bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cell count, lymphocyte count and derived neutrophil-to- lymphocyte ratio for diagnosing lung cancer relapse
Authors: Wang Huanrong , Liu Lei , Yan Jiaqin , Ma Wang , Du Yabing , Zhang Tengfei
Published: January 2023

The folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cell (FR+-CTC) count can be used to improve the diagnosis rate of lung cancer. The lymphocyte count (LC) and derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) are involved in inflammatory processes. Whether the FR+-CTC count combined with the dNLR or LC is helpful for diagnosing lung cancer recurrence is not clear. Sixty-eight patients who were initially diagnosed with lung cancer and received first-line treatment were included. The clinicopathological characteristics, routine blood examination results and CTC examination results of the patients were collected. The role of the complete blood count and FR+-CTC count in lung cancer treatment response and prognosis was analyzed. The FR+-CTC count after treatment was significantly correlated with the T stage (p=0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that the pathological type and FR+-CTC count were independent predictors of disease-or progression-free survival (DFS/PFS) in patients with lung cancer (p=0.010 and p=0.030, respectively). The FR+-CTC count, LC and dNLR predicted the recurrence of lung cancer (sensitivity and specificity of the FR+-CTC count, 69.2% and 71.4%; the LC, 50.0% and 88.5%; and the dNLR, 50.0% and 88.1%, respectively). The FR+-CTC count combined with the LC or dNLR improved the diagnostic rate of lung cancer recurrence (sensitivity and specificity of the FR+-CTC count plus the LC, 53.8% and 90.5%, and the FR+-CTC count plus the dNLR, 73.1% and 73.8%, respectively). When these three indicators were combined to predict lung cancer recurrence, the AUC value was 0.817. The FR+-CTC count combined with the dNLR and/or LC after treatment can improve the diagnostic rate of lung cancer recurrence. A higher FR+-CTC count predicts worse DFS/PFS in patients with lung cancer.
Identification of IRF-associated molecular subtypes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma to characterize immunological characteristics and guide therapy
Authors: Chen Can , Chen Lin-Yuan , Yang Rui-Xia , Zhang Jie-Xin , Shao Peng-Fei , Xu Hua-Guo
Published: January 2023

Background

Recently studies have identified a critical role for interferon regulatory factor (IRF) in modulating tumour immune microenvironment (TME) infiltration and tumorigenesis.

Methods

Based on IRF1-9 expression profiles, we classified all ccRCC samples into three molecular subtypes (clusters A-C) and characterized the prognosis and immune infiltration of these clusters. IRFscore constructed by principal component analysis was performed to quantify IRF-related subtypes in individual patients.

Results

We proved that IRFscore predicted multiple patient characteristics, with high IRFscore group having poorer prognosis, suppressed TME, increased T-cell exhaustion, increased TMB and greater sensitivity to anti- PD-1/CTLA-4 therapies. Furthermore, analysis of metastatic ccRCC (mccRCC) molecular subtypes and drug sensitivity proved that low IRFscore was more sensitive to targeted therapies. Moreover, IRFscore grouping can be well matched to the immunological and molecular typing of ccRCC. qRT-PCR showed differential expression of IRFs in different cell lines.

Conclusions

Evaluating IRF-related molecular subtypes in individual ccRCC patients not only facilitates our understanding of tumour immune infiltration, but also provides more effective clinical ideas for personalised treatment.
Ground glass opacity resection extent assessment trial (GREAT): A study protocol of multi-institutional, prospective, open-label, randomized phase III trial of minimally invasive segmentectomy versus lobectomy for ground glass opacity (GGO)-containing early-stage invasive lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Hanyue , Wang Yiyang , Chen Yang , Zhong Chenxi , Fang Wentao
Published: January 2023

Background

With widely use of computed tomography (CT) screening, an increasing number of early-stage lung cancers appearing as ground glass opacity (GGO) have been detected. Therefore, attempts have been made to investigate the feasibility of segmentectomy instead of lobectomy for those patients with GGO. However, the two recently released phase III trials failed to distinguish between GGO-containing lesions from pure solid nodules in the inclusion criteria, and the surgical methods did not distinguish between minimally invasive surgery and open thoracotomy. In addition, total lesion size≤ 2cm was taken as the inclusion criterion, instead of the solid part size recommended in the eighth edition of Union for International Cancer Control/International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/IASLC/AJCC) staging system. Hence, this present trial aims to figure out whether minimally invasive segmentectomy shows superiority in perioperative outcomes and non-inferiority in oncological prognosis over minimally invasive lobectomy among patients with GGO-containing clinical stage T1a-T1b lung invasive adenocarcinoma (IADC).

Methods/design

Sample sizes are 1024 patients, who will be randomized into minimally invasive segmentectomy and lobectomy groups . Patients will be collected from 19 hospitals in China. Patients with peripheral mixed ground glass opacity (mGGO) with 0.5cm<total lesion size ≤ 3cm and 0.5cm<solid component size ≤ 2cm in lung window on CT scan are enrolled. The primary endpoint is 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). The secondary endpoints are 5-year overall survival (OS), perioperative outcomes and pulmonary function preservation. Kaplan-Meier curves are plotted to compare the survival outcomes between the two arms. Subgroup analyses are also performed to investigate the benefit of segmentectomy among different clinical variables.

