bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of invasive plant diversity on soil microbial communities
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yan , Wang Xue , Wang Wei , Wang Jiang , Yu Fei-Hai
Published: September 2022

Native plant communities can be invaded by different numbers of alien plant species or by the same number of alien plant species with different levels of evenness. However, little is known about how alien invasive plant species richness and evenness affect soil microbial communities. We constructed native herbaceous plant communities invaded by exotic plants with different richness (1, 2, 4 and 8-species) and evenness (high and low) and analyzed soil physico-chemical properties and the diversity and composition of soil fungal and bacterial communities. Overall, species richness and evenness of invasive plants had no significant effect on bacterial and fungal alpha diversity (OTUs, Shannon, Simpson, Chao1 and ACE) and soil physico-chemical properties. However, invasive species richness had a significant impact on the relative abundance of the most dominant fungi Ascomycota and Bipolaris , and the dominant bacteria Actinobacteriota, which increased with increasing invasive species richness. The relative abundance of the dominant microbial groups was significantly correlated with the relative abundance of some specific invasive plant species in the community. This study sheds new light on the effects of plant co-invasion on soil microbial communities, which may help understand the underlying mechanisms of multiple alien plant invasion processes from the perspective of soil microorganisms.
Genome-Wide Association Analysis Identifies Resistance Loci for Bacterial Blight in Diverse East African Rice Germplasm
Authors: Okello Moses , Ochwo Mildred , Lamo Jimmy , Onaga Geoffrey , Odong Thomas L , Geoffrey Tusiime , Tukamuhabwa Phinehas , Mukasa Settumba B , Peter Wasswa , Ogwal Jonathan , Oliva Ricardo
Published: September 2022

Background
Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo), the causal agent of rice bacterial blight disease has been extensively characterized and loci against different races identified. Many rice cultivars have been developed and utilized to combat the disease, however due to rapid evolution of Xoo, a number of resistances have broken-down. The continuous challenge of ever evolving Xoo and breakdown of resistance in cultivated rice varieties makes it even more important to discover new loci to enable sustainable durable deployment of broad-spectrum resistance genes in elite breeding lines. African germplasm can be exploited as reservoirs of useful genetic variation for bacterial blight (BB) resistance. This study was conducted to identify loci associated to BB resistance and new genetic donors for breeding program.
Results
To identify candidate sources of resistance for advancing breeding, we used highly four virulent strains of Xoo (PXO99, MAI1, BAI3 and Xoo3-1) to screen 78 East African accessions by genome-wide association studies. The core genetic base of the diverse accessions exhibited high degree of resistance to the Xoo strains. 50.63% of the accessions were highly resistant to the Philippines strain PX099, while 20.25% were highly susceptible to the virulent West African strain MAI1. Two novel resistant loci significantly associated hotspots were identified using 1901 SNPs. The two hits were located on chromosome 12 (Xa25) and Chr. 6 (Xa7, Xa27, Xa33).
Conclusions
Our finding have identified novel loci that gives a useful basis for more investigation and a wide core genetic pool of high resistance for broad-spectrum resistance genetic improvement.
An endogenous lentivirus in the germline of a rodent
Authors: Kambol Roziah , Gatseva Anna , Gifford Robert J.
Published: September 2022

Lentiviruses (genus Lentivirus) are complex retroviruses that infect a broad range of mammals, including humans. Unlike many other retrovirus genera, lentiviruses have only rarely been incorporated into the mammalian germline. However, a small number of endogenous retrovirus (ERV) lineages have been identified, and these rare genomic “fossils” can provide crucial insights into the long-term history of lentivirus evolution. Here, we describe a previously unreported endogenous lentivirus lineage in the genome of the South African springhare (Pedetes capensis), demonstrating that the host range of lentiviruses has historically extended to rodents (order Rodentia). Furthermore, through comparative and phylogenetic analysis of lentivirus and ERV genomes, considering the biogeographic and ecological characteristics of host species, we reveal broader insights into the long-term evolutionary history of the genus.
Rail induced lateral migration of particles across intact co-flowing liquids
Authors: Ziemecka Iwona , Hemptinne Amaury , Misko Vyacheslav R. , Briet Matthieu , Gelin Pierre , Bihi Ilyesse , Maes Dominique , De Malsche Wim
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a rail guided method to apply Layer-by-Layer (LbL) coating on particles in a microfluidic device. The passive, microfluidic approach allows handling suspensions of particles to be coated in the system. The trajectory of the particles is controlled using engraved rails, inducing lateral movement of particles while keeping the axially oriented liquid flow (and the interface of different liquids) undisturbed. The depth and angle of the rails together with the liquid velocity were studied to determine a workable geometry of the device. A discontinuous LbL coating procedure was converted into one continuous process, demonstrating that the chip can perform seven consecutive steps normally conducted in batch operation, further easily extendable to larger cycle numbers. Coating of the particles with two bilayers was confirmed by fluorescent microscopy.
Total protein of Candida species inhibits human cervical cancer HeLa cells proliferation by down-regulating octamer binding transcription factor 4B
Authors: Kokhdan Esmaeel Panahi , Ataeyan Mohammad Hasan , Rameyan Payman , Alizadeh Fahimeh , Khodavandi Alireza
Published: September 2022

