bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and cancer-associated fibroblasts identified prognostic biomarkers and immune checkpoint blockade in lower grade gliomas
Authors: Dong Jiawei , Wang Fang , Gao Xin , Zhao Hongtao , Zhang Jiheng , Wang Nan , Liu Zhihui , Yan Xiuwei , Jin Jiaqi , Ba Yixu , Ma Shuai , Du Jianyang , Ji Hang , Hu Shaoshan
Published: January 2023

Background

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are vital components of prominent cellular components in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) that contribute to LGGs’ progression, treatment resistance, and immunosuppression. Epigenetic modification and immunity have significant implications for tumorigenesis and development.

Methods

We combined aberrant methylation and CAFs abundances to build a prognostic model and the impact on the biological properties of LGGs. Grouping based on the median CAFs abundances score of samples in the TCGA-LGGs dataset, differentially expressed genes and aberrantly methylated genes were combined for subsequent analysis.

Results

We identified five differentially methylated and expressed genes (LAT32, SWAP70, GSAP, EMP3, and SLC2A10) and established a prognostic gene signature validated in the CGGA-LGGs dataset. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in vitro tests were performed to verify these expressions. The high-risk group increased in tumor-promoting immune cells and tumor mutational burden. Notably, risk stratification had different ICB sensitivities in LGGs, and there were also significant sensitivity differences for temozolomide and the other three novel chemotherapeutic agents.

Conclusion

Our study reveals characteristics of CAFs in LGGs, refines the direct link between epigenetics and tumor stroma, and might provide clinical implications for guiding tailored anti-CAFs therapy in combination with immunotherapy for LGGs patients.
Evaluating the effects of two different kinesiology taping techniques on shoulder pain and function in patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Authors: Tudini Frank , Levine David , Healy Michael , Jordon Max , Chui Kevin
Published: January 2023

Background

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited connective tissue disorders which predominantly affects women and has a prevalence as high as 1 in 5,000 individuals. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is the most common subtype of EDS and is characterized by multi-joint pain, particularly in large joints such as the shoulder. Physical therapy is often utilized to address the pain, physical impairments, and functional loss in patients with EDS. Kinesiology Tape (KT) is an intervention commonly used by physical therapists for treating shoulder pain and dysfunction. Studies related to the effectiveness of KT in patients with shoulder pain is equivocal and there are a lack of studies specifically studying the effects of KT in an EDS population.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and short-term effects of two different KT techniques on shoulder pain and function in individuals with hEDS and shoulder pain.

Methods

Participants were recruited from EDS support groups in the New England area of the United States; were diagnosed with hEDS by their physician; and had shoulder pain. Baseline demographic information was obtained for each participant followed by completion of 4 patient reported outcome (PRO) measures: the Upper Extremity Functional Index, QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, & Hand), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index. Current pain level, average pain over the past 24 h, and worst pain over the past 24 h were recorded using the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either an experimental shoulder KT procedure or a control shoulder taping. Immediately after taping, the NPRS was reassessed. Subjects then returned 48 h later to repeat the NPRS and PRO measures.

Results

There was no significant difference between the experimental and control tape groups for any outcome measure. There was a significant improvement from pre-taping to 48-hours post taping for each of the 4 PRO measures with large effect sizes (p < 0.001; ƞp2 = .517–.719). Likewise, average, and worst pain over the last 24 h significantly improved with large effect sizes over the same period (p = 0.005; ƞp2 = .225 and p < 0.001; ƞp2 = .382, respectively). Current NPRS levels significantly improved from pre-tape to immediately post-tape (p = .023, ƞp2 = .131) and was maintained through the 48-hour follow up, although no further improvement was seen.

Conclusion

KT is an inexpensive and relatively safe intervention that is easy to apply and can offer temporary improvements in pain and function for patients with EDS and shoulder pain.
GATA2 deficiency detected by newborn screening for SCID: A case report
Authors: Escobar Vasco Alejandra , Broglie Larisa , Talano Julie-An , Routes John , Verbsky James , Remiker Allison
Published: January 2023

The early diagnosis and treatment of inborn errors of immunity (IEI) is crucial in reducing the morbidity and mortality due to these disorders. The institution of newborn screening (NBS) for the diagnosis of Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) has decreased the mortality of this disorder and led to the discovery of novel genetic defects that cause this disease. GATA2 deficiency is an autosomal dominant, pleiotropic disease with clinical manifestations that include bone marrow failure, monocyte and B cell deficiency, leukemia, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and lymphedema. We present the case of an infant identified by newborn screening for SCID due to GATA2 deficiency.
Safety and efficacy of minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy for infantile nephrolithiasis. Single centre experience from Pakistan
Authors: Ahmad Tariq , Minallah Nasrum , Khaliq Nida , Rashid Hania , Syed Misbah , Almuradi Moath Ahmad Abdullah
Published: January 2023

Objective

To assess the efficacy and safety of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for small renal stones 1–2 cm in size in infants less than one year.

