bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive analysis of endoplasmic reticulum stress and immune infiltration in major depressive disorder
Authors: Zhang Jing , Xie Shujun , Chen Yujia , Zhou Xin , Zheng Zhuanfang , Yang Lingling , Li Yan
Published: October 2022

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a life-threatening, debilitating mental health condition. An important factor in the development of depression is endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). However, their roles in MDD have not yet been established. The goal of this study was to examine ERS and its underlying molecular mechanisms in MDD.

Methods

We used data from two microarray datasets (GSE98793 and GSE39653) and the GeneCards database to examine the reticulum stress-related differentially expressed genes (ERSR-DEGs) associated with MDD. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) were used to further investigate the function and mechanism of ERS in MDD. Moreover, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks to identify hub genes as well as the regulatory network of microRNAs (miRNAs), transcription factors (TFs), and potential drugs related to ERSR-DEGs. CIBERSORT was then used to evaluate the immune activity of MDD samples and conduct a correlation analysis between the hub genes and immune cells.

Results

In total, 37 ERSR-DEGs and five hub genes were identified (NCF1, MAPK14, CASP1, CYBA, and TNF). Functional enrichment analysis revealed that ERSR-DEGs were predominantly enriched in inflammation-and immunity-related pathways, such as tumor necrosis factor signaling, NF-κB signaling, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. Additionally, 179 miRNAs, 25 TFs, and 15 potential drugs were tested for their interactions with the ERSR-DEGs. CIBERSORT found high proportions of Tregs, monocytes, and macrophages M0 in the MDD samples. Among these, hub genes showed a significant correlation with immune cell infiltration in patients with MDD.

Conclusions

NCF1, MAPK14, CASP1, CYBA, and TNF are potential ERS-related biomarkers for the diagnosis of MDD. Our research has revealed a significant correlation between immune cells and ERS-related genes with MDD. Not only did our study contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ERS in underlying MDD pathology, but it also established a paradigm for future studies on ERS.
Prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth: A population-based cohort study of twins
Authors: Qiao Ping , Fan Kechen , Bao Yirong , Yuan Ling , Kan Haidong , Zhao Yan , Cai Jing , Ying Hao
Published: October 2022

Background

Studies in singletons have suggested that prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and some of its chemical components is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB). However, no study has been conducted in twins.

Purpose

To examine the associations of maternal exposure to total PM2.5 mass and its carbonaceous components with PTB in twin pregnancies.

Methods

A total of 1,515 pairs of twins and their mothers were enrolled from a previous twin birth cohort that had been conducted at the Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital School of Medicine of Tongji University in China. Participants who had iatrogenic PTBs were excluded. Maternal exposure to total PM2.5 mass and two carbonaceous components, namely, organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC), was estimated by a satellite-based model. The associations between PM2.5 exposure and the risk of spontaneous PTB were evaluated by logistic regression analysis.

Results

This study found that exposure to total PM2.5 mass and OC during the second trimester of pregnancy was significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous PTB. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in total PM2.5 mass and OC exposure during the second trimester was associated with 48% (OR = 1.48, 95% CI, 1.06, 2.05) and 50% (OR = 1.50, 95% CI, 1.00, 2.25) increases in the odds of PTB, respectively. However, no significant association was found between BC exposure during any exposure window and the risk of PTB.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that exposure to ambient air pollution with fine particles may be a risk factor for spontaneous PTB in twin pregnancies. The middle stage of pregnancy seems to be a critical window for the impacts of PM2.5 exposure on PTB in twin pregnancies.
Improvement in cardio-metabolic health and immune signatures in old individuals using daily chores (Salat) as an intervention: A randomized crossover study in a little-studied population
Authors: Alam Iftikhar , Ullah Riaz , Jan Attaullah , Sehar Bismillah , Khalil Atif Ali Khan , Naqeeb Huma , Ali Essam A. , Wahab Qazi Muhammad Farooq , Safdar Mahpara , Ali Abid , Zaman Muhammad Haidar , Zeb Falak
Published: October 2022

Background

Decline in cardio-metabolic health, immunity, and physical activity is associated with old age. Old people also find it difficult to engage in structured exercise programs. Therefore, there is a need to investigate common daily chores as an alternative for exercise that may also help in maintaining cardio-metabolic and immune health.

Objective

We aimed to investigate whether Salat, an obligatory Islamic prayer involving various physical movements and closely resembling yoga, enhances the benefits conferred by the current guidelines for physical activity.

Methods

A total of 30 overweight adults (mean (SD) age of 53.5 (8.7) years) participated in this study. For a 4-week duration, we compared the effects of Salat before/after meals (Pre-MS/Post-MS) on selected immunological and metabolic parameters in serum samples. We also compared the effects of both Pre-MS/Post-MS regimens in young and old subjects to observe any age-related effects.