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death among women globally. Microbial products represent an available source of anticancer drugs. Thus, this study aimed to extract the total protein from Candidaspecies (CanSp) and subsequently investigate its inhibitory effects against human cervical cancer HeLa cells. This study reports the five total protein of the yeast-to-hyphal transition culture of Candida species, which were then evaluated for their inhibitory potential by cell viability, cell apoptosis and nitrite assays against HeLa cells. Furthermore, transcriptional profile of OCT4B gene was determined using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Total protein of CanSp1-5 were obtained from Candida species. The result of the protein quantitation assay indicated that the CanSp1-5 exhibited total protein values from 93.72 to 155.25 µg/mL and 89.88 to 144.33 µg/mL by Bradford and micro-Kjeldahl methods, respectively. The CanSp1 was most active with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 157.11 ± 0.001 μg/mL and half-maximal effective concentration of 102 ± 0.001 μg/mL. The distinct morphological changes of cells were showed a typical apoptosis. Moreover, a reduction in the nitric oxide concentration was observed in the HeLa cells. The expression level of OCT4B gene was significantly down regulated in the HeLa cells treated with CanSp1-5. These findings highlight the importance of investigating microbial products for the accelerated development new anticancer drugs. In addition, OCT4B gene could be probable molecular target of the CanSp1-5 in the HeLa cells.
Analysis of protein-protein interaction and weighted co-expression networks revealed key modules and genes in multiple tissues of Agave sisalana
Authors: de Carvalho Lucas Miguel , Silva Nicholas Vinícius , de Abreu Luís Guilherme F. , Marone Marina Püpke , Cardelli Alexandra Russolo , Raya Fabio Trigo , Araújo Guido , Carazzolle Marcelo Falsarella , Pereira Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães
Published: September 2022

Agave plants are well-known for their drought resilience and commercial applications. Among them, Agave sisalana (sisal) is the species most used to produce hard fibers, and it is of great importance for semiarid regions. Agaves also show potential as bioenergy feedstocks, as they can accumulate large amounts of biomass and fermentable sugar. This study aimed to reconstruct the A. sisalana interactome, and identify key genes and modules involved in multiple plant tissues (root, stem, and leaf) through RNA-Seq analysis. We integrated A. sisalana transcriptome sequences and gene expression generated from stem, leaf, and root tissues to build global and conditional co-expression networks across the entire transcriptome. By combining the co-expression network, module classification, and function enrichment tools, we identified 20 functional modules related to at least one A. sisalana tissue, covering functions such as photosynthesis, leaf formation, auxin-activated signaling pathway, floral organ abscission, response to farnesol, brassinosteroid mediated signaling pathway, and light-harvesting. The final interactome of A. sisalana contains 2,582 nodes and 15,083 edges. In the reconstructed interactome, we identified submodules related to plant processes to validate the reconstruction. In addition, we identified 6 hub genes that were searched for in the co-expression modules. The intersection of hub genes identified by both the protein-protein interaction networks (PPI networks) and co-expression analyses using gene significance and module membership revealed six potential candidate genes for key genes. In conclusion, we identified six potential key genes for specific studies in Agave transcriptome atlas studies, biological processes related to plant survival in unfavorable environments, and provide strategies for breeding programs.
Simulated slide tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis using three-dimensional printed models
Authors: Shimojima Naoki , Shimotakahara Akihiro , Tomita Hirofumi , Maeda Yutaro , Ito Yoshifumi , Miyaguni Kazuaki , Tsukizaki Ayano , Abe Kiyotomo , Hashimoto Makoto , Ishikawa Miki , Honda Masaki , Hirobe Seiichi
Published: September 2022

Purpose: The slide tracheoplasty (STP) is the standard treatment for severe congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS). Understanding the features of the tracheal stenosis in each case and choosing an appropriate incision design are very important for successfully executing the procedure. The present study aimed to evaluate the advantages of three-dimensional (3D) printed models of the trachea for improving CTS.
Methods: Three-D tracheal models were created using computed tomography (CT) data from ten patients undergoing STP for CTS. Simulated surgery was performed using the hollow models after reinforcing with them with a coating of gum spray. Clinical outcomes, including patient survival, postoperative surgical interventions, and time required for STP, were compared with the corresponding values in the last ten patients before the introduction of 3D model simulations.
Results: All ten patients for whom simulated surgery using a 3D tracheal model were conducted achieved good airway patency after their STP. The surgeons reported feeling that the 3D model simulations were highly effective although there was no significant difference in the clinical outcomes of the groups with or without simulated STP. The models were useful not only for surgical planning but also for sharing important information among the multidisciplinary team and the patients’ family.
Conclusion: Our experience using 3D tracheal models demonstrated several features enabling improvement in the surgical treatment of CTS.
The diel vertical distribution and carbon biomass of the zooplankton community in the Caroline Seamount area of the western tropical Pacific Ocean
Authors: Tao Zhencheng , Xian Haochen , Luan Zhendong , Nan Feng , Wang Yanqing , Sun Song
Published: September 2022

