bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activities and metabolomics of Cordyceps gunnii under different culture conditions
Authors: Qu Shuai-Ling , Xie Juan , Wang Jun-Tao , Li Guo-Hong , Pan Xue-Rong , Zhao Pei-Ji
Published: January 2023

Many active metabolites have been identified from various species of the fungal genus Cordyceps. A predominant species of this genus is Cordyceps gunnii, but there are limited reports on the active ingredients from this species. This study aimed to conduct activity assays and metabolome analysis on extracts of C. gunnii obtained under different culture conditions. Five different solid media were selected to culture the mycelium of C. gunnii and the metabolites were extracted with organic solvents; concurrently, the wild stroma and host complexes of C. gunnii were extracted by ethyl acetate. Extracts were subsequently assayed for various biological activities and were analyzed by untargeted metabolomics. There were significant differences in the activities and metabolites of C. gunnii extracts from different culture conditions and from wild stroma and host complexes. The extracts of stroma and host complexes and mycelia cultured on WGA medium for 21 days exhibited similar effective inhibitory activity against five cell lines. A total of 51 metabolites were annotated and included various structural types. The literatures indicate that most of the identified compounds have a variety of different biological activities. These findings provide the basis for further systematic excavation of C. gunnii and improved utilization of this fungal species.
Gossypol acetate: A natural polyphenol derivative with antimicrobial activities against the essential cell division protein FtsZ
Authors: Du Ruo-Lan , Chow Ho-Yin , Chen Yu Wei , Chan Pak-Ho , Daniel Richard A. , Wong Kwok-Yin
Published: January 2023

Antimicrobial resistance has attracted worldwide attention and remains an urgent issue to resolve. Discovery of novel compounds is regarded as one way to circumvent the development of resistance and increase the available treatment options. Gossypol is a natural polyphenolic aldehyde, and it has attracted increasing attention as a possible antibacterial drug. In this paper, we studied the antimicrobial properties (minimum inhibitory concentrations) of gossypol acetate against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains and dig up targets of gossypol acetate using in vitro assays, including studying its effects on functions (GTPase activity and polymerization) of Filamenting temperature sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) and its interactions with FtsZ using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and in vivo assays, including visualization of cell morphologies and proteins localizations using a microscope. Lastly, Bacterial membrane permeability changes were studied, and the cytotoxicity of gossypol acetate was determined. We also estimated the interactions of gossypol acetate with the promising target. We found that gossypol acetate can inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria such as the model organism Bacillus subtilis and the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus [both methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA)]. In addition, gossypol acetate can also inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria when the outer membrane is permeabilized by Polymyxin B nonapeptide (PMBN). Using a cell biological approach, we show that gossypol acetate affects cell division in bacteria by interfering with the assembly of the cell division FtsZ ring. Biochemical analysis shows that the GTPase activity of FtsZ was inhibited and polymerization of FtsZ was enhanced in vitro, consistent with the block to cell division in the bacteria tested. The binding mode of gossypol acetate in FtsZ was modeled using molecular docking and provides an understanding of the compound mode of action. The results point to gossypol (S2303) as a promising antimicrobial compound that inhibits cell division by affecting FtsZ polymerization and has potential to be developed into an effective antimicrobial drug by chemical modification to minimize its cytotoxic effects in eukaryotic cells that were identified in this work.
LncRNA EN-90756 promotes CPB2-induced proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in IPEC-J2 cells by affecting the JAK-STAT signaling pathway activation
Authors: Yang Jiaojiao , Zhang Juanli , Yang Qiaoli , Huang Xiaoyu , Yan Zunqiang , Wang Pengfei , Gao Xiaoli , Li Jie , Li Na , Gao Yi , Gun Shuangbao
Published: January 2023

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), as key regulators, are closely associated with the development of a variety of disease. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate Clostridium perfringens type C induced piglet diarrhea are unclear.

Methods

In the present study, we explored the expression and characterization of lncRNAs in a C. perfringens beta2 (CPB2) toxin-treated intestinal porcine epithelial cell line-J2 (IPEC-J2) using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq).

Results

A total of 6,558 lncRNAs were identified, of which 49 lncRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between the control and CPB2 groups. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of differentially expressed lncRNA EN-90756 were mainly associated with defense response to virus, and negative regulation of apoptotic process. LncRNA EN-90756 was significantly up-regulated in IPEC-J2 cells at different time points after CPB2 treatment. Functionally, knockdown of lncRNA EN-90756 might regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of IPEC-J2 cells by affecting the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway. LncRNA EN-90756 may be involved in CPB2 toxin-induced piglet diarrhea by regulating the expression of its target gene MX1 (encoding MX dynamin like GTPase 1).

