bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy of Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Early-Stage Gallbladder Adenocarcinoma Depends on the Tumor Invasion Depth and Differentiation Level
Authors: Liang Hui , Wang Yifan , Chen Jie , Xing Jiajun , Pu Yabin
Published: December 2020

Background

Although the performance of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (ACRT) for resected gallbladder cancer may improve the survival for certain patients, its impact on the survival in early-stage resected gallbladder adenocarcinoma (GBAC) patients remains underexplored. This study aimed to determine the ACRT effects on the survival of early-stage resected GBAC patients.

Methods

Patients with early-stage resected GBAC diagnosed between 2010 and 2016 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The covariables included gender, age, race, tumor differentiation, TNM stage (AJCC TNM staging system, 7th edition), adjuvant radiotherapy (ART), and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). The effects of ACRT on survival were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

A total of 1,586 patients with resected GBAC met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Patients who received ACT were older, with poorer tumor differentiation or higher TNM stage (all p < 0.05), while patients who underwent ART were proved to be significantly correlated with poorer tumor differentiation (p = 0.010) and higher TNM stage (p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analysis of overall survival (OS) showed that age (p < 0.001; HR, 2.039; 95% CI, 1.718–2.420), tumor grade (p < 0.001; HR, 1.887; 95% CI, 1.530–2.370), and AJCC 7th TNM stage (p < 0.001; HR, 1.417; 95% CI, 1.182–1.699) were independent prognostic risk factors. Interestingly, ART and ACT were not independently associated with improved OS in the overall cohort analysis. However, when patients were subgrouped according to tumor differentiation, ART (p = 0.049; HR, 0.639; 95% CI, 0.409–0.999) has been identified as a significant prognostic factor for grade III/IV patients. Meanwhile, ARC (p = 0.011; HR, 0.739; 95% CI, 0.586–0.932) was associated with improved OS among tumor stage II patients (p<0.001).

Conclusion

ACRT may have specific survival benefits for early-stage resected GBAC patients. ART can improve survival in patients with poor or absent tumor differentiation. Besides, patients with tumor invasion beyond muscularis (stage II tumor) may benefit from ACT. Our study provides supporting evidence for the clinical applications of ACRT in early-stage GBAC patients.
Quality Markers for Astragali Radix and Its Products Based on Process Analysis
Authors: Dai Yuntao , Wang Dongbo , Zhao Manjia , Yan Lihua , Zhu Chao , Li Pengyue , Qin Xuemei , Verpoorte Rob , Chen Shilin
Published: December 2020

Due to the complex nature of traditional medicines, quality control methods need to cover two aspects: compliance of raw materials with quality standards and process control. Astragali radix (AR), the roots of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, was selected in this study as an example of a widely used traditional medicine in various formulations. Astragaloside IV (AG IV) and calycosin 7-O-β-D-glucoside (CG) are used as the markers for the quality control of AR and its products in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, in the raw materials, malic acid esters of the CG and acetate esters of the astragaloside are easily decomposed into CG and AG IV during storage and processing of AR to make extracts for various preparations. The thermal stability of the isoflavonoids and astragalosides in decoction was studied. The level of CG and astragalosides (AG I/AG II/AG IV) was strongly affected by prolonged heat during processing, while calycosin was stable in the conditions. Also the major astragalosides in AR could fully converted into AG IV which eventually reaches a stable level under certain conditions. With calycosin and AG IV as marker components, practical, reproducible, and precise methods were established and applied to the quality analysis of AR from its raw materials to its intermediates and products. This study demonstrates that a full chemical profiles analysis of the whole manufacturing process (from “raw materials—intermediates/extracts—final product”) is important to identify quality markers (Q-markers) and even to establish proper analysis methods for traditional Chinese medicine products.
Molecular Sets (MOSES): A Benchmarking Platform for Molecular Generation Models
Authors: Polykovskiy Daniil , Zhebrak Alexander , Sanchez-Lengeling Benjamin , Golovanov Sergey , Tatanov Oktai , Belyaev Stanislav , Kurbanov Rauf , Artamonov Aleksey , Aladinskiy Vladimir , Veselov Mark , Kadurin Artur , Johansson Simon , Chen Hongming , Nikolenko Sergey , Aspuru-Guzik Alán , Zhavoronkov Alex
Published: December 2020

Generative models are becoming a tool of choice for exploring the molecular space. These models learn on a large training dataset and produce novel molecular structures with similar properties. Generated structures can be utilized for virtual screening or training semi-supervized predictive models in the downstream tasks. While there are plenty of generative models, it is unclear how to compare and rank them. In this work, we introduce a benchmarking platform called Molecular Sets (MOSES) to standardize training and comparison of molecular generative models. MOSES provides training and testing datasets, and a set of metrics to evaluate the quality and diversity of generated structures. We have implemented and compared several molecular generation models and suggest to use our results as reference points for further advancements in generative chemistry research. The platform and source code are available athttps://github.com/molecularsets/moses.
Bu-Yin-Qian-Zheng Formula Ameliorates MPP+-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease via Parkin
Authors: Ma Hao-Jie , Gai Cong , Chai Yuan , Feng Wan-Di , Cheng Cui-Cui , Zhang Jin-Kun , Zhang Yu-Xin , Yang Lu-Ping , Guo Zhen-Yu , Gao Yu-Shan , Sun Hong-Mei
Published: December 2020

