bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LC-MS based urine untargeted metabolomic analyses to identify and subdivide urothelial cancer
Authors: Yang Ming , Liu Xiaoyan , Tang Xiaoyue , Sun Wei , Ji Zhigang
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Urine metabolomics has been a promising technique in the liquid biopsy of urothelial cancer (UC). The comparison of upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), lower tract urothelial cancer (BCa), and healthy controls (HCs) need to be performed to find related biomarkers.

Methods

In our investigation, urine samples from 35 UTUCs, 44 BCas, and 53 gender- and age-matched HCs were analyzed using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). In different groups, the differential metabolites and the disturbed metabolism pathways were explored. Transcriptomics and urine metabolomics are combined to identify the probably disturbed gene in BCa.

Results

With an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.815, the panel consisting of prostaglandin I2, 5-methyldeoxycytidine, 2,6-dimethylheptanoyl carnitine, and deoxyinosine was able to discriminate UC from HCs. With an AUC of 0.845, the validation group also demonstrated strong predictive ability. UTUC and BCa without hematuria could be distinguished using the panel of 5'-methylthioadenosine, L-beta-aspartyl-L-serine, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and N'-formylkynurenine (AUC=0.858). The metabolite panel comprising aspartyl-methionine, 7-methylinosine, and alpha-CEHC glucuronide could discriminate UTUC from BCa with hematuria with an AUC of 0.83. Fatty acid biosynthesis, purine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and arachidonic acid metabolism were dysregulated when comparing UC with HCs. PTGIS and BCHE, the genes related to the metabolism of prostaglandin I2 and myristic acid respectively, were significantly associated with the survival of BCa.

Discussion

Not only could LC-HRMS urine metabolomic investigations distinguish UC from HCs, but they could also identify UTUC from BCa. Additionally, urine metabolomics combined with transcriptomics can find out the potential aberrant genes in the metabolism.
Checkpoint inhibitor-induced gastritis followed by delayed severe hepatitis in a patient with lung metastases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a case report
Authors: Otsuka Tomoyuki , Hashii Yoshiko , Murayama Sei , Ishizuka Yasunobu , Kojitani Yoshiki , Nishio Minako , Kudo Toshihiro
Published: May 2023

Pembrolizumab, an anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor monoclonal antibody, is an effective first-line therapy for metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are well-described complications of PD-1 inhibitors, and multiorgan irAEs are known to occur occasionally. We report a patient with pulmonary metastases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), who developed gastritis followed by delayed severe hepatitis and recovered with triple immunosuppressant therapy. A 58-year-old Japanese male with pulmonary metastases of oropharyngeal SCC who was treated with pembrolizumab, subsequently developed new-onset appetite loss and upper abdominal pain. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed gastritis and immunohistochemistry revealed pembrolizumab-induced gastritis. The patient developed delayed severe hepatitis at 15 months after initiating pembrolizumab treatment, presenting “Grade 4 aspartate aminotransferase increase” and “Grade 4 alanine aminotransferase increase.” Impaired liver function persisted despite pulse corticosteroid therapy with intravenous methylprednisolone 1,000 mg/day, followed by oral prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day and oral mycophenolate mofetil 2,000 mg/day. Tacrolimus, which reached target serum trough concentrations of 8–10 ng/mL, gradually improved irAE grades from Grade 4 to Grade 1. The patient responded well to triple immunosuppressant therapy comprising prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus. Therefore, this immunotherapeutic approach could be effective for multiorgan irAEs in patients with cancer.
Association of body mass index with survival in U.S. cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 1999–2018
Authors: Yang Yi , Chen Dan , Zhong Dingfu , Yi Zongbi
Published: May 2023

Background

Understanding the association between relative mortality with body mass index (BMI) may aid clinicians in making suitable clinical decisions. Our study evaluated the impact of BMI on mortality among cancer survivors.

Methods

We used data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) spanning from 1999 to 2018. Relevant mortality data were retrieved up until December 31, 2019. Adjusted Cox models were employed to examine the association of BMI with the risks for total and cause-specific mortality.

Results

Among 4135 cancer survivors, 1486 (35.9%) were obese (21.0% class 1 obesity [BMI 30-< 35 kg/m2], 9.2% class 2 obesity [BMI 35 -< 40 kg/m2], 5.7% class 3 obesity [BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2]), 1475(35.7%) were overweight (BMI 25-< 30 kg/m2). During an average follow-up of 8.9 years (35895 person-years), a total of 1361 deaths were reported (cancer 392; 356 cardiovascular disease [CVD]; 613, non-cancer, non-CVD). In multivariable models, underweight participants (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) were associated with significantly higher risks of cancer-specific (HR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.37-8.03, P=0.01) and CVD cause (HR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.44-7.02, P < 0.001) mortality compared to individuals with normal weight. Being overweight was associated with significantly lower risks of non-cancer, non-CVD cause mortality (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.51-0.87, P < 0.001). Class 1 obesity was associated with significantly reduced risks of all-cause (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61-0.99, P = 0.04), and non-cancer, non-CVD cause (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.42-0.86, P = 0.01) mortality. A higher risk of CVD-related mortality (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.07-5.18, P = 0.03) was observed in class 3 obesity cases. Lower risks of all-cause mortality were detected in men (overweight, HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.59-0.99, P=0.04; class 1 obesity, HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.98, P = 0.04) but not in woman, in never-smokers (class 1 obesity, HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.41-0.90, P=0.01) and former smokers (overweight, HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60-0.98, P=0.04) but not in current smokers; in obesity-related cancer (class 2 obesity, HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27-0.89, P=0.01) but not in non-obesity-related cancers.

