bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hyperoxia Induced Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Like Inflammation via miR34a-TNIP2-IL-1β Pathway
Authors: Tao Xuwei , Mo Luxia , Zeng Lingkong
Published: March 2022

Lung injury induced by oxygen is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of preterm infant bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To date, there are comprehensive therapeutic strategy for this disease, but the underlying mechanism is still in progress. By using lentivirus, we constructed microRNA34a (miR34a)-overexpressing or knockdown A549 cell lines, and exposure to hyperoxia to mimic oxygen induce lung injury. In this study, we investigated 4 proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the secreted sputum of infants who received mechanical ventilation, and found that IL-1β was substantially elevated in the first week after oxygen therapy and with no significant decrease until the fourth week, while TNF-α, Ang-1, and COX-2 were increased in the first week but decreased quickly in the following weeks. In addition, in vitro assay revealed that hyperoxia significantly increased the expression of miR-34a, which positively regulated the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in A549 cells. Overexpressing or knockdown miR34 would exacerbate or inhibit production of IL-1β and its upstream NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome signaling pathway. Mechanically, it’s found that TNFAIP3 interacting protein 2 (TNIP2), an inhibitor of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), is a direct target of miR34a, negatively regulated activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the production of IL-1β. Overexpressing TNIP2 ameliorated hyperoxia-induced production of IL-1β and cell apoptosis. Our findings suggest that TNIP2 may be a potential clinical marker in the diagnosis of BPD.
A de novo Non-sense Nuclear Factor I B Mutation (p.Tyr290*) Is Responsible for Brain Malformation and Lung Lobulation Defects
Authors: Huang Hao , Jin Jieyuan , Wu Liping , Wu Huifen , Pi Huichun , Dong Yi , Xiang Rong
Published: March 2022

Background

Nuclear factor I B (NFIB) plays an important role in regulating the transcription of multiple biological processes. Mutations in NFIB cause intellectual disability and macrocephaly. However, studies on abnormal brain and lung development caused by NFIB mutations are lacking.

Methods

In the present study, we enrolled a fetus with brain malformation and lung lobulation defects from China. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed to detect the candidate genes and Sanger sequencing was performed for mutational analysis.

Results

After data filtering and bioinformatics prediction, a novel non-sense mutation of NFIB (NM_001190737:c.870C > A;p.Tyr290*) was identified in the fetus. This variant was predicted to produce a truncated NFIB protein because of a premature stop codon and was absent in 200 healthy controls.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of brain malformation and lung lobulation defects caused by a NFIB variant in Asia. These findings contribute to genetic diagnosis and family counseling and expand our understanding of NFIB mutations as well as brain and lung maturation.
Changes in the Serum Fatty Acid Profile After Anhepatic Phase of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Procedure
Authors: Hliwa Aleksandra , Mika Adriana , Sledzinski Maciej , Laski Dariusz , Ramos-Molina Bruno , Sledzinski Tomasz
Published: March 2022

During orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), the patients’ body remains deprived of this organ for some time, which could cause critical changes in the levels of various metabolites in the circulation, including fatty acids. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether the liver transplantation procedure leads to significant changes in the FA profile in serum lipids after the anhepatic phase. Our gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that after transplantation, serum levels of myristic and palmitic acids significantly decreased, whereas serum levels of very long-chain FAs containing 20 or more carbons in their chains were increased. These results indicate that the anhepatic phase during liver transplantation produces significant changes in serum fatty acid levels, and emphasizes the role of the liver in the metabolism of very long-chain fatty acids.
Assessment of Stiffness of Large to Small Arteries in Multistage Renal Disease Model: A Numerical Study
Authors: Obeid Hasan , Bikia Vasiliki , Fortier Catherine , Paré Mathilde , Segers Patrick , Stergiopulos Nikos , Agharazii Mohsen
Published: March 2022

Arterial stiffness (AS), as assessed via pulse wave velocity (PWV), is a major biomarker for cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the mechanisms responsible for the changes in PWV in the presence of kidney disease are not yet fully elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the direct effects attributable to biomechanical changes in the arterial tree caused by staged renal removal, independent of any biochemical or compensatory effects. Particularly, we simulated arterial pressure and flow using a previously validated one-dimensional (1-D) model of the cardiovascular system with different kidney configurations: two kidneys (2KDN), one single kidney (1KDN), no kidneys (0KDN), and a transplanted kidney (TX) attached to the external iliac artery. We evaluated the respective variations in blood pressure (BP), as well as AS of large-, medium-, and small-sized arteries via carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV), carotid-radial PWV (crPWV), and radial-digital PWV (rdPWV), respectively. Our results showed that BP was increased in 1KDN and 0KDN, and that systolic BP values were restored in the TX configuration. Furthermore, a rise was reported in all PWVs for all tested configurations. The relative difference in stiffness from 2KDN to 0KDN was higher in the case of crPWV (15%) in comparison with the increase observed for cfPWV (11%). In TX, we observed a restoration of the PWVs to values close to 1KDN. Globally, it was demonstrated that alterations of the outflow boundaries to the renal arteries with staged kidney removal led to changes in BP and central and peripheral PWV in line with previously reported clinical data. Our findings suggest that the PWV variations observed in clinical practice with different stages of kidney disease may be partially attributed to biomechanical alterations of the arterial tree and their effect on BP.
Drosophila as a Model to Study the Mechanism of Nociception
Authors: He Jianzheng , Li Botong , Han Shuzhen , Zhang Yuan , Liu Kai , Yi Simeng , Liu Yongqi , Xiu Minghui
Published: March 2022

