bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Habitat Quality and Human Activity Intensity in Typical Mountain Cities: A Case Study of Guiyang City, China
Authors: Luan Yongfei , Huang Guohe , Zheng Guanghui , Wang Yuee
Published: November 2022

The acceleration of the urbanization process brings about the expansion of urban land use, while changes in land-use transformation affect the urban habitat quality, and land-use change brings a threat to regional sustainable development. Against such a backdrop, the assessment of land use on the habitat quality and the relationship between the intensity of human activities is becoming a hot spot in terms of the current land use coordinated with habitat quality. Based on the land-use data of Guiyang in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020, the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in the study area, combined with the spatial correlation between human activity intensity and habitat quality, were hereby analyzed using the InVEST model. The impact of human activity intensity on habitat quality was correspondingly analyzed. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the habitat quality level in Guiyang remained stable without drastic changes, but the changes showed hierarchical distribution and were scattered, mainly reflected in the urban expansion areas of the urban–rural fringe and the key areas of industrial development, and the ecological environment quality fluctuated in a small range. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the intensity of human activities in Guiyang was mainly affected by the relatively concentrated distribution, featuring obvious and significant changes. From 2010 to 2015, the high-impact area surrounded the Guanshan Lake New Area, and the regional habitat quality presented a downward trend. In 2020, the high-impact area of the main urban area and the key industrial development zone was expected to be formed, while the low-impact area was still distributed in forest areas with complex natural conditions. (3) From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant positive correlation between human activity intensity and habitat quality in Guiyang, and such a spatial correlation was weak from 2000 to 2005. The period from 2015 to 2020 witnessed the rapid development of urban construction in Guiyang, human construction activities continue to affect the urban habitat quality. The results show that the intensity of human activities on the promoting function of land use, and the dependencies between them should be considered at the same time, and that explorations on the influence of human activities on land-use intensity and habitat quality of space link are crucial to improving the efficiency of urban land use and ecological environment protection, as well as the coordination between land use and the sustainability of urban development.
Sleep Quality among the Elderly in 21st Century Shandong Province, China: A Ten-Year Comparative Study
Authors: Yue Zenghe , Zhang Yi , Cheng Xiaojing , Zhang Jingxuan
Published: November 2022

Background: Despite the enormous changes observed in China since entering the 21st century, little is known about changes in sleep quality among older adults. Aims: The purpose of this study is to explore the changes, features, and influence factors of sleep quality among the elderly in a ten-year period, providing evidence for sleep-quality enhancement. Methods: The data were obtained from the data of epidemiological sampling surveys on mental disorders in Shandong province in 2004 and 2015. A total of 4451 subjects (aged ≥ 60 years) in 2004 and 10,894 subjects (aged ≥ 60 years) in 2015 were selected by the multistage stratified sampling method. The demographic information and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were collected. Results: The adjusted 1-month prevalence of poor sleep in 2015 was 22.5% (95% CI:21.7–23.3), which is lower than that in 2004 (24.8%) (95% CI:23.5–26.0, p = 0.002). The total score of the PSQI in 2015 (4.74 ± 3.96) was lower than that in 2004 (4.97 ± 4.18, p = 0.002). In 2015, a binary multi-factor logistic and stepwise regression analysis showed that being female, living in a rural area, living alone, being older, spending less years in school, and being jobless/unemployed made the participants more likely to develop poor sleep (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Conclusions: In 2015, the overall sleep quality of the elderly (aged ≥ 60) in Shandong province was significantly improved compared to 2004. After more than 10 years, the characteristics of the elderly with sleep disturbances in Shandong province has changed. Therefore, more attention should be paid to gender, location of residence (rural or urban), living arrangement, age, education, occupation, and other factors to improve the sleep quality of the elderly.
How Do Landscape Heterogeneity, Community Structure, and Topographical Factors Contribute to the Plant Diversity of Urban Remnant Vegetation at Different Scales?
Authors: Liu Xingzhao , Yang Guimei , Que Qingmin , Wang Qi , Zhang Zengke , Huang Liujing
Published: November 2022

In highly fragmented urban areas, plant diversity of remnant vegetation may depend not only on community structure and topographical factors, but also on landscape heterogeneity. Different buffer radius settings can affect the relative importance of these factors to plant diversity. The aim of this study was to examine the relative importance of landscape heterogeneity, community structure, and topographical factors on plant diversity under different buffer radii in biodiversity hotspots. We established 48 plots of remnant vegetation in Guangzhou city, one of the biodiversity hotspots. A buffer radius of 500 m, 1000 m, and 2000 m was established around the center of each sample plot, and 17 landscape heterogeneity indices in each buffer were calculated by FRAGSTATS 4.2 software. Combined with the community structure and topographical factors, the impact factors of plant diversity under different buffer radii were analyzed by multiple regression analysis. We found the following: (1) The combined explanatory power of the three factors accounted for 43% of the species diversity indices and 62% of the richness index at its peak. The three impact factors rarely act independently and usually create comprehensive cumulative effects. (2) Scale does matter in urban landscape studies. At a 500 m buffer radius, community structure combined with road disturbance indices was strongly related to diversity indices in herb and shrub layers. The stand age was negatively correlated with the tree-layer richness index. As the scale increased, the diversity indices and richness index in the three layers decreased or increased under the influence of comprehensive factors. (3) The richness index in the herb layer was more responsive to impact factors than other biodiversity indices. Except for the herb layer, the interpretation of landscape heterogeneity for each plant diversity index was more stable than that for the other two factors. Road disturbance indices, combined with the other six landscape pattern metrics, can well indicate species diversity and richness. We suggest that the vegetation area of remnant patches within a radius of 500–2000 m should be appropriately increased to protect plant diversity, and the negative effects of road disturbance should also be considered.
Impact of Urbanization on Ecosystem Services Balance in the Han River Ecological Economic Belt, China: A Multi-Scale Perspective
Authors: Li Weisong , Chen Wanxu , Bian Jiaojiao , Xian Jun , Zhan Li
Published: November 2022

