bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation of Actual Corn (Zea Mays L.) Evapotranspiration, Single and Dual Crop Coefficient Under Different Point Source Irrigation Systems in a Semiarid Region
Authors: Kanani Elahe , Dehghanisanij Hossein , Akhavan Samira
Published: July 2021

Paying attention to irrigation of corn could have significant attention on water resources. The experiment was carried out to consider the influence of porous capsule irrigation (PCI), surface drip irrigation (DI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems under mulch condition on actual evapotranspiration (ETc act), crop coefficients (Kc single and Kc dual), yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of corn in a semi-arid region of Iran. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with three irrigation systems as the main-factor and two soil coverage with mulch (M1) and non- mulch (M2) as sub- factor. The results showed that corn ETc act varied significantly with different irrigation systems (P < 0.05), and was reported 389.8, 377.0 and 372.8 mm for PCI, DI and SDI systems, respectively. The highest value of Kc average and Kcb (0.82 and 1.22, respectively) and the minimum value of Ke (0.12) were seen in PCI system. The dry and wet biological yield were the highest in (PCI + M1) treatment (29.98 and 107 ton/ ha, respectively), and the lowest dry and wet biological yield were recorded in (DI + M2) treatment (23.19 and 58.54 ton/ha, respectively). The highest WUE (7.89 kg/m3) were recorded in (PCI + M1) treatment. Using PCI system leads to higher biological yield, WUE and IWUE in comparison to DI and SDI systems. Accordingly, PCI system as an alternative to drip irrigation system can be a viable option for water scarce area particularly for smallholder farmers.
Occupational Exposure to Gasoline in Gasoline Station Male Attendants Promote M1 Polarization in Macrophages
Authors: Toson Elshahat , saad Entsar , omar hadeer abd el-raouf
Published: July 2021

Several studies have reported the toxicological implications of exposure of petroleum hydrocarbon fumes in animal models. There is little documentation on the effect of such exposure on oxidative stress levels and immune response. To our knowledge; no documentation of M1 polarization in macrophages in gasoline station male attendants. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the harmful effects of gasoline vapors in 62 of male attendants (16–70 years) compared to 29 age- and sex- matched- unexposed controls. The attendants were recruited from Damietta governorate gasoline stations. Results, gasoline exposure induced significant increase in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level (p < 0.05) as well as a slight but non-significant increase in the activity of acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) (p > 0.05). Further TNF-α/AMCase ratio was significantly increased )p < 0.01) in sera of the attendants when compared to those of the healthy controls. Also, the total leucocytic and lymphocytic counts were significantly increased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). On contrary, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significantly decreased (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). In addition, significant reduction in hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, plasma glutathione reduced form (GSH) and catalase, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in red blood cells were observed in the exposed attendants. As a result, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) levels and NO/AMCase ratio were significantly increased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study inferred that prolonged gasoline exposure can mediate immune activation; especially M1 macrophages polarization; possibly via oxidative stress mediated mechanism.
Morphological Classification of Trochlear Dysplasia Based On Three-Dimensional Models
Authors: Lu Jiangfeng , Wang Yanru , Ji Gang , Wang Fei
Published: July 2021

Background: Trochlear dysplasia (TD) is a common risk factor for the development of patellofemoral instability (PI). Dejour’s classification shows low agreement between conventional radiography and axial magnetic resonance imaging. The present study aimed to evaluate and categorize the true lateral view of three-dimensional (3D) femoral models in patients with TD. Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 96 hip-knee-ankle joints (49 PI patients: 34 female, 15 male; mean age 19.1±6.7 years, range 12–41 years) during 2017–2019 were collected and analyzed. A senior orthopedic surgeon classified the true lateral views of femoral 3D models and raw CT images. The crossing-point site and lateral condyle/facet morphology (lateral condyle bump or supratrochlear spur) were the main criteria. Results: TD cases were classified into four types and their frequencies recorded: type 1 (7.3%) = crossing-point site in the proximal trochlear area and no lateral condyle bump or supratrochlear spur; type 2 (19.8%) = crossing-point site in the proximal trochlear area and presence of a lateral condyle bump or supratrochlear spur; type 3 (13.5%) = crossing-point site in the distal trochlear area and no lateral condyle bump or supratrochlear spur; type 4 (59.4%) = crossing-point site in the distal trochlear area and presence of lateral condyle bump or supratrochlear spur.Conclusion: The presentation of TD varies greatly among PI patients and can be categorized into four types. This new classification, based on true lateral views of 3D femoral models, may provide relatively reliable guidance when using trochleoplasty to treat TD. Level of Evidence: II, development of diagnostic or monitoring criteria in consecutive patients.
A Life Cycle Assessment of Guar Agriculture
Authors: Mealing VeeAnder S. , Landis Amy E.
Published: July 2021