As a typical traditional Chinese medicine, Bu-Yin-Qian-Zheng Formula (BYQZF) has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), particularly by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and regulating expression of the parkin protein. However, the underlying mechanisms by which BYQZF affects mitochondrial function through parkin are unclear. Accordingly, in this study, we evaluated the mechanisms by which BYQZF ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction through parkin in PD. We constructed a parkin-knockdown cell model and performed fluorescence microscopy to observe transfected SH-SY5Y cells. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were conducted to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of parkin. Additionally, we evaluated the cell survival rates, ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), mitochondrial morphology, parkin protein expression, PINK1 protein expression, and mitochondrial fusion and fission protein expression after treatment with MPP+ and BYQZF. Our results showed that cell survival rates, ATP levels, ΔΨm, mitochondrial morphology, parkin protein levels, PINK1 protein levels, and mitochondrial fusion protein levels were reduced after MPP+ treatment. In contrast, mitochondrial fission protein levels were increased after MPP+ treatment. Moreover, after transient transfection with a negative control plasmid, the above indices were significantly increased by BYQZF. However, there were no obvious differences in these indices after transient transfection with a parkin-knockdown plasmid. Our findings suggest that BYQZF has protective effects on mitochondrial function in MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells via parkin-dependent regulation of mitochondrial dynamics.
Wuzi Yanzong Pill—Based on Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Evidence—Protects Against Spermatogenesis Disorder via the Regulation of the Apoptosis Pathway
Authors: Chen Wang-qiang , Ding Cai-fei , Yu Jia , Wang Chen-ye , Wan Ling-yi , Hu Hui-min , Ma Jian-xiong
Published: December 2020

The crisis of male infertility is an issue of human reproductive health worldwide. The Wuzi Yanzong pill (WZYZP) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that shows efficacy in kidney reinforcement and essence benefit to ameliorate male reproductive dysfunctions. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of the WZYZP on male infertility have not been investigated and clarified clearly. This study was designed to investigate the effects of the WZYZP on spermatogenesis disorder and explore its underlying pharmacological mechanisms. First, based on a network pharmacology study, 39 bioactive compounds and 40 targets of the WZYZP associated with spermatogenesis disorder were obtained, forming a tight compound-target network. Molecular docking tests showed tight docking of these compounds with predicted targeted proteins. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network identified TP53, TNF, AKT1, Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, and IκBA as hub targets. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway network and pathway-target-compound network revealed that the apoptosis pathway was enriched by multiple signaling pathways and multiple targets, including the hub targets. Subsequently, the chemical characterization of WZYZP was analyzed using liquid chromatography to quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and 40 compounds in positive ion mode and 41 compounds in negative ion mode in the WZYZP were identified. Furthermore, based on the prediction of a network pharmacology study, a rat model of spermatogenesis disorder was established to evaluate the curative role and underlying mechanisms of the WZYZP. The results showed that WZYZP treatment improved rat sperm quality and attenuated serum hormone levels, reversed histopathological damage of the testis, reduced cell apoptosis in testis tissues, and ameliorated the expression of the predicted hub targets (TP53, TNF-α, AKT1, NFκB, and IκBA) and the apoptosis related proteins (Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9). These results indicated that the WZYZP has a protective effect on spermatogenesis disorder, suggesting that it could be an alternative choice for male infertility therapy.
Review of Questions Concerning Clinical Drug Interactions in ADHD Treatment From Physicians in Norway
Authors: Schjøtt Jan , Heitmann Kristine , Bakkebø Tina , Jahnsen Jan Anker
Published: December 2020