Results

Most of the baseline metabolic parameters and the count of immune cells were normal. Post-MS resulted in a significant reduction in body weight and percent body fat (%BF). Overall, Post-MS resulted in a clear leukocytosis with a significant increase in granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes. When analyzing the lymphocyte compartment, a clear numerical increase was noted for T, B, and NK cells. The number of CD8+ T cells showed a statistically significant increase. Similarly, Post-MS induced leukocytosis in both young and old individuals, while the increase in granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes was statistically significant in old subjects only.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the Islamic obligatory and congressional Salat practice is capable of mimicking desirable pro-immune and pro-metabolic health effects.

Clinical trial registration

(UMIN000048901).
Knowledge, attitude, and practice associated with antimicrobial resistance among medical students between 2017 and 2022: A survey in East China
Authors: Min Shengyi , Zhou Yuxuan , Sun Yuxuan , Ye Jiaquan , Dong Yongfei , Wang Xichao , Zhou Zhemin , Zhou Hanyu , Li Heng
Published: October 2022

This study described the knowledge, attitude, practice regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among medical students between 2017 and 2022 in East China. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with a total of 1,066 respondents. We highlighted that the undergraduates had a significant increase in the knowledge of antimicrobial resistance during the 5 years from 2017 to 2022 (p < 0.001). The majority of the assertions about the AMR were correctly identified by respondents. However, gaps were still observed in the issues of antimicrobial targets and bacterial transmission. In addition, overconfident attitudes and inappropriate behaviors of antimicrobial overuse and misuse were observed in the respondents. A number of 30.2% to 45.2% of the respondents asserted that there is no risk of AMR as long as the antimicrobials are taken correctly, and a proportion of the students (25.3% in 2022; 69.3% in 2017, p < 0.001) declared to buy antimicrobials from friends or family members to treat the same illness. Finally, spearman correlation coefficient was enrolled to compare the correlation of the student's KAP. Results showed that the students' knowledge of antimicrobials had a correlation with attitude (p = 0.0126) and practice (p < 0.001), suggesting that public education on knowledge could influence the behaviors among the medical students. Taken all together, our findings show a need to strengthen the medical students' cogitation on antimicrobial attitude and practice of appropriate usage as an essential strategy to reduce intractable public health problems. Additional curriculum reforms will be needed to add more specific AMR-related lectures to raise awareness amongst medical students in China.
Clinical predictors and RT-PCR profile of prolonged viral shedding in patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Shanghai: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Zhang Wen , Zhou Shuang , Wang Gang , Cao Min , Sun Ding , Lu Wei , Shi Li , Guo Yong , Xu Xiangru , Pu Yuting , Chen Caiyu , Yang Hongqiang , Sun Yuting , Hu Hongyi , Fang Bangjiang
Published: October 2022

Objective

To evaluate determinants of prolonged viral RNA shedding in hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant infection.

Materials and methods

Hospitalized patients tested SARS-CoV-2 positive by nasopharyngeal real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were included in the single-center, retrospective study. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the timing of viral clearance (≤ 8 days, “early clearance” and ≥15 days, “late clearance”).

Results

4,084 patients were included in the study (1,023 late clearance, 3,061 early clearance), with median age of 50 years and a higher proportion (61.4%) of male. Univariate analyses showed that comorbidities (including hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease), receiving vaccine, the number of vaccinations, cycle threshold (Ct) open reading frame 1ab (ORF 1ab), and nucleocapsid protein (N) gene values on admission were associated with late viral clearance. In the multivariable analysis, the number of vaccinations (P = 0.010) and Ct ORF 1ab gene (P < 0.001) values on admission were significantly associated with late viral clearance. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) analysis showed that the Ct value of ORF 1ab gene and N gene remained unchanged within 3 days, and showed progressively higher values with increasing days during late viral RNA clearance.

Conclusion

The number of vaccinations and Ct values of ORF 1ab gene were independently associated with a prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding.
Ukraine as a food and grain hub: Impact of science and technology development on food security in the world
Authors: Bazhal Maksym , Koutchma Tatiana
Published: October 2022

