bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pest insect management in vegetable crops grown outdoors in northern Europe – approaches at the bottom of the IPM pyramid
Authors: Collier Rosemary
Published: April 2023

Vegetables are a key component of a healthy diet, but they are also exposed to a relatively high amount of pesticide usage in conventional growing systems. A generally agreed aim of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is to reduce reliance on ‘chemical control’ using synthetic pesticides, usually placed at the top of the IPM pyramid. This review focuses on the approaches at the bottom of the IPM pyramid in relation to the pest insects of root, bulb and leafy vegetable crops in northern Europe. These concern establishment of the crop before any additional treatments are applied; summarised as 1) what to plant (crop and cultivar(s)), 2) where to plant it (considering a range of spatial scales) and 3) what to plant it with (companion species, wildflowers etc.). Were it possible to identify sources of resistance or partial resistance to all key pests and pathogens of vegetables and breed these into commercial cultivars, this would undoubtedly be an effective and ‘reliable’ way forward. Increased use of rotation and the isolation of ‘new’ crops from sources of infestation could also be a reliable approach to the management of certain pests, especially those with a limited capacity to disperse. For some growers, there would be a need to alter the ‘spatial arrangement’ of their cropping system to maximise the benefits and this might involve more cooperation with neighbours. Finally, although there appears to be much potential, the benefits of increasing the diversity of plant species within and around crops are currently hard to quantify with regard to pest management and thus might be considered to be less ‘reliable’ approaches at present. It is vital, therefore, that there is a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved and of how it may be possible to achieve a more consistent effect from the range of approaches available.
Association between circulating leukocytes and arrhythmias: Mendelian randomization analysis in immuno-cardiac electrophysiology
Authors: Chen Yuxiao , Lou Lian , Zhang Xuan , Jin Luyang , Chen Yao , Chen Lele , Li Zhihang , Zhang Fen , Fu Ting , Hu Shenjiang , Yang Jian
Published: April 2023

Background

Cardiac arrhythmia is a common disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Circulating leukocyte counts, which serve as a biomarker for assessing systemic immune status, have been linked to arrhythmias in observational studies. However, observational studies are plagued by confounding factors and reverse causality, whether alterations in circulating leukocyte components are causally associated with arrhythmias remains uncertain. The present study explored this question based on genetic evidence.

Methods and findings

We performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate whether alterations in leukocyte counts affect aggregated risk of all types of arrhythmia or risk of five specific types of arrhythmia. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms serving as proxies for leukocyte differential counts were retrieved from the Blood Cell Consortium, and statistical data on arrhythmias were obtained from the UK Biobank), FinnGenand a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for atrial fibrillation. We applied inverse variance-weighted method as the primary analysis, complemented by a series of sensitivity analyses. Bidirectional analyses were conducted to assess reverse causality. Finally, multivariable MR was performed to study the joint effects of multiple risk factors. We found that genetically predicted differential leukocyte counts were not significantly associated with aggregated occurrence of all types of arrhythmia. In contrast, each 1-standard deviation increase in lymphocyte count was associated with 46% higher risk of atrioventricular block (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.11–1.93, p=0.0065). A similar effect size was observed across all MR sensitivity analyses, with no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy. Reverse MR analysis suggested that atrioventricular block was unlikely to cause changes in lymphocyte count. Primary MR analysis based on the inverse-variance weighted method suggested that changes in neutrophil count alter risk of right bundle branch block, and changes in basophil count alter risk of atrial fibrillation. However, these causal relationships were not robust in sensitivity analyses. We found no compelling evidence that neutrophil or lymphocyte counts cause atrial fibrillation.

Conclusion

Our data support higher lymphocyte count as a causal risk factor for atrioventricular block. These results highlight the importance of immune cells in the pathogenesis of specific cardiac conduction disorders.
CD28-signaling can be partially compensated in CD28-knockout mice but is essential for virus elimination in a murine model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Hülskötter Kirsten , Lühder Fred , Leitzen Eva , Flügel Alexander , Baumgärtner Wolfgang
Published: April 2023

