bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Irrigation Potential in Jewuha Watershed, Middle Awash River Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Dinku Manamno Beza , Kebede Habtamu Hailu
Published: February 2022

Ethiopia is endowed with immense water and land resources that could be tapped and used for irrigation development. However, little has been done so far due mainly to lack of comprehensive knowledge on the potential of these resources. This study was, therefore, taken up to assess the irrigation potential in data scarce Jewuha watershed of the Awash River Basin. To achieve the objective of the study, the suitability of the land for both surface and pressurized irrigations was estimated using a parametric evaluation technique combined with the FAO land evaluation framework in the GIS environment with multi-criteria analysis of irrigation suitability factors. The irrigation water demands of major crops adopted in the area were determined using CROPWAT software. The surface water potential at the sub watershed was estimated using a combination of SWAT model and the spatial proximity regionalization technique. The performance of the SWAT model was checked by statistical parameters. The irrigation suitability analysis reveals that 51372ha of the study area are suitable and 16274ha are unsuitable for surface irrigation system. Furthermore, 52768ha of the area are suitable and 15088ha are unsuitable for a sprinkler irrigation system. For drip irrigation, 52751ha are suitable and 14855ha are unsuitable. The calibration and validation of SWAT model showed that the model has performed well to simulate the hydrology of the watershed with a coefficient of determination (R2), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and Percent of bias (PBIAS) of 0.74, 0.73 and 0.80 for calibration and 0.71, 0.70 and 7.90 for validation, respectively. From a combined analysis of the available land and water resources, the gross irrigation potential of the area is estimated to be 12,997ha, of which 3098ha of land is exclusively suitable for surface irrigation and 9,899ha is suitable for pressurized irrigation systems.
TiO2 Nanosheet Supported MnCeOx: A Remarkable Catalyst with Enhanced Low-Temperature Catalytic Activity in o-DCB Oxidation
Authors: He Xu , Guo Haiwei , Liu Xiaoyao , Wen Jiaxin , Ren Gengbo , Ma Xiaodong
Published: February 2022

Morphology engineering was an effective strategy for 1,2-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) oxidation. Herein, TiO2 nanosheet supported MnCeOx (TiMn15Ce30-NS) showed excellent catalytic activity with T50% = 156 oC and T90% = 238 oC, which was better than the T50% = 213 oC and T90% = 247 oC for TiO2 nano truncated octahedron supported MnCeOx (TiMn15Ce30-NTO). TiMn15Ce30-NS also exhibited enhanced water resistance (T50% = 179 oC, T90% = 240 oC), and good stability with the o-DCB conversion retained at 98.9% for 12 h at 350 oC. The excellent catalytic activity of TiMn15Ce30-NS could be mainly ascribed to the preferentially exposed {001} crystal plane which favored the higher concent of Mn4+ along with surface active oxygen, as well as stronger interaction between MnOx and CeOx in TiMn15Ce30-NS. The present results deepen the understanding of the morphology-dependent effect on o-DCB oxidation.
Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Pinning Versus Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Displaced Rockwood and Wilkins’ Type C Thumb Metacarpal Base Fractures in Children
Authors: Qiao Fei , Cheng Lei , Jiang Fei
Published: February 2022

Background
This retrospective study compared closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) versus open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) methods in the treatment of severely displaced Rockwood and Wilkins’ type C (RWC) thumb metacarpal base fractures in children.
Methods
The article included 30 patients (14 boys, 16 girls; mean age 10.3 years; age range 6.2 to 14.0 years) with severely displaced RWC fractures. All patients were treated by CRPP and ORIF. The clinical results were assessed according to the criteria of modified Mayo scores. The mean follow-up period was 30.3 months (range 24.0–45.0 months). The level of significance was p <0.05.
Results
All fractures healed within 7 weeks postsurgery, regardless of the surgery method used, and differences between groups were observed in time to union. Recovery time after CRPP treatment averaged 4.2 weeks and was faster than that after ORIF, which averaged 4.7 weeks (P<0.05). The operative time for CRPP averaged 20 minutes, which was faster than that of ORIF (P<0.05). The overall minor complication rates were 6.3% for patients in the CRPP group and 21.4% for patients in the ORIF group (P>0.05). No major complications were observed in patients in the two groups. The clinical outcomes of CRPP were evaluated by modified Mayo scores: 15 patients had excellent outcomes, and one patient had a good outcome in the CRPP group. Twelve patients had excellent outcomes, and 2 patients had a good outcome in the OPIF group. (P>0.05). There were no refractures or incidences of nonunion, avascular necrosis (AVN), osteomyelitis, or premature physeal closure.
Conclusion
The CRPP and ORIF data of considerably displaced RWC fractures in children revealed approximately equal results for patient outcomes and rates of complications. We assert that CRPP is superior to ORIF as a treatment for RWC fractures because CRPP minimizes the operative time, precludes the need for an incision and enables faster fracture union; thus, it is our preferred treatment method.
TBK1 Participates in Glutaminolysis by Mediating the Phosphorylation of RIPK3 to Promote Endotoxin Tolerance
Authors: Pan Lehan , Yang Lian , Yi Zhujun , Zhang Wenfeng , Gong Jianping
Published: February 2022

