bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blockade of TRPM7 Alleviates Chondrocyte Apoptosis and Articular Cartilage Damage in the Adjuvant Arthritis Rat Model Through Regulation of the Indian Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
Authors: Ma Ganggang , Yang Yang , Chen Yong , Wei Xin , Ding Jie , Zhou Ren-Peng , Hu Wei
Published: April 2021

Articular cartilage damage with subsequent impairment of joint function is a common feature of articular diseases, in particular, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. While articular cartilage injury mediated by chondrocyte apoptosis is a known major pathological feature of arthritis, the specific mechanisms remain unclear at present. Transient receptor potential melastatin-like seven channel (TRPM7) is reported to play an important regulatory role in apoptosis. This study focused on the effects of TRPM7 on arthritic chondrocyte injury and its underlying mechanisms of action. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced rat primary chondrocyte apoptosis and rat adjuvant arthritis (AA) were used as in vitro and in vivo models, respectively. Blockage of TRPM7 with 2-APB or specific siRNA resulted in increased chondrocyte viability and reduced toxicity of SNP. Moreover, treatment with 2-APB enhanced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and reduced cleaved PARP and IL-6, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5 expression in SNP-treated chondrocytes. Activation of Indian Hedgehog with purmorphamine reversed the protective effects of 2-APB on SNP-induced chondrocyte apoptosis. Blockage of TRPM7 with 2-APB relieved the clinical signs of AA in the rat model and reduced the arthritis score and paw swelling. Similar to findings in SNP-treated chondrocytes, 2-APB treatment increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and suppressed cleaved PARP, IL-6, MMP-13, ADAMTS-5, TRPM7, and Indian hedgehog expression in articular cartilage of AA rats. Our collective findings suggest that blockade of TRPM7 could effectively reduce chondrocyte apoptosis and articular cartilage damage in rats with adjuvant arthritis through regulation of the Indian Hedgehog signaling pathway.
Anti-Allergic Rhinitis Effects of Medicinal Plants and Their Bioactive Metabolites via Suppression of the Immune System: A Mechanistic Review
Authors: Rahim Nur Amira , Jantan Ibrahim , Said Mazlina Mohd , Jalil Juriyati , Abd Razak Amirul Faiz , Husain Khairana
Published: April 2021

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa and it is an immunoglobulin E–mediated disease. The incidence and prevalence of AR globally have been escalating over recent years. Antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, decongestants, intranasal anticholinergics, intranasal cromolyn, leukotriene receptor antagonists and immunotherapy have been used in the treatment of AR. However, there is a need to search for more effective and safer remedies as many of the current treatments have reported side effects. Medicinal plants have been used traditionally to relief symptoms of AR but their efficacy and safety have not been scientifically proven. In this review, up-to-date reports of studies on the anti-allergic rhinitis of several medicinal plants and their bioactive metabolites through suppression of the immune system are compiled and critically analyzed. The plant samples were reported to suppress the productions of immunoglobulin E, cytokines and eosinophils and inhibit histamine release. The suppression of cytokines production was found to be the main mechanistic effect of the plants to give symptomatic relief. The prospect of these medicinal plants as sources of lead molecules for development of therapeutic agents to treat AR is highlighted. Several bioactive metabolites of the plants including shikonin, okicamelliaside, warifteine, methylwarifteine, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, tussilagone, petasin, and mangiferin have been identified as potential candidates for development into anti-allergic rhinitis agents. The data collection was mainly from English language articles published in journals, or studies from EBSCOHOST, Medline and Ovid, Scopus, Springer, and Google Scholar databases from the year 1985–2020. The terms or keywords used to find relevant studies were allergic rhinitis OR pollinosis OR hay fever, AND medicinal plant OR single plant OR single herb OR phytotherapy. This comprehensive review serves as a useful resource for medicinal plants with anti-allergic rhinitis potential, understanding the underlying mechanisms of action and for future exploration to find natural product candidates in the development of novel anti-allergic rhinitis agents.
Mechanotransduction of Strain Regulates an Invasive Phenotype in Newly Transformed Epithelial Cells
Authors: Chagnon-Lessard Sophie , Jean-Ruel Hubert , Godin Michel , Pelling Andrew E.
Published: April 2021

Our organs and tissues are in constant motion, exposing epithelial cells to mechanical stretch. How these external forces impact cellular morphology, organization and dynamics in healthy and diseased tissues is still being elucidated. Carcinoma, the most common type of cancer, develops in the sheets of cells forming the epithelium and lining our organs and cavities. It usually begins with the transformation of a single cell via the activation of oncogenes such as Ras. Here, we show in a model system how mechanical stretch in epithelial sheets results in a more invasive phenotype in transformed cells. Cyclic strain impedes the apical extrusion of RasV12 cells from the healthy monolayer and prevents the formation of strong circumferential belts of actin in RasV12 cells. Concurrently, strain also changes the metastatic phenotype of newly transformed cells by greatly promoting the formation of RasV12 protrusions, potentially making them harder to be eliminated from healthy tissues. We also show that RasV12 and wild type MDCK cells possess distinct sensitivity to strain. External forces remodel their actin cytoskeletons and adhesion complexes differently, resulting in a more invasive system dynamic. Our work demonstrates that the Rho-ROCK mechanotransduction pathway is involved in regulating a mechanically-induced switch to a more invasive phenotype. The insights gained in this study reveal that the complex dynamics at play in healthy and transformed epithelial cells is drastically different in a mechanically active microenvironment when compared to static conditions.
Flies Avoid Current Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations
Authors: Üçpunar Habibe K. , Grunwald Kadow Ilona C.
Published: April 2021

