bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinguishing heart failure subtypes: the diagnostic power of different cardiac magnetic resonance imaging parameters
Authors: Hao Yanhui , Zhang Rui , Chen Lihong , Fan Ganglian , Liu Bing , Jiang Ke , Zhu Yi , Zhang Ming , Guo Jianxin
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the diagnostic potential of various cardiac parameters in differentiating between heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with mid-ranged and reduced ejection fraction (HFm + rEF), and to discern their relationship with normal cardiac function.

Methods

This research encompassed a comparative analysis of heart failure subtypes based on multiple indicators. Participants were categorized into HFm + rEF, HFpEF, and control groups. For each participant, we investigated indicators of left ventricular function (LVEDVi, LVESVi, and LVEF) and myocardial strain parameters (GLS, GCS, GRS). Additionally, quantitative tissue evaluation parameters including native T1, enhanced T1, and extracellular volume (ECV) were examined.For comprehensive diagnostic performance analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluations for each parameters were conducted.

Results

HFm + rEF patients exhibited elevated LVEDVi and LVESVi and decreased LVEF compared to both HFpEF and control groups. Myocardial strain revealed significant reductions in GLS, GCS, and GRS for HFm + rEF patients compared to the other groups. HFpEF patients showed strain reductions relative to the control group. In cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) evaluations, HFm + rEF patients demonstrated heightened native T1 times and ECV fractions. Native T1 was particularly effective in distinguishing HFpEF from healthy subjects.

Conclusion

Native T1, ECV, and myocardial strain parameters have substantial diagnostic value in identifying HFpEF. Among them, native T1 displayed superior diagnostic efficiency relative to ECV, offering critical insights into early-stage HFpEF. These findings can play a pivotal role in refining clinical management and treatment strategies for heart failure patients.
A test on methods for Mc estimation and spatial-temporal distribution of b-value in the eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Gong Weicheng , Chen Huayuan , Gao Yajing , Li Qing , Sun Yunqiang
Published: February 2024

Seismic b-value is one of the most important parameters for seismological research and seismic hazards assessment, while the accuracy of the b-value largely depended on the completeness of seismic catalog. This article compares eight methods for estimating the minimum magnitude of completeness (Mc). The results indicate that the modified maximum curvature method (MMAXC), exhibits greater stability and accuracy, closely approximating the standard Mc obtained from the synthetic seismic catalogs. We then calculate the b-value using the instrumental seismic catalog from 2000–2023 in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The results indicate that the five major earthquakes occur in regions with lower b-value. In addition, the temporal evolution of b-value before and after major earthquakes exhibits a common trend of decreasing before earthquakes, and increasing after earthquakes, which may reflect the stress accumulation and release during earthquakes. Combining the results of maximum shear strain rate and b-value, we identify five regions characterized by low b-value and high shear strain rate, indicating a higher potential seismic hazard in the future.
Impact on green finance and environmental regulation on carbon emissions: evidence from China
Authors: Guo Xiaoyang , Yang Jingyi , Shen Yang , Zhang Xiuwu
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality is an extensive and profound systematic economic and social change. Through market-oriented financial means, green finance has moved forward the effective governance port, curbed polluting investment and promoted technological progress such as green low-carbon, energy conservation and environmental protection, which has become a powerful starting point to support the practice of low-carbon development.

Methods: Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China (except Tibet, Hongkong, Macau and Taiwan Province) from 2004 to 2021, this paper calculates the development level of green finance in China provinces by using entropy weight method, and on this basis, uses mathematical statistical model to verify the impact of green finance and its sub-dimensions on carbon emissions and the regulatory effect of heterogeneous environmental regulation tools.

Results: The results show that the development of green finance has a significant inhibitory effect on carbon emissions during the investigation period, and there is a time lag effect. After a series of robustness tests and considering endogenous problems, this conclusion still holds. From the results of heterogeneity analysis, the carbon emission reduction effect of green credit is the most obvious, and the impact of green finance on carbon emission is slightly different in different regions. Besides, Command-controlled environmental regulation tools and public participation environmental regulation tools play a positive regulatory role in the transmission path of green finance’s impact on carbon emissions, but market-driven environmental regulation tools cannot effectively enhance the carbon emission reduction effect of green finance development.

Discussion: The research results of this paper provide a basis for the government to formulate flexible, accurate, reasonable and appropriate green financial policies, help to strengthen the exchange and cooperation between regions in reducing carbon and fixing carbon, and actively and steadily promote China’s goal of “peak carbon dioxide emissions, carbon neutrality”.
Quantitative analysis of ecological compensation in the Yangtze River Delta region based on the value of ecosystem services and ecological footprint
Authors: Mao Chunmei , Niu Junjun
Published: February 2024

Introduction

The Yangtze River Delta is where “the Belt and Road” and China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt converge, which plays a crucial strategic location. However, with the demands of economic growth, environmental issues are frequently present in the Yangtze River Delta as a result of human and exploitation of ecological resources, and there is an urgent need to coordinate the relationship between human development and ecology.