Background: TBK1 (TRAF-associated NF-κB activator (TANK)-binding kinase 1), a nonclassical IκB kinase (IKK), and its effect on inflammation have not been entirely clarified. This study aimed to determine how TBK1 participates in the catabolism of glutamine by mediating the phosphorylation of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and promoting macrophage endotoxin tolerance (ET). Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ET mice models were used for in vivo studies. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunofluorescence staining and immunohistochemical staining protocols were used to analyze histological changes in the liver, and the related key pathway proteins were analyzed by western blotting. Kupffer cells (KCs) and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) isolated from C57BL/6 mice were used to establish ET models. ELISA was used to detect the levels of necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and α-ketoglutarate (α-KG). The differentiation of M1/M2 macrophages was assessed by flow cytometry for assessing the cell-surface markers, CD86 and F4/80. The related key proteins were analyzed by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results: The phosphorylation of TBK1 was higher in the ET group than in the NET group in vitro and in vivo. As TBK1 was overexpressedd by shRNA, the phosphorylation level of TBK1 was increased, and the protective effect of ET was also strengthened. The TBK1 protein directly interacts with the RIPK3 protein and mediates the phosphorylation of RIPK3 in macrophages. According to our co-IP results, the glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) and RIPK3 proteins interact in ET models. In addition, activated RIPK3 can directly bind to GLUD1, thereby improving its catalytic activity and increasing the production of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) in macrophages. α-KG generated from glutaminolysis promotes M2 activation and restricts M1 polarization to induce the macrophage tolerance of LPS. These findings reveal a novel mechanism for the metabolic control of inflammation and for the induction of ET by modulating glutamine metabolism. Conclusion: As a result of TBK1 regulating the phosphorylation level of RIPK3, overexpressed TBK1 could enhance the tolerance of macrophages to endotoxin through glutaminolysis, which unveils the potential for therapeutic targeting of the metabolic status of macrophages.
MiR-362-5p targets CDK2 and inhibits tumorigenesis in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Liu Yang , Tang Ja , Yang Dandan
Published: February 2022

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a very common malignant tumor. Identifying novel biomarkers is essential to predict the progression and prognosis of RCC. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profiles have been extensively studied in major cancers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of miR-362-5p in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and to evaluate its potential mechanisms in RCC.Material and Methods:In this study, 4 groups of clear ccRCC and adjacent miRNA expression profiling chips were screened using the GEO database. Six miRNAs in 4 sets of expression spectrum chips were expressed at low levels in ccRCC tissues, among which miR-362-5p exhibited the greatest downregulation. The effects of miR-362-5p were observed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, cell transfection experiments, CCK-8 experiments and flow cytometry cell cycle assays. Target genes of miR-362-5p were verified by luciferase reporter assay and confirmed by western blot.Results:Through data analysis, miR-362-5p was selected for study. Cell growth curves and flow cytometry detection showed that overexpression of miR-362-5p inhibited the growth of RCC cells and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) could be a potential target of miR-362-5p. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-362-5p is directly responsible for inhibiting CDK2 expression in ccRCC cell lines.Conclusion:In summary, our study confirmed that miR-362-5p in ccRCC tissues is significantly downregulated. MiR-362-5p regulates CDK2 to inhibit the proliferation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. CDK2 regulates tumor cell growth and cell cycle progression, which arrests the cell cycle at the G1/S phase.
High-throughput Sequencing Reveals the Dominance of Shewanella Species in the Intestinal Microbiota of Barbour’s Seahorses (Hippocampus Barbouri)
Authors: Ortega Rose Chinly Mae Huerte , Tabugo Sharon Rose , Martinez Joey Genevieve , Balcázar José
Published: February 2022

In this study, taxonomic classification of intestinal microbiota from healthy Barbour’s seahorses (Hippocampus barbouri) was determined as it plays an important role in host nutrition and immunity. Genomic DNA was extracted from the intestinal mucus samples of eleven Barbour’s seahorses, which were subjected to high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes targeting V1-V3 regions. The results revealed that the most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were affiliated to the genus Shewanella. Our findings may provide baseline data for further studies in order to explore the potential implications of intestinal microbiota to seahorses in terms of health status, development, growth, and survival.
Quantitative estimation of essential/toxic elemental levels in the serum of esophagus cancer patients in relation to controls
Authors: Qayyum Muhammad Abdul , Sultan Muhammad Habib , Farooq Zahid , Muddassir Khawaja , Farooq Tahir , Irfan Ahmad
Published: February 2022