CO2 differs from most other odors by being ubiquitously present in the air animals inhale. CO2 levels of the atmosphere, however, are subject to change. Depending on the landscape, temperature, and time of the year, CO2 levels can change even on shortest time scales. In addition, since the 18th century the CO2 baseline keeps increasing due to the intensive fossil fuel usage. However, we do not know whether this change is significant for animals, and if yes whether and how animals adapt to this change. Most insects possess olfactory receptors to detect the gaseous molecule, and CO2 is one of the key odorants for insects such as the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster to find food sources and to warn con-specifics. So far, CO2 and its sensory system have been studied in the context of rotting fruit and other CO2-emitting sources to investigate flies’ response to significantly elevated levels of CO2. However, it has not been addressed whether flies detect and potentially react to atmospheric levels of CO2. By using behavioral experiments, here we show that flies can detect atmospheric CO2 concentrations and, if given the choice, prefer air with sub-atmospheric levels of the molecule. Blocking the synaptic release from CO2 receptor neurons abolishes this choice. Based on electrophysiological recordings, we hypothesize that CO2 receptors, similar to ambient temperature receptors, actively sample environmental CO2 concentrations close to atmospheric levels. Based on recent findings and our data, we hypothesize that Gr-dependent CO2 receptors do not primarily serve as a cue detector to find food sources or avoid danger, instead they function as sensors for preferred environmental conditions.
Heart Rate Asymmetry Analysis During Head-Up Tilt Test in Healthy Men
Authors: Pawłowski Rafał , Buszko Katarzyna , Newton Julia L. , Kujawski Sławomir , Zalewski Paweł
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess the cardiovascular system response to orthostatic stress in a group of 133 healthy men using heart rate asymmetry (HRA) methods. HRA is a feature of variability in human heart rate which is dependent upon external and internal body conditions. The initial phases of head-up tilt test (HUTT), namely, supine and tilt, were chosen as the external body affecting factors. Various calculation methods of HRA, such as Porta’s index (PI), Guzik’s index (GI), and its variance based components, were used to assess the heart rate variability (HRV) and its asymmetry. We compared 5-min ECG recordings from both supine and tilt phases of HUT test. Short-term HRA was observed in 54.1% of men in supine phase and 65.4% of men in tilt phase. The study revealed significant increase of GI (from 0.50 to 0.52, p < 0.001) in the tilt phase as well as significant changes in HRV descriptors between HUTT phases. Our results showed that the variability of human heart rate and its asymmetry are sensitive to orthostatic stress. The study of short-term HRA is a potential additional tool to increase sensitivity in conditions where HUTT is a diagnostic tool, such as vasovagal syncope.
Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Orobanche foetida Populations From Tunisia Using RADseq
Authors: Boukteb Amal , Sakaguchi Shota , Ichihashi Yasunori , Kharrat Mohamed , Nagano Atsushi J. , Shirasu Ken , Bouhadida Mariem
Published: April 2021

Orobanche foetidaPoiret is a holoparasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll and totally depending on its host for its growth.Orobanche foetidaparasitizes host plant roots and extract nutrient and water via a haustorium. AlthoughO. foetidadistributes in the Mediterranean region as a wild plant parasite, it parasitizes faba bean causing serious damages which may reach 90% yield losses in Tunisia. Analysis of genetic diversity of the parasite is important to better understand its evolution and spread, remained largely unknown. In this work, we present the first study on genetic diversity and population structure using the robust technique Restriction-site-Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) forOrobanchespp. We collected 244 samples ofO. foetidafrom 18 faba bean fields in the north of Tunisia including 17 populations from the north-west and one population form the north-east. To overcome the difficulty of SNP discovery inO. foetidagenome as a non-model and tetraploid plant, we utilized three different informatics pipelines, namely UNEAK, pyRAD and Stacks. This study showed that genetic differentiation occurred in the TunisianO. foetidaemphasizing the isolation by distance effect. However, no strong population clustering was detected in this work basing on the three data sets and clustering methods used. The present study shed the light on the current distribution and the genetic variation situation of the fetid broomrape in Tunisia, highlighting the importance of understanding the evolution of this parasite and its genetic background. This will aid in developing efficient strategies to control this parasite and its expansion in Tunisia and worldwide.
Angular Leaf Spot Resistance Loci Associated With Different Plant Growth Stages in Common Bean
Authors: Almeida Caléo Panhoca de , de Carvalho Paulino Jean Fausto , Bonfante Gabriel Francesco Janini , Perseguini Juliana Morini Kupper Cardoso , Santos Isabella Laporte , Gonçalves João Guilherme Ribeiro , Patrício Flávia Rodrigues Alves , Taniguti Cristiane Hayumi , Gesteira Gabriel de Siqueira , Garcia Antônio Augusto Franco , Song Qijian , Carbonell Sérgio Augusto Morais , Chiorato Alisson Fernando , Benchimol-Reis Luciana Lasry
Published: April 2021