Zooplankton can affect and regulate the biological carbon pump in the biogeochemical cycles of marine ecosystems through diel vertical migration (DVM) behaviour. The diel vertical distribution and migration of a zooplankton community were studied at a continuous survey station in the Caroline Seamount area of the western tropical Pacific Ocean. Using a MultiNet sampling system, 346 zooplankton species/taxa were collected and identified. The vertical distribution patterns of abundance and composition of the zooplankton community differed between daytime and nighttime. The highest biodiversity index occurred in the 100–200-m ocean depth layer, but some zooplankton species remained in the deep-water layer below 300 m. The DVM patterns of the various dominant species differed, even when the species belonged to the same order or family. Dissolved oxygen and seawater temperature were the main environmental factors affecting the diel vertical distribution of the zooplankton community. The oxygen minimum zone was identified as performing the dual role of “ecological barrier” and “refuge” for zooplankton. The active carbon flux mediated by the zooplankton DVM in the Caroline Seamount area was 14.5 mg C/(m2·d). Our findings suggest that zooplankton DVM can affect and mediate the biological carbon pump in the Caroline Seamount area.
Efficacy of Drought-tolerant and Insect-protected Transgenic TELA® Maize Traits in Nigeria
Authors: Oyekunle M. , Adamu R. S. , Ndou E. , Beyene Y. , Abdulmalik M. M. , Oikeh S. O.
Published: September 2022

Assessment of efficacy of drought tolerance (DT) and insect protection (Bt) genes in maize genotypes is invaluable for commercialization and production of transgenic maize in Nigeria. Seven maize hybrids, known as TELA® maize, with stacked events of Bt insect protection (MON89034) and drought tolerance (MON87460; DroughtGard®) and their respective non-GM versions (isohybrids) developed through the TELA Maize Project were evaluated in confined field trial site at Zaria in 2020 and 2021. The objective was to assess the efficacy of stacked DT and Bt genes to seek deregulation and commercialization of both traits in Nigeria. Significant (P < 0.05–0.01) differences were observed among genotypes (G), environments (E) and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) for grain yield and most other traits under stem borer and fall armyworm infested, drought stress, and optimum-moisture conditions, except E and GEI under drought. TELA® GM hybrids with Bt MON89034 gave 19% higher yield than their non-GM isogenic versions, and 40% higher yield than the commercial checks under the target pests infestation. The foliar damage score of all the TELA® GM genotypes was ≤ 2 relative to their non-GM isogenic versions which scored ≥ 4, indicating the effectiveness of the Bt MON89034 gene in conferring resistance against stem borer and fall armyworm. Under moderate drought, pairwise comparison showed TELA® GM Hybrid 1–1 and Hybrid 2 − 1 gave 12.4–20.4% higher (P < 0.01) yield than their isogenic versions. Under optimum-moisture condition with pests’ control, the TELA® GM and their isogenic hybrids were similar, but both had 32% higher yield than the commercial checks. Adoption of TELA® GM technology by farmers as adaptation strategy to cope with climate-change, will ensure sustainability of maize production and productivity in Nigeria.
Modified Symbiotic Organism Search (mSOS) for Inversion Time-Domain Electromagnetic Data
Authors: Widodo Widodo , Zamani Muhammad Rezha , Patimah Sindi Hajah , Agustiana Elis
Published: September 2022

One of the most common ways to model central-loop configuration Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) data is using 1D inversion model. The Born Approximation method used for this study to accommodate problem in calculations and speed of convergence when calculated the TDEM response, meanwhile for inversion modelling of TDEM observation data modified Symbiotic Organism Search (mSOS) was chose, which is one of the global optimization algorithms to accommodate multi-minimum problem ​​in non-linear objective functions, so the optimal global solution is obtained. Inversion modeling was carried out on synthetic and field data to test accuracy in inversion, the accuracy of synthetic data tested based on the capability of the algorithm to retrieve value of synthetic data indicated by small relative error value between synthetic model parameters and calculated model, while for modeling of field data, the accuracy of modeling was depending on consistency when the data was modeling with different number of layer, in addition time to perform inversion are considered evaluate inversion performance. In synthetic data case, the algorithm produced a relatively good model based on the accuracy of the model in terms of misfit values which has a misfit value round about 0%, relative error values, while for field data case the inversion model attain consistency and experienced lessen misfit value when the data was modeled using different number of layer specifically 8.72% for 2-layers model, 3.92% for 3-layers model, and 2.61% for 4- and 5- layers model. According to both data required under 19 minutes for 10.000 iterations.
Spatial and Temporal Deep Learning in Air-coupled Ultrasonic Testing for Enabling NDE 4.0
Authors: Schmid Simon , Dürrmeier Florian , Grosse Christian
Published: September 2022

