bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lysine, Lysine-Rich, Serine, and Serine-Rich Proteins: Link Between Metabolism, Development, and Abiotic Stress Tolerance and the Role of ncRNAs in Their Regulation
Authors: Kishor P. B. Kavi , Suravajhala Renuka , Rajasheker Guddimalli , Marka Nagaraju , Shridhar Kondle Kavya , Dhulala Divya , Scinthia Korubothula Prakash , Divya Kummari , Doma Madhavi , Edupuganti Sujatha , Suravajhala Prashanth , Polavarapu Rathnagiri
Published: December 2020

Lysine (Lys) is indispensable nutritionally, and its levels in plants are modulated by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional control during plant ontogeny. Animal glutamate receptor homologs have been detected in plants, which may participate in several plant processes through the Lys catabolic products. Interestingly, a connection between Lys and serotonin metabolism has been established recently in rice. 2-Aminoadipate, a catabolic product of Lys appears to play a critical role between serotonin accumulation and the color of rice endosperm/grain. It has also been shown that expression of some lysine-methylated proteins and genes encoding lysine-methyltransferases (KMTs) are regulated by cadmium even as it is known that Lys biosynthesis and its degradation are modulated by novel mechanisms. Three complex pathways co-exist in plants for serine (Ser) biosynthesis, and the relative preponderance of each pathway in relation to plant development or abiotic stress tolerance are being unfolded slowly. But the phosphorylated pathway of L-Ser biosynthesis (PPSB) appears to play critical roles and is essential in plant metabolism and development. Ser, which participates indirectly in purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis and plays a pivotal role in plant metabolism and signaling. Also, L-Ser has been implicated in plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. A large body of information implicates Lys-rich and serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins in a very wide array of abiotic stresses. Interestingly, a link exists between Lys-rich K-segment and stress tolerance levels. It is of interest to note that abiotic stresses largely influence the expression patterns of SR proteins and also the alternative splicing (AS) patterns. We have checked if any lncRNAs form a cohort of differentially expressed genes from the publicly available PPSB, sequence read archives of NCBI GenBank. Finally, we discuss the link between Lys and Ser synthesis, catabolism, Lys-proteins, and SR proteins during plant development and their myriad roles in response to abiotic stresses.
Single-Parent Expression of Anti-sense RNA Contributes to Transcriptome Complementation in Maize Hybrid
Authors: Zhang Xiangbo , Qi Yongwen
Published: December 2020

Anti-sense transcription is increasingly being recognized as an important regulator of gene expression. But the transcriptome complementation of anti-sense RNA in hybrid relative to their inbred parents was largely unknown. In this study, we profiled strand-specific RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in a maize hybrid and its inbred parents (B73 and Mo17) in two tissues. More anti-sense transcripts were present in the hybrid compared with the parental lines. We detected 293 and 242 single-parent expression of anti-sense (SPEA) transcripts in maize immature ear and leaf tissues, respectively. There was little overlap of the SPEA transcripts between the two maize tissues. These results suggested that SPEA is a general mechanism that drives extensive complementation in maize hybrids. More importantly, extremely high-level expression of anti-sense transcripts was associated with low-level expression of the cognate sense transcript by reducing the level of histone H3 lysine 36 methylation (H3K36me3). In summary, these SPEA transcripts increased our knowledge about the transcriptomic complementation in hybrid.
Effects of Different Management Practices on the Increase in Phytolith-Occluded Carbon in Moso Bamboo Forests
Authors: Lv Wanjie , Zhou Guomo , Chen Guangsheng , Zhou Yufeng , Ge Zhipeng , Niu Zhengwen , Xu Lin , Shi Yongjun
Published: December 2020

Phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC), a promising long-term biogeochemical carbon sequestration mode, plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and the regulation of atmospheric CO2. Previous studies mostly focused on the estimation of the content and storage of PhytOC, while it remains unclear about how the management practices affect the PhytOC content and whether it varies with stand age. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla var. pubescens) has a great potential in carbon sequestration and is rich in PhytOC. Here, we selected four management treatments, including control (CK), compound fertilization (CF), silicon (Si) fertilization (SiF) (monosilicic acid can form phytoliths through silicification), and cut to investigate the variation of phytoliths and PhytOC contents in soil, leaves, and litters, and their storage in Moso bamboo forests. In soil, the SiF fertilizer treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased phytolith content, PhytOC content, and storage compared to CK, while there were no significant differences between the treatments of CF and cut. In leaf, compared with CK, phytolith content of the second-degree leaves under SiF and the first-degree leaves under cut treatment significantly increased, and the three treatments significantly increased PhytOC storage for leaves with three age classes. In litter, the phytolith and PhytOC contents under the three treatments were not significantly different from that under the CK treatment. The PhytOC storage increased by 19.33% under SiF treatment, but significantly decreased by 40.63% under the CF treatment. For the entire Moso bamboo forest ecosystems, PhytOC storage of all the three management treatments increased compared with CK, with the largest increase by 102% under the SiF treatment. The effects of management practices on the accumulation of PhytOC varied with age. Our study implied that Si fertilization has a greater potential to significantly promote the capacity of sequestration of carbon in Moso bamboo forests.
Directing Trophic Divergence in Plant-Pathogen Interactions: Antagonistic Phytohormones With NO Doubt?
Authors: Huang Shuanglong , Zhang Xuehua , Fernando W. G. Dilantha
Published: December 2020

