bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes of Vine Water Status and Growth Parameters Under Different Canopy Managements on cv. Merlot (Vitis vinifera L.)
Authors: CANDAR Serkan , KORKUTAL İlknur , BAHAR Elman
Published: January 2022

The climate is the dominant regulator that determines the cultivation in a viticulture region as it strongly controls vine physiology, vine growth, canopy microclimate, berry quality and finally wine components. However, the effects of climate change force vine producers to find solutions that will facilitate their adaptation processes. The importance of water management in vineyards is becoming more important every day for sustainable viticulture and winemaking. Efficient use of water in vineyards is an important issue to control the yield and to provide the targeted berry quality at the desired level. This experiment was carried out during the 2013-2014 and 2015 growing seasons to evaluate the effects of green pruning practices on water leaf potentials of 12-14 years old grapevines of cv. Merlot (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto Kober 5BB in the experimental vineyard of Tekirdag Viticulture Research Institute in Turkey. A completely randomized block design was used: LRMS1, LRMS2, LRMS3 represent three levels of leaf removal treatments on main shoots and LRLS1, LRLS2, LRLS3 represent three levels of leaf removal treatments on lateral shoots. Due to the relatively high soil moisture in vineyard conditions, no extreme and high-water stress levels was observed in experiment years. The main factor controlling the water status in cv. Merlot vines was largely dependent on the meso-climatic conditions and soil water availability during the growing season. However it was observed that increasing of main shoot length give rise to tendency to water stress. It was determined that leaf removal treatments on lateral shoots caused changes in shoot weight, pruning weight and Ravaz index (RI), especially in 2014 whereas the leaf removal treatments on main shoots caused changes in mentioned parameters in 2015. In conclusion, the results show that plant water condition can be managed with summer pruning taking into account of different climatic conditions and different phenological stages. Planning of canopy management practices should be done by considering long- and medium-term meteorological evaluations while short-term planning within vegetation period should be done in relation to weekly and monthly meteorological data.
Bazı Arpa (Hordeum vulgare L.) Çeşitlerinde Tuz (NaCl) Stresinin Çimlenme Özellikleri Üzerine Etkilerinin Belirlenmesi
Authors: ALTUNER Fevzi , ORAL Erol , BARAN İshak
Published: January 2022

Bu araştırma üç arpa (Hordeum vulgare L.) çeşidine (Kral-97: Ç1- Altıkat: Ç2 ve Larende:Ç3) uygulanan bazı NaCl (kontrol (0)-50-100-150-200 mM) dozlarının, tohumların çimlenme özellikleri ve fide parametreleri üzerindeki etkilerini incelemek üzere gerçekleştirilmiştir. Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Tarla Bitkileri Bölüm Laboratuarında 2019 yılında yürütülen bu çalışmada Faktöriyel Düzende Tesadüf Parselleri Deneme Deseni uygulanmış ve 4 tekerrürlü olarak petrilerde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada tuz stresi altındaki arpa çeşitlerinin çimlenme gücü (%), çimlenme oranı (%), çimlenme indeksi (%), ortalama çimlenme süresi (gün), hassaslık indeksi (%), kök uzunluğu (cm), gövde uzunluğu (cm), yaş kök ağırlığı (mg), yaş gövde ağırlığı (mg), kuru kök ağırlığı (mg) ve kuru gövde ağırlığı (mg) gibi çimlenme ve fide özellikleri incelenmiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçlarına göre çimlenme parametreleri yönünden; çeşitlerin sadece ortalama çimlenme indeksi ve çimlenme süresi üzerindeki etkileri ve oluşan farklar önemli bulunmuştur. Tuz dozlarının bütün çimlenme parametreleri üzerindeki etkileri ve oluşan farklar önemli bulunmuştur. Çeşitler ve NaCl interaksiyonlarının ise tüm parametrelerde oluşan farklar üzerindeki etkileri önemli bulunmuştur. Ortalamalara göre en düşük çimlenme gücü ve çimlenme oranlarının 150 mM NaCl uygulamalarından alındığı ve bu nedenle bu iki özelliğin kontrole (0) göre % 15.56 oranında düştüğü görülmüştür. Fide parametreleri yönünden, çeşitlerin gövde uzunluğu üzerindeki etkileri önemsiz,geriye kalan tüm parametreler üzerindeki etkileri önemli bulunmuşken, tuz dozlarının ve çeşitler ile NaCl interaksiyonlarının tüm parametrelerde oluşan farklar üzerindeki etkileri önemli bulunmuştur. Artan tuz dozlarının bütün parametreler üzerinde olumsuz etkide bulunduğu gözlenmiştir. Tuz dozu ortalamalarına göre, kontrol grubuyla kıyaslandığında tuz uygulamalarından en fazla etkilenen özelliğin ortalama çimlenme süresi (% 82.1), en az etkilenen özelliğin ise kök yaş ağırlığı (% 28.7) olduğu görülmüştür. Larende çeşidinin tüm özellikleri yönünden tuza daha dayanıklı bir performans gösterdiği bunu genel olarak Kral-97 çeşidinin takip ettiği tespit edilmiştir.
Yerel Yönetimlerde Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemleri Kullanılarak Su Yönetim Bilgi Sisteminin Oluşturulması Tekirdağ İli Örneği
Authors: ÇİNER Cenan , SENER Mehmet
Published: January 2022