Guar gum, the main product of the guar crop, is used widely in the US as an emulsifier in the food industry and as fracturing fluid additive in the oil and gas industry. The US is the number one global importer of guar, and interest has grown to domestically cultivate guar in the US. Guar is an annual desert legume native to India and Pakistan. The goal of this study was to evaluate the environmental sustainability of growing guar in the U.S. via a life cycle analysis (LCA). The LCA helps identify the information gap for US agriculture and guide future field studies to optimize guar cultivation in the US. This study concluded that in terms of environmental sustainability, irrigation, harvesting, and P-fertilization methods offer the most opportunity for improved guar agricultural sustainability. This is promising because one of guar’s prominent characteristics is its high water use efficiency and ability to grow in marginal soils. Lowering irrigation and water use can be implemented with simple management practice changes like optimizing irrigation. In addition, this study shows that there is an opportunity for field trials to optimize fertilizer application rates to achieve the greatest yields. This study also found a knowledge gap with respect to C soil fluxes and field emissions of N and P from guar agriculture. As the United States pursues adopting guar agriculture in the Southwest, it will be critical to evaluate irrigation to achieve maximum yields (e.g. drip, flood, sprinkler) and fill fertilizer and emissions knowledge gaps.
The intra-mitochondrial O-GlcNAcylation system acutely regulates OXPHOS capacity and ROS dynamics in the heart
Authors: Dontaine Justine , Bouali Asma , Daussin Frederic , Bultot Laurent , Vertommen Didier , Martin Manon , Rathagirishnan Rahulan , Cuillerier Alexanne , Horman Sandrine , Beauloye Christophe , Gatto Laurent , Lauzier Benjamin , Bertrand Luc , Burelle Yan
Published: July 2021

Protein O-GlcNAcylation is increasingly recognized as an important cellular regulatory
mechanism, in multiple organs including the heart. However, the mechanisms leading to O-GlcNAcylation in mitochondria and the consequences on their function remain poorly understood. In this study, we used an in vitro reconstitution assay to characterize the intra-mitochondrial O- GlcNAc system without potential cytoplasmic confounding effects. We compared the O-GlcNAcylome of isolated cardiac mitochondria with that of mitochondria acutely exposed to NButGT, a specific O-GlcNAcylation inducer. Amongst the 409 O-GlcNAcylated mitochondrial proteins identified, 191 displayed increased O-GlcNAcylation in response to NButGT. This was associated with enhanced Complex I (CI) activity, increased maximal respiration in presence of CI substrates, and a striking reduction of mitochondrial ROS release, which could be related to O- GlcNAcylation of subunits within the NADH dehydrogenase module of CI. In conclusion, our
work underlines the existence of a dynamic mitochondrial O-GlcNAcylation system capable of rapidly modifying mitochondrial function.
Dynamics of a Guanaco-sheep Competitive System with Unilateral and Bilateral Control
Authors: Xu Jing , Huang Mingzhan , Song Xinyu
Published: July 2021

In this paper, based on a guanaco-sheep competitive system, we develop and analyze mathematical models with unilateral and bilateral control for the management of overgrazing. We first analyze the dynamics of the uncontrolled system. Then, we investigate the system with impulsive control by differential equation geometry theory. And we mainly prove the existence and stability of order-1 periodic solution for unilateral control system and order-2 periodic solution for bilateral control system. Comparing the unilateral and bilateral control strategy, we encourage bilateral control rather than unilateral control for the management of sheep species.
A Time-Driven Cloudlet Placement Strategy for Workflow Applications in Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks
Authors: zhang Jianshan , Li Ming , Zheng Xianghan , Hsu Ching-Hsien
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of mobile technology, mobile applications have increasing requirements for computational resources, and mobile devices can no longer meet these requirements. Mobile edge computing (MEC) has emerged in this context and has brought innovation into the working mode of traditional cloud computing. By provisioning edge server placement, the computing power of the cloud centre is distributed to the edge of the network. The abundant computational resources of edge servers compensate for the lack of mobile devices and shorten the communication delay between servers and users. Constituting a specific forms of edge servers, cloudlets have been widely studied within academia and industry in recent years. However, existing studies have mainly focused on computation offloading for general computing tasks under fixed cloudlet placement positions. They ignored the impact on computation offloading results from cloudlet placement positions and data dependencies among mobile application components. In this paper, we study the cloudlet placement problem based on Workflow Applications (WAs) in Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANs). We devise a cloudlet placement strategy based on a Particle swarm optimization algorithm using Genetic algorithm operators with the Encoding Library updating mode (PGEL), which enables the cloudlet to be placed in appropriate positions. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy can obtain a near-optimal cloudlets placement scheme, and compared with other classic algorithms, this algorithm can reduce the execution time of WAs by 15.04%-44.99%.
Efficacy And Safety of Wenbu Zhibi Granule In Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhang Helou , Yu Yang , Du Weibin , Wu Fengqing , Zheng Yang , Ren Conglin , Zhou Huateng , Wu Yijiang , Gao Yang , Ren Weifan , Quan Renfu
Published: July 2021