Esophageal cancer is a very deadly disease ranking 8th most common cancer in terms of incidence and the 6th highest in terms of mortality both in USA and around the world. A growing body of evidence indicated that changes in the concentrations of essential and toxic elements may affect/increase esophagus carcinoma risk. The aim of this study was to measure serum levels of essential and toxic (Fe, Na, Ca, K, Zn, Mg, Co, Se, Cu, Ni, Mn, Sr, Pb, Li, Sb, Cr, Ag, Cd, As and Hg) elements in patients with esophagus carcinoma and controls. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine serum concentrations of essential and toxic elements by using nitric acid/perchloric acid–based wet digestion method. Mean levels of Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, As and Ag were exhibited to be significantly higher and mean Se, Co, Zn, Ca, Fe, Hg, Li and Mg were noted lower in the serum of cancer patients than controls. The correlation coefficients among the elements in the cancerous patients revealed significantly dissimilar communal relationships than the controls. Further, multivariate methods demonstrated considerably different apportionment between the elements in the cancerous patients and the controls. Significant inequalities in the elemental concentrations were also observed for esophagus cancer types (adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and stages (I, II, III, and IV) between the patients. Majority of the elements exposed perceptible disparities in their levels based on smoking habits, dietary habits, habitat and gender of the esophagus cancer patients and controls. Multivariate analysis of the essential and toxic elemental data explained significantly divergent apportionment in the serum of esophagus cancer patients when compared to controls.
Impact of Income Inequality on Health and Education in Africa: The Long run Role of Public Spending with Short Run Dynamics
Authors: Chatterjee Tonmoy , Teame Ghirmai Tesfamariam
Published: February 2022

In this paper we empirically investigated the long-run behavior of income inequality on the pattern of major social sector elements like health and education in African continent. In this context we have used a data set for 31 African countries for the period of 1980-2017. Our empirical model amalgamated with the rationality of theoretical underpinning claims that income inequality adversely affects health and education both in Short-run and long-run. However, it also claims that in the presence of efficient state intervention in the form of investment in both health and education unambiguously can better-off health and education scenarios in long-run, although the curse of income disparity remains with uphold in short-run. Apart from this, the present study also finds the threshold levels of government investments are required to make the process of better-off more sustainable for both health and education in the presence of income inequality in Africa. These results could be important for policymaking to boost health, education in Africa under the cloud of income disparity.
Remediation potential of a soil bacterium, Planomicrobium flavidum (S5-TSA-19) for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) i.e., a nitro-aromatic explosive in aquatic medium.
Authors: Lamba Jyoti , Anand Shalini , Dutta Jayanti , Rai Pramod Kumar
Published: February 2022

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT), a nitro-aromatic explosive commonly used for defence and several non-violent applications is contributing to serious environmental pollution problems including human health. The current study investigated the remediation potential of a native soil isolate i.e., Planomicrobium flavidum (strain S5-TSA-19) against TNT. At a TNT concentration of 120 mg/L with a specified environment, the isolate remained incubated for 30 days in a minimal salt medium (MSM). Regular growth of the isolate, the concentration of TNT, nitrate, nitrite and ammonium ion were evaluated at a particular time during the experiment. Within 168 hours (i.e., 7 days) of incubation, P. flavidum co-metabolically degraded 100% TNT. The biodegradation procedure succeeded the first order kinetics mechanism. Formation of additional metabolites like 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene (2-DANT) and 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2-ADNT), were also witnessed. TNT seems to be non-toxic for the isolate, as it reproduced magnificently in explosive presence. For TNT degradation, the nitro-reductase enzyme was observed to be responsible. This is so far the first reporting of Planomicrobium flavidum, efficiently bioremediating TNT i.e., a nitro-aromatic compound via different degradation pathways, leading to the production of simpler as well as less harmful end products. Further, in the near future, at the field scale application Planomicrobium flavidum may be explored for the bioremediation of TNT (i.e., a nitroaromatic- compound) contaminated effluents.
An online human blood transcript correlation browser for easy access to the blood cell interactome
Authors: Gautvik Kaare M. , Sachse Daniel , Hinton Alexandra C. , Olstad Ole K. , Kiel Douglas P. , Hsu Yi-Hsiang , Utheim Tor P. , Lary Christine W. , Reppe Sjur
Published: February 2022

Background
Physical molecular interactions are the basis of intracellular signalling and gene regulatory networks, and comprehensive, accessible databases are needed for their discovery. Highly correlated transcripts may reflect important functional associations, but identification of such associations from primary data are cumbersome. Therefore, we have constructed a user-friendly online browser supporting identification of putative macromolecular interactions in human peripheral blood based on significant correlations at the transcriptional level.
Methods
The blood transcriptome was characterized by quantification of 17,328 RNA species, including ~341 mature microRNAs in 105 clinically well-characterized postmenopausal women. Intercorrelation of detected transcripts signal levels generated a matrix with >150 million correlations recognizing the human blood RNA interactome. The correlations with calculated adjusted p-values were made easily accessible by a freely available online browser.
Results
We document that significant transcript correlations within the giant matrix reflect experimentally documented interactions between select ubiquitous blood relevant transcription factors CREB1, GATA1, and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, NR3C1). Their responsive genes recapitulated up to 91% of these as significant correlations, and were replicated in a separate cohort of 1204 individual blood samples from the Framingham Heart Study. Furthermore, experimentally documented mRNAs/miRNA associations were also reproduced in the matrix, and their predicted functional co-expression described. The blood transcript correlation browser is freely available at http://app.uio.no/med/klinmed/correlation-browser/blood/index.php and works on all commonly used internet browsers.
Conclusions
The matrix and web browser ought to be a valuable tool for easy access to the human blood transcriptome and molecular interactions documented as significant correlations at the RNA-level. This application should also be useful as a hypothesis generating tool for identification of regulatory mechanisms.
A Control Strategy for Improving the Accuracy of Lateral Tracking of Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Liu Ping , Liu Zibin , Wu Chaohui , Wan Zhisong , Ding Weiping , Huang Haibo
Published: February 2022

