bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ANALISIS HUBUNGAN USIA IBU DAN JARAK KEHAMILAN DENGAN KEJADIAN BAYI BERAT LAHIR RENDAH (BBLR) DI RS PANEMBAHAN SENOPATI BANTUL
Authors: Angga Arsesiana
Published: August 2021

Abstrak

Bayi dengan berat badan lahir rendah (BBLR) adalah bayi yang pada saat lahir memiliki berat badan kurang dari 2500 gram. Berdasarkan data Pusdatin Yogyakarta tahun 2015, Angka Kematian Bayi (AKB) adalah 25/1.000. AKB di Kabupaten Bantul yaitu sebanyak 8,35/1.000 kelahiran hidup. Penyebab kematian bayi tersebut salah satunya adalah BBLR. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan usia ibu dan jarak kehamilan dengan kejadian BBLR. Penelitian ini merupakan analitik observasional dengan rancangan kasus kontrol. Populasi kasus penelitian ini adalah ibu yang melahirkan bayi BBLR RS Panembahan Senopati Bantul dan populasi kontrolnya semua ibu yang melahirkan bayi berat lahir normal (BBLN) di RS Panembahan Senopati Bantul. Pengambilan sampel kasus menggunakan teknik total sampling yang berjumlah 162 sampel. Sedangkan pengambilan sampel kontrol dengan menggunakan teknik random sampling acak sistematis dengan perhitungan 1701/162=10, sehingga sampel kontrol diambil setiap kelipatan 10 dan jumlah sampel kontrol didapatkan 162 sampel. Variabel dependent penelitian ini adalah BBLR dan variabel independent adalah usia ibu dan jarak kehamilan. Analisis data menggunakan SPSS dan Uji statistik yang digunakan adalah uji Chi Square dengan tingkat kepercayaan 95%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan ada hubungan antara usia ibu dengan kejadian BBLR (p-value ꞊ 0,030, OR ꞊1,745) dan ada hubungan antara jarak kehamilan dengan kejadian BBLR (p-value ꞊ 0,025, OR ꞊2,187). Sehingga disimpulkan bahwa ada hubungan antara usia ibu dan jarak kehamilan dengan kejadian BBLR di RS Panembahan Senopati Bantul. Diharapkan agar para ibu hamil rutin untuk melakukan pemeriksaan kehamilan faktor resiko penyebab BBLR dapat di ketahui sejak dini.Kata Kunci: Usia Ibu, Jarak Kehamilan, BBLR
SARS-CoV-2 and Cystic Fibrosis: Expectations Versus Reality, a Literature Review
Authors: Bantounou Maria Anna , Plascevic Josip
Published: August 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to cause severe illness in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The infection prevalence and clinical outcomes of this patient cohort to SARS-CoV-2 were explored, alongside contributing factors to the observed response.
Search terms were entered into Medline/PubMed and Embase databases, with relevant published papers written in English chosen.
The COVID-19 trajectory in people with CF (including children) was similar to the general population. Specifically, in Veneto, Italy, the infection rate of people with CF was nearly half compared to the general population (0.19% versus 0.40%, respectively). Similarly, in Spain, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was lower compared to the general population: 32/10,000 and 49/10,000 respectively. Likewise, in Belgium 2.7% of patients with CF had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies compared with 4.3% of the general population. Moreover, in Europe, fewer CF–COVID-19 cases and deaths were reported compared to the general population (1.1%, 0.9%; and 3.2%, 2.3%, respectively). Overall, worse outcomes in CF were associated with poorer lung function and post-transplant status.
The encouraging response of people with CF to COVID-19 is hypothesised as due to higher levels of anti-inflammatory angiotensin-1-7 and lower levels of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and protease transmembrane serine protease-2, utilised by SARS-CoV-2 to penetrate cells. Additionally, the use of CF medication, chiefly Dornase alfa and CF transmembrane conductance regulator modulators as well as CF cohort characteristics, predominantly younger age, and early isolation might have mitigated COVID-19 severity.
Thus, people with CF do not appear to have a higher COVID-19 infection prevalence or worse clinical outcomes compared to the general population.
CARBONATE PRECURSOR ROUTE FOR PREPARATION OF CaCu3Ti4O12
Authors: Yanchevskii Oleg , V'yunov Oleg , Plutenko Tetiana
Published: August 2021

A simple CaCu3Ti4O12 synthesis method by carbonate precipitation has been developed, which is not inferior to the known methods of precipitation from solutions. The optimum temperatures for the synthesis of powder (850 оС) and sintering of ceramics (1080 оС) have been found. The CCTO ceramic prepared has stable and fine electrical properties. In the frequency range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz, the ε’ value always is higher 104 with the dielectric losses, tan δ ~ 0.05–0.08. Such CCTO ceramic prepared by the сarbonate co-precipitation method with good electric properties should find applications in electric devices.
Values Education in Science Lessons with Activities: Responsibility Value
Authors:   Fatih Faculty of Education, Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Trabzon University, Trabzon, Turkey, Yaman Havva , Anilan Burcu ,   Faculty of Education, Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey
Published: August 2021