The intracerebral infection of mice with Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) represents a well-established animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Because CD28 is the main co-stimulatory molecule for the activation of T cells, we wanted to investigate its impact on the course of the virus infection as well as on a potential development of autoimmunity as seen in susceptible mouse strains for TMEV. In the present study, 5 weeks old mice on a C57BL/6 background with conventional or tamoxifen-induced, conditional CD28-knockout were infected intracerebrally with TMEV-BeAn. In the acute phase at 14 days post TMEV-infection (dpi), both CD28-knockout strains showed virus spread within the central nervous system (CNS) as an uncommon finding in C57BL/6 mice, accompanied by histopathological changes such as reduced microglial activation. In addition, the conditional, tamoxifen-induced CD28-knockout was associated with acute clinical deterioration and weight loss, which limited the observation period for this mouse strain to 14 dpi. In the chronic phase (42 and 147 dpi) of TMEV-infection, surprisingly only 33% of conventional CD28-knockout mice showed chronic TMEV-infection with loss of motor function concomitant with increased spinal cord inflammation, characterized by T- and B cell infiltration, microglial activation and astrogliosis at 33-42 dpi. Therefore, the clinical outcome largely depends on the time point of the CD28-knockout during development of the immune system. Whereas a fatal clinical outcome can already be observed in the early phase during TMEV-infection for conditional, tamoxifen-induced CD28-knockout mice, only one third of conventional CD28-knockout mice develop clinical symptoms later, accompanied by ongoing inflammation and an inability to clear the virus. However, the development of autoimmunity could not be observed in this C57BL/6 TMEV model irrespective of the time point of CD28 deletion.
The retrospective study of the metabolic patterns of BCG-vaccination in type-2 diabetic individuals in COVID-19 infection
Authors: Anwardeen Najeha R. , Cyprian Farhan S. , Yassine Hadi M. , Al-Thani Asmaa A. , Abdallah Abdallah M. , Emara Mohamed M. , Elrayess Mohamed A.
Published: April 2023

Background

The cross-protective nature of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 virus was previously suggested, however its effect in COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the underlying metabolic pathways has not been addressed. This study aims to investigate the difference in the metabolomic patterns of type 2 diabetic patients with BCG vaccination showing different severity levels of COVID-19 infection.

Methods

Sixty-seven COVID-19 patients were categorized into diabetic and non-diabetic individuals who had been previously vaccinated or not with BCG vaccination. Targeted metabolomics were performed from serum samples from all patients using tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis included multivariate and univariate models.

Results

Data suggested that while BCG vaccination may provide protection for individuals who do not have diabetes, it appears to be linked to more severe COVID-19 symptoms in T2D patients (p = 0.02). Comparing the metabolic signature of BCG vaccinated T2D individuals to non-vaccinated counterparts revealed that amino acid (sarcosine), cholesterol esters (CE 20:0, 20:1, 22:2), carboxylic acid (Aconitic acid) were enriched in BCG vaccinated T2D patients, whereas spermidine, glycosylceramides (Hex3Cer(d18:1_22:0), Hex2Cer(d18:1/22:0), HexCer(d18:1/26:1), Hex2Cer(d18:1/24:0), HexCer(d18:1/22:0) were higher in BCG vaccinated non- T2D patients. Furthermore, data indicated a decrease in sarcosine synthesis from glycine and choline and increase in spermidine synthesis in the BCG vaccinated cohort in T2D and non-T2D groups, respectively.

Conclusion

This pilot study suggests increased severity of COVID-19 in BCG vaccinated T2D patients, which was marked by decreased sarcosine synthesis, perhaps via lower sarcosine-mediated removal of viral antigens.
A non-invasive strategy for suppressing asthmatic airway inflammation and remodeling: Inhalation of nebulized hypoxic hUCMSC-derived extracellular vesicles
Authors: Xu Xiaowei , Wang Ying , Luo Xinkai , Gao Xuerong , Gu Weifeng , Ma Yongbin , Xu Lili , Yu Mengzhu , Liu Xi , Liu Jiameng , Wang Xuefeng , Zheng Tingting , Mao Chaoming , Dong Liyang
Published: April 2023

Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) are extremely promising nanoscale cell-free therapeutic agents. We previously identified that intravenous administration (IV) of human umbilical cord MSC-EVs (hUCMSC-EVs), especially hypoxic hUCMSC-EVs (Hypo-EVs), could suppress allergic airway inflammation and remodeling. Here, we further investigated the therapeutic effects of Hypo-EVs administration by atomizing inhalation (INH), which is a non-invasive and efficient drug delivery method for lung diseases. We found that nebulized Hypo-EVs produced by the atomization system (medical/household air compressor and nebulizer) maintained excellent structural integrity. Nebulized Dir-labeled Hypo-EVs inhaled by mice were mainly restricted to lungs. INH administration of Hypo-EVs significantly reduced the airway inflammatory infiltration, decreased the levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), declined the content of OVA-specific IgE in serum, attenuated the goblet cell metaplasia, and the expressions of subepithelial collagen-1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Notably, Hypo-EV INH administration was generally more potent than Hypo-EV IV in suppressing IL-13 levels and collagen-1 and α-SMA expressions. RNA sequencing revealed that various biological processes, such as cell adhesion, innate immune response, B cell activation, and extracellular space, were associated with the activity of Hypo-EV INH against asthma mice. In addition, Hypo-EVs could load exogenous miR-146a-5p (miR-146a-5p-EVs). Furthermore, INH administration of miR-146a-5p-EVs resulted in a significantly increased expression of miR-146a-5p mostly in lungs, and offered greater protection against the OVA-induced increase in airway inflammation, subepithelial collagen accumulation and myofibroblast compared with nebulized Hypo-EVs. Overall, nebulized Hypo-EVs effectively attenuated allergic airway inflammation and remodeling, potentially creating a non-invasive route for the use of MSC-EVs in asthma treatment.
Anoikis resistance of small airway epithelium is involved in the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Chen Dian , Yi Rongbing , Hong Weifeng , Wang Kai , Chen Yahong
Published: April 2023