Lateral tracking is one of the key technologies for autonomous vehicles. It is particularly important when vehicles are traveling at low speeds in narrow and complex scenes, such as parking lots and alleys. In order to improve the effective and accurate control of the traditional Pure Pursuit algorithm (PP) in the lateral tracking of low-speed autonomous vehicles, a continuous adaptive piecewise fitting method based on cubic Bezier curve was proposed to smooth the reference path, and then search the look-ahead point according to the geometric relationship between the vehicle and the reference path: An improved search algorithm based on vehicle speed and road curvature was used to search the look-ahead point. If the reference path curvature changes too much, the preliminarily obtained look-ahead point are modified, and finally the improved control algorithm (Improve Pure Pursuit Method (IPP) was obtained to calculate the steering Angle of the front wheel. Subsequently, the Carsim/Simulink co-simulation model and the autonomous vehicle platform were established for verification. Simulation and real Vehicle verification show that, compared with the pure pursuit algorithm based on Vehicle speed control (VPP) and Fuzzy Logic control pure Pursuit (FPP), IPP can perform better in complex low-speed lateral tracking scenes, reduce the problem of cutting-corner when the vehicle enters a corner, and improve the lateral tracking accuracy.
Isolation Of Bacterial Strains From Compost Teas And Screening Of Their PGPR Properties
Authors: Samet Mariem , Ghazala Imen , Karray Fatma , Abid Cyrine , Chiab Nour , Nouri-Ellouze Oumèma , Sayadi Sami , Gargouri-Bouzid Radhia
Published: February 2022

The beneficial effect of compost and compost tea on plant growth and protection is mainly associated with the microbial diversity and the presence of bacteria with Plant Growth Promoting effect. PGPR are considered as eco-friendly bio-fertilizers that may reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Three Composts (AT, A10 and A30) were previously prepared from industrial wastes (olive mill wastewater, olive pomace, coffee ground and phosphogypsum). In the present study we isolated three bacterial strains from the compost teas. The phylogenetic identification of these bacterial strains (B.AT, B.A10 and B.A30) showed that they were affiliated with Serratia plymuthica (B.AT), Serratia grimesii (B.A10) and Achromobacter piechaudii (B.A30) species. A characterization of the PGPR traits of these three bacteria was carried out in vitro (Siderophore, Exopolysaccharides, IAA production…) and the study of their effect on potato plants growth, yields and tuber quality was studied under field culture conditions.
Combined effect of Drypetes gossweileri essential oil and organic acids on the inhibition of Bacillus spore germination using response surface methodology
Authors: Dinica Rodica-Mihaela , Voundi Stève Olugu , Lazar Iuliana , Nzufo Francine Tankeu , Raducanu Dumitra , Rati Ioan Viorel , Nyegue Maximilienne , Etoa François-Xavier
Published: February 2022

This work assessed the combined effect of Drypetes gossweileri essential oil (EO) and three organic acids (Na+ benzoate, Na+ lactate and Sorbic acid) on the inhibition of germination and growth of Bacillus spores. The test consisted of inoculating activated spores of each Bacillus species in 4 ml of nutrient broth under the combined effect of D. gossweileri EO (0.62, 5.31 and 10 µg/ml), each organic acid (0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 %) at different pH levels (4.5, 5.75 and 7.0) taken as independent variable. After incubating for 48 hours, the inhibition percentages of spores germination were used to generate the polynomial model: Y (%) = β0 - β1 X1 + β2 X2 + β3 X3 + β1,1 X12 + β1,2 X1X2 + β1,3 X1X3 + β2,2 X22 + β2,3 X2X3 + β2,3 X32 . The ANOVA test was used to determine how significant (p ˂ 0.05) of each factor, their interactions and the validity of the final models. The results showed that the determination coefficient (R2) and the adjusted coefficients (R2adj) were generally close. For each bacterial species, all the models were significant (p ˂ 0.05). For each organic acids, the interaction effect with D. gossweileri EO (X1X2) was positive and significant (p ˂ 0.05) in at least one bacterial species out of the four tested. Na+ lactate showed a more positive and significant (p ˂ 0.05) interactions with EO, as observed on B. megaterium, B. subtilis and G. stearothermophilus spores with regression coefficients of 23.54; 15.83 and 7.41 respectively. Decreasing the pH increases the sensitivity of the spores to D. gossweileri EO and organic acids. Indeed at pH 7.0, no total inhibition of spore germination was obtained while at 5.75, total inhibition of spore germination (100% inhibition) was observed for B. cereus and G. stearothermophilus for Na+ benzoate; G. stearothermophilus for Na + lactate and B. cereus, B. megaterium and B. subtilis for Sorbic acid. From these results, it was concluded that D. gossweileri EO combined with organic acid might be a valuable tool for bacterial spores control in the food industries.
New aspects of the role of Fas receptor and Fas Ligand in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Lindrova Irena , Kolackova Martina , Svadlakova Tereza , Vankova Radka , Chmelarova Marcela , Rosecka Michaela , Sembera Martin , Krejsek Jan , Slezak Radovan
Published: February 2022