This research aimed to gain the value of responsibility implicitly through activity-based values education tasks (ABVET) prepared in secondary school science lessons. The research was carried out with the embedded quasi-experimental design, one of the mixed research methods. The study group of the research consisted of 37 middle school students in total. Non-parametric tests were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained within the scope of the research and descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of qualitative data. The Dilemma Situations Form (DSF) developed by the researchers, activity documents, student and researcher diaries, and focus group interview form were used as data collection tools. Lessons were taught in the control group as curriculum in practice. In the experimental group, lessons were taught by the researchers with an enriched content and activity program aimed at gaining responsibility value. It was concluded that there was a significant difference in favor of the experimental group between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups. It was concluded that ABVET was effective in gaining responsibility value to sixth grade students with the data obtained from the DSF, activity documents, student and researcher diaries and focus group interview form. This research shows which method, technique, and material can be preferred for values education in science courses included in education programs. Given the promising results of the current research, methods or techniques related to the constructivist approach such as the appropriate values education program, ABVET should be used for different science subjects, various courses, and grade levels in future studies.
Effects of Mobile Learning Science Course on Students’ Academic Achievement and Their Opinions about the Course
Authors: Bayar Mirac Furkan , Kurt Uluhan
Published: August 2021

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of mobile learning on students’ academic achievements and their opinions about the course. This research was a mixed study where both quantitative and qualitative methods were used together. The quantitative part of the study used quasi-experimental models in a pre-test/post-test design according to the patterned paired control group. In the qualitative part, a semi-structured interview method was used from descriptive models. The study group consisted of 28 students studying in the 8th grade of a state secondary school in the Pasinler district of Erzurum province of Turkey in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study lasted approximately six weeks. As a result of the study, it was observed that there was a positive increase in academic achievement in favor of the experimental group of students. Moreover, although there were differences of opinion among the students, a large majority declared that the mobile supported learning increased their interest towards the course. Recommendations are made based on this research.
An Overview of Engineered Hydrogel-Based Biomaterials for Improved β-Cell Survival and Insulin Secretion
Authors: Ghasemi Azin , Akbari Elham , Imani Rana
Published: August 2021

Islet transplantation provides a promising strategy in treating type 1 diabetes as an autoimmune disease, in which damaged β-cells are replaced with new islets in a minimally invasive procedure. Although islet transplantation avoids the complications associated with whole pancreas transplantations, its clinical applications maintain significant drawbacks, including long-term immunosuppression, a lack of compatible donors, and blood-mediated inflammatory responses. Biomaterial-assisted islet transplantation is an emerging technology that embeds desired cells into biomaterials, which are then directly transplanted into the patient, overcoming the aforementioned challenges. Among various biomaterials, hydrogels are the preferred biomaterial of choice in these transplants due to their ECM-like structure and tunable properties. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of hydrogel-based biomaterials that are engineered for encapsulation of insulin-secreting cells, focusing on new hydrogel design and modification strategies to improve β-cell viability, decrease inflammatory responses, and enhance insulin secretion. We will discuss the current status of clinical studies using therapeutic bioengineering hydrogels in insulin release and prospective approaches.
Recognizing Pattern and Rule of Mutation Signatures Corresponding to Cancer Types
Authors: Chen Lei , Zhou Xianchao , Zeng Tao , Pan Xiaoyong , Zhang Yu-Hang , Huang Tao , Fang Zhaoyuan , Cai Yu-Dong
Published: August 2021

Cancer has been generally defined as a cluster of systematic malignant pathogenesis involving abnormal cell growth. Genetic mutations derived from environmental factors and inherited genetics trigger the initiation and progression of cancers. Although several well-known factors affect cancer, mutation features and rules that affect cancers are relatively unknown due to limited related studies. In this study, a computational investigation on mutation profiles of cancer samples in 27 types was given. These profiles were first analyzed by the Monte Carlo Feature Selection (MCFS) method. A feature list was thus obtained. Then, the incremental feature selection (IFS) method adopted such list to extract essential mutation features related to 27 cancer types, find out 207 mutation rules and construct efficient classifiers. The top 37 mutation features corresponding to different cancer types were discussed. All the qualitatively analyzed gene mutation features contribute to the distinction of different types of cancers, and most of such mutation rules are supported by recent literature. Therefore, our computational investigation could identify potential biomarkers and prediction rules for cancers in the mutation signature level.
The Association of Morning Hypertension With Target Organ Damage in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Hypertension
Authors: Liu Xiang , Li Fangming , Zhang Ting , Zheng Zhiyao , Zhou Huan , Qin Aiya , Tang Yi , Qin Wei
Published: August 2021

Objectives: To determine the association between morning hypertension and target organ damage (TOD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 447 patients with CKD and hypertension from two centers were enrolled. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was conducted in all patients. Linear regression and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the association between morning hypertension and TOD in patients with CKD and hypertension, including assessments of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR), and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Results: Overall, 194 (43.4%) participants had morning hypertension. Morning hypertension was strongly correlated with LVH [odds ratio (OR), 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3–3.51; p < 0.01], lower level of eGFR (β = −0.51; 95%CI, −0.95–−0.08; p < 0.05), higher LVMI (β = 0.06; 95%CI, 0.04–0.08, p < 0.001), and UPCR (β = 0.22; 95%CI, 0.06–0.38, p < 0.01), independent of nocturnal hypertension and elevated morning blood pressure surge. As a continuous variable, both morning systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were found to be associated with LVH and higher level of UPCR and LVMI (p < 0.05), whereas only morning SBP was negatively correlated with eGFR (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Morning hypertension was strongly correlated with cardiac damage and impaired kidney function in CKD patients with hypertension, independent of nocturnal hypertension and morning surge in blood pressure. Morning hypertension in CKD patients warrants further attention.
Oocytes With Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum Aggregates Are Not Associated With Impaired Reproductive Outcomes: A Matched Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Xu Jian , Yang Li , Chen Zhi-Heng , Yin Min-Na , Chen Juan , Sun Ling
Published: August 2021

Objective

To investigate whether the reproductive outcomes of oocytes with smooth endoplasmic reticulum aggregates (SERa) are impaired.