Pharmacological treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is challenging due to a wide age span among patients, risk of reduced adherence, and comorbidities like psychiatric disorders and drug addiction. Drugs used for ADHD are associated with risk of interactions and adverse drug reactions due to their potent pharmacological effect. In this brief report we aimed to describe real-world problem areas concerning interactions in pharmacotherapy of ADHD. We reviewed questions to a Norwegian drug information center from physicians concerning drug-drug interactions involving ADHD drugs in the last 10-year period. Questions were retrieved by a combination of indexed and Boolean database searches, in addition to manual inspection. ADHD drugs and interacting drugs were defined according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. Interactions were classified by use of Stockley’s Interactions Checker (SIC). Answers were examined with regard to whether the advice from the drug information center was more restrictive, similar or more liberal than SIC when assessing drug combinations. We retrieved 61 questions that included assessment of 96 drug combinations, and found 33 potential interactions according to SIC. Methylphenidate was involved in more than 50% of the interactions, and interacting drugs were in nearly 70% of the cases from ATC-group N (Nervous system) with antidepressants most frequently involved. Seventy percent of the interactions were pharmacodynamic, and interactions were frequently described as potentially severe although they were based on theoretical evidence. All the 33 interactions could be handled with monitoring or adjusting dose or with informative measures, and none was contraindicated according to SIC. More than 90% of the questions came from physicians in hospitals or outpatient specialist practice, and questions mainly concerned adults. In 75% of the drug combinations that involved ADHD drugs, we found similar advice from SIC and the drug information center. Our results suggest that future drug information efforts in ADHD treatment to clinicians, including specialists in the field, should focus on psychotropic interactions.
The Protective Role of Immunomodulators on Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator-Induced Hemorrhagic Transformation in Experimental Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ye Yang , Zhu Yu-Tian , Tong Hong-Xuan , Han Jing-Yan
Published: December 2020

Background: Recanalization with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only approved agent available for acute ischemic stroke. But delayed treatment of tPA may lead to lethal intracerebral hemorrhagic transformation (HT). Numerous studies have reported that immunomodulators have good efficacy on tPA-induced HT in ischemic stroke models. The benefits of immunomodulators on tPA-associated HT are not clearly defined. Here, we sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies to further evaluate the efficacy of immunomodulators.

Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases were searched for studies. Studies that reported the efficacy of immunomodulators on tPA-induced HT in animal models of stroke were included. Animals were divided into two groups: immunomodulators plus tPA (intervention group) or tPA alone (control group). The primary outcome was intracerebral hemorrhage, and the secondary outcomes included infarct volume and neurobehavioral score. Study quality was assessed by the checklist of CAMARADES. We used standardized mean difference (SMD) to assess the impact of interventions. Regression analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to identify potential sources of heterogeneity and evaluate the impact of the study characteristics. The evidence of publication bias was evaluated using trim and fill method and Egger’s test.

Results: We identified 22 studies that met our inclusion criteria involving 516 animals and 42 different comparisons. The median quality checklist score was seven of a possible 10 (interquartile range, 6–8). Immunomodulators improved cerebral hemorrhage (1.31 SMD, 1.09–1.52); infarct volume (1.35 SMD, 0.95–1.76), and neurobehavioral outcome (0.9 SMD, 0.67–1.13) in experimental stroke. Regression analysis and subgroup analysis indicated that control of temperature and time of assessment were important factors that influencing the efficacy of immunomodulators.

Conclusion: Our findings suggested that immunomodulators had a favorable effect on tPA-associated intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, and neurobehavioral impairments in animal models of ischemic stroke.
Supplemental Sugar Is Required for Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis in Mythimna separata
Authors: Zhang Yaling , Zhang Yuanchen , Yao Shuangyan , Wang Gaoping , Wei Jizhen , Du Mengfang , An Shiheng , Yin Xinming
Published: December 2020

Supplemental nutrients of adult moths maximize moth fitness and contribute to the pollination of many plants. Previous reports have revealed that sugar feeding promotes to sex pheromone biosynthesis by increasing the haemolymph trehalose concentration in mating moths. Here, Mythimna separata adults were employed as a model to investigate the effect of sugar feeding on sex pheromone biosynthesis. Results showed that in virgin females, sugar feeding markedly increased the concentrations of trehalose, pyruvic acid, and acyl-CoA in pheromone glands (PGs), which in turn led to an increase in sex pheromone titer, female ability to attract males and successfully mating frequency in sugar-fed females. Consistently, sugar-fed females laid more eggs than water-fed females. Furthermore, the refeeding of starved females also caused significantly increase in the concentrations of trehalose, pyruvic acid, and acyl-CoA in PGs, thus facilitating a significant increase in sex pheromone production. Most importantly, RNAi-mediated knockdown of trehalase (leading to PG starvation) resulted in an increase in trehalose content, and decrease in the concentrations of pyruvic acid, and acyl-CoA in PGs, which in turn led to a decrease of sex pheromone titer, female ability to attract males and successful mating efficacy. Altogether, results revealed a mechanism by which sugar feeding contributed to trehalose utilization in PGs, promoted to significantly increased sex pheromone precursor by increasing the concentrations of pyruvic acid and acyl-CoA, and facilitated to sex pheromone biosynthesis and successful mating.
Accuracy of a Smartphone-Based Object Detection Model, PlantVillage Nuru, in Identifying the Foliar Symptoms of the Viral Diseases of Cassava–CMD and CBSD
Authors: Mrisho Latifa M. , Mbilinyi Neema A. , Ndalahwa Mathias , Ramcharan Amanda M. , Kehs Annalyse K. , McCloskey Peter C. , Murithi Harun , Hughes David P. , Legg James P.
Published: December 2020