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic disease in which the column is the main lesion. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, mainly involving the axial skeleton, resulting in column rigidity and difficulty in movement, and there may be different degrees of eye, lung, cardiovascular, kidney and other organ damage. Long term treatment lacks in ankylosing spondylitis. Wenbu Zhibi granule (WZG) is a prescription handed down from the history of Chinese medicine for thousands of years, which is used to treat the pain of patients with AS and to prevent the further development of the disease. However, there is no scientific evidence based on clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of WZG for ankylosing spondylitis.Methods/design: We will conduct a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of WZG in the treatment of AS. We will randomly assign 100 patients with active AS to two groups, treated for 16 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of subjects who reached ASAS40 at 16 weeks from baseline, the secondary efficacy endpoint includes ASAS20 response rate, ASAS partial remission response rate, ASAS5/6 response rate, and change in Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) MRI spine score, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), linear Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL). In addition, the time points will be set as baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks and 48 weeks. Discussion: The results of this study will elucidate the efficacy and safety of WZG and provide an appropriate treatment option for patients with AS. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: ChiCTR2000041010. (Chinese Clinical Trail Registry, Registered 16 December 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn)
p38-TFEB Pathways Promote Microglia Activation Through Inhibiting CMA-mediated NLRP3 Degradation in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Chen Jialong , Mao Kanmin , Yu Honglin , She Hua , Zhang He , Liu Linhua , Wen Yue , li wenjun , Zou Fei
Published: July 2021

BackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), accompanied by chronic neuroinflammation, autophagy dysfunction and α-synuclein accumulation in the form of Lewy bodies. Previous studies showed that misfolded α-synuclein upregulates the inflammatory and autophagy dysfunction in microglial cell. The NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the neuroinflammatory process in the central nervous system. However, the inter-relationship between autophagy deficiency and neuroinflammation induced by α-synuclein accumulation is not well understood.MethodsWe investigated the impact of p38-TFEB-NLRP3 pathways on neuroinflammation in the α-synucleinA53T PD models, using a combination of immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, ELISA, and a series of behavioral texts.ResultsIn the present study, we showed NLRP3 was degraded through chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in microglia cell. Furthermore, p38-TFEB pathways inhibited CMA-mediated NLRP3 degradation in Parkinson's disease. Overexpress mice and BV2 cells with α-synuclein A53T mutant active P38, which inhibit the master transcriptional activator of autophagy, TEEB in BV2 cells. Notably, inhibition p38 had a protective effect on Parkinson's disease model, which depend on suppressing the activation of NLRP3 inflmmasome pathway. Importantly, both p38 inhibitor SB203580 and NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 not only prevent neurodegeneration in vitro, but also alleviates movement impairment in α-synucleinA53T-tg mice model of Parkinson’s disease. Conclusion﻿Our research reveals an endogenous regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 turnover and microglia-dopaminergic neuron interaction, which may be a potential therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease.
Understanding the impact of Commercial Banks Lending Rate on Economic Growth: An Empirical Evidence from Ghana.
Authors: Buabeng Emmanuel , Adabor Opoku , Nana-Amankwaah Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of lending rate on economic growth in Ghana. To do this, we employ the autoregressive distributed lags model (ARDL) and the Toda and Yamamoto (1995) causal approach as estimation strategy. The estimates from the ARDL model suggest that ceteris paribus one percent increase in lending rate generates approximately 0.15 decrease in economic growth of Ghana in the long. In the short run, one percent increase in lending rate also generates approximately 0.112 percent decrease in economic growth. Contrary to the widespread belief that lending rate induce economic growth, we find that gross domestic product rather spurs lending rate, using Toda and Yamamoto (1995) causal approach. Our findings suggest that monetary authorities should embark on policy interventions that aim at taming lending rate towards growth enhancing targets. This will encourage individuals, firms and other institutions to borrow from commercial banks to increase investment and consumption to accelerate economic growth. Other policy interventions include strengthening inflation targeting policy to reduce and stabilize inflation while taming exchange rate, monetary policy and treasury bill rate towards economic growth enhancing targets.
Modeling and simulation of the enzymatic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol using soybean peroxidase
Authors: Cunha Alexandre Santuchi da , Junior Ardson dos Santos Vianna , Laurenti Enzo
Published: July 2021