Urbanization intensification seriously interferes with the supply capacity and demand level of ecosystem services (ESs); therefore, it affects the balance state of ESs. Coordination of urbanization development and ecosystem protection in the ecological economic belt is vital for ecological protection and high-quality development of the ecological economic belt. However, previous studies lacked multi-scale analysis of the impact of urbanization elements on the ESs balance index (ESBI) in the ecological economic belt. In this study, a geographically weighted regression model was employed to measure the spatial non-stationary patterns associated with the impact of urbanization elements on the ESBI at 5 km and 10 km in the Han River Ecological Economic Belt (HREEB) in China based on land use data. The main findings were shown as follows. The supply capacity and demand level of ESs in the HREEB increased from 2000 to 2020 simultaneously, while the ESBI showed a decreasing trend. In mountainous areas, the ESBIs were evidently higher than those in the plain areas. During the study period, the urbanization level in the HREEB improved evidently, and the urbanization levels of the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang River were relatively high. Significant spatial dependence between urbanization elements and the ESBI was identified. Urbanization had significant positive and negative impacts on ESBI, and there were significant differences among different scales. The findings of this study can act as a decision-making reference for ecological protection and high-quality development of the HREEB and can also provide a perspective for exploring the impact of urbanization on the ESBI of the ecological economic belt in other similar regions.
Factors Associated with Cocaine Consumption among Suicide Victim
Authors: Abreu Luisa Caroline Costa , Conceição Sarah dos Santos , Carvalho Delmason Soares Barbosa de , Machado Ana Cristina , Lyrio Amanda Oliveira , Souza Elivan Silva , Souza Cauê Silva , Matos Paulo José dos Santos de , Batista Josicélia Estrela Tuy , Gomes Juliano de Andrade , Hintz Alexandre Marcelo , Pereira Priscilla Perez da Silva , Cruz Simone Seixas da , Gomes-Filho Isaac Suzart , Figueiredo Ana Claudia Morais Godoy
Published: November 2022

Cocaine use is an increasingly frequent event, especially in young people, and can cause irreversible consequences, such as suicide. To evaluate the factors associated with cocaine use in the moments preceding to suicide. This is a population-based, cross-sectional, and analytical study conducted in the Brazilian Federal District by researchers from the Department of Health and the Civil Police Institute of Criminalistics. All people who died due to suicide in 2018 were included in the survey. Cocaine use was considered the dependent variable, and robust Poisson regression was performed to estimate the crude and adjusted prevalence ratios and their respective population confidence intervals. In 2018, 12,157 deaths were recorded, of which suicide accounted for 1.56% of all deaths. It was observed that being between 25 and 44 years old, male, and under the influence of alcohol or cannabis, had a strong positive association with cocaine consumption among suicide victims. Males, people with black skin, with lower level of education, with employment, and who were under the effect of the use of cannabis and/or alcohol in the previous hours of death had a higher propensity to consume cocaine immediately before suicide, with a moderate to strong magnitude of prevalence ratio. The findings of this research indicated the need for monitoring, by health services, of people most vulnerable to suicide through the consumption of psychoactive substances.
An Investigation of the Implementation of Obligatory Physical Activity Classes for 5th–7th Grade in Norway
Authors: Algroy Erling , Samdal Oddrun , Haug Ellen
Published: November 2022

In 2009, all Norwegian 5th–7th graders were allocated 76 h of obligatory physical activity (PA) classes in addition to physical education (PE). The study explores how schools implemented these classes and the relationship with school physical activity guidelines. The sample consisted of 134 schools participating in the WHO collaborative Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey in 2014 (n = 69) and 2018 (n = 65). Ten questions concerning PA were asked in 2014, and four of these were included in the 2018 survey. Chi-squared tests were used to investigate differences between groups. In 2014, 51% reported that PE teachers led the classes; this had reduced to 30% in 2018. A combination of teacher- and student-driven activities was most common. More student-led activities were observed when nonpedagogical personnel were responsible for the classes. Most schools reported no professional staff development related to the implementation of obligatory PA. In 2018, schools with written guidelines on physical activity had to a greater extent implemented staff development measures and increased the use of PE teachers compared to 2014. A considerable variation regarding teaching competence, teaching forms, group sizes, and facilities makes the outcome of the PA scheme uncertain. A potential effect of having established written school policies on the implementation of physical activity classes was however found.
Healthcare Expenditures among the Elderly in China: The Role of Catastrophic Medical Insurance
Authors: Cao Hongmei , Xu Xinpeng , You Hua , Gu Jinghong , Hu Hongyan , Jiang Shan
Published: November 2022