Discussions

If the primary endpoint shows at least non-inferiority in 5-year RFS of segmentectomy to lobectomy, minimally invasive segmentectomy can be recommended as an alternative to minimally invasive lobectomy. If second endpoints show non-inferior 5-year OS along with better perioperative outcomes and/or better pulmonary function preservation of segmentectomy compared with lobectomy after the primary endpoint has reached, minimally invasive segmentectomy may become a preferred procedure for patients with GGO-containing clinical stage T1a-T1b IADCs.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2000037065.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2000037065.
Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation for giant breast leiomyoma: A case report
Authors: Zhang Siqi , Wang Lu , Yang Jianquan , Lu Man
Published: January 2023

Rationale

Breast leiomyoma is the rarest non-epithelial tumor of the breast. As a benign tumor, its main treatment is regular follow-up. Surgical treatment is often used in clinical practice when patients have symptoms or strongly require treatment. However, if the tumor is large or located around the nipple or areola, the cosmetic effect of surgery is not good, so it is urgent to find new treatment methods. We pioneered the use of microwave ablation in the treatment of giant breast leiomyoma and achieved good results.

Patient concerns

A 37-year-old female was admitted to hospital because she found a breast mass of approximately 8 cm. She had no obvious clinical symptoms, but had great psychological pressure.

Diagnosis

Pathological biopsy showed leiomyoma followingly the surgical operation of giant breast leiomyoma was planned. However, the breast mass was large, and the postoperative scar would affect the breast appearance.

Interventions

The consent was obtained from the patient and her family. The Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation was successfully performed.

Outcomes

The patient was followed up for 10 months, and the tumor volume ablation rate was 69.8%. The cosmetic effect of breast was excellent.

Lessons

To our knowledge, this is the first case to using microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of breast leiomyoma. Ultrasound-guided MWA can be used for the treatment of breast leiomyoma, especially when the mass is large and requires traditional surgical resection. It can effectively improve the breast aesthetics and further improve the quality of life of patients. However, it is only a case report, and needs more research to verify MWA in breast leiomyoma.
An alternative dosing strategy for ropeginterferon alfa-2b may help improve outcomes in myeloproliferative neoplasms: An overview of previous and ongoing studies with perspectives on the future
Authors: Qin Albert , Urbanski Raymond W. , Yu Lennex , Ahmed Tasfia , Mascarenhas John
Published: January 2023

Ropeginterferon alfa-2b is a novel, long-acting mono-pegylated proline-IFN-alpha-2b approved for treatment of polycythemia vera in adults, regardless of thrombotic risk level or treatment history. Clinical trial data indicate the dose and titration of ropeginterferon alfa-2b is safe and effective. However, additional studies may provide rationale for an amended, higher initial dosage and rapid titration. This article is an overview of current and upcoming studies of ropeginterferon alfa-2b in myeloproliferative neoplasms that support the exploration of an amended dosing scheme in order to optimize patient tolerability and efficacy outcomes.
Molecular mechanism of Ganji Fang in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma based on network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification technology
Authors: Yang Miaolun , Yan Qian , Luo Yuehua , Wang Boqing , Deng Shicong , Luo Huiyan , Ye Baoqian , Wang Xiongwen
Published: January 2023

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor harmful to human health. Ganji Fang (GJF) has good clinical efficacy in the treatment of HCC, but its mechanism is still unclear.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of GJF in the treatment of HCC through network pharmacology, molecular docking and in vitro experiments.

Methods: A series of network pharmacology methods were used to identify the potential targets and key pathways of GJF in the treatment of HCC. Then, molecular docking technology was used to explore the binding ability of key active ingredients and targets in GJF. Multiple external databases were used to validate the key targets. In in vitro experiments, we performed MTT assays, wound-healing assays, cell cycle assays, apoptosis assays and RT‒qPCR to verify the inhibitory effect of GJF on the Human hepatoma G2 (HepG2) cells.

Result: A total of 162 bioactive components and 826 protein targets of GJF were screened, and 611 potential targets of HCC were identified. Finally, 63 possible targets of GJF acting on HCC were obtained. KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the top five pathways were the cell cycle, cellular senescence, p53 signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Among them, we verified the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. CCNE1, PKN1, CCND2, CDK4, EPHA2, FGFR3, CDK6, CDK2 and HSP90AAI were enriched in the PI3K/Akt pathway. The molecular docking results showed that the docking scores of eight active components of GJF with the two targets were all less than -5.0, indicating that they had certain binding activity. In vitro cell experiments showed that GJF could inhibit the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells, block the cell cycle and induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells, which may be related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In summary, EPHA2 may be an important target of GJF in HCC, and pachymic acid may be an important critical active compound of GJF that exerts anticancer activity.