Material and Methods

This descriptive case series was conducted in the department of pediatric urology Institute of Kidney Diseases Peshawar, Pakistan, from March 2019 to March 2022. All the patients underwent mini-PCNL in prone position under GA with 14 Fr access sheath and 10 Fr nephroscope. Stone clearance was assessed by non-contrast CT KUB at 30th postoperative day. Patients with no residual fragments on the non-contrast CT KUB were defined as stone-free. Patients with residual fragments of any size were defined as procedure failure. Safety was determined in terms of intra and postoperative complications.

Results

A total of 51 infants were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 9.6 + 1.8 (5–12 month). The mean stone size was 15.8 + 2.7 (10–21) mm in length and 12.3 + 2.2 (8–17) mm in width. PCNL mean operative time was 51.6 ± 7.1 (40–70) minutes. Complete stone clearance at one month was observed in 46 (90.2%) patients. Residual fragments were seen in 5(9.8%) patients with a mean size of 1.6 + 0.4 (0.9–2.0) mm. None of the patients required any additional procedure for clearance of stones. In 7 (13.7%) patients, some post-operative complications were observe, all were grade I complications, including fever in 5(9.8%) and transient hematuria in 2(3.9%) patients.

Conclusion

Mini-PCNL is a safe and effective treatment for renal stones in infants measuring 1–2 cm with high SFR and an acceptable complication rate.
Population pharmacokinetic analysis of TQ-B3203 following intravenous administration of TQ-B3203 liposome injection in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors
Authors: Li Xiaoqing , Bo Yunhai , Yin Han , Liu Xiaohong , Li Xu , Yang Fen
Published: January 2023

Background: TQ-B3203 is a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. Great differences in pharmacokinetic characteristics were found among individuals according to the phase I clinical trial following intravenous administration of TQ-B3203 liposome injection (TLI) in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors. Thus, it is significant to establish a population pharmacokinetic model to find the key factors and recognize their effect on pharmacokinetic parameters in order to guide individualized administration.

Methods: Non-linear mixed effect models were developed using the plasma concentrations obtained from the phase I clinical trial by implementing the Phoenix NLME program. Covariates that may be related to pharmacokinetics were screened using stepwise methods. The final model was validated by goodness-of-fit plots, visual predictive check, non-parametric bootstrap and a test of normalized prediction distribution errors.

Results: A three-compartment model with first-order elimination was selected as the best structural model to describe TQ-B3203 disposition adequately. Direct bilirubin (DBIL) and body mass index (BMI) were the two most influential factors on clearance, while lean body weight (LBW) was considered to affect the apparent distribution volume of the central compartment. The population estimations of clearance and central volume were typical at 3.97 L/h and 4.81 L, respectively. Model-based simulations indicated that LBW had a great impact on Cmax, BMI exerted a considerable influence on AUC0-t, and the significance of DBIL on both AUC0-t and Cmax was similarly excellent.

Conclusion: The first robust population pharmacokinetic model of TQ-B3203 was successfully generated following intravenous administration of TLI in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors. BMI, LBW and DBIL were significant covariates that affected the pharmacokinetics of TQ-B3203. This model could provide references for the dose regimen in the future study of TLI.
A brute force tuning of training length for concept drift
Authors: Uchida Takumi , Yoshida Kenichi
Published: January 2023

We present a brute-force approach to analyze the concept drift behind time sequence data. This approach, named SELECT, searches for the optimal length of training data to minimize error metrics. In other words, SELECT searches for the start point of a new concept from the input sequence. Unlike many related methods, SELECT does not require a pre-specified error threshold to detect drift. In addition, the visual analysis obtained from SELECT enables us to understand how significant a drift has occurred. We test SELECT on two real-world datasets, stock price and COVID-19 infection data. The experimental results show that SELECT can improve the model performance of both datasets. In addition, the visual analysis shows the points of significant drifts, e.g., Lehman’s collapse in stock price data and the spread of variants in COVID-19 data. These results show the effectiveness of the brute-force approach in analyzing concept drift.
Fractional quantum Hall effect in optical lattices
Authors: Gaur Deepak , Sable Hrushikesh , Angom D.
Published: January 2023