The enzymatic degradation of organic pollutants is a promising and ecological method for the remediation of industrial effluents. 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol is a major pollutant in many residual waters, and its consumption has been linked to lymphomas, leukemia, and liver cancer. The goal of the present work is to comprehend the enzymatic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol using soybean peroxidase. Different assumptions for the kinetic model were evaluated, and the simulations were compared to experimental data, which was obtained in a microreactor. The literature pointed out that the bi-bi ping-pong model represents well the kinetics of soybean peroxidase degradation. Since it is a complex model, some reactions can be considered or not. Six different possibilities for the model were considered, regarding different combinations of the generated enzyme forms that depend on the hypotheses for simplifying the model. The adjustment of the models was compared based on different metrics, such as the value of the objective function, coefficient of determination and root-mean-square error. The process modeling was obtained by the mass balance of all the reaction components, and all the simulations were performed in MATLAB® R2015a. Reaction parameters were estimated based on the weighted least squares between the experimental data set and the values predicted by the model. The results showed that the data were better adjusted by the model that considers all the enzyme forms, including enzyme inactivation. Therefore, a better comprehension of the reaction mechanism was achieved, which allows a more precise reactor project and process simulation.
Galactomannan of Delonix Regia Seeds Modulates Cytokine Expression and Oxidative Stress Eliciting Anti-Inflammatory and Healing Effects in Mice Cutaneous Wound
Authors: Lima Iásly , Castro Rondinelle , Adjafre Beatriz , Sousa Skarlatt , de Paula Dayrine , Alves Ana Paula , Silva Paulo , Assreuy Ana Maria Sampaio , Mota Mario
Published: July 2021

Objective and designTo investigate the healing mechanism of Delonix regia galactomannan (GM-DR) in a mice model of excisional cutaneous wound. Materials and subjectsFemale Swiss mice were used in all treatments. TreatmentGM-DR (% 0.01-1) was topically applied to the wounds during 14 days.MethodsThe wound healing effect of GM-DR was evaluated by the following parameters: wound closure, clinical signs (hyperemia, edema, exsudate, nociception), oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde – MDA, reduced glutathione - GSH), histopathological and histomorphometric analysis (collagenesis, blood vessels, polymorphonuclear, mononuclear, fibroblast/myofibroblast cells) and immunohistochemical (inflammatory growth factor mediators). ResultsGM-DR reduced wound area (7 - 14th day) and hypernociception (6 h - 5th day), leukocyte infiltration (2 -7th day), expression and levels of IL-1β (2th day), IL-6 (2th day), MDA (44% - 2th day), and increased fibroblast/myofibroblast, granulation tissue, collagen deposition, GSH (25 - 50%, 2-5th day), Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) expression (7-10th day) and Smooth Muscle Alpha Actin (a-SMA) (7-14th day). Conclusions﻿GM-DR accelerates the mice healing process acting both in the inflammatory and proliferative phases.
Silencing the Triacylglycerol Lipase (TGL) Gene Decreases the Number of Apyrene Sperm and Inhibits Oviposition in Sitotroga Cerealella
Authors: Yan Wen-han , Wu Meng-Ya , Shah Sakhawat , Yao Yu-Chen , Elgizawy Karam Khamis , Tang Ning , Wu Gang , Yang Feng-Lian
Published: July 2021

Triacylglycerol lipase (TGL) is an essential lipid metabolism enzyme that also plays a critical role in energy metabolism; however, how it regulates other life processes is unknown. To investigate the functional role of TGL in moth reproduction, males Sitotroga cerealella were used as a model. The TGL gene was cloned and analysed. The results showed that the open reading frame of TGL was 1968 bp long and contained three conserved regions. TGL gene expression was higher in the larval and early adult stages than in the pupal stage, with the highest levels observed in the fat body, testis and accessory glands during the early adult stage. Moreover, after TGL in male adults was silenced through RNAi, the protein content in male accessory glands remained unchanged, and the spermatophore transferred into females mated with TGL -silenced males became small and empty; meanwhile, the number of apyrene sperm in the spermatophore was significantly reduced due to the reduction of apyrene sperm in males, which eventually led to the significant reduction of egg laying amount. All of the findings suggest that TGL regulates the amount of sperm in male moths as well as the morphology and quality of spermatophores transferred to females after mating with treated males, implying that TGL is critical for Sitotroga cerealella’s reproductive process.
Deformation of the nucleus by TGFβ1 via the remodeling of nuclear envelope and histone isoforms
Authors: Chi Ya-Hui , Wang Wan-Ping , Hung Ming-Chun , Liou Gunn-Guang , Wang Jing-Ya , Chao Pen-Hsiu Grace
Published: July 2021

The cause of nuclear shape abnormalities which are often seen in pre-neoplastic and malignant tissues is not clear. In this study we report that deformation of the nucleus can be induced by TGFβ1 stimulation in several cell lines including Huh7. In our results, the upregulated histone H3.3 expression downstream of SMAD signaling contributed to TGFβ1-induced nuclear deformation, a process of which requires incorporation of the nuclear envelope (NE) proteins lamin B1 and SUN1. During this process, the NE constitutively ruptured and reformed with no observable indications of DNA damage response. Contrast to lamin B1 which was relatively stationary around the nucleus, the upregulated lamin A was highly mobile, shuttling between the nucleus and cytoplasm, and clustering at the nuclear periphery. The chromatin regions that lost NE coverage formed a supra-nucleosomal structure characterized by elevated histone H3K27me3 and histone H1, the formation of which depended on the presence of lamin A. These results provide evidence that shape of the nucleus can be modulated through TGFβ1-induced compositional changes in the chromatin and nuclear lamina.
Nerve Growth Factor Promotes Lysyl Oxidase-dependent Chondrosarcoma Cell Metastasis by Suppressing miR-149-5p Synthesis
Authors: Tzeng Huey-En , Lin Syuan-Ling , Thadevoos Louis Anoop , Lien Ming-Yu , Yang Wei-Hung , Ko Chih-Yuan , Lin Chih-Yang , Huang Yu-Wen , Liu Ju-Fang , Fong Yi-Chin , Chen Hsien-Te , Tang Chih-Hsin
Published: July 2021