Conclusion: In general, we demonstrated, for the first time, that the molecular mechanism of GJF in HCC may involve induction of G0/G1 phase cycle arrest through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and promote apoptosis of hepatoma cell lines. This study provides a scientific basis for the subsequent clinical application of GJF and the in-depth study of its mechanism.
Dual viscosity mixture vehicle for intratympanic steroid treatment modifies the ROS and inflammation related proteomes
Authors: Jung Jin Woo , Li Hui , Lee Jung Hun , Hwang Yu-Jung , Dan Kisoon , Park Moo Kyun , Han Dohyun , Suh Myung-Whan
Published: January 2023

Until recently, the most standard treatment for sensorineural or sudden hearing loss, which is caused by inner ear damage or deterioration, has been systemic oral steroid administration. In recent, intratympanic steroid injections such as dexamethasone have been used for the treatment of sudden hearing loss as well. It is injected into the tympanic cavity through its membrane and is expected to diffuse over the round window located between the tympanic cavity and the inner ear. However, in clinical situations, the delivery time of steroids to the inner ear is shorter than 24 h, which does not allow for a sufficient therapeutic effect. Therefore, we applied a previously invented dual viscosity mixture vehicle (DVV) for intratympanic dexamethasone to a guinea pig model, which could reduce the side effects of systemic steroid administration with sufficient dwelling time for the treatment of hearing loss, and we investigated the physiological changes with a global proteomic approach. In this study, we extracted perilymph in three different conditions from guinea pigs treated with dexamethasone-embedded DVV, dexamethasone mixed in saline, and control groups to compare proteomic changes using tandem mass spectrometry analysis. After liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, we first identified 46 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) that were statistically significant after one-way ANOVA multiple-sample test. We also performed pairwise comparisons among each group to identify DEPs closely related to the treatment response of dexamethasone-embedded DVV. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that these DEPs were mostly related to inflammation, immune, actin remodeling, and antioxidant-related processes. As a result, the proteome changes in the DVV-treated groups revealed that most upregulated proteins activate the cell proliferation process, and downregulated proteins inhibit apoptosis and inflammatory reactions. Moreover, the reactive oxygen process was also regulated by DEPs after DVV treatment.
A training pipeline of an arrhythmia classifier for atrial fibrillation detection using Photoplethysmography signal
Authors: Kudo Sota , Chen Zheng , Zhou Xue , Izu Leighton T. , Chen-Izu Ye , Zhu Xin , Tamura Toshiyo , Kanaya Shigehiko , Huang Ming
Published: January 2023

Photoplethysmography (PPG) signal is potentially suitable in atrial fibrillation (AF) detection for its convenience in use and similarity in physiological origin to electrocardiogram (ECG). There are a few preceding studies that have shown the possibility of using the peak-to-peak interval of the PPG signal (PPIp) in AF detection. However, as a generalized model, the accuracy of an AF detector should be pursued on the one hand; on the other hand, its generalizability should be paid attention to in view of the individual differences in PPG manifestation of even the same arrhythmia and the existence of sub-types. Moreover, a binary classifier for atrial fibrillation and normal sinus rhythm is not convincing enough for the similarity between AF and ectopic beats. In this study, we project the atrial fibrillation detection as a multiple-class classification and try to propose a training pipeline that is advantageous both to the accuracy and generalizability of the classifier by designing and determining the configurable options of the pipeline, in terms of input format, deep learning model (with hyperparameter optimization), and scheme of transfer learning. With a rigorous comparison of the possible combinations of the configurable components in the pipeline, we confirmed that first-order difference of heartbeat sequence as the input format, a 2-layer CNN–1-layer Transformer hybridR model as the learning model and the whole model fine-tuning as the implementing scheme of transfer learning is the best combination for the pipeline (F1 value: 0.80, overall accuracy: 0.87)R.
Metamifop as an estrogen-like chemical affects the pituitary-hypothalamic-gonadal (HPG) axis of female rice field eels (Monopterus albus)
Authors: Zhang Yi , Guan Tianyu , Wang Long , Ma Xintong , Zhu Chuankun , Wang Hui , Li Jiale
Published: January 2023

Metamifop (MET) is a widely used herbicide. It is likely for it to enter water environment when utilized, thus potential impacts may be produced on aquatic animals. Little information is available about its effects on the endocrine system of fish to date. In the current study, female rice field eels (Monopterus albus) were exposed to different MET concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 mg L −1) for 96 h to examine the effect of MET on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and sexual reversal. The results showed that high concentrations of MET exposure increased vitellogenin (VTG) levels in liver and plasma, but plasma sex hormone levels were not affected by MET exposure. MET exposure increased the expression of CYP19A1b and CYP17 that regulate sex hormone production in the brain, but the expression of genes (CYP19A1a, CYP17, FSHR, LHCGR, hsd11b2, 3β-HSD) associated with sex hormone secretion in the ovary and the estrogen receptor genes (esr1, esr2a, esr2b) in the liver were all suppressed. In addition, the expression of sex-related gene (Dmrt1) was suppressed. This study revealed for the first time that MET has estrogen-like effects and has a strong interference with the expression of HPG axis genes. MET did not show the ability to promote the sexual reversal in M. albus, on the contrary, the genes expression showed that the occurrence of male pathway was inhibited.
Comprehensive analysis of peptide-coding genes and initial characterization of an LRR-only microprotein in Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Kobayashi Haruaki , Murakami Kazuaki , Sugano Shigeo S. , Tamura Kentaro , Oka Yoshito , Matsushita Tomonao , Shimada Tomoo
Published: January 2023