Methods

The Yangtze River Delta region is used as the research subject, quantitatively analyzing various ecosystems within the region from three dimensions: ecosystem services value, ecological carrying capacity, and ecological footprint, and analyzing various factors that affect economic and environmental balance. Then calculate eco-compensation and its payment order based on this information, in order to build a foundation for coordinating ecological interests and safeguarding the environment in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Results and discussion

(1) Jiangsu Province was the main provider of ecosystem services in the Yangtze River Delta; the Yangtze River Delta’s three main ecosystems-waters, forests, and wetlands-accounted for 90% of the ecosystem services valued in the area and must be preserved. (2) The Yangtze River Delta as a whole belonged to an ecological deficit area, showing varying degrees of unsustainable development; In terms of ecological deficits, cultivated land and fossil energy had the worst, and both need to be treated severely. (3) The Yangtze River Delta was a region that paid ecological compensation. The payment order and total amount was 6825.596 billion yuan in Shanghai, 6412.264 billion yuan in Jiangsu, 12088.852 billion yuan in Zhejiang, and 3675.637 billion yuan in Anhui. At the same time, considering the current state of Anhui, the amount of eco-compensation can be appropriately reduced. Finally, recommendations are made based on the findings above, in order to improve the overall ecological benefits of the Yangtze River Delta region and foster ecological integration, all provincial and municipal governments should take reasonable action to reverse the ecological deficit of fossil energy and cultivated land, and also aim to achieve an ecological surplus in both land uses.
Innate and adaptive immune-directed tumour microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Joseph Ann Mary , Al Aiyan Ahmad , Al-Ramadi Basel , Singh Shiv K. , Kishore Uday
Published: February 2024

One of the most deadly and aggressive cancers in the world, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), typically manifests at an advanced stage. PDAC is becoming more common, and by the year 2030, it is expected to overtake lung cancer as the second greatest cause of cancer-related death. The poor prognosis can be attributed to a number of factors, including difficulties in early identification, a poor probability of curative radical resection, limited response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and its immunotherapy resistance. Furthermore, an extensive desmoplastic stroma that surrounds PDAC forms a mechanical barrier that prevents vascularization and promotes poor immune cell penetration. Phenotypic heterogeneity, drug resistance, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment are the main causes of PDAC aggressiveness. There is a complex and dynamic interaction between tumor cells in PDAC with stromal cells within the tumour immune microenvironment. The immune suppressive microenvironment that promotes PDAC aggressiveness is contributed by a range of cellular and humoral factors, which itself are modulated by the cancer. In this review, we describe the role of innate and adaptive immune cells, complex tumor microenvironment in PDAC, humoral factors, innate immune-mediated therapeutic advances, and recent clinical trials in PDAC.
Major cardiovascular events under biologic psoriasis therapies: a 19-year real-world analysis of FAERS data
Authors: Ding Lingqing , Chen Congqin , Yang Yongkuan , Zhang Xiaoting
Published: February 2024

Objective

Over the years when biologic psoriasis therapies (TNF inhibitors, IL-12/23 inhibitors, IL-23 inhibitors, and IL-17 inhibitors) have been used in psoriasis patients, reports of major cardiovascular events (MACEs) have emerged. This study aims to investigate the association between MACEs and biologic psoriasis therapies by using information reported to the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Methods

FAERS data (January 2004 to December 2022) were reviewed. For each drug–event pair, the proportional reporting ratio (PRR) and the multi-item gamma Poisson shrinker (MGPS) algorithms were used to identify drug–adverse event associations.

Results

We filtered the query for indication and identified 173,330 reports with psoriasis indication in FAERS throughout the analyzed time frame. MACEs occurred in 4,206 patients treated with biologics. All the four biological classes had an elevated and similar reporting rates for MACEs relative to other alternative psoriasis treatments (PRR from 2.10 to 4.26; EB05 from 1.15 to 2.45). The descending order of association was IL-12/23 inhibitors>IL-17 inhibitors>IL-23 inhibitors>TNF inhibitors. The signal strength for myocardial infarction (PRR, 2.86; χ2, 296.27; EBGM 05, 1.13) was stronger than that for stroke, cardiac fatality, and death. All the biological classes demonstrated a little higher EBGM 05 score≥1 for the MACEs in patients aged 45–64 years. The time-to-onset of MACEs was calculated with a median of 228 days.

