bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Key Regulators and Metabolic Intermediates of Lignin Response to Low Temperatures Revealed by Transcript and Targeted Metabolic Profiling Analysis in Poplar
Authors: Zhao Xianyan , Li Panpan , Li Can , Xia Tao
Published: October 2022

Cold stress restricts the growth and development of plants. Lignin plays an important role in stress resistance. However, there are few studies on lignin mechanisms regulation under low-temperature stress. In this study, the contents of both acid-soluble and -insoluble lignin were reduced after a short period of cold treatment. A targeted metabolomics analysis showed that the contents of caffeate, ferulic acid, coniferaldehyde, and p-coumaraldehyde decreased after cold stress, while the contents of L-phenylalanine and sinapaldehyde increased. The C3′H (p-coumaroylshikimate 3-hydroxylase) and COMT (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase) families, which catalyze the formation of caffeate and coniferaldehyde, were analyzed. Among them, the transcriptional levels of PtrC3′H1, PtrCOMTL4, and PtrCOMT1 were positively correlated with the decreased lignin after cold stimulation. The lignin-related transcription factor PtrMYBs, such as PtrMYB021, PtrMYB074, PtrMYB125/85, and PtrMYB103/46, were clearly induced by cold stress. The reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) further verified that the level of transcription of key genes was consistent with the transcriptomic data. The identified key genes and metabolic intermediates in lignin synthesis provide a foundation for the functional characterization of the molecular mechanism of lignin biosynthesis under cold stress, which should help to efficiently utilize lignin in forest resources.
Identification of SNPs and Candidate Genes Associated with Salt Stress in Two Korean Sorghum Cultivars and Understanding Selection Pressures in the Breeding Process
Authors: Jeon Donghyun , Lee Solji , Choi Sehyun , Kang Yuna , Kim Changsoo
Published: October 2022

One of the abiotic stresses, salt stress, has an impact on the production and development of crops around the world. Sorghum is a functional genomics model crop of C4 plants due to its small genome size, and it is suitable for providing a clue to the mechanism associated with salt tolerance at the transcriptomic level. However, the mechanism of salt-related genes in sorghum has not been well described. RNA sequencing, using QuantSeq, was performed on two Korean cultivars, ‘Sodamchal’ and ‘Nampungchal’, which are known to have different intensities in response to salt stress, between a control and high-salinity treatment over a different time-course. In addition, physiological responses such as the proline, anthocyanin, chlorophyll, and reducing sugar contents were evaluated under the salt-stress treatment between these two sorghum cultivars. Moreover, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the Nampungchal and Sodamchal cultivars were identified in their leaves and roots, respectively. Moreover, the function of DEGs was confirmed through GO classification and KEGG pathway. We also analyzed the correlation between the selection pressure with DEGs by identifying Ka/Ks of DEGs. In the breeding process, the role of positive or negative selected genes was analyzed. Therefore, a new hypothesis on selection pressure was proposed from the breeding perspective of cultivars. A comparative analysis of the two sorghum cultivars provides candidate genes involved in the salt-stress response and may offer a better understanding of the salt-tolerance mechanism in sorghum.
Chitosan Treatment Effectively Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Salinity in Moringa oleifera Lam via Enhancing Antioxidant System and Nutrient Homeostasis
Authors: Elkarmout Ahmed F. , Yang Mei , Hassan Fahmy A.S.
Published: October 2022

Salt stress is a significant and common abiotic stress that negatively affects plant growth and development. Chitosan is a biodegradable and non-toxic stimulant of plant growth, which produces new routes to ameliorate the adverse effects of abiotic stresses. The possible profits of chitosan in salt stress alleviation have not been reported yet in Moringa oleifera, an important nutritional and medicinal tree. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of chitosan treatment on salt-stressed moringa and its underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms. Moringa plants were grown under 0, 25, 50 and 75 mM NaCl, while chitosan was applied at a 1% concentration as a foliar spray treatment. Growth attributes were considerably impaired, due to the salt stress treatment; however, chitosan application significantly reversed such an effect. Relative to the control, the fresh and dry weights of leaves were reduced by 51.44 and 48.74% in 75 mM-treated plants, while after chitosan treatment they were 33.61 and 35.72%, respectively. Additionally, chitosan treatment retarded chlorophyll and carotenoids reductions, enhanced the carbohydrate content, proline content, and phenol content and induced the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in salt-stressed plants. Thus, chitosan application alleviated the oxidative injury, observed by lower malondialdehyde and H2O2 levels, thereby preserving membrane stability and improving antioxidant capacity and salt tolerance. In 50 mM NaCl-treated plants, chitosan treatment increased the activities of CAT, SOD and APX enzymes by 2.63, 2.74 and 2.31-fold relative to the control, respectively. Furthermore, chitosan application prevents the disturbance in ion homeostasis, and therefore not only enhanced the contents of N, P, K, Mg and Fe but also decreased Na content under salinity. Collectively, chitosan treatment overcame the adverse effects of salinity in moringa by activating the antioxidant machinery and preventing disturbance in ion homeostasis.
Physiological Responses of Plants to Combined Drought and Heat under Elevated CO2
Authors: Abdelhakim Lamis Osama Anwar , Zhou Rong , Ottosen Carl-Otto
Published: October 2022