In the past two decades, many plant peptides have been found to play crucial roles in various biological events by mediating cell-to-cell communications. However, a large number of small open reading frames (sORFs) or short genes capable of encoding peptides remain uncharacterized. In this study, we examined several candidate genes for peptides conserved between two model plants: Arabidopsis thaliana and Marchantia polymorpha. We examined their expression pattern in M. polymorpha and subcellular localization using a transient assay with Nicotiana benthamiana. We found that one candidate, MpSGF10B, was expressed in meristems, gemma cups, and male reproductive organs called antheridiophores. MpSGF10B has an N-terminal signal peptide followed by two leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains and was secreted to the extracellular region in N. benthamiana and M. polymorpha. Compared with the wild type, two independent Mpsgf10b mutants had a slightly increased number of antheridiophores. It was revealed in gene ontology enrichment analysis that MpSGF10B was significantly co-expressed with genes related to cell cycle and development. These results suggest that MpSGF10B may be involved in the reproductive development of M. polymorpha. Our research should shed light on the unknown role of LRR-only proteins in land plants.
Breeding techniques to dispense higher genetic gains
Authors: Anand Achala , Subramanian Madhumitha , Kar Debasish
Published: January 2023

Plant breeding techniques encompass all the processes aimed at improving the genetic characteristics of a crop. It helps in achieving desirable characteristics like resistance to diseases and pests, tolerance to environmental stresses, higher yield and improved quality of the crop. This review article aims to describe and evaluate the current plant breeding techniques and novel methods. This qualitative review employs a comparative approach in exploring the different plant breeding techniques. Conventional plant breeding techniques were compared with modern ones to understand the advancements in plant biotechnology. Backcross breeding, mass selection, and pure-line selection were all discussed in conventional plant breeding for self-pollination and recurrent selection and hybridisation were employed for cross-pollinated crops. Modern techniques comprise of CRISPR Cas-9, high-throughput phenotyping, marker-assisted selection and genomic selection. Further, novel techniques were reviewed to gain more insight. An in-depth analysis of conventional and modern plant breeding has helped gain insight on the advantages and disadvantages of the two. Modern breeding techniques have an upper hand as they are more reliable and less time consuming. It is also more accurate as it is a genotype-based method. However, conventional breeding techniques are cost effective and require less expertise. Modern plant breeding has an upper hand as it uses genomics techniques. Techniques like QTL mapping, marker assisted breeding aid in selection of superior plants right at the seedling stage, which is impossible with conventional breeding. Unlike the conventional method, modern methods are capable of selecting recessive alleles by using different markers. Modern plant breeding is a science and therefore more reliable and accurate.
Structural modifications in Bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] ecotypes for adaptation to environmental heterogeneity
Authors: Tufail Aasma , Ahmad Farooq , Hameed Mansoor , Ahsan Muhammad , Okla Mohammad K. , Siddiqua Umme Habibah , Khalid Noreen , Rashid Madiha , Shah Anis Ali , Hegab Momtaz M. , AbdElgawad Hamada
Published: January 2023

Introduction

It is well known that different ecotypes adopt different mechanisms to survive under environmental stress conditions. In this regard, each ecotype showed different type of modifications for their existence in a specific habitat that reflects to their ecological success.

Methods

Here, differently adapted ecotypes of Bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] were collected to evaluate their differential structural and functional modifications that are specific to cope with environmental stress conditions. The soil that adheres ecotypes roots were highly saline in case of DF-SD (Derawar Fort-Saline Desert), UL-HS (Ucchali Lake-Hyper Saline) and G-SSA (Gatwala-Saline Semiarid) ecotypes. Soils of S- HS (Sahianwala-Hyper Saline), S-SW (Sahianwala-Saline Wetland) and PA-RF (Pakka Anna-Reclaimed Field) were basic (pH 9 to 10). Soils of UL-HS and PA- HS (Pakka Anna-Hyper Saline), KKL-S (Kalar Kahar Lake-Saline), BG-NS (Botanic Garden-Non Saline) and G-SSA were rich in organic matter, and soil of BG-NS and DF-SD were rich in minerals. Anatomical modifications were performed by using the free hand sectioning technique and light microscopy.