The challenges facing the world today caused by a growing population, reduced resources, global warming, climate shocks, and social and political crises are heavily affecting agri-food systems and supply chains. A global food crisis fueled by conflicts, global warming, climate shocks, and the COVID-19 pandemic is growing because of the bad effects of the war in Ukraine which is one of the world’s major breadbaskets. Science and innovation are the key accelerators to achievingthe complex rapid change in food production, distribution, and consumption required to support the global food security. This article reviews the information on grains, crops, and food production in Ukraine and discusses how the development of food education, science, and technology in Ukraine may impact food security in the world. Ukrainian food science as a part of the global scientific community offers solutions to enhance the stability of the grain and food supply while aiding to reduce food and grain loss, improve food safety, develop novel processing technologies such as pulsed electric field technology (PEF), biotechnology, and extraction methods for biomass recovery or separation technologies, increase environmental safety, energy saving, management of food production and distribution, make advancement in the production of sugar and alcohol, and improvements of food attributes. In support of this conclusion, the main research and development achievements of Ukrainian food scientists are represented.
Construction and validation of a prognostic model for predicting overall survival of primary adrenal malignant tumor patients: A population-based study with 1,080 patients
Authors: Xie Wenhao , Zhang Yida , Cao Runfu
Published: October 2022

Objective

Primary adrenal malignant tumor is rare. The factors affecting the prognosis remain poorly defined. This study targeted to construct and corroborate a model for predicting the overall survival of adrenal malignant tumor patients.

Methods

We investigated the SEER database for patients with primary adrenal malignant tumor. 1,080 patients were divided into a construction cohort (n = 756) and a validation cohort (n = 324), randomly. The prognostic factors for overall survival were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses. The nomogram was constructed and then validated with C-index, calibration curve, time-dependent ROC curve, and decision curve analysis in both cohorts. Then we divided the patients into 3 different risk groups according to the total points of the nomogram and analyzed their survival status by Kaplan-Meier curve with log-rank test.

Results

The baseline characteristics of these two cohorts were not statistically different (P > 0.05). Using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, 5 variables, including age, tumor size, histological type, tumor stage, and surgery of primary site, were distinguished as prognostic factors (P < 0.05). Based on these variables, we constructed a nomogram to predict the 3- year, 5- year, and 10-year overall survival. The C-indexes were 0.780 (0.760–0.800) in the construction cohort and 0.780 (0.751–0.809) in the validation cohort. In both cohorts, the AUC reached a fairly high level at all time points. The internal and external calibration curves and ROC analysis showed outstanding accuracy and discrimination. The decision curves indicated excellent clinical usefulness. The best cut-off values for the total points of the nomogram were 165.4 and 243.1, and the prognosis was significantly different for the three different risk groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

We successfully constructed a model to predict the overall survival of primary adrenal malignant tumor patients. This model was validated to perform brilliantly internally and externally, which can assist us in individualized clinical management.
Antimicrobial use in cattle and poultry production on occurrence of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli. A systematic review with focus on sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Azabo Rogers , Dulle Frankwell , Mshana Stephen E. , Matee Mecky , Kimera Sharadhuli
Published: October 2022

Antimicrobial use in livestock production has been linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide; however, optimization of their use has been considered an important strategy in dealing with it. The aims of this study were as follows: (a) to assess the literature on antimicrobial usage (practices, frequency, class, type) in cattle and poultry production with regard to resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) including multidrug resistance (MDR) (b) summarize evidence for quantitative (volumes of active antimicrobial ingredients) and quality (identify and quantify active ingredient) and (c) to identify data gaps. Peer reviewed literature search was conducted by querying two online databases: PubMed and Google scholar from November 15, 2018 to February 2019. The inclusion criteria for eligibility were articles: published in English between 2008 and 2018, including poultry (chicken) or cattle or both, E. coli bacteria of choice, antimicrobial use on farms, quantitative data and quality of antimicrobial used. Microsoft Excel was used for data extraction and Rayyan software for eligibility studies. The search retrieved 1,446 probable articles including those from the reference list of significant papers, of which twenty-four articles remained on full text review with more than a third of the studies being conducted in Nigeria. Farm surveys and antimicrobial sales were identified as the main sources of data and the mean quantities of antimicrobials based on sales data were 23,234, 41,280.87, and 1,538,443 kg of the active ingredient in Nigeria, Zambia and South Africa, respectively. One study from Cameroon determined the quantities of active ingredients based on dose metrics while another study still from Cameroon mentioned the quality of antimicrobials. Tetracyclines, beta-lactams/aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones were the most common classes of antimicrobials (antibiotics) used. Our review reveals a dearth of information in Sub- Saharan Africa on the quantity and quality of veterinary drugs and yet they play a role in the overall picture of antimicrobial resistance. This finding gives an opportunity in the area of focus for future research as far as resistance and multidrug resistance are concerned in food producing animals.
An Actor-Based Formal Model and Runtime Environment for Resource-Bounded IoT Services
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed Abdelmoamen
Published: October 2022