Background

Anoikis resistance is recognized as a crucial step in the metastasis of cancer cells. Most epithelial tumors are distinguished by the ability of epithelial cells to abscond anoikis when detached from the extracellular matrix. However, no study has investigated the involvement of anoikis in the small airway epithelium (SAE) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

Anoikis-related genes (ANRGs) exhibiting differential expression in COPD were identified using microarray datasets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Unsupervised clustering was performed to classify COPD patients into anoikis-related subtypes. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) were used to annotate the functions between different subtypes. Differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were leveraged to identify key molecules. The relative proportion of infiltrating immune cells in the SAE was quantified using the CIBERSORT and ssGSEA computational algorithms, and the correlation between key molecules and immune cell abundance was analyzed. The expression of key molecules in BEAS-2B cells exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was validated using qRT-PCR.

Results

A total of 25 ANRGs exhibited differential expression in the SAE of COPD patients, based on which two subtypes of COPD patients with distinct anoikis patterns were identified. COPD patients with anoikis resistance had more advanced GOLD stages and cigarette consumption. Functional annotations revealed a different immune status between COPD patients with pro-anoikis and anoikis resistance. Tenomodulin (TNMD) and long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 656 (LINC00656) were subsequently identified as key molecules involved in this process, and a close correlation between TNMD and the infiltrating immune cells was observed, such as activated CD4+ memory T cells, M1 macrophages, and activated NK cells. Further enrichment analyses clarified the relationship between TNMD and the inflammatory and apoptotic signaling pathway as the potential mechanism for regulating anoikis. In vitro experiments showed a dramatic upregulation of TNMD and LINC00656 in BEAS-2B cells when exposed to 3% CSE for 48 hours.

Conclusion

TNMD contributes to the progression of COPD by inducing anoikis resistance in SAE, which is intimately associated with the immune microenvironment.
Personalized hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for inborn errors of immunity
Authors: Slatter Mary , Lum Su Han
Published: April 2023

Patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) have been transplanted for more than 50 years. Many long-term survivors have ongoing medical issues showing the need for further improvements in how hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is performed if patients in the future are to have a normal quality of life. Precise genetic diagnosis enables early treatment before recurrent infection, autoimmunity and organ impairment occur. Newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is established in many countries. For newly described disorders the decision to transplant is not straight-forward. Specific biologic therapies are effective for some diseases and can be used as a bridge to HSCT to improve outcome. Developments in reduced toxicity conditioning and methods of T-cell depletion for mismatched donors have made transplant an option for all eligible patients. Further refinements in conditioning plus precise graft composition and additional cellular therapy are emerging as techniques to personalize the approach to HSCT for each patient
Machine learning-based integration develops an immune-related risk model for predicting prognosis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and providing therapeutic strategies
Authors: Wu Qihui , Tian Ruotong , He Xiaoyun , Liu Jiaxin , Ou Chunlin , Li Yimin , Fu Xiaodan
Published: April 2023

Background

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a highly lethal gynecological cancer that requires accurate prognostic models and personalized treatment strategies. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for disease progression and treatment. Machine learning-based integration is a powerful tool for identifying predictive biomarkers and developing prognostic models. Hence, an immune-related risk model developed using machine learning-based integration could improve prognostic prediction and guide personalized treatment for HGSOC.

Methods

During the bioinformatic study in HGSOC, we performed (i) consensus clustering to identify immune subtypes based on signatures of immune and stromal cells, (ii) differentially expressed genes and univariate Cox regression analysis to derive TME- and prognosis-related genes, (iii) machine learning-based procedures constructed by ten independent machine learning algorithms to screen and construct a TME-related risk score (TMErisk), and (iv) evaluation of the effect of TMErisk on the deconstruction of TME, indication of genomic instability, and guidance of immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Results

We identified two different immune microenvironment phenotypes and a robust and clinically practicable prognostic scoring system. TMErisk demonstrated superior performance over most clinical features and other published signatures in predicting HGSOC prognosis across cohorts. The low TMErisk group with a notably favorable prognosis was characterized by BRCA1 mutation, activation of immunity, and a better immune response. Conversely, the high TMErisk group was significantly associated with C-X-C motif chemokine ligands deletion and carcinogenic activation pathways. Additionally, low TMErisk group patients were more responsive to eleven candidate agents.