Results and Discussion

DF-SD is one of the best ecotypes which showed anatomical modifications to cope with environmental changes. These modifications included stem cross-sectional area and leaf sheath thickness that contribute towards water storage, vascular tissues for proficient translocation of solutes and trichomes that provide resistance to water loss. On the other hand, sclerification in root is the only notable modification in the Gatwala Saline Semiarid (G-SSA) ecotype from saline arid habitat where rainfall is not as low as in the Cholistan Desert. Two ecotypes from hyper-saline wetlands, UL-HS and KL-HS showed increased number and size of vascular tissue, central cavity and sclerification in stem which are important for solutes conduction, water loss and salts bulk movement, respectively. The ecotype from reclaimed site was not much different from its counterpart from hyper-saline dryland. Overall, anatomical modifications to maintain water conservation are key mechanisms that have been identified as mediating stress tolerance in C. dactylon ecotypes.
Transcriptome analysis in contrasting maize inbred lines and functional analysis of five maize NAC genes under drought stress treatment
Authors: Ding Ning , Zhao Ying , Wang Weixiang , Liu Xuyang , Shi Wentong , Zhang Dengfeng , Chen Jiajie , Ma Shuo , Sun Qingpeng , Wang Tianyu , Lu Min
Published: January 2023

Drought substantially influences crop growth and development. NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors (TFs) have received much attention for their critical roles in drought stress responses. To explore the maize NAC genes in response to drought stress, the transcriptome sequencing data of NAC TFs in two maize inbred lines, the drought tolerance line H082183 and the sensitive line Lv28, were used to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). There were 129 maize NAC protein-coding genes identified, of which 15 and 20 NAC genes were differentially expressed between the two genotypes under MD and SD treatments, respectively. Meanwhile, the phylogenetic relationship of 152 non-redundant NAC family TFs in maize was generated. The maize NAC family proteins were grouped into 13 distinct subfamilies. Five drought stress–responsive NAC family members, which were designed as ZmNAP, ZmNAC19, ZmNAC4, ZmJUB1(JUBGBRUNNEN1), and ZmNAC87, were selected for further study. The expression of ZmNAP, ZmNAC19, ZmNAC4, ZmJUB1, and ZmNAC87 were significantly induced by drought, dehydration, polyethylene glycol (PEG) stress, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. The overexpressing Arabidopsis of these five NAC genes was generated for functional characterization, respectively. Under different concentrations of NaCl, D-mannitol stress, and ABA treatments, the sensitivity of ZmNAP-, ZmNAC19-, ZmNAC4-, ZmJUB1-, and ZmNAC87-overexpressing lines was significantly increased at the germination stage compared to the wild-type lines. The overexpression of these five NAC members significantly improved the drought stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Yeast two-hybrid screening analysis revealed that ZmNAP may cooperatively interact with 11 proteins including ZmNAC19 to activate the drought stress response. The above results inferred that ZmNAP, ZmNAC19, ZmNAC4, ZmJUB1, and ZmNAC87 may play important roles in the plant response to drought stress and may be useful in bioengineering breeding and drought tolerance improvement.
The comparative effects of manganese nanoparticles and their counterparts (bulk and ionic) in Artemisia annua plants via seed priming and foliar application
Authors: Salehi Hajar , Cheheregani Rad Abdolkarim , Raza Ali , Djalovic Ivica , Prasad P. V. Vara
Published: January 2023

The world has experienced an unprecedented boom in nanotechnology. Nanoparticles (NPs) are likely to act as biostimulants in various plants due to having high surface/volume value. However, understanding the actual effect of NPs is essential to discriminate them from other counterparts in terms of being applicable, safe and cost-effective. This study aimed to assay the impact of manganese(III) oxide (Mn2O3)-NPs via seed-priming (SP) and a combination of SP and foliar application (SP+F) on Artemisia. annua performance at several times intervals and comparison with other available manganese (Mn) forms. Our findings indicate that SP with MnSO4 and Mn2O3-NPs stimulates the processes that occur prior to germination and thus reduces the time for radicle emergence. In both applications (i.e., SP and +F), none of the Mn treatments did show adverse phytotoxic on A. annua growth at morpho-physio and biochemical levels except for Mn2O3, which delayed germination and further plant growth, subsequently. Besides, from physio-biochemical data, it can be inferred that the general mechanism mode of action of Mn is mainly attributed to induce the photosynthetic processes, stimulate the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and up-regulation of proline and phenolic compounds. Therefore, our results showed that both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants could be influenced by the application of Mn treatments in a type-dependent manner. In general, this study revealed that Mn2O3-NPs at the tested condition could be used as biostimulants to improve germination, seedling development and further plant growth. However, they are not as effective as MnSO4 treatments. Nonetheless, these findings can be used to consider and develop Mn2O3-NPs priming in future studies to improve seed germination and seedling quality in plants
ROS-mediated plasmodesmal regulation requires a network of an Arabidopsis receptor-like kinase, calmodulin-like proteins, and callose synthases
Authors: Vu Minh Huy , Hyun Tae Kyung , Bahk Sungwha , Jo Yeonhwa , Kumar Ritesh , Thiruppathi Dhineshkumar , Iswanto Arya Bagus Boedi , Chung Woo Sik , Shelake Rahul Mahadev , Kim Jae-Yean
Published: January 2023