China has been piloting the catastrophic medical insurance (CMI) program since 2012 and rolled it out nationally in 2016 to reduce the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure among Chinese residents. Few studies have been conducted to determine its effect on healthcare expenditures, particularly among the elderly. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of CMI on healthcare expenditures among China’s elderly population. The data for this study were derived from 4 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which included 344 and 1199 individuals in the treatment and control groups, respectively. To examine the effect of CMI on healthcare expenditures among the elderly, we used difference-in-differences and fixed-effects models. Additionally, a heterogeneity analysis was used to examine the differences in the impact of CMI on different groups. Finally, we confirmed the robustness of the results using robustness and placebo tests. CMI increased total health and out-of-pocket expenditures significantly, as well as inpatient and corresponding out-of-pocket expenditures. The reassults of the heterogeneity analysis indicated that CMI had a greater impact on elderly residents of rural areas. Economic burden protection has been enhanced for low-income groups and patients with serious diseases over the last two years. Our research indicated that CMI can promote the use of inpatient medical services for the elderly to a certain extent. Targeted measures such as expanding the CMI compensation list, establishing a more precise compensation scheme, and specific diseases associated with high healthcare expenditures can be considered in the practice of CMI implementation.
Histomorphometry Changes and Decreased Reactivity to Angiotensin II in the Ileum and Colon of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Esteves-Monteiro Marisa , Menezes-Pinto Daniela , Ferreira-Duarte Mariana , Dias-Pereira Patrícia , Morato Manuela , Duarte-Araújo Margarida
Published: November 2022

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic progressive metabolic disorder associated with several gastrointestinal complications, affecting up to 75% of patients. Knowing that Angiotensin II (AngII) also regulates intestinal contraction, we decided to evaluate changes in ileum and colon histomorphometry and AngII reactivity in a rat model of DM. Streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg) was administered to induce DM to 24 adult male Wistar rats. Diabetic rats displayed all the characteristic signs of type 1 DM (T1DM) and fecal excretion increased about 4-fold over 14 days, while the excretion of controls remained unaltered. Compared to controls, diabetic ileum and colon presented an increase in both macroscopic (length, perimeter and weight) and microscopic (muscular wall thickness) parameters. Functionally, AngII-induced smooth muscle contraction was lower in diabetic rats, except in the distal colon. These differences in the contractile response to AngII may result from an imbalance between AngII type 1 (antagonized by candesartan, 10 nM) and type 2 receptors activation (antagonized by PD123319, 100 nM). Taken together, these results indicate that an early and refined STZ-induced T1DM rat model already shows structural remodelling of the gut wall and decreased contractile response to AngII, findings that may help to explain diabetic dysmotility.
A Hypothalamic Mechanism Regulates the Duration of a Migraine Attack: Insights from Microstructural and Temporal Complexity of Cortical Functional Networks Analysis
Authors: Porcaro Camillo , Di Renzo Antonio , Tinelli Emanuele , Parisi Vincenzo , Di Lorenzo Cherubino , Caramia Francesca , Fiorelli Marco , Giuliani Giada , Cioffi Ettore , Seri Stefano , Di Piero Vittorio , Pierelli Francesco , Di Lorenzo Giorgio , Coppola Gianluca
Published: November 2022

The role of the hypothalamus and the limbic system at the onset of a migraine attack has recently received significant interest. We analyzed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of the entire hypothalamus and its subregions in 15 patients during a spontaneous migraine attack and in 20 control subjects. We also estimated the non-linear measure resting-state functional MRI BOLD signal’s complexity using Higuchi fractal dimension (FD) and correlated DTI/fMRI findings with patients’ clinical characteristics. In comparison with healthy controls, patients had significantly altered diffusivity metrics within the hypothalamus, mainly in posterior ROIs, and higher FD values in the salience network (SN). We observed a positive correlation of the hypothalamic axial diffusivity with migraine severity and FD of SN. DTI metrics of bilateral anterior hypothalamus positively correlated with the mean attack duration. Our results show plastic structural changes in the hypothalamus related to the attacks severity and the functional connectivity of the SN involved in the multidimensional neurocognitive processing of pain. Plastic changes to the hypothalamus may play a role in modulating the duration of the attack.
Isolating Linum usitatissimum L. Nuclear DNA Enabled Assembling High-Quality Genome
Authors: Dvorianinova Ekaterina M. , Bolsheva Nadezhda L. , Pushkova Elena N. , Rozhmina Tatiana A. , Zhuchenko Alexander A. , Novakovskiy Roman O. , Povkhova Liubov V. , Sigova Elizaveta A. , Zhernova Daiana A. , Borkhert Elena V. , Kaluzhny Dmitry N. , Melnikova Nataliya V. , Dmitriev Alexey A.
Published: November 2022

