bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensorimotor and inhibitory control in aging FMR1 premutation carriers
Authors: Fielding-Gebhardt Heather , Kelly Shannon E. , Unruh Kathryn E. , Schmitt Lauren M. , Pulver Stormi L. , Khemani Pravin , Mosconi Matthew W.
Published: November 2023

Aging FMR1 premutation carriers are at risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, including fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), and there is a need to identify biomarkers that can aid in identification and treatment of these disorders. While FXTAS is more common in males than females, females can develop the disease, and some evidence suggests that patterns of impairment may differ across sexes. Few studies include females with symptoms of FXTAS, and as a result, little information is available on key phenotypes for tracking disease risk and progression in female premutation carriers. Our aim was to examine quantitative motor and cognitive traits in aging premutation carriers. We administered oculomotor tests of visually guided/reactive saccades (motor) and antisaccades (cognitive control) in 22 premutation carriers (73% female) and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Neither reactive saccade latency nor accuracy differed between groups. FMR1 premutation carriers showed increased antisaccade latencies relative to controls, both when considering males and females together and when analyzing females separately. Reduced saccade accuracy and increased antisaccade latency each were associated with more severe clinically rated neuromotor impairments. Findings indicate that together male and female premutation carriers show a reduced ability to rapidly exert volitional control over prepotent responses and that quantitative differences in oculomotor behavior, including control of visually guided and antisaccades, may track with FXTAS – related degeneration in male and female premutation carriers.
Lipids and lipoproteins may play a role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Akyol Omer , Akyol Sumeyya , Chou Mei-Chuan , Chen Shioulan , Liu Ching-Kuan , Selek Salih , Soares Jair C. , Chen Chu-Huang
Published: November 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other classes of dementia are important public health problems with overwhelming social, physical, and financial effects for patients, society, and their families and caregivers. The pathophysiology of AD is poorly understood despite the extensive number of clinical and experimental studies. The brain’s lipid-rich composition is linked to disturbances in lipid homeostasis, often associated with glucose and lipid abnormalities in various neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Moreover, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels may be related to a higher probability of AD. Here, we hypothesize that lipids, and electronegative LDL (L5) in particular, may be involved in the pathophysiology of AD. Although changes in cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and glucose levels are seen in AD, the cause remains unknown. We believe that L5—the most electronegative subfraction of LDL—may be a crucial factor in understanding the involvement of lipids in AD pathology. LDL and L5 are internalized by cells through different receptors and mechanisms that trigger separate intracellular pathways. One of the receptors involved in L5 internalization, LOX-1, triggers apoptotic pathways. Aging is associated with dysregulation of lipid homeostasis, and it is believed that alterations in lipid metabolism contribute to the pathogenesis of AD. Proposed mechanisms of lipid dysregulation in AD include mitochondrial dysfunction, blood–brain barrier disease, neuronal signaling, inflammation, and oxidative stress, all of which lead ultimately to memory loss through deficiency of synaptic integration. Several lipid species and their receptors have essential functions in AD pathogenesis and may be potential biomarkers.
Altered brain spontaneous activity in patients with cerebral small vessel disease using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation of different frequency bands
Authors: Chen Sina , Huang Ruiwang , Zhang Mingxian , Huang Xiaohuang , Ling Shuiqiao , Liu Shuxue , Yang Nan
Published: November 2023

Background

Previous studies showed that cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a leading cause of cognitive decline in elderly people and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Although brain structural changes of cSVD have been documented well, it remains unclear about the properties of brain intrinsic spontaneous activity in patients with cSVD.

Methods

We collected resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and T1-weighted 3D high-resolution brain structural images from 41 cSVD patients and 32 healthy controls (HC). By estimating the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) under three different frequency bands (typical band: 0.01–0.1 Hz; slow-4: 0.027–0.073 Hz; and slow-5: 0.01–0.027 Hz) in the whole-brain, we analyzed band-specific ALFF differences between the cSVD patients and controls.

Results

The cSVD patients showed uniformly lower ALFF than the healthy controls in the typical and slow-4 bands (pFWE < 0.05). In the typical band, cSVD patients showed lower ALFF involving voxels of the fusiform, hippocampus, inferior occipital cortex, middle occipital cortex, insula, inferior frontal cortex, rolandic operculum, and cerebellum compared with the controls. In the slow-4 band, cSVD patients showed lower ALFF involving voxels of the cerebellum, hippocampus, occipital, and fusiform compared with the controls. However, there is no significant between-group difference of ALFF in the slow-5 band. Moreover, we found significant “group × frequency” interactions in the left precuneus.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that brain intrinsic spontaneous activity of cSVD patients was abnormal and showed a frequency-specific characteristic. The ALFF in the slow-4 band may be more sensitive to detecting a malfunction in cSVD patients.
Quantification and reporting of vitamin D concentrations measured in human milk by LC–MS/MS
Authors: Jones Kerry S. , Meadows Sarah R. , Koulman Albert
Published: November 2023