Nociception refers to the process of encoding and processing noxious stimuli, which allow animals to detect and avoid potentially harmful stimuli. Several types of stimuli can trigger nociceptive sensory transduction, including thermal, noxious chemicals, and harsh mechanical stimulation that depend on the corresponding nociceptors. In view of the high evolutionary conservation of the mechanisms that govern nociception from Drosophila melanogaster to mammals, investigation in the fruit fly Drosophila help us understand how the sensory nervous system works and what happen in nociception. Here, we present an overview of currently identified conserved genetics of nociception, the nociceptive sensory neurons responsible for detecting noxious stimuli, and various assays for evaluating different nociception. Finally, we cover development of anti-pain drug using fly model. These comparisons illustrate the value of using Drosophila as model for uncovering nociception mechanisms, which are essential for identifying new treatment goals and developing novel analgesics that are applicable to human health.
Multifactorial Benefits of Chronic Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Autonomic Function and Cardiac Electrical Stability in Heart Failure Patients With Reduced Ejection Fraction
Authors: Verrier Richard L. , Libbus Imad , Nearing Bruce D. , KenKnight Bruce H.
Published: March 2022

Heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction is a progressive disease that claims > 352,000 lives annually in the United States alone. Despite the development of an extensive array of pharmacologic and device therapies, prognosis remains poor. Disruption in autonomic balance in the form of heightened sympathetic nerve activity and reduced vagal tone have been established as major causes of heart failure progression. Interest in chronic neuromodulation mediated by vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has intensified in recent years. This review focuses on four main goals: (1) To review the preclinical evidence that supports the concept of a cardioprotective effect of VNS on autonomic function and cardiac electrical stability along with the underlying putative mechanisms. (2) To present the initial clinical experience with chronic VNS in patients with heart failure and highlight the controversial aspects of the findings. (3) To discuss the latest findings of the multifactorial effects of VNS on autonomic tone, baroreceptor sensitivity, and cardiac electrical stability and the state-of-the-art methods employed to monitor these relationships. (4) To discuss the implications of the current findings and the gaps in knowledge that require attention in future investigations.
Enhanced RAGE Expression and Excess Reactive-Oxygen Species Production Mediates Rho Kinase-Dependent Detrusor Overactivity After Methylglyoxal Exposure
Authors: Oliveira Akila L. , Medeiros Matheus L. , de Oliveira Mariana G. , Teixeira Caio Jordão , Mónica Fabíola Z. , Antunes Edson
Published: March 2022

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound implicated in diabetes-associated diseases. In vascular tissues, MGO induces the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that bounds its receptor RAGE, initiating the downstream tissue injury. Outside the cardiovascular system, MGO intake produces mouse voiding dysfunction and bladder overactivity. We have sought that MGO-induced bladder overactivity is due to activation of AGE-RAGE-reactive-oxygen species (ROS) signaling cascade, leading to Rho kinase activation. Therefore, female mice received 0.5% MGO orally for 12 weeks, after which in vitro bladder contractions were evaluated in the presence or not of superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) or the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632. Treatment with MGO significantly elevated the serum levels of MGO and fluorescent AGEs, as well as the RAGE immunostaining in the urothelium, detrusor, and vascular endothelium. RAGE mRNA expression in the bladder was also higher in the MGO group. Methylglyoxal significantly increased the ROS production in both urothelium and detrusor smooth muscle, with the increases in detrusor markedly higher than urothelium. The bladder activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly reduced in the MGO group. Gene expressions of L-type Ca2+ channels, RhoA, ROCK-1, and ROCK-2 in bladder tissues were significantly elevated in the MGO group. Increased bladder contractions to electrical-field stimulation, carbachol α,β-methylene ATP, and extracellular Ca2+ were observed after MGO exposure, which was significantly reduced by prior incubation with either PEG-SOD or Y27632. Overall, our data indicate serum MGO accumulation elevates the AGEs levels and activates the RAGE-ROS signaling leading to Rho kinase-induced muscle sensitization, ultimately leading to detrusor overactivity.
Genetic Diversity and Selection Footprints in the Genome of Brazilian Soybean Cultivars
Authors: Mendonça Heitor Calux , Pereira Luiz Filipe Protasio , Maldonado dos Santos João Vitor , Meda Anderson Rotter , Sant’ Ana Gustavo César
Published: March 2022