Conclusions

Analysis of adverse event reports in the FAERS reflects the potential risk of MACEs associated with the real-world use of biological therapies in comparison to other alternative psoriasis treatments. Future long-term and well-designed studies are needed to further our knowledge regarding the cardiovascular safety profile of these agents.
An improved approach for the continuous retardation spectra of concrete creep and applications
Authors: Zhou Xinzhu , Bai Linhong , Rong Hua , Fan Xinglang , Zheng Jianjun , Geng Yan
Published: February 2024

Creep is an important physical property of concrete and can lead to additional displacement, stress redistribution, and even cracking in concrete structures, inducing prestress loss of large-scale prestressed concrete structures. When an exponential algorithm is used to calculate the long-term creep of concrete, it is usually necessary to apply the continuous retardation spectra of the material. In the improved approach proposed here, the continuous retardation spectra can be obtained by the Weeks inverse Laplace transform. The CEB MC90 creep model is taken as an example to analyze the computational process, efficiency, and error of the approach. The improved approach is further applied to the ACI 209R-92, JSCE, and GL2000 concrete creep models. Through comparison with other methods, the advantages of the improved approach are illustrated, and some useful conclusions are drawn.
Identification of diagnostic biomarkers correlate with immune infiltration in extra-pulmonary tuberculosis by integrating bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Wang Yanan , Jin Faxiang , Mao Weifang , Yu Yefu , Xu Wenfang
Published: February 2024

The diagnosis of tuberculosis depends on detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Unfortunately, recognizing patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) remains challenging due to the insidious clinical presentation and poor performance of diagnostic tests. To identify biomarkers for EPTB, the GSE83456 dataset was screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by a gene enrichment analysis. One hundred and ten DEGs were obtained, mainly enriched in inflammation and immune -related pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify 10 co-expression modules. The turquoise module, correlating the most highly with EPTB, contained 96 DEGs. Further screening with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) narrowed down the 96 DEGs to five central genes. All five key genes were validated in the GSE144127 dataset. CARD17 and GBP5 had high diagnostic capacity, with AUC values were 0.763 (95% CI: 0.717–0.805) and 0.833 (95% CI: 0.793–0.869) respectively. Using single sample gene enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), we evaluated the infiltration of 28 immune cells in EPTB and explored their relationships with key genes. The results showed 17 immune cell subtypes with significant infiltrations in EPTB. CARD17, GBP5, HOOK1, LOC730167, and HIST1H4C were significantly associated with 16, 14, 12, 6, and 4 immune cell subtypes, respectively. The RT-qPCR results confirmed that the expression levels of GBP5 and CARD17 were higher in EPTB compared to control. In conclusion, CARD17 and GBP5 have high diagnostic efficiency for EPTB and are closely related to immune cell infiltration.
Electrochemical and structural characterization of recombinant respiratory proteins of the acidophilic iron oxidizer Ferrovum sp. PN-J47-F6 suggests adaptations to the acidic pH at protein level
Authors: Ullrich Sophie R. , Fuchs Helena , Ashworth-Güth Charlotte
Published: February 2024

The tendency of the periplasmic redox proteins in acidophiles to have more positive redox potentials (Em) than their homologous counterparts in neutrophiles suggests an adaptation to acidic pH at protein level, since thermodynamics of electron transfer processes are also affected by acidic pH. Since this conclusion is mainly based on the electrochemical characterization of redox proteins from extreme acidophiles of the genus Acidithiobacillus, we aimed to characterize three recombinant redox proteins of the more moderate acidophile Ferrovum sp. PN-J47-F6. We applied protein film voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry coupled to UV/Vis spectroscopy to characterize the redox behavior of HiPIP-41, CytC-18, and CytC-78, respectively. The Em-values of HiPIP-41 (571 ± 16 mV), CytC-18 (276 ± 8 mV, 416 ± 2 mV), and CytC-78 (308 ± 7 mV, 399 ± 7 mV) were indeed more positive than those of homologous redox proteins in neutrophiles. Moreover, our findings suggest that the adaptation of redox proteins with respect to their Em occurs more gradually in response to the pH, since there are also differences between moderate and more extreme acidophiles. In order to address structure function correlations in these redox proteins with respect to structural features affecting the Em, we conducted a comparative structural analysis of the Ferrovum-derived redox proteins and homologs of Acidithiobacillus spp. and neutrophilic proteobacteria. Hydrophobic contacts in the redox cofactor binding pockets resulting in a low solvent accessibility appear to be the major factor contributing to the more positive Em-values in acidophile-derived redox proteins. While additional cysteines in HiPIPs of acidophiles might increase the effective shielding of the [4Fe-4S]-cofactor, the tight shielding of the heme centers in acidophile-derived cytochromes is achieved by a drastic increase in hydrophobic contacts (A.f. Cyc41), and by a larger fraction of aromatic residues in the binding pockets (CytC-18, CytC-78).
Metabolomics unveils the exacerbating role of arachidonic acid metabolism in atherosclerosis
Authors: Ma Sai , He Songqing , Liu Jing , Zhuang Wei , Li Hanqing , Lin Chen , Wang Lijun , Feng Jing , Wang Lei
Published: February 2024