Teknolojinin yaşamımızın her alanında kendini göstermesiyle birlikte, su yönetiminde de çeşitli uygulamalar ortaya çıkmıştır. Birçok su ve kanalizasyon idaresi su ve atık suyla ilgili olarak akıllı su yönetimi uygulamalarını kullanmaya başlamıştır. Hâlihazırda mevcut uygulamaların iyileştirilmesine ve yeni teknolojilerin ve alternatif modellerin geliştirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Ancak, uygulamaların geleceğine yönelik olarak, var olanların kaldırılması veya geliştirilmesi konusunda farklı yöntemler bulunmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, bilginin doğru, hızlı, kullanışlı ve ulaşılabilir olması gerekmektedir. Bununla birlikte verinin tek elde kalmasının önüne geçilmelidir. Veriye ulaşmada temel iki problemle karşılaşılmaktadır. İlk problem, verinin mevcut olup, ulaşılabilir olmamasıdır. İkinci problem ise verinin belli bir metodoloji yoksunluğu nedeniyle kullanılabilir olmamasıdır.

Genelleyecek olursak, çok sayıda kurum, görev ve sorumluluklarının çakışması nedeniyle benzer verilere ihtiyaç duymaktadır. Bir yandan, aynı verinin farklı kurumlar tarafından üretilmesi gereksiz personel çalıştırılmasına ve harcamaya neden olmaktadır. Diğer yandan, belli bir metodolojisi olmadan hazırlanmış bir veri yapısında istenilen bilgiye ulaşmak oldukça güçtür. Bu veriyi hazırlayan personel dışında anlamak, analiz etmek ve veriyi etkin bir biçimde kullanmak neredeyse imkânsızdır. Bu nedenle veri yapısının düzenlenerek daha anlaşılabilir bir hale dönüştürülmesi gerekmektedir.

Bu makalede, Tekirdağ Büyükşehir Belediyesi’ne bağlı Tekirdağ Su ve Kanalizasyon İdaresi Genel Müdürlüğü’ne (TESKİ) ait veriler kullanılarak bir veri tabanı oluşturulmuştur. Bu kapsamda, TESKİ, Çevre ve Şehircilik Bakanlığı, Maden Tetkik Arama Kurumu, Tekirdağ Büyükşehir Belediyesi İmar Şehircilik, Deprem Risk Yönetimi ve Kentsel İyileştirme ve Emlak İstimlak Daire Başkanlıkları’nda bulunan veriler toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler, format ve içerikleri gerekli ön işlemlerden geçirilerek, oluşturulması planlanan veritabanına aktarılmıştır. TESKİ kurum personeli için basit ve hızlı bir şekilde verilere ulaşılabilecekleri bir Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemleri veritabanı oluşturulmuştur.
Bakteriyel Kanser ve Solgunluk Hastalığına Dayanıklı Ümitvar Domates Mutantlarında PR1 Geninin Dayanıklılık Mekanizmasındaki Rolü
Authors: ÇALIŞ Özer , KARABULUT Deniz
Published: January 2022

Domates Dünya’da ve Türkiye’de en çok üretilen ve tüketilen sebze bitkileri arasındadır. Domates bitkisi bu kadar çok üretilmesinin yanında yetiştiriciliği esnasında birçok fungal, bakteriyel ve viral hastalık etmenlerinin olumsuz etkilerine maruz kalmaktadır. Bu etmenlerden en önemlileri arasında bulunan bakteriyel kanser ve solgunluk hastalığına neden olan patojen domates bitkilerinde önemli ürün kayıplarına sebebiyet vermektedir. Hastalıkla mücadelede etkin bir yöntem dayanıklı çeşit geliştirmektir. Hastalığa dayanıklı kültür domates çeşitlerinin olmaması nedeniyle NCEBR3 kültür domates hattı ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) kimyasal mutasyonuna uğratılarak M3-9 ve M3-15 mutant bitkileri hastalığa dayanıklı olarak bulunmuştur. Bu çalışmayla mutant bitkilerdeki dayanıklılığı sağlayan mekanizmalar arasında önemli bir rolü olan Patojenisite ile İlgili (PR1) geninin M3-9 ve M3-15 mutant dayanıklı bitkiler üzerindeki üretimini ortaya koymak için Real-Time PCR analizleri yapılmıştır. Dayanıklılık mekanizması içerisinde üretilen PR1 geni ve bu genin kodladığı proteinler mutant bitkilerde inokulasyondan sonraki 5. güne kadar çok miktarda oluştuğu, buna karşın hassas NCEBR3 bitkilerinde PR1 geni ve onun kodladığı PR1 proteininin üretiminin kısıtlandığı bulunmuştur. Hassas orijinal NCEBR3 bitkilerinde PR1 genin gecikmeli üretilmesi nedeniyle bakteriyel hastalık etmeni kolonize olurken dayanıklı M3-9 ve M3-15 bitkilerinde inokulasyondan itibaren üretilen PR1 geni bakteriyel hastalık etmeninin kolonizasyonunu engellemektedir. Yapılan çalışmalar dayanıklılıktan sorumlu gen(ler)in altında bulunan PR1 geni ve bu genin ürettiği PR1 proteinlerinin iki mutant bitkide dayanıklılığı sağladığını göstermektedir. Dayanıklılığı sağlayan gen(ler)in haritalanması ve sinyal yolaklarının aydınlatılması çalışmaları hala devam etmektedir. Dayanıklılık gen(ler)i klonlanmasıyla bakteriyel kanser ve solgunluk hastalığının genetik kontrolü mümkün olacaktır. Eldeki veriler bakteriyel kanser ve solgunluk hastalık etmeninin mücadelesinde en uygun yöntemin genetik olarak dayanıklı domates bitkileri üretmek olduğunu göstermektedir. Genetik olarak dayanıklı domates çeşitleri üretmek uzun soluklu bir süreç olup bu çalışmada elde edilen ümitvar domates çeşitleri ters genetik yöntemiyle oluşturulmuştur.
Chemical profile and antibacterial activity of Mentha viridis L. essential oils and ethanolic extract
Authors:   Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Hussien Eman Tawfik , Shaban Sara Abdallah ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Ali Omar Muhammad ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Seel Helana ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., El-sayed Nourhan ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Samir Youssef ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Remaly Galal ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt., Mohammed Ahmed ,   Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Published: January 2022