A fundamental process culminating in the mechanisms of plant-pathogen interactions is the regulation of trophic divergence into biotrophic, hemibiotrophic, and necrotrophic interactions. Plant hormones, of almost all types, play significant roles in this regulatory apparatus. In plant-pathogen interactions, two classical mechanisms underlying hormone-dependent trophic divergence are long recognized. While salicylic acid dominates in the execution of host defense response against biotrophic and early-stage hemibiotrophic pathogens, jasmonic acid, and ethylene are key players facilitating host defense response against necrotrophic and later-stage hemibiotrophic pathogens. Evidence increasingly suggests that trophic divergence appears to be modulated by more complex signaling networks. Acting antagonistically or agonistically, other hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, gibberellins, brassinosteroids, and strigolactones, as well as nitric oxide, are emerging candidates in the regulation of trophic divergence. In this review, the latest advances in the dynamic regulation of trophic divergence are summarized, emphasizing common and contrasting hormonal and nitric oxide signaling strategies deployed in plant-pathogen interactions.
Responses in Zinc Uptake of Different Mycorrhizal and Non-mycorrhizal Crops to Varied Levels of Phosphorus and Zinc Applications
Authors: Yu Bao-Gang , Chen Xiu-Xiu , Cao Wen-Qing , Liu Yu-Min , Zou Chun-Qin
Published: December 2020

Negative effects of high phosphorus (P) application on zinc (Zn) nutrition have been observed in many crops. This study investigated the Zn responses of three typical crops to varied P and Zn applications. A pot experiment was conducted using two mycorrhizal crops (maize and soybean) and one non-mycorrhizal crop (oilseed rape) under three levels of P, two levels of Zn, and two levels of benomyl. Results showed that P application significantly decreased shoot and root Zn concentrations, Zn uptake, and Zn acquisition efficiency (ZnAE) of the three crops irrespective of Zn rate, and that these reductions were greater for maize and soybean than for oilseed rape. Zn application alleviated the P inhibition of Zn uptake in the three crops. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization of maize and soybean contributed most to the negative effects of increasing P application on Zn uptake, explaining 79–89 and 64–69% of the effect, respectively. For oilseed rape, root dry weight and root Zn concentration explained 90% of the decrease in Zn uptake caused by P application. These results suggest that there is another pathway in addition to the mycorrhizal pathway regulating Zn uptake under mediation by P supply.
Team Member Work Role Performance: The Organizational Benefits From Performance-Based Horizontal Pay Dispersion and Workplace Benign Envy
Authors: Zhang Haiyan , Sun Shuwei , Zhao Lijing
Published: December 2020

In the context of the current uncertain, complex, and interdependent work systems, teams have become organizations’ substantial working unit, which in turn challenges the traditional view of employee performance and ultimately results in the emergence of team member work role performance. Employee team-oriented work role behaviors with proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity, which are integrated by the new construct, are so crucial to team effectiveness that many organizations keenly expect to achieve team member work role performance through implementing a dispersed pay-for-performance plan within a team. This study seeks to address the organizational practitioners’ main concern that whether pay dispersion among team members (i.e., horizontal pay dispersion, HPD) could actually help realize team member work role performance and further examines why and when an employee could respond to HPD within a team by engaging in team member work role behaviors from the perspective of the performance-shaping basis and team member’s workplace benign envy. Drawing on emotion-related theory, social comparison theory, legitimacy theory, expectation theory, and relative deprivation theory, it proposes that performance-based HPD could not only positively impact team member work role performance via workplace benign envy but also exert a direct-positive effect. Moreover, the activating effect of performance-based HPD on workplace benign envy and the mediating role are much stronger when a team member’s pay position is higher. The multi-source data including objective information and subjective perception among 362 ordinary employees within 66 Chinese organizational teams primarily supported the moderated mediation model. Yet, the direct-positive effect was not established.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the Decision Regret Scale
Authors: Xu Richard Huan , Zhou Ling Ming , Wong Eliza Laiyi , Wang Dong , Chang Jing Hui
Published: December 2020

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the decision regret scale (DRSc).

Methods

The data of 704 patients who completed the DRSc were used for the analyses. We evaluated the construct, convergent/discriminant, and known-group validity; internal consistency and test–retest reliability; and the item invariance of the DRSc. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to confirm the optimal cutoff point of the scale.

Results

A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a one-factor model fits the data. The internal consistency (α = 0.74) and test–retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.71] of the DRSc were acceptable. The DRSc demonstrated unidimensionality and invariance for use across the sexes. It was confirmed that an optimal cutoff point of 25 could discriminate between patients with high and low decisional regret during clinical practice.