Although Brazil is currently the largest soybean producer in the world, only a small number of studies have analyzed the genetic diversity of Brazilian soybean. These studies have shown the existence of a narrow genetic base. The objectives of this work were to analyze the population structure and genetic diversity, and to identify selection signatures in the genome of soybean germplasms from different companies in Brazil. A panel consisting of 343 soybean lines from Brazil, North America, and Asia was genotyped using genotyping by sequencing (GBS). Population structure was assessed by Bayesian and multivariate approaches. Genetic diversity was analyzed using metrics such as the fixation index, nucleotide diversity, genetic dissimilarity, and linkage disequilibrium. The software BayeScan was used to detect selection signatures between Brazilian and Asian accessions as well as among Brazilian germplasms. Region of origin, company of origin, and relative maturity group (RMG) all had a significant influence on population structure. Varieties belonging to the same company and especially to the same RMG exhibited a high level of genetic similarity. This result was exacerbated among early maturing accessions. Brazilian soybean showed significantly lower genetic diversity when compared to Asian accessions. This was expected, because the crop’s region of origin is its main genetic diversity reserve. We identified 7 genomic regions under selection between the Brazilian and Asian accessions, and 27 among Brazilian varieties developed by different companies. Associated with these genomic regions, we found 96 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for important soybean breeding traits such as flowering, maturity, plant architecture, productivity components, pathogen resistance, and seed composition. Some of the QTLs associated with the markers under selection have genes of great importance to soybean’s regional adaptation. The results reported herein allowed to expand the knowledge about the organization of the genetic variability of the Brazilian soybean germplasm. Furthermore, it was possible to identify genomic regions under selection possibly associated with the adaptation of soybean to Brazilian environments.
Fine-Tuning Cold Stress Response Through Regulated Cellular Abundance and Mechanistic Actions of Transcription Factors
Authors: Abdullah Siti Nor Akmar , Azzeme Azzreena Mohamad , Yousefi Kobra
Published: March 2022

Inflictions caused by cold stress can result in disastrous effects on the productivity and survival of plants. Cold stress response in plants requires crosstalk between multiple signaling pathways including cold, heat, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling networks. CBF, MYB, bHLH, and WRKY families are among the TFs that function as key players in the regulation of cold stress response at the molecular level. This review discusses some of the latest understanding on the regulation of expression and the mechanistic actions of plant TFs to address cold stress response. It was shown that the plant response consists of early and late responses as well as memory reprogramming for long-term protection against cold stress. The regulatory network can be differentiated into CBF-dependent and independent pathways involving different sets of TFs. Post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs, control during ribosomal translation process, and post-translational regulation involving 26S proteosomic degradation are processes that affect the cellular abundance of key regulatory TFs, which is an important aspect of the regulation for cold acclimation. Therefore, fine-tuning of the regulation by TFs for adjusting to the cold stress condition involving the dynamic action of protein kinases, membrane ion channels, adapters, and modifiers is emphasized in this review.
Integrated Crop Management Practices Improve Grain Yield and Resource Use Efficiency of Super Hybrid Rice
Authors: Deng Jun , Harrison Matthew Tom , Liu Ke , Ye Jiayu , Xiong Xin , Fahad Shah , Huang Liying , Tian Xiaohai , Zhang Yunbo
Published: March 2022

Super hybrid rice genotypes have transformed the rate of genetic yield gain primarily due to intersubspecific heterosis, although the physiological basis underpinning this yield transformation has not been well quantified. We assessed the radiation use efficiency (RUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of novel hybrid rice genotypes under four management practices representative of rice cropping systems in China. Y-liangyou 900 (YLY900), a new super hybrid rice widely adopted in China, was examined in field experiments conducted in Jingzhou and Suizhou, Hubei Province, China, from 2017 to 2020. Four management practices were conducted: nil fertilizer (CK), conventional farmer practice (FP), optimized cultivation with reduced nitrogen (OPT–N), and optimized cultivation with increased nitrogen (OPT+N). Yield differences across the treatment regimens were significant (p< 0.05). Grain yield of OPT+Nin Jingzhou and Suizhou were 11 and 12 t ha–1, which was 14 and 27% greater than yields obtained under OPT–Nand FP, respectively. Relative to OPT–Nand FP, OPT+Nhad greater panicle numbers (9 and 18%), spikelets per panicle (7 and 12%), spikelets per unit area (17 and 32%), and total dry weight (9 and 19%). The average RUE of OPT+Nwas 2.7 g MJ–1, which was 5 and 9% greater than that of OPT–Nand FP, respectively, due to higher intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR). The agronomic efficiency of applied N (AEN) of OPT+Nwas 17 kg grain kg–1N, which was 9 and 68% higher than that of OPT–Nand FP. These results show that close correlations exist between yield and both the panicles number (R2= 0.91) and spikelets per panicle (R2= 0.83) in OPT+N. We conclude that grain yields of OPT+Nwere associated with greater IPAR, RUE, and total dry matter. We suggest that integrated cropping systems management practices are conducive to higher grain yield and resource use efficiency through expansion of sink potential in super hybrid rice production.
Genome-Wide Identification of BAHD Superfamily and Functional Characterization of Bornyl Acetyltransferases Involved in the Bornyl Acetate Biosynthesis in Wurfbainia villosa
Authors: Liang Huilin , Lin Xiaojing , Yang Peng , Sun Yewen , Wu Qingwen , Alimujiang Shamukaer , Zhao Haiying , Ma Dongming , Zhan Ruoting , Yang Jinfen
Published: March 2022

