bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Integrated Metabolism-Immunity Gene Expression Model Predicts the Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients
Authors: Chen Songming , Duan Yumei , Wu Yanhao , Yang Desong , An Jian
Published: July 2021

Background:Although multiple metabolic pathways are involved in the initiation, progression, and therapy of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the tumor microenvironment (TME) for immune cell infiltration that is regulated by metabolic enzymes has not yet been characterized.

Methods:517 LUAD samples and 59 non-tumor samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database as the training cohort. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Univariate Cox analysis were applied to screen the candidate metabolic enzymes for their role in relation to survival rate in LUAD patients. A prognostic metabolic enzyme signature, termed the metabolic gene risk score (MGRS), was established based on multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and was verified in an independent test cohort, GSE31210. In addition, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration characteristics in patients grouped by their Risk Score. Furthermore, the prognostic value of these four enzymes was verified in another independent cohort by immunohistochemistry and an optimized model of the metabolic-immune protein risk score (MIPRS) was constructed.

Results:The MGRS model comprising 4 genes (TYMS, NME4, LDHA, andSMOX) was developed to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Patients with a high-risk score had a poor prognosis and exhibited activated carbon and nucleotide metabolism, both of which were associated with changes to TME immune cell infiltration characteristics. In addition, the optimized MIPRS model showed more accurate predictive power in prognosis of LUAD.

Conclusion:Our study revealed an integrated metabolic enzyme signature as a reliable prognostic tool to accurately predict the prognosis of LUAD.
Mid-Infrared ZnS Ridge Waveguide Fabricated by Femtosecond Laser Ablation Combined With Ion Irradiation
Authors: Zhang Xinbin , Cheng Yazhou , Zhang Yongcheng
Published: July 2021

We have experimentally studied the fabrication of ridge waveguides in zinc sulfide (ZnS) crystal by femtosecond laser ablation combined with Kr8+ ion irradiation. At the wavelength of 4 μm, the waveguide at TE mode shows better guiding properties than TM mode. The transmission performance of the waveguide is improved by using thermal annealing technology to reduce the color centers and point defects in the waveguide. The waveguide propagation loss at TE mode at 4 μm wavelength is reduced to as low as 0.6 dB/cm after annealing. Raman spectroscopy shows that Kr8+ ion irradiation does not cause large lattice damage to ZnS crystal.
Treatment of Cardiovascular Dysfunction With PDE5-Inhibitors – Temperature Dependent Effects on Transport and Metabolism of cAMP and cGMP
Authors: Selli Anders L. , Kuzmiszyn Adrina K. , Smaglyukova Natalia , Kondratiev Timofei V. , Fuskevåg Ole-Martin , Lyså Roy A. , Ravna Aina W. , Tveita Torkjel , Sager Georg , Dietrichs Erik S.
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Cardiovascular dysfunction is a potentially lethal complication of hypothermia. Due to a knowledge gap, pharmacological interventions are not recommended at core temperatures below 30°C. Yet, further cooling is induced in surgical procedures and survival of accidental hypothermia is reported after rewarming from below 15°C, advocating a need for evidence-based treatment guidelines. In vivo studies have proposed vasodilation and afterload reduction through arteriole smooth muscle cGMP-elevation as a favorable strategy to prevent cardiovascular dysfunction in hypothermia. Further development of treatment guidelines demand information about temperature-dependent changes in pharmacological effects of clinically relevant vasodilators.

Materials and Methods

Human phosphodiesterase-enzymes and inverted erythrocytes were utilized to evaluate how vasodilators sildenafil and vardenafil affected cellular efflux and enzymatic breakdown of cAMP and cGMP, at 37°C, 34°C, 32°C, 28°C, 24°C, and 20°C. The ability of both drugs to reach their cytosolic site of action was assessed at the same temperatures. IC50- and Ki-values were calculated from dose–response curves at all temperatures, to evaluate temperature-dependent effects of both drugs.

Results

Both drugs were able to reach the intracellular space at all hypothermic temperatures, with no reduction compared to normothermia. Sildenafil IC50 and Ki-values increased during hypothermia for enzymatic breakdown of both cAMP (IC50: 122 ± 18.9 μM at 37°C vs. 269 ± 14.7 μM at 20°C, p < 0.05) and cGMP (IC50: 0.009 ± 0.000 μM at 37°C vs. 0.024 ± 0.004 μM at 32°C, p < 0.05), while no significant changes were detected for vardenafil. Neither of the drugs showed significant hypothermia-induced changes in IC50 and Ki–values for inhibition of cellular cAMP and cGMP efflux.