Vitamin D is essential for optimal bone health, and vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy, growth and developmental outcomes. In early life, and in the absence of endogenous vitamin D production from UVB light, infants are reliant on vitamin D stores established in utero and the vitamin D supply from human milk (HM). However, comprehensive data on vitamin D in HM is lacking. Thus, in this review we explore the application of liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to the assessment of vitamin D in HM. We discuss the challenges of extracting and measuring multiple vitamin D metabolites from HM including the frequent requirement for a large sample volume, and inappropriate poor sensitivity. Shortcomings in the reporting of experimental procedures and data analysis further hinder advances in the field. Data collated from all studies that have applied LC–MS/MS reveal that, in general, cholecalciferol concentration is greater and more variable than 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, and that the vitamin D content of HM is low and less than the currently recommended dietary requirement of infants, although maternal supplementation can increase the vitamin D content of HM. Improvements in analytical methods and their validation and larger, more representative studies are required to better characterize HM milk vitamin D metabolite concentrations and their relationship with maternal status. These data are essential to understand relationships with infant health and to inform public health policies around vitamin D fortification and supplementation.
Is diet related to osteoarthritis? A univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study that investigates 45 dietary habits and osteoarthritis
Authors: Xie Zhuoting , Qin Yanguo
Published: November 2023

Background

Diet is a safe intervention for many chronic diseases as a modifiable lifestyle. However, the potential causal effect of many dietary intake habits on the risk of osteoarthritis has not been fully understood. The purpose of this study was to reveal the potential causal relationship of 45 genetically predicted dietary intakes with osteoarthritis and its subtypes.

Methods

Data on 45 dietary intakes were obtained from the UK Biobank study of approximately 500,000 participants, and data on six osteoarthritis-related phenotypes were obtained from the Genetics of Osteoarthritis Consortium study of 826,690 participants. We performed univariable Mendelian randomization (MR), multivariable MR and linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analyses.

Results

In univariate analyses, 59 potential associations between diet and osteoarthritis were found. After false discovery rate (FDR) correction and sensitivity analyses, 23 reliable causal evidence were identified. In multivariate analyses, controlling separately for the effects of body mass index, total body bone mineral density, and smoking status, eight robust causal relationships remained: Muesli intake was negatively associated with knee osteoarthritis, spine osteoarthritis and total knee replacement. Dried fruit intake had a negative association with osteoarthritis of knee and total knee replacement. Eating cheese may reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee and spine. And alcohol usually taken with meals was associated with a reduced risk of total knee replacement. LDSC analyses showed significant genetic correlations between all exposures and their corresponding outcomes, respectively, in these eight causal relationships.

Conclusion

Evidence of dietary effects on osteoarthritis is provided in our study, which has important implications for the prevention, management, and intervention of osteoarthritis in common sites through rational dietary modification.
ChatGPT: is it good for our glaucoma patients?
Authors: Wu Gloria , Lee David A. , Zhao Weichen , Wong Adrial , Sidhu Sahej
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Our study investigates ChatGPT and its ability to communicate with glaucoma patients.

Methods

We inputted eight glaucoma-related questions/topics found on the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)’s website into ChatGPT. We used the Flesch–Kincaid test, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG Index, and Dale–Chall readability formula to evaluate the comprehensibility of its responses for patients. ChatGPT’s answers were compared with those found on the AAO’s website.

Results

ChatGPT’s responses required reading comprehension of a higher grade level (average = grade 12.5 ± 1.6) than that of the text on the AAO’s website (average = 9.4 grade ± 3.5), (0.0384). For the eight responses, the key ophthalmic terms appeared 34 out of 86 times in the ChatGPT responses vs. 86 out of 86 times in the text on the AAO’s website. The term “eye doctor” appeared once in the ChatGPT text, but the formal term “ophthalmologist” did not appear. The term “ophthalmologist” appears 26 times on the AAO’s website. The word counts of the answers produced by ChatGPT and those on the AAO’s website were similar (p = 0.571), with phrases of a homogenous length.

Conclusion

ChatGPT trains on the texts, phrases, and algorithms inputted by software engineers. As ophthalmologists, through our websites and journals, we should consider encoding the phrase “see an ophthalmologist”. Our medical assistants should sit with patients during their appointments to ensure that the text is accurate and that they fully comprehend its meaning. ChatGPT is effective for providing general information such as definitions or potential treatment options for glaucoma. However, ChatGPT has a tendency toward repetitive answers and, due to their elevated readability scores, these could be too difficult for a patient to read.
Huangqi-Danshen decoction protects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in mice
Authors: Liu Xinhui , Gao Liwen , Huang Xi , Deng Ruyu , Wu Shanshan , Peng Yu , Lu Jiandong
Published: November 2023

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by cisplatin remains a major impediment to the clinical application of cisplatin, necessitating urgent exploration for promising solutions. Huangqi-Danshen decoction (HDD), a Chinese herbal preparation, has been shown by our group to have a reno-protective effect in adenine-induced chronic kidney disease mice and diabetic db/db mice. However, the effect of HDD on cisplatin-induced AKI and its underlying mechanisms are unknown.