Angular leaf spot (ALS) is a disease that causes major yield losses in the common bean crop. Studies based on different isolates and populations have already been carried out to elucidate the genetic mechanisms of resistance to ALS. However, understanding of the interaction of this resistance with the reproductive stages of common bean is lacking. The aim of the present study was to identify ALS resistancelociat different plant growth stages (PGS) by association and linkage mapping approaches. An BC2F3inter-gene pool cross population (AND 277 × IAC-Milênio – AM population) profiled with 1,091 SNPs from genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was used for linkage mapping, and a carioca diversity panel (CDP) genotyped by 5,398 SNPs from BeadChip assay technology was used for association mapping. Both populations were evaluated for ALS resistance at the V2 and V3 PGSs (controlled conditions) and R8 PGS (field conditions). Different QTL (quantitative traitloci) were detected for the three PGSs and both populations, showing a different quantitative profile of the disease at different plant growth stages. For the three PGS, multiple interval mapping (MIM) identified seven significant QTL, and the Genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified fourteen associate SNPs. Severallocivalidated regions of previous studies, andPhg-1,Phg-2, Phg-4, andPhg-5, among the 5lociof greatest effects reported in the literature, were detected in the CDP. The AND 277 cultivar contained both thePhg-1and thePhg-5QTL, which is reported for the first time in the descendant cultivar CAL143 as ALS10.1UC. The novel QTL named ALS11.1AMwas located at the beginning of chromosome Pv11. Gene annotation revealed several putative resistance genes involved in the ALS response at the three PGSs, and with the markers andlociidentified, new specific molecular markers can be developed, representing a powerful tool for common bean crop improvement and for gain in ALS resistance.
Spatiotemporal Pattern of Acid Phosphatase Activity in Soils Cultivated With Maize Sensing to Phosphorus-Rich Patches
Authors: Ma Xiaofan , Li Haigang , Zhang Junling , Shen Jianbo
Published: April 2021

Aims

Acid phosphatase (APase) secretion by roots allows plants to mobilize organic phosphorus (P) in low P soils. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil APase activity in response to P-rich patches remain unclear.

Methods

Here, we grew maize in rhizoboxes with two contrasting soil types and different localized P supplies. In situ soil zymography was applied to examine the spatial-temporal variation of APase activity.

Results

We found P-rich patches can induce the secretion of APase from roots, indicating that even mineral P fertilizers were localized apply, mobilization of soil organic P by roots can also be enhanced; APase hotspot areas and APase activities in the rhizosphere and bulk soil of the same rhizobox showed opposite diurnal rhythms across the whole soil profile. The APase hotspot area was 10–140% larger at noon than at midnight in the rhizosphere, which is consistent with the diurnal rhythm of photosynthesis. In contrast, in bulk soil, the area was 18–200% larger at midnight than at noon, which led to spatiotemporal niche differentiation with regard to the utilization of soil organic P; this alleviated competition between plants and soil microorganisms.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that APase secretion of roots was plastic in P-rich patches and showed an opposite diurnal rhythm with soil microorganisms in bulk soil.
Biochemical Profiling for Antioxidant and Therapeutic Potential of Pakistani Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genetic Resource
Authors: Jameel Saima , Hameed Amjad , Shah Tariq Mahmud
Published: April 2021