In this research, we study the bosonic fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states in a system of ultracold bosons in a two-dimensional optical lattice in the presence of a synthetic magnetic field, described by the bosonic Harper–Hofstadter Hamiltonian. We use the cluster Gutzwiller mean-field and exact diagonalization techniques in our work. We obtain incompressible states as ground states at various filling factors similar to those of the FQH states. We focus in particular on the ν = 1/2 FQH state, and it is characterized by the two-point correlation function and the many-body Chern number. We further investigate the effect of dipolar interaction on the ν = 1/2 FQH state. We find that the dipolar interaction stabilizes the FQH state against the competing superfluid state.
Contribution of muscle stiffness of the triceps surae to passive ankle joint stiffness in young and older adults
Authors: Hirata Kosuke , Akagi Ryota
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to investigate whether triceps surae muscle stiffness is associated with passive ankle joint stiffness in 40 young (21–24 years) and older (62–83 years) males. Using ultrasound shear wave elastography, the shear modulus of each muscle of the triceps surae (the medial [MG], lateral gastrocnemius [LG], and soleus [Sol]) was assessed as muscle stiffness at the ankle neutral position (NP) and 15-degree dorsiflexed position (DF15) with the knee fully extended. Passive ankle joint stiffness at the NP and DF15 was calculated as the gradient of the angle–torque relationship at each joint angle during passive ankle dorsiflexion at 1°∙s−1 controlled by using an isokinetic dynamometer. Passive ankle joint stiffness was normalized by the body mass. There was no correlation between the absolute ankle joint stiffness and muscle shear modulus of triceps surae in the young and older groups at the NP (r ≤ 0.349, p ≥ 0.138). Significant positive correlations between absolute ankle joint stiffness and muscle shear modulus at DF15 were observed for MG and Sol in the young group (r ≥ 0.451, p ≤ 0.044) but not in the older group. The normalized ankle joint stiffness at the NP was significantly positively correlated with the LG shear modulus in young participants and with the MG and LG shear modulus in older participants (r ≥ 0.466 and p ≤ 0.039). There were significant positive correlations between the normalized ankle joint stiffness and the muscle shear modulus of the triceps surae at DF15 in young and older participants (r ≥ 0.464 and p ≤ 0.040), except for the MG shear modulus in older participants (r = 0.419 and p = 0.066). These results suggest that the material properties of the entire triceps surae, even Sol, which is the most compliant muscle among the triceps surae, affect passive ankle joint stiffness, especially when the triceps surae is lengthened and body size is considered.
Sublethal and transgenerational effects of synthetic insecticides on the biological parameters and functional response of Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under laboratory conditions
Authors: Afza Rahat , Afzal Ayesha , Riaz Muhammad Asam , Majeed Muhammad Zeeshan , Idrees Atif , Qadir Ziyad Abdul , Afzal Muhammad , Hassan Babar , Li Jun
Published: January 2023

Synthetic insecticides have been an inevitable part of plant protection throughout the world. Sublethal effects of these chemicals on beneficial insect species are one of the contemporary issues these days. Using the age-stage, two-sex life table model, this study evaluated the sublethal and transgenerational effects of six synthetic insecticides (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos and profenofos) commonly applied to winter vegetables, on the fitness and predation of the seven-spotted ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata, which is an efficient predator of aphids worldwide. According to results, all insecticides at their sublethal doses (LC30) significantly suppressed the emergence of adults, adult weight, fertility and fecundity of the parental generation compared to control treatment. The larval stage was prolonged and oviposition, fecundity and total longevity of the adult beetles were decreased in unexposed progeny whose parents were exposed to sublethal doses of all insecticides. Moreover, the biological parameters of adults, including the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ) and net reproductive rate (R0) were significantly reduced when exposed to sublethal doses of insecticides. The predation rate of the F1 generation adults was also decreased after exposure to the sublethal doses of insecticides. However, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin exhibited more deleterious effects on the fitness and population parameters of beetles than imidacloprid and thiamethoxam.
Aortic systolic and pulse pressure invasively and non-invasively obtained: Comparative analysis of recording techniques, arterial sites of measurement, waveform analysis algorithms and calibration methods
Authors: Bia Daniel , Zócalo Yanina , Sánchez Ramiro , Lev Gustavo , Mendiz Oscar , Pessana Franco , Ramirez Agustín , Cabrera-Fischer Edmundo I.
Published: January 2023

Background: The non-invasive estimation of aortic systolic (aoSBP) and pulse pressure (aoPP) is achieved by a great variety of devices, which differ markedly in the: 1) principles of recording (applied technology), 2) arterial recording site, 3) model and mathematical analysis applied to signals, and/or 4) calibration scheme. The most reliable non-invasive procedure to obtain aoSBP and aoPP is not well established.

Aim: To evaluate the agreement between aoSBP and aoPP values invasively and non-invasively obtained using different: 1) recording techniques (tonometry, oscilometry/plethysmography, ultrasound), 2) recording sites [radial, brachial (BA) and carotid artery (CCA)], 3) waveform analysis algorithms (e.g., direct analysis of the CCA pulse waveform vs. peripheral waveform analysis using general transfer functions, N-point moving average filters, etc.), 4) calibration schemes (systolic-diastolic calibration vs. methods using BA diastolic and mean blood pressure (bMBP); the latter calculated using different equations vs. measured directly by oscillometry, and 5) different equations to estimate bMBP (i.e., using a form factor of 33% (“033”), 41.2% (“0412”) or 33% corrected for heart rate (“033HR”).

Methods: The invasive aortic (aoBP) and brachial pressure (bBP) (catheterization), and the non-invasive aoBP and bBP were simultaneously obtained in 34 subjects. Non-invasive aoBP levels were obtained using different techniques, analysis methods, recording sites, and calibration schemes.