Mentha viridis was the model plant for this study to estimate the antibacterial activity and define the essential metabolites' essential chemical compositions. This study was designed to estimate ethanol extract's chemical composition and essential oil isolated from leaves of commercial M. viridis. The essential primary and secondary metabolites were estimated and defined as: total protein (45.29 µg/ml), total alkaloids (0.116 mg/g), total flavonoids (0.9931 mg/g), and total phenolic compounds (0.2326 mg/g). The antibacterial activity of M. viridis ethanol extract was screened against two-gram negative bacterial strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli (DH5-α). This work proved that both the ethanol extract and the essential oil extract of M. viridis leave have potent antibacterial activity against tested bacteria. There is a difference in clear zone diameter by comparing the control ethanol treatment to the ethanol extract. The total essential oil obtained by hydro-distillation technique and identified by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main compounds of the oil were Cyclohexanone, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethylidene)- (33.46%), D-Carvone (32.30%), Cyclohexanol, 2-methyl-5-(1-methylethenyl)-, (1.alpha., 2.beta., 5.alpha.) (7.13%), Carveol (5.31%), Dihydrocarvyl acetate (5.30%). All these characterizations enable M. viridis to have antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic effects. Keywords: Antibacterial activity, essential oils, ethanol extract, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Mentha Viridis.
Знания и инновации как условие прогресса общества : вызовы, возможности, тенденции развития
Authors: Макешина Юлия
Published: January 2022

Актуальность темы исследования в том, что быстрое расширение научных знаний является ключевым фактором в поддержании развития прогресса общества. Технологические инновации, учтенные как результат быстрого повышения благосостояния, становятся важным инструментом в разработке пока недоступных ресурсов. Социальные медиа, мобильная связь, и технологии обработки больших данных – ключевые компоненты сотрудничества негосударственных субъектов и правительств.  Цель исследования- концептуализация знаний и инноваций как условия прогресса общественно-политического и экономического развития общества. Задачи исследования: 1) анализ развития информационных технологий как новой тенденции, которая влияет на развитие современного мира;  2) формирование человеческого капитала как условие прогресса общественно-политического и экономического развития общества; 3) прогрессивный сценарий общественно-политического и экономического развития общества;  4) формирование креативного класса как фактор развития информационно-коммуникационных технологий.  Методы исследования – наблюдение и фиксация в терминах, принятых в науке, наиболее значимых черт, проявлений развития общества;  систематизированное обобщение разнообразных эмпирических данных, сведений, отражающих различные стороны и состояния объекта; анализ и синтез информации,  метод системности, которые помогли привести к целостности исследуемого объекта. Результат исследования. Доказано, что информационные технологии входят в эпоху больших данных. Операционные процессы и банки данных становятся почти бесплатными; сетевые и облачные технологии обеспечивают глобальный доступ и повсеместным услугам; социальные СМИ и сфера кибер-безопасности становятся новыми большими рынками. Три технологических направления изменяют наш образ жизни, порядок ведения дел и безопасность:  технологии   в   области   хранения   и  обработки больших   массивов   данных;   технологии   социальных сетей; «умные  города» как  множество городских     технологий,     работающих     с     помощью обновленных  и  безопасных  IT-систем.  Продвижения  в сфере     хранения     и     обработки     больших     данных предвещают    назревающий     экономический    бум, достижения     во     множестве  технологий   формируют   гигантские инвестиции  в инфраструктуру «умных городов».

Ключевые слова: знания, инновации, прогресс, информационно-компьютерные технологии, человеческий капитал, креативный класс.
Good Faith and Relational Contracts: A Scots-Roman Perspective
Authors: Ainslie Jonathan
Published: January 2022

One of the most striking differences between the Civilian jurisdictions and the English common law has been the reluctance of the latter to adopt a general principle of good faith in contract. Scots law, however, often seeks to exercise the functions of good faith but does not recognise it as a general principle. In recent years, English law has begun to identify good faith as an implied term in “relational contracts”, a concept with sociological and economic origins. This article applies that development to Scotland by exploring the relationship between good faith and the relational contract from a Scots-Roman perspective. It will be shown that the historical sources of Scots contract law, from the Roman reception to the Institutional Writers, are fully compatible with relational contracts. It goes on to consider how a Scots law approach to good faith in relational contracts might orientate itself to the English authorities.
STATE OF THE PROOXIDANT-ANTIOXIDANT EQUILIBRIUM IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLEX THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH FOCAL SCLERODERMY
Authors:   Vinnytsia National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Al-Omari O. M.
Published: January 2022