In Pakistan, chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are the largest grown legume crops, especially in desert areas. Along with an excellent source of nutrition, chickpea seeds have discernible medicinal and antioxidant characteristics. The diverse set of 90 chickpea genotypes (66 desi and 24 kabuli) were collected from different research zones in Pakistan, and seed flour was used for biochemical profiling. Genotypes were significantly different (Tukey HSD test, P < 0.05) for the traits under investigation. In non-enzymatic antioxidants, highest seed total phenolic contents (TPC) (34725 ± 275 μM/g s. wt.) was found in CM-98 (desi), ascorbic acid (AsA) (69.23 ± 2.25 μg/g s. wt.) in WH-3 (desi), and total flavonoid content (TFC) (394.98 ± 13.06 μg/mL sample) was detected in WH-11 (desi). In the class of enzymatic antioxidants, the highest seed ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (1680 ± 40 Units/g s. wt.) was detected in Tamman-2013 (kabuli), peroxidases (POD) (2564.10 ± 233.10 Units/g s. wt.) activity in CM1235/08 (desi), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (279.76 ± 50 Units/g s. wt.) was detected in CH24/11 (desi). Highest seed catalase activity (CAT) (893 ± 50 Units/g s. wt.) and proline content (272.50 ± 20.82 μg/g s. wt.) was detected in an ICC-4951 (desi). In hydrolytic enzymes, the highest activity of esterase (37.05 μM/min/g s. wt) was found in, CH56/09(Kabuli), protease (11080 ± 10 Units/g s. wt.) in Karak-2 (desi), and α-amylase (213.02 ± 3.20 mg/g s. wt.) was observed in CH74/08 (kabuli). In other biochemical parameters, the highest seed total oxidant status (TOS) (356 ± 17.50 μM/g s. wt.) was detected in CM3457/91 (desi); malondialdehyde (MDA) content (295.74 ± 3.097 uM/g s. wt.) was observed in CM-2008 (kabuli), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (8.36 ± 0.082 μM/g s. wt.) was found in CM-72 (desi). In case of pigment analysis, Sheenghar-2000 (desi) depicted highest lycopene (12.579 ± 0.313 μg/g s. wt.) and total carotenoids (58.430.23 ± 0.569 μg/g s. wt.) contents. For seed therapeutic potential, the highest seed α-amylase inhibition (82.33 ± 8.06%) was observed in CM-88 (desi), while WH-1, WH-6, and ICCV-96030 (desi) depicted the highest value for seed anti-inflammatory potential (78.88 ± 0.55%). Genotypes with the highest antioxidant and therapeutic potential can be utilized as a natural antioxidant source and in breeding programs aimed at improving these traits in new breeding lines.
Actor and Partner Effects of Touch: Touch-Induced Stress Alleviation Is Influenced by Perceived Relationship Quality of the Couple
Authors: Liu Difei , Piao Yi , Ma Ru , Zhang Yongjun , Guo Wen , Zuo Lin , Liu Weili , Song Hongwen , Zhang Xiaochu
Published: April 2021

Because of the impact of close partner's touch on psychological and physical well-being by alleviating stress, it is important to explore the influence factors that underlie the stress-alleviating effect of close partner's touch. Previous studies suggested that the stress-alleviating effect was different when individuals were touched by different persons. Specifically, the stress was reduced significantly when the individual was touched by the close partner compared with the acquaintance and the stranger. However, whether the stress-alleviating effect of touch was modulated by the close relationship quality is unknown. To examine this question, the participants (n = 61) performed a 3 (i.e., alone, partner no-touch, and partner touch) × 2 (i.e., safety and threat) within-subjects experiment. The results revealed that the stress of the participants alleviated significantly while close partners present with touch compared with without touch during facing a threat. We also found that the relationship quality of couple-members (i.e., participants perceiving the quality of alternatives and the partners' commitment level) modulated touch-induced stress alleviation. Participants perceiving the low quality of alternatives and the high partners' commitment level showed stronger touch-induced stress-alleviating effect than participants perceiving the high quality of alternatives and the low partners' commitment level. The explained variance was around 16.8% jointly for actor and partner effects. These findings provide evidence for explaining the reasons for touch-induced alleviating stress and have important implications for predicting the future effect of interactive behaviors.
The Dynamic and Fragile Nature of Eyewitness Memory Formation: Considering Stress and Attention
Authors: Wulff Alia N. , Thomas Ayanna K.
Published: April 2021

Eyewitnesses are often susceptible to recollection failures and memory distortions. These failures and distortions are influenced by several factors. The present review will discuss two such important factors, attention failures and stress. We argue that acute stress, often experienced by eyewitnesses and victims of crimes, directly influences attentional processes, which likely has downstream consequences for memory. Attentional failures may result in individuals missing something unusual or important in a complex visual field. Amongst eyewitnesses, this can lead to individuals missing details, even unusual or important central details, regarding the crime. Surprisingly, few studies have investigated attentional failures in eyewitness scenarios, and none have investigated the relationship between stress, attention, and witness memory. This review will discuss the impact of attentional failures, mainly those resulting from inattentional blindness, in applied contexts in order to bridge to eyewitness scenarios. In addition, we will integrate the applied literature on attentional failures with literature that examines the influences of arousal and stress on attention. We will conclude by presenting how future research may tease apart the independent contributions of arousal and stress on attentional failures and successes and how this research may inform understanding of eyewitness reliability.
Bonding With Parents, Body Image, and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance as Predictors of Eating Disorders Among Young Girls
Authors: Izydorczyk Bernadetta , Sitnik-Warchulska Katarzyna , Wajda Zbigniew , Lizińczyk Sebastian , Ściegienny Aleksandra
Published: April 2021