With sensors becoming increasingly ubiquitous, there is tremendous potential for Internet of Things (IoT) services that can take advantage of the data collected by these sensors. Although there are a growing number of technologies focused on IoT services, there is relatively limited foundational work on them. This is partly because of the lack of precise understanding, specification, and analysis of such services, and, consequently, there is limited platform support for programming them. In this paper, we present a formal model for understanding and enabling reasoning about distributed IoT services. The paper first studies the key properties of the IoT services profoundly, and then develops an approach for fine-grained resource coordination and control for such services. The resource model identifies the core mechanisms underlying IoT services, informing design and implementation decisions about them if implemented over a middleware or a platform. We took a multi-agent systems approach to represent IoT services, broadly founded in the actors model of concurrency. Actor-based services can be built by composing simpler services. Furthermore, we created a proximity model to represent an appropriate notion of IoT proximity. This model represents the dynamically evolving relationship between the service’s sensing and acting capabilities and the environments in which these capabilities are exercised. The paper also presents the design of a runtime environment to support the implementation of IoT services. Key mechanisms required by such services will be implemented in a distributed middleware.
Convolutional Neural Networks: A Roundup and Benchmark of Their Pooling Layer Variants
Authors: Galanis Nikolaos-Ioannis , Vafiadis Panagiotis , Mirzaev Kostas-Gkouram , Papakostas George A.
Published: October 2022

One of the essential layers in most Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) is the pooling layer, which is placed right after the convolution layer, effectively downsampling the input and reducing the computational power required. Different pooling methods have been proposed over the years, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, rendering them a better fit for different applications. We introduce a benchmark between many of these methods that highlights an optimal choice for different scenarios depending on each project’s individual needs, whether it is detail retention, performance, or overall computational speed requirements.
Whole-Body Control for a Torque-Controlled Legged Mobile Manipulator
Authors: Li Jun , Gao Haibo , Wan Yuhui , Humphreys Joseph , Peers Christopher , Yu Haitao , Zhou Chengxu
Published: October 2022

The task of performing locomotion and manipulation simultaneously poses several scientific challenges, such as how to deal with the coupling effects between them and how to cope with unknown disturbances introduced by manipulation. This paper presents an inverse dynamics-based whole-body controller for a torque-controlled quadrupedal manipulator capable of performing locomotion while executing manipulation tasks. Unlike existing methods that deal with locomotion and manipulation separately, the proposed controller can handle them uniformly, which can take into account the coupling effects between the base, limbs and manipulated object. The controller tracks the desired task–space motion references based on a hierarchical optimization algorithm, given a set of hierarchies that define strict priorities and the importance of weighting each task within a hierarchy. The simulation results show the robot is able to follow multiple task–space motion reference trajectories with reasonable deviation, which proved the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
A Preliminary Experimental Study on the Effects of Wear on the Torsional Stiffness of Strain Wave Gears
Authors: Raviola Andrea , De Martin Andrea , Sorli Massimo
Published: October 2022

Strain wave gears, also known as harmonic drives, are employed in a wide range of fields such as robotics and aerospace, where light weights, precision, and reliability are essential to the correct execution of the tasks. For this reason, their understanding and optimization are of high interest for both academia and industry. Previous studies have been mainly focused on investigating and modeling the working principle of strain wave gears in nominal operating conditions. On the contrary, the present paper describes the results of an experimental campaign aimed to introduce wear in gears of two different suppliers and its impact on the gear torsional stiffness. Results show how the change in the gear performance strongly depends both on the gear manufacturer and the location of wear. For the analyzed components, a damaged wave generator–flexspline interface reduces the gear stiffness up to one-fourth of its nominal value, while the non-nominal shape of the teeth jeopardizes the gearbox performance, leading up to just 4% of the nominal stiffness values, and resulting in backlash. Such data can be used to properly model the presence of wear in strain wave gears and to train data-driven diagnostics and prognostics routines to effectively detect such a fault.
Simulation of Forced Convection Frost Formation in Microtubule Bundles at Ultra-Low Temperature
Authors: Mi Youzhi , Liu Meng , Wu Hao , Wang Jun , Zhao Ruikai
Published: October 2022

Hypersonic vehicles are an important area of research in the aerospace field today. One of the important issues is the power of the engine. In order to achieve large-span flight speeds, a more efficient approach is to use combined power systems. However, the problem of pre-cooler icing can occur in combined engine applications. The flow in the pre-cooler is extremely complex. Outside the tube is the high-temperature wet air entering from the engine intake, and the tube cooling is the ultra-low temperature cooling medium. Icing not only increases the heat exchange resistance of the pre-cooler during operation and affects the heat exchange performance of the pre-cooler, but also causes a large total pressure loss, resulting in a degradation of the engine performance. There is a lack of research on the icing law of the pre-cooler under different parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a corresponding numerical calculation study on pre-cooler icing and explore the influence of various influencing factors on icing. In this paper, a mathematical model of icing (frost) is established for the frosting phenomenon that may occur during the operation of the pre-cooler. Additionally, the principle of heat and mass transfer in the icing process is described by the mathematical model, and the influence of different parameters on the frosting parameters is explored by using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The law of tube bundle icing under different parameters was calculated, and the variation laws of frost layer morphology and wet air pressure drop were obtained. The laws of tube bundle icing under different parameters were calculated, and the changes in frost layer pattern and wet air pressure drop when each parameter was changed, which can provide guidance for the design and application of pre-coolers in the future.
Rapid Evaluation of the Decay Time of a Plasma Brake-Based CubeSat
Authors: Bassetto Marco , Niccolai Lorenzo , Quarta Alessandro A. , Mengali Giovanni
Published: October 2022