Atherosclerosis is a complex vascular disorder characterized by the deposition of lipids, inflammatory cascades, and plaque formation in arterial walls. A thorough understanding of its causes and progression is necessary to develop effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Recent breakthroughs in metabolomics have provided valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms and genetic factors involved in atherosclerosis, leading to innovative approaches for preventing and treating the disease. In our study, we analyzed clinical serum samples from both atherosclerosis patients and animal models using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. By employing methods such as orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA), heatmaps, and volcano plots, we can accurately classify atherosclerosis (AUC = 0.892) and identify key molecules associated with the disease. Specifically, we observed elevated levels of arachidonic acid and its metabolite, leukotriene B4, in atherosclerosis. By inhibiting arachidonic acid and monitoring its downstream metabolites, we discovered the crucial role of this metabolic pathway in regulating atherosclerosis. Metabolomic research provides detailed insights into the metabolic networks involved in atherosclerosis development and reveals the close connection between abnormal metabolism and the disease. These studies offer new possibilities for precise diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease progression, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
Random forest analysis of midbrain hypometabolism using [18F]-FDG PET identifies Parkinson's disease at the subject-level
Authors: Ruppert-Junck Marina C. , Kräling Gunter , Greuel Andrea , Tittgemeyer Marc , Timmermann Lars , Drzezga Alexander , Eggers Carsten , Pedrosa David
Published: February 2024

Parkinson's disease (PD) is currently diagnosed largely on the basis of expert judgement with neuroimaging serving only as a supportive tool. In a recent study, we identified a hypometabolic midbrain cluster, which includes parts of the substantia nigra, as the best differentiating metabolic feature for PD-patients based on group comparison of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) PET scans. Longitudinal analyses confirmed progressive metabolic changes in this region and, an independent study showed great potential of nigral metabolism for diagnostic workup of parkinsonian syndromes. In this study, we applied a machine learning approach to evaluate midbrain metabolism measured by [18F]-FDG PET as a diagnostic marker for PD. In total, 51 mid-stage PD-patients and 16 healthy control subjects underwent high-resolution [18F]-FDG PET. Normalized tracer update values of the midbrain cluster identified by between-group comparison were extracted voxel-wise from individuals' scans. Extracted uptake values were subjected to a random forest feature classification algorithm. An adapted leave-one-out cross validation approach was applied for testing robustness of the model for differentiating between patients and controls. Performance of the model across all runs was evaluated by calculating sensitivity, specificity and model accuracy for the validation data set and the percentage of correctly categorized subjects for test data sets. The random forest feature classification of voxel-based uptake values from the midbrain cluster identified patients in the validation data set with an average sensitivity of 0.91 (Min: 0.82, Max: 0.94). For all 67 runs, in which each of the individuals was treated once as test data set, the test data set was correctly categorized by our model. The applied feature importance extraction consistently identified a subset of voxels within the midbrain cluster with highest importance across all runs which spatially converged with the left substantia nigra. Our data suggest midbrain metabolism measured by [18F]-FDG PET as a promising diagnostic imaging tool for PD. Given its close relationship to PD pathophysiology and very high discriminatory accuracy, this approach could help to objectify PD diagnosis and enable more accurate classification in relation to clinical trials, which could also be applicable to patients with prodromal disease.
Identification of key genes as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for comorbidity of myasthenia gravis and COVID-19
Authors: Huang Liyan , Zuo Yao , Yang Hui , He Xiaofang , Zhang Lin
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a significant impact on the health and quality of life of MG patients and may even trigger the onset of MG in some cases. With the worldwide development of the COVID-19 vaccination, several new-onset MG cases and exacerbations following the COVID-19 vaccines have been acknowledged. The potential link between myasthenia gravis (MG) and COVID-19 has prompted the need for further investigation into the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods and results

The differential expression analysis identified six differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared by myasthenia gravis (MG) and COVID-19, namely SAMD9, PLEK, GZMB, JUNB, NR4A1, and NR1D1. The relationship between the six common genes and immune cells was investigated in the COVID-19 dataset. The predictive value of the shared genes was assessed and a nomogram was constructed using machine learning algorithms. The regulatory miRNAs, transcription factors and small molecular drugs were predicted, and the molecular docking was carried out by AutoDock.