Conclusion

Sildenafil and particularly vardenafil were ableto inhibit elimination of cGMP down to 20°C. As the cellular effects of these drugs can cause afterload reduction, they show potential in treating cardiovascular dysfunction during hypothermia. As in normothermia, both drugs showed higher selectivity for inhibition of cGMP-elimination than cAMP-elimination at low core temperatures, indicating that risk for cardiotoxic side effects is not increased by hypothermia.
Enhanced Iron Uptake in Plants by Volatile Emissions of Rahnella aquatilis JZ-GX1
Authors: Kong Wei-Liang , Wang Ya-Hui , Wu Xiao-Qin
Published: July 2021

Iron deficiency in soil has crucially restricted agricultural and forestry production. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by beneficial microorganisms have been proven to play an important role in inducing abiotic stress tolerance in plants. We investigated the effects of VOCs released by the rhizobacterium Rahnella aquatilis JZ-GX1 on the growth and root parameters of Arabidopsis thaliana under iron deficiency. The effect of the rhizobacterial VOCs on the gene expression in iron uptake and hormone signaling pathways were detected by RT-qPCR. Finally, the VOCs of the JZ-GX1 strain that could promote plant growth under iron deficiency stress were screened. The results showed that the JZ-GX1 strain could induce A. thaliana tolerance to iron deficiency stress by promoting the development of lateral roots and root hairs and increasing the activities of H+ ATPase and Fe3+ reductase. In addition, the AHA2, FRO2, and IRT1 genes of A. thaliana exposed to JZ-GX1-emitted VOCs were upregulated 25-, 1. 81-, and 1.35-fold, respectively, and expression of the abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis gene NCED3 was upregulated on both the 3rd and 5th days. Organic compounds were analyzed in the headspace of JZ-GX1 cultures, 2-undecanone and 3-methyl-1-butanol were found to promote Medicago sativa and A. thaliana growth under iron-limited conditions. These results demonstrated that the VOCs of R. aquatilis JZ-GX1 have good potential in promoting iron absorption in plants.
Variations in Rainfall Affect the Responses of Foliar Chemical Properties of Cunninghamia lanceolata Seedlings to Soil Warming
Authors: Zhang Qiufang , Luo Dawei , Yang Liuming , Xie Jinsheng , Yang Zhijie , Zhou Jiacong , Li Xiaojie , Xiong Decheng , Chen Yuehmin , Yang Yusheng
Published: July 2021

Climate warming is becoming an increasingly serious threat. Understanding plant stoichiometry changes under climate warming is crucial for predicting the effects of future warming on terrestrial ecosystem productivity. Nevertheless, how plant stoichiometry responds to warming when interannual rainfall variation is considered, remains poorly understood. We performed a field soil warming experiment (+5°C) using buried heating cables in subtropical areas of China from 2015 to 2018. Stoichiometric patterns of foliar C:N:P:K:Ca:Mg, non-structural carbohydrate, and stable isotope of Cunninghamia lanceolata seedlings were studied. Our results showed that soil warming decreased foliar P and K concentrations, C:Ca, P:Ca, and P:Mg ratios. However, soil warming increased foliar Ca concentration, δ15N value, C:P and N:P ratios. The response ratios of foliar N, C:N, and δ15N to soil warming were correlated with rainfall. Our findings indicate that there was non-homeostasis of N and C:N under warming conditions. Three possible reasons for this result are considered and include interannual variations in rainfall, increased loss of N, and N limitation in leaves. Piecewise structural equation models showed that stoichiometric non-homeostasis indirectly affected the growth of C. lanceolata seedlings in response to soil warming. Consequently, the growth of C. lanceolata seedlings remained unchanged under the warming treatment. Taken together, our results advance the understanding of how altered foliar stoichiometry relates to changes in plant growth in response to climate warming. Our results emphasize the importance of rainfall variations for modulating the responses of plant chemical properties to warming. This study provides a useful method for predicting the effects of climate warming on economically important timber species.
Does Personality Change Follow Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease Patients?
Authors: Wilt Joshua A. , Merner Amanda R. , Zeigler Jaclyn , Montpetite Michelle , Kubu Cynthia S.
Published: July 2021

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a safe, effective, and appealing treatment for Parkinson's Disease (PD), particularly for improving motor symptoms (e. g., tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity). However, concerns have been raised about whether DBS causes psychological changes, including changes to personality: characteristic and relatively stable patterns of affect, behavior, cognition, and desire. In this article, after first presenting some background information about PD and DBS, we examined evidence obtained from various empirical research methods (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods for evaluating patient valued characteristics) pertaining to whether DBS causes personality change. General limitations across research methods include a lack of randomized clinical trials and small sample sizes. We organized our review of findings according to different layers of personality variables: dispositional traits (including personality pathology), characteristic adaptations, and narrative identity. Though most work has been done on dispositional traits, there is not much evidence that dispositional traits change following DBS. Little work has been done on characteristic adaptations, but there is somewhat consistent evidence for positive perceived progress toward goals across a number of domains: routine activities, work, social/relational, and leisure. Nascent work on narrative identity holds promise for revealing issues around self-image that may be common following DBS. We listed a number of strategies for advancing research, highlighting opportunities related to personality conceptualization, personality assessment, and interdisciplinary scholarship. Finally, we offer practical applications of our findings for the informed consent process and for ongoing treatment.
Distress, Appraisal, and Coping Among the Frontline Healthcare Provider Redeployed to the Epicenter in China During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ji Zhongliang , Han Wei , Deng Zhe , Lu Kailin
Published: July 2021

Objective: The central issue of this research is to evaluate the extent of cognitive appraisal and coping processes within the pandemic encounter and determines their influence on frontline healthcare providers who had been dispatched to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epicenter (HPDE) distress symptoms.