High-quality genome sequences help to elucidate the genetic basis of numerous biological processes and track species evolution. For flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)—a multifunctional crop, high-quality assemblies from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) data were unavailable, largely due to the difficulty of isolating pure high-molecular-weight DNA. This article proposes a scheme for gaining a contiguous L. usitatissimum assembly using Nanopore data. We developed a protocol for flax nuclei isolation with subsequent DNA extraction, which allows obtaining about 5 μg of pure high-molecular-weight DNA from 0.5 g of leaves. Such an amount of material can be collected even from a single plant and yields more than 30 Gb of ONT data in two MinION runs. We performed a comparative analysis of different genome assemblers and polishers on the gained data and obtained the final 447.1-Mb assembly of L. usitatissimum line 3896 genome using the Canu—Racon (two iterations)—Medaka combination. The genome comprised 1695 contigs and had an N50 of 6.2 Mb and a completeness of 93.8% of BUSCOs from eudicots_odb10. Our study highlights the impact of the chosen genome construction strategy on the resulting assembly parameters and its eligibility for future genomic studies.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Clinical and Research Implications
Authors: Lonardo Amedeo , Mantovani Alessandro , Targher Giovanni , Baffy Gyorgy
Published: November 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting up to ~30% of adult populations. NAFLD defines a spectrum of progressive liver conditions ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, which often occur in close and bidirectional associations with metabolic disorders. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by anatomic and/or functional renal damage, ultimately resulting in a reduced glomerular filtration rate. The physiological axis linking the liver and kidneys often passes unnoticed until clinically significant portal hypertension, as a major complication of cirrhosis, becomes apparent in the form of ascites, refractory ascites, or hepatorenal syndrome. However, the extensive evidence accumulated since 2008 indicates that noncirrhotic NAFLD is associated with a higher risk of incident CKD, independent of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other common renal risk factors. In addition, subclinical portal hypertension has been demonstrated to occur in noncirrhotic NAFLD, with a potential adverse impact on renal vasoregulation. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unexplored to a substantial extent. With this background, in this review we discuss the current evidence showing a strong association between NAFLD and the risk of CKD, and the putative biological mechanisms underpinning this association. We also discuss in depth the potential pathogenic role of the hepatorenal reflex, which may be triggered by subclinical portal hypertension and is a poorly investigated but promising research topic. Finally, we address emerging pharmacotherapies for NAFLD that may also beneficially affect the risk of developing CKD in individuals with NAFLD.
Alleviation of Severe Skin Insults Following High-Dose Irradiation with Isolated Human Fetal Placental Stromal Cells
Authors: Adani Boaz , Sapir Eli , Volinsky Evgenia , Lazmi-Hailu Astar , Gorodetsky Raphael
Published: November 2022

Skin exposure to high-dose irradiation, as commonly practiced in radiotherapy, affects the different skin layers, causing dry and wet desquamation, hyperkeratosis fibrosis, hard to heal wounds and alopecia and damaged hair follicles. Fetal tissue mesenchymal stromal cells (f-hPSC) were isolated from excised human fetal placental tissue, based on their direct migration from the tissue samples to the tissue dish. The current study follows earlier reports on for the mitigation of acute radiation syndrome following whole body high-dose exposure with remotely injected f-hPSC. Both the head only and a back skin flap of mice were irradiated with 16 &18 Gy, respectively, by 6MeV clinical linear accelerator electron beam. In both locations, the irradiated skin areas developed early and late radiation induced skin damages, including cutaneous fibrosis, lesions, scaring and severe hair follicle loss and reduced hair pigmentation. Injection of 2 × 106 f-hPSC, 3 and 8 weeks following 16 Gy head irradiation, and 1 and 4 weeks following the 18 Gy back skin only irradiation, resulted in significantly faster healing of radiation induced damages, with reduction of wet desquamation as measured by surface moisture level and minor recovery of the skin viscoelasticity. Detailed histological morphometry showed a clear alleviation of radiation induced hyperkeratosis in f-hPSC treated mice, with significant regain of hair follicles density. Following 16 Gy head irradiation, the hair follicles density in the scalp skin was reduced significantly by almost a half relative to the controls. A nearly full recovery of hair density was found in the f-hPSC treated mice. In the 18 Gy irradiated back skin, the hair follicles density dropped in a late stage by ~70% relative to naïve controls. In irradiated f-hPSC treated mice, it was reduced by only ~30% and was significantly higher than the non-treated group. Our results suggest that local injections of xenogeneic f-hPSC could serve as a simple, safe and highly effective non-autologous pro-regenerative treatment for high-dose radiation induced skin insults. We expect that such treatment could also be applied for other irradiated organs.
Gene Expression in the Developing Seed of Wild and Domesticated Rice
Authors: Hasan Sharmin , Furtado Agnelo , Henry Robert
Published: November 2022