Anthropogenic activities over the last century have caused rapid changes in environmental conditions through increasing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere that contribute to global warming. Moreover, the increased global average temperature is linked with changes in the precipitation rate and distribution, resulting in a negative impact on crop health and productivity. Plants in nature often experience combined stresses; therefore, they have developed adaptive mechanisms to cope with fluctuating environmental conditions. Thus, investigating plant responses under unfavorable environmental conditions will provide a better understanding of how crops can adapt and thereby assist in selecting climate-resilient crops that can withstand climate variability. This review highlights the main adaptive physiological and biochemical responses of crops grown under elevated CO2 (eCO2) and exposed to combined abiotic stresses (drought and heat). Moreover, the mitigation and limitation impact of elevated CO2 on plants under the combination of stress is discussed.
Fiber Quality, Yield, and Profitability of Cotton in Response to Supplemental Irrigation with Treated Wastewater and NPK Fertilization
Authors: de Araújo Antonio Flávio Batista , Cavalcante Eduardo Santos , Lacerda Claudivan Feitosa , de Albuquerque Fábio Aquino , da Silva Sales Jonnathan Richeds , Lopes Fernando Bezerra , da Silva Ferreira Jorge Freire , Costa Raimundo Nonato Távora , Lima Silvio Carlos Ribeiro Vieira , Bezerra Marlos Alves , Gheyi Hans Raj
Published: October 2022

Cotton yield under the rainfed farming system in tropical semi-arid regions is significantly decreased by prolonged dry spells. In this context, supplemental irrigation (SI) with treated wastewater emerges as a strategy for the sustainability of agricultural production besides contributing to the reduction of fertilizer costs. The objective of this research was to evaluate the productivity, photosynthetic parameters, fiber quality, and profitability of cotton cultivation, under supplemental irrigation (SI) with municipal treated wastewater (MTW), with and without mineral fertilization. The treatments consisted of three water scenarios (normal, drought, and severe drought), defined by the historical series of precipitation data of 30 years, and two treatments of supplemental irrigation with MTW, with or without NPK fertilization. SI with treated wastewater increased cotton yield in all three scenarios (normal, drought, and severe drought) by approximately 29%, 255%, and 251%. Longer dry spells in drought and severe drought scenarios increased the volume of SI with MTW, resulting in greater nutrient input to the soil, improved photosynthetic response, higher physical water productivity, reduction in fertilizer costs, and higher farmers’ income. Therefore, our results show the importance of using treated wastewater in supplemental irrigation of cotton under scenarios of water scarcity in tropical semi-arid regions.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Analyze Non-Human Drawings: A First Step with Orangutan Productions
Authors: Beltzung Benjamin , Pelé Marie , Renoult Julien P. , Shimada Masaki , Sueur Cédric
Published: October 2022

Drawings have been widely used as a window to the mind; as such, they can reveal some aspects of the cognitive and emotional worlds of other animals that can produce them. The study of non-human drawings, however, is limited by human perception, which can bias the methodology and interpretation of the results. Artificial intelligence can circumvent this issue by allowing automated, objective selection of features used to analyze drawings. In this study, we use artificial intelligence to investigate seasonal variations in drawings made by Molly, a female orangutan who produced more than 1299 drawings between 2006 and 2011 at the Tama Zoological Park in Japan. We train the VGG19 model to first classify the drawings according to the season in which they are produced. The results show that deep learning is able to identify subtle but significant seasonal variations in Molly’s drawings, with a classification accuracy of 41.6%. We use VGG19 to investigate the features that influence this seasonal variation. We analyze separate features, both simple and complex, related to color and patterning, and to drawing content and style. Content and style classification show maximum performance for moderately complex, highly complex, and holistic features, respectively. We also show that both color and patterning drive seasonal variation, with the latter being more important than the former. This study demonstrates how deep learning can be used to objectively analyze non-figurative drawings and calls for applications to non-primate species and scribbles made by human toddlers.
Requirements and Metabolism for Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamin D3 in the Growing–Furring Blue Foxes
Authors: Li Ting , Du Zhiheng , Xu Yinan , Bai Xiujuan , Li Guangyu
Published: October 2022

A 3 × 3 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D3 (VD3) supplement levels on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and serum biochemical indices of growing-furring blue foxes. One hundred and thirty-five 120-day-old male blue foxes were randomly allocated into nine groups. The nine treatment diets were supplemented with 0%, 0.4%, or 0.8% Ca, and 1000, 2000, or 4000 IU·kg−1 VD3. The base diet contained 0.8% Ca and 327 IU·kg−1 VD3. The dietary calcium level had a significant effect on the average daily gain (ADG) of blue foxes at 121 to 135 days of age and 136 to 150 days (p < 0.05). The ADG of blue foxes at 121 to 135 days of age was significantly decreased by VD3 level (p < 0.05). The Ca dosage decreased the nutrient digestibility (p < 0.05). The Ca dosage increased the fecal Ca and P and decreased the P digestibility (p < 0.05). Interactions were found between the Ca and VD3 levels, which affected the digestibility of Ca and P (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this research determined the suitable doses of Ca and VD3 for growing-furring blue foxes.
Researchers and Their Experimental Models: A Pilot Survey in the Context of the European Union Health and Life Science Research
Authors: Del Pace Lorenzo , Viviani Laura , Straccia Marco
Published: October 2022