Results: 1) Overall, non-invasive approaches yielded lower aoSBP and aoPP levels than those recorded invasively. 2) aoSBP and aoPP determinations based on CCA recordings, followed by BA recordings, were those that yielded values closest to those recorded invasively. 3) The “033HR” and “0412” calibration schemes ensured the lowest mean error, and the “033” method determined aoBP levels furthest from those recorded invasively. 4) Most of the non-invasive approaches considered overestimated and underestimated aoSBP at low (i.e., 80 mmHg) and high (i.e., 180 mmHg) invasive aoSBP values, respectively. 5) The higher the invasively measured aoPP, the higher the level of underestimation provided by the non-invasive methods.

Conclusion: The recording method and site, the mathematical method/model used to quantify aoSBP and aoPP, and to calibrate waveforms, are essential when estimating aoBP. Our study strongly emphasizes the need for methodological transparency and consensus for the non-invasive aoBP assessment.
Development of energy plants from hybrids between Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius grown on reclaimed mine land in the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Zhao Xuhong , Xiao Liang , Mi Jia , Kang Lifang , Lin Cong , Chen Wenli , Huang Hongmei , Yan Juan , Yi Zili , Sang Tao , Liu Wei
Published: January 2023

Miscanthus, a promising bioenergy plant, has a high biomass yield with high cellulose content suitable for biofuel production. However, harsh climatic and poor soil conditions, such as barren lands or abandoned mines, pose a challenge to the survival and yield of Miscanthus feedstock on the marginal land. The selection from the interspecific hybrids of Miscanthus might combine high survival rates and high yield, which benefits energy crop development in multi-stressful environments. A total of 113 F1 hybrids between Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. lutarioriparius together with the parents were planted and evaluated for multiple morphological and physiological traits on the mine land of the Loess Plateau of China. The majority of hybrids had higher establishment rates than M. sacchariflorus while M. lutarioriparius failed to survive for the first winter. Nearly all hybrid genotypes outperformed M. lutarioriparius for yield-related traits including plant height, tiller number, tiller diameter, and leaf area. The average biomass of the hybrids was 20 times higher than that of surviving parent, M. sacchariflorus. Furthermore, the photosynthetic rates and water use efficiency of the hybrids were both significantly higher than those of the parents, which might be partly responsible for their higher yield. A total of 29 hybrids with outstanding traits related to yield and stress tolerance were identified as candidates. The study investigated for the first time the hybrids between local individuals of M. sacchariflorus and high-biomass M. lutarioriparius, suggesting that this could be an effective approach for high-yield energy crop development on vast of marginal lands.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus alleviates anthracnose disease in tea seedlings
Authors: Chen Weili , Ye Tao , Sun Qinyu , Niu Tingting , Zhang Jiaxia
Published: January 2023

Tea has been gaining increasing popularity all over the world in recent years, and its yield and quality depend on the growth and development of tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] in various environments. Nowadays, biotic stress and extreme weather, such as high temperature, drought, waterlogging, pests, and diseases, bring about much pressure on the production of tea with high quality. Wherein anthracnose, which is the most common and serious disease of tea plants, has earned more and more attention, as its control mainly relies on chemical pesticides. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), forming symbiosis with most terrestrial plants, participate in plant resistance against the anthracnose disease, which was found by previous studies in a few herbaceous plants. However, there are a few studies about arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal regulation of the resistance to the anthracnose pathogen in woody plants so far. In this paper, we investigated the effect of AMF on the development of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum camelliae and tried to decipher the pertinent mechanism through transcriptome analysis. Results showed that inoculating AMF significantly reduced the damage of anthracnose on tea seedlings by reducing the lesion area by 35.29% compared to that of the control. The content of superoxide anion and activities of catalase and peroxidase significantly increased (P < 0.05) in mycorrhizal treatment in response to the pathogen with 1.23, 2.00, and 1.39 times higher, respectively, than those in the control. Pathways of plant hormone signal transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis might play roles in this regulation according to the transcriptomic results. Further redundancy analysis (RDA) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis found that plant hormones, such as auxin and ethylene, and the antioxidant system (especially peroxidase) were of great importance in the AM fungal alleviation of anthracnose. Our results preliminarily indicated the mechanisms of enhanced resistance in mycorrhizal tea seedlings to the anthracnose pathogen and provided a theoretical foundation for the application of AMF as one of the biological control methods in tea plantations.
Fluorogenic properties of 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA) enable high resolution imaging of cell-wall-bound proanthocyanidins in plant root tissues
Authors: Chowdhury Jamil , Ferdous Jannatul , Lihavainen Jenna , Albrectsen Benedicte Riber , Lundberg-Felten Judith
Published: January 2023