Conclusion

Our study developed a novel immune-related risk model that predicts the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients using machine learning-based integration. Additionally, the study not only depicts the diversity of cell components in the TME of HGSOC but also guides the development of potential therapeutic techniques for addressing tumor immunosuppression and enhancing the response to cancer therapy.
Automatic detection and classification of coastal Mediterranean fish from underwater images: Good practices for robust training
Authors: Catalán Ignacio A. , Álvarez-Ellacuría Amaya , Lisani José-Luis , Sánchez Josep , Vizoso Guillermo , Heinrichs-Maquilón Antoni Enric , Hinz Hilmar , Alós Josep , Signarioli Marco , Aguzzi Jacopo , Francescangeli Marco , Palmer Miquel
Published: April 2023

Further investigation is needed to improve the identification and classification of fish in underwater images using artificial intelligence, specifically deep learning. Questions that need to be explored include the importance of using diverse backgrounds, the effect of (not) labeling small fish on precision, the number of images needed for successful classification, and whether they should be randomly selected. To address these questions, a new labeled dataset was created with over 18,400 recorded Mediterranean fish from 20 species from over 1,600 underwater images with different backgrounds. Two state-of-the-art object detectors/classifiers, YOLOv5m and Faster RCNN, were compared for the detection of the ‘fish’ category in different datasets. YOLOv5m performed better and was thus selected for classifying an increasing number of species in six combinations of labeled datasets varying in background types, balanced or unbalanced number of fishes per background, number of labeled fish, and quality of labeling. Results showed that i) it is cost-efficient to work with a reduced labeled set (a few hundred labeled objects per category) if images are carefully selected, ii) the usefulness of the trained model for classifying unseen datasets improves with the use of different backgrounds in the training dataset, and iii) avoiding training with low-quality labels (e.g., small relative size or incomplete silhouettes) yields better classification metrics. These results and dataset will help select and label images in the most effective way to improve the use of deep learning in studying underwater organisms.
Assessment of predictability of the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico from observing system experiments and observing system simulation experiments
Authors: Dukhovskoy Dmitry S. , Chassignet Eric P. , Bozec Alexandra , Morey Steven L.
Published: April 2023

This study presents results from numerical model experiments with a high-resolution regional forecast system to evaluate model predictability of the Loop Current (LC) system and assess the added value of different types of observations. The experiments evaluate the impact of surface versus subsurface observations as well as different combinations and spatial coverage of observations on the forecasts of the LC variability. The experiments use real observations (observing system experiments) and synthetic observations derived from a high-resolution independent simulation (observing system simulation experiments). Model predictability is assessed based on a saturated error growth model. The forecast error is computed for the sea surface height fields and the LC frontal positions derived from the forecasts and control fields using two metrics. Estimated model predictability of the LC ranges from 2 to 3 months. Predictability limit depends on activity state of the LC, with shorter predictability limit during active LC configurations. Assimilation of subsurface temperature and salinity profiles in the LC area have notable impact on the medium-range forecasts (2–3 months), whereas the impact is less prominent on shorter scales. The forecast error depends on the uncertainty of the initial state; therefore, on the accuracy of the analysis providing the initial fields. Forecasts with the smallest initial error have the best predictive skills with reliable predictability beyond 2 months suggesting that the impact of the model error is less prominent than the initial error. Hence, substantial improvements in forecasts up to 3 months can be achieved with increased accuracy of initialization.
Strength variation characteristics of waste tailings cemented backfill materials with ultrafine particles
Authors: Deng Daiqiang , Wang Ye , Liang Yihua , Fan Jinkuan , Gao Yu , Ma Yunfan
Published: April 2023

This study investigates the use of self-produced solid waste in mines to backfill the goaf, with energy saving and emission reduction technology requirements. Using a relevant backfill mixing proportion test and mechanical property test, we analyzed the strength variation law of backfill materials under different concentrations and cementation powder addition. The results showed that, for backfill materials at 7 days with an ash-tailings ratio of 1:6, the strength of specimens with 52% and 49% prepared concentrations, respectively, increased by 1.361 and 1.266 times over specimens with 49% and 46% concentrations. For backfill materials with 49% prepared concentrations and ash-tailings ratios of 1:6, 1:9, and 1:12, the specimen strength of the backfill materials with ratios of 1:6 and 1:9 improved by 0.616 MPa and 0.321 MPa—109.28% and 114.6%, respectively—compared with 1:9 and 1:12 backfill materials at 60 days. It is thus evident that the quantity of binding materials added plays a critical function in improving the strength of backfill materials, and in the subsequent application of goaf backfill. The strength of backfill materials can be enhanced by improving the gradation of backfill aggregates and increasing the amount of binding materials so as to achieve cost reductions and sustainable development.
A feasibility study for quantitative assessment of cerebrovascular malformations using flutriciclamide ([18F]GE-180) PET/MRI
Authors: Kim Sally Ji Who , Lupo Janine M. , Chen Yicheng , Pampaloni Miguel H. , VanBrocklin Henry F. , Narvid Jared , Kim Helen , Seo Youngho
Published: April 2023

Aim

Neuroinflammation plays a key role in both the pathogenesis and the progression of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM). Flutriciclamide ([18F]GE-180) is a translocator protein (TSPO) targeting positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, developed for imaging neuroinflammation. The objectives of this study were to describe characteristics of flutriciclamide uptake in different brain tissue regions in CCM patients compared to controls, and to evaluate flutriciclamide uptake and iron deposition within CCM lesions.