Methods

A total of 2893 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were performed between January 2010 and December 2019 in our center. In 43 transfer cycles, transferred embryos were totally derived from SERa+ oocytes. Each of the 43 cycles was matched with a separate control subject from SERa- patient of the same age ( ± 1 year), embryo condition, main causes of infertility, type of protocols used for fresh or frozen embryo transfer cycles. The clinical pregnancy, implantation, ectopic pregnancy and live birth rate were compared between the two groups.

Results

43 embryo transfer cycles from SERa- patient were matched to the 43 transferred cycles with pure SERa+ oocytes derived embryos. No significant difference was observed in clinical pregnancy rate (55.81% vs. 65.11%, p=0.5081), implantation rate (47.89% vs. 50.70%, p=0.8667) and live birth rate (48.84% vs. 55.81%, p=0.6659) between the SERa+ oocyte group and the matched group. No congenital birth defects were found in the two groups.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the implantation, clinical pregnancy, live birth and birth defects rate of embryos derived from oocytes with SERa are not impaired.
Trace Detection and Quantitation of Antibiotics in a South African Stream Receiving Wastewater Effluents and Municipal Dumpsite Leachates
Authors: Ncube Somandla , Nuapia Yannick Belo , Chimuka Luke , Madikizela Lawrence Mzukisi , Etale Anita
Published: August 2021

One of the major concerns in the consumption of antibiotics is the discovery of antibacterial resistant genes due to prolonged exposure which makes their presence in environmental samples a priority. In this study, we screened 52 antibiotics along a South African stream polluted with wastewater effluents and municipal dumpsite leachates. Of these antibiotics, 15 were detected in the stream while 3 sulfonamides (sulfamethizole, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole), a fluoroquinolone (flumequine) and a diaminopyrimidine (trimethoprim) were further quantified. The concentrations of sulfamethizole, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole ranged from not detected to 0.133 µg L−1, flumequine ranged from 0.222 to 0.686 µg L−1, while trimethoprim was up to 0.0618 µg L−1. The highest concentrations were recorded at the point source discharge with most antibiotics not detected further downstream. The current study has further confirmed wastewater effluents and dumpsite leachates as pathways of antibiotics into the environment. Only the persistent unsanctioned antibiotic, flumequine had its risk quotient above 0.1 making it an antibiotic of environmental concern. Multiresidue studies are still limited in Africa and the current study offers a platform for a research paradigm shift with more studies expected to emerge providing an improved overview of the release of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals into Africa’s vulnerable surface water systems.
Dietary and Pharmacologic Manipulations of Host Lipids and Their Interaction With the Gut Microbiome in Non-human Primates
Authors: Lang Jennifer M. , Sedgeman Leslie R. , Cai Lei , Layne Joseph D. , Wang Zhen , Pan Calvin , Lee Richard , Temel Ryan E. , Lusis Aldons J.
Published: August 2021

The gut microbiome influences nutrient processing as well as host physiology. Plasma lipid levels have been associated with the microbiome, although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown, and the effects of dietary lipids on the gut microbiome in humans are not well-studied. We used a compilation of four studies utilizing non-human primates (Chlorocebus aethiops and Macaca fascicularis) with treatments that manipulated plasma lipid levels using dietary and pharmacological techniques, and characterized the microbiome using 16S rDNA. High-fat diets significantly reduced alpha diversity (Shannon) and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio compared to chow diets, even when the diets had different compositions and were applied in different orders. When analyzed for differential abundance using DESeq2, Bulleidia, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Eubacterium, Coprocacillus, Lachnospira, Blautia, Coprococcus, and Oscillospira were greater in both chow diets while Succinivibrio, Collinsella, Streptococcus, and Lactococcus were greater in both high-fat diets (oleic blend or lard fat source). Dietary cholesterol levels did not affect the microbiome and neither did alterations of plasma lipid levels through treatments of miR-33 antisense oligonucleotide (anti-miR-33), Niemann–Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), and inducible degrader of LDLR (IDOL) ASO. However, a liver X receptor (LXR) agonist shifted the microbiome and decreased bile acid levels. Fifteen genera increased with the LXR agonist, while seven genera decreased. Pseudomonas increased on the LXR agonist and was negatively correlated to deoxycholic acid, cholic acid, and total bile acids while Ruminococcus was positively correlated with taurolithocholic acid and taurodeoxycholic acid. Seven of the nine bile acids identified in the feces significantly decreased due to the LXR agonist, and total bile acids (nmol/g) was reduced by 62%. These results indicate that plasma lipid levels have, at most, a modest effect on the microbiome, whereas bile acids, derived in part from plasma lipids, are likely responsible for the indirect relationship between lipid levels and the microbiome.
Association of Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase and C-Reactive Protein With Disease Location and Endoscopic Inflammation Degree in Patients With Crohn's Disease
Authors: Yang Rui-Xia , Song Wei-Juan , Wu Zhi-Qi , Goyal Hemant , Xu Hua-Guo
Published: August 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the association between serum markers neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with intestinal lesion location and degree of inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

Design: The levels of serum NSE, CRP, and fecal calprotectin (FC) in patients with CD were analyzed retrospectively. The severity of inflammatory lesions in the intestinal wall was accessed using the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD).