Discussion

We have identified six common DEGs of MG and COVID-19 and explored their immunological effects and regulatory mechanisms. The result may provide new insights for further mechanism research.
Motion-correction strategies for enhancing whole-body PET imaging
Authors: Wang James , Bermudez Dalton , Chen Weijie , Durgavarjhula Divya , Randell Caitlin , Uyanik Meltem , McMillan Alan
Published: February 2024

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a powerful medical imaging technique widely used for detection and monitoring of disease. However, PET imaging can be adversely affected by patient motion, leading to degraded image quality and diagnostic capability. Hence, motion gating schemes have been developed to monitor various motion sources including head motion, respiratory motion, and cardiac motion. The approaches for these techniques have commonly come in the form of hardware-driven gating and data-driven gating, where the distinguishing aspect is the use of external hardware to make motion measurements vs. deriving these measures from the data itself. The implementation of these techniques helps correct for motion artifacts and improves tracer uptake measurements. With the great impact that these methods have on the diagnostic and quantitative quality of PET images, much research has been performed in this area, and this paper outlines the various approaches that have been developed as applied to whole-body PET imaging.
Pharmacological targeting of the hyper-inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2-infected K18-hACE2 mice using a cluster of differentiation 36 receptor modulator
Authors: Gauvin Jade , Huynh David N. , Dubuc Isabelle , Lê Catherine , Tugores Rafaela , Flamand Nicolas , Flamand Louis , Lubell William D. , Ong Huy , Marleau Sylvie
Published: February 2024

The scientific and medical community faced an unprecedented global health hazard that led to nearly 7 million deaths attributable to the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In spite of the development of efficient vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, many people remain at risk of developing severe symptoms as the virus continues to spread without beneficial patient therapy. The hyper-inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome remains an unmet medical need for improving patient care. The viral infection stimulates alveolar macrophages to adopt an inflammatory phenotype regulated, at least in part, by the cluster of differentiation 36 receptor (CD36) to produce unrestrained inflammatory cytokine secretions. We suggest herein that the modulation of the macrophage response using the synthetic CD36 ligand hexarelin offers potential as therapy for halting respiratory failure in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.
Hexasodium fytate exposure-response correlations in a randomized, placebo-controlled study of patients on dialysis with cardiovascular calcification
Authors: Perelló Joan , Alberti Joan , Torres Juan Vicente , Ferrer Miguel D. , Perez M. Mar , Bassissi Firas , Gold Alex , Raggi Paolo , Chertow Glenn M. , Salcedo Carolina
Published: February 2024

Background: Patients receiving dialysis have high cardiovascular risk in part due to extensive vascular calcification. In the CaLIPSO study, infusion of hexasodium fytate (SNF472), the hexasodium salt of inositol hexaphosphate, for 52 weeks thrice weekly during hemodialysis significantly reduced progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC). This report examines pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) and exposure-efficacy in CaLIPSO.

Methods: We measured hexasodium fytate plasma concentrations (PK) by validated liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and hydroxyapatite crystallization in plasma (PD) by validated spectrophotometry. Analyses included patients evaluable for PK, PD, and CAC change (per-protocol analysis). We developed a simple Emax model for maximum concentration (Cmax) and PD effect, and linear and non-linear Emax models for exposure-efficacy among individual average Cmax and absolute and percent changes in CAC score from baseline to week 52.

Results: Among evaluable patients receiving placebo (n = 15), 300 mg (n = 20), or 600 mg (n = 20), average Cmax across visits was not quantifiable (<0.76 μM), 15 μM, and 46 μM, respectively. These results suggest a more-than-proportional increase, without accumulation, with a Cmax ratio of approximately 3 for the doses administered. Average inhibition of hydroxyapatite crystallization was 15%, 61%, and 75%, respectively, and similar across visits. Simple Emax models described 80% maximal effect at exposures >21.9 µM and a plateau in exposure-efficacy above the third quartile of Cmax (≥32 µM).

Conclusion: Hexasodium fytate has exposure-dependent effects on hydroxyapatite crystallization and progression of cardiovascular calcification. Simple Emax models show robust relations among exposure, inhibition of hydroxyapatite crystallization, and change in CAC volume.

Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; identifier NCT02966028.
Enhancing transcriptome analysis in medicinal plants: multiple unigene sets in Astragalus membranaceus
Authors: Kang Ji-Nam , Hur Mok , Kim Chang-Kug , Yang So-Hee , Lee Si-Myung
Published: February 2024

Astragalus membranaceus is a medicinal plant mainly used in East Asia and contains abundant secondary metabolites. Despite the importance of this plant, the available genomic and genetic information is still limited. De novo transcriptome construction is recognized as an essential method for transcriptome research when reference genome information is incomplete. In this study, we constructed three individual transcriptome sets (unigene sets) for detailed analysis of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, a major metabolite of A. membranaceus. Set-1 was a circular consensus sequence (CCS) generated using PacBio sequencing (PacBio-seq). Set-2 consisted of hybridized assembled unigenes with Illumina sequencing (Illumina-seq) reads and PacBio CCS using rnaSPAdes. Set-3 unigenes were assembled from Illumina-seq reads using the Trinity software. Construction of multiple unigene sets provides several advantages for transcriptome analysis. First, it provides an appropriate expression filtering threshold for assembly-based unigenes: a threshold transcripts per million (TPM) ≥ 5 removed more than 88% of assembly-based unigenes, which were mostly short and low-expressing unigenes. Second, assembly-based unigenes compensated for the incomplete length of PacBio CCSs: the ends of the 5`/3` untranslated regions of phenylpropanoid-related unigenes derived from set-1 were incomplete, which suggests that PacBio CCSs are unlikely to be full-length transcripts. Third, more isoform unigenes could be obtained from multiple unigene sets; isoform unigenes missing in Set-1 were detected in set-2 and set-3. Finally, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses showed that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism were highly activated in A. membranaceus roots. Various sequencing technologies and assemblers have been developed for de novo transcriptome analysis. However, no technique is perfect for de novo transcriptome analysis, suggesting the need to construct multiple unigene sets. This method enables efficient transcript filtering and detection of longer and more diverse transcripts.
Identification and application of an endophytic fungus Arcopilus aureus from Panax notoginseng against crop fungal disease
Authors: Sun Diangang , Li Fengyang , Wang Lingling , Chen Ruige , Liu Feng , Guo Liwei , Li Na , Zhang Fuxian , Lei Liancheng
Published: February 2024