Bornyl acetate (BA) is known as a natural aromatic monoterpene ester with a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. Borneol acetyltransferase (BAT), catalyzing borneol and acetyl-CoA to synthesize BA, is alcohol acetyltransferase, which belongs to the BAHD super acyltransferase family, however, BAT, responsible for the biosynthesis of BA, has not yet been characterized. The seeds of Wurfbainia villosa (homotypic synonym: Amomum villosum) are rich in BA. Here we identified 64 members of the BAHD gene family from the genome of W. villosa using both PF02458 (transferase) and PF07247 (AATase) as Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to screen the BAHD genes. A total of sixty-four WvBAHDs are distributed on 14 chromosomes and nine unanchored contigs, clustering into six clades; three WvBAHDs with PF07247 have formed a separated and novel clade: clade VI. Twelve candidate genes belonging to clade I-a, I-b, and VI were selected to clone and characterize in vitro, among which eight genes have been identified to encode BATs acetylating at least one type of borneol to synthesize BA. All eight WvBATs can utilize (−)-borneol as substrates, but only five WvBATs can catalyze (+)-borneol, which is the endogenous borneol substrate in the seeds of W. villosa; WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 present the better catalytic efficiency on (+)-borneol than the others. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of WvBATs indicate that WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 are seed-specific expression genes, and their expression levels are correlated with the accumulation of BA, suggesting WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 might be the two key BATs for BA synthesis in the seeds of W. villosa. This is the first report on BAT responsible for the last biosynthetic step of BA, which will contribute to further studies on BA biosynthesis and metabolism engineering of BA in other plants or heterologous hosts.
Use of Equine-Assisted Services to Improve Outcomes Among At-Risk and Indigenous Youth: A Scoping Review
Authors: Haig Laurie , Skinner Kelly
Published: March 2022

Equine-assisted services (EAS) are gaining popularity as ways to promote psychological health and social well-being. EAS may show particular promise as culturally appropriate initiatives for at-risk Indigenous youth, as they are thought to align well with Indigenous ways of knowing which place emphasis on relationships between the land and all living beings. We seek to better understand previous uses of EAS as initiatives for at-risk youth populations, including Indigenous populations, and learn about which outcomes have been addressed in the literature with an EAS initiative by conducting a scoping review. The review focused on initiatives targeting at-risk youth aged 10-18 years of age in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. A total of 27 studies were included in the final analysis from all target countries except New Zealand. The target populations were further divided into four subgroups: at-risk youth, youth with mental health disorders and/or learning disabilities, youth survivors of trauma/abuse, and at-risk Indigenous youth. Overall findings of the review suggest EAS are promising approaches for achieving therapeutic and learning goals with the potential to be successful with both Indigenous youth and at-risk youth more broadly.
The Right to Health: COVID-19 Pandemic and the Opportunity to Transform Mental Health Inequalities in Indonesia
Authors: Anindyajati Gina , Mardiasmo Diashati Ramadhani , Sekarasih Laras , Susilaradeya Damar , Takwin Bagus , Pelupessy Dicky C. , Diatri Hervita
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major catastrophes worldwide. In Indonesia, the pandemic has caused greater barriers for individuals to access mental health services. This article aims to capture the state of public mental health in Indonesia using data from various national surveys. Four main problems were identified: the increase in depression, loneliness, and distress in the general population, disruption in accessing mental health services, mental health problems among vulnerable populations, and the limited scope of available mental health services and facilities in the community. This article provided practical recommendations for the Indonesian government that focuses on preparing a resilient mental healthcare system for future crises, reducing barriers to access mental health services, and expanding the available resources and programs to ensure equal and sustainable access to mental health services in the community.
Rethinking Healthcare Quality and Prestige: Is This a Manager's Number One Problem?
Authors: Morales-Burton Veronica , Lopez-Ramirez Sofía A.
Published: March 2022

Healthcare institutions are organizations driven to provide medical assistance at a certain level of quality service and safety. To achieve the recognition of excellence, these entities can undergo accreditations and comparisons with other institutions of their kind through ranking systems in order to validate patient, organizational, and academic institutional standards. Usually, the goal is to obtain prestige and recognition as well as positive feedback toward the institution, motivating improvement. In this scenario, the manager's role is to communicate these results and propose strategies to maintain or increase healthcare quality. The following article discusses the fundamentals of the processes of accreditation and ranking systems, the importance of health managers on the complexity of these processes and on achieving an institution's goals and vision, but also intends to provide a critical view toward the desire for prestige a hospital envisions within the feedback when its biggest aim should be directed to improve in benefit of the patients and workforce conditions.
Cellular Senescence and Ageing: Mechanisms and Interventions
Authors: Mylonas Andreas , O’Loghlen Ana
Published: March 2022