A more holistic approach to treatment and prevention focuses on identifying the multiple risk and protective factors for eating disorders. However, there is a lack of research verifying the nature of the relationship between patterns of bonding with parents, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, body image, and their role in developing or preventing eating disorders. The main aim of the study was to verify whether there is a specific set of risk or/vs. protective factors/measures for behaviors and dispositions related to the development of eating disorders. The study group consisted of 134 young Polish females (M = 14.92; SD = 1.349), with an average body mass index. The variables were measured using the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, The Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire, and the Eating Disorder Inventory 3. Stepwise regression analysis was applied. Statistical analysis showed that bonding with parents (including maternal overprotection), body image (including overweight pre-occupation, fitness evaluation, health orientation, and self-classified weight), and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (such as searching for information, pressures, and internalization) are predictors of eating disorder risks. On the other hand, maternal and paternal care (aspects of patterns of bonding with parents), positive fitness evaluation, positive appearance evaluation, and satisfaction with one's body were found to be the most significant protective factors. The results may improve prevention and intervention aimed at increasing protective factors.
A Vulnerability Analysis for the Management of and Response to the COVID-19 Epidemic in the Second Most Populous State in Brazil
Authors: Campos Igor Silva , Aratani Vinícius Ferreira , Cabral Karina Baltor , Limongi Jean Ezequiel , Oliveira Stefan Vilges de
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to affect all individuals, however in a heterogeneous way. In this sense, identifying specificities of each location is essential to minimize the damage caused by the disease. Therefore, the aim of this research was to assess the vulnerability of 853 municipalities in the second most populous state in Brazil, Minas Gerais (MG), in order to direct public policies. An epidemiological study was carried out based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) using indicators with some relation to the process of illness and death caused by COVID-19. The indicators were selected by a literature search and categorized into: demographic, social, economic, health infrastructure, population at risk and epidemiological. The variables were collected in Brazilian government databases at the municipal level and evaluated according to MCDA, through the Program to Support Decision Making based on Indicators (PRADIN). Based on this approach, the study performed simulations by category of indicators and a general simulation that allowed to divide the municipalities into groups of 1–5, with 1 being the least vulnerable and 5 being the most vulnerable. The groupings of municipalities were exposed in their respective mesoregions of MG in a thematic map, using the software Tabwin 32. The results revealed that the mesoregion of Norte de Minas stands out with more than 40% of its municipalities belonging to group 5, according to economic, social and health infrastructure indicators. Similarly, the Jequitinhonha mesoregion exhibited almost 60% of the municipalities in this group for economic and health infrastructure indicators. For demographic and epidemiological criteria, the Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte was the most vulnerable mesoregion, with 42.9 and 26.7% of the municipalities in group 5, respectively. Considering the presence of a population at risk, Zona da Mata reported 42.3% of the municipalities in the most vulnerable group. In the joint analysis of data, the Jequitinhonha, Vale do Mucuri and Vale do Rio Doce mesoregions were the most vulnerable in the state of MG. Thus, through the outlined profile, the present study proved how socioeconomic diversity affects the vulnerability of the municipalities to face COVID-19 outbreak, highlighting the need for interventions directed to each reality.
Characterizing Self-Reported Tobacco, Vaping, and Marijuana-Related Tweets Geolocated for California College Campuses
Authors: Cuomo Raphael E. , Purushothaman Vidya L. , Li Jiawei , Bardier Cortni , Nali Matthew , Shah Neal , Obradovich Nick , Yang Joshua , Mackey Tim K.
Published: April 2021

Introduction: College-aged youth are active on social media yet smoking-related social media engagement in these populations has not been thoroughly investigated. We sought to conduct an exploratory infoveillance study focused on geolocated data to characterize smoking-related tweets originating from California 4-year colleges on Twitter.

Methods: Tweets from 2015 to 2019 with geospatial coordinates in CA college campuses containing smoking-related keywords were collected from the Twitter API stream and manually annotated for discussions about smoking product type, sentiment, and behavior.

Results: Out of all tweets detected with smoking-related behavior, 46.7% related to tobacco use, 50.0% to marijuana, and 7.3% to vaping. Of these tweets, 46.1% reported first-person use or second-hand observation of smoking behavior. Out of 962 tweets with user sentiment, the majority (67.6%) were positive, ranging from 55.0% for California State University, Long Beach to 95.8% for California State University, Los Angeles.

Discussion: We detected reporting of first- and second-hand smoking behavior on CA college campuses representing possible violation of campus smoking bans. The majority of tweets expressed positive sentiment about smoking behaviors, though there was appreciable variability between college campuses. This suggests that anti-smoking outreach should be tailored to the unique student populations of these college communities.

Conclusion: Among tweets about smoking from California colleges, high levels of positive sentiment suggest that the campus climate may be less receptive to anti-smoking messages or adherence to campus smoking bans. Further research should investigate the degree to which this varies by campuses over time and following implementation of bans including validating using other sources of data.
Health, Transport and the Environment: The Impacts of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Air Pollution
Authors: De Maria Luigi , Caputi Antonio , Tafuri Silvio , Cannone Enza Sabrina Silvana , Sponselli Stefania , Delfino Maria Celeste , Pipoli Antonella , Bruno Vito , Angiuli Lorenzo , Mucci Nicola , Ledda Caterina , Vimercati Luigi
Published: April 2021