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are polymeric phenolic compounds found in plants and used in many industrial applications. Despite strong evidence of herbivore and pathogen resistance-related properties of PAs, their in planta function is not fully understood. Determining the location and dynamics of PAs in plant tissues and cellular compartments is crucial to understand their mode of action. Such an approach requires microscopic localization with fluorescent dyes that specifically bind to PAs. Such dyes have hitherto been lacking. Here, we show that 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA) can be used as a PA-specific fluorescent dye that allows localization of PAs at high resolution in cell walls and inside cells using confocal microscopy, revealing features of previously unreported wall-bound PAs. We demonstrate several novel usages of DMACA as a fluorophore by taking advantage of its double staining compatibility with other fluorescent dyes. We illustrate the use of the dye alone and its co-localization with cell wall polymers in different Populus root tissues. The easy-to-use fluorescent staining method, together with its high photostability and compatibility with other fluorogenic dyes, makes DMACA a valuable tool for uncovering the biological function of PAs at a cellular level in plant tissues. DMACA can also be used in other plant tissues than roots, however care needs to be taken when tissues contain compounds that autofluoresce in the red spectral region which can be confounded with the PA-specific DMACA signal.
Suppression of methane uptake by precipitation pulses and long-term nitrogen addition in a semi-arid meadow steppe in northeast China
Authors: Gao Weifeng , Yang Xu , Zhang Yicong , Zhao Tianhang , Shi Baoku , Yang Tianxue , Ma Jianying , Xu Wanling , Wu Yining , Sun Wei
Published: January 2023

In the context of global change, the frequency of precipitation pulses is expected to decrease while nitrogen (N) addition is expected to increase, which will have a crucial effect on soil C cycling processes as well as methane (CH4) fluxes. The interactive effects of precipitation pulses and N addition on ecosystem CH4 fluxes, however, remain largely unknown in grassland. In this study, a series of precipitation pulses (0, 5, 10, 20, and 50 mm) and long-term N addition (0 and 10 g N m-2 yr-1, 10 years) was simulated to investigate their effects on CH4 fluxes in a semi-arid grassland. The results showed that large precipitation pulses (10 mm, 20 mm, and 50 mm) had a negative pulsing effect on CH4 fluxes and relatively decreased the peak CH4 fluxes by 203-362% compared with 0 mm precipitation pulse. The large precipitation pulses significantly inhibited CH4 absorption and decreased the cumulative CH4 fluxes by 68-88%, but small precipitation pulses (5 mm) did not significantly alter it. For the first time, we found that precipitation pulse size increased cumulative CH4 fluxes quadratically in both control and N addition treatments. The increased soil moisture caused by precipitation pulses inhibited CH4 absorption by suppressing CH4 uptake and promoting CH4 release. Nitrogen addition significantly decreased the absorption of CH4 by increasing NH4+-N content and NO3–-N content and increased the production of CH4 by increasing aboveground biomass, ultimately suppressing CH4 uptake. Surprisingly, precipitation pulses and N addition did not interact to affect CH4 uptake because precipitation pulses and N addition had an offset effect on pH and affected CH4 fluxes through different pathways. In summary, precipitation pulses and N addition were able to suppress the absorption of CH4 from the atmosphere by soil, reducing the CH4 sink capacity of grassland ecosystems.
Wheat leaf rust fungus effector Pt13024 is avirulent to TcLr30
Authors: Qi Yue , Li Jianyuan , Mapuranga Johannes , Zhang Na , Chang Jiaying , Shen Qianhua , Zhang Yue , Wei Jie , Cui Liping , Liu Daqun , Yang Wenxiang
Published: January 2023

Wheat leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks. (Pt), is a global wheat disease threatening wheat production. Dissecting how Pt effector proteins interact with wheat has great significance in understanding the pathogenicity mechanisms of Pt. In the study, the cDNA of Pt 13-5-72 interacting with susceptible cultivar Thatcher was used as template to amplify Pt13024 gene. The expression pattern and structure of Pt13024 were analyzed by qRT-PCR and online softwares. The secretion function of Pt13024 signal peptide was verified by the yeast system. Subcellular localization of Pt13024 was analyzed using transient expression on Nicotiana benthamiana. The verification that Pt13024 inhibited programmed cell death (PCD) was conducted on N. benthamiana and wheat. The deletion mutation of Pt13024 was used to identify the virulence function motif. The transient transformation of wheat mediated by the type III secretion system (TTSS) was used to analyze the activity of regulating the host defense response of Pt13024. Pt13024 gene silencing was performed by host-induced gene silencing (HIGS). The results showed that Pt13024 was identified as an effector and localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus on the N. benthamiana. It can inhibit PCD induced by the Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) from mice and infestans 1 (INF1) from Phytophthora infestans on N. benthamiana, and it can also inhibit PCD induced by DC3000 on wheat. The amino acids 22 to 41 at N-terminal of the Pt13024 are essential for the inhibition of programmed cell death (PCD) induced by BAX. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species and deposition of callose in near-isogenic line TcLr30, which is in Thatcher background with Lr30, induced by Pt13024 was higher than that in 41 wheat leaf rust-resistant near-isogenic lines (monogenic lines) with different resistance genes and Thatcher. Silencing of Pt13024 reduced the leaf rust resistance of Lr30 during the interaction between Pt and TcLr30. We can conclude that Pt13024 is avirulent to TcLr30 when Pt interacts with TcLr30. These findings lay the foundation for further investigations into the role of Pt effector proteins in pathogenesis and their regulatory mechanisms.
Downregulation of barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase dramatically alters straw lignin structure without impact on mechanical properties
Authors: Shafiei Reza , Hooper Matthew , McClellan Christopher , Oakey Helena , Stephens Jennifer , Lapierre Catherine , Tsuji Yukiko , Goeminne Geert , Vanholme Ruben , Boerjan Wout , Ralph John , Halpin Claire
Published: January 2023