Conclusion

Long non-coding RNA EN-90756 affected the antiviral ability of IPEC-J2 cells by regulating the expression of MX1. Meanwhile, lncRNA EN-90756 might regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis by affecting JAK-STAT signaling pathway activation. These findings provide novel perspectives and directions for further exploration of the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs on CPB2 toxin-induced diarrhea in piglets.
Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics analysis reveals the new regulatory mechanism of progranulin in influenza virus infection
Authors: Li Haoning , Zhang Yuying , Li Chengye , Ning Peng , Sun Hailiang , Wei Fanhua
Published: January 2023

Progranulin (PGRN) plays an important role in influenza virus infection. To gain insight into the potential molecular mechanisms by which PGRN regulates influenza viral replication, proteomic analyzes of whole mouse lung tissue from wild-type (WT) versus (vs) PGRN knockout (KO) mice were performed to identify proteins regulated by the absence vs. presence of PGRN. Our results revealed that PGRN regulated the differential expression of ALOX15, CD14, CD5L, and FCER1g, etc., and also affected the lysosomal activity in influenza virus infection. Collectively these findings provide a panoramic view of proteomic changes resulting from loss of PGRN and thereby shedding light on the functions of PGRN in influenza virus infection.
Innate immunity mediator STING modulates nascent DNA metabolism at stalled forks in human cells
Authors: Lazarchuk Pavlo , Nguyen Vy N. , Brunon Salomé , Pavlova Maria N. , Sidorova Julia M.
Published: January 2023

Background: The cGAS/STING pathway, part of the innate immune response to foreign DNA, can be activated by cell’s own DNA arising from the processing of the genome, including the degradation of nascent DNA at arrested replication forks, which can be upregulated in cancer cells. Recent evidence raises a possibility that the cGAS/STING pathway may also modulate the very processes that trigger it, e.g., DNA damage repair or processing of stalled forks.

Methods: We manipulated STING levels in human cells by depleting or re-expressing it, and assessed the effects of STING on replication using microfluidics-assisted replication track analysis, or maRTA, a DNA fiber assay, as well as immuno-precipitation of nascent DNA, or iPOND. We also assessed STING subcellular distribution and its ability to activate.

Results: Depletion of STING suppressed and its re-expression in STING-deficient cancer cells upregulated the degradation of nascent DNA at arrested replication forks. Replication fork arrest was accompanied by the STING pathway activation, and a STING mutant that does not activate the pathway failed to upregulate nascent DNA degradation. cGAS was required for STING’s effect on degradation, but this requirement could be bypassed by treating cells with a STING agonist. Cells expressing inactive STING had a reduced level of RPA on parental and nascent DNA of arrested forks and a reduced CHK1 activation compared to cells with the wild type STING. STING also affected unperturbed fork progression in a subset of cell lines. STING fractionated to the nuclear fractions enriched for structural components of chromatin and nuclear envelope, and furthermore, it associated with the chromatin of arrested replication forks as well as post-replicative chromatin.

Conclusion: Our data highlight STING as a determinant of stalled replication fork integrity, thus revealing a novel connection between the replication stress and innate immune responses.
Big Data analytics for improved prediction of ligand binding and conformational selection
Authors: Gupta Shivangi , Baudry Jerome , Menon Vineetha
Published: January 2023

This research introduces new machine learning and deep learning approaches, collectively referred to as Big Data analytics techniques that are unique to address the protein conformational selection mechanism for protein:ligands complexes. The novel Big Data analytics techniques presented in this work enables efficient data processing of a large number of protein:ligand complexes, and provides better identification of specific protein properties that are responsible for a high probability of correct prediction of protein:ligand binding. The GPCR proteins ADORA2A (Adenosine A2a Receptor), ADRB2 (Adrenoceptor Beta 2), OPRD1 (Opioid receptor Delta 1) and OPRK1 (Opioid Receptor Kappa 1) are examined in this study using Big Data analytics techniques, which can efficiently process a huge ensemble of protein conformations, and significantly enhance the prediction of binding protein conformation (i.e., the protein conformations that will be selected by the ligands for binding) about 10–38 times better than its random selection counterpart for protein conformation selection. In addition to providing a Big Data approach to the conformational selection mechanism, this also opens the door to the systematic identification of such “binding conformations” for proteins. The physico-chemical features that are useful in predicting the “binding conformations” are largely, but not entirely, shared among the test proteins, indicating that the biophysical properties that drive the conformation selection mechanism may, to an extent, be protein-specific for the protein properties used in this work.
Electrostatic interactions mediate the nucleation and growth of a bacterial functional amyloid
Authors: Bhoite Sujeet S. , Kolli Divya , Gomulinski Mark A. , Chapman Matthew R.
Published: January 2023