The influence of the activation of a cellular phenotype termed senescence and it’s importance in ageing and age-related diseases is becoming more and more evident. In fact, there is a huge effort to tackle these diseases via therapeutic drugs targeting senescent cells named senolytics. However, a clearer understanding of how senescence is activated and the influence it has on specific cellular types and tissues is needed. Here, we describe general triggers and characteristics of senescence. In addition, we describe the influence of senescent cells in ageing and different age-related diseases.
Effects of Blue-Green Infrastructures on the Microclimate in an Urban Residential Area Under Hot Weather
Authors: Cao Shengyan , Wang Yafei , Ni Zhuobiao , Xia Beicheng
Published: March 2022

With the expansion of cities, the urban population explodes globally, and the thermal environment continues to deteriorate. The studies on urban microclimate have important implications for the construction of green communities and the sustainable development of cities. Various blue-green infrastructures (BGIs) in the urban ecosystem play an important role in regulating urban microclimate and human thermal comfort. This study investigated the current microclimate of a residential area (Chigang community, Guangzhou) under hot weather by carrying out field surveys. Subsequently, a model was established with ENVI-met to simulate the microclimate conditions under different BGIs scenarios. The results showed that adding water bodies can improve the thermal comfort of residential areas. The cooling effect was the best when the water bodies were added dispersedly. In terms of thermal comfort, adding water bodies reduced the heat stress in the surrounding environment. In addition, reducing the existing vegetation heated the study area and reduced humidity. The more dispersed the vegetation, the better the thermal comfort. Vertical greening has better cooling and humidifying effects before noon, whereas it slightly increased the temperature of the study area in the afternoon. Finally, the dispersed vegetation combined with the addition of vertical greening in Chigang community was found to be the optimal design. Under the optimal scenario, the proportion of “neutral” thermal comfort was increased by 1.65%. The results of this study provide references for urban planning and BGI construction.
Fluidic-Based Instruments for Space Biology Research in CubeSats
Authors: Harandi Bijan , Ng Simon , Liddell Lauren C. , Gentry Diana M. , Santa Maria Sergio R.
Published: March 2022

For the last 15 years, small satellites known as CubeSats have been used to investigate the effects of the space environment on biological organisms. All biological CubeSat missions flown to date have performed studies in low Earth orbit (LEO), each one improving its biological support sub-systems from the last. An upcoming NASA biological CubeSat mission, BioSentinel, will launch as a secondary payload on Artemis 1 and eventually reach a heliocentric orbit beyond LEO, and the protection of Earth’s magnetosphere. The main objectives of BioSentinel are 1) to investigate the biological effects of the deep space radiation environment and 2) to develop our technological capacity to support biological research in deep space. The instruments and subsystems within BioSentinel have heritage from previous CubeSat missions (e.g., fluidics, optics, thermal control), but are extended on many levels. BioSentinel improves upon the materials and design (e.g., decreased card vapor permeability to maintain low humidity; the addition of a fluidic manifold with internal check-valves, desiccant chambers, and bubble traps for each individual fluidic card) and adds new tools for discovery (e.g., onboard LET spectrometer). The main objective of this Perspective is to emphasize the evolution of the fluidic systems used in past and ongoing NASA biological CubeSat missions and highlight aspects of these systems that can be optimized for future experimentation beyond LEO.
Can We Become Better People After Things Go Wrong?
Authors: Howells Karen , Herbert Natalie
Published: March 2022

When a plant is battered and nearly destroyed by the rain, its survival is uncertain, but as the sun comes up and shines on it, the plant starts to recover. Over time, not only does the plant get better but it also comes back stronger. This is growth, and it can happen to us too after an adversity. An adversity is something that is very difficult to deal with and causes us to be upset, have unhappy thoughts, and might even make us cry. But what if something good can come from that bad experience? What if we can learn something that helps us to be different, and maybe better than before? Growth is not just about getting bigger; it can mean changing as a person too. Growth will not stop the adversity from being upsetting, but can lead to powerful, positive changes in a person.
Adapted Fencing for Patients With Invasive Breast Cancer: The RIPOSTE Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Omorou Abdou Y. , Peiffert Didier , Rotonda Christine , Van Hoye Aurélie , Allado Edem , Hily Oriane , Temperelli Margaux , Chenuel Bruno , Hornus-Dragne Dominique , Poussel Mathias
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Even if indications for mastectomy have been progressively reduced in loco-regional breast cancer (BC) treatment, the harmful effects of surgery are still numerous and can impact physical and psychological wellbeing of women. The RIPOSTE (Reconstruction, self-Image, Posture, Oncology, “Santé”-Health, Therapy, “Escrime”-Fencing) program aimed to propose adapted fencing to patients with BC. This study aims to investigate the effect and conditions of effectiveness of the RIPOSTE program.