Nuru is a deep learning object detection model for diagnosing plant diseases and pests developed as a public good by PlantVillage (Penn State University), FAO, IITA, CIMMYT, and others. It provides a simple, inexpensive and robust means of conducting in-field diagnosis without requiring an internet connection. Diagnostic tools that do not require the internet are critical for rural settings, especially in Africa where internet penetration is very low. An investigation was conducted in East Africa to evaluate the effectiveness of Nuru as a diagnostic tool by comparing the ability of Nuru, cassava experts (researchers trained on cassava pests and diseases), agricultural extension officers and farmers to correctly identify symptoms of cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and the damage caused by cassava green mites (CGM). The diagnosis capability of Nuru and that of the assessed individuals was determined by inspecting cassava plants and by using the cassava symptom recognition assessment tool (CaSRAT) to score images of cassava leaves, based on the symptoms present. Nuru could diagnose symptoms of cassava diseases at a higher accuracy (65% in 2020) than the agricultural extension agents (40–58%) and farmers (18–31%). Nuru’s accuracy in diagnosing cassava disease and pest symptoms, in the field, was enhanced significantly by increasing the number of leaves assessed to six leaves per plant (74–88%). Two weeks of Nuru practical use provided a slight increase in the diagnostic skill of extension workers, suggesting that a longer duration of field experience with Nuru might result in significant improvements. Overall, these findings suggest that Nuru can be an effective tool for in-field diagnosis of cassava diseases and has the potential to be a quick and cost-effective means of disseminating knowledge from researchers to agricultural extension agents and farmers, particularly on the identification of disease symptoms and their management practices.
Application of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy in Detection of Cadmium Content in Rice Stems
Authors: Wang Wei , Kong Wenwen , Shen Tingting , Man Zun , Zhu Wenjing , He Yong , Liu Fei , Liu Yufei
Published: December 2020

The presence of cadmium in rice stems is a limiting factor that restricts its function as biomass. In order to prevent potential risks of heavy metals in rice straws, this study introduced a fast detection method of cadmium in rice stems based on laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and chemometrics. The wavelet transform (WT), area normalization and median absolute deviation (MAD) were used to preprocess raw spectra to improve spectral stability. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for cluster analysis. The classification models were established to distinguish cadmium stress degree of stems, of which extreme learning machine (ELM) had the best effect, with 91.11% of calibration accuracy and 93.33% of prediction accuracy. In addition, multivariate models were established for quantitative detection of cadmium. It can be found that ELM model had the best prediction effects with prediction correlation coefficient of 0.995. The results show that LIBS provides an effective method for detection of cadmium in rice stems. The combination of LIBS technology and chemometrics can quickly detect the presence of cadmium in rice stems, and accurately realize qualitative and quantitative analysis of cadmium, which could be of great significance to promote the development of new energy industry.
Formal Syntax and Deep History
Authors: Ceolin Andrea , Guardiano Cristina , Irimia Monica Alexandrina , Longobardi Giuseppe
Published: December 2020

We show that, contrary to long-standing assumptions, syntactic traits, modeled here within the generative biolinguistic framework, provide insights into deep-time language history. To support this claim, we have encoded the diversity of nominal structures using 94 universally definable binary parameters, set in 69 languages spanning across up to 13 traditionally irreducible Eurasian families. We found a phylogenetic signal that distinguishes all such families and matches the family-internal tree topologies that are safely established through classical etymological methods and datasets. We have retrieved “near-perfect” phylogenies, which are essentially immune to homoplastic disruption and only moderately influenced by horizontal convergence, two factors that instead severely affect more externalized linguistic features, like sound inventories. This result allows us to draw some preliminary inferences about plausible/implausible cross-family classifications; it also provides a new source of evidence for testing the representation of diversity in syntactic theories.
A Rasch Model and Rating System for Continuous Responses Collected in Large-Scale Learning Systems
Authors: Deonovic Benjamin , Bolsinova Maria , Bechger Timo , Maris Gunter
Published: December 2020

An extension to a rating system for tracking the evolution of parameters over time using continuous variables is introduced. The proposed rating system assumes a distribution for the continuous responses, which is agnostic to the origin of the continuous scores and thus can be used for applications as varied as continuous scores obtained from language testing to scores derived from accuracy and response time from elementary arithmetic learning systems. Large-scale, high-stakes, online, anywhere anytime learning and testing inherently comes with a number of unique problems that require new psychometric solutions. These include (1) the cold start problem, (2) problem of change, and (3) the problem of personalization and adaptation. We outline how our proposed method addresses each of these problems. Three simulations are carried out to demonstrate the utility of the proposed rating system.
Gaining Mathematical Understanding: The Effects of Creative Mathematical Reasoning and Cognitive Proficiency
Authors: Jonsson Bert , Granberg Carina , Lithner Johan
Published: December 2020