Methods: The AKI model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (20 mg/kg) in C57BL/6 mice. The mice in the treatment group were administrated with HDD (6.8 g/kg/d) for 5 consecutive days before cisplatin challenge. After 72 h cisplatin injection, blood and kidney tissue were subsequently collected for biochemical detection, histopathological evaluation, Western blot analysis, immunohistochemical staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to detect changes in renal metabolites.

Results: The results showed that HDD significantly reduced serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and alleviated renal histopathological injury in cisplatin-induced AKI mice. And HDD treatment demonstrated a significant inhibition in apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in AKI mice. Moreover, non-target metabolomics revealed that HDD significantly restored 165 altered metabolites in AKI mice. Subsequent enrichment analysis and pathway analysis of these metabolites indicated that nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism was the primary pathway affected by HDD intervention. Further investigation showed that HDD could upregulate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthesis-related enzymes quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase, nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1, and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase to replenish NAD+ content in the kidney of AKI mice.

Conclusion: In summary, HDD exerted a protective effect against cisplatin-induced AKI and suppressed apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the kidney of AKI mice, which may be attributed to the modulation of NAD+ biosynthesis.
Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea affects the immune system and increases sleep in zebrafish
Authors: Tan Xiaohui , Wang Liping , Smith William Kojo , Sun Huayan , Long Lingyun , Mao Liyan , Huang Qiuwei , Huang Huifang , Zhong Zhaomin
Published: November 2023

The importance of adequate sleep for good health cannot be overstated. Excessive light exposure at night disrupts sleep, therefore, it is important to find more healthy drinks that can promote sleep under sleep-disturbed conditions. The present study investigated the use of A. sinensis (Lour.) Spreng leaf tea, a natural product, to reduce the adverse effects of nighttime light on sleep. Here, Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea at 1.0 and 1.5 g/L significantly increased sleep time in zebrafish larvae (5–7 dpf) with light-induced sleep disturbance. Transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis revealed a decrease in the immune-related genes, such as nfkbiab, tnfrsf1a, nfkbiaa, il1b, traf3, and cd40 in the 1.5 g/L Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea treatment group. In addition, a gene associated with sleep, bhlhe41, showed a significant decrease. Moreover, Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea suppressed the increase in neutrophils of Tg(mpo:GFP) zebrafish under sleep-disturbed conditions, indicating its ability to improve the immune response. Widely targeted metabolic profiling of the Aquilaria sinensis tea using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) revealed flavonoids as the predominant component. Network pharmacological and molecular docking analyses suggested that the flavonoids quercetin and eupatilin in Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea improved the sleep of zebrafish by interacting with il1b and cd40 genes under light exposure at night. Therefore, the results of the study provide evidence supporting the notion that Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea has a positive impact on sleep patterns in zebrafish subjected to disrupted sleep due to nighttime light exposure. This suggests that the utilization of Aquilaria sinensis leaf tea as a potential therapeutic intervention for sleep disturbances induced by light may yield advantageous outcomes.
Antidepressants use during pregnancy and child psychomotor, cognitive and language development at 2 years of age—Results from the 3D Cohort Study
Authors: Tanguay Noémie , Abdelouahab Nadia , Simard Marie-Noelle , Séguin Jean R. , Marc Isabelle , Herba Catherine M. , MacLeod Andrea A. N. , Courtemanche Yohann , Fraser William D. , Muckle Gina
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Approximately 5.5% of pregnant women take antidepressants. Studies on prenatal exposure to antidepressants reported no association with child cognition, and inconsistent results with motor function and language development. A limitation has been the failure to adjust for prenatal maternal distress.

Objectives: Assess the associations between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and child development at age two, while adjusting for maternal depressive symptoms and stress during pregnancy. Explore indirect effects through birth complications and consider sex-specific associations.

Methods: This is an ancillary study of the 3D (Design Develop, Discover) Study initiated during pregnancy. Data on antidepressants were collected through medication logs spanning the entire pregnancy. Depressive symptoms and stress were assessed during pregnancy by self-reported questionnaires, motor and cognitive development with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III), and language development with the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories at age 2. Multiple linear regressions were used to assess the associations between exposure and developmental outcomes. Mediation models were used to assess indirect effects. Interaction terms were introduced to assess sex-specific associations.

Results: 1,489 mother-child dyads were included, of whom 61 (4.1%) reported prenatal antidepressant use. Prenatal exposure was negatively associated with motor development (B = −0.91, 95% CI -1.73, −0.09 for fine motor, B = −0.89, 95% CI -1.81, 0.02 for gross motor), but not with cognitive (B = −0.53, 95% CI -1.82, 0.72) and language (B = 4.13, 95% CI -3.72, 11.89) development. Adjusting for maternal prenatal distress only slightly modified these associations. No indirect effect or differential effect according to child sex were found.