Materials and methods

Five patients with CCM and six controls underwent a 60 or 90 min continuous PET/MRI scan following 315 ± 68.9 MBq flutriciclamide administration. Standardized uptake value (SUV) and standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr) were obtained using the striatum as a pseudo-reference. Quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) were used to define the location of the vascular malformation and calculate the amount of iron deposition in each lesion.

Results

Increased flutriciclamide uptake was observed in all CCM lesions. The temporal pole demonstrated the highest radiotracer uptake; the paracentral lobule, cuneus and hippocampus exhibited moderate uptake; while the striatum had the lowest uptake, with average SUVs of 0.66, 0.55, 0.63, 0.55, and 0.33 for patient with CCM and 0.57, 0.50, 0.48, 0.42, and 0.32 for controls, respectively. Regional SUVr showed similar trends. The average SUV and QSM values in CCM lesions were 0.58 ± 0.23 g/ml and 0.30 ± 0.10 ppm. SUVs and QSM were positively correlated in CCM lesions (r = 0.53, p = 0.03).

Conclusion

The distribution of flutriciclamide ([18F]GE-180) in the human brain and CCM lesions demonstrated the potential of this TSPO PET tracer as a marker of neuroinflammation that may be relevant for characterizing CCM disease progression along with QSM.
Differential microRNA expression for diagnosis and prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Ruiz-Pozo Viviana A. , Cadena-Ullauri Santiago , Guevara-Ramírez Patricia , Paz-Cruz Elius , Tamayo-Trujillo Rafael , Zambrano Ana Karina
Published: April 2023

Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for 85% of thyroid cancer. The diagnosis is based on ultrasound methods and tumor biopsies (FNA). In recent years, research has revealed the importance of miRNAs, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and are involved in many diseases. The present mini review describes upregulated and downregulated miRNAs expression in papillary thyroid cancer patient samples (tissue, serum, plasma) and the genes regulated by these non-coding molecules. In addition, a bibliographic search was performed to identify the expression of miRNAs that are common in tumor tissue and blood. The miRNAs miR-146b, miR-221-3p, miRNA 222, miR-21, miR-296-5p, and miR-145 are common in both tissue and bloodstream of PTC patient samples. Furthermore, these miRNAs regulate genes involved in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. In conclusion, miRNAs could potentially become valuable biomarkers, which could help in the early diagnosis and prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer.
Glucosinolates, a natural chemical arsenal: More to tell than the myrosinase story
Authors: Abdel-Massih Roula M. , Debs Espérance , Othman Leen , Attieh Jihad , Cabrerizo Franco M.
Published: April 2023

Glucosinolates are a group of thioglucosides that belong to the class of plant nitrogen-containing natural products. So far, very little biological activity has been associated with intact glucosinolates. The hydrolysis of glucosinolates has, for long, attracted attention because of the potent biological activity of the hydrolysis products. From allelopathic to antiparasitic, antimicrobial and antineoplastic effects, the activity spectrum of the degradation products of typical glucosinolates has been the subject of much research. The present review seeks to address the various means of glucosinolate degradation (thermal, enzymatic, or chemical degradation) and the ensuing products. It also aims to draw a comparative profile of the various antimicrobial effects of these degradation products to provide a further understanding of the biological function of these important compounds.
Out of site, out of mind: Changes in feather moss phyllosphere microbiota in mine offsite boreal landscapes
Authors: Yin Xiangbo , Martineau Christine , Samad Abdul , Fenton Nicole J.
Published: April 2023

Plant-microbe interactions play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological services in boreal forest biomes. Mining for minerals, and especially the emission of heavy metal-enriched dust from mine sites, is a potential threat to biodiversity in offsite landscapes. Understanding the impacts of mining on surrounding phyllosphere microbiota is especially lacking. To investigate this, we characterized bacterial and fungal communities in the phyllosphere of feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid). Mitt in boreal landscapes near six gold mine sites at different stages of the mine lifecycle. We found that (1) both mining stage and ecosystem type are drivers of the phyllosphere microbial community structure in mine offsite landscapes; (2) Bacterial alpha diversity is more sensitive than fungal alpha diversity to mining stage, while beta diversity of both groups is impacted; (3) mixed and deciduous forests have a higher alpha diversity and a distinct microbial community structure when compared to coniferous and open canopy ecosystems; (4) the strongest effects are detectable within 0.2 km from operating mines. These results confirmed the presence of offsite effects of mine sites on the phyllosphere microbiota in boreal forests, as well as identified mining stage and ecosystem type as drivers of these effects. Furthermore, the footprint was quantified at 0.2 km, providing a reference distance within which mining companies and policy makers should pay more attention during ecological assessment and for the development of mitigation strategies. Further studies are needed to assess how these offsite effects of mines affect the functioning of boreal ecosystems.
Dual-task gait and white matter hyperintensities in Lewy body diseases: An exploratory analysis
Authors: Fatokun Ipinuoluwakiye , Gee Myrlene , Nelles Krista , Ba Fang , Dadar Mahsa , Duchesne Simon , Sharma Breni , Masellis Mario , Black Sandra E. , Almeida Quincy J. , Smith Eric E. , Pieruccini-Faria Frederico , Montero-Odasso Manuel , Camicioli Richard
Published: April 2023