Introduction. The development of oxidative stress in focal scleroderma is the basis for the use of antioxidant therapy in the treatment of this disease, in connection with which drugs of natural antioxidants are of interest. The objective was to study the effect of complex treatment on the level of oxidative stress of proteins and lipids, the state of the antioxidant defense system in focal scleroderma. Materials and research methods. The study included 78 patients with focal scleroderma. In the comparison group (n=38) treatment was prescribed according to the recommendations. In the main group (n=40) to the basic therapy was added tivortin, eliminal gel, ultraphonophoresis with longidase. The contents of dinitrophenylhydrazones of neutral (E370) and basic character (E430), malonic dialdehyde (MDA), hydroperoxides (HP), reduced glutathione (GR), superoxide dimutase (SOD), catalase (CT), glutathionereductase (GR) were analyzed. Results. It was found that the absolute effectiveness of complex therapy in reducing the level of dinitrophenylhydrazones of neutral and basic nature exceeds the baseline by 27.0 and 26.0% (p<0.05). The therapeutic benefit of the inclusion of antioxidants in complex therapy to reduce the level of diene conjugates was 33.0% (p<0.05), the content of HP – 22.0% (p<0.05), MDA – 41.0% (p<0,05). It was proven the reliable therapeutic efficacy of complex treatment to increase the intensity of antioxidant enzymes, which was 28.0% relative to the level of SOD (p<0.05), 26.0% relative to the content of CT (p<0.05), 42.0% – according to the SOD/CT index (p<0.05), as well as 22.0% to increase the activity of GR (p<0.05). Conclusions. Comprehensive treatment of focal scleroderma, with the addition of drugs that have endothelioprotective, antihypoxic and antioxidant effects, reduce the production of free radicals and restore the activity of enzymes of antioxidant protection is highly effective and pathogenetically justified
Pengaruh Senam Hamil terhadap Penurunan Ketidaknyamanan Nyeri Punggung dan Nyeri Pinggang pada Ibu Hamil Trimester III
Authors: Usman Hastuti , Batjo Siti Hadijah , Dalle Fitriani , Suryani Lili
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Back pain and low back pain are discomforts that are often encountered in third trimester pregnant women this is due to changes in the structure of the mother's body due to increasing gestational age. Purpose: The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of pregnancy exercise on reducing the discomfort of back pain and low back pain in third trimester pregnant women. Methods: This research was a pre-experimental research design with the One Group Pre test - Post test Design approach. The sample of this research was third trimester pregnant women who experienced back pain and low back pain in the Mamboro Public Health Center area. The number of samples of this research was 33 people, taken using total sampling technique. The hypothesis of this research is accepted that there is an effect of pregnancy exercise on reducing the discomfort of back pain and low back pain in third trimester pregnant women in the Mamboro Public Health Center area in Palu. Results: The analysis used univariate and bivariate analysis using the Wilcoxon test. Based on the results of the bivariate analysis using the Wilcoxon test analysis, it indicates that the ρ value of back pain before and after pregnancy exercise is 0.002 (<0.05) and the ρ value of low back pain before and after pregnancy exercise is 0.029 (<0.05). Conclusion: Thus, there is an effect of pregnancy exercise on reducing the discomfort of back pain and low back pain in third trimester pregnant women.
Analisis Kepuasan Pasien terhadap Pelayanan Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak (KIA) pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19
Authors: Fahriani Metha , Ningsih I. Dewi Aprilia
Published: January 2022

Introduction:In early 2020, the world was shocked by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The spread of this disease has had a wide impact, one of which is services namely Puskesmas (Primary Health Care), including Maternal Health and Child. Purpose: to analyzing patient satisfaction with maternal and child health services during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Methods: This research uses descriftive analysis with cross sectional design. Sampling in this study using accidental sampling with a sample size of 30 people, collecting data using questionnaires that have been tested for validity and reliability. Data analysis used univariate, bivariate pearson chi-square, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Pearson Chi-Square test obtained ρ-value < α (0,05) on variables dimensions of reliability ρ: 0,019, dimensions of responsiveness ρ: 0,019, dimensions of assurance ρ: 0,009, dimensions of empathy ρ: 0,000, and tanggibles variables ρ: 0,013. Conclusion: The variable that has the greatest relationship with patient satisfaction with maternal and child health services during the Covid-19 Pandemic is the Empathy Dimension, with  largest regression coefficient (β). It is hoped that health services will focus on service indicators even in the Covid-19 pandemic
Enhanced Transgene Expression by Optimization of Poly A in Transfected CHO Cells
Authors: Wang Xiao-yin , Du Qiu-jie , Zhang Wei-li , Xu Dan-hua , Zhang Xi , Jia Yan-long , Wang Tian-yun
Published: January 2022

The generation of the stable, high-level recombinant protein-producing cell lines remains a significant challenge in the biopharmaceutical industry. Expression vector optimization is an effective strategy to increase transgene expression levels and stability, and the choice of suitable poly A element is crucial for the expression of recombinant protein. In this study, we investigated the effects of different poly A elements on transgene expression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Five poly A elements, including bovine growth hormone (BGH), mutant BGH, herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK), SV40, and a synthetic (Synt) poly A, were cloned into the expression vector and transfected into CHO cells. The results indicated the SV40 and Synt poly A sequences can significant improve eGFP transgene expression in stable transfected CHO cells and maintain long-term expression. However, qPCR results showed that the eGFP expression at protein level was not related to the gene copy number and mRNA level. Importantly, the SV40 and Synt poly A elements decreased the variation of eGFP transgene expression. Furthermore, it also showed that the SV40 and Synt poly A elements induced higher levels of adalimumab expression. In conclusion, SV40 poly A and Synt poly A are stronger elements that increase stable transgene expression and decrease the variation of expression, and the choice of suitable poly A element is helpful to improve the expression of recombinant protein.
Generalized Cost-Effectiveness of Residential Wind Mitigation Strategies for Wood-Frame, Single Family House in the USA
Authors: Orooji Fatemeh , Friedland Carol J. , Savio Rose Dominic , Taghinezhad Arash , Massarra Carol C. , Bushra Nazla , Rohli Robert V.
Published: January 2022

