bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental factors affecting coastal and estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)
Authors: Eisemann Eve , Thomas Catherine , Balazik Matthew , Acevedo-Mackey Damarys , Altman Safra
Published: October 2021

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) growing in estuarine and coastal marine systems provides crucial ecosystem functions ranging from sediment stabilization to habitat and food for specific species. SAV systems, however, are sensitive to a number of environmental factors, both anthropogenic and natural. The most common limiting factors are light limitation, water quality, and salinity, as reported widely across the literature. These factors are controlled by a number of complex processes, however, varying greatly between systems and SAV populations. This report seeks to conduct an exhaustive examination of factors influencing estuarine and coastal marine SAV habitats and find the common threads that tie these ecosystems together. Studies relating SAV habitats in the United States to a variety of factors are reviewed here, including geomorphological and bathymetric characteristics, sediment dynamics, sedimentological characteristics, and water quality, as well as hydrologic regime and weather. Tools and methods used to assess each of these important factors are also reviewed. A better understanding of fundamental environmental factors that control SAV growth will provide crucial information for coastal restoration and engineering project planning in areas populated by SAVs.
Phenology of competitive interactions and implications for management of the invasive wetland plant Alternanthera philoxeroides
Authors: Harms Nathan , Cronin James
Published: October 2021

Phenological differences between invading plants and members of recipient communities may increase the success of invaders because of priority effects. Thus, the application of management when the invader has a phenological advantage (for example, early in the year) can benefit other species by increasing resource availability. This technical note summarizes results from a combination of field observations and a mesocosm experiment to explore whether phenological differences between the invasive wetland plant, alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides [Mart.] Grseb.), and resident species contribute to alligatorweed success. We documented over two years the early-season growth of alligatorweed and other species at 12 sites in Louisiana, USA. We then conducted a subsequent mesocosm competition experiment between alligatorweed and a common wetland emergent species, spotted lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa [L.] Small), over a full year to detect differences in timing of growth and competitive interactions under two fertilizer levels.
Abstract P-1: Analysis of Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus Single-particle Imaging on X-ray Free-electron Laser
Authors: Armeev Grigoriy , Shaytan Alexey , Vorovich Mikhail , Egorov Alexey , Ishmukhametov Aydar , Kirpichnikov Mikhail , Shaitan Konstantin
Published: October 2021

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a dangerous human pathogen which envelope structure is already known from cryoEM study. TBEV mature viral particle size (~50 nm in diameter) makes it suitable for single-particle imaging (SPI) on X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). XFEL SPI studies are at the early stages of development; thus, a well-described and conformationally homogeneous sample is required to develop approaches for experimental setup and data analysis. Here we present the image analysis results of data collected in October 2019 during the European XFEL experiment #2316. Methods: The detector was placed at 1.62 m from the injector; photon energy was around 6 keV, pulse energy 4 mJ, beam diameter ~ 500 nm. All runs were processed to detect hits with threshold filter (5th percentile of lit pixels) and further filtered to omit low-intensity images and images that lack detector modules. Filtered hits were background and geometry corrected with SPImage library and custom python scripts. Then hits were azimuthally integrated using PyFAI library. Scattering profiles were further clustered using the affinity propagation algorithm with cosine similarity metric in log space. Extracted classes were used to build averaged images. All hit profiles were fitted with model scattering to estimate the diameter of the particle. Simulated diffraction patterns were prepared using Condor from the cryoEM electron density map (EMDB ID 3752). Results: During the analysis after the filtering, only 276 clean and bright hits were collected per 135 min of injection (from 27287 hits detected via lit pixels threshold). Thus the hit rate was around ~ 2 hits/min, which is expected to rise in the future. The majority of hits correspond to the 40-50 nm particles (Fig. 1a), which is expected for TBEV. However, the exact size may vary due to solvent evaporation, ion condensation, and possible variability in the sample. Conclusion: The averaged images and their scattering profiles correlate with the simulated scattering patterns, though not ideally (Fig. 1 bc). Such discrepancy is expected due to the absence of electron density in the center of modeled viral structures.
Abstract P-12:Three-dimensional Structure of the Yeast Transmembrane Mechanosensor Wsc1
Authors: Karlova Maria , Voskoboynikova Natalia , Mulkidjanian Armen , Shaitan Konstantin , Steinhoff Heinz-Jürgen , Heinisch Jürgen , Sokolova Olga
Published: October 2021