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are part of a spectrum of Lewy body disorders, who exhibit a range of cognitive and gait impairments. Cognitive-motor interactions can be examined by performing a cognitive task while walking and quantified by a dual task cost (DTC). White matter hyperintensities (WMH) on magnetic resonance imaging have also been associated with both gait and cognition. Our goal was to examine the relationship between DTC and WMH in the Lewy body spectrum, hypothesizing DTC would be associated with increased WMH volume.

Methods

Seventy-eight participants with PD, PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), PD with dementia or DLB (PDD/DLB), and 20 cognitively unimpaired participants were examined in a multi-site study. Gait was measured on an electronic walkway during usual gait, counting backward, animal fluency, and subtracting sevens. WMH were quantified from magnetic resonance imaging using an automated pipeline and visual rating. A median split based on DTC was performed. Models included age as well as measures of global cognition and cardiovascular risk.

Results

Compared to cognitively unimpaired participants, usual gait speed was lower and DTC was higher in PD-MCI and PDD/DLB. Low DTC participants had higher usual gait speed. WMH burden was greater in high counting DTC participants. Frontal WMH burden remained significant after adjusting for age, cardiovascular risk and global cognition.

Conclusion

Increased DTC was associated with higher frontal WMH burden in Lewy body disorders after adjusting for age, cardiovascular risk, and global cognition. Higher DTC was associated with age.
Target cell-specific plasticity rules of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in the hippocampus
Authors: Lutzu Stefano , Alviña Karina , Puente Nagore , Grandes Pedro , Castillo Pablo E.
Published: April 2023

Long-term potentiation and depression of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission (NMDAR LTP/LTD) can significantly impact synapse function and information transfer in several brain areas. However, the mechanisms that determine the direction of NMDAR plasticity are poorly understood. Here, using physiologically relevant patterns of presynaptic and postsynaptic burst activities, whole-cell patch clamp recordings, 2-photon laser calcium imaging in acute rat hippocampal slices and immunoelectron microscopy, we tested whether distinct calcium dynamics and group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (I-mGluR) subtypes control the sign of NMDAR plasticity. We found that postsynaptic calcium transients (CaTs) in response to hippocampal MF stimulation were significantly larger during the induction of NMDAR-LTP compared to NMDAR-LTD at the MF-to-CA3 pyramidal cell (MF-CA3) synapse. This difference was abolished by pharmacological blockade of mGluR5 and was significantly reduced by depletion of intracellular calcium stores, whereas blocking mGluR1 had no effect on these CaTs. In addition, we discovered that MF to hilar mossy cell (MF-MC) synapses, which share several structural and functional commonalities with MF-CA3 synapses, also undergoes NMDAR plasticity. To our surprise, however, we found that the postsynaptic distribution of I-mGluR subtypes at these two synapses differ, and the same induction protocol that induces NMDAR-LTD at MF-CA3 synapses, only triggered NMDAR-LTP at MF-MC synapses, despite a comparable calcium dynamics. Thus, postsynaptic calcium dynamics alone cannot predict the sign of NMDAR plasticity, indicating that both postsynaptic calcium rise and the relative contribution of I-mGluR subtypes likely determine the learning rules of NMDAR plasticity.
Endogenous neural stem cells characterization using omics approaches: Current knowledge in health and disease
Authors: Murtaj Valentina , Butti Erica , Martino Gianvito , Panina-Bordignon Paola
Published: April 2023

Neural stem cells (NSCs), an invaluable source of neuronal and glial progeny, have been widely interrogated in the last twenty years, mainly to understand their therapeutic potential. Most of the studies were performed with cells derived from pluripotent stem cells of either rodents or humans, and have mainly focused on their potential in regenerative medicine. High-throughput omics technologies, such as transcriptomics, epigenetics, proteomics, and metabolomics, which exploded in the past decade, represent a powerful tool to investigate the molecular mechanisms characterizing the heterogeneity of endogenous NSCs. The transition from bulk studies to single cell approaches brought significant insights by revealing complex system phenotypes, from the molecular to the organism level. Here, we will discuss the current literature that has been greatly enriched in the “omics era”, successfully exploring the nature and function of endogenous NSCs and the process of neurogenesis. Overall, the information obtained from omics studies of endogenous NSCs provides a sharper picture of NSCs function during neurodevelopment in healthy and in perturbed environments.
Electroacupuncture treatment ameliorates depressive-like behavior and cognitive dysfunction via CB1R dependent mitochondria biogenesis after experimental global cerebral ischemic stroke
Authors: Hu Guangtao , Zhou Cuihong , Wang Jin , Ma Xinxu , Ma Hongzhe , Yu Huan , Peng Zhengwu , Huang Jing , Cai Min
Published: April 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to identify the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment on post-stroke depression (PSD) and explore whether cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R)-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis accounts for the treatment effect of EA.