Conclusion: This study supports evidence of a negative association between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and motor development at age two, after adjusting for maternal distress, but the effect size remains very small, with about only one BSID-III point lower in average.
BM-MSCs alleviate diabetic nephropathy in male rats by regulating ER stress, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic pathways
Authors: Khamis Tarek , Abdelkhalek Adel , Abdellatif Hussein , Dwidar Nourelden , Said Ahmed , Ahmed Rama , Wagdy Kerolos , Elgarhy Rowina , Eltahan Rawan , Mohamed Hisham , Said Amer Eman , Hanna Maria , Ragab Tarek , Kishk Abdallah , Wael Judy , Sarhan Eyad , Saweres Linda , Reda Mohamed , Elkomy Sara , Mohamed Abdalah , Samy Abdullah , Khafaga Ateya , Shaker Youliana , Yehia Hamdy , Alanazi Asma , Alassiri Mohammed , Tîrziu Emil , Bucur Iulia Maria , Arisha Ahmed Hamed
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a chronic kidney disease, is a major cause of end-stage kidney disease worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have become a promising option to mitigate several diabetic complications.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in a rat model of STZ-induced DN. After the confirmation of diabetes, rats were treated with BM-MSCs and sacrificed at week 12 after treatment.

Results: Our results showed that STZ-induced DN rats had extensive histopathological changes, significant upregulation in mRNA expression of renal apoptotic markers, ER stress markers, inflammatory markers, fibronectin, and intermediate filament proteins, and reduction of positive immunostaining of PCNA and elevated P53 in kidney tissue compared to the control group. BM-MSC therapy significantly improved renal histopathological changes, reduced renal apoptosis, ER stress, inflammation, and intermediate filament proteins, as well as increased positive immunostaining of PCNA and reduced P53 in renal tissue compared to the STZ-induced DN group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our study indicates that BM-MSCs may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of DN and provide important insights into their potential use as a novel therapeutic approach for DN.
Effectiveness and safety of edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Alsultan Mohammed M. , Alahmari Abdullah K. , Mahmoud Mansour A. , Almalki Ziyad S. , Alzlaiq Wafa , Alqarni Faisal , Alsultan Fahad , Ahmed Nehad Jaser , Alenazi Ahmed O. , Scharf Lucas , Guo Jeff Jianfei
Published: November 2023

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia type. Patients with AF are often administered anticoagulants to reduce the risk of ischemic stroke due to an irregular heartbeat. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with nonvalvular AF by conducting an updated meta-analysis of real-world studies.

Methods: In this comprehensive meta-analysis, we searched two databases, PubMed and EMBASE, and included retrospective cohort observational studies that compared edoxaban with warfarin in patients with nonvalvular AF from 1 January 2009, to 30 September 2023. The effectiveness and safety outcomes were ischemic stroke and major bleeding, respectively. In the final analysis, six retrospective observational studies involving 87,236 patients treated with warfarin and 40,933 patients treated with edoxaban were included. To analyze the data, we used a random-effects model to calculate the hazard ratio (HR).

Results: Patients treated with edoxaban had a significantly lower risk of ischemic stroke [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.61–0.70; p < 0.0001] and major bleeding (HR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.49–0.69; p < 0.0001) than those treated with warfarin. The sensitivity analysis results for ischemic stroke and major bleeding were as follows: HR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.61–0.70; p < 0.0001 and HR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.49–0.69; p < 0.0001, respectively.

Conclusion: Our findings revealed that edoxaban performed better than warfarin against major bleeding and ischemic stroke.
Trofinetide—a new chapter in rett syndrome’s treatment
Authors: Furqan Muhammad
Published: November 2023

Trofinetide is the first drug approved by the FDA to treat Rett Syndrome in children aged 2 years or above. The drug significantly improved Rett syndrome behavioral scores Rett syndrome behavioral questionnaire in clinical studies. Although further research is needed to assess potential adverse events, Trofinetide’s notable efficacy signifies a significant advancement in Rett syndrome treatment, offering a new therapeutic avenue with the potential to ameliorate the condition.
Systemic mapping of organ plasma extravasation at multiple stages of chronic heart failure
Authors: Kitzerow Oliver , Suder Paul , Shukry Mohanad , Lisco Steven J. , Zucker Irving H. , Wang Han-Jun
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Chronic Heart failure (CHF) is a highly prevalent disease that leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Diffuse vasculopathy is a commonmorbidity associated with CHF. Increased vascular permeability leading to plasma extravasation (PEx) occurs in surrounding tissues following endothelial dysfunction. Such micro- and macrovascular complications develop over time and lead to edema, inflammation, and multi-organ dysfunction in CHF. However, a systemic examination of PEx in vital organs among different time windows of CHF has never been performed. In the present study, we investigated time-dependent PEx in several major visceral organs including heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, duodenum, ileum, cecum, and pancreas between sham-operated and CHF rats induced by myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Plasma extravasation was determined by colorimetric evaluation of Evans Blue (EB) concentrations at 3 days, ∼10 weeks and 4 months following MI.