Background: Wsc1 is the best studied of the five mechanosensors of the cell wall integrity (CWI) signal transduction pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In genetic and biophysical studies, Wsc1 functions were assessed either in living yeast cells or in crude cell extracts. So far, no attempts to purify the sensor and determine its structure have been reported. Methods: The Wsc1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion was expressed in S. cerevisiae following standard protocols. For solubilization, a 5% (w/v) solution of styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer was added dropwise to the membrane suspension to get a final cell-to-SMA weight ratio of 1:2.5. The suspension was incubated for 30 min at room temperature (RT) and then for 16 hours at 4 °C, followed by centrifugation for 20 min at 134000 g at 4 °C. The supernatant was subsequently purified on affinity resin. Protein samples (3 µL) were placed onto the glow-discharged grid, stained twice, using 1% aquatic uranyl acetate solution for 30 s at RT, and air-dried. Micrographs were acquired using a transmission electron microscope Jem-2100 (Jeol, Japan) equipped with a 2K x 2K CCD camera Ultrascan 1000XP (Gatan, USA). The microscope operated at 200 kV in a low dose mode, with a magnification x40000 (2.5 Å/pix) and defocus 0.5-1.9 µm. Images were acquired automatically with SerialEM software. Results: We applied the 3:1 SMA copolymer to isolate Wsc1-GFP fusions into SMA/lipid particles (SMALPs) directly from native yeast membranes. We purified Wsc1-GFP-containing SMALPs by affinity chromatography; characterization by dynamic light scattering confirmed the presence of monodisperse nano-sized particles. The intensity-weighted diameter was estimated to be in the 10-nm range. The purified Wsc1-GFP-containing SMALPs were further analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). 46500 single particles were used to generate the 3D reconstructions of Wsc1-GFP. The resulting model showed the three functional parts of the Wsc1 sensor: the extracellular part, which has a clasp-like appearance, the transmembrane domain, and the short cytosolic part of Wsc1 fused to the GFP beta-barrel. Conclusion: The 3:1 SMA copolymer enabled isolation of Wsc1-GFP fusion complexes into SMALPs directly from native yeast membranes. Image analysis of the TEM data showed the Wsc1 in its contracted conformation. We propose a model of conformational changes in Wsc1 in response to mechanical stress.
Abstract P-17: Photophysical Properties of Freely Diffusing and Immobilized Fluorescent Conjugate Based on Calcium-Binding Protein Recoverin and Alexa647 Dye
Authors: Zykov Ilia , Maslov Ivan , Zernii Evgeni , Permyakov Sergei , Gensch Thomas , Borshchevskiy Valentin
Published: October 2021

Background: Recoverin is a calcium sensor membrane-associated protein that inhibits rhodopsin kinase thereby participating in the regulation of visual transduction. Here we examined calcium-induced conformational changes in recoverin conjugated with fluorescent dye Alexa647. Methods: Photophysical properties of immobilized and freely diffusing recoverin were investigated using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. In solution, the formation and dissociation of the Ca2+-recoverin complex manifested as changes in Alexa647 spectra and the lifetime. In contrast, immobilization of recoverin on the microscopy glass via biotin–NeutrAvidin–biotinylated polyethylene glycol (PEG) tether inhibited changes in fluorescent signal. That can be provided by PEG as it prevented the calcium-induced changes in spectrum and lifetime of recoverin-bound Alexa647 in solution. The use of another immobilization facilitator, bovine serum albumin (BSA), did not affect calcium-induced changes in fluorescence of the conjugate in solution but produced the matrix, which was ineffective in recoverin immobilization. Results: Microscale thermophoresis demonstrated that biotinylated recoverin interacted with NeutrAvidin in solution indicating that immobilization affinity depended mainly on the geometry of the glass coating surface. Conclusion: Our results highlight the challenge of specific protein immobilization that does not affect protein functionality. By the example of recoverin, we showed that the employment of two common immobilization facilitators, PEG and BSA, yielded surfaces with different space geometry, which differently affect NeutrAvidin-based immobilization affinity as well as Ca2+-dependent conformational changes of the biotinylated protein.
Abstract P-25: High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structure of the Staphylococcus Aureus Ribosome Brings to Light New Possible Drug Targets
Authors: Golubev Alexander , Fatkhullin Bulat , Khusainov Iskander , Validov Shamil , Yusupov Marat , Usachev Konstantin
Published: October 2021