Materials and methods: An electronic survey of the HPDE and frontline healthcare providers who worked in their original medical facility (HPOF) was conducted from March 1 to 15, 2020. Two variables, appraisal (measured with an 18-item questionnaire) and coping (measured The Brief Cope questionnaire), were used in the analysis to explain distress symptoms (Impact of Event Scale-Revised).

Results: A total of 723 eligible respondents completed the survey with a response rate of 57.3% (351 HPDE and 372 HPOF). The mean IES-R scores of HPDE respondents were 26.47 ± 11.7. Of HPDE respondents, 246 (70.09%) reported distress symptoms (score 9–88). The scores of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal for HPDE were 10.28 ± 4.7, 8.97 ± 4.3, and 7.20 ± 3.2, respectively. The respondents had higher scores in overall distress and three subscales than HPOF. Appraisal and coping variables explained 77% of the distress variance. Five appraisal variables (health of self, health of family/others, virus spread, vulnerability or loss of control, and general health) were positively associated with distress symptoms. Four coping variables (active coping, positive reframing, self-distraction, and behavioral disengagement) were negatively associated with distress level, whereas self-blame was positively associated with distress symptoms. Regarding the appraisal, the scores of HPDE were significantly higher than HPOF (all p-values < 0.05), whereas being isolated was not significantly different between HDPE nurses and HPOF nurses. HPDE was significantly more likely to use humor, emotional support, instrumental support, self-distractions, venting, substance use, denial, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame (P < 0.05), whereas HPOF was significantly more likely to use active coping and acceptance (P < 0.05). HPDE doctors were significantly more likely than nurses to use active coping and acceptance (P < 0.05), whereas HPDE nurses were significantly more likely to use emotional support and use self-blame (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Frontline healthcare providers who had been dispatched to the COVID-19 epicenter respondents had a higher distress level. Therefore, we should provide proactive psychological support based on specific appraisal and coping variables.
Stakeholder Perspectives on Advancing Understanding of Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Brain Development From the iOPEN Consortium of the Healthy Brain and Child Development Study
Authors: DiPietro Jennifer L. , Mackiewicz Seghete Kristen L. , Krans Elizabeth E. , Snider Kasey Edwards , Bower Reina , Parker Kea , Gullickson Janie , Potter Alexandra S. , Garavan Hugh , Vatalaro Tessa C. , Thomason Moriah E. , Sullivan Elinor L. , Graham Alice M.
Published: July 2021

Introduction: There is a dire need for research regarding the implications of opioid use during pregnancy on fetal and childhood development to better inform both medical practice and policy. The Healthy Brain and Child Development Study will examine brain and behavioral development from birth through the first decade of life. Due to large scope and anticipated complexity of this initiative, an 18-month planning phase was implemented across 28 sites across the nation. A core element of the Phase I initiative involved the development of Stakeholder Advisory Committees to inform the next phase of the initiative.

Methods: Phase I stakeholder meetings were conducted at Oregon Health and Science University, New York University Langone Medical Center, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Vermont to better understand perspectives and inform upcoming research. Despite differences in the structure of the stakeholder meetings by site, the overarching goals for the meetings included establishing relationships, gathering input, and learning about research engagement. Documents from each meeting were reviewed for location, duration, attendees, common research themes, and pertinent suggestions for improving research approaches.

Results: All stakeholders had high levels of interest in research for pregnant people with substance use disorders and agreed on research priorities including collaboration, connection, communication, and support. Different stakeholders offered unique perspectives on various aspects of study design and themes that emerged through meetings.

Discussion: Overall, there was excitement about the research, especially the opportunity to include the voices of people with lived experience; collaboration between providers, peer support specialists, patients, and others; and excitement around contributing to research that could elucidate new and pertinent findings in the realm of addiction medicine and child development. Sites also found that there is mistrust between people with substance use disorder and the medical system, and this could be addressed by including people with lived experience on the research team, forming connections, communicating clearly, training the research team in implicit bias, and practicing trauma-informed care. In conclusion, these stakeholder meetings provided valuable information for structuring upcoming studies; however, researchers would have benefitted from more time and more opportunities for in-person connection.
Parental Social Comparison Related to Tutoring Anxiety, and Guided Approaches to Assisting Their Children's Home Online Learning During the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Yang Qiuyue , Gu Jianjun , Hong Jon-Chao
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused great disruption in education systems around the world. Schools have in some cases ended or limited on-site teaching, and have shifted toward home online teaching. This situation is likely to cause increased uncertainty and anxiety for parents who on one hand may question the quality of home online learning yet, on the other, may not feel sufficiently confident or competent to guide their children's home online learning. Resulting anxiety is expected to be most evident in competitive educational contexts, such as those found throughout much of East Asia. Therefore, using China as the setting, and social comparison theory as the framework, this study examined how variation in parent social comparison relates to parent tutoring anxiety and, in turn, to the types of guided strategies parents use to promote their children's home online learning. The results indicated a positive relationship between parental upward social comparison and parental tutoring anxiety, but a negative relationship between parent downward social comparison and parental anxiety. Parental tutoring anxiety is positively related to the confirmation and structure types, but negatively related to the discovery type of guided approaches. The implication of this study is that parents who resist tendencies of competitive upward social comparison are likely to adopt more effective approaches to guiding their children's home online learning.
“Context, Please?” The Effects of Appearance- and Health-Frames and Media Context on Body-Related Outcomes
Authors: Binder Alice , Noetzel Selina , Spielvogel Ines , Matthes Jörg
Published: July 2021