Results: Data show that cardiac PEx was initially high at day 3 post MI and then gradually decreased but remained at a moderately high level at ∼10 weeks and 4 months post MI. Lung PEx began at day 3 and remained significantly elevated at both ∼10 weeks and 4 months post MI. Spleen PExwas significantly increased at ∼10 weeks and 4 months but not on day 3 post MI. Liver PEx occurred early at day 3 and remain significantly increased at ∼10 weeks and 4 months post MI. For the gastrointestinal (GI) organs including duodenum, ileum and cecum, there was a general trend that PEx level gradually increased following MI and reached statistical significance at either 10 weeks or 4 months post MI. Similar to GI PEx, renal PEx was significantly elevated at 4 months post MI.

Discussion: In summary, we found that MI generally incites a timedependent PEx of multiple visceral organs. However, the PEx time window for individual organs in response to the MI challenge was different, suggesting that different mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of PEx in these vital organs during the development of CHF.
Representing true plant genomes: haplotype-resolved hybrid pepper genome with trio-binning
Authors: Delorean Emily E. , Youngblood Ramey C. , Simpson Sheron A. , Schoonmaker Ashley N. , Scheffler Brian E. , Rutter William B. , Hulse-Kemp Amanda M.
Published: November 2023

As sequencing costs decrease and availability of high fidelity long-read sequencing increases, generating experiment specific de novo genome assemblies becomes feasible. In many crop species, obtaining the genome of a hybrid or heterozygous individual is necessary for systems that do not tolerate inbreeding or for investigating important biological questions, such as hybrid vigor. However, most genome assembly methods that have been used in plants result in a merged single sequence representation that is not a true biologically accurate representation of either haplotype within a diploid individual. The resulting genome assembly is often fragmented and exhibits a mosaic of the two haplotypes, referred to as haplotype-switching. Important haplotype level information, such as causal mutations and structural variation is therefore lost causing difficulties in interpreting downstream analyses. To overcome this challenge, we have applied a method developed for animal genome assembly called trio-binning to an intra-specific hybrid of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. HDA149 x Capsicum annuum L. cv. HDA330). We tested all currently available softwares for performing trio-binning, combined with multiple scaffolding technologies including Bionano to determine the optimal method of producing the best haplotype-resolved assembly. Ultimately, we produced highly contiguous biologically true haplotype-resolved genome assemblies for each parent, with scaffold N50s of 266.0 Mb and 281.3 Mb, with 99.6% and 99.8% positioned into chromosomes respectively. The assemblies captured 3.10 Gb and 3.12 Gb of the estimated 3.5 Gb chili pepper genome size. These assemblies represent the complete genome structure of the intraspecific hybrid, as well as the two parental genomes, and show measurable improvements over the currently available reference genomes. Our manuscript provides a valuable guide on how to apply trio-binning to other plant genomes.
The admixture of Quercus sp. in Pinus sylvestris stands influences wood anatomical trait responses to climatic variability and drought events
Authors: Giberti Giulia Silvia , von Arx Georg , Giovannelli Alessio , du Toit Ben , Unterholzner Lucrezia , Bielak Kamil , Carrer Marco , Uhl Enno , Bravo Felipe , Tonon Giustino , Wellstein Camilla
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Forests are threatened by increasingly severe and more frequent drought events worldwide. Mono-specific forests, developed as a consequence of widespread management practices established early last century, seem particularly susceptible to global warming and drought compared with mixed-species forests. Although, in several contexts, mixed-species forests display higher species diversity, higher productivity, and higher resilience, previous studies highlighted contrasting findings, with not only many positive but also neutral or negative effects on tree performance that could be related to tree species diversity. Processes underlying this relationship need to be investigated. Wood anatomical traits are informative proxies of tree functioning, and they can potentially provide novel long-term insights in this regard. However, wood anatomical traits are critically understudied in such a context. Here, we assess the role of tree admixture on Pinus sylvestris L. xylem traits such as mean hydraulic diameter, cell wall thickness, and anatomical wood density, and we test the variability of these traits in response to climatic parameters such as temperature, precipitation, and drought event frequency and intensity.

Methods

Three monocultural plots of P. sylvestris and three mixed-stand plots of P. sylvestris and Quercus sp. were identified in Poland and Spain, representing Continental and Mediterranean climate types, respectively. In each plot, we analyzed xylem traits from three P. sylvestris trees, for a total of nine trees in monocultures and nine in mixed stands per study location.