Bacterial biofilm formation can have severe impacts on human and environmental health. Enteric bacteria produce functional amyloid fibers called curli that aid in biofilm formation and host colonization. CsgA is the major proteinaceous component of curli amyloid fibers and is conserved in many gram-negative enteric bacteria. The CsgA amyloid core consists of five imperfect repeats (R1-R5). R2, R3, and R4 have aspartic acid (D) and glycine (G) residues that serve as “gatekeeper” residues by modulating the intrinsic aggregation propensity of CsgA. Here, using mutagenesis, salt-mediated charge screening, and by varying pH conditions, we show that the ability of CsgA variants to nucleate and form amyloid fibers is dictated by the charge state of the gatekeeper residues. We report that in Citrobacter youngae CsgA, certain arginine (R) and lysine (K) residues also act as gatekeeper residues. A mechanism of gatekeeping is proposed wherein R and K residues electrostatically interact with negatively charged D residues, tempering CsgA fiber formation.
Viscosity dissipation and mixed convection flow in a vertical double-passage channel with permeable fluid
Authors: Athal Iqbal , Sarris Ioannis E. , Velusamy Palani , Govindan Vediyappan
Published: January 2023

The method of regular perturbation is used to analyse the fully developed flow and heat transfer in a vertical two-way channel containing a permeable liquid. The Brinkman model is used for flow through porous media. The energy equation contains a viscosity term and a Darcy dissipation term. The fully conductive thin partition is divided into two stages; the wall is uniformly heated; and the effects of the porous parameter σ and the mixed convection parameter λ on the velocity and temperature distribution near the hot and cold walls are investigated. The results show that these effects mainly depend on the position of the baffle. Analytical solutions are first used to resolve the simpler problems of either a negligible Brinkman number or a negligible Grashof number. Then, using a perturbation series method, the combined effects of buoyant forces and viscous dissipation are examined. The velocity field and the temperature field in the cases under study were assessed.
Characteristics of stroke service implementation in Armenia
Authors: Sahakyan Greta , Orduyan Mira , Badalyan Sevak , Adamyan Ani , Hovhannisyan Mariam , Manucharyan Hasmik , Egoyan Sagatel , Makaryan Yuri , Manvelyan Hovhannes
Published: January 2023

Background

Acute stroke care service in Armenia was established in 2019 after the implementation of the National Stroke Program (NSP). This study aimed to provide an up-to-date account of the current image and clinical characteristics of acute stroke service implementation at a tertiary hospital in Armenia by analyzing the quality of care and identifying the areas that need improvement.

Methods

We analyzed patient data from a single hospital in 1 year after the establishment of acute stroke care service (February 2021–January 2022). We selected patients who were within 0–24 h from symptom onset at admission and included patients who benefited from reperfusion therapies (intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or endovascular thrombectomy (EVT)). A favorable outcome was defined as a drop in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) by more than four points at discharge and a modified Rankin score (mRS) of 0–2 at 90 days.

Results

Of the total 385 patients, 155 underwent reperfusion therapies, 91% of patients (141/155) arrived by ambulance, 79.2% (122/155) had neurological improvement at discharge, and 60.6% (94/155) had an mRS of 0–2 at 3 months. Less than 5% of patients had early direct access to the rehabilitation center.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that the implementation of NSP with organized protocol-driven inpatient care led to significant advancement in acute stroke service performance. We believe that our report will serve as a model for achieving advanced and structured stroke care in a resource-limited context and contribute to the future development of the healthcare system in our country.
Bow Hunter's syndrome with clicking sounds: A rare etiology of transient loss of consciousness with tonic–clonic seizure
Authors: Wang Lijuan , Dong Yanan , Chen Hongxiu , Bai Jing , Zhu Mingqin , Xing Yingqi
Published: January 2023

We present the case of a young male patient experiencing a transient loss of consciousness and manifesting a seizure when he tilted his head backward. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) and carotid artery ultrasound (CAU) examination were normal when the patient's neck was in the neutral position. However, the CAU revealed vertebral artery (VA) transient occlusion during neck rotation or backward movement. Electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring was performed with multiple neck rotation–induced tests. The patient developed dizziness, which was the same as the prodromal symptoms of the first seizure, and the EEG showed a large number of spinal slow waves and sharp slow waves in the frontal-to-frontal midline area, with an occasional generalization trend. CT angiography revealed occipitalization of the atlas and the lack of contrast agent filling in the local area of the VA when the patient's head was turned contralaterally. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with Bow Hunter's syndrome (BHS) and treated conservatively with neck immobilization. No recurrence occurred at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. Therefore, this case alerts neurologists to suspect BHS on observing seizure manifestations during neck rotation, and CAU may be a recommended dynamic screening method for BHS. This report is accompanied by a discussion of the phenomenon and diagnosis in the context of the existing literature.
Kinetics of L-ascorbic acid degradation and non-enzymatic browning development in hot-compressed water
Authors: Feng Liang , Yang Yan , Xie Ya-ting , Liu Shuang-shuang , Peng Xuan , Hu Sheng , Yu Ai-nong
Published: January 2023