Promoting health-related behaviors such as healthy eating or doing sports are important to counteract the problem of obesity, which is on the rise. In this regard, initial studies suggest that appearance compared to health framing can lead to negative body-related outcomes in young women. This study aimed to extend these findings by investigating the role of the context. Furthermore, as previous studies focused on young women only, we considered a more diverse sample. This seems especially important as health campaigns focusing on healthy eating and sports should appeal to a more diverse population. This experimental study (N = 286) follows a 2 (appearance frame vs. health frame) × 2 (social media vs. magazine website) between-subjects design. Results revealed that exposure to appearance-focused framing led to a lower positive mood compared with exposure to health-focused framing. These effects were most prevalent in overweight and obese participants. Moreover, participants in the social media condition showed lower body satisfaction and lower positive mood compared with participants in the magazine website condition independent of the frame. No other interaction effects occured. Overall, health promoters should focus their campaigns on the health aspects of health-related behaviors and should consider promotion on social media platforms. Also, they should keep in mind that not only the framing, but also the context, might have effects on body-related outcomes.
Understanding the Spatial Predictors of Malnutrition Among 0–2 Years Children in India Using Path Analysis
Authors: Singh Monika , Alam Md Sayeef , Majumdar Piyusha , Tiwary Bhaskar , Narzari Hina , Mahendradhata Yodi
Published: July 2021

Background: Despite several programs and policies to turn down the burden of malnutrition in the country, the rank of India in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) is 102 among 117 countries, which indicates a serious hunger situation. It is essential to design more specific interventions by focusing on the key determinants that may directly or indirectly influence malnutrition in India.

Methods: Utilizing data from the National Family and Health Survey-4 (NFHS) (2015-16), we developed a structural equation model to find the direct, indirect, and total effect of various determinants on stunting, wasting, and underweight. We used spatial analysis to identify local occurrences of factors that are critical in controlling malnutrition. A p-value of 0.05 was considered to be significant throughout the study. Analysis was performed using STATA (version 15.1MP) and GeoDa software (version 1.14).

Results: A final sample of 90, 842 children of 0–24 months of age was selected for the analysis. The CFI and TLI values of 0.98 and 0.93, respectively, are indicative of a good fit model. Moran's I value of global spatial autocorrelation for the widespread presence of diarrhea, poor drinking water source, exclusive breastfeeding, low birth weight, no prenatal visits, poor toilet facility was observed to be 0.446, 0.638, 0.345, 0.439, 0.620, and 0.727, respectively.

Conclusion: A robust direct relation was observed for diarrhea, exclusive breastfeeding, and children born with stunting, underweight, and wasting. The variables associated indirectly with the outcome variables were the education of the mother, residence, and desired pregnancy. The identification of hotspots through spatial analysis would help revive control strategies in the affected area according to geographical needs. It is extensively addressed that interventions related to health and nutrition during the first 1, 000 days of life is crucial to seize the upshoot of growth floundering among children.
Governing AI in Electricity Systems: Reflections on the EU Artificial Intelligence Bill
Authors: Niet Irene , van Est Rinie , Veraart Frank
Published: July 2021

The Proposal for an Artificial Intelligence Act, published by the European Commission in April 2021, marks a major step in the governance of artificial intelligence (AI). This paper examines the significance of this Act for the electricity sector, specifically investigating to what extent the current European Union Bill addresses the societal and governance challenges posed by the use of AI that affects the tasks of system operators. For this we identify various options for the use of AI by system operators, as well as associated risks. AI has the potential to facilitate grid management, flexibility asset management and electricity market activities. Associated risks include lack of transparency, decline of human autonomy, cybersecurity, market dominance, and price manipulation on the electricity market. We determine to what extent the current bill pays attention to these identified risks and how the European Union intends to govern these risks. The proposed AI Act addresses well the issue of transparency and clarifying responsibilities, but pays too little attention to risks related to human autonomy, cybersecurity, market dominance and price manipulation. We make some governance suggestions to address those gaps.
Macroscopic Model for Passive Mass Dispersion in Porous Media Including Knudsen and Diffusive Slip Effects
Authors: Valdés-Parada Francisco J. , Lasseux Didier
Published: July 2021