The composition and nutritional properties of rice are the product of the expression of genes in the developing seed. RNA-Seq was used to investigate the level of gene expression at different stages of seed development in domesticated rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica var. Nipponbare) and two Australian wild taxa from the primary gene pool of rice (Oryza meridionalis and Oryza rufipogon type taxa). Transcriptome profiling of all coding sequences in the genome revealed that genes were significantly differentially expressed at different stages of seed development in both wild and domesticated rice. Differentially expressed genes were associated with metabolism, transcriptional regulation, nucleic acid processing, and signal transduction with the highest number of being linked to protein synthesis and starch/sucrose metabolism. The level of gene expression associated with domestication traits, starch and sucrose metabolism, and seed storage proteins were highest at the early stage (5 days post anthesis (DPA)) to the middle stage (15 DPA) and declined late in seed development in both wild and domesticated rice. However, in contrast, black hull colour (Bh4) gene was significantly expressed throughout seed development. A substantial number of novel transcripts (38) corresponding to domestication genes, starch and sucrose metabolism, and seed storage proteins were identified. The patterns of gene expression revealed in this study define the timing of metabolic processes associated with seed development and may be used to explain differences in rice grain quality and nutritional value.
Bufalin Inhibits Tumorigenesis, Stemness, and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer through a C-Kit/Slug Signaling Axis
Authors: Ding Ling , Yang Yuning , Lu Qin , Qu Dongfeng , Chandrakesan Parthasarathy , Feng Hailan , Chen Hong , Chen Xuzheng , Liao Zhuhui , Du Jian , Cao Zhiyun , Weygant Nathaniel
Published: November 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major source of morbidity and mortality, characterized by intratumoral heterogeneity and the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Bufalin has potent activity against many tumors, but studies of its effect on CRC stemness are limited. We explored bufalin’s function and mechanism using CRC patient-derived organoids (PDOs) and cell lines. In CRC cells, bufalin prevented nuclear translocation of β-catenin and down-regulated CSC markers (CD44, CD133, LGR5), pluripotency factors, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (N-Cadherin, Slug, ZEB1). Functionally, bufalin inhibited CRC spheroid formation, aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, migration, and invasion. Network analysis identified a C-Kit/Slug signaling axis accounting for bufalin’s anti-stemness activity. Bufalin treatment significantly downregulated C-Kit, as predicted. Furthermore, overexpression of C-Kit induced Slug expression, spheroid formation, and bufalin resistance. Similarly, overexpression of Slug resulted in increased expression of C-Kit and identical functional effects, demonstrating a pro-stemness feedback loop. For further study, we established PDOs from diagnostic colonoscopy. Bufalin differentially inhibited PDO growth and proliferation, induced apoptosis, restored E-cadherin, and downregulated CSC markers CD133 and C-Myc, dependent on C-Kit/Slug. These findings suggest that the C-Kit/Slug axis plays a pivotal role in regulating CRC stemness, and reveal that targeting this axis can inhibit CRC growth and progression.
MnASI1 Mediates Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Mulberry (Morus notabilis)
Authors: Wang Donghao , Gong Na , Liu Chaorui , Li Suxia , Guo Zhaocheng , Wang Gefan , Shang Qiqi , Wang Dongming , Ji Xianling , Xin Youchao
Published: November 2022

Six α-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor genes (MnASIs) were identified from mulberry (Morus notabilis). In this study, bioinformatics and expression pattern analysis of six MnASIs were performed to determine their roles in resistance to B. cinerea. The expression of all six MnASIs was significantly increased under Botrytis cinerea infection. MnASI1, which responded strongly to B. cinerea, was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and mulberry. The resistance of Arabidopsis and mulberry overexpressing MnASI1 gene to B. cinerea was significantly improved, the catalase (CAT) activity was increased, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was decreased after inoculation with B. cinerea. At the same time, H2O2 and O2− levels were reduced in MnASI1 transgenic Arabidopsis, reducing the damage of ROS accumulation to plants. In addition, MnASI1 transgenic Arabidopsis increased the expression of the salicylic acid (SA) pathway-related gene AtPR1. This study provides an important reference for further revealing the function of α-amylase/subtilisin inhibitors.
Synthesis, Structure and Photoluminescence Properties of Cd and Cd-Ln Pentafluorobenzoates with 2,2′:6′,2′-Terpyridine Derivatives
Authors: Shmelev Maxim A. , Voronina Julia K. , Evtyukhin Maxim A. , Dolgushin Fedor M. , Varaksina Evgenia A. , Taydakov Ilya V. , Sidorov Aleksey A. , Eremenko Igor L. , Kiskin Mikhail A.
Published: November 2022

