in South Asia
Authors: Zhou Qing , Li Saiya , Zhang Yali
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the locust plague in Pakistan have severely impacted grain production and trade in South Asia, thereby posing serious threats to global grain security. This study formulated a comprehensive analysis of crop yield and trade restrictions consequent to the combined impact of COVID-19 and the locust plague with the GTAP model and quantitatively simulated the characteristics and mechanisms of changes in the production and trade patterns of major grain crops (paddy rice and wheat) in South Asia. Results indicate that COVID-19 and the locust plague affected global grain production and imports and exports to varying degrees. Grain production was reduced by 15% and global trade shrank sharply, with total imports and exports shrinking by 5.79% and 1.41%, respectively. This also led to international food prices changing significantly, which further influenced the food affordability and accessibility, especially for developing countries that are heavily dependent on imports. Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh were the regions that experienced the highest rises in grain import prices, which caused the processed rice imports of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, and Bangladesh to drop by 81%, 77%, 80%, and 89%, respectively. Furthermore, the global grain trade patterns were also severely affected. South Asian countries’ grain trade links with China, Europe, Africa, and Latin America were weakened. Grain exports mainly converged in Africa, with Australia, the United States, and Latin America being the main exporters. The findings of this paper are helpful to identify countries facing high grain security risks and can shed light on policy measures to address the dual challenge for guaranteeing global grain security in the post-epidemic era.
Functional Analysis of GSTK1 in Peroxisomal Redox Homeostasis in HEK-293 Cells
Authors: Costa Cláudio F. , Lismont Celien , Chornyi Serhii , Li Hongli , Hussein Mohamed A. F. , Waterham Hans R. , Fransen Marc
Published: June 2023

Peroxisomes serve as important centers for cellular redox metabolism and communication. However, fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of how the peroxisomal redox equilibrium is maintained. In particular, very little is known about the function of the nonenzymatic antioxidant glutathione in the peroxisome interior and how the glutathione antioxidant system balances with peroxisomal protein thiols. So far, only one human peroxisomal glutathione-consuming enzyme has been identified: glutathione S-transferase 1 kappa (GSTK1). To study the role of this enzyme in peroxisomal glutathione regulation and function, a GSTK1-deficient HEK-293 cell line was generated and fluorescent redox sensors were used to monitor the intraperoxisomal GSSG/GSH and NAD+/NADH redox couples and NADPH levels. We provide evidence that ablation of GSTK1 does not change the basal intraperoxisomal redox state but significantly extends the recovery period of the peroxisomal glutathione redox sensor po-roGFP2 upon treatment of the cells with thiol-specific oxidants. Given that this delay (i) can be rescued by reintroduction of GSTK1, but not its S16A active site mutant, and (ii) is not observed with a glutaredoxin-tagged version of po-roGFP2, our findings demonstrate that GSTK1 contains GSH-dependent disulfide bond oxidoreductase activity.
From Discourse Relations to Network Edges: A Network Theory Approach to Discourse Analysis
Authors: Tantos Alexandros , Kosmidis Kosmas
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we argue that discourse representations can be mapped to networks and analyzed by tools provided in network theory so that deep properties of discourse structure are revealed. Two discourse-annotated corpora, C58 and STAC, that belong to different discourse types and languages were compared and analyzed. Various key network indices were used for the discourse representations of both corpora and show the different network profiles of the two discourse types. Moreover, both network motifs and antimotifs were discovered for the discourse networks in the two corpora that shed light on strong tendencies in building or avoiding to build discourse relations between utterances for permissible three-node discourse subgraphs. These results may lead to new types of discourse structure rules that draw on the properties of the networks that lie behind discourse representation. Another important aspect is that the second version of the STAC corpus, which includes nonlinguistic discourse units and their relations, exhibits similar trends in terms of network subgraphs compared to its first version. This suggests that the nonlinguistic context has a significant impact on discourse structure.
Assessment of the Microbial Communities in Soil Contaminated with Petroleum Using Next-Generation Sequencing Tools
Authors: García-García Raul , Bocanegra-García Virgilio , Vital-López Lourdes , García-Mena Jaime , Zamora-Antuñano Marco Antonio , Cruz-Hernández María Antonia , Rodríguez-Reséndiz Juvenal , Mendoza-Herrera Alberto
Published: June 2023

Microbial communities are known to play a principal role in petroleum degradation. This study tries to determine the composition of bacteria in selected crude oil-contaminated soil from Tabasco and Tamaulipas states, Mexico. We determined the microbial populations living under these conditions. We evaluated the structure and diversity of bacterial communities in the contaminated soil samples. The most abundant phylum is proteobacteria. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis of the sampled soils from both states revealed that this phylum has the most relative abundance among the identified bacteria phyla. The heatmap represented the relative percentage of each genus within each sample and clustered the four samples into two groups. Moreover, this allowed us to identify many genera in alkaline soil from Tamaulipas, such as Skermanella sp., Azospirillum sp. and Unclassified species from the Rhodospirillaceae family in higher abundance. Meanwhile, in acidic soil from Tabasco, we identified Thalassospira, Unclassified members of the Sphingomonadaceae family and Unclassified members of the Alphaproteobacteria class with higher abundance. Alpha diversity analysis showed a low diversity (Shannon and Simpson index); Chao observed species in both Regions. These results suggest that the bacteria identified in these genera may possess the ability to degrade petroleum, and further studies in the future should elucidate their role in petroleum degradation.
Lhia: A Smart Chatbot for Breastfeeding Education and Recruitment of Human Milk Donors
Authors: Corrêa Joeckson Santos , Neto Ari Pereira de Araújo , Pinto Giovanny Rebouças , Lima Lucas Daniel Batista , Teles Ariel Soares
Published: June 2023