A significant debate is ongoing on the effectiveness of animal experimentation, due to the increasing reports of failure in the translation of results from preclinical animal experiments to human patients. Scientific, ethical, social and economic considerations linked to the use of animals raise concerns in a variety of societal contributors (regulators, policy makers, non-governmental organisations, industry, etc.). The aim of this study was to record researchers’ voices about their vision on this science evolution, to reconstruct as truthful as possible an image of the reality of health and life science research, by using a key instrument in the hands of the researcher: the experimental models. Hence, we surveyed European-based health and life sciences researchers, to reconstruct and decipher the varying orientations and opinions of this community over these large transformations. In the interest of advancing the public debate and more accurately guide the policy of research, it is important that policy makers, society, scientists and all stakeholders (1) mature as comprehensive as possible an understanding of the researchers’ perspectives on the selection and establishment of the experimental models, and (2) that researchers publicly share the research community opinions regarding the external factors influencing their professional work. Our results highlighted a general homogeneity of answers from the 117 respondents. However, some discrepancies on specific key issues and topics were registered in the subgroups. These recorded divergent views might prove useful to policy makers and regulators to calibrate their agenda and shape the future of the European health and life science research. Overall, the results of this pilot study highlight the need of a continuous, open and broad discussion between researchers and science policy stakeholders.
New Insight on Insulinoma Treatment in a Pet Rat—A Case Report
Authors: Godlewska Agata , Barszcz Karolina , Orzechowska Aleksandra , Małek-Sanigórska Aleksandra
Published: October 2022

Insulinomas are insulin-producing tumors of pancreatic beta cells that cause hypoglycemia. They are extremely common in ferrets but have also been reported in guinea pigs and rats. This is a case report of an older rat with spontaneous insulinoma, which was confirmed by histopathology. The patient was presented at a regular check-up due to a chronic respiratory disease. The owner noticed progressive weakness of the hind limbs, which is quite commonly seen in older rats. A blood exam revealed hypoglycemia, which could have been associated with paraparesis. The patient responded to treatment with oral dexamethasone and was regularly monitored. It survived nearly 4 months in good general condition. The rat finally died most probably due to severe hypoglycemia caused by progression of the pancreatic tumor. This is the first report of a pet rat with insulinoma that was successfully treated with glucocorticoids.
Atypical Lesions in Canine Leishmaniosis: Description of New Cases
Authors: Peris María Paz , Ortega-Hernández Paula , Morales Mariano , Castillo Juan Antonio , Moreno Bernardino
Published: October 2022

Pathological characteristics are well described in canine leishmaniosis (CanL). However, atypical lesions that can be confused with other pathologies or trigger unusual clinical signs are sporadically reported. Atypical lesions were observed during routine postmortem examination in three Leishmania-infected dogs and samples were taken for histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Clinical signs, biochemical parameters, level of antibodies, and parasite detection by PCR were also evaluated. Atypical lesions were found in the peritoneal cavity, liver, and spleen. Splenomegalia and hepatomegalia were observed in all dogs. In addition, multifocal dark to white nodules of variable size were observed in the peritoneal cavity, liver, and spleen of one dog and in the spleen of the other two dogs. One dog presented diffuse irregular whitish lines with a threadlike appearance and another an intense fibrotic depression in the intermediate lobe. Microscopically, an intense granulomatous inflammation with abundant macrophages, a variable number of lymphocytes, and a low to moderate number of parasites was observed. This study represents the first description of granulomatous peritonitis associated with Leishmania in dogs. It also shows atypical macroscopic expression of hepatitis in CanL. In the absence of an adequate clinical history and laboratory analyses, certain lesions observed in CanL could admit alternative diagnoses.
Development of Real-Time Kinematic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (kMRI) Techniques for Studying the Kinematics of the Spine and Joints in Dogs—Preliminary Study on Cadavers
Authors: Canal Sara , Tamburro Roberto , Falerno Ilaria , Signore Francesca Del , Simeoni Francesco , De Pasquale Francesco , De Bonis Andrea , Maraone Annamaria , Paolini Andrea , Bianchi Amanda , Rosto Martina , Vignoli Massimo
Published: October 2022