Air-coupled ultrasonic (ACU) testing has been used for several years to detect defects in plate-like structures. Especially, for automated testing procedures, ACU testing is advantageous in comparison to conventional testing. However, the evaluation of the measurement data is usually done in a manual manner, which is an obstruction to the application of ACU testing. The goal of this study is to automate and improve defect characterization and NDE 4.0 accordingly with deep learning. In conventional ACU testing the measurement data contains temporal (A-scans) and spatial (C-scans) information. Both data types are investigated in this study. For the A-scans, which represent time series data, neural networkarchitectures tailored to such data types are applied. In addition, it is evaluated if further adaptions of the training procedure increase the performance. The C-scans are segmented by applying differentU-net similar architectures and training strategies. In order to use spatial and temporal information, a further approach is taken. The prediction of the time series models is segmented with imagemodels. To the performance of all trained models and training strategies is compared with the F1-score. As specimens, artificial defects in acrylic and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers plates are investigated.
Evaluation of the wooden structural elements in the Behavior of Traditional masonry buildings
Authors: Chenaghlou Mohammad Reza , Kheirollahi Mohammad , Shahbazi Yaser , Kabirsaber Mohammad bagher
Published: September 2022

Most residential buildings in Iran are constructed from unreinforced masonry walls (URM) which are often characterized by high seismic vulnerability. The majority of these structures were designed only for the gravity loads; therefore, they don’t have adequate resistance and ductility against horizontally-applied loads such as those induced by earthquakes. When these structures are subjected to lateral loads applied by moderate and strong earthquakes, they collapse completely, causing massive death tolls and extensive losses. Iranian seismic history has shown that the majority of masonry buildings were completely destroyed under severe earthquakes, with a number of buildings with timber laces remaining safe and stable. In the past, timber framed masonry structures were built with no design guidelines and were solely based on the experience of traditional Iranian architects. Also, in the construction of these buildings, a form of wooden bracing system is used as the load carrying system. As a result, the buildings often show suitable seismic performance under severe earthquakes. Therefore, the main goal of this study is assessing the effects of timber ties on the seismic behavior of URMs. For this purpose, the plans of Iranian traditional buildings were reviewed and two groups of masonry models were selected to evaluate their seismic vulnerability. Nonlinear static analyses were performed on the models. The results demonstrated that confining masonry walls with timber increases the stiffness and capacity of the studied models. In addition, the performance level of the studied models can be modified from Collapse Prevention (CP) to Life Safety (LS). Also, the results showed that adding timber laces significantly increases the behavior coefficient of the masonry walls. It can therefore be concluded that timber laces significantly influence the performance of masonry structures.
Integrative analysis of host omics and microbiome data provides hints at common pathways and biomarkers for diabetes risk
Authors: Rashad Manar , El-Hadidi Mohamed , Kishk Ali , Hamed Mohamed
Published: September 2022

Background
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a complex metabolic disease whose associated pathways and biomarkers need to be explained using muti-omics integration approach for getting a holistic view for T2D.
Methods
In this study, publicly available host omics data (RNA-seq, proteome, metabolome, and cytokines) were integrated with microbiome 16S rRNA sequencing data from both gut and the nasal cavity of 291 prediabetic and 39 control samples.
Results
Our study uncovered four main insights; first, 27 common pathways between all previous omics data were enriched for functional categories related to amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipid metabolism that are mainly affected by the disruption of the insulin level leading to risk of T2D incident. Second, the metabolome data shared the greatest number of significant pathways with the microbiome data, followed by RNA-seq data, with 14 and 3 pathways, respectively. Third, Glycerophospholipid metabolism was the only pathway that was common between metabolome, RNA-seq, and microbiome data of gut and nasal cavity. Last, the metabolome was the best omic data that was able to distinguish between prediabetic and control samples, with an area under the curve score of 0.98.
Conclusion
Our study succeeded to achieve the host-microbiome integration through finding common pathways and diagnostic biomarkers for progression of prediabetes to T2D.
Hydrochemistry; Compliance And Comparative Case Study of Public Water Works In Enugu And Ebonyi States, Southeast of Nigeria
Authors: J Okenwa C. , P Ikeyi A. , N Owoh E. , E Chinyere E. , C Nnonah C. , onunze Emmanuel. C.
Published: September 2022