Conclusions

In the United States, cancer survivors with overweight or moderate obesity (class 1 or class 2 obesity) demonstrated a lower risk of all-cause and noncancer, non-CVD cause mortality.
Targeting breast cancer stem cells directly to treat refractory breast cancer
Authors: Pan Liping , Han Juan , Lin Ming
Published: May 2023

For patients with refractory breast cancer (BC), integrative immunotherapies are emerging as a critical component of treatment. However, many patients remain unresponsive to treatment or relapse after a period. Different cells and mediators in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play important roles in the progression of BC, and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are deemed the main cause of relapse. Their characteristics depend on their interactions with their microenvironment as well as on the inducing factors and elements in this environment. Strategies to modulate the immune system in the TME of BC that are aimed at reversing the suppressive networks within it and eradicating residual CSCs are, thus, essential for improving the current therapeutic efficacy of BC. This review focuses on the development of immunoresistance in BCs and discusses the strategies that can modulate the immune system and target breast CSCs directly to treat BC including immunotherapy with immune checkpoint blockades.
Celiac crisis as the life-threatening onset of celiac disease in children: a case report
Authors: Mauro Angela , Casini Francesca , Talenti Antonella , Di Mari Clelia , Benincaso Anna Rita , Di Nardo Giovanni , Bernardo Luca
Published: May 2023

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy caused by a permanent sensitivity to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. In rare cases, CD may occur with a severe potential life-threatening manifestation known as a celiac crisis (CC). This may be a consequence of a delayed diagnosis and expose patients to possible fatal complications. We report the case of a 22-month-old child admitted to our hospital for a CC characterized by weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea associated with a malnutrition state. Early identification of symptoms of CC is essential to provide a prompt diagnosis and management.
Canagliflozin alleviates high glucose-induced peritoneal fibrosis via HIF-1α inhibition
Authors: Wang Jian , Lv Xin , A-Ni-Wan A-Shan-Jiang , Tian Sha-Sha , Wang Jun-Mei , Liu Hong-Yan , Fan Xiao-Guang , Zhou Sai-Jun , Yu Pei
Published: May 2023

The cardioprotective effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been demonstrated in many studies. However, their benefits for end-stage kidney disease patients, particularly those on peritoneal dialysis, remain unclear. SGLT2 inhibition has shown peritoneal protective effects in some studies, but the mechanisms are still unknown. Herein, we investigated the peritoneal protective mechanisms of Canagliflozin in vitro by simulating hypoxia with CoCl2 in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) and rats by intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysate simulating chronic high glucose exposure. CoCl2 hypoxic intervention significantly increased HIF-1α abundance in HPMCs, activated TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling, and promoted the production of fibrotic proteins (Fibronectin, COL1A2, and α-SMA). Meanwhile, Canagliflozin significantly improved the hypoxia of HPMCs, decreased HIF-1α abundance, inhibited TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling, and decreased the expression of fibrotic proteins. Five-week intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysate remarkably increased peritoneal HIF-1α/TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling and promoted peritoneal fibrosis and peritoneal thickening. At the same time, Canagliflozin significantly inhibited the HIF-1α/TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling, prevented peritoneal fibrosis and peritoneal thickening, and improved peritoneal transportation and ultrafiltration. High glucose peritoneal dialysate increased the expression of peritoneal GLUT1, GLUT3 and SGLT2, all of which were inhibited by Canagliflozin. In conclusion, we showed that Canagliflozin could improve peritoneal fibrosis and function by ameliorating peritoneal hypoxia and inhibiting the HIF-1α/TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling pathway, providing theoretical support for the clinical use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients on peritoneal dialysis.
A cross-sectional study on the application of patient-reported outcome measurements in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine in mainland China
Authors: Dong Yue , Liu Lin , Zhang Xiaowen , Gong Yijia , Yan Shiyan , Li Wei , Li Shunping , Rong Hongguo , Liu Jianping
Published: May 2023

Objectives: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide a global perspective of patient health status which plays an enormous role in evaluating clinical efficacy. However, the application of PROs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was still insufficiently studied in mainland China.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed based on interventional clinical trials of TCM that were conducted in mainland China from 1 January 2010, to 15 July 2022. Data was retrieved from the ClinicalTrials.gov and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. We included interventional clinical trials of TCM for which the country of the primary sponsors or recruitment settings in mainland China. For each included trial, data including clinical trial phases, study settings, participant’s age, sex, diseases, and the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were extracted. Trials were categorized into four categories according to 1) listed PROs as primary endpoints, 2) listed PROs as secondary endpoints, 3) listed PROs as coprimary outcomes (both primary and secondary endpoints), and 4) did not mention any PROMs.