Plasmodesmata (PD) play a critical role in symplasmic communication, coordinating plant activities related to growth & development, and environmental stress responses. Most developmental and environmental stress signals induce reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated signaling in the apoplast that causes PD closure by callose deposition. Although the apoplastic ROS signals are primarily perceived at the plasma membrane (PM) by receptor-like kinases (RLKs), such components involved in PD regulation are not yet known. Here, we show that an Arabidopsis NOVEL CYS-RICH RECEPTOR KINASE (NCRK), a PD-localized protein, is required for plasmodesmal callose deposition in response to ROS stress. We identified the involvement of NCRK in callose accumulation at PD channels in either basal level or ROS-dependent manner. Loss-of-function mutant (ncrk) of NCRK induces impaired callose accumulation at the PD under the ROS stress resembling a phenotype of the PD-regulatingGLUCAN SYNTHASE-LIKE 4(gsl4) knock-out plant. The overexpression of transgenic NCRK can complement the callose and the PD permeability phenotypes ofncrkmutants but not kinase-inactive NCRK variants or Cys-mutant NCRK, in which Cys residues were mutated in Cys-rich repeat ectodomain. Interestingly, NCRK mediates plasmodesmal permeability in mechanical injury-mediated signaling pathways regulated by GSL4. Furthermore, we show that NCRK interacts with calmodulin-like protein 41 (CML41) and GSL4 in response to ROS stress. Altogether, our data indicate that NCRK functions as an upstream regulator of PD callose accumulation in response to ROS-mediated stress signaling pathways.
Altered regulation of flowering expands growth ranges and maximizes yields in major crops
Authors: Wang Fan , Li Shichen , Kong Fanjiang , Lin Xiaoya , Lu Sijia
Published: January 2023

Flowering time influences reproductive success in plants and has a significant impact on yield in grain crops. Flowering time is regulated by a variety of environmental factors, with daylength often playing an important role. Crops can be categorized into different types according to their photoperiod requirements for flowering. For instance, long-day crops include wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and pea (Pisum sativum), while short-day crops include rice (Oryza sativa), soybean (Glycine max), and maize (Zea mays). Understanding the molecular regulation of flowering and genotypic variation therein is important for molecular breeding and crop improvement. This paper reviews the regulation of flowering in different crop species with a particular focus on how photoperiod-related genes facilitate adaptation to local environments.
Time-synchronic comments on video streaming website reveal core structures of audience engagement in movie viewing
Authors: Ni Wenjing , Coupé Christophe
Published: January 2023

To what extent movie viewers are swept into a fictional world has long been pondered by psychologists and filmmakers. With the development of time-synchronic comments on online viewing platforms, we can now analyze viewers’ immediate responses toward movies. In this study, we collected over 3 million Chinese time-synchronic comments from a video streaming website. We first assessed emotion and cognition-related word rates in these comments with the Simplified Chinese version of the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (SCLIWC) and applied time-series clustering to the word rates. Then Hierarchical Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (HDBSCAN) was conducted on the text to investigate the prevalent topics among the comments. We found different commenting behaviors in front of various movies and prototypical diachronic trajectories of the psychological engagement of the audience. We further identified how topics are discussed through time, and tried to account for viewer’s engagement, considering successively movie genres, topics and movie content. Among other points, we finally discussed the challenge in explaining the trajectories of engagement and the disconnection with narrative content. Overall, our study provides a new perspective on using social media data to answer questions from psychology and film studies. It underscores the potential of time-synchronic comments as a resource for detecting real-time human responses to specific events.
The influence of teaching variables in the educational processes of students with rare diseases
Authors: García-Perales Ramón , Palomares-Ruiz Ascensión , García-Toledano Eduardo , Martín-García María Inés
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Teachers have a key role in their students’ educational inclusion processes. Numerous variables influence their professional work and determine how they approach teaching.

Methods

In this study, 574 teachers teaching non-university educational stages in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha were queried about their knowledge and perceptions regarding students with rare diseases, examining the extent to which there were personal variables that could have an impact on that.

Results

The results indicate the need to expand training to increase levels of knowledge in the educational arena about rare diseases, especially about how they are conceptually described and their categorization and prevalence. All of the teaching variables evaluated were statistically significant, with p < 0.001 in most of the elements evaluated according to each of the following variables: sex, age, job position, teaching experience, and higher qualifications. This shows that there are teaching variables that influence the inclusion of students with rare diseases. Being aware of them should be a priority in order to increase teacher empowerment for the delivery of inclusive educational processes.

Discussion

All students exhibit distinctive characteristics and teachers play an essential role in offering them quality individualized education. The full inclusion of all students is something educational systems have yet to achieve, and this study aimed to contribute to that goal, in this case for schoolchildren with rare diseases.
Interoceptive accuracy is associated with benefits in decision making in children
Authors: Pollatos Olga , Mönkemöller Karla , Groppe Karoline , Elsner Birgit
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Decision making results not only from logical analyses, but seems to be further guided by the ability to perceive somatic information (interoceptive accuracy). Relations between interoceptive accuracy and decision making have been exclusively studied in adults and with regard to complex, uncertain situations (as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task, IGT).