Wind is one of the deadliest and most expensive hazards in the United States. Wind hazards cause significant damage to buildings and economic losses to homeowners. Economic losses average approximately $3.8 billion annually from hurricane winds and are not decreasing, even despite enhanced construction practices to reduce wind damage. Thus, the effectiveness of mitigation strategies should be evaluated in order to lower the cost incurred by this hazard. Several studies have suggested building code improvements to mitigate the wind hazard, this additional comprehensive research provides selecting economically beneficial mitigation strategies to consider in building code revisions. In a step toward addressing this need, the current study was conducted to determine the cost effectiveness of mitigation strategies for new and retrofit construction of a wood-framed, single-family, residential building case study. Net benefit, defined as the difference between the life-cycle wind loss before and after implementation of the mitigation strategy, was calculated for 15 wind mitigation strategies and their combinations, with new and retrofit construction costs ranging between $1,200 to $12,000 and a decision-making time horizon ranging between 5 and 30 years. Payback periods, defined as the number of years to recover the investment, were calculated for each mitigation strategy. Results were summarized by cost effectiveness for all ASCE 7 wind speed contour intervals. The results of this study serve as a starting point for further refinement of the economic justification needed to properly evaluate potential building code changes.
Discoveries in Pancreatic Physiology and Disease Biology Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing
Authors: Fu Haotian , Sun Hongwei , Kong Hongru , Lou Bin , Chen Hao , Zhou Yilin , Huang Chaohao , Qin Lei , Shan Yunfeng , Dai Shengjie
Published: January 2022

Transcriptome analysis is used to study gene expression in human tissues. It can promote the discovery of new therapeutic targets for related diseases by characterizing the endocrine function of pancreatic physiology and pathology, as well as the gene expression of pancreatic tumors. Compared to whole-tissue RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) can detect transcriptional activity within a single cell. The scRNA-seq had an invaluable contribution to discovering previously unknown cell subtypes in normal and diseased pancreases, studying the functional role of rare islet cells, and studying various types of cells in diabetes as well as cancer. Here, we review the recent in vitro and in vivo advances in understanding the pancreatic physiology and pathology associated with single-cell sequencing technology, which may provide new insights into treatment strategy optimization for diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
Cancer and COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization and Bioinformatic Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yiyin , Mao Qijiang , Li Yirun , Cheng Jiaxi , Xia Qiming , Chen Guoqiao , Chen Peng , Jin Shengxi , Li Duguang , Zhong Cheng , Yang Jing , Fan Xiaoxiao , Liang Yuelong , Lin Hui
Published: January 2022

The clinical management of patients with COVID-19 and cancer is a Gordian knot that has been discussed widely but has not reached a consensus. We introduced two-sample Mendelian randomization to investigate the causal association between a genetic predisposition to cancers and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Moreover, we also explored the mutation landscape, expression pattern, and prognostic implications of genes involved with COVID-19 in distinct cancers. Among all of the cancer types we analyzed, only the genetic predisposition to lung adenocarcinoma was causally associated with increased COVID-19 severity (OR = 2.93, β = 1.074, se = 0.411, p = 0.009) with no obvious heterogeneity (Q = 17.29, p = 0.24) or symmetry of the funnel plot. In addition, the results of the pleiotropy test demonstrated that instrument SNPs were less likely to affect COVID-19 severity via approaches other than lung adenocarcinoma cancer susceptibility (p = 0.96). Leave-one-out analysis showed no outliers in instrument SNPs, whose elimination rendered alterations in statistical significance, which further supported the reliability of the MR results. Broad mutation and differential expression of these genes were also found in cancers, which may provide valuable information for developing new treatment modalities for patients with both cancer and COVID-19. For example, ERAP2, a risk factor for COVID-19-associated death, is upregulated in lung squamous cancer and negatively associated with patient prognosis. Hence, ERAP2-targeted treatment may simultaneously reduce COVID-19 disease severity and restrain cancer progression. Our results highlighted the importance of strengthening medical surveillance for COVID-19 deterioration in patients with lung adenocarcinoma by showing their causal genetic association. For these patients, a delay in anticancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and surgery, should be considered.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes as a Novel Strategy for the Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Lu Lin , Xu Aoshuang , Gao Fei , Tian Chenjun , Wang Honglin , Zhang Jiayao , Xie Yi , Liu Pengran , Liu Songxiang , Yang Cao , Ye Zhewei , Wu Xinghuo
Published: January 2022