Results: Among a total of 3,797 trials, 680 (17.9%) trials listed PROs as primary endpoints, 692 (18.2%) trials listed PROs as secondary endpoints, and 760 (20.0%) trials listed PROs as coprimary endpoints. Among 675,787 participants included in the registered trials, 448,359 (66.3%) patients’ data were scientifically collected by PRO instruments. Neurological diseases (11.8%), musculoskeletal symptoms (11.5%), mental health conditions (9.1%) were the most common conditions evaluated by PROMs. Disease-specific symptoms related concepts were used most frequently (51.3%), followed by health-related quality of life concepts. Visual analog scale, 36-item Short-Form Health Questionnaire, and TCM symptom score were the most common PROMs in these trials.

Conclusion: In this cross-sectional study, the use of PROs increased in the past decades according to clinical trials of TCM conducted in mainland China. Considering that the application of PROs in clinical trials of TCM has some existing issues including uneven distribution and lack of normalized PROs of TCM, further study should be focused on the standardization and normalization of TCM-specific scales.
Hachimijiogan, a traditional herbal medicine, modulates adipose cell function and ameliorates diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice
Authors: Kagawa Syota , Tanabe Katsuya , Hiromura Makoto , Ogawa Kakuyou , Koga Takayuki , Maeda Takahiro , Amo-Shiinoki Kikuko , Ochi Hiroyuki , Ichiki Yui , Fukuyama Shogo , Suzuki Saori , Suizu Natsuki , Ohmine Takaaki , Hamachi Sakurako , Tsuneki Hiroshi , Okuya Shigeru , Sasaoka Toshiyasu , Tanizawa Yukio , Nagashima Fumihiro
Published: May 2023

Hachimijiogan (HJG) has originally been used to ameliorate a variety of symptoms associated with low ambient temperatures. However, its pharmacological action in metabolic organs remains unclear. We hypothesized that HJG may modulate metabolic function and have a potential therapeutic application to metabolic diseases. To test this hypothesis, we investigated metabolic action of HJG in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice chronically administered with HJG showed a reduction in adipocyte size with increased transcription of beige adipocyte-related genes in subcutaneous white adipose tissue. HJG-mixed high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice showed alleviation of HFD-induced weight gain, adipocyte hypertrophy, liver steatosis with a significant reduction in circulating leptin and Fibroblast growth factor 21 despite no changes in food intake or oxygen consumption. Feeding an HJG-mixed HFD following 4-weeks of HFD feeding, while a limited effect on body weight, improved insulin sensitivity with a reversal of decreased circulating adiponectin. In addition, HJG improved insulin sensitivity in the leptin-deficient mice without significant effects on body weight. Treatment with n-butanol soluble extracts of HJG potentiated transcription of Uncoupling protein 1 mediated by β3-adrenergic agonism in 3T3L1 adipocytes. These findings provide evidence that HJG modulates adipocyte function and may exert preventive or therapeutic effects against obesity and insulin resistance.
Peripheralized sepiapterin reductase inhibition as a safe analgesic therapy
Authors: Cronin Shane J. F. , Andrews Nick A. , Latremoliere Alban
Published: May 2023

The development of novel analgesics for chronic pain in the last 2 decades has proven virtually intractable, typically failing due to lack of efficacy and dose-limiting side effects. Identified through unbiased gene expression profiling experiments in rats and confirmed by human genome-wide association studies, the role of excessive tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in chronic pain has been validated by numerous clinical and preclinical studies. BH4 is an essential cofactor for aromatic amino acid hydroxylases, nitric oxide synthases, and alkylglycerol monooxygenase so a lack of BH4 leads to a range of symptoms in the periphery and central nervous system (CNS). An ideal therapeutic goal therefore would be to block excessive BH4 production, while preventing potential BH4 rundown. In this review, we make the case that sepiapterin reductase (SPR) inhibition restricted to the periphery (i.e., excluded from the spinal cord and brain), is an efficacious and safe target to alleviate chronic pain. First, we describe how different cell types that engage in BH4 overproduction and contribute to pain hypersensitivity, are themselves restricted to peripheral tissues and show their blockade is sufficient to alleviate pain. We discuss the likely safety profile of peripherally restricted SPR inhibition based on human genetic data, the biochemical alternate routes of BH4 production in various tissues and species, and the potential pitfalls to predictive translation when using rodents. Finally, we propose and discuss possible formulation and molecular strategies to achieve peripherally restricted, potent SPR inhibition to treat not only chronic pain but other conditions where excessive BH4 has been demonstrated to be pathological.
EEG-based real-time diagnostic system with developed dynamic 2TEMD and dynamic ApEn algorithms
Authors: Zhang Ran , Sui Linfeng , Gong Jinming , Cao Jianting
Published: May 2023