The effect of reaction conditions, which comprised the reaction temperature (150–190°C), processing time (0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, and 2.50 h), pH (5.0, 7.0, and 9.5), and concentration (0.03–0.07 mol/L) of L-ascorbic acid (ASA), on the degradation of ASA was investigated in hot-compressed water (HCW). The degradation kinetics of ASA and generation kinetics of browning products (BPs) were studied. The results showed that ASA degradation conformed to the pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the formation of BPs was closely related to the concentration of H3O+ in HCW. The acidic condition (pH = 5.0) and lower concentration of ASA (0.03 mol/L) were more favorable for ASA degradation. In HCW, the average apparent activation energy (Ea) of ASA was 15.77, 31.70, and 47.53 kJ/mol at pH 5.0, 7.0, and 9.5, respectively. The possible degradation mechanisms of ASA and the generation of BPs in HCW were proposed based on the experimental results.
The value of the multidisciplinary team in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Paving the way for precision medicine in toxicities management
Authors: Roberto Michela , Panebianco Martina , Aschelter Anna Maria , Buccilli Dorelsa , Cantisani Carmen , Caponnetto Salvatore , Cortesi Enrico , d’Amuri Sara , Fofi Claudia , Ierinò Debora , Maestrini Viviana , Marchetti Paolo , Marignani Massimo , Stigliano Antonio , Vivona Luca , Santini Daniele , Tomao Silverio
Published: January 2023

The new landscape of treatments for metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma (mRCC) is constantly expanding, but it is associated with the emergence of novel toxicities, adding to up to those observed in the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) era. Indeed, the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone or in combination has been associated with the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) involving multiple-organ systems which, even if rarely, had led to fatal outcomes. Moreover, due to the relatively recent addition of ICIs to the previously available treatments, the potential additive adverse effects of these combinations are still unknown. A prompt recognition and management of these toxicities currently represents a fundamental issue in oncology, since it correlates with the outcome of cancer patients. Even if clinical guidelines provide indications for the management of irAEs, no specific protocol to evaluate the individual risk of developing an adverse event during therapy is currently available. A multidisciplinary approach addressing appropriate interventions aimed at reducing the risk of any insidious, severe, and/or dose-limiting toxicity might represent the most efficacious strategy to timely prevent and manage severe irAEs, allowing indirectly to improve both patients’ cancer-specific survival and quality of life. In this review, we reported a five-case series of toxicity events that occurred at our center during treatment for mRCC followed by the remarks of physicians from different specialties, pinpointing the relevant role of an integrated and extended multidisciplinary team in a modern model of mRCC patient management.
Treatment mode and prognosis of esophageal perforation after radiotherapy in patients with esophageal carcinoma
Authors: Chan-Jun Zhen , Wen-Wen Bai , Ping Zhang , Yu-Zhi Song , Ya-Jing Wang , Xue-Ying Qiao , Zhi-Guo Zhou
Published: January 2023

Objective

Retrospectively analyzed the esophageal carcinoma (EC) patients with esophageal perforation (EP) after radiotherapy to discuss the treatment and prognosis.

Methods

Data of patients with EC who had EP after radiotherapy in Hebei Cancer Hospital were collected from 2001 to 2020 and retrospectively analyzed. All analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 18. 0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill., USA). P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 94 patients with EC were enrolled, among which 72 were males and 22 were females, with a median age of 62 (38–82) years. The tumor was located in the upper thoracic in 45 patients, middle thoracic in 45 patients, and lower thoracic in 4 patients. There were 30 cases of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and 64 cases of esophagomediastinal fistula (EMF). All patients died within 11 months (median: two months) after EP. After EP, 48 patients were treated by tube feeding (include nasal feeding and gastrostomy), 26 patients by esophageal stenting, and 20 patients by fluid infusion therapy, and their one, three, and six months survival rates after EP were 81.3%, 31.3%, and 12.5% (P = 0.000). In the TEF group, the one, three, and six month survival rates after EP of tube feeding, esophageal stenting and fluid infusion groups were 88.2%, 17.6%, 11.8%; 45.5%, 27.3%, 0%; and 50.0%, 50.0%, 0% (P = 0.345). In the EMF group, the one, three, and six months survival rates after EP of this three groups were 77.4%, 38.7%, 12.9%; 26.7%, 20.0%, 6.7%; and 22.2%, 11.1%, 0% (P=0.002), respectively.