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a growing worldwide problem. One of the major resistant bacterial pathogens is Staphylococcus aureus, which became a burden of healthcare systems around the world. To overcome the issue, more drug discovery studies are needed. One of the main antibiotic targets is a ribosome – the central hub of protein synthesis. Structural data of the ribosome and its features are a crucial milestone for the effective development of new drugs, especially using structure-based drug design approaches. Apart from many small structural features, ribosome possesses rRNA modifications that play a role in the fine-tuning of protein synthesis. Detailed species-specific structural data of the S. aureus ribosome is also a useful model for understanding the resistance mechanisms. This information could help with the design of new antibiotics and the upgrading of old ones. The data on S. aureus ribosomal RNA modifications and corresponding modification enzymes are very limited. Our aim was to improve the current models of the S. aureus ribosome by determining its structure with functional ligands at a much higher resolution - thereby creating a foundation for structure-based drug design experiments and research of new drug targets. Methods: The S. aureus ribosome complex consists of three components: ribosome, fMet-tRNAfMet, mRNA and 70S ribosome. The complex from purified components was formed in vitro and applied to cryo-EM grids. Data was collected at Titan Krios with Gatan K2 detector (IGBMC, France). The data was processed and modeled in Relion 2.1, Chimera, Coot, and Phenix. Results: We determined the cryo-EM reconstruction at 3.2 Å resolution of the S. aureus ribosome with P-site tRNA, messenger RNA. Based on the experimental map and existing bioinformatic data, we at the first time identified and assigned 10 modifications of S. aureus rRNA. We analyzed the positions of rRNA modifications and their possible functions. Conclusion: In this study, we describe our structure of S. aureus ribosome with functional ligands. The present model is the highest resolution and most precise that is available at the moment. We propose a set of methyltransferases as targets for future drug discovery studies. The proposed methyltransferases and corresponding modifications may play an important role in protein synthesis and its regulation.
Abstract P-26: Staphylococcus Aureus 30S Ribosomal Subunit in a Complex with the Era GTPase: Sample Preparation for Cryo-EM
Authors: Klochkova Evelina , Bikmullin Aydar , Validov Shamil , Garaeva Natalia , Yusupov Marat , Usachev Konstantin
Published: October 2021

Background: An essential in bacteria GTPase Era is a multifunctional protein that is involved in cell cycle regulation and appears to play a significant role in ribosome biogenesis. It is required for the maturation of the 30S ribosomal subunit. Era consists of two domains: the GTPase N-terminal domain, conserved in the GTPase family, and a C-terminal RNA-binding KH domain. Era specifically binds to the 16S rRNA and stimulates processing of the small ribosomal subunit to its mature form. Precise determination of nucleotide and amino acid sequences in the active site of binding will help in finding specific ways to prevent this interaction. In this way, it will be possible to disrupt the biogenesis of the ribosome and, thereby, stop or slow down protein synthesis in the bacterial cell. It is very important in the fight against pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Methods: The His-tagged Era (His–Era) protein from S. aureus was expressed in E. coli BL21 strain and purified by Ni-NTA and SEC. The 30S ribosomal subunits were collected after dissociation of the S. aureus 70S ribosomes in sucrose gradient (0 – 30%). Complex 30S-Era was obtained by mixing in vitro 30S subunits and His–Era, incubated for 15 min at 37°C and followed by Ni-NTA purification to remove unbound 30S subunits. The presence of a stable 30S-Era complex has been confirmed by SDS-PAGE and agarose gel electrophoresis. The final sample quality was analyzed by negative staining EM. Results: For the first time in vitro 30S-Era complex from S. aureus was assembled and a sample was prepared for further structural studies by cryo-electron microscopy.
Abstract P-42: Structure of Hydrogels of an Anionic Polysaccharide Studied by Freeze-Fracture Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Shibaev Andrey , Smirnova Maria , Philippova Olga , Matveev Vladimir , Chalykh Anatoly
Published: October 2021

Background: Polysaccharide hydrogels draw attention due to the ability to form mechanically tough gels at low concentrations (typically 1 wt% or lower), combined with biocompatibility and biodegradability. Biopolymer hydrogels can be used as a matrix for cell growth, in order to obtain materials for the replacement of damaged tissues. “Physical” gels with macromolecules cross-linked by dynamic reversible cross-links are of great interest due to their self-healing ability. However, investigation of the native un-perturbed structure of such hydrogels presents a challenge, since they collapse upon drying, and present a difficulty for preparing a thin specimen for cryo-TEM experiments due to very high viscosity. The aim of this work is to study the native structure of hydrogels of an anionic polysaccharide – carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar (CMHPG) – cross-linked by borax. Methods: Freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) was conducted on a Phillips EM-301 microscope. A small volume of the sample (100 μl) was put into the copper cell and cooled down by liquid nitrogen, put under vacuum (10−5 torr) at continuous cooling with liquid nitrogen, and fractured. The surface was etched for 10–20 min at 10−5 torr and then replicated by spraying platinum and carbon. Results: The gels have a microphase-separated microstructure – a rather thick (several nm) polymer backbone is seen, which is presumably formed by multiple aggregated macromolecules, and meshes between the backbone do not contain polymer and are filled with solvent. Mesh size determined from the micrographs qualitatively coincides with the value determined from the elastic modulus of the gels. Upon increasing the concentrations of cross-linker, the network becomes denser: the mesh size becomes lower, and the thickness of the backbone increases. Thus, the addition of cross-linker favors the aggregation of polymer chains forming the backbone. Conclusion: It was shown by FF-TEM that cross-linked CMHPG gels have a microphase-separated structure with a dense backbone formed by polymer chains and rather large meshes between them.
Abstract P-5: Neural Network Approaches to Classify 3D Protein Structures from the Data of X-ray Laser Radiation Diffraction from Single Particles
Authors: Novoseletsky Valery , Lozhnikov Mikhail , Armeev Grigoriy , Kudriavtsev Aleksandr , Shaytan Alexey , Kobelkov Georgiy , Shaitan Konstantin
Published: October 2021