In the field of mathematics education, one of the main questions remaining under debate is whether students’ development of mathematical reasoning and problem-solving is aided more by solving tasks with given instructions or by solving them without instructions. It has been argued, that providing little or no instruction for a mathematical task generates a mathematical struggle, which can facilitate learning. This view in contrast, tasks in which routine procedures can be applied can lead to mechanical repetition with little or no conceptual understanding. This study contrasts Creative Mathematical Reasoning (CMR), in which students must construct the mathematical method, with Algorithmic Reasoning (AR), in which predetermined methods and procedures on how to solve the task are given. Moreover, measures of fluid intelligence and working memory capacity are included in the analyses alongside the students’ math tracks. The results show that practicing with CMR tasks was superior to practicing with AR tasks in terms of students’ performance onpracticed test tasksandtransfer test tasks. Cognitive proficiency was shown to have an effect on students’ learning for both CMR and AR learning conditions. However, math tracks (advanced versus a more basic level) showed no significant effect. It is argued that going beyond step-by-step textbook solutions is essential and that students need to be presented with mathematical activities involving a struggle. In the CMR approach, students must focus on the relevant information in order to solve the task, and the characteristics of CMR tasks can guide students to the structural features that are critical for aiding comprehension.
The Game of Skittles on the Northern Route of the Camino de Santiago
Authors: Rodríguez-Fernández José E. , Lorenzo-Moledo Mar , García-Álvarez Jesús , Míguez-Salina Gabriela
Published: December 2020

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the presence and current situation of the game of skittles throughout the northern route of the Camino de Santiago. Thus, we considered its current practice, modalities, where it is played, and its different manifestations as an informal and formal game (sport), comparing it with other traditional games on this pilgrimage route. To do this, a mixed qualitative-quantitative study was designed with 89 participants (municipal professionals, politicians, players, club managers, and teachers), constituting an informant for each municipality through which the Northern Way passes. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for the data collection, which was processed through content analysis by expert judges (qualitative section) and by using the IBM-SPSS statistical package (version 25). The results of the study show notable skittles activity on the Northern Camino (58.32% of the municipalities), reflected in the number of skittles alleys (n = 291), the number of clubs, associations, and peñas participating in federated leagues (n = 162), and the wide range of varieties of skittles currently active on the Camino (n = 20). The relationship between skittles and local culture, both symbols of identity in these northern Spanish regions, made it possible to preserve the traditional heritage in these places, keeping it alive today, despite the push toward new and more attractive leisure and sport trends.
The Importance of WE in POWER: Integrating Police Wellness and Ethics
Authors: Blumberg Daniel M. , Papazoglou Konstantinos , Schlosser Michael D.
Published: December 2020

In this article, the authors introduce the POWER perspective of police wellness and ethics. POWER stands for Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience. The perspective represents the view that wellness and ethics cannot be discussed separately; they are inextricably connected to each other. Initiatives to address one should always, simultaneously, include the other. Although there is a need for wellness and ethics to be addressed on an organizational level, the present article emphasizes the importance of POWER for individual police officers. The authors make the argument that officers need to expand the way in which they conceptualize their own wellness to include efforts to maintain ethical decision-making. Specifically, officers will remain psychologically healthier when they take active steps to stay steadfastly committed to their ethical principles. Likewise, officers who utilize a comprehensive wellness program, including strategies to boost resilience, will be far less likely to experience lapses in ethical decision-making. Further recommendations for action and implication of this matter in law enforcement are presented and discussed.
Exploring the Role of Social Media Use Motives, Psychological Well-Being, Self-Esteem, and Affect in Problematic Social Media Use
Authors: Schivinski Bruno , Brzozowska-Woś Magdalena , Stansbury Ellena , Satel Jason , Montag Christian , Pontes Halley M.
Published: December 2020

Given recent advances in technology, connectivity, and the popularity of social media platforms, recent literature has devoted great attention to problematic Facebook use. However, exploring the potential predictors of problematic social media use beyond Facebook use has become paramount given the increasing popularity of multiple alternative platforms. In this study, a sample of 584 social media users (Mage = 32.28 years; 67.81% female) was recruited to complete an online survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, patterns, and preferences of social media use, problematic social media use (PSMU), social media use motives, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and positive and negative affect. Results indicated that 6.68% (n = 39) of all respondents could be potentially classed as problematic users. Moreover, further analysis indicated that intrapersonal motive (β = 0.38), negative affect (β = 0.22), daily social media use (β = 0.18), surveillance motive (β = 0.12), and positive affect (β = −0.09) each predicted PSMU. These variables accounted for about 37% of the total variance in PSMU, with intrapersonal motive driving the greatest predictive contribution, over and above the effects of patterns of social media use and sociodemographic variables. These findings contribute to the increasing literature on PSMU. The results of this study are discussed in light of the existing literature on PSMU.
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats by Histone H4 Lysine 16 Acetylation-Mediated Autophagy
Authors: Xu Shu-Ying , Lv He-Qun , Li Wen-Qian , Hong Hao , Peng Yong-Jun , Zhu Bing-Mei
Published: December 2020

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment in ischemic stroke has been highlighted recently; however, the specific mechanism is still elusive. Autophagy is considered a new target for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), but whether it plays a role of protecting or causing rapid cell apoptosis remains unclear. Studies have reported that the reduction in lysine 16 of histone H4 acetylation coheres with autophagy induction. The primary purpose of the study was to explore whether EA could alleviate I/R via autophagy-mediated histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.