Background: The effects of Nerve growth factor (NGF) in chondrosarcoma are not confirmed, although NGF is capable of promoting the progression and metastasis of several different types of tumors. Here we aim to explore the role of NGF in chondrosarcoma and elucidate how NGF acts.Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC)-stained tissue samples from chondrosarcoma patients were stained with NGF and LOX antibodies. Cell migration was examined by Transwell migration and invasion assays. The expression levels of LOX, microRNA-149-5p (miR-149-5p) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. LOX, PI3K, Akt, and mTOR protein expression were examined by Western blot assays. The interaction between LOX 3’-UTRs and miR-149-5p binding site was explored by luciferase assay. We established the orthotopic in vivo model of chondrosarcoma lung metastasis to further investigate the promoting effects of NGF in metastatic chondrosarcoma. Results: Here, we found that the levels of NGF and lysyl oxidase (LOX) correlated with tumor stage in patients with chondrosarcoma. NGF facilitated LOX-dependent cellular migration in human chondrosarcoma JJ012 cells, while overexpression of NGF enhanced lung metastasis in a mouse model of chondrosarcoma. NGF promoted LOX synthesis and cell migration by inhibiting miR-149-5p expression through the PI3K, Akt and mTOR signaling cascades. NGF appears to be a worthwhile therapeutic target in the treatment of metastatic chondrosarcoma.Conclusions: Our study has identified that NGF promotes LOX-dependent cell migration in human chondrosarcoma tissue by inhibiting miR-149-5p synthesis via the PI3K, Akt and mTOR signaling cascades
An Embedded Multiple Case Study: Using CFIR to Map Clinical Food Security Screening Constructs for the Development of Primary Care Practice Guidelines
Authors: Taher Sabira , Muramatsu Naoko , Odoms-Young Angela , Peacock Nadine , Fagen Michael , Suh Courtney
Published: July 2021

Background: Food insecurity (FI), the limited access to healthy food to live an active and healthy life, is a social determinant of health linked to poor dietary health and difficulty with disease management in the U.S. Healthcare experts support the adoption of validated screening tools within primary care practice to identify and connect FI patients to healthy and affordable food resources. Yet, a lack of standard practices limits uptake. The purpose of this study was to understand program processes and outcomes of primary care focused FI screening initiatives that may guide wide-scale program implementation.Methods: This was an embedded multiple case study of two primary care-focused initiatives implemented in two diverse health systems in Chicago and Suburban Cook County that routinely screened patients for FI and referred them to onsite food assistance programs. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and an iterative process were used to collect/analyze qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with N=19 healthcare staff. Intended program activities, outcomes, actors, implementation barriers/facilitators and overarching implementation themes were identified as a part of a cross-case analysis.Findings: Programs outcomes included: the number of patients screened, identified as FI and that participated in the onsite food assistance program. Study participants reported limited internal resources as implementation barriers for program activities. The implementation climate that leveraged the strength of community collaborations and aligned internal, implementation climate were critical facilitators that contributed to the flexibility of program activities that were tailored to fill gaps in resources and meet patient and clinician needs. Conclusion: Highly adaptable programs and the healthcare context enhanced implementation feasibility across settings. These characteristics can support program uptake in other settings, but should be used with caution to preserve program fidelity. A foundational model for the development and testing of standard clinical practice was the product of this study.
Complete Genome Sequencing and Evolutionary Analysis of HCV Subtype 6a Including Strains from Guangdong Province, China
Authors: XU RU , Huang Jieting , Wang Min , Liao Qiao , Shan Zhengang , Zhong Huishan , Rong Xia , Fu Yongshui
Published: July 2021