Background: Protein structure determination using X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) includes analysis and merging a large number of snapshot diffraction patterns. Convolutional neural networks are widely used to solve numerous computer vision problems, e.g. image classification, and can be used for diffraction pattern analysis. But the task of protein structure determination with the use of CNNs only is not yet solved. Methods: We simulated the diffraction patterns using the Condor software library and obtained more than 1000 diffraction patterns for each structure with simulation parameters resembling real ones. To classify diffraction patterns, we tried two approaches, which are widely known in the area of image classification: a classic VGG network and residual networks. Results: 1. Recognition of a protein class (GPCRs vs globins). Globins and GPCR-like proteins are typical α-helical proteins. Each of these protein families has a large number of representatives (including those with known structure) but we used only 8 structures from every family. 12,000 of diffraction patterns were used for training and 4,000 patterns for testing. Results indicate that all considered networks are able to recognize the protein family type with high accuracy. 2. Recognition of the number of protein molecules in the liposome. We considered the usage of lyposomes as carriers of membrane or globular proteins for sample delivery in XFEL experiments in order to improve the X-ray beam hit rate. Three sets of diffractograms for liposomes of various radius were calculated, including diffractograms for empty liposomes, liposomes loaded with 5 bacteriorhodopsin molecules, and liposomes loaded with 10 bacteriorhodopsin molecules. The training set consisted of 23625 diffraction patterns, and test set of 7875 patterns. We found that all networks used in our study were able to identify the number of protein molecules in liposomes independent of the liposome radius. Our findings make this approach rather promising for the usage of liposomes as protein carriers in XFEL experiments. Conclusion: Thus, the performed numerical experiments show that the use of neural network algorithms for the recognition of diffraction images from single macromolecular particles makes it possible to determine changes in the structure at the angstrom scale.
Atuação da Auditoria Interna nas Universidades Federais Brasileiras
Authors: Rodrigues Rubens Carlos , Veras Machado Marcus Vinicius
Published: October 2021

Objetivo do trabalho:

Analisar as atividades desenvolvidas, no âmbito das universidades públicas federais brasileiras, do ponto de vista da própria unidade.

 

Metodologia:

Esta pesquisa, do tipo censitária, possui natureza qualitativa e descritiva, utilizando-se de análise documental dos dados obtidos através da Lei de Acesso a Informações, do Plano Anual de Atividades de Auditoria Interna e Relatório Anual de Atividades de Auditoria Interna, organizados e tabulados por meio do software Excel®.

 

Resultados:

Nas 63 universidades federais pesquisadas foram planejadas 1.052 atividades e os resultados obtidos demonstram que as atividades desenvolvidas visam os Controles da Gestão e possuem como foco, principalmente, as auditorias de gestão e operacional. Mais de um terço das atividades desenvolvidas estão ligadas ao assessoramento a gestores, acompanhamento da implementação de recomendações dos órgãos de controle e emissão de relatórios, demonstrando a proatividade deste departamento com a gestão.

 

Originalidade:

Busca evidenciar as práticas deste órgão, mesmo que focada em seus componentes, em um ambiente que envolve grandes volumes financeiros e impactam no desenvolvimento da sociedade e produção de conhecimento.

 

Contribuições teóricas e práticas:

Comprova que o foco dos trabalhos desenvolvidos pela Auditoria Interna moderna não consiste somente em avaliar os controles internos, mas todo o processo de gestão de riscos e governança da entidade no intuito de atender as necessidades da organização e assessorá-la, conforme prevê a literatura acadêmica e normativa.
ROLE OF MEDIUM SUPPLEMENTATION OF GROWTH MODULATORS TO ALLEVIATE CADMIUM-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN MAIZE
Authors: Javaid Azka
Published: October 2021

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity has been a wide-spread phenomenon affecting plant metabolic functions due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species. This study was aimed at medium supplementation of optimized levels of growth modulators viz., salicylic acid (SA, 500 µM), ascorbic acid (AsA, 500 µM), thiourea (TU, 400 µM) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 100 µM) in improving Cd tolerance in maize (Zea mays L. hybrid P-1543) in sand culture under net house conditions. All treatments were applied in the growing medium by dissolving in water. Results revealed that Cd stress (1000 µM) severely reduced the shoot and root dry mass and leaf area per plant and endogenous production of osmoprotectants (soluble sugars, free proline and glycinebetaine), phenolic compounds (soluble phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins) and vitamins (ascorbic acid, niacin and riboflavin) in shoot and root tissues indicating that Cd was highly toxic to the metabolic pathways. However, medium supplementation of the selected growth modulators was quite effective in reversing the Cd toxicity effect. Among the medium supplemented compounds, SA and AsA were more effective in reversing the Cd toxicity effect than TU and H2O2. Presence of tight correlations of growth attributes with metabolites levels substantiated that medium supplementation was greatly effective in orchestrating the endogenous metabolite levels and supporting maize growth under Cd toxicity. A greater effectiveness of the SA, AsA and TU can be attributed to their molecular structure and physiological properties in scavenging ROS and reducing oxidative stress. The results may have great promise and practical implications for growing maize successfully in the marginally Cd contaminated soils.
Molecular profile to cancer cell line matchmaking
Authors: Reardon Brendan , Allen Eliezer Van
Published: October 2021