Conclusion

Most patients with EP after radiotherapy died within six months, with low survival and poor prognosis. Tube feeding therapy can achieve relatively good survival, especially for patients with EMF. The survival of patients treated by tube feeding therapy is significantly better than the survival of those treated by other methods.
Molecular profiling of urinary extracellular vesicles in chronic kidney disease and renal fibrosis
Authors: Tepus Melanie , Tonoli Elisa , Verderio Elisabetta A. M.
Published: January 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term kidney damage caused by gradual loss of essential kidney functions. A global health issue, CKD affects up to 16% of the population worldwide. Symptoms are often not apparent in the early stages, and if left untreated, CKD can progress to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), also known as kidney failure, when the only possible treatments are dialysis and kidney transplantation. The end point of nearly all forms of CKD is kidney fibrosis, a process of unsuccessful wound-healing of kidney tissue. Detection of kidney fibrosis, therefore, often means detection of CKD. Renal biopsy remains the best test for renal scarring, despite being intrinsically limited by its invasiveness and sampling bias. Urine is a desirable source of fibrosis biomarkers as it can be easily obtained in a non-invasive way and in large volumes. Besides, urine contains biomolecules filtered through the glomeruli, mirroring the pathological state. There is, however, a problem of highly abundant urinary proteins that can mask rare disease biomarkers. Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs), which originate from renal cells and carry proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, are an attractive source of potential rare CKD biomarkers. Their cargo consists of low-abundant proteins but highly concentrated in a nanosize-volume, as well as molecules too large to be filtered from plasma. Combining molecular profiling data (protein and miRNAs) of uEVs, isolated from patients affected by various forms of CKD, this review considers the possible diagnostic and prognostic value of uEVs biomarkers and their potential application in the translation of new experimental antifibrotic therapeutics.
Modifiable factors for migraine prophylaxis: A mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Zheng Hui , Shi Yun-Zhou , Liang Jing-Tao , Lu Liang-Liang , Chen Min
Published: January 2023

Objective: To examine the causal effect of potentially modifiable risk factors contributing to migraine pathogenesis.

Methods: We performed Mendelian randomization analyses and acquired data from United Kingdom Biobank, FinnGen Biobank, and the MRC IEU OpenGWAS data infrastructure. An inverse-variance weighted (IVW) model was used to examine the relationship between 51 potentially modifiable risk factors and migraine in 3215 participants with migraine without aura (MwoA), 3541 participants with migraine with aura (MwA), and 176,107 controls. We adopted a Bonferroni-corrected threshold of p = 9.8 × 10–4 (.05 divided by 51 exposures) as a sign of significant effect, and a p < .05 was considered as the sign of a suggestive association.

Results: More years of schooling significantly correlated with lower odds of MwoA pathogenesis (OR .57 [95%CI .44 to .75], p < .0001). More vitamin B12 intake (OR .49 [95%CI .24 to .99], p = .046) and lower level of stress [OR 8.17 (95%CI 1.5 to 44.36), p = .015] or anxiety disorder (OR 1.92 × 109 [95%CI 8.76 to 4.23*1017], p = .029) were suggestive to be correlated lower odds of MwoA pathogenesis. More coffee intake (OR .39 [95%CI .22 to .7], p = .001), lower level of eicosapentaenoic acid status (OR 2.54 [95%CI 1.03 to 6.26], p = .043), and more light physical activity (OR .09 [95%CI .01 to .94], p = .046) were suggestive to be associated with lower odds of MwA.

Conclusion: The years of schooling, light physical activity, vitamin B12 intake, and coffee intake were the protective factors for migraine; stress, anxiety, and eicosapentaenoic acid status were harmful factors. Interventions could be developed based on modifying these factors for migraine prophylaxis.
Increasing the prediction performance of temporal convolution network using multimodal combination input: Evidence from the study on exchange rates
Authors: Lv Xueling , Xiong Xiong , Geng Baojun
Published: January 2023

The currency market is one of the most important financial markets in the world. The exchange rate movement has effect on international trade and capital flow. This study presents a forecasting method for exchange rate based on multi-modal combination market trend. The method facilitates the more accurate identification of volatility link between exchange rates, unlike the conventional ones, in which only information related to itself is used as input. We select multiple characteristics of the exchange rate from other countries as input data. Then the Pearson correlation coefficient and random forest model are used to filter these characteristics We integrate the data with higher correlation into the temporal convolutional network model to forecast the exchange rate. For the empirical samples, a nine-year period historical exchange rates of the Euro, Ruble, Australian dollar, and British pound corresponding to the Renminbi are used. The empirical results show the more stable effect using the forecasting method proposed in this study than the traditional models.
Study on an SIR rumor propagation model with an interaction mechanism on WeChat networks
Authors: Chang Xinghua
Published: January 2023

The spread of rumors does great harm to society. It will not only disrupt the social order but also damage public interests and even cause public safety and social shock. With the development of social platforms, it has become a fertile ground for rumors to breed and spread. The WeChat group as a very popular social platform is an important medium of rumor spreading with accurate and fast characteristics. In this paper, in order to describe the dynamic characteristics of rumors spread in WeChat groups, a susceptible–infected–removed rumor propagation model with an interaction mechanism and population dynamics on WeChat groups is proposed. In order to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the system, the next-generation matrix method is used to calculate the basic reproduction number of the proposed model. Then, the stability of a disease-free equilibrium point and a positive equilibrium point of the system is analyzed in detail. Finally, the accuracy of the analysis results is verified by numerical simulation. The research results are of great significance for controlling the rumors spread in WeChat groups.
BIoMT-ISeg: Blockchain internet of medical things for intelligent segmentation
Authors: Belhadi Asma , Holland Jon-Olav , Yazidi Anis , Srivastava Gautam , Lin Jerry Chun-Wei , Djenouri Youcef
Published: January 2023