Six new complexes [Cd(tpy)(pfb)2] (1, tpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine), [Ln2Cd2(tpy)2(pfb)10] (Ln = Eu (2Eu), Tb (2Tb)), [Ln2Cd2(tbtpy)2(pfb)10]·2MeCN (Ln = Eu (3Eu), Tb (3Tb), tbtpy = 4,4′,4″-tri-tert-butyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine), [Eu2Cd2(tppz)(pfb)10]n (4, tppz = 2,3,5,6-tetra-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazine) based on pentafluorobenzoic acid (Hpfb) have been prepared and investigated. The effect of tridentate ligands on geometry heterometallic scaffolds synthesized complexes is discussed. The supramolecular crystal structures of the new compounds are stabilized by π-π, C-F···π, C-H···O, C-H...F, F….F interactions. Non-covalent interactions have been studied using Hirschfeld surface analysis. The obtained compounds were characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, luminescence spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, CHN analysis. Complexes 2Ln and 3Ln exhibit metal-centered photoluminescence, but the presence of ligand luminescence bands indicates incomplete energy transfer from the d-block to the lanthanide ion.
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Distinct Cardiac-Derived Stromal Cell Subpopulations
Authors: Hoffman Jessica R. , Jayaraman Arun R. , Bheri Sruti , Davis Michael E.
Published: November 2022

Human cardiac-derived c-kit+ stromal cells (CSCs) have demonstrated efficacy in preclinical trials for the treatment of heart failure and myocardial dysfunction. Unfortunately, large variability in patient outcomes and cell populations remains a problem. Previous research has demonstrated that the reparative capacity of CSCs may be linked to the age of the cells: CSCs derived from neonate patients increase cardiac function and reduce fibrosis. However, age-dependent differences between CSC populations have primarily been explored with bulk sequencing methods. In this work, we hypothesized that differences in CSC populations and subsequent cell therapy outcomes may arise from differing cell subtypes within donor CSC samples. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on four neonatal CSC (nCSC) and five child CSC (cCSC) samples. Subcluster analysis revealed cCSC-enriched clusters upregulated in several fibrosis- and immune response-related genes. Module-based analysis identified upregulation of chemotaxis and ribosomal activity-related genes in nCSCs and upregulation of immune response and fiber synthesis genes in cCSCs. Further, we identified versican and integrin alpha 2 as potential markers for a fibrotic cell subtype. By investigating differences in patient-derived CSC populations at the single-cell level, this research aims to identify and characterize CSC subtypes to better optimize CSC-based therapy and improve patient outcomes.
Local Recurrence Risk Score to Predict Relapse after Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Lung Tumors
Authors: Pougnet Isabelle , Habert Paul , Delcourt Sarkis , Boucekine Mohamed , Wong Stephanie , Zacchariotto Audrey , Muracciole Xavier , Gaubert Jean-Yves , Padovani Laetitia
Published: November 2022

Background: After stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung tumors, follow-up CT scans remain a pitfall. The early detection of local relapse is essential to propose a new treatment. We aim to create a local recurrence predictive score using pre- and post-therapeutic imaging criteria and test it on a validation cohort. Methods: Between February 2011 and July 2016, lung tumors treated by SBRT with available pretreatment fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and follow-up CT scans were retrospectively analyzed. The risk factors associated with relapse were identified by univariate logistic regression on a train cohort. The score was created using these factors, merging clinical and imaging criteria associated with local relapse, and then tested on an independent validation cohort. Overall and local relapse-free survival at 1 and 3 years were recorded. Results: Twenty-eight patients were included in the train cohort and ten in the derivation cohort (male 74%, median age 70 ± 12 years). Five variables significantly associated with local recurrence (female gender; sequential enlargement; craniocaudal growing; bulging margins; standardized uptake value (SUVmax > 5.5)) were combined to create the score on five points. With the threshold >2.5/5, the sensitivity and specificity of the score on the validation cohort were 100% and 88%, respectively. Overall survival and local relapse-free survival at 1 and 3 years were 89% and 42%, and 89% and 63%, respectively. Conclusion: The local recurrence risk score created has high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (88%), upon independent validation cohort, to detect local relapse. This score is easy to use in daily clinical practice.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Vitreous Cytology in Patients with Vitreoretinal Lymphoma
Authors: Lee Donghyun , Lee Junwon , Nahm Ji-Hae , Kim Min
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: To determine the diagnostic value of vitreous cytology in patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) and evaluate its diagnostic accuracy relative to that of other diagnostic tests. (2) Methods: In total, 38 eyes from 38 patients with VRL who underwent diagnostic vitrectomy and were followed up for at least 6 months were analyzed. The clinical manifestations and VRL diagnostic rates for all diagnostic tests were determined. (3) Results: The presence of vitreous cells/opacity was the most common ophthalmic finding (97.4%), followed by sub-retinal pigment epithelial infiltration (65.8%) and retinal hemorrhage (21.1%). The VRL diagnostic rates were 89.3% for interleukin (IL)-10 levels > 50 pg/mL; 82.1% for IL-10/IL-6 ratios > 1; 60.0% and 63.3% for immunoglobulin heavy chain and kappa light chain clonality assays, respectively; and 44.4% for vitreous cytology. The VRL diagnostic rate for vitreous cytology was significantly lower in the steroid pretreatment group than in the non-steroid pretreatment group (p = 0.007). (4) Conclusions: The VRL detection rate for vitreous cytology was lower than that for the other tests, especially in patients who received steroid pretreatment. These findings suggest that even if vitreous cytology findings are negative, other tests and characteristic fundus findings should be evaluated to confirm VRL diagnosis.
Assessing the Effects of Prior History of Vertebral Osteomyelitis on Peri-Operative Factors and Post-Operative Recovery in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients
Authors: Tretiakov Peter S. , Joujon-Roche Rachel , Williamson Tyler , Imbo Bailey , Bennett-Caso Claudia , Dave Pooja , McFarland Kimberly , Mir Jamshaid , Dinizo Michael , Schoenfeld Andrew J. , Passias Peter G.
Published: November 2022