In real-time electroencephalography (EEG) analysis, the problem of observing dynamic changes and the problem of binary classification is a promising direction. EEG energy and complexity are important evaluation metrics in brain death determination in the field of EEG analysis. We developed two algorithms, dynamic turning tangent empirical mode decomposition to compute EEG energy and dynamic approximate entropy to compute EEG complexity for brain death determination. The developed algorithm is applied to analyze 50 EEG data of coma patients and 50 EEG data of brain death patients. The validity of the dynamic analysis is confirmed by the accuracy rate derived from the comparison with turning tangent empirical mode decomposition and approximate entropy algorithms. We evaluated the EEG data of three patients using the built diagnostic system. The experimental results visually showed that the EEG energy ratio was higher in a coma state than that in brain death, while the complexity was lower than that in brain death.
Sympathetic neuropathology is revealed in muscles affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Mazzaro Antonio , Vita Veronica , Ronfini Marco , Casola Irene , Klein Arianna , Dobrowolny Gabriella , Sorarù Gianni , Musarò Antonio , Mongillo Marco , Zaglia Tania
Published: May 2023

Rationale: The anatomical substrate of skeletal muscle autonomic innervation has remained underappreciated since it was described many decades ago. As such, the structural and functional features of muscle sympathetic innervation are largely undetermined in both physiology and pathology, mainly due to methodological limitations in the histopathological analysis of small neuronal fibers in tissue samples. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neuromuscular disease which mainly targets motor neurons, and despite autonomic symptoms occurring in a significant fraction of patients, peripheral sympathetic neurons (SNs) are generally considered unaffected and, as such, poorly studied.

Purpose: In this research, we compared sympathetic innervation of normal and ALS muscles, through structural analysis of the sympathetic network in human and murine tissue samples.

Methods and Results: We first refined tissue processing to circumvent methodological limitations interfering with the detection of muscle sympathetic innervation. The optimized “Neuro Detection Protocol” (NDP) was validated in human muscle biopsies, demonstrating that SNs innervate, at high density, both blood vessels and skeletal myofibers, independent of the fiber metabolic type. Subsequently, NDP was exploited to analyze sympathetic innervation in muscles of SOD1G93A mice, a preclinical ALS model. Our data show that ALS murine muscles display SN denervation, which has already initiated at the early disease stage and worsened during aging. SN degeneration was also observed in muscles of MLC/SOD1G93A mice, with muscle specific expression of the SOD1G93A mutant gene. Notably, similar alterations in SNs were observed in muscle biopsies from an ALS patient, carrying the SOD1G93A mutation.

Conclusion: We set up a protocol for the analysis of murine and, more importantly, human muscle sympathetic innervation. Our results indicate that SNs are additional cell types compromised in ALS and suggest that dysfunctional SOD1G93A muscles affect their sympathetic innervation.
The design and evaluation of the outflow structures of an interventional microaxial blood pump
Authors: Yun Zhong , Yao Jinfu , Wang Liang , Tang Xiaoyan , Feng Yunhao
Published: May 2023

Blood pump design efforts are focused on enhancing hydraulic effectiveness and minimizing shear stress. Unlike conventional blood pumps, interventional microaxial blood pumps have a unique outflow structure due to minimally invasive technology. The outflow structure, composed of the diffuser and cage bridges, is crucial in minimizing the pump size to provide adequate hemodynamic support. This study proposed four outflow structures of an interventional microaxial blood pump depending on whether the diffuser with or without blades and cage bridges were straight or curved. The outflow flow structure’s effect on the blood pump’s hydraulic performance and shear stress distribution was evaluated by computational fluid dynamics and hydraulic experiments. The results showed that all four outflow structures could achieve the pressure and flow requirements specified at the design point but with significant differences in shear stress distribution. Among them, the outflow structure with curved bridges would make the blood dispersed more evenly when flowing out of the pump, which could effectively reduce the shear stress at the cage bridges. The outflow structure with blades would aggravate the secondary flow at the leading edge of the impeller, increasing the risk of flow stagnation. The combination of curved bridges and the bladeless diffuser had a relatively better shear stress distribution, with the proportion of fluid exposed to low scalar shear stress (<50 Pa) and high scalar shear stress (>150 Pa) in the blood pump being 97.92% and 0.26%, respectively. It could be concluded that the outflow structure with curved bridges and bladeless diffuser exhibited relatively better shear stress distribution and a lower hemolysis index of 0.00648%, which could support continued research on optimizing the microaxial blood pumps.
Prospects for fertility preservation: the ovarian organ function reconstruction techniques for oogenesis, growth and maturation in vitro
Authors: Hu Bai , Wang Renjie , Wu Di , Long Rui , Ruan Jinghan , Jin Lei , Ma Ding , Sun Chaoyang , Liao Shujie
Published: May 2023