Background: Sjögren’s syndrome patients, like other patients with autoimmune disorders, display dysregulation in the function of their immune system. Fas and Fas Ligand (FasL) belong among dysregulated proteins. Although they have been long studied, there are still several unknown aspects of biological importance of Fas and FasL. Methods: In patients with Sjögren’s syndrome and age-matched healthy individuals, we studied Fas and FasL on IL-2Rα+ cells and in serum using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We also measured the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and percentage of apoptotic and dead cells using Annexin V and 7-AAD staining in lymphocytes. Results: FasL was increased in patients’ T and B cells and serum while Fas was increased in patients’ monocytes, T and B cells. No signs of increased apoptosis were found. We suspect an effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy on the percentage of Fas+ B cells which decreased with the therapy in our patients. In the healthy individuals, there was a noticeable pattern in the expression of Fas which was mutually correlated between populations of mononuclear cells; this correlation was absent in the patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Conclusions: The increased expression of Fas in IL-2Rα+ lymphocytes does not increase the apoptosis of lymphocytes. These lymphocytes increase the expression of FasL and may induce apoptosis in other cells. The lack of correlation for the expression of FasL in Sjögren’s syndrome patients may suggest a loss of regulation.
A 3-Year Retrospective Study of Unintended Pregnancy in a Developed Multi-Ethnic Asian Community: A Call for Better Healthcare System for Family Planning
Authors: Quak Xin En Stephanie , Sultana Rehena , Aau Wai Keong , Goh Chin Chin , Tan Ngiap Chuan
Published: February 2022

Background: Termination of pregnancy poses avoidable risk to women. Women who seek referrals from primary care professionals (PCP) to gynaecologists to manage their unintended pregnancy (UP) are potentially at-risk. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic profiles and associated factors in a developed community requesting for referrals from PCPs for UP. Methods: The sociodemographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records of pregnant multi-ethnic Asian women at eight Singapore public primary care clinics from July 2017 to June 2020. Their variables were computed and compared among women of different age bands using appropriate statistical tests. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with UP referrals. Results: Among 9794 gravid women, 974 of them requested gynaecologist referrals to terminate UP over the 3-year period, constituting a prevalence of 9.94%. The mean age of women requesting such referrals was 29.7±7 years. 10.7% of them had more than one prior UP and 15.7% were foreigners. Majority of women were married, did not require social assistance nor had comorbidities. Low proportion of them (2.9%) were prescribed contraceptives. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that women of Indian ethnicity, single, aged <20 years and >40 years, were more likely to request referrals for UP. Conclusions: One in ten gravid women sought referrals for UP, especially the adolescents and older women, and Indian ethnicity. An accessible, community-based healthcare service to educate and counsel women on family planning is urgently needed to mitigate unnecessary risk from UP and maintain their reproductive health.
Draft Genome of the Medicinal Tea Tree Melaleuca Alternifolia (Maiden & Betche) Cheel (Myrtaceae)
Authors: Zhang Xiaoning , Chen Silin , Zhang Ye , Xiao Yufei , Qin Yufeng , Li Qing , Liu Li , Liu Buming , Chai Ling , Yang Hong , Liu Hailong
Published: February 2022

Background Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden & Betche) Cheel is a commercially important medicinal tea tree native to Australia. Tea tree oil (TTO), the essential oil distilled from its branches and leaves, has broad-spectrum germicidal activity and is highly valued in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Genome size is a key biology index, the study of which provides reference for genome engineering and sequencing work; besides, it also provides direct data for evolution biology and so on. Methods and results In the present study, the next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to investigate the whole genome of Melaleuca alternifolia. 114 Gb high quality sequence data were obtained and assembled into 1,838,159 scafolds with an N50 length of 1021 bp. The assembled genome size is about 595 Mb, twice of that predicted by flow cytometer (300 Mb) and k-mer analysis (345 Mb). Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analyses indicated that only 11.3% of the conserved single-copy genes were miss. Repetitive regions cover over 40.43% of the genome. M. alternifolia maybe a diploid with highly heterozygous (heterozygosity is 0.8%). A total of 44,369 protein-coding genes were predicted in the assembled genome and 32,909 genes of these were functionally annotated, of which 8,436 genes were annotated in KEGG. Additionally, 457,661 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 1,109 transcription factors (TFs) form 67 TF families were identified in the assembled genome. Conclusion This draft genome may provide a reference for the deep sequencing strategies and be useful for future functional or comparative genomics analyses.
Mechanochemical synthesis of inverse vulcanized polymers
Authors: Yan Peiyao , Zhao Wei , McBride Fiona , Cai Diana , Dale Joseph , Hasell Tom
Published: February 2022