Results: The levels of NSE in patients with CD were higher than those of healthy individuals (14.87 vs. 12.68 ng/ml, P < 0.001). The levels of CRP in patients with CD were higher than those of healthy individuals (12.30 vs. 3.40 mg/l, P < 0.001). The FC levels in patients with CD were higher than those of patients with non-inflammatory bowel disease (1,143.90 vs. 114.21 μg/g, P < 0.05). The levels of NSE in CD with ileal lesions and simultaneous ileal and colon lesions were significantly higher than those in patients with CD with colonic lesions. However, the CRP was higher in patients with colonic lesions than those with ileal lesions. The levels of NSE in patients with severe inflammation were higher than those in patients with moderate inflammation (15.95 vs. 13.89 ng/ml, P < 0.05). Similarly, the NSE levels in patients with CD with severe inflammation were higher than those in patients with CD with mild inflammation (15.95 vs. 13.53 ng/mL, P < 0.05). The levels of CRP in severe inflammation were higher than those in moderate inflammation (29.80 vs. 19.60 mg/l, P < 0.05). In addition, the CRP levels in severe inflammation were higher than those in mild inflammation (29.80 vs. 5.86 mg/l, P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that when NSE was combined with CRP for distinguishing between patients with CD and those without CD, sensitivity increased to 80.41%, specificity increased to 74.66%, and a highest AUC was equal to 0.843.

Conclusion: Our study shows that serum NSE and CRP can be used to assess the severity of CD as well as the location of intestinal involvement. Therefore, NSE and CRP could be used as the non-invasive tests in detecting the location and severity of disease in patients with CD in daily routine practice.
Mass Spectrometry-Based Targeted Serum Monomethylated Ribonucleosides Profiling for Early Detection of Breast Cancer
Authors: Fang Zhihao , Hu Yiqiu , Chen Jiani , Xu Kailun , Wang Kailai , Zheng Shu , Guo Cheng
Published: August 2021

RNA methylation plays a significant regulatory role in various of physiological activities and it has gradually become a hotspot of epigenetics in the past decade. 2′-O-methyladenosine (Am), 2′-O-methylguanosine (Gm), 2′-O-methylcytidine (Cm), 2′-O-methyluridine (Um), N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methylguanosine (m1G), 5-methylcytidine (m5C), and 5-methyluridine (m5U) are representative 2′-O-methylation and base-methylation modified epigenetic marks of RNA. Abnormal levels of these ribonucleosides were found to be related to various diseases including cancer. Serum is an important source of biofluid for the discovery of biomarkers, and novel tumor biomarkers can be explored by measuring these ribonucleoside modifications in human serum. Herein, we developed and applied a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) method to determine the content of monomethylated ribonucleosides in human serum. The developed method enabled sensitive and accurate determination of these monomethylated ribonucleosides. By applying this robust method, we demonstrated the presence of Gm and Um in human serum for the first time, and we successfully quantified m6A, Gm, m1G, Cm, Um and m5U in serum samples collected from 61 patients with breast cancer and 69 healthy controls. We discovered that the levels of Gm, m1G, Cm, Um and m5U in serum were all significantly decreased in breast cancer patients whereas m6A was increased. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and obtained highest area under curve (AUC) value when combining these six monomethylated ribonucleosides together. These results suggest that m6A, Gm, m1G, Cm, Um and m5U might have great potential to be novel biomarkers for detection of breast cancer in the early stage. In addition, this study may stimulate future investigations about the regulatory roles of monomethylated ribonucleosides on the initiation and development of breast cancer.
An Externally Validated Dynamic Nomogram for Predicting Unfavorable Prognosis in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Hu Ping , Xu Yang , Liu Yangfan , Li Yuntao , Ye Liguo , Zhang Si , Zhu Xinyi , Qi Yangzhi , Zhang Huikai , Sun Qian , Wang Yixuan , Deng Gang , Chen Qianxue
Published: August 2021

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) leads to severe disability and functional dependence. However, no reliable method exists to predict the clinical prognosis after aSAH. Thus, this study aimed to develop a web-based dynamic nomogram to precisely evaluate the risk of poor outcomes in patients with aSAH.

Methods: Clinical patient data were retrospectively analyzed at two medical centers. One center with 126 patients was used to develop the model. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was used to select the optimal variables. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify independent prognostic factors and construct a nomogram based on the selected variables. The C-index and Hosmer–Lemeshow p-value and Brier score was used to reflect the discrimination and calibration capacities of the model. Receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve (1,000 bootstrap resamples) were generated for internal validation, while another center with 84 patients was used to validate the model externally. Decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curves (CICs) were used to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the nomogram.