The plasma brake is a propellantless device conceived for de-orbiting purposes. It consists of an electrically charged thin tether that generates a Coulomb drag by interacting with the ionosphere. In essence, a plasma brake may be used to decelerate an out-of-service satellite and to ensure its atmospheric re-entry within the time limits established by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee. Moreover, since it only needs a small amount of electric power to work properly, the plasma brake is one of the most cost-effective systems for space debris mitigation. This paper exploits a recent plasma brake acceleration model to construct an iterative algorithm for the rapid evaluation of the decay time of a plasma-braked CubeSat, which initially traced a circular low Earth orbit. The altitude loss at the end of each iterative step was calculated using the linearized Hill–Clohessy–Wiltshire equations. It showed that the proposed algorithm, which was validated by comparing the approximate solution with the results from numerically integrating the nonlinear equations of motion, reduced computational time by up to four orders of magnitude with negligible errors in CubeSat position.
Asymptotic Motion of a Satellite under the Action of Sdot Magnetic Attitude Control
Authors: Roldugin Dmitry , Tkachev Stepan , Ovchinnikov Mikhail
Published: October 2022

Satellite angular motion under the action of the Sdot one-axis magnetic control algorithm is analyzed. Sdot control stabilizes the maximum moment of inertia axis towards the Sun. Evolutionary equations that avoid singularity in the required position are derived. Linearization of equations is performed and new variables that describe the maximum moment of inertia axis oscillations amplitudes are introduced. The resulting equations are suitable for the averaging method application. Evolutionary equations for slow variables are solved. Simplified evolutionary expressions are verified with numerical simulation.
Investigations into Gas-Pore Effects on Fatigue Strength with a Peridynamic Approach
Authors: Liu Binchao , Chen Bocai , Lu Songsong , Wang Qiuyi , Bao Rui
Published: October 2022

Fatigue evaluations are one of the main challenges to applying additively manufactured primary structural elements onto aircraft, especially for the gas-pore effects on fatigue strength. In this work, a bond decomposition strategy (BDS) in peridynamics (PD) is proposed; combined with our previously proposed model for fatigue damage, numerical simulations were performed to study the effect of Gas Pore (GP) on fatigue strength. Compared with the strategies in original paradigm of peridynamics, BDS achieves more elaborate description for bond status, predicts deformation fields around discontinuities with improved accuracy, and makes the spacing of material points become independent of discontinuity geometries. Two initiation modes are found in PD simulations, which exert an obvious impact on the final fatigue lifetimes; furthermore, it is revealed that GP not only leads to lower fatigue strength but also results in dispersity of fatigue strength data, in which dispersity is more severe if the GP size is larger, and the decline of fatigue strength is the most severe if the GP is located at subsurface for the same GP size.
Smart Farming: Internet of Things (IoT)-Based Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Dhanaraju Muthumanickam , Chenniappan Poongodi , Ramalingam Kumaraperumal , Pazhanivelan Sellaperumal , Kaliaperumal Ragunath
Published: October 2022

Smart farming is a development that has emphasized information and communication technology used in machinery, equipment, and sensors in network-based hi-tech farm supervision cycles. Innovative technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing are anticipated to inspire growth and initiate the use of robots and artificial intelligence in farming. Such ground-breaking deviations are unsettling current agriculture approaches, while also presenting a range of challenges. This paper investigates the tools and equipment used in applications of wireless sensors in IoT agriculture, and the anticipated challenges faced when merging technology with conventional farming activities. Furthermore, this technical knowledge is helpful to growers during crop periods from sowing to harvest; and applications in both packing and transport are also investigated.
Fruit Yield in Sweet Orange Trees under Huanglongbing (HLB) Conditions Is Influenced by Reproductive Phenological Characteristics of the Scion-Rootstock Combination
Authors: Boakye Daniel A. , Alferez Fernando
Published: October 2022