Endophytic fungi are important microbial resources for developing novel antibacterial and antifungal drugs to prevent and control crop diseases. Panax notoginseng has been used as a Chinese medicinal herb for a long time, as it has various bioactivities. However, information on endophytic fungi isolated from Panax notoginseng is rare. In this study, an endophytic fungus known as SQGX-6, which was later identified as the golden hair fungus Arcopilus aureus, was isolated from Panax notoginseng. SQGX-6 was extracted using ethyl acetate, and the active components of the fungus were identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The antifungal and antioxidant activities of the extract were determined and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. SQGX-6 and its extract inhibited the growth of Corn stalk rot (Fusarium graminearum), Corn southern leaf blight (Helminthosporium maydis), and Tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) in vitro. The free radical scavenging rates for 2,2-Diphenyl-1-pyridinyl hydrazide (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid Radical scavenging (ABTS) activity were also downregulated by the SQGX-6 extract. In vivo, the SQGX-6 extract inhibited the mycelial growth rates of the three aforementioned fungi and downregulated malondialdehyde (MDA) content and upregulated peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) content in fruits, leading to significant reduction in damage to cherry tomatoes caused by Botrytis cinerea. UHPLC-MS was performed to identify various active substances, including Alkaloids, Azoles, Benzofurans, Coumarins, Flavonoids, Organic acids, Phenols, and plant growth regulators contained in the extract. These results suggested that the endophytic fungus SQGX-6 of Panax notoginseng and its extract have excellent antifungal and antioxidant activities, and thus, it is an important microbial resource for the developing novel drugs against plant fungal infections.
Divergent soil P accrual in ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal trees: insights from a common garden experiment in subtropical China
Authors: Lian Pingping , Xu Linglin , Yang Liuming , Yue Kai , Peñuelas Josep
Published: February 2024

Tree species establish mycorrhizal associations with both ectomycorrhizal (EM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM), which play crucial roles in facilitating plant phosphorus (P) acquisition. However, little attention has been given to the effects of EM and AM species on soil P dynamics and the underlying mechanisms in subtropical forests, where P availability is typically low. To address this knowledge gap, we selected two EM species (Pinus massoniana - PM and Castanopsis carlesii - CC) and two AM species (Cunninghamia lanceolata - Chinese fir, CF and Michelia macclurei - MM) in a common garden established in 2012 in subtropical China. We investigated soil properties (e.g., pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and dissolved organic nitrogen), soil P fractions, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), enzyme activities, foliar manganese (Mn) concentration, and foliar nutrients and stoichiometry. Our findings revealed that soils hosting EM species had higher levels of resin P, NaHCO3-Pi, extractable Po, total P, and a greater percentage of extractable Po to total P compared to soils with AM species. These results indicate that EM species enhance soil P availability and organic P accumulation in contrast to AM species. Moreover, EM species exhibited higher P return to soil (indicated by higher foliar P concentrations) when compared to AM species, which partly explains higher P accumulation in soils with EM species. Additionally, resin P showed a positive correlation with acid phosphatase (ACP) activity, whereas no correlation was found with foliar Mn concentration, which serves as a proxy for the mobilization of sorbed soil P. Such findings indicate that organic P mineralization has a more substantial impact than inorganic P desorption in influencing P availability in soils hosting both EM and AM species. In summary, our study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of mycorrhizal associations on soil P accumulation in subtropical forests and provide valuable insights into plant-soil interactions and their role in P cycling in regions with limited P availability.
Time-based prospective memory in preschoolers – the role of time monitoring behavior
Authors: Szpakiewicz Elżbieta , Józefacka Natalia Maja
Published: February 2024

Background

Time-based prospective memory (TBPM) refers to the ability to remember to perform an intended activity at a specific time in the future or after a specific time interval. This article reviews TBPM memory in preschool children and explores the role of time monitoring behavior in TBPM performance.