Lockdown measures were initiated in Italy on March 9th after the start of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic to flatten the epidemic curve. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of restrictive measures in the Apulia Region, southern Italy, on air quality from March to April 2020. We applied a dual-track approach. We assessed citizen mobility and vehicle traffic with mobility network data and information obtained from satellite tracking, and we evaluated and compared pollutant concentration data as measured by monitoring stations maintained by the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and Prevention of Apulia (ARPA). The results showed a decrease in the weekly mean NO2 concentration recorded by urban traffic stations during the lockdown period. In particular, in the city of Bari, the average NO2 concentration decreased from 62.2 μg/m3 in March 2019 to 48.2 μg/m3 in March 2020. Regarding PM10 levels, the average concentrations at the individual traffic stations showed no particular variation compared to those in the same months of the previous year, except for Bari-Caldarola Station in March 2019/2020 (p-value < 0.001) and in April 2019/2020 (p-value = 0.04). In particular the average in March 2019 was ~26.9 μg/m3, while that in March 2020 was ~22.9 μg/m3. For April, the average concentration of PM10 in 2019 was 27.9 μg/m3, while in 2020, the average was ~22.4 μg/m3. This can be explained by the fact that PM10 levels are influenced by multiple variables such as weather and climate conditions and desert dust advections.
Physical Activity Among Predominantly White Middle-Aged and Older US Adults During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Results From a National Longitudinal Survey
Authors: Joseph Rodney P. , Pituch Keenan A. , Guest M. Aaron , Maxfield Molly , Peckham Allie , Coon David W. , Kim Wonsun , Langer Shelby L.
Published: April 2021

Background: The first COVID-19 case in the US was diagnosed late January 2020. In the subsequent months, cases grew exponentially. By March 2020, SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19) was a global pandemic and the US declared a national emergency. To mitigate transmission, federal guidelines were established for social and physical distancing. These events disrupted daily routines of individuals around the world, including Americans. The impact of the pandemic on PA patterns of Americans is largely unknown, especially among those at greater risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess levels of PA over time during the pandemic among US adults aged >50 years.

Methods: Data were collected as part of a web-based, longitudinal, 3-wave study examining health and well-being among adults aged > 50. PA data were collected at Waves 2 and 3 using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). At Wave 2 (conducted mid-May to early June, 2020), participants completed the IPAQ-SF twice, once in reference to a typical 7-day period before the pandemic, and again in reference to the past 7 days. At Wave 3 (conducted mid-June to early July 2020), participants completed the IPAQ-SF once, with reference to the past 7 days. Potential predictors of PA change were collected using items from previously established surveys and included demographic characteristics, pre-pandemic PA levels, perceived COVID-19 threat, self-rated general health, and number of chronic disease conditions.

Results: Respondents (N = 589) had a mean age of 63 ± 7.39 years and were mostly female (88%) and non-Hispanic White (96%). Mean MET-min/week across the three time-referents were 2,904 (pre-pandemic), 1,682 (Wave 2 past 7-days), and 2,001 (Wave 3 past 7-days), with PA declining between the first and second time referents (d = −0.45, p < 0.001) and remaining below pre-pandemic levels at the third (d = −0.34, p < 0.001). Changes over time were predicted by pre-pandemic PA and self-rated general health (p's < .05).

Conclusions: Effective strategies are needed to promote safe and socially-distanced PA among adults aged >50 years until the risk of contracting COVID-19 subsides. In the post-pandemic era, PA programming will be imperative to address pandemic-associated declines in PA.
Characterizing Continuous Manipulation Families for Dexterous Soft Robot Hands
Authors: Sun Jiatian , King Jonathan P. , Pollard Nancy S.
Published: April 2021

There has been an explosion of ideas in soft robotics over the past decade, resulting in unprecedented opportunities for end effector design. Soft robot hands offer benefits of low-cost, compliance, and customized design, with the promise of dexterity and robustness. The space of opportunities is vast and exciting. However, new tools are needed to understand the capabilities of such manipulators and to facilitate manipulation planning with soft manipulators that exhibit free-form deformations. To address this challenge, we introduce a sampling based approach to discover and model continuous families of manipulations for soft robot hands. We give an overview of the soft foam robots in production in our lab and describe novel algorithms developed to characterize manipulation families for such robots. Our approach consists of sampling a space of manipulation actions, constructing Gaussian Mixture Model representations covering successful regions, and refining the results to create continuous successful regions representing the manipulation family. The space of manipulation actions is very high dimensional; we consider models with and without dimensionality reduction and provide a rigorous approach to compare models across different dimensions by comparing coverage of an unbiased test dataset in the full dimensional parameter space. Results show that some dimensionality reduction is typically useful in populating the models, but without our technique, the amount of dimensionality reduction to use is difficult to predict ahead of time and can depend on the hand and task. The models we produce can be used to plan and carry out successful, robust manipulation actions and to compare competing robot hand designs.
Case Report: Robotic ALPPS Procedure for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Right Lobe of the Liver
Authors: Solomonov Evgeny , Tzadok Itamar , Stemmer Salomon , Biswas Seema
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Associating liver partition with portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) is a surgical procedure for liver malignancy where the volume of the liver remnant is estimated to be too small. We present the first case of two-stage robotic ALPPS procedure, illustrating the steps and advantages of robotic surgery.

Materials and Methods: A 68-year-old man with morbid obesity (BMI 40), portal fibrosis, macrovesicular steatosis, and poor liver function underwent robotic ALPPS for hepatocellular carcinoma in the right lobe of the liver (segments 5, 7, and 8). A video presentation (https://youtu.be/M50Gumf-4pw) of the operative procedure is accompanied by explanation in the text with embedded corresponding video time points.

Results: Both stages of the procedure were performed robotically, with negligible blood loss, and rapid surgical recovery. The patient died 3 years later.