Kinematic MRI (kMRI) is a novel human imaging technique that couples the excellent soft tissue contrast and multiplanar capabilities of traditional MRI with kinematic potential. The study’s goals are: (1) testing the feasibility of spinal cord and joints real-time kMRI; and (2) evaluating the quality of these kinematic studies as a new diagnostic option in veterinary medicine. Standard and real-time kinematic MRI were performed on cervical spine, elbow, and stifle joints of seven cadavers. Studies were repeated after a surgical insult aimed to create a certain degree of joint instability. A total of 56 MRI were performed—7 cervical spinal tracts, 3 elbow joints, and 4 stifle joints were examined. The technique was feasible in all the three regions examined. The images were considered of excellent quality for the stifle joint, good to fair for the cervical spine, whereas two of three elbow studies were considered to have unacceptable image quality. Additionally, real-time kMRI provided good to excellent information about stifle instability. Therefore we consider kMRI a promising technique in veterinary medicine. Further studies and an in vivo setting are needed to increase the quality of the kMRI images, and to fully evaluate clinical usefulness.
Ribes nigrum L. Extract-Mediated Green Synthesis and Antibacterial Action Mechanisms of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Hovhannisyan Zaruhi , Timotina Marina , Manoyan Jemma , Gabrielyan Lilit , Petrosyan Margarit , Kusznierewicz Barbara , Bartoszek Agnieszka , Jacob Claus , Ginovyan Mikayel , Trchounian Karen , Sahakyan Naira , Nasim Muhammad Jawad
Published: October 2022

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) represent one of the most widely employed metal-based engineered nanomaterials with a broad range of applications in different areas of science. Plant extracts (PEs) serve as green reducing and coating agents and can be exploited for the generation of Ag NPs. In this study, the phytochemical composition of ethanolic extract of black currant (Ribes nigrum) leaves was determined. The main components of extract include quercetin rutinoside, quercetin hexoside, quercetin glucuronide, quercetin malonylglucoside and quercitrin. The extract was subsequently employed for the green synthesis of Ag NPs. Consequently, R. nigrum leaf extract and Ag NPs were evaluated for potential antibacterial activities against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and kanamycin-resistant E. coli pARG-25 strains). Intriguingly, the plant extract did not show any antibacterial effect, whilst Ag NPs demonstrated significant activity against tested bacteria. Biogenic Ag NPs affect the ATPase activity and energy-dependent H+-fluxes in both strains of E. coli, even in the presence of N,N’-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD). Thus, the antibacterial activity of the investigated Ag NPs can be explained by their impact on the membrane-associated properties of bacteria.
Antimicrobial Peptides—Mechanisms of Action, Antimicrobial Effects and Clinical Applications
Authors: Talapko Jasminka , Meštrović Tomislav , Juzbašić Martina , Tomas Matej , Erić Suzana , Horvat Aleksijević Lorena , Bekić Sanja , Schwarz Dragan , Matić Suzana , Neuberg Marijana , Škrlec Ivana
Published: October 2022

The growing emergence of antimicrobial resistance represents a global problem that not only influences healthcare systems but also has grave implications for political and economic processes. As the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents is lagging, one of the solutions is innovative therapeutic options that would expand our armamentarium against this hazard. Compounds of interest in many such studies are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which actually represent the host’s first line of defense against pathogens and are involved in innate immunity. They have a broad range of antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and viruses, with specific mechanisms of action utilized by different AMPs. Coupled with a lower propensity for resistance development, it is becoming clear that AMPs can be seen as emerging and very promising candidates for more pervasive usage in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, their use in quotidian clinical practice is not without challenges. In this review, we aimed to summarize state-of-the-art evidence on the structure and mechanisms of action of AMPs, as well as to provide detailed information on their antimicrobial activity. We also aimed to present contemporary evidence of clinical trials and application of AMPs and highlight their use beyond infectious diseases and potential challenges that may arise with their increasing availability.
A Formative Assessment of Antibiotic Dispensing/Prescribing Practices and Knowledge and Perceptions of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) among Healthcare Workers in Lahore Pakistan
Authors: Rakhshani Noor Sabah , Kaljee Linda Marie , Khan Mohammad Imran , Prentiss Tyler , Turab Ali , Mustafa Ali , Khalid Memoona , Zervos Marcus
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: Antimicrobial resistance causes significant disease burden in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this paper is to describe antibiotic dispensing/prescribing practices and underlying factors associated with these practices among community-based healthcare workers. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from private and public health facilities in 14 union councils, Lahore Pakistan. Respondents included physicians, nurses, lady health workers/volunteers, midwives, pharmacy and medicine shop employees, and medical technicians. Descriptive and bivariate analysis are used to present the data; (3) Results: 177 respondents completed the survey. In terms of weekly dispensing of antibiotics, the most common were Amoxicillin/Augmentin (2.3 [SD 1.5]), Cefixine (2.4 [SD 1.6]), and Azithromycin (2.5 [SD 2.1]). For children, antibiotics were more likely to be prescribed/dispensed for sore throat (54.3%/95) and diarrhea (48.9%/86). For adults, antibiotics were more likely to be prescribed/dispensed for sore throat (67.0%/118), diarrhea (59.7%/105) and burning sensation when urinating (55.7%/176). In total, 55.4% of respondents stated that they have sold partial antibiotic courses to patients/customers. A total of 44.6% of respondents incorrectly answered that antibiotics could be used for viral infections; (4) Conclusions: Data from this study and similar research emphasize the urgent need to implement community-based stewardship programs for all healthcare workers.
A Polyphenol-Rich Extract from Muscadine Grapes Prevents Hypertension-Induced Diastolic Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Patil Pooja D. , Melo Ana Clara , Westwood Brian M. , Tallant E. Ann , Gallagher Patricia E.
Published: October 2022