Results: Unfavorable prognosis was observed in 46 (37%) patients in the training cohort and 24 (29%) patients in the external validation cohort. The independent prognostic factors of the nomogram, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (p = 0.005), World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade (p = 0.002), and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) (p = 0.0003), were identified using LASSO and multivariable logistic regression. A dynamic nomogram (https://hu-ping.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/) was developed. The nomogram model demonstrated excellent discrimination, with a bias-corrected C-index of 0.85, and calibration capacities (Hosmer–Lemeshow p-value, 0.412; Brier score, 0.12) in the training cohort. Application of the model to the external validation cohort yielded a C-index of 0.84 and a Brier score of 0.13. Both DCA and CIC showed a superior overall net benefit over the entire range of threshold probabilities.

Conclusion: This study identified that NLR on admission, WFNS grade, and DCI independently predicted unfavorable prognosis in patients with aSAH. These factors were used to develop a web-based dynamic nomogram application to calculate the precise probability of a poor patient outcome. This tool will benefit personalized treatment and patient management and help neurosurgeons make better clinical decisions.
Tractography in Curvilinear Coordinates
Authors: Hussain Uzair , Baron Corey A. , Khan Ali R.
Published: August 2021

Coordinate invariance of physical laws is central in physics, it grants us the freedom to express observations in coordinate systems that provide computational convenience. In the context of medical imaging there are numerous examples where departing from Cartesian to curvilinear coordinates leads to ease of visualization and simplicity, such as spherical coordinates in the brain's cortex, or universal ventricular coordinates in the heart. In this work we introduce tools that enhance the use of existing diffusion tractography approaches to utilize arbitrary coordinates. To test our method we perform simulations that gauge tractography performance by calculating the specificity and sensitivity of tracts generated from curvilinear coordinates in comparison with those generated from Cartesian coordinates, and we find that curvilinear coordinates generally show improved sensitivity and specificity compared to Cartesian. Also, as an application of our method, we show how harmonic coordinates can be used to enhance tractography for the hippocampus.
Evaluation of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as Radiosensitizers for Proton and Light Ion Radiotherapy
Authors: Johnson Alicia M. , Bennett Paula V. , Sanidad Katherine Z. , Hoang Anthony , Jardine James H. , Keszenman Deborah J. , Wilson Paul F.
Published: August 2021

Significant opportunities remain for pharmacologically enhancing the clinical effectiveness of proton and carbon ion-based radiotherapies to achieve both tumor cell radiosensitization and normal tissue radioprotection. We investigated whether pretreatment with the hydroxamate-based histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) SAHA (vorinostat), M344, and PTACH impacts radiation-induced DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and repair, cell killing, and transformation (acquisition of anchorage-independent growth in soft agar) in human normal and tumor cell lines following gamma ray and light ion irradiation. Treatment of normal NFF28 primary fibroblasts and U2OS osteosarcoma, A549 lung carcinoma, and U87MG glioma cells with 5–10 µM HDACi concentrations 18 h prior to cesium-137 gamma irradiation resulted in radiosensitization measured by clonogenic survival assays and increased levels of colocalized gamma-H2AX/53BP1 foci induction. We similarly tested these HDACi following irradiation with 200 MeV protons, 290 MeV/n carbon ions, and 350 MeV/n oxygen ions delivered in the Bragg plateau region. Unlike uniform gamma ray radiosensitization, effects of HDACi pretreatment were unexpectedly cell type and ion species-dependent with C-12 and O-16 ion irradiations showing enhanced G0/G1-phase fibroblast survival (radioprotection) and in some cases reduced or absent tumor cell radiosensitization. DSB-associated foci levels were similar for proton-irradiated DMSO control and SAHA-treated fibroblast cultures, while lower levels of induced foci were observed in SAHA-pretreated C-12 ion-irradiated fibroblasts. Fibroblast transformation frequencies measured for all radiation types were generally LET-dependent and lowest following proton irradiation; however, both gamma and proton exposures showed hyperlinear transformation induction at low doses (≤25 cGy). HDACi pretreatments led to overall lower transformation frequencies at low doses for all radiation types except O-16 ions but generally led to higher transformation frequencies at higher doses (>50 cGy). The results of these in vitro studies cast doubt on the clinical efficacy of using HDACi as radiosensitizers for light ion-based hadron radiotherapy given the mixed results on their radiosensitization effectiveness and related possibility of increased second cancer induction.
Wenxin Keli for the Treatment of Arrhythmia—Systems Pharmacology and In Vivo Pharmacological Assessment
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Tian Gang , Xu Liang , Sun Lili , Tao Rui , Zhang Shaoqiang , Cong Zidong , Deng Fangjun , Chen Jinhong , Yu Yang , Du Wuxun , Zhao Hucheng
Published: August 2021