The compliance and comparative case study of public water works in Enugu and Ebonyi State of Nigeria was carried out in this study. The water samples were collected at Ajali water treatment plant Enugu State (Sample A), 9 Works road GRA, Enugu State (Sample B), Ezilo water Scheme Ebonyi State (Sample C) and Ameke in Ezilo Ebonyi State (Sample D). Ten physicochemical parameters and water like- metals such as SO42−, Cl−, NO3, Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Al were determined in rainy season in for one year. The results shows that chloride (Cl−), (A = 97 mg/l, B = 121 mg/l, C = 97 mg/l, D = 119 mg/l); nitrate, (A = 3.11 mg/l, B = 1.29 mg/l, C = 1.10 mg/l, D = 0.70 mg/l); total phosphate, (A = 1.97 mg/l, B = 0.26 mg/l, C = 0.32 mg/l, D = 0.42 mg/l); Biological oxygen demand (BOD), (A = 0.25 mg/l, 6.00 mg/k, C = 1.10 mg/l, D = 7.40 mg/l); Chemical oxygen demand (COD), (A = 50.67 mg/l 10.67 mg/l, C = 30.39 mg/l, D = 26.67 mg/l); Electrical conductivity (EC), (A = 100 µs/cm, B = 30 µs/cm, C = 200 µs/cm, D = 250 µs/cm); and pH, (A = 7.60, B = 6.62, C = 5.50, D = 5.90) mostly conform to the WHO set standard for drinking water. While TS, TDS, and TSS were (A = 205, B = 535, C = 151, D = 183 mg/l), (A =,60 B = 555, C = 121, D = 128 mg/l) and (A = 145, B = 280, C = 30, D = 55 mg/l) respectively. Further more, the results of the heavy metal analysed showed that; Lead (Pb) was not detected in all water samples; Nickel (Ni) was observed to be 0.07 mg/l in the water sample collected from Sample A; Sample B contained 0.03 mg/l; Sample C not detected while in Sample D, it was 0.04 mg/l;. Chromium (Cr) was observed to be 0.01 mg/l in Sample A, it was not detected in both water samples B and C but was 0.02 mg/l in Sample D; which means that all the water samples studied conform to the WHO set standard for chromium in drinking water. Aluminium (Al) was observed to be 0.05 mg/l, 0.01 mg/l, Not detected and 0.03 mg/l in water sample A, Sample B, Sample C and Sample D. There is a variation in the Mg2+ in Ebonyi water. Hpwever, It was observed that the physical parameters of the water samples analysed were within the World Health Organisation (WHO) set standard for drinking water.
Resources building for sentiment analysis on content disseminated by Tunisian media in social networks
Authors: Fsih Emna , Boujelbane Rahma , Belguith Lamia Hadrich
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, social networks play a fundamental role in promoting and diffusing television and radio programs to different categories of audiences. So, political parties, influential groups and political activists have rapidly seized these new communication media to spread their ideas andgive their sentiments concerning critical issues. In this context, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have become very popular tools for sharing videos and communicating with users who interact with each other to discuss some problems, propose solutions and give viewpoints. This interaction on the social media sites yields to a huge amount of unstructured and noisy texts; hence the need for automated analysis techniques to classify sentiments conveyed in the users’ comments. In this work, we focus on opinions written in a less resourced Arabic language: Tunisian dialect (TD). In this work, we present a process for building a sentiment analyses model for comments written on Tunisian television broadcasts published in social media. These comments are written in a particular way with different spellings due to the fact that the Tunisian Dialect(TD) does not have an orthographic standard. For this we design crucial resources, namely sentiment lexicon and annotated corpus that we have used to investigate machine learning and deep learning models in order to identify the best sentiment analysis model for Tunisian Dialect.
Multi-objective design optimization for mild moxibustion considering heat penetration and patient comfort
Authors: Liu Honghua , Huang Zhiliang , Wei Lei , Li Qian , Peng Han , Ge Junyun , Liu Mailan
Published: September 2022

Mild moxibustion is a type of moxibustion treatment approach. The burning end of the moxa stick is kept at a fixed distance from the moxibustion skin, aiming to make the patient feel warm without burning pain. The key to enhancing the efficacy of mild moxibustion is to balance heat penetration and patient comfort by controlling the temperature field distribution. This paper proposes a multi-objective design optimization approach based on global sensitivity for mild moxibustion considering heat penetration and patient comfort. The purpose is to provide optimal mild moxibustion parameters ensuring heat penetration and patient comfort. Firstly, a parametric model of mild moxibustion temperature field was developed through the numerical simulation software of COMSOL. Secondly, global sensitivity was analyzed on the moxibustion parameters, such as the moxa stick burning temperature, moxa stick size, stick-to-skin distance, and ambient temperature. A functional decomposition algorithm was employed to calculate the global sensitivity indexes to accurately evaluate the sensitivity of moxibustion parameters. Thirdly, a multi-objective design optimization problem for the mild moxibustion was modelled. The non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) was adopted to solve the model to obtain the Pareto-optimal solutions. The proposed approach can solve the moxibustion parameter optimization problem balancing the heat penetration and patient comfort to achieve the optimal mild moxibustion efficacy. Consequently, the theoretical and clinical development of mild moxibustion is promoted.
Local Implementation Variations in China: A Study on Township Pandemic Control during the 2021 Spring Travels
Authors: Dai Anran , Yan Karl , Han Haoying
Published: September 2022

The annual Spring Travels (chunyun) is the largest unidirectional movement of people in China. In 2021, spring travels braced COVID-19. Despite calls to stop adding an extra layer of control on top of national and provincial policies, some district and township governments inadvertently adopted stricter measures. Against this backdrop, this research article asks three research questions. First, why were there variations in pandemic control measures? Second, what were the important actors and factors that contributed to such differences? Third, what does this tell us about local bureaucracy in China? This article argues that there are different decision-making paths, institutionalized and semi-institutionalized, toward successful policy implementation. This article’s findings suggest that institutionalized decision-making mechanisms tend to adopt stricter measures whereas semi-institutionalized ones adopt an inverse strategy.
Taxonomic and functional diversity of flower-visiting insects in coffee crops in Colombia
Authors: Maldonado-Cepeda Juan Diego , Gómez Jesús Hernando , Benavides-Machado Pablo , Jaramillo Juliana , Gil Zulma Nancy
Published: September 2022