Methods and analysis

This is a prospective randomized controlled trial including 24 patients with invasive BC who have just undergone surgery. The study will be proposed to the patient and if interested, the patient will be referred to a sports physician for a medico-sportive evaluation. At the end the evaluation, if the patient meets the inclusion criteria, she will be randomly assigned to one of the 2 groups based on a 1:1 principle: Early RIPOSTE group (receive one fencing session per week for 3 months immediately after their inclusion), Delayed RIPOSTE group (receive one fencing session per week for 3 months but within the 3 months following their inclusion). Patients will be included for 6 months with 3 follow-up times (0, 3, and 6 months) by a sport physician. The primary outcome is the evolution of quality of life score. Secondary outcomes are disability score, fatigue, anxiety-depression, cost-effectiveness and process evaluation.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol has been approved by a French ethics committee (CPP Sud Méditerranée IV, N°ID-RCB: 2020-A01916-33). Results will be submitted for publication, at scientific conferences and through press releases.

Trial Registration

NCT04627714.
A Flexible, Extensible, Machine-Readable, Human-Intelligible, and Ontology-Agnostic Metadata Schema (OIMS)
Authors: Kruseman Gideon
Published: March 2022

This paper presents a lightweight, flexible, extensible, machine readable and human-intelligible metadata schema that does not depend on a specific ontology. The metadata schema for metadata of data files is based on the concept of data lakes where data is stored as they are. The purpose of the schema is to enhance data interoperability. The lack of interoperability of messy socio-economic datasets that contain a mixture of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data means that many datasets are underutilized. Adding a minimum set of rich metadata and describing new and existing data dictionaries in a standardized way goes a long way to make these high-variety datasets interoperable and reusable and hence allows timely and actionable information to be gleaned from those datasets. The presented metadata schema OIMS can help to standardize the description of metadata. The paper introduces overall concepts of metadata, discusses design principles of metadata schemes, and presents the structure and an applied example of OIMS.
Nonlinear Gaussian Filter with Multi-Step Colored Noise
Authors: Teng Yidi , Sheng Shouzhao , Zheng Yubin
Published: March 2022

Color noise is a special kind of noise often occurring in localization systems, and it is more suitable than the general Gaussian white noise to model time dependence due to time delay or high-frequency sampling. This paper derives a nonlinear Gaussian filtering framework for multi-step colored noise systems using noise whitening techniques and Bayes rule. Meanwhile, the cubature rule is used to solve the Gaussian-weighted integral in the proposed Gaussian filtering framework, resulting in an analytic form of posterior state estimate. Compared with the existing nonlinear filtering algorithms, the proposed method has obvious advantages in colored noise systems because it fully takes into account the time dependence of colored noise. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed algorithm are verified with a classical target tracking system.
Protective Effect of Date Pits on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Indices, Intestinal Morphology, Nutrient Digestibility, and Hepatic Aflatoxin Residues of Aflatoxin B1-Exposed Broilers
Authors: Alharthi Abdulrahman S. , Al Sulaiman Ali R. , Aljumaah Riyadh S. , Alabdullatif Abdulaziz A. , Elolimy Ahmed A. , Alqhtani Abdulmohsen H. , Al-Garadi Maged A. , Abudabos Alaeldein M.
Published: March 2022

This research aimed to assess the influence of date pits (DP) on reducing toxic influences of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in broilers by examining the growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum indices, ileum morphology, apparent nutrient digestibility, and liver AFB1 residues. In total, 360 11-day-old straight-run broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated into 6 dietary treatments, with 10 replications of 6 birds each, in a 20-day experiment. The treatments were as follows: standard basal diet (negative control, NC); NC + 0.25 mg/kg AFB1 (positive control, PC); NC + 2% DP; NC + 4% DP; PC + 2% DP; PC + 4% DP. Compared to the NC diet, feeding the PC diet decreased the daily feed intake (DFI) during the grower and overall periods (p < 0.01); reduced the daily weight gain (DWG) and production efficiency factor (PEF); increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during all experimental periods (p < 0.001); diminished the dressing percentage, breast meat yield, serum concentrations of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), glucose (GLU), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), villus height (VH), villus surface area (VSA), apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE), apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) (p < 0.001); and raised the proportional liver weight, serum activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), and residues of AFB1 in the liver (p < 0.001). Compared to the PC diet, feeding the PC + 2% DP or PC + 4% DP diets increased the DWG during finisher and overall periods, PEF during the finisher period, serum levels of TP, GLU, T-AOC, and T-SOD, VH, and apparent digestibility of CP and EE, AME, and AMEn, and decreased FCR during all experimental periods and AFB1 residues in the liver (p < 0.001). Moreover, feeding the PC + 4% DP diet increased the DWG during the grower period, PEF during the overall period, dressing percentage, serum ALB level, and VSA, and decreased the proportional liver weight and serum GOT and GPT activities when compared to the PC diet (p < 0.001). To conclude, our findings demonstrate that a dietary addition of 4% DP can deliver a better safeguard against the adverse influences of AFB1 in broiler chickens.
Essential Oil Composition and Antioxidant and Antifungal Activities of Two Varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) at Two Phenological Stages
Authors: Mkaddem Mounira Guedri , Ahlem Zrig , Abdallah Mariem Ben , Romdhane Mehrez , K. Okla Mohammad , Al-Hashimi Abdulrahman , Alwase Yasmeen A. , Madnay Mahmoud M. , AbdElgayed Gehad , Asard Han , Beemster Gerrit T. S. , AbdElgawad Hamada
Published: March 2022