This study employed a systems pharmacology approach to identify the active compounds and action mechanisms of Wenxin Keli for arrhythmia treatment. Sixty-eight components identifiedin vivoandin vitroby UPLC/Q-TOF-MS were considered the potential active components of Wenxin Keli. Network pharmacology further revealed 33 key targets and 75 KEGG pathways as possible pathways and targets involved in WK-mediated treatment, with the CaMKII/CNCA1C/Ca2+pathway being the most significantly affected. This finding was validated using an AC-induced rat arrhythmias model. Pretreatment with Wenxin Keli reduced the malignant arrhythmias and shortened RR, PR, and the QT interval. Wenxin Keli exerted some antiarrhythmic effects by inhibiting p-CaMKII and intracellular Ca2+transients and overexpressing CNCA1C. Thus, suppressing SR Ca2+release and maintaining intracellular Ca2+balance may be the primary mechanism of Wenxin Keli against arrhythmia. In view of the significance of CaMKII and NCX identified in this experiment, we suggest that CaMKII and NCX are essential targets for treating arrhythmias.
Leaf Morphological and Nutrient Traits of Common Woody Plants Change Along the Urban–Rural Gradient in Beijing, China
Authors: Su Yuebo , Renz Mark , Cui Bowen , Sun Xu , Ouyang Zhiyun , Wang Xiaoke
Published: August 2021

An increasing number of studies have found differences in the diversity of plant functional traits between urban and rural sites as a result of urbanization. However, the results remain inconsistent. In this study, we measured morphological and nutrient traits of 11 common woody plants along a continuous urban–rural gradient in Beijing, China. Leaf size (e.g., length, width, and area), specific leaf area, and leaf nitrogen and potassium contents decreased gradually and significantly along the urban–rural gradient, indicating that urbanization can enhance the capacity of plants to acquire resources for growth and production. Furthermore, soil nutrients and air temperature decreased along the urban–rural gradient, while air relative humidity increased. A structural equation model showed that these alterations in physical factors attributable to urbanization contributed directly or indirectly to changes in leaf functional traits, implying that changes in soil nutrients and micro-climate induced by urbanization may affect plant growth and production because of the improvement in resource acquisition capacity.
Combining Genome and Gene Co-expression Network Analyses for the Identification of Genes Potentially Regulating Salt Tolerance in Rice
Authors: Chutimanukul Panita , Saputro Triono Bagus , Mahaprom Puriphot , Plaimas Kitiporn , Comai Luca , Buaboocha Teerapong , Siangliw Meechai , Toojinda Theerayut , Chadchawan Supachitra
Published: August 2021

Salinity stress tolerance is a complex polygenic trait involving multi-molecular pathways. This study aims to demonstrate an effective transcriptomic approach for identifying genes regulating salt tolerance in rice. The chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) of “Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML105)” rice containing various regions of DH212 between markers RM1003 and RM3362 displayed differential salt tolerance at the booting stage. CSSL16 and its nearly isogenic parent, KDML105, were used for transcriptome analysis. Differentially expressed genes in the leaves of seedlings, flag leaves, and second leaves of CSSL16 and KDML105 under normal and salt stress conditions were subjected to analyses based on gene co-expression network (GCN), on two-state co-expression with clustering coefficient (CC), and on weighted gene co-expression network (WGCN). GCN identified 57 genes, while 30 and 59 genes were identified using CC and WGCN, respectively. With the three methods, some of the identified genes overlapped, bringing the maximum number of predicted salt tolerance genes to 92. Among the 92 genes, nine genes, OsNodulin, OsBTBZ1, OsPSB28, OsERD, OsSub34, peroxidase precursor genes, and three expressed protein genes, displayed SNPs between CSSL16 and KDML105. The nine genes were differentially expressed in CSSL16 and KDML105 under normal and salt stress conditions. OsBTBZ1 and OsERD were identified by the three methods. These results suggest that the transcriptomic approach described here effectively identified the genes regulating salt tolerance in rice and support the identification of appropriate QTL for salt tolerance improvement.
A Review of the Potential Use of Pinene and Linalool as Terpene-Based Medicines for Brain Health: Discovering Novel Therapeutics in the Flavours and Fragrances of Cannabis
Authors: Weston-Green Katrina , Clunas Helen , Jimenez Naranjo Carlos
Published: August 2021

“Medicinal cannabis” is defined as the use of cannabis-based products for the treatment of an illness. Investigations of cannabis compounds in psychiatric and neurological illnesses primarily focus on the major cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), which are hypothesised to benefit multiple illnesses manifesting cognitive impairment, neurodegeneration and neuro-inflammation, as well as chronic pain, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively. The cannabis plant contains >500 compounds, including terpenes responsible for the flavour and fragrance profiles of plants. Recently, research has begun providing evidence on the potential use of certain plant-derived terpenes in modern medicine, demonstrating anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects of these compounds. This review examined the effects of two key terpenes, pinene and linalool, on parameters relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders, highlighting gaps in the literature and recommendations for future research into terpene therapeutics. Overall, evidence is mostly limited to preclinical studies and well-designed clinical trials are lacking. Nevertheless, existing data suggests that pinene and linalool are relevant candidates for further investigation as novel medicines for illnesses, including stroke, ischemia, inflammatory and neuropathic pain (including migraine), cognitive impairment (relevant to Alzheimer's disease and ageing), insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Linalool and pinene influence multiple neurotransmitter, inflammatory and neurotrophic signals as well as behaviour, demonstrating psycho-activity (albeit non-intoxicating). Optimising the phytochemical profile of cannabis chemovars to yield therapeutic levels of beneficial terpenes and cannabinoids, such as linalool, pinene and CBD, could present a unique opportunity to discover novel medicines to treat psychiatric and neurological illnesses; however, further research is needed.
DNA Methyltransferases Contribute to Cold Tolerance in Ticks Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Authors: Agwunobi Desmond Onyeka , Zhang Miao , Shi Xinyue , Zhang Shiqi , Zhang Meng , Wang Tongxuan , Masoudi Abolfazl , Yu Zhijun , Liu Jingze
Published: August 2021