Since greening (aka HLB), the most economically devastating disease of citrus worldwide was detected in Florida in 2005, citrus acreage and fruit production has reduced by more than 70%. Transmitted by the insect vector Asian citrus psyllid, the disease results in exacerbated preharvest drop, smaller fruit, and a rapid decline of trees leading to a significant reduction of yield. Currently, there is no cure for the disease. A strategy to cope with the disease relies on identifying tolerant or more productive varieties, and understanding factors that make them more productive. Under these circumstances, a combination of rootstock and scion that results in better fruit yield is highly desirable. In this paper we investigated phenological attributes of the main sweet orange varieties planted in Florida, Hamlin and Valencia, grafted on Swingle and US-942 rootstocks, two of the most used rootstocks by Florida citrus growers. Our goal was to better understand the phenology associated with the consistently higher yields of trees grafted on US-942. We assessed fruiting characteristics and abscission dynamics of fruit and leaves. We found that trees on US-942 rootstock, especially from Valencia scion, significantly set more terminals than cluster fruit; terminal fruit is larger and experiences less drop resulting in better yields. In general, rootstock did not have a significant influence on the fruit-bearing characteristics in Hamlin. Similarly, we found that fruit detachment force was not significantly influenced by rootstock. Our results show that in an HLB endemic situation, fruiting characteristics should be considered when selecting rootstocks and rootstock–scion combinations, so genetics resulting in larger, single fruits per fruiting branch should be favored.
Integrated Genetic and Omics Approaches for the Regulation of Nutritional Activities in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Zaghum Muhammad Junaid , Ali Kashir , Teng Sheng
Published: October 2022

The primary considerations in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production evoke improvements in the nutritional quality as well as production. Rice cultivars need to be developed to tackle hunger globally with high yield and better nutrition. The traditional cultivation methods of rice to increase the production by use of non-judicious fertilizers to fulfill the nutritional requirement of the masses. This article provokes nutritional strategies by utilization of available omics techniques to increase the nutritional profiling of rice. Recent scientific advancements in genetic resources provide many approaches for better understanding the molecular mechanisms encircled in a specific trait for its up- or down-regulation for opening new horizons for marker-assisted breeding of new rice varieties. In this perspective, genome-wide association studies, genome selection (GS) and QTL mapping are all genetic analysis that help in precise augmentation of specific nutritional enrichment in rice grain. Implementation of several omics techniques are effective approaches to enhance and regulate the nutritional quality of rice cultivars. Advancements in different types of omics including genomics and pangenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, nutrigenomics and proteomics are also relevant to rice development initiatives. This review article compiles genes, locus, mutants and for rice yield and yield attribute enhancement. This knowledge will be useful for now and for the future regarding rice studies.
A Review of Research on the Use of Selected Grass Species in Removal of Heavy Metals
Authors: Sladkovska Tetiana , Wolski Karol , Bujak Henryk , Radkowski Adam , Sobol Łukasz
Published: October 2022

Soil and air pollution are main problems posing a serious threat to human health. Traditional physical and chemical soil remediation methods affect the soil ecosystem and are rather costly. Since the main purpose of soil remediation is not only to remove pollutants but also to restore soil health, the method of phytoremediation is becoming extremely relevant. Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and natural process of removing pollutants from the environment. Cleaning up contaminated sites and enabling re-use without harming future users requires the implementation of environmentally friendly and economically attractive technologies. Phytoremediation does not adversely affect the structure and biological life of the soil. Concerning on-site cleaning in situ. Hyperaccumulator plants can accumulate heavy metals from the soil, which is the so-called phytoextraction. The ability of trees and shrubs to effectively remove solid particles from the air has also been proven. However, it is not always possible to grow large plants in polluted areas. Therefore, the main goal of the research was to explore previous studies on the phytoremediation capability of herbaceous plants, in particular, their phytoextraction capacity. Another major issue was to study the main methods of improving plant phytoextraction. The results obtained show that grass can be a good solution for natural ecosystem cleanup. It is also necessary to pay attention to the impact of phytoextraction-improving substances on soil health.
Improving Fodder Yields and Nutritive Value of Some Forage Grasses as Animal Feeds through Intercropping with Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.)
Authors: Rady Asmaa M. S. , Attia Marwa F. A. , Kholif Ahmed E. , Sallam Sobhy M. A. , Vargas-Bello-Pérez Einar
Published: October 2022