Barley is a major cereal crop for temperate climates, and a diploid genetic model for polyploid wheat. Cereal straw biomass is an attractive source of feedstock for green technologies but lignin, a key determinant of feedstock recalcitrance, complicates bio-conversion processes. However, manipulating lignin content to improve the conversion process could negatively affect agronomic traits. An alternative approach is to manipulate lignin composition which influences the physical and chemical properties of straw. This study validates the function of a barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase gene and demonstrates that its downregulation using the RNA-interference approach substantially impacts lignin composition. We identified five barley genes having putative ferulate 5-hydroxylase activity. Downregulation of HvF5H1 substantially reduced the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio in straw while the lignin content, straw mechanical properties, plant growth habit, and grain characteristics all remained unaffected. Metabolic profiling revealed significant changes in the abundance of 173 features in the HvF5H1-RNAi lines. The drastic changes in the lignin polymer of transgenic lines highlight the plasticity of barley lignification processes and the associated potential for manipulating and improving lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for green technologies. On the other hand, our results highlight some differences between the lignin biosynthetic pathway in barley, a temperate climate grass, and the warm climate grass, rice, and underscore potential diversity in the lignin biosynthetic pathways in grasses.
Overexpression of a DUF740 family gene (LOC_Os04g59420) imparts enhanced climate resilience through multiple stress tolerance in rice
Authors: Jayaraman Karikalan , Sevanthi Amitha Mithra , Raman Kalappan Venkat , Jiwani Gitanjali , Solanke Amolkumar U. , Mandal Pranab Kumar , Mohapatra Trilochan
Published: January 2023

Functional characterization of stress-responsive genes through the analysis of transgenic plants is a standard approach to comprehend their role in climate resilience and subsequently exploit them for sustainable crop improvement. In this study, we investigated the function of LOC_Os04g59420, a gene of DUF740 family (OsSRDP-Oryza sativaStress Responsive DUF740 Protein) from rice, which showed upregulation in response to abiotic stress in the available global expression data, but is yet to be functionally characterized. Transgenic plants of the rice OsSRDP gene, driven by a stress-inducible promoter AtRd29A, were developed in the background of cv. Pusa Sugandh 2 (PS2) and their transgene integration and copy number were confirmed by molecular analysis. The three independent homozygous transgenic plants (AtRd29A::OsSRDP rice transformants) showed better resilience to drought, salinity, and cold stresses, but not heat stress, as compared to the non-transformed PS2, which corresponded with their respective relative transcript abundance for OsSRDP. Transgenic plants maintained higher RWC, photosynthetic pigments, and proline accumulation under drought and salinity stresses. Furthermore, they exhibited less accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than PS2 under drought stress, as seen from the transcript abundance studies of the ROS genes. Under cold stress, OsSRDP transgenic lines illustrated minimal cell membrane injury compared to PS2. Additionally, the transgenic plants showed resistance to a virulent strain of rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae). The promoter analysis of the gene in N22 and PS2 revealed the presence of multiple abiotic and biotic stress-specific motif elements supporting our observation on multiple stress tolerance. Based on bioinformatics studies, we identified four potential candidate interaction partners for LOC_Os04g59420, of which two genes (LOC_Os05g09640 and LOC_Os06g50370) showed co-expression under biotic and drought stress along with OsSRDP. Altogether, our findings established that stress-inducible expression of OsSRDP can significantly enhance tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses and a biotic stress.
Functional neuroanatomy of reading in Czech: Evidence of a dual-route processing architecture in a shallow orthography
Authors: Bartoň Marek , Rapcsak Steven Z. , Zvončák Vojtěch , Mareček Radek , Cvrček Václav , Rektorová Irena
Published: January 2023

Introduction

According to the strong version of the orthographic depth hypothesis, in languages with transparent letter-sound mappings (shallow orthographies) the reading of both familiar words and unfamiliar nonwords may be accomplished by a sublexical pathway that relies on serial grapheme-to-phoneme conversion. However, in languages such as English characterized by inconsistent letter-sound relationships (deep orthographies), word reading is mediated by a lexical-semantic pathway that relies on mappings between word-specific orthographic, semantic, and phonological representations, whereas the sublexical pathway is used primarily to read nonwords.