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has been reported to be the most prevalent contributor to low back pain, posing a significant strain on the healthcare systems on a global scale. Currently, there are no approved therapies available for the prevention of the progressive degeneration of intervertebral disc (IVD); however, emerging regenerative strategies that aim to restore the normal structure of the disc have been fundamentally promising. In the last decade, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received a significant deal of interest for the treatment of IVDD due to their differentiation potential, immunoregulatory capabilities, and capability to be cultured and regulated in a favorable environment. Recent investigations show that the pleiotropic impacts of MSCs are regulated by the production of soluble paracrine factors. Exosomes play an important role in regulating such effects. In this review, we have summarized the current treatments for disc degenerative diseases and their limitations and highlighted the therapeutic role and its underlying mechanism of MSC-derived exosomes in IVDD, as well as the possible future developments for exosomes.
Mapk14 is a Prognostic Biomarker and Correlates with the Clinicopathological Features and Immune Infiltration of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Dan , Peng Li , Hua Li , Li Jiaxiang , Liu Yifei , Zhou Yanhong
Published: January 2022

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors, ranking in the top 5 of all common tumors in terms of incidence and mortality. However, the mechanisms driving the evolution of colorectal cancer remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the association between Mapk14 expression and clinicopathological and tumor-infiltrating immune cells.

Methods: In this study, we collected CRC patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), compared the expression level in CRC and normal colorectal tissue using the Wilcoxon rank sum test and assessed the relationship between Mapk14 and clinicopathological features using the Welch one-way ANOVA test. Kaplan-Meier and timeROC GSE17537 datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset to assess the prognostic impact of the Mapk14 gene on colorectal cancer. Second, we further explored the methylation level of Mapk14 and its influencing factors. Single-cell sequencing of Mapk14 in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) was analyzed using the GSE108989 dataset. Further analyses based on the TIMER method were performed to assess the correlation between Mapk14 and tumor immune infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor mutational load and microsatellite instability. Finally, the results of the bioinformatics analysis were verified by an immunohistochemical analysis.

Results: The results showed that the expression of Mapk14 was upregulated in CRC tumor tissues compared with normal colorectal tissues and the high expression of Mapk14 was associated with poor clinicopathological features and poor prognoses in the CRC array. In addition, cg05798012 and cg25375420 of Mapk14 are the main DNA methylation sites affecting OS. Single-cell sequencing of the tumor immune microenvironment showed that the abundance and cell state of dysfunctional T cells changed greatly. Importantly, the abnormal overexpression of Mapk14 in colorectal cancer is related to the level of immune infiltration of immune cells (including CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, B cells, CD4+ T cells, and macrophages). The high expression of Mapk14 was significantly correlated with immune checkpoints (including SIGLEC15, TIGIT, LAG3, CTLA4 and PDCDILG2), while the high expression of Mapk14 was negatively correlated with TMB and MSI but mostly positively correlated with drug sensitivity. Finally, the immunohistochemical results confirmed that the clinical stage (Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ) and M stage (M0 and M1) affected the abnormally high expression of Mapk14.

Conclusion: A comprehensive bioinformatics study and experimental validation revealed that Mapk14 could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker associated with immune infiltration and pharmacotherapy and may represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.
Integration of Machine Learning and Coarse-Grained Molecular Simulations for Polymer Materials: Physical Understandings and Molecular Design
Authors: Nguyen Danh , Tao Lei , Li Ying
Published: January 2022

In recent years, the synthesis of monomer sequence-defined polymers has expanded into broad-spectrum applications in biomedical, chemical, and materials science fields. Pursuing the characterization and inverse design of these polymer systems requires our fundamental understanding not only at the individual monomer level, but also considering the chain scales, such as polymer configuration, self-assembly, and phase separation. However, our accessibility to this field is still rudimentary due to the limitations of traditional design approaches, the complexity of chemical space along with the burdened cost and time issues that prevent us from unveiling the underlying monomer sequence-structure-property relationships. Fortunately, thanks to the recent advancements in molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning (ML) algorithms, the bottlenecks in the tasks of establishing the structure-function correlation of the polymer chains can be overcome. In this review, we will discuss the applications of the integration between ML techniques and coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations to solve the current issues in polymer science at the chain level. In particular, we focus on the case studies in three important topics—polymeric configuration characterization, feed-forward property prediction, and inverse design—in which CGMD simulations are leveraged to generate training datasets to develop ML-based surrogate models for specific polymer systems and designs. By doing so, this computational hybridization allows us to well establish the monomer sequence-functional behavior relationship of the polymers as well as guide us toward the best polymer chain candidates for the inverse design in undiscovered chemical space with reasonable computational cost and time. Even though there are still limitations and challenges ahead in this field, we finally conclude that this CGMD/ML integration is very promising, not only in the attempt of bridging the monomeric and macroscopic characterizations of polymer materials, but also enabling further tailored designs for sequence-specific polymers with superior properties in many practical applications.
Identifying Barriers to Estimating Carbon Release From Interacting Feedbacks in a Warming Arctic
Authors: Treharne Rachael , Rogers Brendan M. , Gasser Thomas , MacDonald Erin , Natali Susan
Published: January 2022