Methods

A total of 242 preschool-aged children (aged 2–6) performed a prospective memory task, wherein prospective memory accuracy, ongoing task performance, and time monitoring activity were assessed. Additionally, the study examined the relationship of various cognitive abilities to TBPM performance through the use of appropriate cognitive tasks.

Results

The first signs of TBPM were observed in children as young as 2 years old. No significant age differences were identified; preschoolers can perform a delayed intention on their own initiative at a certain point in the future only to a minimal extent. The majority of variance in TBPM performance could be explained by time checking behavior.

Conclusion

The current study indicated that even 2-year-olds can perform TBPM at a basic level when the task is sufficiently understandable. While many cognitive abilities are correlated with TBPM performance, it appears that only time checking behavior plays a significant role in TBPM among preschoolers.
Worse becomes the worst: obesity inequality, its determinants and policy options in Iran
Authors: Toorang Fatemeh , Amiri Parisa , Djazayery Abolghassem , Pouraram Hamed , Takian Amirhossein
Published: February 2024

Background

This tracked obesity inequality and identified its determinants among the population of Iran. In addition, it examined the impact of implemented policies on these inequalities.

Methods

This study was performed in two phases. First, we conducted a rapid review of the disparity in obesity prevalence in Iran. Then we investigated the main determinants of this inequality in a qualitative study. In addition, we examined Iran’s policies to deal with obesity from the perspective of equality. We conducted 30 Semi-structured interviews with various obesity stakeholders selected through a purposive snowball sampling method between November 25, 2019, and August 5, 2020. In the inductive approach, we used the content analysis method based on the Corbin and Status framework to analyze the data using MAXQDA-2020. The consolidating criteria for reporting a Qualitative Study (COREQ-32) were applied to conduct and report the study.

Results

Inequalities in the prevalence of obesity in terms of place of residence, gender, education, and other socioeconomic characteristics were identified in Iran. Participants believed that obesity and inequality are linked through immediate and intermediate causes. Inequality in access to healthy foods, physical activity facilities, and health care are the immediate causes of this inequality. Intermediate factors include inequality against women, children, and refugees, and inequality in access to information, education, and financial resources. Policymakers should implement equity-oriented obesity control policies such as taxing unhealthy foods, subsidizing healthy foods, providing healthy and free meals in schools, especially in disadvantaged areas, and providing nutrient-rich foods to low-income families. Also, environmental re-engineering to increase opportunities for physical activity should be considered. Of course, for the fundamental reduction of these inequalities, the comprehensive approach of all statesmen is necessary.

Conclusion

Obesity inequality is a health-threatening issue in Iran that can prevent achieving human development goals. Targeting the underlying causes of obesity, including inequalities, must be considered.
Development and effectiveness of a mobile-based autonomy support program for the prevention of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women
Authors: Seo Miseon , Jun Eun-Young , Oh Hyunjin
Published: February 2024

Objective

Utilizing self-directed strategies for maintaining and managing healthy lifestyle habits is efficient, and it is essential to consider individual motivation, as it is a factor that directly influences the adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors. The study aimed to assess the effects of a mobile-based autonomy support program on basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation, health behavior, and metabolic syndrome indicators in middle-aged women.

Methods

This study was a non-randomized controlled trial with a pre-test and post-test design, focused on validating a mobile-based autonomy-supportive program to prevent metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women. The experimental group participated in a 12-week mobile-based autonomy support program, which included components such as education, physical activity guidance, dietary management, and real-time data monitoring. In contrast, the control group was provided with comparable educational resources. Assessments of basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation, health behavior, and metabolic syndrome indicators were conducted at baseline and again at the 12-week mark.

Results

After a 12-week period, the experimental group demonstrated significant enhancements in autonomy (p = 0.004) and competence (p < 0.001), two key dimensions of basic psychological needs. Autonomous motivation (p < 0.001) and health behavior scores (p < 0.001) were also significantly higher in the experimental group, while waist circumference (p = 0.048) and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.011) were significantly reduced. Other variables such as relatedness, high-density cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, diastolic blood pressure, and neutral fat scores were also improved in the experimental group, but these changes were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

The autonomy support program offers a cost-effective and community-accessible health care strategy for middle-aged women and may be integrated into various nursing practices.
Colonial drivers and cultural protectors of brain health among Indigenous peoples internationally
Authors: Henderson Rita , Furlano Joyla A. , Claringbold Shayla Scott , Cornect-Benoit Ashley , Ly Anh , Walker Jennifer , Zaretsky Lisa , Roach Pamela
Published: February 2024