In recent years, Hepatitis C virus 6a was not only the predominant subtype in Guangdong but also has the potential of increasing in non-Guangdong in China over time. To understand the virus evolution and transmission mode, the representative HCV 6a specimens in Guangdong province were chosen for deep sequencing and performed evolutionary analysis with all the 6a whole genome reference sequences. Our results showed that less than 5% of the genome was found to be under positive selection. The protein with the highest proportion of sites under positive selection was E1 and E2; A positive association between positive selection sites and the presence of CD8 epitopes was found in non-Guangdong genomes (χ2 = 9.168, P < 0.05). The evolutionary rate of 6a whole genome was 9.59×10− 4s/s/y. E2 has the fastest evolutionary rate (9.40×10− 3s/s/y), followed by E1, NS3 and NS5A. Spatio-temporal evolutionary analysis showed that Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries were the origins of global HCV6a. Further, there were two important transmission modes which were all originated from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries in Guangdong. One (Group B) indicated that HCV6a was then transmitted to Hong Kong, and then to Guangdong and cross-dissemination between these two places; Another (Group C) revealed that HCV6a was directly disseminate to Guangdong and formed a regional epidemic. Our study firstly revealed the transmission mode of HCV6a by whole genome sequence, indicating that the impact of selective constraints in Guangdong and non-Guangdong, it can be helpful to plan for future prevention and management of HCV6a infection in Guangdong, China.
Estimating and Analyzing the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Crop Yield Loss in Response to Drought in the Koshi River Basin, Nepal
Authors: Dahal Nirmal Mani , XIONG Donghong , Neupane Nilhari , Zhang Su , Yuan Yong , Zhang Baojun , Fang Yiping , Zhao Wei , Wu Yanhong , Deng Wei
Published: July 2021

The quantitative assessment of crop yield loss in response to drought is crucial in the development of the agricultural sector to improve the productivity. This study estimated and analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of crop yield loss in response to drought using the Lagrange interpolation method, wavelet analysis, and sequential Mann-Kendall test in the mountain, hill, and Terai (low-land) regions of Nepal's Koshi River Basin from 1987 to 2016. According to the findings, average crop yield loss was common after 2000, with the Terai, hill, and mountain experiencing the greatest loss in maize, rice, and wheat, respectively. Average annual rice and wheat yield losses rate were highest in the mountains, while maize yield losses were highest in the Terai. There was an abrupt change in wheat yield loss in the mountain, with significant increasing trend. In the hill, significant increment in maize and wheat yield loss, and decrement in rice yield loss, were observed. Between 1987 and 2016, periodic variations of maize, rice, and wheat revealed significant yield loss after 2000. The characteristics of the first and second key periods for crop yield loss demonstrated variation period which predicted that crop yield loss would either enter high yield loss or low yield loss period shortly after 2016. The findings of the study provide a detailed intervention in assessing crop yield loss at the river basin level and can provide an important pathway for developing a crop yield loss mitigation plan in the agricultural sector to achieve self-reliance and sustainable agricultural productivity.
Design, Synthesis and Molecular Modeling Studies of Thiosemicarbazone & Thiazole Derivatives as Potential Anti-Malarial Agents
Authors: Kaur Kamalpreet , Asati Vivek
Published: July 2021

A series of novel thiosemicarbazone & thiazole derivatives (Kp1-10) have been designed, synthesized and evaluated for potential anti-malarial activity. The antimalarial activity of the synthesized thiazole derivatives (Kp1-10) was assessed against human pathogenic malarial strain viz. Plasmodium falciparum while quinine was taken as the standard drug. compound Kp-9 was found to be most promising which exhibited strongest inhibitory activity against P. falciparumwith an IC50 value of 0.29µg/mL which was higher than the reference drug quinine (1.26µg/mL). The SAR studyrevealed that thesubstitution with electron withdrawing group at phenyl increases anti-malarial activity as shown in compound Kp-9. The result of molecular docking studies showed that compounds Kp-9, Kp-1, Kp-3, Kp-4 showed good docking scores with protein (PDB code: 5TBO). The compound Kp-9 showed highest docking score (-9.519). Whereas, compounds Kp-1, Kp-3, Kp-4 and Kp-10 showed good docking scores (-8.764, -8.406, -9.062, -9.435 respectively) with critical interactions with the amino acid residues such as VAL532, ILE237, LEU531, HIE185, TYR528, ASN274, ARG265. The results of biological activity and docking study revealed that the presence of electron withdrawing group at 4th position of phenyl ring attached is crucial for better anti-malarial activity and favorable drug-like profile which can emerge as a potential drug molecule in further development.
A Comparative Evaluation of GIS based Flood Susceptibility Models: A Case of Kopai River Basin, Eastern India
Authors: Ghosh Ranajit , Sutradhar Subhasish , Das Niladri , Mondal Prolay
Published: July 2021

Flood is a typical natural disaster which every year causes enormous damage to the natural environment, buildings and victims worldwide. The efficiency of flooding depends upon numerous criteria: flood strength, amplitude, frequency, flow time, changes in plan and river geometry, etc. In this research, three statistical models such as the frequency ratio, Shannon's entropy, and weight of evidence have been used to identify flood susceptibility regions in the Kopai River Basin. In order to run these statistical models, flooded and non-flooded pixels were employed. The outcome of these three models demonstrates that the upper reach of the basin is characterised by non-flooded zones and the bottom reach of the basin is high flooded zones. The lower part of the basin is therefore more vulnerable than that of the upper portion. 11 thematic layers are employed to get the final output of flood susceptibility zones. e.g., soil type, normalised vegetation difference index, normalised water differential index, river lift, slope, drainage density, land usage and land cover, rainfall, soil moisture indices, surface roughness. 370 sample points have been taken as test data and finally receiver operating curves have been plotted for testing the degree of accuracy. The result of the validation reveals that the accuracy of the frequency ratio is 96.5%. Shannon entropy is 91.2% accurate and the weight of evidence is 97.1% accurate. Weight of evidence is therefore the best model for flood susceptibility zones identification for this Kopai basin.
Etiological Analysis and Treatment Principles of Atypical Femur Fracture
Authors: zhang Zhishan , Wang Hongqing , Zhou Fang , Tian Yun , Yang Zhongwei , Hou Guojin
Published: July 2021