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of improving the feeding value of Egyptian clover (EC), ryegrass (R), triticale (T), barley (B), and oats (O) monoculture, or Egyptian clover mixed with ryegrass (EC+R), oats (EC+O), barely (EC+B), and triticale (EC+T) at 75:25% seeding rate, respectively, during two successive winter seasons of 2018/19 and 2019/20. Harvesting of plots was carried out at 5 cm stubble height after 60, 100, and 140 days from sowing. The in vitro nutritive value and ruminal fermentation of the monoculture and intercropping containing EC were evaluated. Green forage yield of EC was higher than other plants with about 160% of fresh forage compared with T, O, or EC+T intercropping. The highest crude protein (CP) concentration was noted in EC, while the lowest (p < 0.001) concentration was observed in T, which had the highest fiber fractions content. Ryegrass had the highest net in vitro gas production (GP), while EC+R had the lowest GP (p < 0.05). The EC increased dry matter and organic matter degradability. EC and R reduced protozoal count, while total volatile fatty acids (VFA), acetate, and propionate were increased with B and EC+T intercropping (p < 0.05). Overall, intercropping of EC with grass of triticale or ryegrass at mixing rates of 75:25% resulted in improving fresh and dry forage yields. The legume–grass intercropping improved the protozoa count partitioning factor as an index of microbial protein synthesis and total VFA concentration.
Fusarium Crown Rot Reduces Water Use and Causes Yield Penalties in Wheat under Adequate and above Average Water Availability
Authors: Buster Mitchell , Simpfendorfer Steven , Guppy Christopher , Sissons Mike , Flavel Richard J
Published: October 2022

The cereal disease Fusarium crown rot (FCR), caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium pseudograminearum, is a worldwide major constraint to winter cereal production but especially in Australia’s northern grain’s region (NGR) of NSW and Queensland. Conventionally, FCR induced yield penalties are associated with semi-arid water-limited conditions during flowering and grain-filling. In this study, yield penalties associated with FCR infection were found to be significant under both adequate and above average water conditions which has implication for global wheat production in more favorable environments. This research was conducted to understand the impact of FCR on water availability, yield and grain quality in high protein bread and durum wheat varieties in controlled environment and replicated field experiments across three locations in the NGR over a two-year period. Under controlled conditions, FCR infection significantly decreased water use by 7.5% with an associated yield reduction of 9.5% irrespective of water treatment. Above average rainfall was experienced across all field experimental sites in both 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. The field studies demonstrated a decrease in water use of upwards of 23% at some sites and significant yield penalties across all cultivars of up to 18.4% in natural rainfed scenarios to still 13.2% with further supplementary irrigation.
The Relationship between Burrow Opening Dimensions and Biomass of Intertidal Macroinvertebrates by Feeding Mode (Surface Deposit Feeders vs. Suspension Feeders)
Authors: Koo Bon Joo , Seo Jaehwan , Jang Min Seong
Published: October 2022

Biomass and abundance are fundamental parameters in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental impact assessment. Distinguishing features, such as burrow openings and feeding pellets, made by different intertidal macroinvertebrate species on the surface are used as proxies to establish the abundance of intertidal macroinvertebrates. This study investigated the feasibility of estimating biomass from the burrow opening dimensions as a proxy. We analyzed the relationship between the burrow opening dimensions and body weights of intertidal macroinvertebrates and compared surface deposit feeders with suspension feeders. Regression analysis evaluated the relationship between burrow opening diameter, body size, and biomass. The diameters of surface deposit feeder burrow openings were significantly related to biomass, but this was not the case for suspension feeders. Our results indicate that burrow opening dimensions can be used as a proxy to estimate the biomass of surface deposit feeders. However, additional studies are needed to clarify further the relationship between the burrow opening diameter and biomass of the suspension feeders. This is a preliminary study to spatially quantify the biomass of intertidal macroinvertebrates by extracting the dimension of burrow openings from drone images through object detection tools.
Exosomes in Mastitis—Research Status, Opportunities, and Challenges
Authors: Ji Zhong-Hao , Ren Wen-Zhi , Wu Hong-Yu , Zhang Jia-Bao , Yuan Bao
Published: October 2022

Mastitis, which affects milk quality and yield, is one of the most common diseases in dairy cows, causing large economic losses. Cow mastitis is classified into clinical and subclinical types. Subclinical mastitis presents without obvious lesions in the udder or noticeable change in milk samples, indicating persistent chronic infection that is difficult to detect and treat. Therefore, finding specific biomarkers is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of subclinical mastitis. As mediators of intercellular communication, exosomes have been shown to be extensively involved in various physiological and pathological processes in the body. Exosomes in milk, blood, and cell supernatant can carry stable cell source-specific nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. Hence, exosomes show great application prospects for early diagnosis, targeted therapy, and disease mechanism analysis. In this review, we summarize the biogenesis, biological functions, and methods of isolating and identifying exosomes and review the current status of exosome research related to mastitis. Finally, in view of the application of exosomes to diagnose, treat, and perform disease mechanism analysis in mastitis, deficiencies in recent research on mastitis exosomes are described, and the direction of future exosome research efforts in mastitis is proposed.
Effects of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) as a Prebiotic Supplement in the Diet of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)
Authors: Trullàs Clara , Sewaka Mariya , Rodkhum Channarong , Chansue Nantarika , Boonanuntanasarn Surintorn , Kamble Manoj Tukaram , Pirarat Nopadon
Published: October 2022