Conclusion

The DRSc is a parsimonious instrument that can be used to measure the uncertainty inherent in medical decisions. It can be employed to provide knowledge, offer support, and elicit patient preferences in an attempt to promote shared decision-making.
Visual Hand Recognition in Hand Laterality and Self-Other Discrimination Tasks: Relationships to Autistic Traits and Positive Body Image
Authors: Kuroki Mayumi , Fukui Takao
Published: December 2020

In a study concerning visual body part recognition, a “self-advantage” effect, whereby self-related body stimuli are processed faster and more accurately than other-related body stimuli, was revealed, and the emergence of this effect is assumed to be tightly linked to implicit motor simulation, which is activated when performing a hand laterality judgment task in which hand ownership is not explicitly required. Here, we ran two visual hand recognition tasks, namely, a hand laterality judgment task and a self-other discrimination task, to investigate (i) whether the self-advantage emerged even if implicit motor imagery was assumed to be working less efficiently and (ii) how individual traits [such as autistic traits and the extent of positive self-body image, as assessed via the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), respectively] modulate performance in these hand recognition tasks. Participants were presented with hand images in two orientations [i.e., upright (egocentric) and upside-down (allocentric)] and asked to judge whether it was a left or right hand (an implicit hand laterality judgment task). They were also asked to determine whether it was their own, or another person’s hand (an explicit self-other discrimination task). Data collected from men and women were analyzed separately. The self-advantage effect in the hand laterality judgment task was not revealed, suggesting that only two orientation conditions are not enough to trigger this motor simulation. Furthermore, the men’s group showed a significant positive correlation between AQ scores and reaction times (RTs) in the laterality judgment task, while the women’s group showed a significant negative correlation between AQ scores and differences in RTs and a significant positive correlation between BAS-2 scores and dprime in the self-other discrimination task. These results suggest that men and women differentially adopt specific strategies and/or execution processes for implicit and explicit hand recognition tasks.
Experiences of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder With Imagery Rescripting in the Context of Schema Therapy—A Qualitative Study
Authors: Schaich Anja , Braakmann Diana , Richter Anja , Meine Clara , Assmann Nele , Köhne Sandra , Arntz Arnoud , Schweiger Ulrich , Fassbinder Eva
Published: December 2020

Imagery Rescripting (IR) is a therapeutic technique that is used in a wide spectrum of therapeutic methods for various mental disorders. As an important component of Schema Therapy (ST), IR is frequently used in the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, little is known about how IR is experienced by individuals with BPD. The aim of this study was to explore BPD patients' experiences with receiving IR. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 individuals (86% females) with a primary diagnosis of BPD who received IR within their ST treatment. Interview data were analyzed following the procedures of qualitative content analysis. Participants reported various effects of IR including initial high emotionality and exhaustion. Long-term effects included a better understanding of schemas and an improvement regarding emotion regulation and interpersonal relationships. Participants reported factors hindering the successful implementation of IR, such as external noise, stress, and a fast pace during IR. Facilitating factors included adequate time for debriefing, a transparent structure, and preparation of IR as well as the therapist providing safety. Implications of the findings for optimizing IR in clinical practice are discussed.
Psychological Symptoms and Behavioral Changes in Children and Adolescents During the Early Phase of COVID-19 Quarantine in Three European Countries
Authors: Francisco Rita , Pedro Marta , Delvecchio Elisa , Espada Jose Pedro , Morales Alexandra , Mazzeschi Claudia , Orgilés Mireia
Published: December 2020

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic forced the home confinement of the majority of population around the world, including a significant number of children and adolescents, for several weeks in 2020. Negative psychological effects have been identified in adults, but research about the impact of this type of social distancing measure on children and adolescents is scarce. The present study aimed to describe and compare the immediate psychological and behavioral symptoms associated with COVID-19 quarantine in children and adolescents from three southern European countries with different levels of restrictions (Italy, Spain, and Portugal). Parents of 1,480 children and adolescents (52.8% boys) between 3 and 18 years old (M = 9.15, SD = 4.27) participated in the study. An online survey using snowball sampling techniques was conducted during 15 days between March and April 2020, representing the early phase of the quarantine associated with COVID-19 outbreak. Parents answered questionnaires about sociodemographic data, housing conditions, immediate psychological responses during quarantine (e.g., anxiety, mood, sleep, and behavioral alterations), patterns of use of screens, daily physical activity, and sleep hours before and during the quarantine. The results revealed an increase in children's psychological and behavioral symptoms, increased screen-time, reduced physical activity, and more sleep hours/night. Italian children presented less psychological and behavioral symptoms compared with Portuguese and Spanish children. In general, hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that having an outdoor exit in the house (e.g., garden, terrace) contributed to lower levels of psychological and behavioral symptomatology. Future studies are needed to identify family and individual variables that can better predict children and adolescents' well-being during and after quarantine. Recommendations for families and implications for practice are discussed.
Is the Urine Cannabinoid Level Measured via a Commercial Point-of-Care Semiquantitative Immunoassay a Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome Severity Predictor?
Authors: Claus Benedikt Bernd , Specka Michael , McAnally Heath , Scherbaum Norbert , Schifano Fabrizio , Bonnet Udo
Published: December 2020

Background: For cannabis-dependent subjects, the relationship between cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) severity and the urine cannabinoid concentrations are unclear; we investigated this using a commercial point-of-care (POC) enzyme immunoassay detecting 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH).