Today, fertility preservation is receiving more attention than ever. Cryopreservation, which preserves ovarian tissue to preserve fertility in young women and reduce the risk of infertility, is currently the most widely practiced. Transplantation, however, is less feasible for women with blood-borne leukemia or cancers with a high risk of ovarian metastasis because of the risk of cancer recurrence. In addition to cryopreservation and re-implantation of embryos, in vitro ovarian organ reconstruction techniques have been considered as an alternative strategy for fertility preservation. In vitro culture of oocytes in vitro Culture, female germ cells induction from pluripotent stem cells (PSC) in vitro, artificial ovary construction, and ovaria-related organoids construction have provided new solutions for fertility preservation, which will therefore maximize the potential for all patients undergoing fertility preservation. In this review, we discussed and thought about the latest ovarian organ function reconstruction techniques in vitro to provide new ideas for future ovarian disease research and fertility preservation of patients with cancer and premature ovarian failure.
The associations of early specialization, sports volume, and maturity status with musculoskeletal injury in elite youth football players
Authors: Li Xiang , Feng Runze , Luo Shiyi , Li Chunman , Gómez-Ruano Miguel A.
Published: May 2023

Background: Youth football in schools has experienced rapid growth in China. Despite the increase of players engaging in more frequent, intensive, and organized sports training at their early ages, the controversy over early specialization (ES) still exists. This study aims to: a) investigate the training situation of players in the Chinese School Football Programme and b) examine the associations of early specialization, sports volume, and maturity status with musculoskeletal injury.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used. Players who participated in the National School Football Winter Camp were invited to fill out a questionnaire that included the data of maturity, ES, sports volume, and injury history (n = 88 boys and n = 90 girls).

Results: The results have shown that 80.3% of the athletes were classified as ES, while 19.7% of them were classified as non-ES. Almost all athletes (96%) participated in a sport for more than 8 months in a year. Most athletes (75.8%) spent more than twice of the time on organized sports than leisure activities. 30.3% of the athletes trained on average more hours per week than the number of their ages. Binomial logistic regression models reflected the significant differences in the odds ratios (OR) of reporting a history of injury among athletes with different levels of specialization (p = 0.024) and the OR of reporting a history of leg injury among players with different weekly sports volumes (p = 0.038). Significant differences were also shown in the OR of players reporting foot injuries between players with different maturity states (p = 0.046), and the Chi-squared test showed significant differences in the OR of reporting acute injuries between players with different levels of specialization (p = 0.048) and weekly activity (p = 0.022). No significant differences were found between the remaining variables.

Conclusion: Most school football elite players follow the ES pathway even though ES increases the risk of injury, especially acute injury. Pre-pubertal and early pubertal players have a higher incidence of foot injuries. Players who train more hours per week than their ages have more leg injuries and acute injuries. Therefore, priority protection and intervention should be carried out for populations with a high risk of injury.
A Lightweight convolutional neural network for nicotine prediction in tobacco by near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Di , Zhao Fengyuan , Wang Rui , Guo Junwei , Zhang Cihai , Liu Huimin , Wang Yongsheng , Zong Guohao , Zhao Le , Feng Weihua
Published: May 2023

The content of nicotine, a critical component of tobacco, significantly influences the quality of tobacco leaves. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a widely used technique for rapid, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly analysis of nicotine levels in tobacco. In this paper, we propose a novel regression model, Lightweight one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), for predicting nicotine content in tobacco leaves using one-dimensional (1D) NIR spectral data and a deep learning approach with convolutional neural network (CNN). This study employed Savitzky–Golay (SG) smoothing to preprocess NIR spectra and randomly generate representative training and test datasets. Batch normalization was used in network regularization to reduce overfitting and improve the generalization performance of the Lightweight 1D-CNN model under a limited training dataset. The network structure of this CNN model consists of four convolutional layers to extract high-level features from the input data. The output of these layers is then fed into a fully connected layer, which uses a linear activation function to output the predicted numerical value of nicotine. After the comparison of the performance of multiple regression models, including support vector regression (SVR), partial least squares regression (PLSR), 1D-CNN, and Lightweight 1D-CNN, under the preprocessing method of SG smoothing, we found that the Lightweight 1D-CNN regression model with batch normalization achieved root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.14, coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.95, and residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 5.09. These results demonstrate that the Lightweight 1D-CNN model is objective and robust and outperforms existing methods in terms of accuracy, which has the potential to significantly improve quality control processes in the tobacco industry by accurately and rapidly analyzing the nicotine content.
Interspecific common bean population derived from Phaseolus acutifolius using a bridging genotype demonstrate useful adaptation to heat tolerance
Authors: Cruz Sergio , Lobatón Juan , Urban Milan O. , Ariza-Suarez Daniel , Raatz Bodo , Aparicio Johan , Mosquera Gloria , Beebe Stephen
Published: May 2023