Despite the important role that flower-visiting insects play in agricultural production, to date no studies have been conducted in Colombia on their role in coffee crops, although coffee is considered the most economically important agricultural crop countrywide. This study therefore aimed to quantify the abundance and richness of flower-visiting insects in coffee crops. A total of 28 lots were selected at five sites in northern, central, and southern Colombia. Thirty trees were selected per evaluation site and per plot and, over a 3-year period, samples of flower-visiting insects were collected daily, at three times of the day, during two flowering seasons per year, accounting for a total of 1,240 hours of observations. Insects were subsequently taxonomically identified, and the number of individuals and species as well as the diversity of order q were estimated. Functional diversity was also characterized in the case of the bee community. A total of 23,735 individuals belonging to 566 species were recorded; of these, 90 were bees, with native species being the most abundant during 10:30 and 13:00. Bees formed five functional groups, with corbiculate and long-tongued non-corbiculate bees being the most abundant and occupying the largest regions of the functional space. Potential pollinators in coffee crops areApis mellifera,Nannotrigona gaboi,Tetragonisca angustula,Geotrigonacf.tellurica, andPartamonacf.peckolti.Coffee crops host a broad diversity of flower visitors, especially bees, which could prove beneficial for coffee productivity in Colombia and contribute to maintaining plant species accompanying coffee cultivation in the country.
Integrated proteogenomic characterization and immune response evaluation reveal an imbalanced hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment induced by incomplete radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Duan Yu-Xin , Wu Zhong-Jun , Cui Fang , Shi Zheng-Rong , Yan Xiong , Song Pei-Pei , Peng Qiling , Li Mao-Ping , Xiao Heng , Lan Xiang , Ye Wen-Tao , Yin Kun-Li , Tang Wei , Liao Rui
Published: September 2022

Background: Efforts to precisely assess tumor-specific T-cell immune responses capable of mediating imbalanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ecosystems after incomplete radiofrequency ablation (iRFA) still face major challenges. Here, we assessed the immune response and performed transcriptomic and proteomic analyses in patients with HCC following iRFA.
Methods: Peripheral blood and tissue samples were collected from HCC patients who underwent RFA. Multiplex immunostaining and flow cytometry were used to assess the local and systemic immune response. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were explored via transcriptomic and proteogenomic analyses. The ability of proteinase-3 (PRTN3) to predict overall survival (OS) was assessed in HCC patients with early recurrence after RFA.
Results: Multiplex immunostaining revealed no immediate significant change in local immune cell counts. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the levels of CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD8+ T cells, and CD4+CD25+CD127- Treg cells were significantly increased, while the levels of CD16+CD56+ natural killer cells were significantly decreased on day 5 after cRFA (P<0.05). Transcriptomics and proteomics allow the identification of hundreds of DEGs and DEPs. Pathways related to immunoinflammation response, cancer progression and metabolism were found to be dysregulated at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels. Proteinase 3 (PRTN3) was observed to be persistently upregulated at the gene and protein levels and closely associated with the OS of early recurrent HCC following RFA.
Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the immune response and transcriptomic and proteogenomic landscapes of HCC milieus, revealing the mechanisms involved in the iRFA-induced immune response and tumor progression.
Trial registration: ChiCTR2200055606, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=32588.
Computational Analysis of Sealing and Stability of a Deformable Floating and Fixed Rings of an Annular Seal
Authors: Zahorulko Andriy , Borsuk Serhii , Peczkis Grzegorz
Published: September 2022

Solving the hydroelastic problem by using Ansys System Coupling (Mechanical and CFX) for floating and fixed rings of a deformable annular seal made it possible to analyze the influence of the cylindrical shell thickness, the inlet and outlet edge dimensions, inlet pressure, and shaft radial displacement on the hydrostatic pressure distribution and the clearance value on length, leakages, stress-strain state, and radial force. The analysis of static stability at an inlet pressure of 10 MPa for the basic seal design showed that the static radial force in the range of radial movements of the shaft from 0 to 50% of the clearance is centering, even though the inlet part of the seal clearance has a confusor, and the outlet part has diffuser form. However, the dynamic coefficients of the fixed sealing ring have a negative value of direct stiffness but positive values of direct and cross-coupled damping and cross-coupled stiffness. Verifying computational 2D and 3D models with experimental results from the literature showed that the maximum relative error does not exceed 10.7% for the hydrostatic pressure, 18% for the clearance, and 8.6% for the leakage value. Simultaneously, according to the trend, all calculated dependencies are identical to the experimental results.
Adsorption of Crystal Violet on Rice Husk Activated Carbon
Authors: Salahudeen N. , Alhassan A.
Published: September 2022

The need to develop effective technology for the treatment of liquid effluent of dye-intensive industries such as textile, rubber, paint, and printing is synonymous with the need to save the life-threatening risks posed by these carcinogenic and mutagenic pollutants on human and aquatic lives. Isotherms of adsorption of crystal violet (CV) on activated carbon (AC) synthesized from rice husk are presented herewith to elucidate the mechanism of the adsorption process of crystal violet dye contaminated water on rice husk activated carbon. AC was synthesized from rice husk via a phosphoric acid activating agent at low temperatures. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm studies were employed. The mean square values for Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and D-R models were 0.98, 0.91, 0.94, and 0.63, respectively. Analysis of the isotherms of the adsorption of crystal violet sorbate on the synthesized rice husk sorbent suggested that the adsorption process proceeded via a homogeneous monolayer mechanism. Langmuir isotherm gave the best fit of the adsorption process. Langmuir isotherm constant was –1.40 l/mg, and the equilibrium adsorption capacity was 13.53 mg/g.
Influência do Desvio da Linha Média Superior na Atratividade do Sorriso
Authors: Garcia-Costa Wanderlúcia , Galvão-de-Lucena Andreanne , Fernandes Eloísa Cesário , Bittencourt-Dutra-dos-Santos Patrícia
Published: September 2022