Human milk is the most important way to feed and protect newborns as it has the components to ensure human health. Human Milk Banks (HMBs) form a network that offers essential services to ensure that newborns and mothers can take advantage of the benefits of human milk. Despite this, there is low adherence to exclusive breastfeeding in Brazil, and human milk stocks available in HMBs are usually below demand. This study aimed to co-develop a smart conversational agent (Lhia chatbot) for breastfeeding education and human milk donor recruitment for HMBs. The co-design methodology was carried out with health professionals from the HMB of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão (HMB-UHFUMA). Five natural language processing pipelines based on deep learning were trained to classify different user intents. During the rounds in the co-design procedure, improvements were made in the content and structure of the conversational flow, and the data produced were used in subsequent training sessions of pipelines. The best-performing pipeline achieved an accuracy of 93%, with a fallback index of 15% for 1851 interactions. In addition, the conversational flow improved, reaching 2904 responses given by the chatbot during the last co-design round. The pipeline with the best performance and the most improved conversational flow were deployed in the Lhia chatbot to be put into production.
Geometric Properties of Generalized Integral Operators Related to The Miller–Ross Function
Authors: Kazımoğlu Sercan , Deniz Erhan , Cotirla Luminita-Ioana
Published: June 2023

It is very well-known that the special functions and integral operators play a vital role in the research of applied and mathematical sciences. In this paper, our aim is to present sufficient conditions for the families of integral operators containing the normalized forms of the Miller–Ross functions such that they can be univalent in the open unit disk. Moreover, we find the convexity order of these operators. In proof of results, we use some differential inequalities related with Miller–Ross functions and well-known lemmas. The various results, which are established in this paper, are presumably new, and their importance is illustrated by several interesting consequences and examples.
Identification of Exosome-Related Genes Associated with Prognosis and Immune Infiltration Features in Head-Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: You Yuanhe , Du Zhong , Xu Guisong , Tian Zhuowei , Xiao Meng , Wang Yanan
Published: June 2023

The highly immunosuppressive nature of head–neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is not fully understood. Exosomes play crucial roles in the communication between cancer and non-cancer cells, but the clinical significance of the expression of exosome-related genes (ERGs) remains unclear in HNSCC. This study aimed to establish an HNSCC-ERGs model by using mass spectrometry (MS)-based label-free quantitative proteomics in combination with the TCGA primary HNSCC dataset. The study managed to classify the HNSCC patients into two subtypes based on the expression level of prognostic ERGs, which showed significant differences in prognosis and immune infiltration. LASSO regression algorithm was used to establish a risk prediction model based on seven risky genes (PYGL, ACTN2, TSPAN15, EXT2, PLAU, ITGA5), and the high-risk group was associated with poor survival prognosis and suppressive immune status. HPRT1 and PYGL were found to be independent prognostic factors through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Immune and ssGSEA analysis revealed that HPRT1 and PYGL were significantly related to immunosuppression, immune response, and critical signaling transduction pathways in HNSCC. Immunohistochemistry results further validated the expression level, clinical value, and immunosuppressive function of HPRT1 and PYGL in HNSCC patients. In conclusion, this study established molecular subtypes and a prediction risk model based on the ERGs. Furthermore, the findings suggested that HPRT1 and PYGL might play critical roles in reshaping the tumor microenvironment.
Molecular Structure and Variation Characteristics of the Plastomes from Six Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. Individuals and Comparative Genomic Analysis with Other Malus Species
Authors: Wang Xun , Zhang Ruifen , Wang Daru , Yang Chen , Zhang Yawen , Sui Mengyi , Quan Jian , Sun Yi , You Chunxiang , Shen Xiang
Published: June 2023

Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. is an important wild species of Malus. Its rich variation types and population history are not well understood. Chloroplast genome mining plays an active role in germplasm identification and genetic evolution. In this study, by assembly and annotation, six complete cp genome sequences, ranging in size from 160,083 to 160,295 bp, were obtained. The GC content of stable IR regions (42.7%) was significantly higher than that of full length (36.5%) and SC regions (LSC-34.2%, SSC-30.4%). Compared with other Malus species, it was found that there were more sites of polymorphisms and hotspots of variation in LSC and SSC regions, with high variation sites including trnR/UCU-atpA, trnT/UGU-trnL/UAA, ndhF-rpl32 and ccsA-ndhD. The intraspecific and interspecific collinearity was good, and no structural rearrangement was observed. A large number of repeating elements and different boundary expansions may be involved in shaping the cp genome size. Up to 77 or 78 coding genes were annotated in the cp genomes of M. baccata, and high frequency codons such as UUA (Leu), GCU (Ala) and AGA (Arg) were identified by relative synonymous codon usage analysis. Phylogeographic analysis showed that 12 individuals of M. baccata clustered into three different groups with complex structure, whereas variant xiaojinensis (M.H. Cheng & N.G. Jiang) was not closely related to M. baccata evolutionarily. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that two main clades of different M. baccata in the genus Malus were formed and that I and II diverged about 9.7 MYA. In conclusion, through cp genome assembly and comparison, the interspecific relationships and molecular variations of M. baccata were further elucidated, and the results of this study provide valuable information for the phylogenetic evolution and germplasm conservation of M. baccata and Malus.