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume crop worldwide and is a major nutrient source in the tropics. Common bean reproductive development is strongly affected by heat stress, particularly overnight temperatures above 20°C. The desert Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) offers a promising source of adaptative genes due to its natural acclimation to arid conditions. Hybridization between both species is challenging, requiring in vitro embryo rescue and multiple backcrossing cycles to restore fertility. This labor-intensive process constrains developing mapping populations necessary for studying heat tolerance. Here we show the development of an interspecific mapping population using a novel technique based on a bridging genotype derived from P. vulgaris, P. Acutifolius and P. parvifolius named VAP1 and is compatible with both common and tepary bean. The population was based on two wild P. acutifolius accessions, repeatedly crossed with Mesoamerican elite common bush bean breeding lines. The population was genotyped through genotyping-by-sequencing and evaluated for heat tolerance by genome-wide association studies. We found that the population harbored 59.8% introgressions from wild tepary, but also genetic regions from Phaseolus parvifolius, a relative represented in some early bridging crosses. We found 27 significative quantitative trait loci, nine located inside tepary introgressed segments exhibiting allelic effects that reduced seed weight, and increased the number of empty pods, seeds per pod, stem production and yield under high temperature conditions. Our results demonstrate that the bridging genotype VAP1 can intercross common bean with tepary bean and positively influence the physiology of derived interspecific lines, which displayed useful variance for heat tolerance.
Analysis of seed production and seed shattering in a new artificial grassland forage: pigeon pea
Authors: Li Xinyong , Sheng Wei , Dong Qianzhen , Huang Rui , Dong Rongshu , Liu Guodao , Ding Xipeng , Zhang Jingwen
Published: May 2023

Pigeon pea is a perennial leguminous plant that is widely cultivated as a forage and pharmaceutical plant in subtropical and tropical areas, especially in artificial grasslands. Higher seed shattering is one of the most important factors in potentially increasing the seed yield of pigeon pea. Advance technology is necessary to increase the seed yield of pigeon pea. Through 2 consecutive years of field observations, we found that fertile tiller number was the key component of the seed yield of pigeon pea due to the direct effect of fertile tiller number per plant (0.364) on pigeon pea seed yield was the highest. Multiplex morphology, histology, and cytological and hydrolytic enzyme activity analysis showed that shatter-susceptible and shatter-resistant pigeon peas possessed an abscission layer at the same time (10 DAF); however, abscission layer cells dissolved earlier in shattering-susceptible pigeon pea (15 DAF), which led to the tearing of the abscission layer. The number of vascular bundle cells and vascular bundle area were the most significant negative factors (p< 0.01) affecting seed shattering. Cellulase and polygalacturonase were involved in the dehiscence process. In addition, we inferred that larger vascular bundle tissues and cells in the ventral suture of seed pods could effectively resist the dehiscence pressure of the abscission layer. This study provides foundation for further molecular studies to increase the seed yield of pigeon pea.
Genetic basis of the oil biosynthesis in ultra-high-oil maize grains with an oil content exceeding 20%
Authors: Luo Meijie , Lu Baishan , Shi Yaxing , Zhao Yanxin , Liu Junling , Zhang Chunyuan , Wang Yuandong , Liu Hui , Shi Yamin , Fan Yanli , Xu Li , Wang Ronghuan , Zhao Jiuran
Published: May 2023

Vegetable oil is an important part of the human diet and has multiple industrial uses. The rapid increase in vegetable oil consumption has necessitated the development of viable methods for optimizing the oil content of plants. The key genes regulating the biosynthesis of maize grain oil remain mostly uncharacterized. In this study, by analyzing oil contents and performing bulked segregant RNA sequencing and mapping analyses, we determined that su1 and sh2-R mediate the shrinkage of ultra-high-oil maize grains and contribute to the increase in the grain oil content. Functional kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers developed for su1 and sh2-R detected su1su1Sh2Sh2, Su1Su1sh2sh2, and su1su1sh2sh2 mutants among 183 sweet maize inbred lines. An RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis indicated that genes differentially expressed between two conventional sweet maize lines and two ultra-high-oil maize lines were significantly associated with linoleic acid metabolism, cyanoamino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism. A bulk segregant analysis and sequencing (BSA-seq) analysis identified another 88 genomic intervals related to grain oil content, 16 of which overlapped previously reported maize grain oil-related QTLs. The combined analysis of BSA-seq and RNA-seq data enabled the identification of candidate genes. The KASP markers for GRMZM2G176998 (putative WD40-like beta propeller repeat family protein), GRMZM2G021339 (homeobox-transcription factor 115), and GRMZM2G167438 (3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase) were significantly related to maize grain oil content. Another candidate gene, GRMZM2G099802 (GDSL-like lipase/acylhydrolase), catalyzes the final step of the triacylglycerol synthesis pathway and was expressed at significantly higher levels in the two ultra-high-oil maize lines than in the two conventional sweet maize lines. These novel findings will help clarify the genetic basis of the increased oil production in ultra-high-oil maize lines with grain oil contents exceeding 20%. The KASP markers developed in this study may be useful for breeding new high-oil sweet maize varieties.
3D cellular morphometrics of ovule primordium development in Zea mays reveal differential division and growth dynamics specifying megaspore mother cell singleness
Authors: Ouedraogo Inès , Lartaud Marc , Baroux Célia , Mosca Gabriella , Delgado Luciana , Leblanc Oliver , Verdeil Jean-Luc , Conéjéro Geneviève , Autran Daphné
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Differentiation of spore mother cells marks the somatic-to-reproductive transition in higher plants. Spore mother cells are critical for fitness because they differentiate into gametes, leading to fertilization and seed formation. The female spore mother cell is called the megaspore mother cell (MMC) and is specified in the ovule primordium. The number of MMCs varies by species and genetic background, but in most cases, only a single mature MMC enters meiosis to form the embryo sac. Multiple candidate MMC precursor cells have been identified in both rice and Arabidopsis, so variability in MMC number is likely due to conserved early morphogenetic events. In Arabidopsis, the restriction of a single MMC per ovule, or MMC singleness, is determined by ovule geometry. To look for potential conservation of MMC ontogeny and specification mechanisms, we undertook a morphogenetic description of ovule primordium growth at cellular resolution in the model crop maize.