Methods

The PSD mouse model was induced by a consecutive 14-day chronic unpredictable stress operation after 7 days of recovery from the bilateral common carotid artery occlusion surgery. Either EA treatment or sham stimulation was performed for 14 consecutive days from Day 7 after the BCCAO operation. Subjects’ PSD-like behaviors were tested via open field test, sucrose preference test, novelty suppressed feeding test, tail suspension test, and forced swim test, and subjects’ cognitive function was examined using Y-maze and novelty object recognition test. In addition, the levels of CB1R, mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins (nuclear transcription factor 1, NRF1; mitochondrial transcription factor A, TFAM), proteins related to mitochondrial function (Cytochrome C, Cyto C; AIF, COX IV), and mitochondrial DNA were measured. To elucidate the role of CB1R in EA treatment, CB1R antagonists AM251 and CB1R-shRNA were given to mice before EA treatment. Likewise, subjects’ depressive-like behaviors, cognitive function, mitochondrial function, and mitochondrial biogenesis were examined after the PSD procedure.

Results

It has been showed that EA successfully ameliorated depressive-like behaviors, improved cognitive dysfunctions, and upregulated CB1R, NRF1 and TFAM expressions. However, the supplementation of AM251 and CB1R-shRNA blocked the antidepressant-like effects generated by EA, and EA failed to improve cognitive dysfunction, upregulate CB1R protein expression, and increase mitochondrial function and biogenesis.

Conclusion

Altogether, these results indicated that EA ameliorated PSD-like behaviors in mice, improved cognitive dysfunctions after PSD, and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis by activating CB1R, a novel mechanism underlying EA’s antidepressant-like effects in treating PSD.
SARM1 detection in myelinating glia: sarm1/Sarm1 is dispensable for PNS and CNS myelination in zebrafish and mice
Authors: Fazal Shaline V. , Mutschler Clara , Chen Civia Z. , Turmaine Mark , Chen Chiung-Ya , Hsueh Yi-Ping , Ibañez-Grau Andrea , Loreto Andrea , Casillas-Bajo Angeles , Cabedo Hugo , Franklin Robin J. M. , Barker Roger A. , Monk Kelly R. , Steventon Benjamin J. , Coleman Michael P. , Gomez-Sanchez Jose A. , Arthur-Farraj Peter
Published: April 2023

Since SARM1 mutations have been identified in human neurological disease, SARM1 inhibition has become an attractive therapeutic strategy to preserve axons in a variety of disorders of the peripheral (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS). While SARM1 has been extensively studied in neurons, it remains unknown whether SARM1 is present and functional in myelinating glia? This is an important question to address. Firstly, to identify whether SARM1 dysfunction in other cell types in the nervous system may contribute to neuropathology in SARM1 dependent diseases? Secondly, to ascertain whether therapies altering SARM1 function may have unintended deleterious impacts on PNS or CNS myelination? Surprisingly, we find that oligodendrocytes express sarm1 mRNA in the zebrafish spinal cord and that SARM1 protein is readily detectable in rodent oligodendrocytes in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, activation of endogenous SARM1 in cultured oligodendrocytes induces rapid cell death. In contrast, in peripheral glia, SARM1 protein is not detectable in Schwann cells and satellite glia in vivo and sarm1/Sarm1 mRNA is detected at very low levels in Schwann cells, in vivo, in zebrafish and mouse. Application of specific SARM1 activators to cultured mouse Schwann cells does not induce cell death and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels remain unaltered suggesting Schwann cells likely contain no functionally relevant levels of SARM1. Finally, we address the question of whether SARM1 is required for myelination or myelin maintenance. In the zebrafish and mouse PNS and CNS, we show that SARM1 is not required for initiation of myelination and myelin sheath maintenance is unaffected in the adult mouse nervous system. Thus, strategies to inhibit SARM1 function to treat neurological disease are unlikely to perturb myelination in humans.
An initial prediction and fine-tuning model based on improving GCN for 3D human motion prediction
Authors: He Zhiquan , Zhang Lujun , Wang Hengyou
Published: April 2023