In the quest of training complicated medical data for Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) scenarios, this study develops an end-to-end intelligent framework that incorporates ensemble learning, genetic algorithms, blockchain technology, and various U-Net based architectures. Genetic algorithms are used to optimize the hyper-parameters of the used architectures. The training process was also protected with the help of blockchain technology. Finally, an ensemble learning system based on voting mechanism was developed to combine local outputs of various segmentation models into a global output. Our method shows that strong performance in a condensed number of epochs may be achieved with a high learning rate and a small batch size. As a result, we are able to perform better than standard solutions for well-known medical databases. In fact, the proposed solution reaches 95% of intersection over the union, compared to the baseline solutions where they are below 80%. Moreover, with the proposed blockchain strategy, the detected attacks reached 76%.
QTL for induced resistance against leaf rust in barley
Authors: Matros Andrea , Schikora Adam , Ordon Frank , Wehner Gwendolin
Published: January 2023

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia hordei is one of the major diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leading to yield losses up to 60%. Even though, resistance genes Rph1 to Rph28 are known, most of these are already overcome. In this context, priming may promote enhanced resistance to P. hordei. Several bacterial communities such as the soil bacterium Ensifer (syn. Sinorhizobium) meliloti are reported to induce resistance by priming. During quorum sensing in populations of gram negative bacteria, they produce N-acyl homoserine-lactones (AHL), which induce resistance in plants in a species- and genotype-specific manner. Therefore, the present study aims to detect genotypic differences in the response of barley to AHL, followed by the identification of genomic regions involved in priming efficiency of barley. A diverse set of 198 spring barley accessions was treated with a repaired E. meliloti natural mutant strain expR+ch producing a substantial amount of AHL and a transformed E. meliloti strain carrying the lactonase gene attM from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. For P. hordei resistance the diseased leaf area and the infection type were scored 12 dpi (days post-inoculation), and the corresponding relative infection and priming efficiency were calculated. Results revealed significant effects (p<0.001) of the bacterial treatment indicating a positive effect of priming on resistance to P. hordei. In a genome‐wide association study (GWAS), based on the observed phenotypic differences and 493,846 filtered SNPs derived from the Illumina 9k iSelect chip, genotyping by sequencing (GBS), and exome capture data, 11 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified with a hot spot on the short arm of the barley chromosome 6H, associated to improved resistance to P. hordei after priming with E. meliloti expR+ch. Genes in these QTL regions represent promising candidates for future research on the mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions.
Airflow ejection-wrapped clamping type seedling picking method and parameter optimization
Authors: Ma Guoxin , Chen Xi , Liu Yang , Han Luhua , Mao Hanping , Hu Jianping
Published: January 2023

Since the current clamp-type and push-out-type seedling picking method brought damage to seedlings, this study aimed to proposed an airflow ejection-wrapped clamping type seedling picking method, which used airflow to eject out seedling and the seedlings were wrapped clamped to reduce the damage of seedlings during seedling picking process. The parameter model was established through theoretical design, then the parameters were optimized through coupling simulation analysis, and the validity of these parameters was verified through experiments. We found that the diameter of the airflow nozzle was selected as 3.5 mm to match with the drainage outlet of the plug tray, and the airflow pressure which could eject out seedlings was calculated as 0.146 Mpa~0.315 Mpa on the basis of gas jet dynamic. The fluid-solid coupling simulation of airflow ejection in Comsol proposed that the seedlings could be ejected out under the airflow pressure was equal to or greater than 0.4 Mpa, and the airflow should be maintained for about 0.3 s to ensure the posture of the seedlings ejected out for better seedling clamping. The further fluid-discrete body simulation of airflow ejection by using Fluent-Edem coupling method indicated that the seedling was damaged under airflow pressure of 0.5 MPa, so the airflow pressure should be set as 0.4 MPa during seedling ejection process. Besides, a wrapped clamping type effector which clamped the seedlings from all sides in the form of flexible package was also designed to match with the airflow ejection method, and the RecurDyn-Edem coupling simulation showed that the end-effector could tightly clamp the seedling without damage when the angle between the clamping slices and the vertical direction was 8.5°. Finally, the airflow ejection-wrapped clamping type seedling picking device was manufactured, and the verification tests verified the simulation results. This research can provide some references for the automatic seedling picking technology.
Identification of multiple novel genetic mechanisms that regulate chilling tolerance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Sahoo Dipak Kumar , Hegde Chinmay , Bhattacharyya Madan K.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Cold stress adversely affects the growth and development of plants and limits the geographical distribution of many plant species. Accumulation of spontaneous mutations shapes the adaptation of plant species to diverse climatic conditions.