Profile-to-cell line matchmaking is a computational protocol to identify cancer cell lines that are genomically similar to a patient’s case profile. In doing so, high-throughput drug screens applied to the same cancer cell lines may be used for therapeutic hypothesis generation in research settings and potentially in clinical settings. To evaluate the metrics of the matchmaking, a hold-one-out approach of the considered cancer cell lines is applied, and molecular similarity models are assessed based on their ability to identify cancer cell lines that share therapeutic sensitivity.
Straw Checkerboard Barriers Improve Soil Characteristic and Growth Performance of Winter Cover Crops and Protect Sloping Land
Authors: Dehkordi Elahe Ahmadpoor , Surki Ali Abbasi , Pajouhesh Mehdi , Tahmasebi Pejman
Published: October 2021

Aims Finding how straw checkerboard barrier technology, as a sustainable and environment-friendly method, may affect soil chemical properties and water status despite wind erosion control directed us to evaluate this technique as a vital component of management plans in sloping lands of semi-arid areas. We were interested to know if it could support the soil capabilities to grow pilot plants and recover some ecological services via alleviate drought stress or amendment of soil attributes.Methods In order to study soil characteristic and growth performance of winter cover crops, an experiment was carried out in 2018. Checkerboards were setup in a 1×1 m pattern with rice residues. Seeds of sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa), rye (Secale montanum) and tall wheatgrass (Agropyron sp) were sown at the checkerboards and bare ground as the control. Detailed analyses include growth characteristics, physiological attributes i.e. photosynthetic pigment contents, proline and malondialdehyde contents and relative water contents of mentioned crops and the related soil properties during the growing season were carried out in borders and centers of the straw checkerboards and bare ground.Results Soil covered with straw checkerboard barriers was the most effective for improving vegetation growth and establishing taller plants with higher biomass. Based on the physiological analyses, the rye grown in straw checkerboard plots coped well with dry conditions. Higher proline content and more efficient osmotic adjustment indicates improvements of soil water retention status, which may alleviate drought stress damages and improve cover crop performance in straw checkerboard plots. Photosynthetic pigments also showed higher contents in checkerboards for rye. Soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, potassium and water storage increased in checkerboards too, however, such effects vary with the crop type. Conclusions straw checkerboards could be deemed as an effective management strategy in semi-arid areas, as an important method for conserving natural resources and sustaining productivity.
The Role of Growth Hormone and IGF-1 in Retinopathy: A Prospective Study of Retinopathy in Patients with Acromegaly and Impaired Fasting Glucose
Authors: Wu Tzu-En , Chen Harn-Shen
Published: October 2021

Aims
To investigate the effects of the GH-IGF-1 axis on the incidence and progression of retinopathy.
Methods
We enrolled 91 patients with acromegaly and 123 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) between 2008 and 2016 to examine the incidence and prevalence of retinopathy. Patients attended follow-ups in our clinics and underwent examinations according to the national guidelines for diabetes management. Both cohorts attended follow-ups until June 2019.
Results
Both groups had similar HbA1c, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. However, patients with acromegaly had higher GH (8.05±16.18 vs. 0.78±1.25 ng/mL) and IGF-1 (547.0±342.1 vs. 146.7±51.4 ng/mL) levels than in subjects with IFG. During the follow-up period, eight patients (8.8%) with acromegaly and 12 patients (9.8%) with IFG developed some degree of retinopathy. Three patients with acromegaly and two with IFG progressed to proliferative retinopathy. Patients with acromegaly had the same incidence of non-proliferative retinopathy (odds ratio [OR]: 0.830; 95% CI: 0.318–2.164) and a non-statistically significantly higher incidence of proliferative retinopathy (OR: 2.461; 95% CI: 0.404–14.988).
Conclusion
The data reveals that GH and IGF-1 might play a crucial role in the development of proliferative retinopathy and influence its progression. Therefore, we suggest screening patients with acromegaly should be similar to diabetes patients.
A Nested Qualitative Evaluation of User Experiences in a Randomized Trial of a Digital Intervention To Support Total-Skin-Self-Examination By Melanoma Survivors
Authors: Reilly Felicity , Wani Nuha , Hall Susan , Morgan Heather , Allan Julia , Murchie Peter , Constable Lynda
Published: October 2021