Muscadine grapes are abundant in dietary polyphenols, but their effect on hypertension-induced cardiac damage is limited. This study assessed whether a muscadine grape skin/seed extract supplement (MGES) prevents hypertension-induced cardiac damage and oxidative stress. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated for four weeks with drinking water, angiotensin II (Ang II) to induce hypertension, MGES, or both Ang II and MGES. Cardiac function assessed by echocardiography showed that Ang II increased systolic blood pressure while MGES alone or in combination with Ang II had no effect. Ang II increased E/e′, an indicator of left ventricular filling pressure and diastolic dysfunction, by 41% compared to Control and co-treatment with MGES prevented the Ang II-mediated increase, suggesting that the extract attenuated hypertension-induced diastolic function. Ang II infusion increased urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and cardiac 4-hydroxynonenal and malondialdehyde, which were prevented by the extract. The antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase 1 activity and mRNA were increased significantly in animals treated with MGES alone or in combination with Ang II, suggesting that the extract upregulates oxidative stress defense mechanisms in cardiac tissue. Thus, MGES may serve as a medical food to protect the heart from hypertension-induced diastolic dysfunction caused in part by excessive reactive oxygen species production.
Tannin Reduces the Incidence of Polyspermic Penetration in Porcine Oocytes
Authors: Sun Jing-Tao , Liu Jia-Hui , Jiang Xi-Qing , Luo Xin , Yuan Jin-Dong , Zhang Qi , Qi Xin-Yue , Lee Sanghoon , Liu Zhong-Hua , Jin Jun-Xue
Published: October 2022

Tannin (TA) improves porcine oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and subsequent embryonic development after in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, the mechanism through which TA blocks polyspermy after IVF remains unclear. Hence, the biological function of organelles (cortical granule [CG], Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum [ER], and mitochondria) and the incidence of polyspermic penetration were examined. We found no significant difference in oocyte nuclear maturation among the 1 µg/mL, 10 µg/mL TA, and control groups. Moreover, 100 μg/mL TA significantly reduced 1st polar body formation rate compared to the other groups. Additionally, 1 and 10 μg/mL TA significantly increased the protein levels of GDF9, BMP15, and CDK1 compared to the control and 100 μg/mL TA groups. Interestingly, 1 and 10 μg/mL TA improved the normal distribution of CGs, Golgi, ER, and mitochondria by upregulating organelle-related gene expression and downregulating ER stress (CHOP) gene expression. Simultaneously, 1 and 10 μg/mL TA significantly increased the proportion of normal fertilized oocytes (2 pronuclei; 2 PN) and blastocyst formation rate compared to the control, as well as that of 100 μg/mL TA after IVF by upregulating polyspermy-related genes. In conclusion, TA during IVM enhances 2PN and blastocyst formation rates by regulating organelles’ functions and activities.
Vitamin C Deficiency Reduces Neurogenesis and Proliferation in the SVZ and Lateral Ventricle Extensions of the Young Guinea Pig Brain
Authors: Jara Nery , Cifuentes Manuel , Martínez Fernando , González-Chavarría Iván , Salazar Katterine , Ferrada Lucas , Nualart Francisco
Published: October 2022

Although scurvy, the severe form of vitamin C deficiency, has been almost eradicated, the prevalence of subclinical vitamin C deficiency is much higher than previously estimated and its impact on human health might not be fully understood. Vitamin C is an essential molecule, especially in the central nervous system where it performs numerous, varied and critical functions, including modulation of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. Although it was originally considered to occur only in the embryonic brain, it is now widely accepted that neurogenesis also takes place in the adult brain. The subventricular zone (SVZ) is the neurogenic niche where the largest number of new neurons are born; however, the effect of vitamin C deficiency on neurogenesis in this key region of the adult brain is unknown. Therefore, through BrdU labeling, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we analyzed the proliferation and cellular composition of the SVZ and the lateral ventricle (LVE) of adult guinea pigs exposed to a vitamin-C-deficient diet for 14 and 21 days. We found that neuroblasts in the SVZ and LVE were progressively and significantly decreased as the days under vitamin C deficiency elapsed. The neuroblasts in the SVZ and LVE decreased by about 50% in animals with 21 days of deficiency; this was correlated with a reduction in BrdU positive cells in the SVZ and LVE. In addition, the reduction in neuroblasts was not restricted to a particular rostro–caudal area, but was observed throughout the LVE. We also found that vitamin C deficiency altered cellular morphology at the ultrastructural level, especially the cellular and nuclear morphology of ependymal cells of the LVE. Therefore, vitamin C is essential for the maintenance of the SVZ cell populations required for normal activity of the SVZ neurogenic niche in the adult guinea pig brain. Based on our results from the guinea pig brain, we postulate that vitamin C deficiency could also affect neurogenesis in the human brain.
Garlic-Derived Metabolites Exert Antioxidant Activity, Modulate Gut Microbiota Composition and Limit Citrobacter rodentium Infection in Mice
Authors: Zhu Ling , Andersen-Civil Audrey I. S. , Castro-Meija Josue L. , Nielsen Dennis S. , Blanchard Alexandra , Olsen John E. , Thamsborg Stig M. , Williams Andrew R.
Published: October 2022