Methods: Observational study of 78 adult chronic cannabis-dependent subjects assessed over a 24-day inpatient detoxification treatment, with 13 serial measurement days. Repeated Measures Correlation and Multilevel Linear Models were employed.

Results: Absolute urinary THC-COOH levels significantly correlated with Marijuana Withdrawal Checklist (MWC) scores across the entire study duration (r = 0.248; p < 0.001). Correlation between serial creatinine-adjusted THC-COOH ratios and serial MWC scores emerged as significant only in the sample with higher MWC scores (>11 points) at admission (n = 21; r = 0.247; p = 0.002). The aforementioned significant relationships have persisted when replacing the absolute THC-COOH-levels with the (relative) day-to-day change in urinary THC-COOH levels. MWC scores were significantly correlated with the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S; r = 0.812; p < 0.001). Females showed a significantly slower decline in urine THC-COOH levels and prolonged CWS course characterized by substantial illness severity (per CGI-S), occurring in nearly 30% of cases.

Conclusion: Urine cannabinoid levels (THC-COOH) determined by POC assay significantly predicted CWS severity (moderate correlation), guiding detoxification treatment duration. In patients with MWC > 11 points upon admission, creatinine-adjusted THC-COOH ratios also significantly predicted CWS severity—again with moderate effect size. Females showed prolonged urinary THC-COOH elimination and cannabis withdrawal.
Two-Hour Tobacco Abstinence Has No Effect on Cognitive Control in Male Patients With Nicotine Dependence: An ERP Study
Authors: Xue Yanling , Zhou Hongliang , Jiang Chenguang , Liu Xiaohong , Zhou Zhenhe , Wang Jun
Published: December 2020

The average nicotine half-life in body tissues is 2 h. Understanding the influence of pure nicotine abstinence on cognitive control may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence (ND) and preventing smoking relapse. This study was to investigate the effects of 2-h tobacco abstinence on cognitive control in patients with ND. Twenty-five patients with ND completed event-related potential (ERP) P300 measurements at the normality state and the abstinence state. Twenty-five healthy controls (HCs) were measured with P300 twice with a 2-h time interval. HAMD and HAMA were used to assess the emotional state. Results showed that there were significant differences in Carbon monoxide (CO) levels between the abstinence state and the normality state in the ND group. There were no significant differences in HAMD and HAMA scores for the abstinence state in the ND group or the normality state in the ND group and the HC group. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and P3a latency, the main effect for ND group was significant. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and latency, the interaction effect for group × time point was not significant, and the main effect for time point was not significant. It concluded that patients with ND present cognitive control deficits, and 2-h tobacco abstinence has no effect on cognitive control deficits in male patients with ND. Our findings may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence and preventing smoking relapse.
Gynecologic Oncology Sub-Specialty Training in Ghana: A Model for Sustainable Impact on Gynecologic Cancer Care in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Erem Anna Sarah , Appiah-Kubi Adu , Konney Thomas Okpoti , Amo-Antwi Kwabena , Bell Sarah G. , Johnson Timothy R. B. , Johnston Carolyn , Tawiah Odoi Alexander , Lawrence Emma R.
Published: December 2020

African women have double the risk of dying from cancer than women in high-income countries. In Ghana, most women with gynecological malignancies present with advanced-stage disease when treatment is less effective. Barriers to improved cancer outcomes include the availability of cancer screening, affordability of treatment, and access to gynecologic oncology specialists. In response to a paucity of gynecologic oncology providers, an in-country fellowship training program was established at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in 2013. Historically, Ghanaian resident physicians were sent to other countries for fellowship training and were unlikely to repatriate. The establishment of an in-country training program not only addresses the challenge of “brain drain,” but also builds local capacity in gynecologic oncology education and emphasizes culturally relevant and accessible healthcare. The four-years gynecologic oncology fellowship program at KATH was developed as part of a longitudinal multi-decade partnership between the University of Michigan and academic medical centers in Ghana. The fellowship trains obstetricians and gynecologists to provide subspecialist clinical and surgical care to patients with gynecologic malignancies. Fellows collaborate with the radiation, oncology and pathology departments, participate in monthly inter-institutional tumor board meetings, conduct research, advise on health policy issues, and train subsequent cohorts. This fellowship is representative of emerging twenty-first-century trends in which subspecialty training programs in low-income countries are strengthened by international collaborations. Providing specialized training in gynecologic oncology can help develop and maintain resources that will improve clinical outcomes for women in low-resources settings.
Quantifying the Impact of Public Perceptions on Vaccine Acceptance Using Behavioral Economics
Authors: Hursh Steven R. , Strickland Justin C. , Schwartz Lindsay P. , Reed Derek D.
Published: December 2020