Methods

We generated a collection of 48 three-dimensional (3D) ovule primordium images for five developmental stages, annotated for 11 cell types. Quantitative analysis of ovule and cell morphological descriptors allowed the reconstruction of a plausible developmental trajectory of the MMC and its neighbors.

Results

The MMC is specified within a niche of enlarged, homogenous L2 cells, forming a pool of candidate archesporial (MMC progenitor) cells. A prevalent periclinal division of the uppermost central archesporial cell formed the apical MMC and the underlying cell, a presumptive stack cell. The MMC stopped dividing and expanded, acquiring an anisotropic, trapezoidal shape. By contrast, periclinal divisions continued in L2 neighbor cells, resulting in a single central MMC.

Discussion

We propose a model where anisotropic ovule growth in maize drives L2 divisions and MMC elongation, coupling ovule geometry with MMC fate.
Widely targeted metabolomic profiling combined with transcriptome analysis sheds light on flavonoid biosynthesis in sweet orange 'Newhall' (C. sinensis) under magnesium stress
Authors: Xiong Bo , Li Qin , Yao Junfei , Liu Zhuyuan , Yang Xinxia , Yu Xiaoyong , Li Yuan , Liao Ling , Wang Xun , Deng Honghong , Zhang Mingfei , Sun Guochao , Wang Zhihui
Published: May 2023

Sweet orange ‘Newhall’ peels (SOPs) are abundant in flavonoids, making them increasingly popular in the realms of nutrition, food, and medicine. However, there is still much unknown about flavonoid components in SOPs and the molecular mechanism of flavonoid biosynthesis when subjected to magnesium stress. The previous experiment conducted by the research group found that the total flavonoid content of Magnesium deficiency (MD) was higher than Magnesium sufficiency (MS) in SOPs. In order to study the metabolic pathway of flavonoids under magnesium stress, an integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome was performed in SOPs at different developmental stages, comparing MS and MD. A comprehensive analysis revealed the identification of 1,533 secondary metabolites in SOPs. Among them, 740 flavonoids were classified into eight categories, with flavones identified as the dominant flavonoid component. The influence of magnesium stress on flavonoid composition was evaluated using a combination of heat map and volcanic map, which indicated significant variations between MS and MD varieties at different growth stages. The transcriptome detected 17,897 differential genes that were significantly enriched in flavonoid pathways. Further analysis was performed using Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) in conjunction with flavonoid metabolism profiling and transcriptome analysis to identify six hub structural genes and ten hub transcription factor genes that play a crucial role in regulating flavonoid biosynthesis from yellow and blue modules. The correlation heatmap and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) results showed that CitCHS had a significant impact on the synthesis of flavones and other flavonoids in SOPs, as it was the backbone gene in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. The qPCR results further validated the accuracy of transcriptome data and the reliability of candidate genes. Overall, these results shed light on the composition of flavonoid compounds in SOPs and highlight the changes in flavonoid metabolism that occur under magnesium stress. This research provides valuable insights for improving the cultivation of high-flavonoid plants and enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying flavonoid biosynthesis.
The development of career planning scale for junior high school students based on cognitive information processing theory
Authors: Wang Peng , Li Tiantian , Wu Zhigang , Wang Xiao , Jing Jihao , Xin Jianjun , Sang Xiuchun , Dai Binrong
Published: May 2023

Based on the career theory of Cognitive Information Processing (CIP), we selected scale items from literature reviews and expert guidance. The scale consisted of 28 items with 4 factors (interests, abilities, values, personality). To test the scale’s factor structure, we used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the model was modified according to CFA results. The second-order confirmatory factor analysis was applied to the model of the scale to prove the rationality of the total score. The internal consistency were evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. In addition, the composite reliability (CR) and average variance extraction (AVE) of the scale were also calculated to test the convergent validity. After related analyses, the scale was proved to have good psychometric properties, which can be used to measure junior high school students’ career planning level in information technology course from the aspects of interest, ability, values, and personality. The effect of the first-order confirmatory factor analysis model constructed in this study is not ideal. Therefore, on this basis, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis model is constructed in combination with existing literatures, and the rationality of the model is verified through data, which highlights the novelty of this study.
Male and female Asians living with HIV: a text-mining analysis comparing their concerns
Authors: Chen Wei-Ti , Barbour Russell
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Asians are “a forgotten population” whose HIV prevention and treatment needs have long been ignored. Studies on people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have primarily reported on physical and psychological conditions among men and gender minorities.