BackgroundMelanoma is a common cancer with a high survival rate, as well as a high chance of recurrence. Combined, this leads to a high burden of follow-up. Total-Skin-Self-Examination (TSSE) improves clinical outcomes of melanoma via early detection of new primaries and recurrences, and technology is an increasingly popular means of facilitating TSSE. Thus, the Achieving Self-directed Integrated Cancer Aftercare (ASICA) digital healthcare intervention was developed. Embedded within a randomised control trial (RCT), this nested study used qualitative interviews to explore in depth participants’ experiences of TSSE, their orientation toward technology and both participant and professionals’ practical and technical experiences of the ASICA intervention.MethodsSemi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken during the RCT with participants and the coordinating Dermatology Nurse Practitioner (DNP). Participants were purposively sampled to achieve a representative sample. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a Framework Analysis approach applied within NVivo12.ResultsTwenty-two interviews were completed with participants and one with the coordinating DNP. ASICA appeared to change participants’ perceptions of skin checking: users were more likely to report routinely performing TSSE thoroughly. There was some variation in beliefs about skin-checking and using technology for healthcare generally. Overall, ASICA was experienced positively by participants and the DNP. Several clear practical suggestions were made for how ASICA can be improved.ConclusionThe ASICA app appears to have positively influenced the attitudes and TSSE practices of melanoma survivors. Technical improvements are required, but the app offers promise for technologically enhanced melanoma follow-up in future.Trial RegistrationClinical Trials.gov, NCT03328247. Registered on 1 November 2017 - https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03328247?term=ASICA&rank=1
Multiple Factors Mediate Insecticide Toxicity To A Key Predator For Cotton Insect Pest Management
Authors: Potin Denner Manthay , Machado Anderson Vinnicius Arruda , Barbosa Paulo Roberto Ramos , Torres Jorge Braz
Published: October 2021

Mortality of agricultural pests caused by arthropod predators is a valuable ecosystem service for crop production. The earwig, Euborellia annulipes (Lucas), attacks different pest species in various crop ecosystems, including larvae and pupae of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis (Boh.). Despite such biological control, cotton pest management remains heavily dependent on synthetic insecticides. In this study, multiple factors were assessed to measure the selectivity of insecticides used against sap-sucking and chewing cotton pests for two E. annulipes populations. Nymphs and adults of E. annulipes were exposed to the insecticides in two ways: ingestion of contaminated prey, and contact with dried residues on either inert surfaces or treated plants bearing prey. Pymetrozine, chlorantraniliprole, and spinetoram had little effect on the predator regardless the tested earwig population, life stage, or the route of exposure. Cyantraniliprole affected the predator in some life stages and through some types of contact. Pyriproxyfen was harmless to adult earwigs, but prevented normal development of nymphs to adults. Chlorfenapyr, indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, and malathion were harmful to the predator regardless earwig life stage or method of exposure. The negative impact was diminished when exposure occurred on plants with predator allowed to shelter in the soil. The results indicate that insecticide selectivity outcome is a multi-factor driven by the insecticide, predator life stage and the redator’s behavior. Therefore, testing different predator life stages via several routes of exposure, without denying the insect the opportunity to engage in its normal behaviors can provide better estimates of insecticide selectivity.
High TROAP Expression Correlates With Shorter Survival in Patients With Glioma: A Study Based on Multiple Data Fusion Analysis
Authors: Liu Zhendong , Liu Runze , Cheng Xingbo , Lian Xiaoyu , Zhu Yongjie , Ren Zhishuai , Liu Binfeng , Gao Yanzheng
Published: October 2021

Trophinin-associated protein (TROAP) was originally identified to mediate the embryo transfer process and participate in the regulation of microtubules but was later found to be associated with the biological behavior of various types of cancers. However, there is limited information about the role of TROAP in glioma. In this study, thousands of glioma samples were obtained from multiple independent datasets to detect changes in TROAP mRNA and protein expression levels in glioma, we found that compared with normal brain tissues, the expression of TROAP in glioma was significantly increased at both levels. Then, the correlations between TROAP and clinical characteristics and prognosis in glioma were revealed through a series of bioinformatics analysis methods. The overexpression of TROAP was an independent risk factor for glioma and was associated with a reduced overall survival rate of glioma patients. In addition, TROAP had value for determining the prognosis of patients, especially patients with WHO grade III glioma. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the expression level of TROAP in glioma cell lines. Subsequently, GSEA identified homologous recombination, cell cycle and p53 signalling pathways as differentially enriched with the high TROAP expression phenotype. Finally, four drugs that may inhibit TROAP expression and have potential therapeutic value for glioma were screened out through CMap website: bezafibrate, clobetasol, scriptaid, and thioguanosine. In conclusion, TROAP, as a new oncogene, leads to poor prognosis of glioma patients, and as a highly specific biomarker, provides the possibility for individual clinical treatment of glioma patients.
What Is the Relationship Between the Breech Presentation and Femoral Trochlear Dysplasia? An Experimental Study of the Breech Presentation Model in Neonatal Rats
Authors: Li Weifeng , Wang Shengjie , Tang Shiyu , Dong Zhenyue , Wang Fei
Published: October 2021