Introdução e objetivo: a análise do sorriso diante de um tratamento odontológico é imprescindível e deve sempre levar em consideração fatores como: idade do paciente, anomalias de tamanho e forma dos dentes, formato do rosto, lábios, cor, presença de diastemas, desvios de linha média dentária, entre outros. Investigar a possível influência do desvio da linha média superior na atratividade do sorriso em adolescentes. Métodos: foram utilizadas seis fotografias frontais de sorrisos posados de voluntários adolescentes tratados ortodonticamente que apresentavam uma oclusão aparentemente normal e a linha média dentária superior coincidente com a linha média facial e com a inferior. Cada fotografia real foi manipulada com auxílio do Adobe Photoshop 7.0, para obter-se fotografias com desvio de linha média superior de 1 a 4mm, totalizando 30 fotografias. Tais imagens foram analisadas por cirugiões-dentistas, alunos de odontologia e adolescentes leigos, os quais as classificaram levando em consideração a estética do sorriso. Para verificar a atratividade do sorriso foi utilizado a análise de variância (ANOVA) para a avaliação inter e intra-grupos, além da correlação de Pearson. Resultados: os grupos de alunos e cirurgiões-dentistas mostraram correlação negativa entre o desvio da linha media e a atratividade do sorriso (p≤0,05). Foi possível observar que não houve diferença estatisticamente significante na avaliação feita por adolescentes leigos independente do grau de desvio de linha média. Conclusão: desvios de linha média superior prejudicam a atratividade de sorriso quando avaliadas por pessoas que têm conhecimento sobre a área odontológica.
Microabrasión e infiltración como alternativa de tratamiento para Fluorosis Dental severa: reporte de caso
Authors: Laverde-Giraldo Melissa , Mejía-Roldán Juan Diego , Restrepo Manuel
Published: September 2022

La Fluorosis Dental (FD) es un defecto del desarrollo del esmalte tipo hipomineralización atribuido a la exposición crónica y excesiva de fluoruro durante el período de amelogénesis. Clínicamente, en los casos más leves se pueden observar finas líneas blancas y opacas, mientras que en casos moderados y severos las líneas se pueden fundir y formar bandas más gruesas comprometiendo toda la superficie del diente pudiendo estar asociadas con pérdidas de estructura y cambios de color. El tratamiento de la FD puede incluir desde microabrasión, infiltración, aclaramiento y restauraciones con resina compuesta hasta carillas y coronas. El objetivo de este caso clínico fue asociar la técnica de microabrasión e infiltración como alterantiva de tratamiento estético para el manejo de la FD. Paciente de sexo femenino y 9 años que presentaba opacidades blancas en forma de bandas gruesas y pérdidas de estructura dental en los incisivos superiores permanentes (FD severa). Para el tratamiento se optó por realizar microabrasión con ácido clorhídrico, seguido de infiltración con resina de baja viscosidad, logrando un resultado estético favorable y estable a tres meses. Se concluye que la combinación de estas dos técnicas micro-invasivas es una estrategia viable y efectiva para enmascarar efectivamente opacidades producidas por la FD.
Discurso de posesión del cargo
Authors: Vélez-Jaramillo Luis Fernando
Published: September 2022

RespetadosDr. Jorge Julian Osorio, Rector de la Universidad CES.Dra. Patricia Chejne, Secretaria general de la Universidad CES.Respetados colegas, compañeros de trabajo, querida familia y amigos.
Es para mí un motivo de orgullo poder estar hoy acá para este acto solemne de compromiso.
El compromiso con esta institución, la Universidad CES que representa un grupo de seres humanos y en particular con una profesión de servicio, la Odontologia.
Mediante este acto se quiere protocolizar un encargo que se me ha confiado, el de acompañar un grupo de trabajo que comparte un objetivo común, el de la formación de los profesionales de la odontología bajo el techo de la Universidad CES.
Advanced Research in Cellular Pharmacokinetics and its Cutting-edge Technologies
Authors: Lv Lingjuan , You Yuyang , Liu Yeju , Yang Zhihong
Published: September 2022