The northern permafrost region holds almost half of the world's soil carbon in just 15% of global terrestrial surface area. Between 2007 and 2016, permafrost warmed by an average of 0.29°C, with observations indicating that frozen ground in the more southerly, discontinuous permafrost zone is already thawing. Despite this, our understanding of potential carbon release from this region remains not only uncertain, but incomplete. SROCC highlights that global-scale models represent carbon loss from permafrost only through gradual, top-down thaw. This excludes “pulse” disturbances – namely abrupt thaw, in which frozen ground with high ice content thaws, resulting in subsidence and comparatively rapid ongoing thaw, and fire – both of which are critically important to projecting future permafrost carbon feedbacks. Substantial uncertainty remains around the response of these disturbances to ongoing warming, although both are projected to affect an increasing area of the northern permafrost region. This is of particular concern as recent evidence indicates that pulse disturbances may, in some cases, respond nonlinearly to warming. Even less well understood are the interactions between processes driving loss of permafrost carbon. Fire not only drives direct carbon loss, but can accelerate gradual and abrupt permafrost thaw. However, this important interplay is rarely addressed in the scientific literature. Here, we identify barriers to estimating the magnitude of future emissions from pulse disturbances across the northern permafrost region, including those resulting from interactions between disturbances. We draw on recent advances to prioritize said barriers and suggest avenues for the polar research community to address these.
Predictive Value of Gensini Score in the Long-Term Outcomes of Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Who Underwent PCI
Authors: Wang Kai-Yang , Zheng Ying-Ying , Wu Ting-Ting , Ma Yi-Tong , Xie Xiang
Published: January 2022

Objective

Gensini score is an effective tool used to evaluate the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Whether the Gensini score has predictive value for the clinical outcomes of patients with CAD after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been investigated.

Methods

All patients were from the Clinical Outcomes and Risk Factors of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease after PCI (CORFCHD-PCI), a retrospective cohort study involving 5,672 patients with CAD who underwent PCI, such as 2,110 patients with diabetes and 3,562 patients without diabetes, from January 2008 to December 2017. Patients were divided into three groups according to the tertile of Gensini score: first tertile (Gensini score <11 points), second tertile (Gensini score 11–38 points), and third tertile (Gensini score >38 points). The median follow-up time was 31.0 (interquartile range, IQR: 30.0) months. Compared the differences in clinical outcomes between the groups. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the predictive value of the Gensini score for outcomes over up to 10 years of follow-up.

Results

In the population without diabetes, there were significant differences between the three groups in the incidences of all-cause mortality (ACM, p = 0.048), cardiac mortality (CM, p = 0.024), major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (MACEs, p = 0.006), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs, p = 0.009). In the population with diabetes, there were significant differences between the three groups in the incidences of ACM, CM, MACEs, and MACCEs (all p < 0.001). After multivariate Cox regression analyses, in the population without diabetes, the respective risks of ACM, CM, MACEs, and MACCEs were increased 89.9% [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.899, 95% CI: 1.285–2.807, p = 0.001], 115.1% (HR = 2.151, 95% CI: 1.378–3.356, p = 0.001), 48.1% (HR = 1.481, 95% CI: 1.152–1.904, p = 0.002), and 49.8% (HR = 1.498, 95% CI: 1.176–1.907, p = 0.001) in the third tertile compared with those in the first tertile. In the population with diabetes, the respective risks of ACM, CM, MACEs, and MACCEs were increased 248.5% (HR = 3.485, 95% CI: 1.973–6.154, p < 0.001), 260.4% (HR = 3.604, 95% CI: 1.866–6.963, p < 0.001), 130.2% (HR = 2.302, 95% CI: 1.649–3.215, p < 0.001), and 119.8% (HR = 2.198, 95% CI: 1.600–3.018, p < 0.001) in the third tertile compared with those in the first tertile.

Conclusion

The present study indicated that the Gensini score is an independent predictor of long-term adverse outcomes in patients with CAD who underwent PCI, and it has more predictive value in the population with diabetes.
Leukocyte Telomere Length Predicts Progression From Paroxysmal to Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in the Long Term After Catheter Ablation
Authors: Wang Qianhui , Liu Zheng , Dong Ying , Yang Xinchun , Chen Mulei , Gao Yuanfeng
Published: January 2022

Background

Aging is significantly associated with the incidence and progression of atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence. This study aimed to evaluate the potential predictive value of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) for progression from paroxysmal AF (PAF) to persistent AF (PsAF) after catheter ablation.

Methods and Results

A total of 269 patients with AF (154 patients with PAF and 115 patients with PsAF, respectively) were prospectively enrolled, and all patients with PAF at baseline were regularly followed up to determine whether and when they should progress to PsAF after catheter ablation therapy. Baseline relative LTL was measured by quantitative real-time PCR (rt-PCT). There was a significant negative association between LTL and age (r = −0.23, p < 0.001). Patients with PsAF had significantly shorter LTL than those with PAF. After a mean follow-up of 854.9 ± 18.7 d, progression events occurred in 35 out of the 154 patients with PAF. Those progressed patients with PAF were older (70.9 ± 8.0 vs. 62.3 ± 10.3, p < 0.001) and had shorter LTL (1.2 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.3, p < 0.001) than those who did not. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed a significant value of LTL in distinguishing patients with PAF from patients with PsAF, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.63 (95% CI 0.56–0.70, p < 0.001), and the optimal cut-off value of LTL was 1.175, with a sensitivity and specificity of 56.03 and 82.04%, respectively. All patients with PAF were divided into two subgroups according to the optimal cut-off point of LTL calculated by the ROC curve analysis: high LTL group (≥1.175) and low LTL group (<1.175). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that PAF patients with shorter LTL had a significantly higher rate of progression after catheter ablation (40.5% vs. 18.8%, log-rank test p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model indicated that LTL [hazard ratio (HR): 2.71, 95% CI 1.36–5.42, p = 0.005] was an independent predictor for progression from PAF to PsAF after catheter ablation therapy, but HATCH score was not (HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.68–1.52, p = 0.923).

Conclusion

Leukocyte telomere length was significantly associated with AF types. LTL was independently associated with progression from PAF to PsAF after catheter ablation therapy.