Methods

In the present study, 1454 children (6-11 years) were examined at two time points (approximately 1 year apart) using an IGT as well as a delay-of-gratification task for sweets-items and toy-items. Interoceptive accuracy was measured using a child-adapted version of the Heartbeat Perception Task.

Results

The present results revealed that children with higher, as compared to lower, interoceptive accuracy showed more advantageous choices in the IGT and delayed more sweets-items, but not toy-items, in a delay-of-gratification task at time point 2 but not at time point 1. However, no longitudinal relation between interoceptive accuracy and decision making 1 year later could be shown.

Discussion

Results indicate that interoceptive accuracy relates to decision-making abilities in situations of varying complexity already in middle childhood, and that this link might consolidate across the examined 1-year period. Furthermore, the association of interoceptive accuracy and the delay of sweets-items might have implications for the regulation of body weight at a later age.
Onset risk factors for youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization: A longitudinal study
Authors: Sorrentino Anna , Esposito Alessia , Acunzo Debora , Santamato Margherita , Aquino Antonio
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Cyberbullying and cybervictimization are spread worldwide, and due to COVID-19, an increasing number of children and adolescents have been impacted. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, research has investigated and highlighted the key risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization, and numerous anti-cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs have been developed and assessed for their efficacy. Despite this, no studies have specifically focused on the individual, relational, and contextual risk factors associated with the onset of youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization.

Methods

To address this lacuna, 333 Italian students aged 10–16 years (M = 12.16, SD = 1.35) were involved in a year-long longitudinal study and filled in the anonymous online actuarial Tabby Improved Checklist two times with a 6-month interval. Onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization have been separately analyzed by excluding all students involved in cyberbullying from the original sample or in the cybervictimization baseline (T1).

Results

The results showed that being male, being involved in school bullying, having low levels of awareness of online risk, and having high levels of affective empathy were all significant onset risk factors for cyberbullying. Similarly, being male, being involved in school bullying and victimization, having high levels of affective empathy, and moral disengagement were onset risk factors for cybervictimization.

Conclusion

Given the negative psychological and behavioral consequences of cyberbullying and cybervictimization, this article includes discussions on practical and policy implications for future research, stressing the need to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention programs addressing and managing onset risk factors for cyberbullying and cybervictimization.
Human capital sustainability leadership: From personality traits to positive relational management
Authors: Di Fabio Annamaria , Bonfiglio Antonia , Palazzeschi Letizia , Gori Alessio , Svicher Andrea
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Constructing positive and supportive relationships is fundamental for healthy workers and healthy organizations and to cope with the current challenging work scenario. Organizations need to acknowledge the relevance of the relationships for workers and organizational well-being and adopt managing practices that enhance healthy relationships for sustainability and sustainable development.

Methods

The current research sought to investigate the associations between positive relational management (PRM) and human capital sustainability leadership (HCSL), taking into account personality traits. The big five questionnaire (BFQ), the PRM Scale (PRMS), and the HCSL Scale (HCSLS) were administered to 191 Italian workers.

Results

Findings displayed that PRM was able to add incremental variance over personality traits referring to HCSL.

Discussion

In terms of strength-based prevention perspectives for healthy organizations, PRM may be a favorable construct linked to HCSL.
Impulsivity, inhibition, and internet addiction in medical students of North of Iran
Authors: Salehi Mohammad , Abbaspour Zeinab , Molana Aliasghar , Shahini Najmeh
Published: January 2023

Background

Internet addiction, a serious psychological disorder, has rapidly increased among students and caused substantial interpersonal impairments. On the other hand, some evidence has indicated that impulsivity is associated with addictive behaviors.

Objectives

There are a few studies concerning the relationship between internet addiction and impulsivity in Iranian students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between impulsivity and internet addiction in the medical students of Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Golestan, Iran, within 2020–2021.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, 260 medical students at Golestan University of Medical Sciences in 2021 completed demographic, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and Young questionnaires and participated in a Go/No-Go computer test. Based on Young test scores, the students were divided into three groups of normal users, at-risk users, and users requiring treatment and compared regarding impulsivity and inhibition ability. Data was analyzed using SPSS v 23.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 24.16 years. The results showed a significant correlation between impulsivity and internet addiction (p = 0.001), which was established in all contextual indicators. A significant correlation was also shown between impulsivity and internet addiction (r = 0.602 and p = 0.001), both in male and female student. However, restraint index was correlated with internet addiction only in females (r = 0.187 and p = 0.033).