Despite relatively higher rates of dementia among Indigenous populations internationally, research into drivers of disparities in brain health and cognitive function has tended to focus on modifiable risk factors over cultural understandings and contextual determinants. By seeking to characterize social and cultural factors that shape brain health and cognition in Indigenous populations, this mini scoping review expands prevailing schools of thought to include Indigenous knowledge systems. This reveals important gaps in culturally aligned care. It also reclaims horizons for research important to Indigenous Peoples that have garnered diminished attention in biomedical approaches. Twenty-three sources were included for data extraction. This synthesis of 23 sources includes health communication about dementia, health provider knowledge about Indigenous health, culturally relevant screening and assessment tools, and culturally grounded care models. Much of the focus is currently still on modifiable risk factors that reside at individual factors, whereas attention to wider social factors that impact populations is needed, as stressors through isolation, discrimination, and unequal care are widely reported. Going forward, identifying structural barriers to living well and recognizing the importance of connection to culture will benefit both Indigenous and non-Indigenous understandings of brain health.
Building causal models for finding actual causes of unmanned aerial vehicle failures
Authors: Zibaei Ehsan , Borth Robin
Published: February 2024

Finding actual causes of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) failures can be split into two main tasks: building causal models and performing actual causality analysis (ACA) over them. While there are available solutions in the literature to perform ACA, building comprehensive causal models is still an open problem. The expensive and time-consuming process of building such models, typically performed manually by domain experts, has hindered the widespread application of causality-based diagnosis solutions in practice. This study proposes a methodology based on natural language processing for automating causal model generation for UAVs. After collecting textual data from online resources, causal keywords are identified in sentences. Next, cause–effect phrases are extracted from sentences based on predefined dependency rules between tokens. Finally, the extracted cause–effect pairs are merged to form a causal graph, which we then use for ACA. To demonstrate the applicability of our framework, we scrape online text resources of Ardupilot, an open-source UAV controller software. Our evaluations using real flight logs show that the generated graphs can successfully be used to find the actual causes of unwanted events. Moreover, our hybrid cause–effect extraction module performs better than a purely deep-learning based tool (i.e., CiRA) by 32% in precision and 25% in recall in our Ardupilot use case.
Empowering complex-valued data classification with the variational quantum classifier
Authors: Chen Jianing , Li Yan
Published: February 2024

The evolution of quantum computers has encouraged research into how to handle tasks with significant computation demands in the past few years. Due to the unique advantages of quantum parallelism and entanglement, various types of quantum machine learning (QML) methods, especially variational quantum classifiers (VQCs), have attracted the attention of many researchers and have been developed and evaluated in numerous scenarios. Nevertheless, most of the research on VQCs is still in its early stages. For instance, as a consequence of the mathematical constraints imposed by the properties of quantum states, the majority of research has not fully taken into account the impact of data formats on the performance of VQCs. In this paper, considering a significant number of data in the real world exist in the form of complex numbers, i.e., phasor data in power systems and the result of Fourier transform on image processing, we develop two categories of data encoding methods, including coupling data encoding and splitting data encoding. This paper features the coupling data encoding method to encode complex-valued data in a way of amplitude encoding. By leveraging the property of quantum states living in a complex Hilbert space, the complex-valued data is embedded into the amplitude of quantum states to comprehensively characterize complex-valued information. Optimizers will be utilized to iteratively tune a parameterized ansatz, with the aim of minimizing the value of loss functions defined with respect to the specific classification task. In addition, distinct factors in VQCs have been explored in detail to investigate the performance of VQCs, including data encoding methods, loss functions, and optimizers. The experimental result shows that the proposed data encoding method outperforms other typical encoding methods on a given classification task. Moreover, different loss functions are tested, and the capability of finding the minimum value is evaluated for gradient-free and gradient-based optimizers, which provides valuable insights and guidelines for practical implementations.
Retrieval of cherry flowering phenology on Flickr and YouTube: a case study along the Tarumi railway, Gifu, Japan
Authors: Shin Nagai , Saitoh Taku M. , Tsutsumida Narumasa
Published: February 2024

To further develop the accuracy of monitoring cherry flowering dates, we require phenological records from multiple points in multiple years at the catchment scale, as well as conventional in situ phenological observations, phenological data published on the Internet, and analysis using statistics of Internet search engines. We tried to detect the dates of cherry flowering phenology along the Tarumi railway, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, by using Flickr, an image hosting service, and YouTube, an online video sharing and social media platform. We detected full bloom of Cerasus ×yedoensis and Cerasus jamasakura mainly at cherry blossom viewing spots (around some train stations) on Flickr and at both viewing spots and multiple points in the landscape along the railway on YouTube. Despite local climatological differences along the railway, the detected full blooming dates corresponded not only with each other, but also with the full bloom period of Neodani Usuzumi-zakura (Cerasus itosakura), a famous tree with long-term detailed records. We could not detect the date and location in many photographs on Flickr or in any videos on YouTube. However, the usefulness of both platforms is supported by the facts that we can evaluate the year-to-year variability of full bloom dates, especially at cherry blossom viewing spots, and detect flowering phenology even in a non-photogenic landscape. By applying our method to other railways, we expect to collect multi-year records of plant phenology dates at multiple points that cannot be collected by older methods.