Inverse vulcanization, a sustainable platform, can transform an industrial by-product, sulfur, into polymers with broad green applications such as heavy metal capture and recyclable materials. However, the process usually requires high temperatures (≥159°C), and the crosslinkers needed to stabilise the sulfur are therefore limited to high-boiling-point monomers only. Here, we report an alternative route for inverse vulcanization — mechanochemical synthesis (MS), with advantages of mild conditions (room temperature), short reaction time (3 h), high atom economy, less H2S, and broader monomer range. Successful generation of polymers using crosslinkers ranging from aromatic, aliphatic to volatile, including renewable monomers, demonstrates this method is powerful and versatile. Compared with thermal synthesis, the MS products show enhanced mercury capture. The resulting polymers show thermal and light induced recycling. The speed, ease, versatility, safety, and green nature of this process offers a more sustainable future for inverse vulcanisation, and enables further unexpected discoveries.
Mutualism Enhances Wolbachia Infection Rates in Ant-attended Tuberculatus Aphid Species (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Yao Izumi
Published: February 2022

Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria, the infection of which alters host reproductive characteristics. Wolbachia are estimated to infect more than half of arthropod species and some species of nematodes, and Wolbachia major genotypes are classified into 17 supergroups (A to S except G and R). It has been documented that the distribution and infection rate of Wolbachia on insects in the wild varies intra- or inter-species through competitions between infected and uninfected hosts. Aphid species within the genus Tuberculatus feed on Fagaceae leaves and exhibit two contrasting ecological characteristics, ant-attendance and non-attendance. This study compared Wolbachia infection rates between 11 ant-attended and 12 non-attended Tuberculatus aphid species, which were collected throughout Japan and around Mt. Kariwangsan in South Korea. Mean infection rates of Wolbachia were 30.3% in ant-attended species and 3.1% in non-attended species. Wolbachia haplotypes detected were classified into supergroups B, M, N, and O. Phylogenetic trees of Tuberculatus aphids constructed from a mitochondrion gene of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear gene of 18S rRNA showed that mutualistic interactions between Tuberculatus aphids and ants have evolved at least five times. The phylogenetic comparative method showed that Wolbachia infection rates were significantly higher in ant-attended species. Possible Wolbachia infection routes were discussed in terms of the differences in the ecological characteristics between ant-attended and non-attended aphid species. Based on the phylogenetic comparative method, this study first revealed that the spread of microorganisms was affected by species interactions of hosts, and would contribute a profound understanding of the evolution of mutualistic interactions.
Prone positioning for patients with SARS-CoV-2-related respiratory failure in non-intensive care unit
Authors: Graziani Mara , Barbieri Greta , Maraziti Giorgio , Falcone Marco , Fiaccadori Anna , Corradi Francesco , Ghiadoni Lorenzo , Satula Katarzyna , Noumi Ghislain , Becattini Cecilia
Published: February 2022

Background Prone positioning (PP) is an established and commonly used lung recruitment method for intubated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, with potential benefits in clinical outcome. The role of PP outside the intensive care unit (ICU) setting is debated. We aimed at describing the use and potential benefits of PP in non-intubated patients with acute respiratory failure related to COronaVIrus Disease-19 (COVID-19)-pneumonia. Methods Consecutive adult patients with COVID-19-related respiratory failure were included in a prospective collaborative cohort and classified based on the severity of respiratory failure by the partial arterial oxygen pressure to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (PaO2/FiO2) and on clinical severity by the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score. Primary study outcome was the composite of in-hospital death or ICU admission within 30 days from hospitalization. Results PP was used in 114 of 536 study patients (21.8%), more commonly in patients with lower PaO2/FiO2 or receiving non-invasive ventilation and less commonly in patients with known comorbidities. A primary study outcome event occurred in 163 patients (30.4%) and was in-hospital death in 129 (24.1%). PP was not associated with death or ICU admission (HR 1.15, CI 95% 0.78-1.72) and not with death (HR 1.03, CI 95% 0.62-1.69); PP was an independent predictor of ICU admission (HR 2.55, 95%CI 1.50-4.32). The severity of respiratory failure and non-invasive ventilation were independent predictors of death or ICU admission at 30 days. The lack of association between PP and death or ICU admission was confirmed at propensity score matching analysis.Conclusion PP is used in a not negligible proportion of non-intubated patients with COVID-19-related severe respiratory failure and is not associated with death but with ICU admission. The role of PP in this setting requires evaluation in randomized studies.
Uridine, a Sustainable Insulin Secretagogue, Inhibits UDP-Glucose and Cereblon Dependent Proinsulin Degradation
Authors: Imai Takeshi , Cho Jaeyong , Tsugawa Yoji , Miyajima Atsushi , Yamaguchi Kazuki , Abe Wakana , Yamamura Hatsuo
Published: February 2022

Insulin secretion is regulated in multiple steps, and one of the main steps is in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Here, we show that UDP-glucose induces proinsulin ubiquitination by cereblon (CRBN), and uridine binds and competes for proinsulin degradation and behaves as sustainable insulin secretagogue. Using insulin mutagenesis of neonatal diabetes variant-C43G and maturity-onset diabetes of the young 10 (MODY10) variant-R46Q, UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase 1 (UGGT1) protects CRBN-dependent proinsulin ubiquitination in the ER. CRBN is a ligand-inducible E3 ubiquitin ligase, and we found that UDP-glucose is the first identified endogenous proinsulin protein degrader. Uridine-containing compounds, such as uridine, UMP, UTP, and UDP-galactose, inhibit CRBN-dependent proinsulin degradation and stimulate insulin secretion from 3 to 24 h after administration in β-cell lines as well as mice. This late and long-term insulin secretion stimulation is designated a day sustainable insulin secretion stimulation. Uridine-containing compounds are designated sustainable insulin secretagogues.
Machine learning for comprehensive prediction of high risk for Alzheimer’s Disease based on chromatic pupilloperimetry
Authors: Lustig-Barzelay Yael , Sher Ifat , Sharvit-Ginon Inbal , Feldman Yael , Mrejen Michael , Livny Abigail , Schnaider-Beeri Michal , Weller Aron , Ravona-Springer Ramit , Rotenstreich Ygal
Published: February 2022