The garlic-derived compounds propyl propane thiosulfinate (PTS) and propyl propane thiosulfonate (PTSO) are metabolites with putative health benefits against intestinal inflammation that may be related to their antioxidant activity. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and whether PTS-PTSO can promote gut health by altering the microbiota and exert protection against enteric pathogens needs further investigation. Here, we explored the antioxidant activity of PTS-PTSO in murine macrophages in vitro, and in an in vivo model of bacterial infection with the bacterial pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. PTS-PTSO attenuated reactive oxygen species in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages in a nuclear factor erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent manner, decreased nitric oxide levels both in macrophages in vitro and in the sera of mice fed PTS-PTSO, and had putatively beneficial effects on the commensal gut microbiota. Importantly, PTS-PTSO decreased faecal C. rodentium counts, concomitant with upregulation of Nrf2-related genes in colon tissue. Thus, PTS-PTSO mediates Nrf2-mediated antioxidant activity and modulates gut microbiota, which may protect the host against C. rodentium colonization. Our results provide further insight into how PTS-PTSO and related bioactive dietary compounds may reduce enteric infections.
Metabolite Profiling of Paraquat Tolerant Arabidopsis thaliana Radical-induced Cell Death1 (rcd1)—A Mediator of Antioxidant Defence Mechanisms
Authors: Sipari Nina , Lihavainen Jenna , Keinänen Markku
Published: October 2022

RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 (RCD1) is an Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear protein that is disrupted during oxidative stress. RCD1 is considered an important integrative node in development and stress responses, and the rcd1 plants have several phenotypes and altered resistance to a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses. One of the phenotypes of rcd1 is resistance to the herbicide paraquat, but the mechanisms behind it are unknown. Paraquat causes a rapid burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) initially in the chloroplast. We performed multi-platform metabolomic analyses in wild type Col-0 and paraquat resistant rcd1 plants to identify pathways conveying resistance and the function of RCD1 in this respect. Wild type and rcd1 plants were clearly distinguished by their abundance of antioxidants and specialized metabolites and their responses to paraquat. The lack of response in rcd1 suggested constitutively active defense against ROS via elevated flavonoid, glutathione, β-carotene, and tocopherol levels, whereas its ascorbic acid levels were compromised under non-stressed control conditions when compared to Col-0. We propose that RCD1 acts as a hub that maintains basal antioxidant system, and its inactivation induces defense responses by enhancing the biosynthesis and redox cycling of low molecular weight antioxidants and specialized metabolites with profound antioxidant activities alleviating oxidative stress.
Mitochondrial HSC70-1 Regulates Polar Auxin Transport through ROS Homeostasis in Arabidopsis Roots
Authors: Shen Tingting , Jia Ning , Wei Shanshan , Xu Wenyan , Lv Tingting , Bai Jiaoteng , Li Bing
Published: October 2022

Arabidopsis mitochondrial-localized heat shock protein 70-1 (mtHSC70-1) modulates vegetative growth by assisting mitochondrial complex IV assembly and maintaining reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. In addition, mtHSC70-1 affects embryo development, and this effect is mediated by auxin. However, whether mtHSC70-1 regulates vegetative growth through auxin and knowledge of the link between ROS homeostasis and auxin distribution remain unclear. Here, we found that mtHSC70-1 knockout seedlings (mthsc70-1a) displayed shortened roots, decreased fresh root weight and lateral root number, increased root width and abnormal root morphology. The introduction of the mtHSC70-1 gene into mthsc70-1a restored the growth and development of roots to the level of the wild type. However, sugar and auxin supplementation could not help the mutant roots restore to normal. Moreover, mthsc70-1a seedlings showed a decrease in meristem length and activity, auxin transport carrier (PINs and AUX1) and auxin abundances in root tips. The application of exogenous reducing agents upregulated the levels of PINs in the mutant roots. The introduction of antioxidant enzyme genes (MSD1 or CAT1) into the mthsc70-1a mutant rescued the PIN and local auxin abundances and root growth and development. Taken together, our data suggest that mtHSC70-1 regulates polar auxin transport through ROS homeostasis in Arabidopsis roots.
Potential Therapeutic Implication of Herbal Medicine in Mitochondria-Mediated Oxidative Stress-Related Liver Diseases
Authors: Park Moon Nyeo , Rahman Md. Ataur , Rahman Md. Hasanur , Kim Jong Woo , Choi Min , Kim Jeong Woo , Choi Jinwon , Moon Myunghan , Ahmed Kazi Rejvee , Kim Bonglee
Published: October 2022