Methods: One hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: control group, MCAO group, MCAO+EA group, MCAO+EA+hMOF siRNA group, and MCAO+EA+Sirt1 inhibitor group. EA was applied to “Baihui” (Du20) and “Renzhong” (Du26) at 5 min after modeling and 16 h after the first EA intervention. The structure and molecular markers of the rat brain were evaluated.

Results: EA significantly alleviated I/R injury by upregulating the expressions of Sirt1, Beclin1, and LC3-II and downregulating the expressions of hMOF and H4K16ac. In contrast, the Sirt1 inhibitor lowered the increase in Sirt1, Beclin1, and LC3-II and enhanced the level of hMOF and H4K16ac expressions associated with EA treatment. Besides, ChIP assay revealed that the binding of H4K16ac in the Beclin1 promoter region of the autophagy target gene was significantly raised in the MCAO+EA group and MCAO+EA+hMOF siRNA group.

Conclusions: EA treatment inhibited the H4K16ac process, facilitated autophagy, and alleviated I/R injury. These findings suggested that regulating histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation-mediated autophagy may be a key mechanism of EA at Du20 and Du26 to treat I/R.
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans
Authors: Sreedhara Meera , Goulding Melissa , Valentine Goins Karin , Frisard Christine , Lemon Stephenie C.
Published: December 2020

Background: Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches can sustainably improve healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) but are challenging to implement. Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) represent a strategic opportunity to advance PSEs but have not been adequately researched. The objective of this study was to describe types of HE and PA strategies included in CHIPs and assess strategies designed to facilitate successful PSE-change using an established framework that identifies six key activities to catalyze change.

Methods: A content analysis was conducted of 75 CHIP documents containing HE and/or PA PSE strategies, which represented communities that were identified from responses to a national probability sample of US local health departments (<500,000 residents). Each HE/PA PSE strategy was assessed for alignment with six key activities that facilitate PSE-change (identifying and framing the problem, engaging and educating key people, identifying PSE solutions, utilizing available evidence, assessing social and political environment, and building support and political will). Multilevel latent class analyses were conducted to identify classes of CHIPs based on HE/PA PSE strategy alignment with key activities. Analyses were conducted separately for CHIPs containing HE and PA PSE strategies.

Results: Two classes of CHIPs with PSE strategies emerged from the HE (n = 40 CHIPs) and PA (n = 43 CHIPs) multilevel latent class analyses. More CHIPs were grouped in Class A (HE: 75%; PA: 79%), which were characterized by PSE strategies that simply identified a PSE solution. Fewer CHIPs were grouped in Class B (HE: 25%; PA: 21%), and these mostly included PSE strategies that comprehensively addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change.

Conclusions: Few CHIPs containing PSE strategies addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change. Efforts to enhance collaborations with important decision-makers and community capacity to engage in a range of key activities are warranted.
Tourism and Livable Towns Beyond the Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case Study for Chongqing, China
Authors: Su Ke , Zhou Chao
Published: December 2020

Based on the data of 812 small towns in Chongqing, China, this paper attempts to conduct an empirical analysis on whether tourist towns with excellent natural environment, policy advantage, and market preference are more ecologically livable than ordinary small towns. It is found that as a whole, tourist towns are indeed more ecologically livable than ordinary small towns. Also, from the perspective of grading, both the national and provincial tourist towns have the advantage of ecological livability, but the advantage of national ones is more prominent. Furthermore, the ecological livability of tourist towns is affected by location advantage and policy inclination. The implications of the results are discussed following the outcomes of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. The suggestions beyond the coronavirus disease 2019 are also provided.
Transition of Agricultural Mechanization, Agricultural Economy, Government Policy and Environmental Movement Related to Rice Production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam after 2010
Authors: Matsubara Takeo , Truong Chi Thanh , Le Canh Dung , Kitaya Yoshiaki , Maeda Yasuaki
Published: December 2020