Purpose: To discuss the etiology and clinical characteristics of atypical femur fracture (AFF) and to improve AFF recognition.Methods: The clinical data of AFF patients treated in our hospital from January 2007 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the clinical characteristics of AFF were summarized.Results: Sixteen patients (24 femurs, eight bilateral femurs), including 14 females, with a median age of 73 years (53-85 years old), were included in this study. The etiological factors were divided into four categories: (1) administration of bisphosphonates (BPs), (2) severe osteoporosis, (3) hip joint dysfunction, and (4) structural abnormality of the femur. Six femurs with incomplete fractures received conservative treatment. Three femurs with incomplete fractures and 13 femurs with complete fractures received intramedullary nail treatment, and one patient (bilateral femurs) underwent plate fixation. All patients were followed up until fracture union; the follow-up time was 3-14 months.Conclusions: For high-risk patients, if there are prodromal symptoms or a simple transverse fracture of the femur, the possibility of AFF should be considered. At the sametime, imaging examinations should be performed to exclude the presence of AFF on the contralateral side.
Pimpinella Anisum Extracts, Safe Anti-Bacterial Treatment
Authors: Soltani Mahdieh , khodagholi Asal , Farjami Zahra , Akbarin Mohammad Mehdi
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Now a day, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increasing and became a medical worldwide problem, therefore the achievement of a new safe disinfectant is deemed necessary. Pimpinella anisum (Pa) is an aromatic plant, belonging to the Umbelliferae family. It is a well-known traditional medicinal herb that has been used in old medicine as an antibacterial, anticancer, antiulcer, therefore, the aim of this study is evaluation of the anti-bacterial effect of PA extracts against Probiotics and pathogens bacteria. Method: 96-well microplates MICs were determined by the broth microdilution method. Five Serial dilutions from 50 to 1 μg/mL concentrations were admitted for all bacteria which include: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Probiotics complex. Results: PA watery extract demonstrates a statically inhibitory effect in just 50 g/L concentration against E.Coli, E. Faecalis, and Probiotic p= 0.000 for all, whereas this concentration was 25 g/L for Staph. Aureus and Pu p=0.000 and p= 0.007 respectively. PA alcohol extract displays the same effect in 1g/L for all bacteria p= 0.000 for all bacteria. Conclusion: Our results showed that PA in both watery and Alcohol extractions can inhibit both pathogenic and non-pathogen bacteria whereas active compounds are alcohol soluble. Long-time consumption of PA in an herbal product could disrupt normal bacteria of the gastrointestinal system while PA watery extract can promote Probiotics.
Sustained Low Disease Activity Measured By ASDAS Slow Radiographic Spinal Progression in Axial Spondyloarthritis Patients Treated With TNF-inhibitors. Data from REGISPONSERBIO
Authors: Llop Maria , Moreno Mireia , Navarro-Compán Victoria , Juanola Xavier , de Miguel Eugenio , Almodóvar Raquel , Quintana Eduardo Cuende , Sanz Jesús Sanz , Beltrán Emma , Montesinos Maria Dolores Ruiz , Calvet Joan , Berenguer-Llergo Antoni , Masmitjà Jordi Gratacós
Published: July 2021

Background: To evaluate the influence of the disease activity on radiographic progression in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients treated with TNF inhibitors (TNFi).Methods: The study included 101 axSpA patients from the Spanish Register of Biological Therapy in Spondyloarthritides (REGISPONSERBIO), which had clinical data and radiographic assessment available. Patients were classified into 2 groups based on the duration of TNFi treatment at baseline: i) long-term treatment (≥4 years) and ii) no long-term treatment (< 4 years). Radiographs were scored by two readers according to the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS) with known chronology. Disease activity differences between patients’ groups at each time point were assessed using a linear mixed-effect model.Results: Radiographic progression was defined as an increase in ≥2 mSASSS units. At inclusion, approximately half of the patients (45.5%) were receiving long-term treatment with TNFi (≥4 years). In this group of subjects, a significant difference in averaged Ankylosing Spondylitis disease Activity Score (ASDAS) across follow-up was found between progressors and non-progressors (2.33 vs 1.76, p=0.027, respectively). In patients not under long-term TNFi treatment (54.5%) though, no significant ASDAS differences were observed between progressors and non-progressors until the third year of follow-up. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in progression status, when disease activity was measured by Bath Ankylosing spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and C reactive protein (CRP).Conclusions: Patients on long-term TNFi treatment with a mean sustained low disease activity measures by ASDAS presented lower radiographic progression than those with active disease.
Agrobacterium-Mediated Cassava Transformation For The Asian-elite Variety KU50
Authors: Utsumi Yoshinori , Utsumi Chikako , Tanaka Maho , Okamoto Yoshie , Takahashi Satoshi , Huong Tong Thi , Nguyen Anh Vu , Dong Nguyen Van , Tokunaga Hiroki , Taylor Nigel , Seki Motoaki
Published: July 2021