In this work, a macroscopic model for incompressible and Newtonian gas flow coupled to Fickian and advective transport of a passive solute in rigid and homogeneous porous media is derived. At the pore-scale, both momentum and mass transport phenomena are coupled, not only by the convective mechanism in the mass transport equation, but also in the solid-fluid interfacial boundary condition. This boundary condition is a generalization of the Kramers-Kistemaker slip condition that includes the Knudsen effects. The resulting upscaled model, applicable in the bulk of the porous medium, corresponds to: 1) A Darcy-type model that involves an apparent permeability tensor, complemented by a dispersive term and 2) A macroscopic convection-dispersion equation for the solute, in which both the macroscopic velocity and the total dispersion tensor are influenced by the slip effects taking place at the pore-scale. The use of the model is restricted by the starting assumptions imposed in the governing equations at the pore scale and by the (spatial and temporal) constraints involved in the upscaling process. The different regimes of application of the model, in terms of the Péclet number values, are discussed as well as its extents and limitations. This new model generalizes previous attempts that only include either Knudsen or diffusive slip effects in porous media.
How Do Bacteria Produce Energy From Sunlight in the Deep Ocean?
Authors: Kolodny Yuval , Paltiel Yossi , Keren Nir
Published: July 2021

Photosynthesis, the process by which oxygen and sugars are created from water and carbon dioxide using the energy of the sun, is the basis of life on earth. To perform photosynthesis in changing light conditions, living creatures were required to adapt and develop sophisticated mechanisms to collect light efficiently. To understand these mechanisms, we studied the way blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), which perform photosynthesis in the sea, adapt themselves to changing light intensities, depending on the depth of the water. We found that in deep water where there is little light, the tiny antennas through which light is collected are bigger and longer. Surprisingly, although the energy is passing through a longer pathway, it actually passes faster. We found that cyanobacteria can control the energy transfer efficiency through their light-harvesting antennas by tuning the strength by which the antenna components are coupled to each other.
One Year of the COVID‐19 Pandemic. What Do We Know and What Is Yet to Come? — The Summarising Review
Authors: Malchrzak Wojciech , Mastalerz-Migas Agnieszka , Sroka Zbigniew , Spiegel Maciej
Published: July 2021

Objectives: The aim of this review is to summarize the most relevant scientific discoveries regarding SARS- CoV-2 virus infection, with the special emphasis put on its pathophysiology and way of treatment.

Methods: In November 2020, the research articles have been collected and examined manually to pick the most relevant. In case of fresh topics, e.g. vaccines, we have performed searching using adequate keywords. Preliminary analysis was conducted on 200 manuscripts.

Results: Among them 59 papers were out-of-scope, and thus were rejected from the further elaboration. Another 25 papers were rebuffed because they presented topics, that have been extensively described in the already included papers. Basing on the 29 papers we have estimated ratio of observed SARS-CoV-2 infection clinical manifestations and comorbidities among hospitalized patients. 12 papers let us evaluate frequencies of deviations within laboratory markers concentrations, as well as weighted average of the laboratory tests results.

Conclusion: Due to the significant infectivity of the virus and its harmfulness towards organism further studies are required to find accurate way of the disease treatment and suspending its spreading.
Fabrication of a Polyimide Film Pneumatic Actuator by Molding and Welding Processes
Authors: Yamaguchi Daisuke , Hanaki Tatsuya , Ishino Yuji , Takasaki Masaya , Mizuno Takeshi
Published: July 2021

The bellows pneumatic actuator, which is made by folding a non-stretch film, has been proposed for various applications because it is easy to fabricate and is extremely thin and light. However, it has subpar durability performance, especially in the folded part of the film. In this study, we propose an actuator with a pod structure that possesses high design flexibility and is free from folding. A method of molding a pod structure on a polyimide film was established and a pneumatic actuator was successfully fabricated by using PI films. Two types of PI film pneumatic actuators with the same curvature, bellows type, and pod type were fabricated. Both were confirmed to have equivalent output characteristics. The bending angle and generated torque of the pod-structure actuator were 34° and 3.3 mNm, respectively. In addition, the pod structure has approximately twice the durability of the bellows structure. By using the fabrication method proposed in this paper, it is possible to realize an air chamber (i.e., an actuator) that has both high durability and bending motion.
Enhancing Growth and Glucosinolate Accumulation in Watercress (Nasturtium officinale L.) by Regulating Light Intensity and Photoperiod in Plant Factories
Authors: Lam Vu Phong , Choi Jaeyun , Park Jongseok
Published: July 2021