Mitochondria are double-membrane organelles that play a role in ATP synthesis, calcium homeostasis, oxidation-reduction status, apoptosis, and inflammation. Several human disorders have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. It has been found that traditional therapeutic herbs are effective on alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which are leading causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to oxidative stress is caused by mitochondrial dysfunction and is considered critical for treatment. The role of oxidative stress, lipid toxicity, and inflammation in NAFLD are well known. NAFLD is a chronic liver disease that commonly progresses to cirrhosis and chronic liver disease, and people with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension are at a higher risk of developing NAFLD. NAFLD is associated with a number of pathological factors, including insulin resistance, lipid metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis. As a result, the improvement in steatosis and inflammation is enough to entice researchers to look into liver disease treatment. However, antioxidant treatment has not been very effective for liver disease. Additionally, it has been suggested that the beneficial effects of herbal medicines on immunity and inflammation are governed by various mechanisms for lipid metabolism and inflammation control. This review provided a summary of research on herbal medicines for the therapeutic implementation of mitochondria-mediated ROS production in liver disease as well as clinical applications through herbal medicine. In addition, the pathophysiology of common liver disorders such as ALD and NAFLD would be investigated in the role that mitochondria play in the process to open new therapeutic avenues in the management of patients with liver disease.
The Center of the Circle Fitting Optimization Algorithm Based on the Hough Transform for Crane
Authors: Zhao Chengli , Fan Chenyang , Zhao Zhangyan
Published: October 2022

The basic principle of photogrammetry is mature and widely used in engineering. For gantry cranes, the base of which is usually a cylinder, the measurement of the center of the cylinder cross section is difficult, but its coordinates have an important impact on the safety evaluation of cranes. Aiming at the problem of measuring the center of a circle, an optimization method of fitting the center of a circle based on photogrammetry and the Hough transform is proposed. In this algorithm, the effect of image point distortion on the measurement accuracy is considered, and the similarity between ideal and actual midperpendicular is compared in the Hough space. The similarity is taken as the weight of the midperpendicular, and the space coordinates of the center of the circle are fitted again. This process needs to iterate repeatedly until convergence, and the fitting accuracy of the equal weighted midperpendicular fitting algorithm and the weighted midperpendicular fitting algorithm is compared. Finally, according to the characteristics of the algorithm, a theoretical verification experiment and an engineering experiment are carried out. The experimental results show that the proposed weighted midperpendicular fitting algorithm has a better effect than the equal weighted midperpendicular fitting algorithm, which obviously improves the fitting accuracy of the center of the circle and has high engineering value. In both experiments, the relative error was less than one percent. Especially in the engineering experiments, the weighted midperpendicular algorithm improved accuracy by an order of magnitude. Therefore, the proposed algorithm significantly improves the fitting accuracy of the center of the circle and effectively solves the difficulty that the center of the circle cannot be directly measured on the construction machinery.
Threatening URDU Language Detection from Tweets Using Machine Learning
Authors: Mehmood Aneela , Farooq Muhammad Shoaib , Naseem Ansar , Rustam Furqan , Villar Mónica Gracia , Rodríguez Carmen Lili , Ashraf Imran
Published: October 2022

Technology’s expansion has contributed to the rise in popularity of social media platforms. Twitter is one of the leading social media platforms that people use to share their opinions. Such opinions, sometimes, may contain threatening text, deliberately or non-deliberately, which can be disturbing for other users. Consequently, the detection of threatening content on social media is an important task. Contrary to high-resource languages like English, Dutch, and others that have several such approaches, the low-resource Urdu language does not have such a luxury. Therefore, this study presents an intelligent threatening language detection for the Urdu language. A stacking model is proposed that uses an extra tree (ET) classifier and Bayes theorem-based Bernoulli Naive Bayes (BNB) as the based learners while logistic regression (LR) is employed as the meta learner. A performance analysis is carried out by deploying a support vector classifier, ET, LR, BNB, fully connected network, convolutional neural network, long short-term memory, and gated recurrent unit. Experimental results indicate that the stacked model performs better than both machine learning and deep learning models. With 74.01% accuracy, 70.84% precision, 75.65% recall, and 73.99% F1 score, the model outperforms the existing benchmark study.
A Deep Reinforcement Learning Quality Optimization Framework for Multimedia Streaming over 5G Networks
Authors: del Río Alberto del , Serrano Javier , Jimenez David , Contreras Luis M. , Alvarez Federico
Published: October 2022

Media applications are amongst the most demanding services. They require high amounts of network capacity as well as computational resources for synchronous high-quality audio–visual streaming. Recent technological advances in the domain of new generation networks, specifically network virtualization and Multiaccess Edge Computing (MEC) have unlocked the potential of the media industry. They enable high-quality media services through dynamic and efficient resource allocation taking advantage of the flexibility of the layered architecture offered by 5G. The presented work demonstrates the potential application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities for multimedia services deployment. The goal was targeted to optimize the Quality of Experience (QoE) of real-time video using dynamic predictions by means of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithms. Specifically, it contains the initial design and test of a self-optimized cloud streaming proof-of-concept. The environment is implemented through a virtualized end-to-end architecture for multimedia transmission, capable of adapting streaming bitrate based on a set of actions. A prediction algorithm is trained through different state conditions (QoE, bitrate, encoding quality, and RAM usage) that serves the optimizer as the encoding values of the environment for action prediction. Optimization is applied by selecting the most suitable option from a set of actions. These consist of a collection of predefined network profiles with associated bitrates, which are validated by a list of reward functions. The optimizer is built employing the most prominent algorithms in the DRL family, with the use of two Neural Networks (NN), named Advantage Actor–Critic (A2C). As a result of its application, the ratio of good quality video segments increased from 65% to 90%. Furthermore, the number of image artifacts is reduced compared to standard sessions without applying intelligent optimization. From these achievements, the global QoE obtained is clearly better. These results, based on a simulated scenario, increase the interest in further research on the potential of applying intelligence to enhance the provisioning of media services under real conditions.
Cognition and Motion: Sensory Processing and Motor Skill Performance in Athletic Training and Rehabilitation
Authors: Zemková Erika
Published: October 2022