Ocimum basilicum is a valuable source of bioactive metabolites with high preventive and therapeutic effectiveness. Here we aimed to investigate the effect of phenological stages (vegetative and flowering stages) on essential oil composition and biological activities of two varieties of O. basilicum (Fino Verde variety and Genovese varieties). To this end, the level of essential oils, flavonoids and phenols, as well as antioxidant and antifungal activities were measured. At the metabolic level, essential oil at vegetative stage of O. bailicum Fino Verde and Genovese variety was constituted by 22 and 26 compounds representing 71.68% and 82.54% of the total oil, respectively. Where germacrene D (10.07%), bicyclogermacrene (6.07%) and β-elemene (4.88%) were the most present components in Fino Verde variety. Moreover, 22.19% are oxygenated monoterpenes represented mainly by the linalool (15.18%) and 1.8 cineole (6.36%) in Genovese variety. The individuals of essential oils were significantly increased to 40 components in Fino Verde variety (98.01% of total essential oil) and decreased to 15 components (95.6% of total essential oil) in Genovese variety at flowering stage. At this stage, the oxygenated monoterpenes (78.4%) were the major fraction represented by linalool (40.1%) and 1.8 cineole (30.96%) in Fino Verde variety, however 64.69% were esters which mainly represented by the methyl cinnamate (64.69%), and 16.83% of oxygenated monoterpenes and Linalool (12.7%) were recorded for Genovese variety. Genovese variety showed the highest levels at both vegetative and flowering stage compared to Fino Verde variety. At flowering stage, the two varieties showed high antioxidant and antifungal activities. Overall, O. basilicum properties offer prospects for their use as a source, particularly at flowering stage to extend new medicines based on natural bioactive molecules.
Comprehensive Understanding of Selecting Traits for Heat Tolerance during Vegetative and Reproductive Growth Stages in Tomato
Authors: Lee Kwanuk , Rajametov Sherzod Nigmatullayevich , Jeong Hyo-Bong , Cho Myeong-Cheoul , Lee Oak-Jin , Kim Sang-Gyu , Yang Eun-Young , Chae Won-Byoung
Published: March 2022

Climate change is an important emerging issue worldwide; the surface temperature of the earth is anticipated to increase by 0.3 °C in every decade. This elevated temperature causes an adverse impact of heat stress (HS) on vegetable crops; this has been considered as a crucial limiting factor for global food security as well as crop production. In tomato plants, HS also causes changes in physiological, morphological, biochemical, and molecular responses during all vegetative and reproductive growth stages, resulting in poor fruit quality and low yield. Thus, to select genotypes and develop tomato cultivars with heat tolerance, feasible and reliable screening strategies are required that can be adopted in breeding programs in both open-field and greenhouse conditions. In this review, we discuss previous and recent studies describing attempts to screen heat-tolerant tomato genotypes under HS that have adopted different HS regimes and threshold temperatures, and the association of heat tolerance with physiological and biochemical traits during vegetative and reproductive growth stages. In addition, we examined the wide variety of parameters to evaluate the tomato’s tolerance to HS, including vegetative growth, such as leaf growth parameters, plant height and stem, as well as reproductive growth in terms of flower number, fruit set and yield, and pollen and ovule development, thereby proposing strategies for the development of heat-tolerant tomato cultivars in response to high temperature.
Fault-Tolerant Topology of Agricultural Wireless Sensor Networks Based on a Double Price Function
Authors: Wu Huarui , Han Xiao , Yang Baozhu , Miao Yisheng , Zhu Huaji
Published: March 2022

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) enable the acquisition of multisource environmental data and crop states in precision agriculture. However, the complex agricultural environment causes the WSN topology to change frequently and link connection probability is difficult to predict. In order to improve the utilization of network resources and balance the network energy consumption, this paper studies an agricultural fault-tolerant topology construction method based on the potential game and cut vertex detection. Considering the connectivity redundancy, node lifetime, and residual energy, a fault-tolerant topology algorithm for agricultural WSN based on a double price function is designed. The network is clustered according to the node location and residual energy to form a single-hop effective cluster. Based on the network cluster, the price function is constructed in order to reduce energy consumption and balance network energy efficiency. The initial transmit power set supporting inter-cluster communication is obtained by potential game theory. While preserving the game characteristics of topology, the redundant links are eliminated and the transmit power is adjusted by a cut vertex detection algorithm to realize the construction of a 2-connected cluster head network. Simulation results show that the network topology constructed by the studied algorithm can balance the energy consumption and prolong the network lifetime effectively.
Phenotyping of Southern United States Soybean Cultivars for Potential Seed Weight and Seed Quality Compositions
Authors: Bheemanahalli Raju , Poudel Sadikshya , Alsajri Firas A. , Reddy Kambham Raja
Published: March 2022

Soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. production trends have increased throughout the past century due to its versatile use in food, feed, and fuel industries. The selection of soybean cultivars with higher yields coupled with consumer-preferred seed quality has become a priority to sustain economic advantage. In this study, eighteen popular soybean cultivars from different maturity groups (MG III to V) were phenotyped for yield and quality traits under optimum water and nutrient conditions. Significant phenotypic variability was observed for days to flowering, yield, and seed quality traits. The late flowering soybean cultivars (MG V) recorded 14% lower seed weight than the early flowering (MG IV). Under optimum growing conditions, protein content increased with the MGs, but oil content decreased. Further, significant negative correlations between protein and yield, oil, and sucrose were observed. In contrast, the oil content was positively correlated with yield. Cultivars 539-T3 and GT-477CR2 were classified as high-yielding short-duration soybean cultivars. Based on the cultivar performance index, MS 4616 RXT and 7547XT were found to have a combination of desirable industry traits such as high protein, and oil content with high yield compared to other cultivars. The current research provides prospective benchmark seed weight and quality parameters under sunlit and temperature conditions with optimum water and nutrient conditions for many soybean cultivars grown in the US Mid-South. Furthermore, it can assist growers and breeders in selecting soybean cultivars with high protein and oil specific to their regional demand.
Antibiotic Prescription Patterns in the Paediatric Primary Care Setting before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: An Analysis Using the AWaRe Metrics
Authors: Barbieri Elisa , Liberati Cecilia , Cantarutti Anna , Di Chiara Costanza , Lupattelli Angela , Sharland Michael , Giaquinto Carlo , Hsia Yingfen , Doná Daniele
Published: March 2022

The containment measures following COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced airway infections, but they also limited the access of patients to healthcare services. We aimed to assess the antibiotic prescription patterns in the Italian paediatric primary care setting before and after the containment measures implementation. For this retrospective analysis, we used a population database, Pedianet, collecting data of patients aged 0–14 years enrolled with family paediatricians (FP) from March 2019 to March 2021. Antibiotic prescriptions were classified according to WHO AWaRe classification. An interrupted time series evaluating the impact of the containment measures implementation on the monthly antibiotic index, on the access to watch index, and on the amoxicillin to co-amoxiclav index stratified by diagnosis was performed. Overall, 121,304 antibiotic prescriptions were retrieved from 134 FP, for a total of 162,260 children. From March 2020, the antibiotic index dropped by more than 80% for respiratory infections. The Access to Watch trend did not change after the containment measures, reflecting the propensity to prescribe more broad-spectrum antibiotics for respiratory infections even during the pandemic. Similarly, co-amoxiclav was prescribed more often than amoxicillin alone for all the diagnoses, with a significant variation in the trend slope for upper respiratory tract infections prescriptions.
Clinical Outcomes and Adverse Effects in Septic Patients with Impaired Renal Function Who Received Different Dosages of Cefoperazone–Sulbactam
Authors: Tai Chien-Hsiang , Tang Hung-Jen , Lee Chen-Hsiang
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and adverse effects in septic patients with impaired renal function who received different dosages of cefoperazone–sulbactam (CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g or 2 g/2 g every 12 h). The retrospective study was conducted using the Chang Gung Research Database to include adult patients who had renal insufficiency presented with septicemia caused by Gram-negative organisms and had received CFP–SUL for more than 1 week. A total of 265 patients (44 in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g group and 221 in the CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g group) were eligible to be included in this study. After 1:3 propensity score matching, 41 and 123 patients in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g and CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g groups, respectively, were included for analyses. There were no significant between-group differences in all-cause mortality rates and adverse effects, including prolonged prothrombin time. A logistic regression model showed that the Pitt bacteremia score was related to all-cause mortality rate and prolonged prothrombin time was associated with renal replacement therapy. The adverse effects of CFP–SUL did not increase in septic patients with impaired renal function receiving CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g Q12H. However, this study may be underpowered to reveal a difference in all-cause mortality.
Tomato Allergy: The Characterization of the Selected Allergens and Antioxidants of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)—A Review
Authors: Włodarczyk Katarzyna , Smolińska Beata , Majak Iwona
Published: March 2022

Tomatoes are one of the most broadly produced and consumed crop plants. They are the source of health-promoting nutrients such as antioxidants, including ascorbic acid, polyphenols, or carotenoids. Despite the beneficial role of tomatoes in the daily diet, they have been confirmed as one of the most prevalent allergenic vegetables. Food allergies can cause many clinical symptoms, e.g., in the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and lungs, as well as anaphylactic shock. A huge amount of clinical research has been carried out to improve the understanding of the immunological mechanisms that lead to the lack of tolerance of food antigens, which can result in either immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions or non-IgE-mediated reactions. Lifestyle and diet play an important role in triggering food allergies. Allergy to tomatoes is also linked to other allergies, such as grass pollen and latex allergy. Numerous attempts have been made to identify and characterize tomato allergens; however, the data available on the subject are not sufficient.