Background: The relationship between breech presentation and trochlear dysplasia had been confirmed. However, the pathological process of breech-related trochlear dysplasia remain unclear. This study aimed to establish an animal model to simulate breech presentation and to analyze the pathological process of the femoral trochlea.Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty neonatal rats were randomly assigned into a control group and two experimental groups that were swaddled (using surgical tape) to keep the hip flexed and knees extended to simulate human breech presentation for the 5 days (short Swaddling) and the 10 days (prolonged Swaddling) of life. Gross and cross-sectional observation, histological staining measurement in two experimental time points (5, 10 days after birth) were conducted to evaluate the morphological changes of the femoral trochlea.Results: The incidence of trochlear dysplasia increased with the Swaddling time. Rats in the prolonged Swaddling group had the high prevalence of trochlea dysplasia (52 of 60), followed by short Swaddling group (42 of 60). Gross and cross-sectional observation showed a shallower trochlea groove in two experimental groups. Histologicalstaining measurement indicated that the trochlear sulcus angle and trochlear sulcus depth were significantly different between the experimental group and the control group since day 5 and day 10. Conclusion: In this model, breech presentation had a adverse influence on neonatal knees and could induce trochlear dysplasia. What is more, this study also showed that the more time in breech presentation, the more incidence of trochlear dysplasia.
Spatio-Temporal Changes in Ecology and Fisheries in a Tropical Large Indian Reservoir: Insights From a Long‐Term Data Series For Sustainable Development
Authors: Parida Pranaya Kumar , Lianthuamluaia Lianthuamluaia , Kayal Tania , Das Basanta Kumar , Sarkar Uttam Kumar , Koushlesh Satish , Behera Bijay Kumar
Published: October 2021

The geographic information systems (GIS) play an important role in all geospatial aspects of assessment, monitoring and management of inland open water resources for strategic development in fisheries sector. In India, reservoir fisheries development is one of the flagship programme and several initiatives have been taken up towards enhancement and sustainable development. The present study investigates spatio-temporal changes in ecology and fisheries in Hirakud reservoir, Odisha build across river Mahanadi which features one of the largest dam in South Asia. The reservoir is mainly utilized for electricity generation, irrigation and offers tremendous scope to support fisheries and livelihood. As per the seasonal variation analysis, water spread area was at the minimum during premonsoon period. Most of the water quality parameters including nitrate, phosphate, BOD and alkalinity were higher in the premonsoon period and overall the parameters were under favourable range for fisheries. The present investigation from the fish landing sites of the reservoir, recorded merely 40 fish species, indicating loss of fish diversity as compared to the historical reports. The IUCN conservation status showed that among the 40 species only one species, Wallago attu is under VU category and 4 species Chitala chitala, Ompok bimaculatus, Ailia colia and Bagarius bagarius are under NT category. The analysis of time series annual fish catch data using ARIMA model forecasted the increasing trend of fish production. The water quality parameters were presented in GIS platform for better understanding of the spatial variations over time. Habitat protection of fish breeding grounds, closed seasons, mesh size regulations, scientific management and community participation are recommended as the measures for conservation of fish diversity and sustainable enhancement of fish production in the reservoir.
AgNPs Improved Feather Keratin Based Bio-Membrane
Authors: Ding Jiao , Lai Ruihao , Chen Wenjie , Zhu Guodian , He Ming , Huang Suqing , Yin Guoqiang
Published: October 2021

AgNPs (Silver Nanoparticles) is successfully prepared and then loaded into feather keratin (FK) based bio-membrane by electrospinning. The morphology, thermal stability, mechanical properties and bacteriostatic activity of the as-prepared AgNPs/FK/PVA bio-membrane are completely developed in this study. Microstructure show that the AgNPs has been dispersed in FK-based bio-membrane without agglomeration. The results suggest that the addition of AgNPs enhanced effectively the performances of FK-based bio-membrane, and the appropriate amount of AgNPs is 1%-2%. The combination of AgNPs and FK can not only ensure the uniform dispersion and antibacterial stability of AgNPs, but also give play to the biocompatibility effect of FK, which makes it natural, safe, stable and degradable, and broaden its application in the field of biomedicine.
Medial Prefrontal and Occipito-Temporal Activity At Encoding Determine Enhanced Recognition of Threatening Faces After 1.5 Years
Authors: LIU Xiqin , Zhou Xinqi , Zeng Yixu , Li Jialin , Zhao Weihua , Xu Lei , Zheng Xiaoxiao , Fu Meina , Yao Shuxia , Cannistraci Carlo V. , Kendrick Keith M. , Becker Benjamin
Published: October 2021