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Jerusalem artichoke-supplemented diet on the blood chemistry, growth performance, intestinal morphology, expression of antioxidant-related genes, and disease resistance against Aeromonas veronii challenge in juvenile red tilapia. A completely randomized design (CRD) was followed to feed red tilapias with three experimental diets: control, 5.0 g/kg JA-supplemented (JA5), or 10.0 g/kg JA-supplemented (JA10) diets in triplicates for 4 weeks. The results revealed that the growth performance, weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and average daily gain (ADG) of fish fed diets JA5 and JA10 were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of fish fed the control diet. Fish fed the control diet had significantly higher T-bilirubin, D-bilirubin, and ALT in blood serum than fish fed JA5 and JA10, as well as higher BUN than fish fed JA5. The number of goblet cells in the proximal and distal parts of the intestine revealed that the number of acid, neutral, and double-staining mucous cells of fish fed diets JA5 and JA10 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in fish fed the control diet. The diets including the prebiotic (JA5 and JA10) were associated with a significant increase in the expression of gpx1 and gst antioxidant-related genes and disease resistance against A. veronii in juvenile red tilapia. Therefore, JA5 and JA10 can be employed as promising prebiotics for sustainable red tilapia farming.
Testicular Transcriptome of Males and Pseudo-Males Provides Important New Insight into Sex Reversal of Rana dybowskii
Authors: Xu Yuan , Cui Shiquan , Li Ting , Du Zhiheng , Ning Fangyong , Jiang Haixu , Bai Xiujuan , Wang Xibiao , Bao Jun
Published: October 2022

Rana dybowskii (R. dybowskii) is an ecological species found in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Like most amphibians, R. dybowskii lacks heterotypic sex chromosomes, limiting the in-depth study of sex determination and sex reversal mechanisms. Previous studies have shown that certain environmental factors can modify R. dybowskii genotypic females into phenotypic males, but the mechanism is still unknown. Considering the difficulties in identifying and collecting sex reversal gonads at different stages of differentiation under natural conditions, testes from sexually mature wild adult R. dybowskii were taken in this study, and the genotypic sex of individuals and sex reversal were identified by two male-linked genetic markers reported in our most recent findings. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on testicular tissue from males and pseudo-males, as well as female ovary tissue. The results show that the gene expression patterns of pseudo-males’ testes were similar to those of the males but highly differed from females’ ovaries. One hundred and seventeen differentially expressed genes between testes of pseudo-males and males were found, and the up-regulation of doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1) in testes of pseudo-males may play a key role in R. dybowskii sex reversal.
Compensability of Enhanced Cytoplasmic Droplet Rates in Boar Semen: Insights of a Retrospective Field Study
Authors: Schulze Martin , Waberski Dagmar
Published: October 2022

Retained cytoplasmic droplets (CD) provide the most abundant sperm abnormality in boar and reduce fertility. It is still unclear as to whether high CD rates in semen portions are compensable. The aim was to explore the impact of CD in relation to quantitative and qualitative sperm traits on fertility performance of sows. Retrospective data analysis of 1497 inseminations was performed. Ejaculates (n = 260) were assigned to three groups with low (<10%), medium (≥10% to <15%), and high (≥15%) CD rates. Average sperm numbers were lowest in the high CD group (2.08 × 109/mL). Membrane integrity and mitochondrial activity did not differ between the groups. Breakpoint analysis indicated a shift towards lower litter sizes when the CD rate exceeded 11%. Group comparisons revealed no difference in litter size (p = 0.205), together with a slightly higher farrowing rate in the high CD group (p < 0.001), which coincided with higher resistance against temperature stress in the stored semen samples (p < 0.001) and a higher sperm motility (p < 0.001). In conclusion, an increased prevalence of CD in boar semen is compensable by high tolerance against temperature stress, whereas sperm numbers per dose are less relevant.
A New Species of the Genus Microhyla (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from the Dabie Mountains, China
Authors: Zhang Caiwen , Chen Cheng , Zhang Meihua , Wang Zhiyue , Ma Haohao , Sun Ruolei , Jiang Jianping , Zhang Baowei
Published: October 2022

Species belonging to the genus Microhyla are small-sized frogs that are widely distributed in southern, eastern, and south-eastern Asia. In China, the genus harbors many cryptic species, on two of which—M. beilunensis and M. fanjinshanensis—studies were recently published. In this study, we collected specimens from the Dabie Mountain range, which is at the junction of Anhui, Henan and Hubei Provinces, East China; these specimens belonged to a species previously identified as M. mixtura. Based on phylogenetic analyses, species delimitation analyses, morphological comparisons and advertisement calls comparisons, we found they were significantly different from other known congeners, and thus we describe them as a new species. This study enriches the diversity of Microhylidae, and clarifies the species of the genus Microhyla in the Dabie Mountains.