Methods

In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to elucidate neural substrates of reading in Czech, a language characterized by a shallo worthography. Specifically, we contrasted patterns of brain activation and connectivity during word and nonword reading to determine whether similar or different neural mechanisms are involved. Neural correlates were measured as differences in simple whole-brain voxel-wise activation, and differences in visual word form area (VWFA) task-related connectivity were computed on the group level from data of 24 young subject. Trial-to-trial reading reaction times were used as a measure of task difficulty, and these effects were subtracted from the activation and connectivity effects in order to eliminate difference in cognitive effort which is naturally higher for nonwords and may mask the true lexicality effects.

Results

We observed pattern of activity well described in the literature mostly derived from data of English speakers – nonword reading (as compared to word reading) activated the sublexical pathway to a greater extent whereas word reading was associated with greater activation of semantic networks. VWFA connectivity analysis also revealed stronger connectivity to a component of the sublexical pathway - left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), for nonword compared to word reading.

Discussion

These converging results suggest that the brain mechanism of skilled reading in shallow orthography languages are similar to those engaged when reading in languages with a deep orthography and are supported by a universal dual-pathway neural architecture.
Mechanism of online emotional support accompany group for stress: The role of social support
Authors: Zhang Yingjun , Huang Heliang , Tang Daisheng , Lu Xiaohua , Fan Fumin , Pan Jingyi
Published: January 2023

Objective

To investigate the effect of social support on stress, and to clarify the effect and mechanism of Online Emotional Support Accompany Group (OESAG).

Methods

The group members who signed up for the public welfare project “Psychological Rehabilitation Group Psychological Service under the COVID-19 Pandemic” were divided into the treatment group, the control group, and the blank group with 37 members each. The treatment group received OESAG intervention, the control group received online time management group intervention, and the blank group was the waiting group. The three groups of subjects were synchronously tested before and after the intervention group.

Results

After the OESAG intervention, compared with the control group and the blank group, the treatment group showed that perceived social support was improved, and loneliness and stress were decreased.

Conclusion

Improving social support can effectively reduce stress. OESAG can effectively improve social support and so too decrease stress. This study could help in designing effective psychological intervention measures to reduce the degree of stress symptoms and enhance both personal and social levels of coping with stressful events.
An underexplored pathway to life satisfaction: The development and validation of the synchronicity awareness and meaning-detecting scale
Authors: Russo-Netzer Pninit , Icekson Tamar
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Synchronicity refers to the psychological process of meaningful coincidences. The present study aimed to build and expand upon a model of synchronicity awareness and meaning-detecting (REM)—receptiveness (R) as a precondition for an exceptional encounter (E) triggering emotions and meaning-detecting (M)—by assessing the prevalence of the phenomenon and its associations with well-being.

Methods and Results

Results from two studies reported here employing adult community samples (N = 198 and N = 440) demonstrate coherent, replicable structure and good internal reliability for a 35-item, two-factor Synchronicity Awareness and Meaning-Detecting (SAMD) Scale. Synchronicity awareness (SA) and meaning-detecting (MD) scores were significantly associated with some of the Big-5 personality dimensions and tolerance for ambiguity, as well as with search for and presence of meaning. Furthermore, process mediation models showed: (a) synchronicity awareness mediated the relationship between search for meaning and meaning-detecting, and (b) optimism and presence of meaning in life partly mediated the relationship between meaning-detecting and life satisfaction.

Discussion

The findings suggest the importance of synchronicity experiences and hold important conceptual and practical implications for understanding processes of meaning making from unexpected events and their potential contribution to individuals’ well-being.
The relationship between environmental context and attentional engagement in podcast listening experiences
Authors: Harrison Jay , Archer-Boyd Alan W. , Francombe Jon , Pike Chris , Murphy Damian T.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Previous research has shown that podcasts are most frequently consumed using mobile listening devices across a wide variety of environmental, situational, and social contexts. To date, no studies have investigated how an individual's environmental context might influence their attentional engagement in podcast listening experiences. Improving understanding of the contexts in which episodes of listening take place, and how they might affect listener engagement, could be highly valuable to researchers and producers working in the fields of object-based and personalized media.

Methods

An online questionnaire on listening habits and behaviors was distributed to a sample of 264 podcast listeners. An exploratory factor analysis was run to identify factors of environmental context that influence attentional engagement in podcast listening experiences. Five aspects of podcast listening engagement were also defined and measured across the sample.

Results

The exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors of environmental context labeled as: outdoors, indoors & at home, evenings, soundscape & at work, and exercise. The aspects of podcast listening engagement provided a comprehensive quantitative account of contemporary podcast listening experiences.