Agrobacterium-mediated cassava transformation via friable embryogenic calli (FEC) has allowed the robust production of transgenic cassava. So far, transformation has been performed mostly for the model cassava variety 60444 and African varieties due to their good production of, and regeneration from, embryogenic tissues. It is important to develop transformation methods for elite Asian cassava varieties to meet changing needs within one of the world’s major cassava production areas. To date, however, a suitable transformation method for the Asian elite variety Kasetsart 50 (KU50) has not been developed. Here, we report a transformation method for KU50, the cultivar with the highest planting area in Thailand and Vietnam. In cassava transformation, the preparation of FEC as the target tissue for transgene integration is a key step. FEC induction from KU50 was improved by the use of media with reduced nutrients and excess vitamin B1, and somatic embryo and plant regeneration optimized by manipulation of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and benzylamino purine (BAP). The transformation efficiency for KU50 was 22%, at approximately half of that of 60444 (45%). Transcriptome analysis indicated that expression of genes related to cell wall loosing was upregulated in FEC from KU50 compared with 60444, indicating cell wall production and assembly was out of balance in the Asian variety. The transformation system for KU50 reported here will contribute to molecular breeding of cassava plants for Asian farmers by transgenic and genome-editing technologies.
Comparison of Autistic Traits between Iranian Students with Different Ethnical Background: A Cross-Cultural Study ​
Authors: Athar Mojtaba Elhami , Ebrahimi Ali , Karimi Sirvan , Esmaeili Roya , Asl Esmaeil Mousavi , Azizi Morteza , Heidarzadeh Saman , Siahkamari Esfandiar , Sharifi Amin , Jazi Elham Azamian , Farani Abbas Ramezani
Published: July 2021

Background: Autistic traits (ATs) include symptoms associated with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs), which are assumed to be continuously distributed across the general population. Studies had indicated the cultural differences in the expression ATs. To our knowledge, this is the first study designed to compare the expression of autistic traits between different ethnicities from the same country. Methods: Using the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ-28), we examined the possible cultural differences in the expression of autistic traits from four groups of students with different ethnicities backgrounds, including Turkish (n = 262), Persian (n = 290), Kurdish (n = 300), and Luri (n = 307) students. Results: Behaviors associated with autistic traits were reported overall higher for males than females. Also, significant cultural differences in autistic traits were found that were different for males and females. Furthermore, while the medical sciences student group scored significantly than the humanities group in the Imagination dimension, the humanities group had significantly high scores in Number/Pattern dimensions than the engineering and medical sciences groups. Limitations: First, other ethnicities (e.g., Arabs, Baloch) were not studied because of the lack of access. Second, for data gathering, we used only the self-report method. Third, our study included only a student sample but not the community and clinical samples from different ethnicities. Finally, our study sample included only students who are not representative of their entire ethnicity.Conclusions: Altogether, our results provide further support for the idea that the expression of ATs is significantly influenced by culture.
A Novel Non-antibiotic Selectable Marker GASA6 for Plant Transformation
Authors: Luo Yuewan , Gu Jiena , Wang Xiaojing , Zhang Shengchun
Published: July 2021

Selectable markers help the transformed cell/tissue to survive in an otherwise lethal exposure of an antibiotic or herbicide. Unfortunately, almost all the traditional selectable markers are antibiotic and herbicide resistance genes, which are controversial on human health concerns and environmental impact. Novel plant-derived, non-antibiotic, and non-herbicide selectable markers are urgently needed in plant transformation. Our previous work showed that the seedlings of overexpression Arabidopsis lines of AtGASA6 survived on medium with a high concentration of sugar, which leads to the hypothesis that AtGASA6 could be a selectable marker on media with high or low sugar content. In this study, leaf explants of AtGASA6 overexpression tobacco lines regenerated shoots on sugar-free shooting medium while those of wild type could not. Moreover, the seeds of AtGASA6 overexpression tobacco lines germinated and grew into normal seedlings on sugar-free MS medium while those of WT could not. Attractively, no developmental defects were observed in AtGASA6 transgenic progenies. Using AtGASA6 as a selectable marker, overexpression tobacco lines of GAI , which restrains plant size, were created on sugar-free media. The GAI overexpression lines had a smaller plant size than that of control. Considering its plant-derived and non-antibiotic nature, GASA6 is promising to be used as a selectable marker in plant transformation.