Recent advancements in light-emitting diode technology provide an opportunity to evaluate the correlation between different light sources and plant growth as well as their secondary metabolites. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal light intensity and photoperiod for increasing plant growth and glucosinolate concentration and content in watercress. Two-week-old seedlings were transplanted in a semi-deep flow technique system of a plant factory for 28 days under four photoperiod–light intensity treatments (12 h—266 µmol·m−2·s−1, 16 h—200 µmol·m−2·s−1, 20 h—160 µmol·m−2·s−1, and 24 h—133 µmol·m−2·s−1) with the same daily light integral. The mean values of shoot fresh and dry weights were the highest under the 20 h—160 µmol·m−2·s−1 treatment, although there was no significant difference. Net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance gradually decreased with decreasing light intensity and increasing photoperiod. However, total glucosinolate concentration was significantly higher under 20 h—160 µmol·m−2·s−1 and 24 h—133 µmol·m−2·s−1 compared with 12 h—266 µmol·m−2·s−1 and 16 h—200 µmol·m−2·s−1. The total glucosinolate content was the greatest under 20 h—160 µmol·m−2·s−1 treatment. These data suggest that the 20 h—160 µmol·m−2·s−1 treatment promoted the maximum shoot biomass and glucosinolate content in watercress. This study supplies the optimal light strategies for the future industrial large-watercress cultivation.
Increased Activity of 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate Synthase (EPSPS) Enzyme Describe the Natural Tolerance of Vulpia myuros to Glyphosate in Comparison with Apera spica-venti
Authors: Akhter Muhammad Javaid , Mathiassen Solvejg Kopp , Bekalu Zelalem Eshetu , Brinch-Pedersen Henrik , Kudsk Per
Published: July 2021

Rattail fescue (Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel.) is a self-pollinating winter annual grassy weed of winter annual crops. The problems with V. myuros are mostly associated with no-till cropping systems where glyphosate application before sowing or emergence of the crop is the most important control measure. Ineffective V. myuros control has been reported following glyphosate applications. Experiments were performed to study the effectiveness of glyphosate on V. myuros, and determine the causes of the lower performance of glyphosate on V. myuros compared to other grass weeds. Estimated GR50 values demonstrated that V. myuros was less susceptible to glyphosate than Apera spica-venti regardless of the growth stage. Within each species, glyphosate efficacy at different growth stages was closely related to spray retention. However, the low susceptibility to glyphosate in V. myuros was not caused by lower retention as previously suggested. A significantly lower shikimic acid accumulation in V. myuros compared to A. spica-venti was associated with a higher activity of the EPSPS enzyme in V. myuros. Nevertheless, the relative responses in EPSPS activity to different glyphosate concentrations were similar in the two grass species, which indicate that EPSPS from V. myuros is as susceptible to glyphosate as EPSPS from A. spica-venti suggesting no alternation in the binding site of EPSPS. The results from the current study indicate that V. myuros is less susceptible to glyphosate compared to A. spica-venti, and the low susceptibility of V. myuros is caused by an increased EPSPS enzyme activity.
A Comparative Study of Various Methods for Handling Missing Data in UNSODA
Authors: Fu Yingpeng , Liao Hongjian , Lv Longlong
Published: July 2021

UNSODA, a free international soil database, is very popular and has been used in many fields. However, missing soil property data have limited the utility of this dataset, especially for data-driven models. Here, three machine learning-based methods, i.e., random forest (RF) regression, support vector (SVR) regression, and artificial neural network (ANN) regression, and two statistics-based methods, i.e., mean and multiple imputation (MI), were used to impute the missing soil property data, including pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC), organic matter content (OMC), porosity (PO), and particle density (PD). The missing upper depths (DU) and lower depths (DL) for the sampling locations were also imputed. Before imputing the missing values in UNSODA, a missing value simulation was performed and evaluated quantitatively. Next, nonparametric tests and multiple linear regression were performed to qualitatively evaluate the reliability of these five imputation methods. Results showed that RMSEs and MAEs of all features fluctuated within acceptable ranges. RF imputation and MI presented the lowest RMSEs and MAEs; both methods are good at explaining the variability of data. The standard error, coefficient of variance, and standard deviation decreased significantly after imputation, and there were no significant differences before and after imputation. Together, DU, pH, SHC, OMC, PO, and PD explained 91.0%, 63.9%, 88.5%, 59.4%, and 90.2% of the variation in BD using RF, SVR, ANN, mean, and MI, respectively; and this value was 99.8% when missing values were discarded. This study suggests that the RF and MI methods may be better for imputing the missing data in UNSODA.
Evaluating the Neural Network Ensemble Method in Predicting Soil Moisture in Agricultural Fields
Authors: Gu Zhe , Zhu Tingting , Jiao Xiyun , Xu Junzeng , Qi Zhiming
Published: July 2021

Soil is an important element in the agricultural domain because it serves as the media that bridges the water consumption and supply processes. In this study, a neural network ensemble (NNE) method was employed to predict the soil moisture to eliminate the effects of random initial parameters of neural network (NN) on model accuracy. The constructed NNE model predicts daily root zone soil moisture continuously for the whole crop growing season and the water consumption and supply processes were separately modeled. The soil profile was divided into multiple layers and modeled separately. Weather data (including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, net radiation, and precipitation), rooting depth, and the hesternal soil moisture of each layer were used as the input. A calibrated root zone water quality model for maize (Zea mays L.) was used to generate training and evaluation data. The result showed that with 100 randomly initialized NN models, the NNE model achieved an average R2 of 0.96 and nRMSE of 5.93%, suggesting that the NNE model learned the soil moisture dynamics well and sufficiently improved the robustness of soil moisture prediction with high accuracy.
The Modulation of Auxin-Responsive Genes, Phytohormone Profile, and Metabolomic Signature in Leaves of Tomato Cuttings Is Specifically Modulated by Different Protein Hydrolysates
Authors: Buffagni Valentina , Ceccarelli Angela Valentina , Pii Youry , Miras-Moreno Begoña , Rouphael Youssef , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Colla Giuseppe , Lucini Luigi
Published: July 2021