Recently, the role of exercise in improving executive functioning skills has been highlighted by researchers and conditioning specialists [...]
Probing Fast Enantio-Recognition of Drugs with Multiple Chiral Centers by Electrospray-Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Its Mechanism
Authors: Wang Hechen , Chen Xiaolei , Wang Yali , Wang Lu , Gao Zhangzhao , Hu Haihong , Yu Lushan , Zeng Su , Kang Yu
Published: October 2022

Chiral drugs are very complex substances since individual enantiomers may differ in pharmacological and toxic effects, making it necessary to analyze enantiomers separately. In this study, we investigated the chiral differentiation of two ezetimibe enantiomers (i.e., SRS-EZM and RSR-EZM) and their mechanisms in complex with β-cyclodextrins (CDs) and metal ions as the auxiliary ligands. For this purpose, two complementary approaches have been employed: electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) with collision induced dissociation (CID) and molecular modeling methods, including density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results showed a good agreement between experimental and theoretical data. It was demonstrated that SRS-EZM can be easily distinguished from RSR-EZM by applying CID in ESI-MS/MS. SRS-EZM is likely to form a more stable complex with β-CD and metal ions, and thus the [SRS-EZM]-Cu-[β-CD] cluster is more energetically difficult to separate from the SRS-EZM molecule compared with RSR-EZM. Such a difference may be attributed to the interactions between the drug molecule and the metal ion, as well as the cavity shape changes of the β-CDs upon complexation with molecular guests. Therefore, enantiomers in chiral drug can be recognized as ternary complexes of metal-analyte-β-CD by ESI-MS/MS with CID.
A Coarse-Grained Molecular Model for Simulating Self-Healing of Bitumen
Authors: He Liang , Zhou Zhiguang , Ling Fei , Alexiadis Alessio , Van den Bergh Wim , Cannone Falchetto Augusto , Balieu Romain , Zhu Jiqing , Valentin Jan , Kowalski Karol J. , Zhang Lei
Published: October 2022

The longevity of asphalt pavements is a key focus of road engineering, which closely relates to the self-healing ability of bitumen. Our work aims to establish a CGMD model and matched force field for bitumen and break through the limitations of the research scale to further explore the microscopic mechanism of bitumen self-healing. In this study, a CGMD mapping scheme containing 16 kinds of beads is proposed, and the non-bond potential energy function and bond potential energy function are calculated based on all-atom simulation to construct and validate a coarse-grained model for bitumen. On this basis, a micro-crack model with a width of 36.6nm is simulated, and the variation laws of potential energy, density, diffusion coefficient, relative concentration and temperature in the process of bitumen self-healing are analyzed with the cracking rate parameter proposed to characterize the degree of bitumen crack healing. The results show that the computational size of the coarse-grained simulation is much larger than that of the all-atom, which can explain the self-healing mechanism at the molecular level. In the self-healing process, non-bonded interactions dominate the molecular movement, and differences in the decreased rate of diffusion among the components indicate that saturates and aromatics play a major role in self-healing. Meanwhile, the variations in crack rates reveal that healing time is inversely proportional to temperature. The impact of increasing temperature on reducing healing time is most obvious when the temperature approaches the glass transition temperature (300 K).
Research on PPP Enterprise Credit Dynamic Prediction Model
Authors: Zhao Likun , Yang Shaotang , Wang Shouqing , Shen Jianxiong
Published: October 2022

The debt default risk of local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) has become a potential trigger for systemic financial risks. How to effectively prevent hidden debt risk has always been a hot issue in public-private partnership (PPP) financing management research. In recent years, machine learning has become more and more popular in the study of enterprise credit evaluation. However, most scholars only focus on the output of the model, and do not explain in detail the extent to which variables affect the model and the decision-making process of the model. In this paper, we aim to apply a better credit rating method to the key factors and analysis of LGFV’s default risk, and analyze the decision-making process of the model in a visual form. Firstly, this paper analyzes the financial data of LGFVs. Secondly, the XGBoost-logistic combination algorithm is introduced to integrate the typical characteristics of PPP projects and construct the credit evaluation model of LGFVs. Finally, we verify the feasibility of the model by K-fold cross validation and performance evaluation. The results show that: (1) net worth, total assets, operating income, and return on equity are the most critical factors affecting the credit risk of LGFVs, asset-liability ratio and tax revenue are also potentially important factors; (2) the XGBoost-logistic model can identify the key factors affecting the credit risk of LGFVs, and has better classification performance and predictive ability. (3) The influence of each characteristic variable on model decision can be quantified by the SHAP value, and the classification decision visualization of the model improves the interpretability of the model.