DNA methylation, mediated by DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts), is a typical epigenetic process that plays an important role in affecting organism acclimatization and adaptation to environmental changes. However, information about Dnmts and their associations with the cold tolerance of ticks remains meager. Hence, in the present study, the Dnmts in important vector ticks Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis longicornis were cloned and identified, and their functions in cold response were further explored. Results showed that the length of DsDnmt and DsDnmt1 in D. silvarum, and HlDnmt1 and HlDnmt in H. longicornis were 1,284, 549, 1,500, and 1,613 bp, respectively. Bioinformatics in protein analysis revealed that they were all unstable hydrophilic proteins and were mainly characterized with Dcm (DNA cytosine methyltransferase domain), Dnmt1-RFD (DNA methyltransferase replication foci domain), zf-CXXC (zinc finger-CXXC domain), and BAH (Bromo adjacent homology domain). The relative expression of these Dnmts was reduced after cold treatment for 3 days (P < 0.05), and increased with the extension of treatment. Western blot revealed that Dnmt1 decreased first and then increased significantly (P < 0.05) in both tick species, whereas other Dnmts fluctuated at varying degrees. RNA interference significantly silenced the genes Dnmts (P < 0.01), and mortality increased significantly (P < 0.05), when exposed to sub-lethal temperature, underscoring the important roles of Dnmts during the cold response of D. silvarum and H. longicornis. The above results lay the foundation for further understanding of the epigenetic regulation of DNA methylation in cold acclimatization and adaptation of ticks.
Quality Evaluation of Poultry Litter Biochar Produced at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures as a Sustainable Management Approach and Its Impact on Soil Carbon Mineralization
Authors: Tsai Chen-Chi , Chang Yu-Fang
Published: August 2021

Poultry litter biochar (PLB) is a value-adding soil amendment and an economically sustainable approach that is used to enhance food safety and reduce environmental harm. Poultry litter biochar has promising potential but has been under-examined in regards to carbon (C) sequestration in relation to its type and application rate. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of PLB in enhancing the C sequestration of acid soils through a short-term incubation experiment. The soil was amended with different materials: PLB (1%, 5%, and 10%) and a control (non-amended). The results indicated that PLB application increased soil C mineralization relative to the control (19–1562%), it significantly increased with an increasing application rate (e.g., increased addition 29, 99, and 172% for 1, 5, and 10% of 400 °C PLB), and the soil C mineralization and applied carbon mineralized (ACM) significantly decreased with temperature (e.g., the cumulative C pool ranges of ACM with 1% PLB, added at pyrolysis temperatures of 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C, were 42.0, 34.4, 19.6, 6.16, and 4.04%, respectively). To assist sustainable soil management and to aid the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs), as well as to maximize the benefits of PLB applications and minimize the potential environmental risk, it is suggested that application of PLB, pyrolyzed within 400–600 °C at a rate between 1% to 5%, should be adopted in acidic soils in Taiwan.
Targeted Sequencing of the Short Arm of Chromosome 6V of a Wheat Relative Haynaldia villosa for Marker Development and Gene Mining
Authors: Zhang Xu , Wan Wentao , Li Mengli , Yu Zhongyu , Liu Jia , Holušová Kateřina , Vrána Jan , Doležel Jaroslav , Wu Yufeng , Wang Haiyan , Xiao Jin , Wang Xiue
Published: August 2021

The short arm of chromosome 6V (6VS) of Haynaldia villosa has been used in wheat breeding programs to introduce Pm21 resistance gene against powdery mildew (Pm) and some other genes. In this this study, 6VS was flow-sorted from wheat-H. villosa ditelosomic addition line Dt6VS and sequenced by Illumina technology. An assembly of 230.39 Mb was built with contig N50 of 9.788 bp. In total, 3.276 high-confidence genes were annotated and supported by RNA sequencing data. Repetitive elements represented 74.91% of the 6VS assembly. The 6VS homologous genes were identified on homologous group 6 in six Triticeae species confirming their synteny relationships. Out of 45 NB-ARC domain proteins identified on 6VS, 15 were upregulated and might also be involved in the innate immunity of H. villosa to Pm. High thousand grain weight (TGW) for 6VS/6AL translocation line was not attributable to GW2-6V gene. Based on the intron size differences, 119 intron-target (IT) markers were developed to trace the 6VS chromatins introduced into wheat background. The assembled 6VS genome sequence and the developed 6VS specific IT markers in this work will facilitate the gene mining and utilization of agronomic important genes on 6VS.
UAV Multispectral Imaging Potential to Monitor and Predict Agronomic Characteristics of Different Forage Associations
Authors: Plaza Javier , Criado Marco , Sánchez Nilda , Pérez-Sánchez Rodrigo , Palacios Carlos , Charfolé Francisco
Published: August 2021