Results

The results highlighted that anatomical wood density was one of the most sensitive traits to detect tree responses to climatic conditions and drought under different climate and forest types. Inter-specific facilitation mechanisms were detected in the admixture between P. sylvestris and Quercus sp., especially during the early growing season and during stressful events such as spring droughts, although they had negligible effects in the late growing season.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that the admixture between P. sylvestris and Quercus sp. increases the resilience of P. sylvestris to extreme droughts. In a global warming scenario, this admixture could represent a useful adaptive management option.
Changes of physiological characteristics, element accumulation and hormone metabolism of tea leaves in response to soil pH
Authors: Jia Xiaoli , Zhang Qi , Wang Yuhua , Zhang Ying , Li Mingzhe , Cheng Pengyuan , Chen Meihui , Lin Shaoxiong , Zou Jishuang , Ye Jianghua , Wang Haibin
Published: November 2023

Soil acidification is very likely to affect the growth of tea trees and reduce tea yield. In this study, we analyzed the effects of soils with different pH on the physiological characteristics of tea leaves and determined the multi-element content and hormone metabolomes of tea leaves by ICP-MS and LC-MS/MS, based on which we further analyzed their interaction. The results showed that increasing soil pH (3.29~5.32) was beneficial to increase the available nutrient content of the rhizosphere soil of tea tree, improve the antioxidant enzyme activity and photosynthesis capacity of tea tree leaves, and promote the growth of tea tree. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and bubble characteristics analysis were used to screen key elements and hormones for the effect of pH on tea leaves, which were further analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA) and interaction network. The results showed that an increase in soil pH (3.29~5.32) favored the accumulation of seven key elements (C, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, P, S) in tea tree leaves, which in turn promoted the synthesis of six key hormones (salicylic acid, salicylic acid 2-O-β-glucoside, tryptamine, 2-oxindole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, trans-zeatin-O-glucoside). It can be seen that the increase in soil pH (3.29~5.32) enhanced the resistance of the tea tree itself, improved the photosynthesis ability of the tea tree, and effectively promoted the growth of the tea tree.
Carbon dioxide treatment modulates phosphatidic acid signaling and stress response to improve chilling tolerance and postharvest quality in paprika
Authors: Park Me-Hea , Ku Kang-Mo , Do Kyung-Ran , Eum Hyang Lan , Cho Jae Han , Park Pue Hee , Malka Siva Kumar
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) is prone to chilling injury (CI) during low-temperature storage. Although recent findings suggest that CO2 treatment may protect against CI, the effects of short-term CO2 treatment on CI and the underlying molecular mechanisms in paprika remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of short-term CO2 treatment on CI and postharvest quality in paprika during storage at cold storage and retail condition at physio-biochemical-molecular level.

Methods

Paprika was treated with 20 and 30% CO2 for 3 h and stored at 4°C for 14 days, followed by additional storage for 2 days at 20°C (retail condition). Fruit quality parameters, including weight loss, firmness, color, and pitting were assessed, and the molecular mechanism of the treatment was elucidated using transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

Results

Short-term treatment with 20 and 30% CO2 effectively maintained paprika quality during cold storage and retailer conditions, with reduced surface pitting, a common symptom of CI. Additionally, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that 20% CO2 treatment induced genes associated with biosynthesis of phosphatidic acid (PA), diacylglycerol, triacylglycerol, and stress response, metabolites associated with phasphatidyl inositol signaling, inositol phosphate metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism.

Conclusion

CO2 treatment activates PA biosynthesis through PLD and PLC-DGK pathways, and induces inositol phosphate, starch, and sucrose metabolism, thereby regulating chilling stress response via the ICE-CBF pathway. These findings suggest that short-term CO2 treatment enhances resistance to cold-induced injury and preserves postharvest quality in non-climacteric fruits, such as paprika, through activation of PA signaling, which improves membrane stability during cold storage and distribution.
Exploring domestication pattern in lotus: insights from dispensable genome assembly
Authors: Qi Huanhuan , Yu Feng , Lü Shiyou , Damaris Rebecca Njeri , Dong Guoqing , Yang Pingfang
Published: November 2023

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), an important aquatic plant in horticulture and ecosystems, has been cultivated for more than 7000 years and domesticated into three different subgroups: flower lotus, rhizome lotus, and seed lotus. To explore the domesticated regions of each subgroup, re-sequencing data of 371 lotus accessions collected from the public database were aligned to the genome of ‘China-Antique (CA)’. Unmapped reads were used to build the dispensable genome of each subgroup using a metagenome-like assembly strategy. More than 27 Mb of the dispensable genome in these three subgroups and the wild group was assembled, of which 11,761 genes were annotated. Some of the contigs in the dispensable genome were similar to the genomic segments of other lotus accessions other than ‘CA’. The annotated genes in each subgroup played essential roles in specific developmental processes. Dissection of selective signals in three cultivated subgroups also demonstrated that subgroup-specific metabolic pathways, such as the brassinosteroids metabolism enrichment in FL, associated with these selected genes in each subgroup and the contigs in dispensable genome nearly located in the domesticated regions of each subgroup, respectively. Our data presented a valuable resource for facilitating lotus genomic studies, complemented the helpful information to the reference genome, and shed light on the selective signals of domesticated subgroups.
Management of crisis or crisis of management? The Thai government's “policy as discourse” handling of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sukhampha Rangsan , Kaasch Alexandra
Published: November 2023