Vertebral osteomyelitis (VOM), which includes the clinical entities of spinal osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis, or pyogenic spondylitis, describes a complex inflammatory reaction within the vertebral column in the setting of microbial infection [...]
Heart Team for Left Appendage Occlusion without the Use of Antithrombotic Therapy: The Epicardial Perspective
Authors: Branzoli Stefano , Guarracini Fabrizio , Marini Massimiliano , D’Onghia Giovanni , Catanzariti Domenico , Merola Elettra , Annicchiarico Luciano , Casagranda Giulia , Stegagno Chiara , Fantinel Mauro , La Meir Mark
Published: November 2022

Background: Left atrial appendage occlusion is an increasingly proposed treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation and poor tolerance to anticoagulants. All endovascular devices require antithrombotic therapy. Anatomical and clinical variables predisposing to device-related thrombosis, as well as post-procedural peri-device leaks, could mandate the continuation or reintroduction of aggressive antithrombotic treatment. Because of the absence of foreign material inside the heart, epicardial appendage closure possibly does not necessitate antithrombotic therapy, but data of large series are missing. Methods: Multidisciplinary team evaluation for standalone totally thoracoscopic epicardial appendage closure was done in 180 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation and poor tolerance to antithrombotic therapy. One hundred and fifty-two patients consented (male 66.1%, mean age 76.1 ± 7.4, CHA2DS2VASc mean 5.3 ± 1.6, HASBLED mean 3.8 ± 1.1). Indications were cerebral hemorrhage (48%), gastro-intestinal bleeding (33.3%), and other bleeding (20.7%). No antithrombotic therapy was prescribed from the day of surgery to the latest follow up. Results: Procedural success was 98.7%. At a mean follow up of 38.2 ± 18.8 months, cardioembolic and bleeding events were 1.3% and 0.6%, respectively. Among patients with a history of blood transfusions (41.1%), none needed further transfusions or treatment post procedure. Conclusion: Epicardial appendage occlusion without any antithrombotic therapy appears to be safe and effective. This strategy could be advised when minimization of bleeding risk concomitant to stroke prevention is needed.
Gas Sensitive Materials Based on Polyacrylonitrile Fibers and Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Kaidar Bayan , Smagulova Gaukhar , Imash Aigerim , Mansurov Zulkhair
Published: November 2022

The results of the synthesis of PAN/NiO composite fibers by the electrospinning method are presented. The electrospinning installation included a rotating drum collector for collecting fibers. Nickel oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by solution combustion synthesis from nickel nitrate and urea. It was shown that monophase NiO nanoparticles with average particle sizes of 154 nm could be synthesized by this method. NiO nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Based on NiO nanoparticles, composite PAN/NiO fibers were obtained by electrospinning. The obtained composite fibers were modified with heat treatment (stabilization and carbonization) processes. Obtained C/NiO fibers were investigated by SEM, and EDAX. It was shown that obtained composite fibers could be used for the detection of acetone and acetylene in air. These results show that C/NiO based electrospun fibers have potential applications in gas sensors.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of Zinc as a Degradable Metallic Biomaterial
Authors: Soni Rishabh , Jhavar Suyog , Tyeb Suhela , Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Suwas Satyam , Chatterjee Kaushik
Published: November 2022

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) offers a high rate of material deposition among various additive manufacturing techniques with wire as feedstock material but has not been established for zinc alloys. Zn alloys can be used as degradable biomaterials, in contrast to conventional permanent metallic biomaterials. In this work, commercially pure Zn was processed by WAAM to obtain near-dense parts, and the properties obtained through WAAM-processed Zn were compared with wrought (WR) Zn samples. The microstructure and hardness values of the WAAM (41 ± 1 HV0.3) components were found to be similar to those of the WR (35 ± 2 HV0.3) components. Bulk X-ray diffraction texture measurements suggested that WAAM builds exhibit a heavily textured microstructure compared to the WR counterparts, with peak intensities around <3 3–6 2> or <0 0 0 2> in the directions parallel to the build direction (BD). The corrosion rates in simulated body fluid (SBF) were similar for WAAM (0.45 mmpy) and WR (0.3 mmpy) samples. The weight loss measurements in SBF were found to be marginally higher in the WAAM samples compared to the WR counterparts for a duration of up to 21 days. MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts were found to be healthy and proliferating in the culture medium containing the degradation products from WAAM-Zn in a manner similar to WR-Zn. This work establishes the feasibility of processing Zn by WAAM for use in bioresorbable metallic implants.
Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor: Impact of the Asymmetric and Symmetric Ambipolarity on Fault and Performance in Digital Circuits
Authors: Spano Chiara Elfi , Mo Fabrizio , Claudino Roberta Antonina , Ardesi Yuri , Ruo Roch Massimo , Piccinini Gianluca , Vacca Marco
Published: November 2022