The capability of UAVs imagery to monitor and predict the evolution of several forage associations was assessed during the whole growing cycle of 2019–20. For this purpose, eight different forage associations grown in triplicate were used: vetch-barley-triticale (VBT), vetch-triticale (VT), vetch-rye (VR), vetch-oats (VO), pea-barley-triticale (PBT), pea-triticale (PT), pea-rye (PR) and pea-oats (PO). Six biophysical parameters were monitored through six vegetation indices on seven measurements dates distributed along the growing cycle. The experiments were carried out on the organic farm “Gallegos de Crespes” located in the municipality of Larrodrigo (Salamanca, Spain). The results obtained in the exploratory and the correlation analysis suggested that a predictive model (PLS regression) could be performed. Overall, vetch-based associations showed slightly higher values for both the field parameters and the vegetation indices than pea-based ones. Correlations were very strong and significant for each association throughout their growing cycle, suggesting that the evolution of the associations would be monitored from the spectral indices. Integrating these multispectral observations in the PLS model, the agronomic parameters of forage associations were predicted with a reliability of more than 50%. A single combination of VNIR (or even only visible) bands was able to feed the regression model, leading to a successful prediction of the agronomic parameters.
Evaluation of Traits’ Performance Contributing to Drought Tolerance in Sorghum
Authors: Mwamahonje Andekelile , Eleblu John Saviour Yaw , Ofori Kwadwo , Feyissa Tileye , Deshpande Santosh , Tongoona Pangirayi
Published: August 2021

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is an important food crop for people in semi-arid Africa. The crop is affected by post-flowering drought; therefore, the study was conducted to screen traits contributing to drought tolerance using BC2F4 sorghum genotypes in stressed and unstressed water conditions in a split-plot design. Water stress (0 mm/day) was applied at post-flowering to plant maturity in water-stressed treatment. The genotype SE438 produced the highest grain yield (2.65 ton ha−1) in water-stressed environment and NA316C yielded highest (3.42 ton ha−1) under well-watered (7 mm/day) environment. There were significant differences of most traits evaluated at p < 0.01 across environments. The mean squares of traits for genotypes by environments revealed interactions at p < 0.05 and p < 0.01. The indices geometric mean productivity (GMP) and mean productivity (MP) were highly correlated with yield under well-watered (YP) and water-stressed condition (YS) and each other. The first principal axis (PC1) explained 59.1% of the total variation. It is the best indicator of yield potential and drought tolerance of sorghum genotypes in this study. Therefore, further improvement is needed to strengthen drought tolerance and yield in sorghum.
Structural Variations in the Genome of Potato Varieties of the Ural Selection
Authors: Lihodeevskiy Georgiy A. , Shanina Elena P.
Published: August 2021

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third most common plant crop in the world. Many studies, such as those using marker-assisted selection (MAS), are devoted to the genomic evaluation of potato. However, the nucleotide composition of some markers has not been described yet, and some regions of the genome remain unknown. Thus, the development of new marker systems for further genetic selection is required. Whole-genome sequencing and the search for structural variants (SVs) should further develop molecular genetic studies of the potato crop. In this paper, we will show the first results of our studies of the three backcrossed varieties Alaska, Argo, and Shah, which were selected for sequencing. Alaska is a patented variety with confirmed resistance to pathogens, while Argo and Shah are new perspective varieties. We sequenced genomes of these varieties using a nanopore platform. As a result, we identified more than 24,000 authentic structural variants with lengths varying from 4 bp to 100 Mbp. Deletion was found to be the most common type of structural variant in the genome and the genes. The majority of SVs are located in non-coding regions, including introns. However, a quarter of the genes of the sequenced varieties have some chromosomal mutations. Some genes responsible for resistance to abiotic stress and pathogens were duplicated, while genes of nucleic acid polymerization and few metabolic proteins were deleted.
Impact of Microbial Protease Enzyme and Dietary Crude Protein Levels on Growth and Nutrients Digestibility in Broilers over 15–28 Days
Authors: Jabbar Abdul , Tahir Muhammad , Alhidary Ibrahim A. , Abdelrahman Mutassim A. , Albadani Hani , Khan Rifat Ullah , Selvaggi Maria , Laudadio Vito , Tufarelli Vincenzo
Published: August 2021

In this trial, a 3 × 2 factorial design with different dietary crude protein levels (CP, 17, 19 and 21%) and two levels of exogenous protease (0 and 30,000 IU/kg) was used. A total of 540 two-week old broilers (Ross-308) was randomly allocated to experimental diets over 15–28 days of age. The interaction between dietary protein levels and enzyme supplementation showed that body weight gain was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in birds fed CP-19 (1114.7 g) and CP-21 (1108.8 g) with enzymes supplementation. Feed intake was higher (p < 0.05) in broilers fed with CP-17 than CP-19 with supplementation of the protease enzyme. Results also revealed that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly (p < 0.05) improved in birds fed with CP-19 and CP-21 and protease supplementation. Total tract N retention was lower (p < 0.05) in birds fed CP-17 with no enzyme than the other dietary groups. Similarly, the gross energy (GE) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in birds fed CP-17 with or without the protease enzyme. Abdominal fat was higher (p < 0.05) in CP-17 (0.96%) without the protease enzyme. It was concluded that a diet at 19% CP with the protease enzyme improved the performance and nutrient digestibility in broilers over 15–28 days.