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of public perceptions of vaccine safety and efficacy on intent to seek COVID-19 vaccination using hypothetical vaccine acceptance scenarios. The behavioral economic methodology could be used to inform future public health vaccination campaigns designed to influence public perceptions and improve public acceptance of the vaccine. In June 2020, 534 respondents completed online validated behavioral economic procedures adapted to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine demand in relation to a hypothetical development process and efficacy. An exponential demand function was used to describe the proportion of participants accepting the vaccine at each efficacy. Linear mixed effect models evaluated development process and individual characteristic effects on minimum required vaccine efficacy required for vaccine acceptance. The rapid development process scenario increased the rate of decline in acceptance with reductions in efficacy. At 50% efficacy, 68.8% of respondents would seek the standard vaccine, and 58.8% would seek the rapid developed vaccine. Rapid vaccine development increased the minimum required efficacy for vaccine acceptance by over 9 percentage points, γ = 9.36, p < 0.001. Past-3-year flu vaccination, γ = −23.00, p < 0.001, and male respondents, γ = −4.98, p = 0.037, accepted lower efficacy. Respondents reporting greater conspiracy beliefs, γ = 0.39, p < 0.001, and political conservatism, γ = 0.32, p < 0.001, required higher efficacy. Male, γ = −4.43, p = 0.013, and more conservative, γ = −0.09, p = 0.039, respondents showed smaller changes in minimum required efficacy by development process. Information on the vaccine development process, vaccine efficacy, and individual differences impact the proportion of respondents reporting COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Behavioral economics provides an empirical method to estimate vaccine demand to target subpopulations resistant to vaccination.
Catheter Management and Risk Stratification of Patients With in Inpatient Treatment Due to Acute Epididymitis
Authors: Wenzel Mike , Deuker Marina , Welte Maria N. , Hoeh Benedikt , Preisser Felix , Homrich Till , Kempf Volkhard A. J. , Hogardt Michael , Mandel Philipp , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Chun Felix K. H. , Kluth Luis A.
Published: December 2020

Objective: This study aims to evaluate catheter management in acute epididymitis (AE) patients requiring inpatient treatment and risk factors predicting severity of disease.

Material and Methods: Patients with diagnosed AE and inpatient treatment between 2004 and 2019 at the University Hospital Frankfurt were analyzed. A risk score, rating severity of AE, including residual urine > 100 ml, fever > 38.0°C, C-reactive protein (CRP) > 5 mg/dl, and white blood count (WBC) > 10/nl was introduced.

Results: Of 334 patients, 107 (32%) received a catheter (transurethral (TC): n = 53, 16%, suprapubic (SPC): n = 54, 16%). Catheter patients were older, exhibited more comorbidities, and had higher CRP and WBC compared with the non-catheter group (NC). Median length of stay (LOS) was longer in the catheter group (7 vs. 6 days, p < 0.001), whereas necessity of abscess surgery and recurrent epididymitis did not differ. No differences in those parameters were recorded between TC and SPC. According to our established risk score, 147 (44%) patients exhibited 0–1 (low-risk) and 187 (56%) 2–4 risk factors (high-risk). In the high-risk group, patients received a catheter significantly more often than with low-risk (TC: 22 vs. 9%; SPC: 19 vs. 12%, both p ≤ 0.01). Catheter or high-risk patients exhibited positive urine cultures more frequently than NC or low-risk patients. LOS was comparable between high-risk patients with catheter and low-risk NC patients.

Conclusion: Patients with AE who received a catheter at admission were older, multimorbid, and exhibited more severe symptoms of disease compared with the NC patients. A protective effect of catheters might be attributable to patients with adverse risk constellations or high burden of comorbidities. The introduced risk score indicates a possibility for risk stratification.
Emergence and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Getah Virus Isolated in Southern China
Authors: Ren Tongwei , Mo Qingrong , Wang Yuxu , Wang Hao , Nong Zuorong , Wang Jinglong , Niu Chenxia , Liu Chang , Chen Ying , Ouyang Kang , Huang Weijian , Wei Zuzhang
Published: December 2020

Getah virus (GETV) has caused many outbreaks in animals in recent years. Monitoring of the virus and its related diseases is crucial to control the transmission of the virus. In the summer of 2018, we conducted routine tests on clinical samples from different pig farms in Guangxi province, South China, and isolated and characterized a GETV strain, named GX201808. Cytopathic effects were observed in BHK-21 cells inoculated with GX201808. The expression of E2 protein of GETV could be detected in virus-infected cells by indirect immunofluorescence assays. Electron microscopic analysis showed that the virus particles were spherical and ~70 nm in diameter with featured surface fibers. The multistep growth curves showed the virus propagated well in the BHK-21 cells. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that GX201808 belongs to Group 3, represented by Kochi-01-2005 isolated in Japan in 2005, and it clustered closely with the recently reported Chinese strains isolated from pigs, cattle, and foxes. A comparison of the identities of nucleotides and amino acids in the coding regions demonstrated that the GX201808 showed the highest amino acid identity (99.6%) with the HuN1 strain, a highly pathogenic isolate resulting in an outbreak of GETV infection in swine herds in Hunan province in 2017. In the present study, GETV was identified and isolated for the first time in Guangxi province of southern China, suggesting that future surveillance of this virus should be strengthened.
Convert a Strongly Connected Directed Graph to a Black-and-White 3-SAT Problem by the Balatonboglár Model
Authors: Kusper Gábor , Biró Csaba
Published: December 2020