Pharmacokinetics (PK), as a significant part of pharmacology, runs through the overall process of the
preclinical and clinical research on drugs and plays a significant role in determining the material basis of efficacy
and mechanism research. However, due to the limitations of classical PK, cellular PK was put forward and
developed rapidly. Many novel and original technologies have been innovatively applied to cellular PK research,
thereby providing powerful technical support. As a novel field of PK research, cellular PK expands the
research object and enriches the theoretical framework of PK. It provides a new perspective for elucidating the
mechanism of drug action and the dynamic process of drug in the body. Furthermore, it provides a scientific
basis and guiding significance for the development of new drugs and clinical rational drug use. Cellular PK can
explain the dynamic process of certain drugs (e.g., antineoplastic drugs and antibiotics) and the disposition kinetics
characteristics in some specific tissues (e.g., brain and tumor) in a clearer and more accurate manner. It is
a beneficial supplement and the perfection of traditional PK. In the future, traditional and cellular PKs will
complement each other well and improve into an all-around research system in drug developments. Briefly, this
paper reviews the conceptual development of cellular PK and key associated technologies, explores its main
functions and applications, and looks forward to the important pioneering significance and promising value for
the development of PK.
Nanomedicine and Addictive Disorders: A New Approach With Cannabinoids
Authors: Giménez Virna Margarita Martín , Menéndez Sebastián García , Manucha Walter
Published: September 2022

Background:

Most cannabinoids usually present several limitations when evaluating their clinical
use, mainly related to the side effects they may cause at the central nervous system and other levels. In this
regard, nanotechnology applied to the development of pharmacotherapeutic nanoformulations has become an
attractive tool that allows taking advantage of the beneficial properties of multiple drugs while minimizing or
avoiding their undesirable side effects. Nanotechnology is a relatively recent scientific field that involves the
study, manipulation, development, and characterization of drug delivery systems at the nanoscale (1 to 1000
nm; 1 nm= 1x10-9 m). Usually, the physicochemical properties of matter at the nanoscale are significantly different
compared to the matter at the macroscale, which provides several advantages over conventional therapeutic
alternative types of organic and inorganic drug delivery nanosystems. Posology, size, composition, surface
properties, and different physicochemical characteristics may directly or indirectly influence their pharmacodynamic
and pharmacokinetic behavior and, consequently, their biomedical use.

Purpose of Review:

This mini-review summarizes the main recent findings on nanomedical strategies and
applications for cannabinoid encapsulation, raising the possibility of transferring these advances to the therapy
of addictions.

Highlights Standpoints:

The nano therapy significantly improves the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
behavior of multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients with different limitations and disadvantages, thus
enhancing the therapeutic compliance of patients. In general, cannabinoids loaded in nanoformulations offer
greater efficacy, lower toxicity and more controlled/prolonged release than cannabinoids in free form.
Tetraspanin-enriched Microdomain Containing CD151, CD9, and TSPAN 8 –
Potential Mediators of Entry and Exit Mechanisms in Respiratory Viruses Including
SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Malla RamaRao , Kamal Mohammad Amjad
Published: September 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan,
the Hubei region of China, has become a pandemic worldwide. It can transmit through droplets and enter via
oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes. It consists of single-stranded RNA (positive-sense), nonstructural proteins
including enzymes and transcriptional proteins, and structural proteins such as Spike, Membrane, Envelope,
and Nucleocapsid -proteins. SARS-CoV-2 mediates S-proteins entry and exit via binding to host cell surface
proteins like tetraspanins. The transmembrane tetraspanins, CD151, CD9, and tetraspanin 8 (TSPAN8),
facilitate the entry of novel coronaviruses by scaffolding host cell receptors and proteases. Also, CD151 was
reported to increase airway hyperresponsiveness to calcium and nuclear viral export signaling. They may facilitate
entry and exit by activating the serine proteases required to prime S-proteins in tetraspanin-enriched microdomains
(TEMs). This article updates recent advances in structural proteins, their epitopes and putative receptors,
and their regulation by proteases associated with TEMs. This review furnishes recent updates on the role
of CD151 in the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2. We describe the role of CD151 in a possible mechanism of
entry and exit in the airway, a major site for infection of SARS-CoV-2. We also updated current knowledge on
the role of CD9 and TSPAN 8 in the entry and exit mechanism of coronaviruses. Finally, we discussed the importance
of some small molecules which target CD151 as possible targeted therapeutics for COVID-19. In conclusion,
this study could identify new targets and specific therapeutics to control emerging virus infections.
Lung Pneumonitis and Fibrosis in Cancer Therapy: A Review on Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms
Authors: Xu Chaofeng , Najafi Masoud , Shang Zhongtu
Published: September 2022

Fibrosis and pneumonitis are the most important side effects of lung tissue following cancer therapy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy by some drugs, such as bleomycin, can induce pneumonitis and fibrosis. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy also may induce pneumonitis and fibrosis to a lesser extent compared to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Activation of lymphocytes by immunotherapy or infiltration of inflammatory cells such as macrophages, lymphocytes, neutro-phils, and mast cells following chemo/radiation therapy can induce pneumonitis. Furthermore, the polarization of macrophages toward M2 cells and the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines stimu-late fibrosis. Lung fibrosis and pneumonitis may also be potentiated by some other changes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), oxidative stress, reduction/oxidation (redox) responses, renin-angiotensin system, and the upregulation of some inflammatory mediators such as a nuclear factor of kappa B (NF-κB), inflammasome, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Damages to the lung vascular system and the induction of hypoxia also can induce pulmonary injury following chemo/radiation therapy. This review explains various mechanisms of the induction of pneumonitis and lung fibrosis following cancer therapy. Furthermore, the targets and promising agents to mitigate lung fibrosis and pneumonitis will be discussed.