Currently there are no reliable biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the preclinical stage. This study assessed the pupil light reflex (PLR) for focal red and blue stimuli in central and peripheral retina in 125 cognitively normal middle age subjects (45-71 YO) at high risk for AD due to a family history of the disease, and 61 age-similar subjects with no family history of AD using Chromatic Pupilloperimetry coupled with Machine Learning (ML). All subjects had normal ophthalmic assessment, and normal retinal and optic nerve thickness by optical coherence tomography. No significant differences were observed between groups in cognitive function and volumetric brain MRI. Chromatic pupilloperimetry-based ML models were highly discriminative in differentiating subjects with and without AD family history, using transient PLR for focal red (primarily cone-mediated), and dim blue (primarily rod-mediated) light stimuli. Features associated with transient PLR latency achieved Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve of 0.90 ± 0.051 (left-eye) and 0.87 ± 0.048 (right-eye). Parameters associated with the contraction arm of the rod and cone-mediated PLR were more discriminative compared to parameters associated with the relaxation arm and melanopsin-mediated PLR. Taken together our study suggests that subtle focal changes in pupil contraction latency may be detected decades before the onset of AD clinical symptoms. The dendrites of melanopsin containing retinal ganglion cells may be affected very early at the preclinical stages of AD.
Type 2 Deiodinase p.Thr92Ala polymorphism does not affect the severity of obesity and weight loss after bariatric surgery
Authors: Benenati Nicoletta , Bufano Annalisa , Cantara Silvia , Ricci Claudia , Marzocchi Carlotta , Ciuoli Cristina , Sannino Ida , Tirone Andrea , Voglino Costantino , Vuolo Giuseppe , Castagna Maria Grazia
Published: February 2022

Introduction:
A single nucleotide polymorphism in the Type 2 deiodinase (DIO2) gene (p.Thr92Ala) was found to be associated with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), insulin resistance, and body mass index (BMI). We retrospectively evaluated 182 patients to assess whether the DIO2 p.Thr92Ala was associated with severe obesity and response to bariatric surgery.
Methods
Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes before surgery. Glycemic control parameters, liver function, cardiometabolic biomarkers and hormonal parameters were assessed at baseline and after surgery.
Results
Based on genotype evaluation, 78/182 (42.9%) patients were homozygous wild-type (Thr/Thr), 83/182 (45.6%) heterozygous (Thr/Ala), and 21/182 (11.5%) rare homozygous (Ala/Ala). Age at diagnosis was significantly lower in patients with DIO2 p.Thr92Ala. No significant association was observed between DIO2 p.Thr92Ala and BMI, excess weight, waist circumference, homa index and prevalence of comorbidities. After bariatric surgery, excess weight loss (EWL) % and remission from comorbidities occurred without differences according to genotypes.
Conclusions
DIO2 p.Thr92Ala does not affect the severity of obesity and its complications, but it seems to determine an earlier onset of morbid obesity. The presence of polymorphism seems not to impact on the response to bariatric surgery, both in terms of weight loss and remission of comorbidities.
Synthesis, characterization, size and shape-dependent antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity profile of ZnO nano- and microparticles
Authors: Babayevska Nataliya , Przysiecka Łucja , Iatsunskyi Igor , Nowaczyk Grzegorz , Jarek Marcin , Janiszewska Ewa , Jurga Stefan
Published: February 2022

The aim of our work was the synthesis of ZnO nano- and microparticles and to study the effect of shapes and sizes on cytotoxicity towards normal and cancer cells and antibacterial activity toward two kinds of bacteria. We fabricated ZnO nano- and microparticles through facile chemical and physical routes. The crystal structure, morphology, textural properties, photoluminescent properties were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopies, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The obtained ZnO structures were highly crystalline and monodispersed with intensive green emission. ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods showed the strongest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to microparticles due to their high surface area. However, the ZnO hierarchical particles at higher concentrations also strongly inhibited bacterial growth. S. aureus strain was more sensitive to ZnO particles than the E. coli. Nanoparticles and nanorods were more harmful to cancer cell lines than to normal ones at the same concentration.
Evaluation of Thiol Disulfide Balance in Adolescents With Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Authors: Demirtas Mehmet Semih , Erdal Huseyin
Published: February 2022