Methods

We used data-mining to select words and word patterns from pooled in-depth interviews conducted with 33 women and 12 men (n = 45) who were HIV positive and residing in San Francisco, United States, Shanghai, Beijing, or Taipei, China. We analyzed gender-based data (male vs. female) within the participant responses.

Results

Disclosure of HIV serostatus was discussed by both genders of PLWHA. Participants were concerned whether they should disclose their diagnosis and how to disclose it to their family members. Specifically, for women, family relationships and financial burdens were discussed most often. In terms of men, HIV disclosure was the key concern followed by disclosure of their sexual preference and concerns over what people were saying about them in the community.

Conclusion

This project compared and contrasted concerns of Asian HIV-positive men and women. As healthcare providers promoting self-management by HIV-positive individuals of both genders, it is important to consider that there may be significant differences between them. Future interventions should consider how gender role influences self-management strategies in PLWHA and how support can be targeted to achieve a better quality of life for PLWHA.
Emergence of verb-pattern morphology in young Arabic speakers: morphological and semantic features
Authors: Tallas-Mahajna Naila , Armon-Lotem Sharon , Saiegh-Haddad Elinor
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Arabic, a Semitic language, displays a particularly rich derivational morphological system with all verb stems consisting of a semantic root and a prosodic verb-pattern. Such regular and frequently encountered knowledge is expected to be acquired early. The present study presents a developmental perspective on the relative contribution of morphological and semantic complexity to the acquisition of verbs in Spoken Arabic.

Method

Verbs in a spontaneous corpus from 133 typically developing children, 2; 6–6; 0-year-old, were coded for type and token frequency of verbal patterns and root type, and classified according to semantic complexity.

Results

Results support an item-based emergence driven by semantic complexity at the earliest stages of acquisition. A developmental expansion in the diversity of verbal patterns and morphological complexity was observed with age. Morphological complexity is only identified when the same root appears in different verb patterns.

Discussion

The late emergence of the same root in different verb patterns indicates that the perception of verb patterns as abstract linguistic entities beyond the actual verbs is attained later than the semantically-constrained verbs in earlier childhood. We conclude that whereas semantic complexity obstructs verbs from emerging in the lexicon in younger age groups, morphological complexity constitutes no such obstruction, since their perception as morphological devices is attained later in acquisition.
Does wearing facial masks increase perceived facial attractiveness? An eye-tracking experiment
Authors: Jeong Nan-Hee , Lee Junsik , Yun Ji-Chan , Park Do-Hyung , Park Se-Bum
Published: May 2023

As wearing a mask has become a routine of daily life since COVID-19, there is a growing need for psycho-physiological research to examine whether and how mask-fishing effects can occur and operate. Building upon a notion that people are likely to utilize information available from the facial areas uncovered by a mask to form the first impression about others, we posit a curvilinear relationship between the amount of the facial areas covered by a mask and the perception of others’ attractiveness such that the attractiveness perception increases initially and then decreases as more facial areas are covered by a mask. To better examine this covering effect, we conduct an experiment using an eye-tracker and also administer a follow-up survey on the facial attractiveness of target persons. Our results showed that the facial attractiveness of target persons increased as the areas covered by a mask increased as in the moderate covering condition where the target persons wore only a facial mask, demonstrating that the mask-fishing was indeed possible thanks to the covering effect of a mask on the facial attractiveness. The experimental results, however, revealed that the mask-fishing effect disappeared as the areas covered increased further as in the excessive covering condition where the target persons’ face and forehead were covered with a mask and a bucket hat. More importantly, the eye-tracking data analysis demonstrated that both the number of gaze fixation and revisits per unit area were significantly lower in the moderate covering than in the excessive covering condition, suggesting that participants in the moderate covering were able to form the impression about the target persons using cues available from the eyes and forehead areas such as hairstyle and eye color whereas those in the excessive covering were provided only a limited set of cues concentrated in the eyes area. As a result, the covering effect no longer existed under the excessive covering. Furthermore, our results showed that participants in the moderate covering were more likely than those in the excessive condition to exhibit the higher level of curiosity and perception of beautifulness but perceived the lower level of coldness when evaluating the target persons. The current research offers theoretical contributions and practical implications made from the eye-tracking experiment and discusses possible avenues for further research.