Human motion prediction is one of the fundamental studies of computer vision. Much work based on deep learning has shown impressive performance for it in recent years. However, long-term prediction and human skeletal deformation are still challenging tasks for human motion prediction. For accurate prediction, this paper proposes a GCN-based two-stage prediction method. We train a prediction model in the first stage. Using multiple cascaded spatial attention graph convolution layers (SAGCL) to extract features, the prediction model generates an initial motion sequence of future actions based on the observed pose. Since the initial pose generated in the first stage often deviates from natural human body motion, such as a motion sequence in which the length of a bone is changed. So the task of the second stage is to fine-tune the predicted pose and make it closer to natural motion. We present a fine-tuning model including multiple cascaded causally temporal-graph convolution layers (CT-GCL). We apply the spatial coordinate error of joints and bone length error as loss functions to train the fine-tuning model. We validate our model on Human3.6m and CMU-MoCap datasets. Extensive experiments show that the two-stage prediction method outperforms state-of-the-art methods. The limitations of proposed methods are discussed as well, hoping to make a breakthrough in future exploration.
An fMRI analysis of verbal and non-verbal working memory in people with a past history of opioid dependence
Authors: Berenbaum Joshua G. , Nadkarni Prianca A. , Marvel Cherie L.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Working memory describes the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind, and it is a fundamental aspect of executive function. Within drug addiction, impairments of executive control over behavior are thought to lead to poor decision making and risky behaviors. Previous research has demonstrated working memory (WM) and executive function difficulties in opioid-dependent individuals, but the neural underpinnings of such impairments in this population are not well understood.

Methods

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural mechanisms involved in WM in 13 opioid-dependent, methadone-maintained participants (OP) and 13 matched, healthy controls (HC). A Sternberg item-recognition task was administered with three conditions: (1) a “verbal” condition in which participants determined whether any six visually presented target letters matched a probe item that was presented 4–6 s later, (2) a “non-verbal” condition in which participants were presented with a Chinese character and, following a 4–6 s delay, determined whether the character matched the probe item, and (3) a “control” condition in which participants were presented with three horizontal lines and following the same delay, determined whether the lines matched a probe item (always the same three lines). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) contrasts focused on the delay (or “maintenance”) phase for verbal and non-verbal conditions relative to the control condition.

Results

Accuracy on the WM task did not differ between groups, but the OP group was significantly slower to respond. The fMRI imaging results indicated differences in brain activity between the OP and HC groups. fMRI-guided regions of interest correlated with age of first alcohol and THC use, suggesting that early substance use, in addition to years of opioid-abuse, may have played a role in the OP group’s WM performance.

Discussion

A deeper understanding of these neural differences between opioid-dependent individuals and their healthy control counterparts helps shed light on fundamental ways in which substance use impacts the brain and cognition, potentially opening up novel avenues for therapeutic targets to treat substance use disorder.
Association between dietary intake of anthocyanidins and heart failure among American adults: NHANES (2007–2010 and 2017–2018)
Authors: Tao Zaixiao , Zhang Rui , Zuo Wenjie , Ji Zhenjun , Fan Zhongguo , Chen Xi , Huang Rong , Li Xinxin , Ma Genshan
Published: April 2023

Background

Despite anthocyanidins have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, no studies have researched association between dietary intake of anthocyanidins and heart failure.

Methods

We enrolled 15,869 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007–2010 and 2017–2018) in this cross-sectional study. We examined baseline data and prevalence of heart failure in different quartile groups of anthocyanin intake (Q1-4). Three models were established through logistic regression to evaluate the protective effect of Q4 (highest anthocyanidins intake) on heart failure. The protective effect of high anthocyanidins intake on heart failure was further evaluated in different subgroups.

Results

Participants with the highest anthocyanidins intake (Q4) had the lowest prevalence of heart failure (Q1:2.54%, Q2:2.33%, Q3:2.43%, Q4:1.57%, p = 0.02). After adjusting for possible confounding factors, compared with the Q1 group, the highest anthocyanidins intake (Q4) was independently related to lower presence of heart failure (Q4: OR 0.469, 95%CI [0.289, 0.732], p = 0.003). And this association was still stable in subgroups of female, ≥45 years, smoker, non-Hispanic White or without diabetes, stroke and renal failure.

Conclusion

Dietary intake of anthocyanidins had negative association with the presence of heart failure.
Diagnostic value of superb microvascular imaging and color doppler for thyroid nodules: A meta-analysis
Authors: Luo Haorou , Yin Lixue
Published: April 2023

Objective

Superb micro-vascular imaging (SMI) is a new noninvasive modality for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. However, the performance of SMI in differentiating malignant and benign thyroid nodules has not been systematically evaluated. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of SMI in diagnosing thyroid nodules.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Sinomed, Scopus were searched. We recorded the characteristics of the included studies and assessed the quality of each study using the QUADAS-2 tool. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR), negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. We also evaluated the publication bias.

Results

This meta-analysis included 10 studies with a total of 1083 thyroid nodules. The pooled the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative LR were 0.84, 0.86, 6.2, and 0.18, respectively. The DOR and AUC were 33 and 0.91, respectively. Heterogeneity existed between the included studies. No significant publication bias was observed.

Conclusion

Compared with CDFI, Superb micro-vascular imaging (SMI) has higher diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, better diagnostic efficiency, and could be used to diagnose benign and malignant nodules in the display of blood flow distribution capabilities of thyroid nodules; at the same time, Fagan plot showed that the SMI technique had a good clinical application value, and it could supplement the deficiencies of color Doppler imaging in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.