BackgroundVitamin B12 is an important vitamin for metabolism and affects many mechanisms in the body, such as neuronal migration, DNA synthesis, neurotransmitter synthesis, brain and cognitive development. Increasing oxidative stress in the body leads damage to the growth and development process of childhood, but also plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of many diseases encountered in the pediatric period. Our aim is to investigate whether B12 deficiency is associated with dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in adolescent patients. MethodsThe study was conducted with 90 patients, including 45 patients in the case and control groups. Patients between the ages of 11-18 were selected who applied to the outpatient clinic for the first time with one of the complaints of headache, decreased school performance, dizziness, and fatigue. Hemogram, vitamin B12, homocysteine levels and oxidative stress parameters such as native and total thiol, disulfide levels and ratios of disulfide/native thiol, disulfide/total thiol, native thiol/total thiol were measured from the patients.ResultsVitamin B12 level was found to be significantly lower in vitamin B12 deficiency. group (p<0.001). The serum disulfide level was found to be 27.5 ± 8.38 in the case group and 20.5 ± 8.36 in the control group (p<0.001). In the multiple linear regression analysis, it was determined that the independent variables of native thiol, homocysteine and disulfide had effects on vitamin B12 levels (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.005 respectively; R2=0.62).ConclusionThese findings are remarkable in that vitamin B12 deficiency has an effect on oxidative stress in adolescents. The increase in oxidative stress parameters in the patient group may suggest that oxidative stress plays a vital role in vitamin B12 deficiency in adolescence.
Atomic-Resolution Prediction of
Degrader-mediated Ternary Complex Structures
by Combining Molecular Simulations with
Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange
Authors: Dixon Tom , MacPherson Derek , Mostofian Barmak , Dauzhenka Taras , Lotz Samuel , McGee Dwight , Shechter Sharon , Shrestha Utsab , Wiewiora Rafal , McDargh Zachary , Pei Fen , Pal Rajat , Ribeiro Joao Vieira , Wilkerson Tanner , Sachdeva Vipin , Gao Ning , Jain Shourya , Sparks Samuel , Li Yunxing , Vinitsky Alexander , Zhang Xin , Razavi Asghar , Kolossváry István , Imbriglio Jason , Evdokimov Artem , Bergeron Louise , Dickson Alex , Xu Huafeng , Sherman Woody , Izaguirre Jesus
Published: February 2022

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a powerful approach for removing (rather than inhibiting) proteins implicated in diseases. A key step in TPD is the formation of an induced proximity complex where a degrader molecule recruits an E3 ligase to the protein of interest (POI), facilitating the transfer of ubiquitin to the POI and initiating the proteasomal degradation process. Here, we address three critical aspects of the TPD process using atomistic simulations: 1) formation of the ternary complex induced by a degrader molecule, 2) conformational heterogeneity of the ternary complex, and 3) degradation efficiency via the full Cullin Ring Ligase (CRL) macromolecular assembly. The novel approach described here combines experimental biophysical data with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to accurately predict ternary complex structures at atomic resolution. We integrate hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS, which measures the solvent exposure of protein residues) with MD to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the ternary structure predictions of the bromodomain of the cancer target SMARCA2 with the E3 ligase VHL, as mediated by three different degrader molecules. The simulations accurately reproduce X-ray crystal structures -- including a new structure that we determined in this work (PDB ID: 7S4E) -- with root mean square deviations (RMSD) of 1.1 to 1.6 A. The simulations also reveal a structural ensemble of low-energy conformations of the ternary complex. Snapshots from these simulations are used as seeds for additional simulations, where we perform 7.1 milliseconds of aggregate simulation time using Folding@home. The detailed free energy surface captures the crystal structure conformation within a low-energy basin and is consistent with solution-phase experimental data (HDX-MS and SAXS). Finally, we graft a structural ensemble of the ternary complexes onto the full CRL and perform enhanced sampling simulations, which suggest that differences in degradation efficiency may be related to the proximity distribution of lysine residues on the POI relative to the E2-loaded ubiquitin.
Sleep patterns and screen time in US school children during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hassinger Amanda B , Monegro Alberto , Perez Geovanny
Published: February 2022

Background: This study compared sleep duration, screen exposure and sleep quality in school-aged children before COVID-19 to that during school closures and again when schools re-opened in fall 2020.Methods: Cross-sectional anonymous, online survey of parents of children 5-13 years old. Questions elicited information about sleep timing and quality, screen time, and schooling at three distinct periods: before the pandemic, when schools first closed and then re-opened in the fall.Results: Respondents described 101 children who were an average of 8.5 years old and 51% male. In lockdown, children slept 25 minutes more (95%CI 00:13-00:38) due to later wake times (75 minutes, 95% CI 0:57-1:34) with later bedtimes (29 minutes, 95%CI 0:00-0:58). When schools re-opened, sleep duration returned to pre-pandemic levels, but sleep onset and offset times remained later. Despite more sleep, sleep quality and habits (e.g. bedtime refusal) worsened during lockdown and did not normalize in fall 2020. During lockdown, screen time increased in 65% of all children, and 96% of those in private schools. When schools reopened, 78% of children in hybrid/virtual learning had more than 4 hours of screen exposure daily. Less screen time was associated with 2-fold higher odds of better sleep (OR 2.66, 95%CI 1.15-6.14). Conclusions: Although school-aged children had more total sleep when schools were closed, sleep quality and habits worsened. Upon return to school, sleep times and quality did not normalize and were linked to screen time.