Discussion

The results presented support the hypothesis that elements of a listener's environmental context can influence their attentional engagement in podcast listening experiences. The soundscape & at work factor suggests that some listeners actively choose to consume podcasts to mask disturbing stimuli in their surrounding soundscape. Further analysis suggested that the proposed factors of environmental context were positively correlated with the measured aspects of podcast listening engagement. The results are highly pertinent to the fields of podcast studies, mobile listening experiences, and personalized media, and provide a basis for researchers seeking to explore how other forms of listening context might influence attentional engagement.
Bibliometric analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder in forensic medicine: Research trends, hot spots, and prospects
Authors: Zhu Weihao , Li Yingmin , Ma Xiaoying , Yang Huihuang , Wang Zhen , Shi Rui , Shi Weibo , Cong Bin
Published: January 2023

Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has various risk factors, complex pathogenesis, and diverse symptoms, and is often comorbid with other injuries and diseases, making forensic diagnosis difficult.

Methods

To explore the current research status and trends of PTSD, we used the Web of Science Core Collection databases to screen PTSD-related literature published between 2010 and 2021 and CiteSpace to perform bibliometric analysis.

Results

In recent years, PTSD-related research has grown steadily. The countries and institutions with the most research results were the United States and England, and King’s College London and Boston University, respectively. Publications were identified from 2,821 different journals, including 13 forensic-related journals, but the journal distribution was relatively scattered and there was a lack of professional core journals. Keyword co-occurrence and clustering identified many hot topics; “rat model,” “mental health,” and “satisfaction” were the topics most likely to have a clear effect on future research. Analysis extracted nine turning points from the literature that suggested that neural network centers, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, and biomarkers were new research directions. It was found that COVID-19 can cause severe psychological stress and induce PTSD, but the relationship needs further study. The literature on stress response areas and biomarkers has gradually increased over time, but specific systemic neural brain circuits and biomarkers remain to be determined.

Conclusion

There is a need to expand the collection of different types of biological tissue samples from patients with different backgrounds, screen PTSD biomarkers and molecular targets using multi-omics and molecular biology techniques, and establish PTSD-related molecular networks. This may promote a systematic understanding of the abnormal activation of neural circuits in patients with PTSD and help to establish a personalized, accurate, and objective forensic diagnostic standard.
Research on the influence of employee psychological capital and knowledge sharing on breakthrough innovation performance
Authors: Liu Yuhan , Chen Jianbin , Han Xiaolei
Published: January 2023

Breakthrough innovation is the focus of the society in the era of knowledge economy. Employee innovation of the enterprises is the starting point of enterprise innovation behavior, and it is the result of the combination of complex psychological capital. Meanwhile, breakthrough innovation often comes from the result of knowledge sharing brought by teamwork. At present, existing studies mainly reveal the influence of knowledge and knowledge structure on the performance of radical innovation. However, the relationship between psychological capital, knowledge sharing and the breakthrough innovation performance needs to be systematically studied. Therefore, this study adopted a research approach, that is, statistical analyses were performed by using SPSS Version 18 and AMOS version 26 (Statistical analyses performed by using SPSS Version 18 and AMOS version 26).This study collected data on employees of 345 different new high-tech enterprises to explore the mechanism by which psychological capital and knowledge sharing affects the breakthrough innovation performance. The research results respond to a positive correlation between psychological capital and knowledge sharing affects the breakthrough innovation performance. Moreover, knowledge sharing has a mediating effect on the effect of psychological capital on breakthrough innovation performance, and the effect is weakened. which is of great theoretical significance for exploring the relationship between psychological capital and knowledge sharing affects the breakthrough innovation performance.
Perceived socially responsible-HRM on talent retention: The mediating effect of trust and motivation and the moderating effect of other-regarding value orientation
Authors: Rawshdeh Zainab Ali , Makhbul Zafir Khan Mohamed , Rawshdeh Mustafa , Sinniah Suguna
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Studies have shown that there is a growing interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and talent management, and the identified links between their aspects. Thus, the current study examined the relationship between socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM)–identified as CSR strategies and practices directed at employees to underpin the effectiveness of CSR implementation–and talent retention. In addition, this study employed a mediation-moderation framework with employee attitude (motivation and trust) as a mediating variable and other-regarding value orientation (ORVO) as a moderating variable. Thus, the current study contributes to talent management and CSR current knowledge by analyzing the depth of the relationship by way of exploring the moderating and mediating process. It answers the “how” and “when” questions and explains the mechanism through which an organization can use its socially responsible HRM practices for retaining talented employees.

Methods

A total of 418 people from the Klang Valley area in Malaysia participated in the study. The hypotheses in the study were tested using PLS structural equation modeling.

Results

The results of the study showed that (a) perceived SRHRM was positively related to talent retention, (b) this relationship was partially mediated by the employee’s attitude (motivation and trust), and (c) ORVO did not moderate the relationship between perceived SRHRM and talent retention.

Discussion

Furthermore, the study findings provide concrete and actionable recommendations on how to formulate and implement appropriate SRHRM policies and practices as they are not only essential for the successful implementation of external CSR programs but also essential for retaining talented employees and for improving their motivation and organizational trust.