In a previous paper we defined the black and white SAT problem which has exactly two solutions, where each variable is either true or false. We showed that black and white 2-SAT problems represent strongly connected directed graphs. We presented also the strong model of communication graphs. In this work we introduce two new models, the weak model, and the Balatonboglár model of communication graphs. A communication graph is a directed graph, where no self loops are allowed. In this work we show that the weak model of a strongly connected communication graph is a black and white SAT problem. We prove a powerful theorem, the so called transitions theorem. This theorem states that for any model which is between the strong and the weak model, we have that this model represents strongly connected communication graphs as black and white SAT problems. We show that the Balatonboglár model is between the strong and the weak model, and it generates 3-SAT problems, so the Balatonboglár model represents strongly connected communication graphs as black and white 3-SAT problems. Our motivation to study these models is the following: The strong model generates a 2-SAT problem from the input directed graph, so it does not give us a deep insight how to convert a general SAT problem into a directed graph. The weak model generates huge models, because it represents all cycles, even non-simple cycles, of the input directed graph. We need something between them to gain more experience. From the Balatonboglár model we learned that it is enough to have a subset of a clause, which represents a cycle in the weak model, to make the Balatonboglár model more compact. We still do not know how to represent a SAT problem as a directed graph, but this work gives a strong link between two prominent fields of formal methods: the SAT problem and directed graphs.
Efficiency of Pig Production in the Czech Republic and in an International Context
Authors: Havlíček Jaroslav , Dömeová Ludmila , Smutka Luboš , Řezbová Helena , Severová Lucie , Šubrt Tomáš , Šrédl Karel , Svoboda Roman
Published: December 2020

This study presents a comparison of the performance and the ranking of pork producers in 16 countries over the period 2012–2017. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to make the ranking and identify the best practices among the involved countries (“peers”). For the DEA analysis, the output is aggregated into the category Carcass meat production in sow/year/kg, the inputs into Feed costs, Other variable costs, Labor costs, Depreciation and finance costs. In the first round of evaluation, only Brazil, the USA and The Netherlands were designated as peers. Significant differences between the highest-ranking values (1) and the lowest-ranking values (0.709) showed greater differences between European and non-European pork manufacturers. To get more European countries among the peers, non-European countries the USA and Brazil were excluded from the second round of evaluation. The second round of evaluation indicated that Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are efficient producers with regard to the given inputs. The ratings of Germany, Italy and France are close to one (with differences of less than 4%); therefore, these countries can also be classified as efficient units. The identification of peers among selected EU producers represents “best practices” in the field.
Growth Potential of Yellow Mealworm Reared on Industrial Residues
Authors: Bordiean Anna , Krzyżaniak Michał , Stolarski Mariusz J. , Peni Dumitru
Published: December 2020

Since the world’s population will continue to grow in the next decades, the problem of providing people with food will deepen. One-third of the food production volume is wasted while nearly one in ten people in the world suffer from hunger. To reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment and meet the needs of the population, alternative sources of protein are proposed. Yellow mealworm larvae can be used as a source of food and animal feed. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and efficiency of ingested feed (ECI) by yellow mealworm larvae fed 13 different diets containing chicken feed (CF), rapeseed meal (RM), wheat bran (WB) and willowleaf sunflower (WS) residues after the process of supercritical CO2 extraction. The mean dry individual bodyweight for all diets used in the experiment was 31.44 mg dry matter (d.m.) Mealworms fed diet mixes that contained WB demonstrated the highest dry individual larval weight (from 40.9 to 47.9 mg d.m.). A significantly lower dry individual larval weight was found for mealworms fed solely WS residues (3.9 mg d.m.). The FCR ranged from 1.57 to 2.08, for pure CF and pure WS diet, respectively. The ECI of yellow mealworm larvae varied significantly (mean value 20.1%) and depended on the diet. Moreover, the ECI of mealworm was significantly the lowest and amounted to 5.9% for the pure WS diet. The industrial residues investigated in this study can be successfully used for mealworm farming, excluding pure willowleaf sunflower residues.
Use of Pulsed Arc Discharge Exposure to Impede Expansion of the Invasive Vine Pueraria montana
Authors: Matsuda Yoshinori , Takikawa Yoshihiro , Kakutani Koji , Nonomura Teruo , Okada Kiyotsugu , Kusakari Shin-ichi , Toyoda Hideyoshi
Published: December 2020