Tunnel Field-Effect Transistors (TFETs) have been considered one of the most promising technologies to complement or replace CMOS for ultra-low-power applications, thanks to their subthreshold slope below the well-known limit of 60 mV/dec at room temperature holding for the MOSFET technologies. Nevertheless, TFET technology still suffers of ambipolar conduction, limiting its applicability in digital systems. In this work, we analyze through SPICE simulations, the impact of the symmetric and asymmetric ambipolarity in failure and power consumption for TFET-based complementary logic circuits. Our results clarify the circuit-level effects induced by the ambipolarity feature, demonstrating that it affects the correct functioning of logic gates and strongly impacts power consumption. We believe that our outcomes motivate further research towards technological solutions for ambipolarity suppression in TFET technology for near-future ultra-low-power applications.
The Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Involved in the Immune Innate Response of Keratinocytes Co-Cultured with Trichophyton rubrum Reveals Important Roles of Cytokine GM-CSF
Authors: Petrucelli Monise Fazolin , Cantelli Bruna Aline M. , Marins Mozart , Fachin Ana Lúcia
Published: November 2022

Trichophyton rubrum is the most causative agent of dermatophytosis worldwide. The keratinocytes are the first line of defense during infection, triggering immunomodulatory responses. Previous dual RNA-seq data showed the upregulation of several human genes involved in immune response and epithelial barrier integrity during the co-culture of HaCat cells with T. rubrum. This work evaluates the transcriptional response of this set of genes during the co-culture of HaCat with different stages of T. rubrum conidia development and viability. Our results show that the developmental stage of fungal conidia and their viability interfere with the transcriptional regulation of innate immunity genes. The CSF2 gene encoding the cytokine GM-CSF is the most overexpressed, and we report for the first time that CSF2 expression is contact and conidial-viability-dependent during infection. In contrast, CSF2 transcripts and GM-CSF secretion levels were observed when HaCat cells were challenged with bacterial LPS. Furthermore, the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines was dependent on the conidia developmental stage. Thus, we suggest that the viability and developmental stage of fungal conidia interfere with the transcriptional patterns of genes encoding immunomodulatory proteins in human keratinocytes with regard to important roles of GM-CSF during infection.
Three New Trichoderma Species in Harzianum Clade Associated with the Contaminated Substrates of Edible Fungi
Authors: Cao Zi-Jian , Qin Wen-Tao , Zhao Juan , Liu Yu , Wang Shou-Xian , Zheng Su-Yue
Published: November 2022

Trichoderma is known worldwide as biocontrol agents of plant diseases, producers of enzymes and antibiotics, and competitive contaminants of edible fungi. In this investigation of contaminated substrates of edible fungi from North China, 39 strains belonging to 10 Trichoderma species isolated from four kinds of edible fungi were obtained, and three novel species belonging to the Harzianum clade were isolated from the contaminated substrates of Auricularia heimuer and Pholiota adipose. They were recognized based on integrated studies of phenotypic features, culture characteristics, and molecular analyses of RNA polymerase II subunit B and translation elongation factor 1-α genes. Trichoderma auriculariae was strongly supported as a separate lineage and differed from T. vermifimicola due to its larger conidia. Trichoderma miyunense was closely related to T. ganodermatigerum but differed due to its smaller conidia and higher optimum mycelial growth temperature. As a separate lineage, T. pholiotae was distinct from T. guizhouense and T. pseudoasiaticum due to its higher optimum mycelial growth temperature and larger conidia. This study extends the understanding of Trichoderma spp. contaminating substrates of edible fungi and updates knowledge of species diversity in the group.
Phylogeny and Systematics of the Genus Tolypocladium (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)
Authors: Dong Quan-Ying , Wang Yao , Wang Zhi-Qin , Liu Yan-Fang , Yu Hong
Published: November 2022

The taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus Tolypocladium are herein revised based on the most comprehensive dataset to date. Two species-level phylogenies of Tolypocladium were constructed: a single-gene phylogeny (ITS) of 35 accepted species and a multigene phylogeny (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2) of 27 accepted species. Three new species, Tolypocladium pseudoalbum sp. nov., Tolypocladium subparadoxum sp. nov., and Tolypocladium yunnanense sp. nov., are described in the present study. The genetic divergences of four markers (ITS, tef-1α, rpb1 and rpb2) among Tolypocladium species are also reported. The results indicated that species of Tolypocladium were best delimited by rpb1 sequence data, followed by the sequence data for the rpb2, tef-1α, and ITS provided regions. Finally, a key to the 48 accepted species of Tolypocladium worldwide is provided.