This study examines sustainable agricultural development in Vietnam by focusing on rice production in the Mekong Delta. Vietnam is the third largest rice-exporting country in the world and more than 90% of rice for export is from the Mekong Delta. We attempt to identify changes in the rice industry, specifically examining farming mechanization, trends in farm operation, and farm household economy. The main structure of our study is based on our direct interviews with 420 farmer households, 81 registered large farm owners, 75 farming service providers, and local government members. We carried out those interviews in 2013 and 2014. We identified several important changes brought by technological advances, economic modernization, government policies, and environmental movements. One important finding was the increasing trend of agricultural land per farmer household, such as from 1.98 to 2.27 ha in 2010 to 2018, and the decreasing trend of labor force, which pushed up agricultural mechanization. Another point was the land law revised in 2013, which allowed farmers to borrow (no private land ownership in Vietnam) farms up to 30ha/household if registered as a “Trang Trai” farm. Farmers accepted the use of tractors and combine harvesters; however, rice seed sowing was not mechanized, so rice transplanters were rarely used for rice planting. Among the processes of rice production, sowing of rice seeds was the least mechanized. In order to achieve more sustainable agricultural practices, we recommend improving the mechanization of the rice seed sowing process for the Mekong Delta farmers with acceptable conditions. Another finding was positive movements among Mekong Delta researchers and farmers to improve their rice quality to be accepted as high-quality rice in the global rice market and to dispel the bad reputation of the past.
Do We Need New Crops for Arid Regions? A Review of Fruit Species Domestication in Israel
Authors: Mizrahi Yosef
Published: December 2020

Climatic changes have created the imminent need for the development of new crops for arid regions. We started to domesticate and introduce wild and exotic fruit trees to our deserts in 1984. We tested different species in five eco zones in Israel, differing from each other in terms of maximum and minimum temperatures, type and degrees of salinities, water evaporation rates, rainfall, etc. We succeeded in cultivating pitaya species using hybrids from the Hylocereus and Selenicereus genera, and with a different species from the Cactaeae Cereus peruvianus, which we named Koubo. These two species are from the Cactaceae family, known for high water use efficiencies (WUE). We already have investors who started the semi-commercial production of Marula, Sclerocarya birrea sbsp. Caffra, and Argan—Argania spinosa. In spite of the fact that we developed good clones and knowledge of how to grow and ship White Sapote, Casimiroa edulis, and Indian jujube, Ziziphus mauritiana, we failed due to a lack of marketing research and development, which is essential for such a project. We have gene banks of some other new fruit crops waiting for investors to grow and bring them into the domestic and world markets.
Expression of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 and Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 in the Gut of the Peri-Weaning Pig Is Strongly Dependent on Age and Intestinal Site
Authors: Van Liefferinge Elout , Van Noten Noémie , Degroote Jeroen , Vrolix Gunther , Van Poucke Mario , Peelman Luc , Van Ginneken Chris , Roura Eugeni , Michiels Joris
Published: December 2020

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels contribute to sensory transduction in the body, agonized by a variety of stimuli, such as phytochemicals, and they are predominantly distributed in afferent neurons. Evidence indicates their expression in non-neuronal cells, demonstrating their ability to modulate gastrointestinal function. Targeting TRP channels could potentially be used to regulate gastrointestinal secretion and motility, yet their expression in the pig is unknown. This study investigated TRPA1 and TRPV1 expression in different gut locations of piglets of varying age. Colocalization with enteroendocrine cells was established by immunohistochemistry. Both channels were expressed in the gut mucosa. TRPV1 mRNA abundance increased gradually in the stomach and small intestine with age, most notably in the distal small intestine. In contrast, TRPA1 exhibited sustained expression across ages and locations, with the exception of higher expression in the pylorus at weaning. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the endocrine nature of both channels, showing the highest frequency of colocalization in enteroendocrine cells for TRPA1. Specific co-localization on GLP-1 immunoreactive cells indicated their possible role in GLP-1 release and the concomitant intestinal feedback mechanism. Our results indicate that TRPA1 and TRPV1 could play a role in gut enteroendocrine activity. Moreover, age and location in the gut significantly affected gene expression.
The Multiple Origins of Roe Deer Populations in Western Iberia and Their Relevance for Conservation
Authors: Barros Tânia , Ferreira Eduardo , Rocha Rita Gomes , Brotas Gonçalo , Carranza Juan , Fonseca Carlos , Torres Rita Tinoco
Published: December 2020