The invasive kudzu vine Pueraria montana var. lobata is an agricultural nuisance that disturbs the field cultivation of crop plants. We developed a simple electrostatic method of suppressing the invasive growth of kudzu vines as an alternative to the use of herbicides for weed control. Exposure of the vine apex to a high-voltage arc discharge was the focal point of the study. To achieve this, we constructed a ladder-shaped apparatus by arranging several parallel copper rods at specific intervals in an insulating frame. The top rod was linked to a direct current voltage generator and pulse-charged at −10 kV, and the remaining rods were linked to a grounded line. Because of the conductive nature of the grounded vine body, the vine climbing along the grounded rods was subjected to a pulsed arc discharge from the charged rod when its apex entered the electric field produced around the charged rod. The part of the vine exposed to the discharge was heated, which promoted vaporisation of body water. This destroyed the tip growing point and prevented vine elongation. A simplified weed control apparatus was developed, which can be fabricated for practical use from inexpensive, ready-made materials.
Hydrothermal Treatments Affecting the Concentration of Neochlorogenic Acid in Dough of Tartary Buckwheat
Authors: Germ Mateja , Árvay Július , Vollmannová Alena , Tóth Tomáš , Kreft Ivan , Golob Aleksandra
Published: December 2020

This study investigated the effects of initial temperature treatments of gluten-free doughs made from Tartary buckwheat flour, and time of methanol extraction from the cooked doughs of neochlorogenic acid, an important polyphenol metabolite. The doughs were hydrothermally treated from 25 °C to 95 °C, cooked at 95 °C for 20 min, and extracted using 80% aqueous methanol at the room temperature for 20 min, 2 h, and 8 h. For the control, nonhydrothermally treated Tartary buckwheat flour samples, the extractable neochlorogenic acid was similar for these extraction times. For the cooked dough samples, the hydrothermal treatments were important in terms of extractability of neochlorogenic acid. The extractable neochlorogenic acid was higher for the control samples in comparison to the hydrothermally treated and cooked dough samples. Among these hydrothermally treated dough samples, the high extractable neochlorogenic acid concentrations were maintained for temperatures of at least 80 °C. These high-temperature initial treatments during dough preparation appear to prevent degradation of the neochlorogenic acid in Tartary buckwheat flour. During hydrothermal treatment, neochlorogenic acid is bound to grain structures in such a way that prolonged extraction time is needed to extract it.
Investigation of a Truncated Aptamer for Ofloxacin Detection Using a Rapid FRET-Based Apta-Assay
Authors: Ben Aissa Sondes , Mastouri Mohamed , Catanante Gaëlle , Raouafi Noureddine , Marty Jean Louis
Published: December 2020

In this work, we describe the use of a new truncated aptamer for the determination of ofloxacin (OFL), being a principal quinolone commonly used in both human and animal healthcare. Since the affinity of a 72-mer ssDNA sequence has been previously described without further investigations, this paper demonstrates the first computational prediction of the binding motif between this aptamer and OFL through in silico molecular docking studies. Besides, we suggest the application of the characterized recognition mechanism in a simple FRET (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) pattern for the rapid aptasensing of the quinolone of interest. Accordingly, our approach harnesses the fluorescence quenching of the fluorescein-tagged aptamer (FAM-APT) induced by its partial hybridization to a tetramethyl rhodamine-labelled complementary ssDNA (TAMRA-cDNA). In such a structure, dye labels brought into close proximity act as a FRET pair. Upon ofloxacin addition, an affinity competition occurs to form a more stable FAM-APT/OFL complex, thus unquenching the FAM-APT signal. Interestingly, the recovered fluorescence intensity was found to correlate well with the antibiotic’s concentrations in the range of 0.2–200 μM in HEPES buffer, with a linear response that ranged between 0.2 and 20 μM. The rapid apta-assay achieved limits of detection and quantification of 0.12 and 0.40 μM, respectively. The truncated aptamer has also shown an improved specificity toward OFL than other quinolones, compared to the original full-length aptamer described in previous works. Finally, the practical application of the developed apta-assay was successfully confirmed to detect OFL quinolone in spiked milk samples, with satisfactory recoveries ranging between 97.4% and 111.4%.
Geranii Herba as a Potential Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Main 3CLpro, Spike RBD, and Regulation of Unfolded Protein Response: An In Silico Approach
Authors: Arokiyaraj Selvaraj , Stalin Antony , Kannan Balakrishnan Senthamarai , Shin Hakdong
Published: December 2020

Background: Since the first patient identified with SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in December 2019, the trend of a spreading coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has remained to date. As for now, there is an urgent need to develop novel drugs or vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Methods: Polyphenolic compounds have potential as drug candidates for various diseases, including viral infections. In this study, polyphenolic compounds contained in Geranii Herba were chosen for an in silico approach. The SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), 3CLpro (Replicase polyprotein 1ab), and the cell surface receptor glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) were chosen as target proteins. Results: Based on the molecular docking analysis, ellagic acid, gallic acid, geraniin, kaempferitrin, kaempferol, and quercetin showed significant binding interactions with the target proteins. Besides, the molecular dynamic simulation studies support Geranii Herba’s inhibition efficiency on the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. We assume that the active compounds in Geranii Herba might inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry through the ACE2 receptor and inhibit the proteolytic process. Besides, these compounds may help to regulate the cell signaling under the unfolded protein response in endoplasmic reticulum stress through the binding with GRP78 and avoid the SARS-CoV-2 interaction. Conclusions: Hence, the compounds present in Geranii Herba could be used as possible drug candidates for the prevention/treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Impact of Pleurotus ostreatus β-Glucans on Oxidative Stability of Active Compounds Encapsulated in Powders during Storage and In Vitro Digestion
Authors: Gallotti Francesca , Lavoisier Anaïs , Turchiuli Christelle , Lavelli Vera
Published: December 2020