Conclusion

Based on these findings, impulsivity increases alongside the rising of the internet addiction severity and does not influence by gender.
Altered task induced functional brain networks and small-world properties in autism
Authors: Chouhan Tushar , Black Melissa H. , Girdler Sonya , Bölte Sven , Tan Tele , Guan Cuntai
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Facial emotion recognition (FER) requires the integration of multi-dimensional information across various brain regions. Autistic individuals commonly experience difficulties in FER, a phenomenon often attributed to differences in brain connectivity. The nature of task-induced functional brain networks could provide insight into the neuromechanisms underlying FER difficulties in autism, however, to date, these mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods

In this study, the task induced functional brain networks of 19 autistic and 19 gender, age, and IQ matched non-autistic individuals were examined during a complex FER task. Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based functional brain networks were examined, including the investigation of differences in the time-varying whole-brain functional networks and the exploration of the task induced small-world properties.

Results

The results showed statistically significant differences in the task-induced functional networks between autistic and non-autistic adults. Autistic adults compared to non-autistic adults showed a significant shift in the connectivity-based FER processing from the lower to the higher EEG frequency bands.

Discussion

These findings may provide evidence at a neural level for the notion that autistic individuals have a preference for bottom-up lower-level processing, or alterations in top-down global processing, potentially contributing to the FER difficulties observed in this population. Results also suggest that functional brain networks in autism show significantly altered task-induced whole-brain small-world properties as compared to non-autistic individuals during complex FER. This study motivates further investigation of the underlying networks-basis of altered emotion processing in autism.
Anhedonia modulates benzodiazepine and opioid demand among persons in treatment for opioid use disorder
Authors: Greenwald Mark K. , Moses Tabitha E. H. , Lundahl Leslie H. , Roehrs Timothy A.
Published: January 2023

Background

Benzodiazepine (BZD) misuse is a significant public health problem, particularly in conjunction with opioid use, due to increased risks of overdose and death. One putative mechanism underlying BZD misuse is affective dysregulation, via exaggerated negative affect (e.g., anxiety, depression, stress-reactivity) and/or impaired positive affect (anhedonia). Similar to other misused substances, BZD consumption is sensitive to price and individual differences. Although purchase tasks and demand curve analysis can shed light on determinants of substance use, few studies have examined BZD demand, nor factors related to demand.

Methods

This ongoing study is examining simulated economic demand for alprazolam (among BZD lifetime misusers based on self-report and DSM-5 diagnosis; n = 23 total; 14 male, 9 female) and each participant’s preferred-opioid/route using hypothetical purchase tasks among patients with opioid use disorder (n = 59 total; 38 male, 21 female) who are not clinically stable, i.e., defined as being early in treatment or in treatment longer but with recent substance use. Aims are to determine whether: (1) BZD misusers differ from never-misusers on preferred-opioid economic demand, affective dysregulation (using questionnaire and performance measures), insomnia/behavioral alertness, psychiatric diagnoses or medications, or urinalysis results; and (2) alprazolam demand among BZD misusers is related to affective dysregulation or other measures.

Results

Lifetime BZD misuse is significantly (p < 0.05) related to current major depressive disorder diagnosis, opioid-negative and methadone-negative urinalysis, higher trait anxiety, greater self-reported affective dysregulation, and younger age, but not preferred-opioid demand or insomnia/behavioral alertness. Alprazolam and opioid demand are each significantly positively related to higher anhedonia and, to a lesser extent, depression symptoms but no other measures of negative-affective dysregulation, psychiatric conditions or medications (including opioid agonist therapy or inpatient/outpatient treatment modality), or sleep-related problems.

Conclusion

Anhedonia (positive-affective deficit) robustly predicted increased BZD and opioid demand; these factors could modulate treatment response. Routine assessment and effective treatment of anhedonia in populations with concurrent opioid and sedative use disorder may improve treatment outcomes.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03696017, identifier NCT03696017.
The impact of medical financial assistance on healthcare expenses and the medical financial burden: Evidence from rural China
Authors: Chen Yucheng , Gao Gongjing , Yuan Fei , Zhao Yuxiao
Published: January 2023

Background

The medical financial burden has become a key limitation to accessing healthcare in rural areas of China as healthcare expenses continue to rise. To ensure that low-income people have access to basic healthcare services, China has implemented medical financial assistance (MFA) policy, which provides social health insurance and medical cash assistance for low-income people.

Methods

Using data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the propensity score matching (PSM) method was applied to estimate the impact of MFA on healthcare expenses and the medical financial burden.

Results

Empirical results showed that the total annual healthcare expenditure of MFA beneficiaries is significantly higher than that of non-beneficiaries after matching. Although low-income individuals are now covered by MFA, neither the out-of-pocket expenditure to per capita household non-food expenditure ratio nor the likelihood of catastrophic healthcare expenditure (CHE) decrease significantly.

Conclusion

Medical financial assistance (MFA) has reduced the inequality in healthcare utilization to a certain extent by improving access to healthcare for low-income people. However, people with low income still face a heavy medical financial burden even when they are covered by MFA. Policymakers should pay attention to raising the standards of MFA in rural areas and providing higher subsidies for the reasonable healthcare expenditures of low-income people.