Discussion: Robotic ALPPS offers reduced morbidity in major liver surgery for malignancy and may extend survival in meticulously selected patients.
Evaluating the Predictive Accuracy of the Weather-Rice-Nutrient Integrated Decision Support System (WeRise) to Improve Rainfed Rice Productivity in Southeast Asia
Authors: Hayashi Keiichi , Llorca Lizzida P. , Bugayong Iris D. , Agustiani Nurwulan , Capistrano Ailon Oliver V.
Published: April 2021

The weather-rice-nutrient integrated decision support system (WeRise) is an information and communications technology (ICT)-based tool developed to improve rainfed rice productivity. It integrates localized seasonal climate prediction based on the statistical downscaling of the Scale Interaction Experiment-Frontier Research Center for Global Change (SINTEX-F) ocean-atmosphere coupled general circulation model and real-time weather data with a crop growth model (ORYZA), to provide advisories on the optimum sowing timing using suitable varieties. Field validations were conducted to determine the applicability of WeRise and SINTEX-F in North Sumatra and West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, and Iloilo, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac, Philippines. Results showed that downscaled SINTEX-F outputs were applicable in these target provinces. Hindcast analysis using these outputs also showed a good model performance against locally observed historical weather data for both countries. Moreover, the on-farm experiments showed that higher grain yields were obtained using WeRise advisories on optimum sowing timing compared to the farmers’ sowing timings. Improved fertilizer recovery rates were also observed when WeRise advisories were followed. The results imply that WeRise can improve rainfed rice productivity in Southeast Asia. Further validation is recommended to determine its applicability in more countries of Southeast Asia.
Simultaneous Determination of Carotenoids and Chlorophylls by the HPLC-UV-VIS Method in Soybean Seeds
Authors: Gebregziabher Berhane Sibhatu , Zhang Shengrui , Qi Jie , Azam Muhammad , Ghosh Suprio , Feng Yue , Huai Yuanyuan , Li Jing , Li Bin , Sun Junming
Published: April 2021

Soybean contains nutritional bioactive compounds, including carotenoids associated with human health benefits. Carotenoids are applicable in pharmaceuticals/nutreceuticals, cosmetic, and mainly food industries. However, an efficient and accurate method for carotenoid and chlorophyll detection and quantification has not yet been developed and validated for soybean seeds. The need for a rapid and reliable analysis method has become increasingly important. Thus, this study was initiated to develop and validate a simple, rapid, and selective reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of lutein, zeaxanthin, α-carotene, β–carotene, β–cryptoxanthin, and chlorophyll–a and –b in soybean flour sample (100.00 mg) extracted using ethanol-acetone (1:1) solvents at a volume of 1.50 mL. Interestingly, the effective separation technique was achieved using the mobile phases of methyl tert-butyl ether, methanol containing 10 mM ammonium acetate, and water delivered at a 0.90 mL min−1 flow rate through a C30YMC Carotenoid (250 × 4.6 mm I.D., S-5 µm) column coupled with a UV-VIS detector set at 450 nm. The detector response was linear from 0.05–30.00 μg mL−1 with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9993–0.9999. The validated method was sensitive with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.0051–0.0300 μg mL−1 and 0.0155–0.0909 μg mL−1 for the quantification limit (LOQ). The recovery values were from 83.12–106.58%, and the repeatability precision ranged from 1.25–4.20% and 0.15–0.81% for the method and system, respectively. The method showed adequate precision with a relative standard deviation smaller than 3.00%. This method was also found to be applicable for profiling carotenoids and chlorophylls in other legumes. In summary, this method was successfully implemented for qualitative and quantitative determination of major carotenoids and chlorophylls in soybean and other legume seeds, which are beneficial to food industry and quality breeding programs to meet human nutrition demands globally.
Inhibition of Candida albicans and Mixed Salivary Bacterial Biofilms on Antimicrobial Loaded Phosphated Poly(methyl methacrylate)
Authors: Dentino Andrew R. , Lee DongHwa , Dentino Kelley , Guentsch Arndt , Tahriri Mohammadreza
Published: April 2021

Biofilms play a crucial role in the development of Candida-associated denture stomatitis. Inhibition of microbial adhesion to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and phosphate containing PMMA has been examined in this work. C. albicans and mixed salivary microbial biofilms were compared on naked and salivary pre-conditioned PMMA surfaces in the presence or absence of antimicrobials (Cetylpyridinium chloride [CPC], KSL-W, Histatin 5 [His 5]). Polymers with varying amounts of phosphate (0–25%) were tested using four C. albicans oral isolates as well as mixed salivary bacteria and 24 h biofilms were assessed for metabolic activity and confirmed using Live/Dead staining and confocal microscopy. Biofilm metabolism was reduced as phosphate density increased (15%: p = 0.004; 25%: p = 0.001). Loading of CPC on 15% phosphated disks showed a substantial decrease (p = 0.001) in biofilm metabolism in the presence or absence of a salivary pellicle. Salivary pellicle on uncharged PMMA enhanced the antimicrobial activity of CPC only. CPC also demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial activity on mixed salivary bacterial biofilms under different conditions displaying the potent efficacy of CPC (350 µg/mL) when combined with an artificial protein pellicle (Biotene half strength).
Anti-Inflammatory Principles from the Needles of Pinus taiwanensis Hayata and In Silico Studies of Their Potential Anti-Aging Effects
Authors: Kuo Ping-Chung , Li Yue-Chiun , Kusuma Anjar M. , Tzen Jason T. C. , Hwang Tsong-Long , Ye Guan-Hong , Yang Mei-Lin , Wang Sheng-Yang
Published: April 2021