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Registration Number: ChiCTR1900021341.
Demystifying the Relationship Between Metformin, AMPK, and Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity
Authors: Singh Manrose , Nicol Akito T. , DelPozzo Jaclyn , Wei Jia , Singh Mandeep , Nguyen Tony , Kobayashi Satoru , Liang Qiangrong
Published: January 2022

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an extremely effective and wide-spectrum anticancer drug, but its long-term use can lead to heart failure, which presents a serious problem to millions of cancer survivors who have been treated with DOX. Thus, identifying agents that can reduce DOX cardiotoxicity and concurrently enhance its antitumor efficacy would be of great clinical value. In this respect, the classical antidiabetic drug metformin (MET) has stood out, appearing to have both antitumor and cardioprotective properties. MET is proposed to achieve these beneficial effects through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an essential regulator of mitochondrial homeostasis and energy metabolism. AMPK itself has been shown to protect the heart and modulate tumor growth under certain conditions. However, the role and mechanism of the hypothesized MET-AMPK axis in DOX cardiotoxicity and antitumor efficacy remain to be firmly established by in vivo studies using tumor-bearing animal models and large-scale prospective clinical trials. This review summarizes currently available literature for or against a role of AMPK in MET-mediated protection against DOX cardiotoxicity. It also highlights the emerging evidence suggesting distinct roles of the AMPK subunit isoforms in mediating the functions of unique AMPK holoenzymes composed of different combinations of isoforms. Moreover, the review provides a perspective regarding future studies that may help fully elucidate the relationship between MET, AMPK and DOX cardiotoxicity.
Stem Cell Therapy in Chronic Periodontitis: Host Limitations and Strategies
Authors: Zhang Zhiyu , Deng Mengting , Hao Meng , Tang Jianxia
Published: January 2022

The treatment of chronic periodontitis is undergoing a transition from simple plaque removal and replacement with substitute materials to regenerative therapy, in which stem cells play an important role. Although stem cell-based periodontal reconstruction has been widely explored, few clinical regeneration studies have been reported. The inflammatory lesions under the impact of host factors such as local microbial–host responses, may impede the regenerative properties of stem cells and destroy their living microenvironment. Furthermore, systemic diseases, in particular diabetes mellitus, synergistically shape the disordered host-bacterial responses and exacerbate the dysfunction of resident periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), which ultimately restrain the capacity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to repair the damaged periodontal tissue. Accordingly, precise regulation of an instructive niche has become a promising approach to facilitate stem cell-based therapeutics for ameliorating periodontitis and for periodontal tissue regeneration. This review describes host limitations and coping strategies that influence resident or transplanted stem cell-mediated periodontal regeneration, such as the management of local microbial–host responses and rejuvenation of endogenous PDLSCs. More importantly, we recommend that active treatments for systemic diseases would also assist in recovering the limited stem cell function on the basis of amelioration of the inflammatory periodontal microenvironment.
A Review of Ice Core Drilling in Cave Environment – Challenges, Achievements and Future Directions
Authors: Kern Zoltan , Perșoiu Aurel
Published: January 2022

Worldwide, more than 141 m of ice cores has been extracted from 20 cave ice deposits, with the drilling projects focusing mainly in Central European caves. The fact that half of the cave ice cores (3 out of 6) published in 2020 represent non-European localities, however, predicts that an increasing number of cave ice drilling projects will be carried out in the near future in other geographical areas hosting ice caves. Based on the gathered experience the most commonly encountered technical challenge of ice-core drilling problems in cave environment is englacial rocky/woody debris. The complex stratigraphy of cave ice deposits represents a crucial methodological problem. We propose an (Cave Ice Sedimentary Architecture and Deposition - CISAD) approach to take into consideration of the stratigraphic peculiarities of the investigated cave ice deposit and additional crucial meta-data before establishing the location of a drilling site best-suited to obtain the highest quality paleoenvironmental data.
Crystal-Chemical and Structural Characterization of Omphacite in High-Pressure Eclogites From the Arquía Complex on Southwestern Pijao, Central Cordillera (Colombian Andes)
Authors: Castellanos-Alarcón Oscar Mauricio , Cedeño Villarreal Karoll Michelle , Toro Hernández Robert Antonio , Ríos-Reyes Carlos Alberto , Henao-Martínez José Antonio , Zuluaga-Castrillón Carlos Augusto
Published: January 2022

Omphacite found in eclogites from the Arquía Complex (Colombia) was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The sample is chemically homogeneous. Omphacite usually shows symplectitic intergrowths or a relictic character partially and totally included in amphibole. The transformation of omphacite to symplectites colonies characterizes the initiation of the eclogites retrograde metamorphism. The reaction history can be summarized as the decomposition of omphacite into symplectites as a product of decompression through the reaction: omphacite + quartz = plagioclase + clinopyroxene (low in Na), which can be considered as a discontinuous precipitation reaction. The structure of the studied omphacite single-crystal is successfully refined in the P2/c space group. This structure is interpreted as an intermediate towards omphacite with space group P2/n. The structure of omphacite shows silicate chains formed by two crystallographically different silicon tetrahedra (T1 and T2) with an O2-O3-O2 angle of 169.002 (2)°, indicating that the chain is slightly distorted. The Na and Ca cations occupy the octahedral and 8-coordination sites. Fe occurs as Fe2+ and Fe3+ and are distributed over the octahedral sites M1 and M11, respectively.