The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is native and widespread in Europe and its phylogeography has been clarified in the last decades. Southern peninsulas are considered as reservoirs of genetic diversity and the source for the recolonization of Europe after the last glacial maximum. Even though roe deer populations have been genetically characterized, there is a major knowledge gap about the populations at the western edge of its distribution. To fill this caveat, and based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, we aim to: (i) characterize the genetic diversity and structure of roe deer in western Iberia; (ii) clarify the origins and phylogeographical affinities of these populations, namely the relict population from Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG, Portugal) and the likely allochthonous populations from central and south (CS) Portugal; (iii) discuss the implications of our findings for the management and conservation of the roe deer. Three major genetic clusters were inferred based on nuclear genotypes and were structured in a similar way as the three major mtDNA clades present in Iberia. Patterns inferred with nuclear markers confirmed PNPG as a relict population. Roe deer from CS Portugal share haplotypes with Central Europe rather than with other western Iberian populations, confirming its mainly allochthonous origin. Our results highlight western Iberia as a diversity hotspot for roe deer. We highlight the role of intraspecific genetic diversity as a source of resilience against ongoing global changes; the need for transboundary management and the importance of genetic data to inform management and conservation. When considered, repopulation or translocation measures should follow the IUCN Law of Reintroductions and meticulously conducted in order to preserve the genetic heritage of the species.
Alpha-Ketoglutarate: An Effective Feed Supplement in Improving Bone Metabolism and Muscle Quality of Laying Hens: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Tomaszewska Ewa , Świątkiewicz Sylwester , Arczewska-Włosek Anna , Wojtysiak Dorota , Dobrowolski Piotr , Domaradzki Piotr , Świetlicka Izabela , Donaldson Janine , Hułas-Stasiak Monika , Muszyński Siemowit
Published: December 2020

The aim of the experiment was to assess the effect of dietary alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) supplementation on performance, serum hormonal indices, duodenum and jejunum histomorphometry, meat quality characteristics, bone quality traits and cartilage degradation in laying hens with a mature skeletal system. Forty-eight 30 week-old Bovans Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to a control group or the group fed the basal diet plus 1.0% AKG. The experimental trial lasted 30 weeks. The supplementation of AKG increases blood serum content of leptin, ghrelin, bone alkaline phosphatate and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand, while osteoprotegerin and osteocalcin decrease. While dietary AKG was given to laying hens negatively influenced villus length, crypt depth, villus/crypt ratio and absorptive surface area in duodenum and jejunum, these changes have no effect on feed intake, weight gain, nor laying performance. In breast muscles, no significant changes in skeletal muscle fatty acid composition were observed, however, a higher shear force and decreased cholesterol content following AKG supplementation were noted, showing the improvement of muscle quality. While dietary AKG supplementation did not affect the general geometric and mechanical properties of the tibia, it increased collagen synthesis and enhanced immature collagen content. In medullary bone, an increase of bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, fractal dimension and decrease of trabecular space were observed in AKG supplemented group. The trabeculae in bone metaphysis were also significantly thicker after AKG supplementation. AKG promoted fibrillogenesis in articular cartilage, as indicated by increased cartilage oligomeric matrix protein immunoexpression. By improving the structure and maintaining the proper bone turnover rate of highly reactive and metabolically active medullar and trabecular bones AKG showed its anti-osteoporotic action in laying hens.
Improved Cell Selectivity of Pseudin-2 via Substitution in the Leucine-Zipper Motif: In Vitro and In Vivo Antifungal Activity
Authors: Park Seong-Cheol , Kim Heabin , Kim Jin-Young , Kim Hyeonseok , Cheong Gang-Won , Lee Jung Ro , Jang Mi-Kyeong
Published: December 2020

Several antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been discovered, developed, and purified from natural sources and peptide engineering; however, the clinical applications of these AMPs are limited owing to their lack of abundance and side effects related to cytotoxicity, immunogenicity, and hemolytic activity. Accordingly, to improve cell selectivity for pseudin-2, an AMP from Pseudis paradoxa skin, in mammalian cells and pathogenic fungi, the sequence of pseudin-2 was modified by alanine or lysine at each position of two amino acids within the leucine-zipper motif. Alanine-substituted variants were highly selective toward fungi over HaCaT and erythrocytes and maintained their antifungal activities and mode of action (membranolysis). However, the antifungal activities of lysine-substituted peptides were reduced, and the compound could penetrate into fungal cells, followed by induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and cell death. In vivo antifungal assays of analogous peptide showed excellent antifungal efficiency in a Candida tropicalis skin infection mouse model. Our results demonstrated the usefulness of selective amino acid substitution in the repeated sequence of the leucine-zipper motif for the design of AMPs with potent antimicrobial activities and low toxicity.
Mining Hidden and Fragmented API Usages in Android Applications
Authors: Kim Mingwan , Kim Neunghoe
Published: December 2020

Application Programming Interface (API) usage mining is an approach used to extract the common API usage to help developers get used to the APIs. However, in Android applications, the usage can be hidden or fragmented due to class inheritance. Such hidden or fragmented usages could decrease the coverage and accuracy of the existing API mining approaches. Our method aims to resolve the problem of hidden and fragmented usages through API generalization. This generalized usage is expected to be applicable to every class that inherits a class in the usage. In the experiment, among 442,809 Android API usages, 104,839 usages either were hidden or fragmented. By revealing such usages, the accuracy of the code completion was improved by at most 6.66%. The usage generalization was efficient for extracting API usages in Android applications in which the APIs are used through class inheritance.