The complexity of crisis management in the context of COVID-19, which ranges from the global to the national, reveals a wide variety of means and ends, particularly at the national level. This triggered scholarly interest and raised questions regarding how central (authoritarian) governments handle the COVID-19 pandemic within state borders. The paper evaluates the Thai government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the beginning of 2020 to the middle of 2022, when the pandemic was declared over. We employ critical discourse analysis to explain Thailand's crisis management by engaging discursively with different population groups in the country. The findings indicate that the discursive policies and measures implemented by the government to deviate from and halt public pressure resulting from his mismanagement of vaccine policy are based on narratives related to national traditions as a means of resolving dilemmas rather than on the social needs of vulnerable individual citizens. We witnessed how discursive policies and measures can lead to other problems and ineffective responses, specifically regarding vaccine distribution. The article contributes to a better understanding of how, why, and to what extent discursive policies and measures were instrumentalized by an authoritarian government for COVID-19 crisis management, which can likely be inferred in similar cases in developing nations.
Mode of delivery preferences: the role of childbirth fear among nulliparous women
Authors: Elgzar Wafaa Taha , Alshahrani Majed Saeed , Ibrahim Heba Abdel-Fatah
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The increasing Cesarean Section (CS) rates may be attributed to women’s increasing requests for elective CS. High Fear of Childbirth (FOC), especially among nulliparous women, may be significantly associated with CS preference without medical indications. The current study aims to investigate the impact of childbirth fear on the mode of delivery preference among nulliparous women.

Methods

A cross-sectional correlational study was performed in the Maternal and Children Hospital (MCH) from the beginning of October 2022 to the end of February 2023 and incorporated a convenience sample of 342 nulliparous women. The data was collected using a self-reported questionnaire comprising participants’ demographic and obstetrics characteristics and the FOC questionnaire. A logistic regression model examined the relationship between CS preference and the other independent variables.

Results

The results indicated that 74.3% of the nulliparous women preferred vaginal delivery, while 25.7% preferred Cesarean Section. Concerning childbirth-related fear, the highest mean scores were related to fear of clinical procedures, fear of harming or distressing the infant, and fear of pain 5.19 ± 1.13, 5.12 ± 1.27, and 5.09 ± 1.22, respectively. High FOC was present among 74.6%, moderate in 17.3%, and severe in 6.7% of the participants. Logistic regression analysis showed maternal age and monthly income were the significant sociodemographic determinants of choosing CS as the preferred delivery mode (p < 0.05). Moreover, the participants who had increased fear of harming or distressing the infant, fear from pain, fear from the body’s ability to give birth, fear from not being involved in decision-making, and overall FOC had a higher probability of choosing CS as the preferred delivery mode compared to the participants who had lower fear (p < 0.05).

Discussion

Having high FOC increases the CS preference among nulliparous women. Increased fear of harming or distressing the infant, fear from pain, fear from the body’s ability to give birth, and fear from not being involved in decision- making seem to be significant dimensions of childbirth fear associated with CS preference among nulliparous women.
Comparing the beliefs regarding biological or psychological causalities toward stereotyped perception of people who stutter
Authors: Iimura Daichi , Ishida Osamu
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Developmental stuttering is a fluency disorder that may be caused by neurological, genetic, or familial factors. However, a general perception that stuttering is caused by psychological problems could lead to negative attitudes toward stuttering, causing prejudice or discrimination against people who stutter (PWS). Thus, our study aimed to investigate whether certain beliefs in etiology of stuttering are related to the negative perception of stuttering.

Methods

A web-based survey of 413 native Japanese adults, aged 20−69, who did not suffer from stuttering, schizophrenia, or depression, was conducted in August 2021. The participants were recruited through the Web monitor panel. Participants were divided into three uniform groups based on their response to a 27-item questionnaire about their implicit belief regarding the etiology of stuttering: belief in the biological model (stuttering-biological group), belief in the psychological model (stuttering-psychological group), and the control group (those who responded to perception of healthy adult males). Participants were also asked to respond to 25 items of semantic differential scales about perception of stuttering or healthy adult males. Responses were summarized into several factors by factor analysis, and factor scores were compared among the three groups. The stuttering-biological group had the fewest participants, comprising 80 individuals. Overall, a total of 240 participants, 80 from each group, were included in the analysis.