Pinus needle tea are very popular in Eastern countries such as Japan, Russia, Korea, and China. Pine needle tea is claimed to have significant anti-aging effects, but no clear evidence has supported this until now. In the present study, five undescribed compounds (1–5) as well as seventy-two known compounds were purified and characterized from the bioactive fraction of methanol extracts of P. taiwanensis needles. Most of the isolates were examined for their anti-inflammatory bioactivity by cellular neutrophil model and six compounds (45, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 51) exhibited a significant inhibition on superoxide anion generation and elastase release with IC50 values ranging from 3.3 ± 0.9 to 8.3 ± 0.8 μM. These anti-inflammatory ingredients were subjected to docking computing to evaluate their binding affinity on the ghrelin receptor, which played an important role in regulating metabolism, with anti-aging effects. Compounds 49, 50, and 51 formed a stable complex with the ghrelin receptor via hydrogen bonds and different types of interactions. These results suggest the flavonoids are responsible for the potential anti-aging effects of pine needle tea.
The Role of Natural Products in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Knowledge of Basic In Vitro and In Vivo Research
Authors: Deligiannidou Georgia-Eirini , Gougoula Vasiliki , Bezirtzoglou Eugenia , Kontogiorgis Christos , Constantinides Theodoros K.
Published: April 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder affecting a vast variety of the population. The onset of RA as well as the development of systematic immunization is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors. This review aims to point out the role of natural products in the management of RA, focusing on the reports of basic research (in vitro and animal studies) emphasizing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties considered in the field of RA. A systematic screening of the relevant literature was carried out on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus with the following criteria: publication date, 2015–2020; language, English; study design, in vitro or animal models; and the investigation of one or several natural products in the context of RA, including, when available, the molecular mechanisms implicated. A total of 211 papers were initially obtained and screened. In vitro and animal studies referring to 20 natural products and 15 pure compounds were ultimately included in this review. The outcomes of this work provide an overview of the methods employed in basic research over the past five years, with emphasis on the limitations presented, while demonstrating the potential benefits of utilizing natural products in the management of RA as supported by in vitro and animal studies.
Similar Outcomes and Satisfaction of the Proprioceptive versus Standard Training on the Knee Function and Proprioception, Following the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Bąkowski Paweł , Ciemniewska-Gorzela Kinga , Bąkowska-Żywicka Kamilla , Stołowski Łukasz , Piontek Tomasz
Published: April 2021

Background: Patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have poorer proprioception than people without such injuries. The effects of proprioceptive training on knee functionality and proprioceptive improvement after ACL reconstruction is still unclear. Methods: The research material consisted of 40 patients after ACL reconstruction. Of the 40 patients, 20 of them were rehabilitated with a standard program and 20 with additional proprioceptive exercises. The subjective and the objective scores were evaluated. Results: No differences were found between the proprioceptive versus the conservative postoperative rehabilitation in the functional nor in the proprioception outcomes of the operated limbs. Conclusions: There is no advantage to function in doing proprioceptive rehabilitation exercises following the ACL reconstruction, when compared with a traditional strengthening program.
Induction of foxp3 during the Crosstalk between Antigen Presenting Like-Cells MHCII+CD83+ and Splenocytes CD4+IgM− in Rainbow Trout
Authors: Morales-Lange Byron , Nombela Ivan , Ortega-Villaizán María Del Mar , Imarai Mónica , Schmitt Paulina , Mercado Luis
Published: April 2021

In fish, the spleen is one of the major immune organs in the animal, and the splenocytes could play a key role in the activation and modulation of the immune response, both innate and adaptive. However, the crosstalk between different types of immune cells in the spleen has been poorly understood. In this work, an in vitro strategy is carried out to obtain and characterize mononuclear splenocytes from rainbow trout, using biomarkers associated with lymphocytes (CD4 and IgM) and antigen-presenting cells (CD83 and MHC II). Using these splenocytes, co-cultures of 24 and 48 h are used to determine the gene expression of master transcriptional factors that coordinate the polarization of T cells (t-bet, gata3, and foxp3). The results show a proportional upregulation of foxp3 (compared to t-bet and gata3) in co-cultures (at 24 h) of IFNγ-induced splenocytes with and without stimulation of Piscirickettsia salmonis proteins. In addition, foxp3 upregulation was established in co-cultures with IFNγ-induced cells and in cells only stimulated previously with P. salmonis proteins at 48 h of co-culture. These results show a potential communication between antigen-presenting-like cells and lymphocyte in the spleen, which could be induced towards a Treg phenotype.