Protein hydrolysates (PHs) are employed in agriculture to increase the sustainability of farming systems, with positive results on crop productivity and response against environmental stressors. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism(s) triggered by their specific activity is not clearly understood. In this work, five PHs obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of different vegetal protein sources were tested for their root-promoting activity on tomato cuttings. All the treatments improved both root length and number when compared to negative controls. Distinctive metabolomic signatures were highlighted in response to treatments, indicating the triggering of different molecular processes in leaf tissues of tomato cuttings. PHs differentially modulated the biosynthesis of plant stress-protectants, such as alkaloids and phenylpropanoids. Moreover, metabolites involved in phytohormone biosynthesis were significantly impacted. In this context, a clear modulation of several compounds related to auxin homeostasis was observed. In addition, the differential modulation of SlIAA2 and SlIAA9 genes, which are involved in the IAA signalling pathway, might further suggest the auxin-like activity elicited by the PHs tested. Here we provide evidence that PHs can impact plant molecular level, positively affecting root development, most likely by affecting the signalling cascades activated in leaf tissues. The biostimulant activity was sustained by PH-specific response at the molecular level, likely ascribable to their heterogeneous botanical origins. In fact, our findings did not point out a clear universal response to PHs, and specific effects are to be investigated.
Transcriptomic Response under Heat Stress in Chickens Revealed the Regulation of Genes and Alteration of Metabolism to Maintain Homeostasis
Authors: Kim Hana , Kim Hyeran , Seong Pilnam , Arora Devender , Shin Donghyun , Park Woncheoul , Park Jong-Eun
Published: July 2021

Chicken is important livestock that serves as a vital food source which remain largely affected by heat stress. Therefore, we performed the transcriptome analysis to help understand the mechanisms of heat stress response in chickens. In the animal experiments, we grouped them into a normal and severe at 21 and 33 °C, with identified physiologic parameters for 2-weeks. Subsequently, RNA-seq analysis was performed to identify DEGs with a false discovery rate < 0.05 and a fold change ≥ 1.5. In the physiological parameters, we observed average daily gain was declined, rectal temperature and respiration rate was increased in severe group. Among total 245 DEGs, 230 and 15 genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. In upregulated DEGs, HSPs, MYLK2, and BDKRB1 genes were identified as key genes in heat stress. The KEGG pathway analysis showed involvement in the ATP metabolic process, MAPK signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway with related protein processing and synthesis. In conclusion, with induced heat stress, such changes in physiologic parameters alter the neuroendocrine system, and we observed that the heat stress environment regulates such Heat shock protein genes to protect the cells and proteins from an altered metabolism. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the heat stress response in poultry.
Bacterial Community Characteristics in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Yak (Bos grunniens) Fully Grazed on Pasture of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China
Authors: Han Xueping , Liu Hongjin , Hu Linyong , Zhao Na , Xu Shixiao , Lin Zhijia , Chen Yongwei
Published: July 2021

In the current research, samples of yak gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) were used to profile the bacterial compositional characteristics using high through-put sequencing technology of 16S RNA amplicon. A total of 6959 OTUs was obtained from 20,799,614 effective tags, among which 751 OTUs were shared by ten sections. A total of 16 known phyla were obtained in all samples—the most abundant phyla were Firmicutes (34.58%), Bacteroidetes (33.96%) and Verrucomicrobia (11.70%). At the genus level, a total of 66 genera were obtained—Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group (7.24%), Akkermansia (6.32%) and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 (6.14%) were the most abundant. Species of Observed (Sob), Shannon and Chao values of the Stomach were the greatest, followed by the large intestine, while small intestine had the lowest diversity (p < 0.05). Bacteroidete were more abundant in sections from rumen to duodenum; while Firmicutes were the most abundant in sections from jejunum. ABC transporters (7.82%), Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis (4.85%) and Purine metabolism (3.77%) were the most abundant level-3 pathways in all samples. The results of associated correlation analysis indicated that rectum samples might be used as an estimator of rumen bacterial communities and fermentation. The results of this research enrich the current knowledge about the unique animals of the QTP and extend our insight into GITs microecology of various animals.
Dietary Supplementation of Shredded, Steam-Exploded Pine Particles Decreases Pathogenic Microbes in the Cecum of Acute Heat-Stressed Broilers
Authors: Goel Akshat , Kim Beom-June , Ncho Chris-Major , Jeong Chae-Mi , Gupta Vaishali , Jung Ji-Young , Ha Si-Young , Lee Dong-Hwan , Yang Jae-Kyung , Choi Yang-Ho
Published: July 2021