Results

Some pairs of stereotypes included in semantic differential scales revealed differences between the groups; PWS, irrespective of the participants of the biological or psychological group, were considered as having negative stereotyping properties such as being “tense,” “anxious,” or “afraid.” Additionally, three concepts from the factor analysis of these 25 items were analyzed using an analysis of variance, and significant differences were found; the mean factor score of the “danger” stereotype was lower in the stuttering-biological group compared to the stuttering-psychological group.

Conclusion

Although the simplification of the biological model is not recommended, anti-stigma campaigns to educate people that stuttering is caused by multidimensional factors, not just psychological ones, could change the general public’s negative perceptions of stuttering.
Clinical evaluation of premonitory urges in children and adolescents using the Chinese version of Individualized Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale
Authors: Che Guanghua , Ren Wenjing , McGuire Joseph F. , Li Ping , Zhao Zhiruo , Tian Jing , Zhang Jinyuan , Zhang Yue
Published: November 2023

Background

Premonitory urges (PUs) have been the focus of recent efforts to assess the severity and develop interventions for tic disorders (TD). We aimed to investigate the PUs in TD and its comorbidities from multiple dimensions, using the Chinese version of the Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (C-PUTS) and the Chinese version of the Individualized Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (C-IPUTS), in order to provide perspectives for the diagnosis and management of TD in children and adolescents.

Methods

A total of 123 cases were included in the study. The IPUTS was translated, back-translated, culturally adjusted, and pre-investigated to determine the items of the C-IPUTS. The reliability and validity of the C-IPUTS scale were evaluated by a questionnaire survey on children and adolescents with TD at the Developmental Pediatrics Department of the Second Hospital of Jilin University. Meanwhile, the C-PUTS, which had been evaluated and used in China, Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS), Screen for Childhood Anxiety-Related Disorders (SCARED), Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, Version IV (SNAP-IV), were used to assess the association of PUs with tics and comorbidities of TD.

Results

All dimensions of the C-IPUTS demonstrated good reliability and validity. Our findings suggested that PUs in children and adolescents in China occurred primarily at the head/face and neck/throat. The different dimensions of the C-IPUTS (number, frequency, and intensity) and C-PUTS were positively correlated with the YGTSS total score, while the C-PUTS was positively correlated with the Y-BOCS, SCARED, DSRS, and SNAP-IV scale total scores. The three dimensions of the C-IPUTS demonstrated correlations with anxiety severity and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Conclusion

The C-IPUTS can be used to assess PUs reliably and effectively and provide further information for the C-PUTS from various dimensions in a Chinese setting. PUs relate to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with TDs. Accordingly, PUs evaluation using the C-IPUTS combined with the PUTS might provide useful information for future therapies for TDs to achieve greater tic reduction.
Father’s perceptions and care involvement for their very preterm infants at French neonatal intensive care units
Authors: Stern-Delfils Amélie , Leray Isabelle , Caeymaex Laurence , Dicky Odile , Akrich Madeleine , Reynaud Audrey , Bouvard Charlotte , Evrard Anne , Sizun Jacques , Tscherning Charlotte , Kuhn Pierre ,   the GREEN Committee (Groupe de Réflexion et d’Evaluation de l’Environnement des Nouveau-nés de la Société Française de Néonatologie)
Published: November 2023

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate (1) fathers’ perceptions and care involvement for their very premature infants and their views of the hospitalization period based on parental reports and (2) their evolution over time.

Methods

We used an online parental survey to assess answers from parents of very preterm infants who were successfully discharged from French neonatal units. We analysed answers from February 2014 to January 2019 to an anonymous internet-based survey from the GREEN committee of the French Neonatal Society. Responses were compared for period 1 (P1, 1998 to 2013) and period 2 (P2, 2014 to 2019).

Results

We analyzed 2,483 surveys, 124 (5%) from fathers and 2,359 (95%) from mothers. At birth, 1,845 (80%) fathers were present in the hospital, but only 879 (38%) were near the mother. The presence of fathers in the NICU increased from P1 to P2 (34.5% vs. 43.1%, p = 0.03). Nearly two thirds of fathers accompanied their infants during transfer to the NICU (1,204 fathers, 60.6%). Fathers and mothers had similar perceptions regarding relationships with caregivers and skin-to-skin contact with their infants. However, more fathers than mothers felt welcome in the NICU and in care involvement regarding requests for their wishes when they met their infant (79% vs. 60%, p = 0.02) and in the presentation of the NICU (91% vs. 76%; p = 0.03). Mothers and fathers significantly differed in the caring procedures they performed (p = 0.01), procedures they did not perform but wanted to perform (p < 0.001), and procedures they did not perform and did not want to perform (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Most fathers were present at the births of their very preterm infants, but fewer fathers were near the mother at this time. Less than two thirds of fathers accompanied their infants to the NICU. There should be further changes to better meet the specific needs of the fathers of infants requiring care in the NICU. Continuing assessment with an online questionnaire may be useful to monitor changes over time in father’s involvement in NICUs.