Methods

The genome-wide association study of the phenotypic variation gathered by a newly designed phenomic platform with the over six millions single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) loci distributed across the genomes of 417 Arabidopsis natural variants collected from various geographical regions revealed 33 candidate cold responsive genes.

Results

Investigation of at least two independent insertion mutants for 29 genes identified 16 chilling tolerance genes governing diverse genetic mechanisms. Five of these genes encode novel leucine-rich repeat domain-containing proteins including three nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins. Among the 16 identified chilling tolerance genes, ADS2 and ACD6 are the only two chilling tolerance genes identified earlier.

Discussion

The 12.5% overlap between the genes identified in this genome-wide association study (GWAS) of natural variants with those discovered previously through forward and reverse genetic approaches suggests that chilling tolerance is a complex physiological process governed by a large number of genetic mechanisms.
Rigorous idiography: Exploring subjective and idiographic data with rigorous methods—The method of derangements
Authors: Evans Chris , Carlyle Jo-anne , Paz Clara
Published: January 2023

Psychological research often seeks general rules applying across individuals, an aim that is in tension with examining that which is unique to any individual. There are general statistical regularities across individuals’ subjective self-report which enable much psychology and psychotherapy research to combine data from self-report questionnaire responses with statistical and psychometric methods to create a fundamental part of Cronbach and Meehl’s foundational nomological networks of validity. However, these methods only apply when most participants answer the same questions on measures creating nomothetic data and this has led to a neglect of idiographic data. This paper reviews a method of analysis of idiographic data, of “rigorous idiography”: the method of derangements. This is a remarkably simple statistical test of whether purely idiographic data convey reliable information. We show how the method appeared to become stuck in a bibliometric backwater but we expand on its potential for research and practise and hope it will be taken up and used correctly and more widely.
Handwriting fluency, latency, and kinematic in Portuguese writing system: Pilot study with school children from 3rd to 5th grade
Authors: Germano Giseli Donadon , Capellini Simone Aparecida
Published: January 2023

Studies have referred to the interaction between orthographic and motor aspects during the production of handwriting. However, studies with Brazilian Portuguese are still lacking. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare orthographic regularity, based on the Portuguese writing system, in high (HF) and low (LF) frequency words, in relation to latency and kinematic variables in students from the 3rd to the 5th grade of elementary school. This is a cross-sectional pilot study, with a convenience sample of 95 children participated in this study, from 3rd to 5th grade level attending a state elementary school. All were submitted to the following procedures of computerized evaluation of handwriting and submitted to the task of writing 15 HF and 15 LF words, selected according to the frequency criteria and classified according writing coding rule. Results indicated that for HF words, there was a decrease in writing and disfluencies production time, for all coding rules, from 3rd to 5th grade. However, for LF words, the more unpredictable orthographic affect production duration time, movement fluency, and students became more dependent on the use of gaze to check spelling aspects. This study revealed that lexical and sub-lexical activation affected motor production. For HF and LF words, lexical and sublexical process favored motor programming. However, for LF words, despite the maturation and school progression for the motor planes, there was an increase in latency time and in the need to search for word information, measured by the gaze variable for words with greater irregularity. This study has provided some evidence that linguistic variables such as orthographic regularity and word familiarity affect handwriting performance in Brazilian Portuguese written language.
The importance of prevention programs to reduce bullying: A comparative study
Authors: Sainz Vanesa , Martín-Moya Beatriz
Published: January 2023

Bullying is a growing and increasingly worrying phenomenon. In recent years, a number of different bullying prevention programs have been implemented to create a more positive school environment. This paper offers a description of these prevention programs, focussing on the three most commonly implemented in schools: TEI, KiVa and Mediation Teams. A qualitative, descriptive and comparative analysis was made using semi-structured interviews with tutors, coordinators and experts at nine schools, three schools for each of the programs. The results show that these bullying prevention programs help raise awareness of this problem within the entire school community, improving the school environment and reducing conflict and instances of bullying. Overall, participating schools reported being highly satisfied with the results of these programs and it is therefore important to consider the mandatory implementation of bullying prevention programs in all schools.
Research on the development trend, evolution, and spatial local characteristics of the intelligent smart medical industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Zhang Xuesen , Yang Li , Zhang Xiaoheng , Xu Jicheng
Published: January 2023