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and α-tocopherol were encapsulated in powders by spray drying using maltodextrins DE 12 as wall material and different emulsifiers (Tween®20, acacia gum or β-glucans-rich extracts from Pleurotus ostreatus). The aim was to study the effects of the surfactants on: (a) the oil droplet size distribution and α-tocopherol stability during in vitro digestion, and (b) the oxidative stability during 15 days of accelerated storage. Acacia gum sample had the most stable particle size distribution up to the gastric phase, but showed a significant α-tocopherol degradation prior to the intestinal stage. On the contrary, β-glucan-samples displayed a bimodal distribution in the oral and gastric phases but retained α-tocopherol up to the beginning of the intestinal stage. At the end of intestinal stage, no α-tocopherol was found in the samples. The storage study showed that β-glucans improved the oxidative stability of the powders, which displayed 82% α-tocopherol retention after 5 days under accelerated conditions (60 °C), corresponding to 310 days at 20 °C, while acacia gum and Tween® 20 did not delay α-tocopherol degradation. Results highlight the potential antioxidant activity of β-glucans used as emulsifying agents during in vitro digestion and accelerated aging conditions.
Automatic Detection of Welding Defects Using Faster R-CNN
Authors: Oh Sang-jin , Jung Min-jae , Lim Chaeog , Shin Sung-chul
Published: December 2020

In the shipbuilding industry, the non-destructive testing for welding quality inspection is mainly used for the permanent storage of the testing results and the radio-graphic testing which can visually inspect the interior of the welded part. Experts are required to properly detect the test results and it takes a lot of time and cost to manually Interpret the radio-graphic testing image of the structure over 500 blocks. The algorithms that automatically interpret the existing radio-graphic testing images to extract features through image pre-processing and classify the defects using neural networks, and only partial automation is performed. In order to implement the feature extraction and classification in one algorithm and to implement the overall automation, this paper proposes a method of automatically detecting welding defect using Faster R-CNN which is a deep learning basis. We analyzed the data to learn algorithms and compared the performance improvements using data augmentation method to artificially increase the limited data. In order to appropriately extract the features of the radio-graphic testing image, two internal feature extractors of Faster R-CNN were selected, compared, and performance evaluation was performed.
Web Unevenness Due to Thermal Deformation in the Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing Process
Authors: Jo Minho , Lee Jongsu , Kim Seongyong , Cho Gyoujin , Lee Taik-Min , Lee Changwoo
Published: December 2020

In roll-to-roll (R2R) processing, web uniformity is a crucial factor that can guarantee high coating quality. To understand web defects due to thermal deformation, we analyzed the effect of web unevenness on the coating quality of an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layer, a brittle electrolyte of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). We used finite-element analysis to study thermal and mechanical deformations at different drying temperature levels. A YSZ layer was also coated using R2R slot-die coating to observe the effect of web unevenness on coating quality. Web unevenness was generated by thermal deformation due to conduction and convection heat from the dryer. Because of varying web unevenness with time, the YSZ layer developed cracks. At higher drying temperatures, more coating defects with larger widths were generated. Results indicated that web unevenness at the coating section led to coating defects that could damage the SOFCs and decrease yield in the R2R process. Coating defects generated by web unevenness caused by convection and conduction heat should be considered in the high-volume production of brittle electrolytes using the R2R process.
Influence of Thermal Processing on the Bioactive, Antioxidant, and Physicochemical Properties of Conventional and Organic Agriculture Black Garlic (Allium sativum L.)
Authors: Najman Katarzyna , Sadowska Anna , Hallmann Ewelina
Published: December 2020

This study examines the effect of fermentation processes (70 °C temperature; 80% humidity; 45 days) on the content of bioactive compounds (total polyphenols, selected phenolic acids, and flavonoids), antioxidant activity and physicochemical properties of conventional and organic garlic (Allium sativum L.). Raw garlic from conventional cultivation (GR) showed significantly lower content of phenolic components and antioxidant activity compared to raw garlic from organic cultivation (GREcol) (by 22.8% and 25.1%, respectively). The fermentation processes of the garlic from both the conventional (BG) and organic (BGEcol) cultivation significantly increased the content of total polyphenols (more than two times), phenolic acids (more than 1.5 times) and flavonoids (1.5 and 1.3 times, respectively). The garlic fermentation process also significantly increased antioxidant potential: two times for BG and three times for BGEcol. The content of bioactive compounds (total polyphenols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in organic black garlic (BGEcol) compared to conventional black garlic (BG). Heat treatment leading to changes in both the physicochemical, organoleptic and health-promoting properties allowed to obtain a new product gaining in sensory attractiveness and enabling a wide range of applications.