The gut microbiome stimulates nutrient metabolism and could effectively generate heat tolerance in chickens. This study investigates the effects of dietary steam-exploded pine particle (SPP) supplementation and subsequent acute heat stress on productive performance and cecum microbiome in broilers. Eight-day Ross 308 broilers were distributed in three groups with 0%, 1%, and 2% SPP in diets. On the 41st day, forty birds were allocated to four groups with ten birds each. The treatments were control diet at thermoneutral temperature (0% NT) and acute heat-stressed (HS) birds fed control (0% HS), 1% (1% HS), and 2% (2% HS) SPP. Parameters recorded were body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), rectal temperature (RT), relative organ weight, and metagenome analysis from cecum samples. Percent difference in BW, FI, and RT was decreased in HS birds. Metagenome analysis revealed similar richness and diversity in microbial communities. The relative abundance of the bacterial genus such as Limosilactobacillus, Drancourtella, and Ihubacter was increased while that of Alistipes, Alkalibacter, Lachnotalea, and Turicibacter was decreased in SPP supplemented HS birds. Concludingly, the production performance of broilers is negatively influenced during HS, and 2% dietary SPP supplementation may reduce the adverse effects of HS by modifying the microbiota in chickens.
Precision Technologies to Address Dairy Cattle Welfare: Focus on Lameness, Mastitis and Body Condition
Authors: Silva Severiano , Araujo José , Guedes Cristina , Silva Flávio , Almeida Mariana , Cerqueira Joaquim
Published: July 2021

Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.
miR-126 Controls the Apoptosis and Proliferation of Immature Porcine Sertoli Cells by Targeting the PIK3R2 Gene through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
Authors: Tang Xiangwei , Chen Yao , Luo Hui , Bian Qiao , Weng Bo , Yang Anqi , Chu Dan , Ran Maoliang , Chen Bin
Published: July 2021

The quantity of Sertoli cells in the adult testis decides the daily gamete formation, and accumulating evidence indicates that epigenetic factors regulate the proliferation of Sertoli cells. Research on the function and regulatory mechanism of microRNAs (miRNAs) in Sertoli cells has not been comprehensive yet, especially on domestic animals. In this article, we report that miR-126 controls the proliferation and apoptosis of immature porcine Sertoli cells based on previous studies. Our results confirmed that miR-126 elevation promotes cell cycle progression, cell proliferation and represses cell apoptosis; on the contrary, the inhibitory effects of miR-126 result in the opposite. The phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 2 (PIK3R2) gene, a member of the PI3K family, was verified as a direct target of miR-126 using the dual-luciferase reporter analysis. miR-126 negatively regulated the mRNA and protein expression level of PIK3R2 in immature porcine Sertoli cells. siRNA-induced PIK3R2 inhibition caused similar effects as miR-126 overexpression and eliminated the influences of miR-126 knockdown in immature porcine Sertoli cells. In addition, both miR-126 overexpression and PIK3R2 inhibition elevated the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, whereas the miR-126 knockdown demonstrated the contrary result. In short, miR-126 controls the proliferation and apoptosis of immature porcine Sertoli cells by targeting the PIK3R2 gene through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The research supplies a theoretical and practical foundation for exploring the functional parts of miR-126 in swine sperm by defining the destiny of immature Sertoli cells.
Serological Evidence of Common Equine Viral Infections in a Semi-Isolated, Unvaccinated Population of Hucul Horses
Authors: Bażanów Barbara , Pawęska Janusz T. , Pogorzelska Aleksandra , Florek Magdalena , Frącka Agnieszka , Gębarowski Tomasz , Chwirot Wojciech , Stygar Dominika
Published: July 2021

Huculs (Equus caballus) are an old breed of primitive mountain horses, originating from the Carpathian Mountains. To the best of our knowledge, data concerning the epidemiology of viral infections observed within this breed are sparse. The objective of this study was to estimate the serological status of a semi-isolated, unvaccinated Hucul herd, with respect to both common equine viral infections and horse-infecting arboviruses, the presence of which was previously reported in Poland. Twenty horses of the Hucul breed, living in a remote area in Poland, were studied in 2018 from March to May. Using nasal secretion swabs as a specimen source, isolation attempts were negative regarding ERAV, EHV-1, EAV, and EIV. According to the virus neutralisation method, in the sera obtained from the animals, antibodies against the following viruses were detected: EHV-1 in 12 horses (60%; with titres from 1:8 to 1:64), EIV A/H7N7 in 13 (65%; titres from 1:20 to 1:80), EIV A /H3N8 in 12 (60%; titres from 1:20 to 1:80), USUV in 5 (25%; titres from 1:10 to 1:80), and ERAV in 1 (5%; titre 1:32). Antibodies against EAV, EIAV, and WNV were not present in the tested sera. The detected presence of specific antibodies associated with five out of the eight equine viruses investigated indicates that the Hucul herd, due to its partial separation and lack of specific prophylaxis, could serve as a sentinel animal group for the detection of equine viruses/arboviruses present within the local ecosystem. The detection of common equine viral infections within the herd provides additional epidemiological data concerning the breed.