A comprehensive survey of the development trends, trend evolution, and spatial non-equilibrium characteristics of the intelligent smart medical industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt could provide significant policy implications for optimizing the spatial layout of the integrated development of the smart medical industry in this region. Using the Criteria Importance Though Intercriteria Correlation objective evaluation method for a study period from 2016 to 2020, 11 provinces and cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt were quantitatively evaluated in relation to the development of the smart medical industry. Accordingly, the application of exploratory spatial data analysis, the kernel density estimation, and the Dagum Gini coefficient and its decomposition method were used to comprehensively evaluate the trends in the Yangtze River Economic Belt's smart medical industry regarding trend evolution and unbalanced spatial characteristics. The overall level of development of the smart medical industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt was not good. It showed an increasing spatial pattern from the western inland to eastern coastal regions. The development of the artificial intelligence industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt showed a positive spatial autocorrelation with significant “spatial spillover effects.” The local agglomeration mode was mainly high (a high cluster). In addition, industrial development showed a multi-polarization trend. Although the degree of spatial disequilibrium in the artificial intelligence industry development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt has decreased in recent years, the degree of spatial disequilibrium remains significant.
Co-creation and self-evaluation: An accountability mechanism process in water, sanitation and hygiene services delivery in childcare centres in Nairobi's informal settlements
Authors: Chumo Ivy , Kabaria Caroline , Elsey Helen , Ozano Kim , Phillips-Howard Penelope A. , Mberu Blessing
Published: January 2023

Background

Accountability strategies are expected to enhance access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service delivery in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). Conventional formal social accountability mechanisms (SAMs) for WASH service delivery have been inadequate to meet the needs of residents in informal settlements in LMICs. This has prompted growing interest in alternative informal SAMs (iSAMs) in Nairobi's informal settlements. To date, iSAMs have shown a limited effect, often due to implementation failures and poor contextual fit. In childcare centers in Nairobi's informal settlements, co-creation of the iSAMs process, where parents, childcare managers, researchers and other WASH stakeholders, contribute to the design and implementation of iSAMs, is an approach with the potential to meet urgent WASH needs. However, to our knowledge, no study has documented (1) co-creating iSAMs processes for WASH service delivery in childcare centers and (2) self-evaluation of the co-creation process in the informal settlements.

Methods

We used a qualitative approach where we collected data through workshops and focus group discussions to document and inform (a) co-creation processes of SAMs for WASH service delivery in childcare centers and (b) self-evaluation of the co-creation process. We used a framework approach for data analysis informed by Coleman's framework.

Results

Study participants co-created an iSAM process that entailed: definition; action and sharing information; judging and assessing; and learning and adapting iSAMs. The four steps were considered to increase the capability to meet WASH needs in childcare centers. We also documented a self-evaluation appraisal of the iSAM process. Study participants described that the co-creation process could improve understanding, inclusion, ownership and performance in WASH service delivery. Negative appraisals described included financial, structural, social and time constraints.

Conclusion

We conclude that the co-creation process could address contextual barriers which are often overlooked, as it allows understanding of issues through the ‘eyes' of people who experience service delivery issues. Further, we conclude that sustainable and equitable WASH service delivery in childcare centers in informal settlements needs research that goes beyond raising awareness to fully engage and co-create to ensure that novel solutions are developed at an appropriate scale to meet specific needs. We recommend that actors should incorporate co-creation in identification of feasible structures for WASH service delivery in childcare centers and other contexts.
The prevalence of childhood sexual experiences and intimate partner violence among transgender women in China: Risk factors for lifetime suicidal ideation
Authors: Xu Lulu , Chang Ruijie , Chen Yingjie , Xia Danni , Xu Chen , Yu Xiaoyue , Chen Hui , Wang Rongxi , Liu Yujie , Liu Shangbin , Ge Xin , Ma Tiecheng , Zhou Yiwen , Wang Ying , Ma Sunxiang , Cai Yong
Published: January 2023

Objective

Several studies highlighted childhood sexual experiences (CSEs) and intimate partner violence (IPV) as risk factors that affected lifetime suicidal ideation. TW had higher rates of CSEs and IPV than cisgender people. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the prevalence of CSEs and IPV among TW and their association with lifetime suicidal ideation.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 247 TW in Shenyang and Kunming, China, from April to September 2018. CSEs, IPV, and lifetime suicidal ideation were assessed. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between self-reported CSEs under 18 years of age, IPV in adulthood, and lifetime suicidal ideation.

Results

In the study, 14.2% (35/247) of the sample participants reported CSEs under 18 years of age; 44.9% (111/247) reported experiencing IPV in adulthood, including 18.6% (44/247) of physical IPV, 27.1% (67/247) of trans-specific identity IPV, 31.6% (78/247) of verbal IPV, and 19.4% (48/247) of sexual IPV; and 26.3% (65/247) had thought about attempting suicide at least one time. CSEs and any form of IPV were significantly associated with suicidal ideation in this sample population. A final stepwise multivariate logistic regression model found that both physical and verbal IPVs were significantly associated with suicidal ideation when controlling for other factors (ORm1 = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.163–5.724; ORm2 = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.334–5.547).

Conclusions

The findings highlight the effects of CSEs and IPV among TW and suggest the need for research on suicide in the future. Suicide prevention efforts for this invisible and vulnerable population should focus on those with physical and verbal IPV.