Studies demonstrated that faces with threatening emotional expressions are better remembered than non-threatening faces. However, whether this memory advantage persists over years and which neural systems underlie such an effect remains unknown. Here, we employed an individual difference approach to examine whether the neural activity during incidental encoding was associated with differential recognition of faces with emotional expressions (angry, fearful, happy, sad and neutral) after a retention interval of > 1.5 years (N = 89). Behaviorally, we found a better recognition for threatening (angry, fearful) versus non-threatening (happy and neutral) faces after a > 1.5 years delay, which was driven by forgetting of non-threatening faces compared with immediate recognition after encoding. Multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) on the behavioral responses further confirmed the discriminative recognition performance between threatening and non-threatening faces. A voxel-wise whole-brain analysis on the concomitantly acquired functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) data during incidental encoding revealed that neural activity in bilateral inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) and ventromedial prefrontal/orbitofrontal cortex (vmPFC/OFC) was associated with the individual differences in the discriminative emotional face recognition performance measured by an innovative behavioral pattern similarity analysis (BPSA) based on inter-subject correlation (ISC). The left fusiform face area (FFA) was additionally determined using a regionally focused analysis. Overall, the present study provides evidence that threatening facial expressions lead to persistent face recognition over periods of > 1.5 years and differential encoding-related activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and occipito-temporal cortex may underlie this effect.
Role of Exogenous-Applied Salicylic Acid, Zinc And Glycine Betaine To Improve Drought-Tolerance In Wheat During Reproductive Growth Stages
Authors: Shemi Ramadan , Wang Rui , Gheith El-Sayed M.S. , Hussain Hafiz Athar , Cholidah Linna , Zhang Kangping , Zhang Sai , Wang Longchang
Published: October 2021

Background: Drought has become a dangerous threat to reduce crop productivity throughout the world. Exogenous application of regulators, micronutrients, or osmoprotectants for inducing drought-tolerance in field crops has been effectively adopted. A controlled pot study was performed to investigate the relative efficacy of salicylic acid (SA), zinc (Zn), and glycine betaine (GB) as foliar applications on the growth, tissues pigments content, relative water content (RWC), leaf gas exchange, antioxidant enzymes activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, osmolytes contents and the yield parameters of wheat plants subjected to two soil water conditions (85% field capacity: well-watered, 50% field capacity: water-deficient) during reproductive growth stages.Results: Water deficient conditions significantly decreased the growth, yield parameters, RWC, photosynthesis pigment, and gas exchange attributes except for intercellular CO2 concentration. However, foliar applications remarkably improved the growth parameters under water deficit conditions. Drought stress statistically increased the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion radical (O2 •−), and malonaldehyde (MDA), and elevated the harmful oxidation to cell lipids in plants, however, they were considerably reduced by foliar applications. Activities of all antioxidant enzymes, proline content, and soluble sugar were increased in response to foliar applications under water deficit conditions.Conclusions: Overall, foliar application of GB, SA, and Zn compounds improved the drought-tolerance in wheat by decreasing the ROS accumulation, promoting enzymatic antioxidants, and increasing osmolytes accumulation. Finally, GB treatment was most effective in thoroughly assessed parameters of wheat followed by SA and Zn applications to alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress.
Complications After Lymph Node Dissection Along Bilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerves Through Right Thoracic Approach in the Patients With Thoracic Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Yuan Ligong , Li Feng , Mao Yousheng , He Jie , Gao Shugeng , Xue Qi
Published: October 2021

Background: Extensive lymph nodes dissection can improve the accuracy of tumor staging and prognosis of the patients with thoracic esophageal cancer, palsy of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) caused by the lymph node (LN) dissection along RLN chain also increase postoperative complications and may affect the prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the associated postoperative complications after LN dissection along RLNs in the patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC).Methods: 339 eligible patients with thoracic ESCC who underwent radical McKeown or Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy by open or VATS procedures through right thoracic approach with LN dissection along bilateral RLNs were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to assess the correlation of RLN paralysis (RLNP) with other post-operative complications. Results: 39 of the 339 patients were diagnosed with RLNP (11.5%) postoperatively. The incidence of RLNP in three-field (3FL) LN dissection was significantly higher than that in the two-field (2FL) LN dissection ( 24.0% vs 8.0%, P＜0.001). Compared with the patients without RLNP, the patients with it had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage (P=0.029), pulmonary complications (P=0.001) and much longer hospital stay (P=0.001). Two patients died of respiratory failure within 30 days caused by RLNP and were treated by reintubation. Conclusion: RLNP after LN dissection along bilateral RLN in thoracic ESCC was associated with much higher morbidity such as pulmonary complications, anastomotic leakage, and much longer hospital stay. New technologies are required to reduce RLNP incidence and its associated complications.
Compact artificial neuron based on anti-ferroelectric transistor
Authors: Cao Rongrong , Zhang Xumeng , Liu Sen , Lu Jikai , Wang Yongzhou , Yang Yang , Sun Yize , Wei Wei , Wang Jianlu , Xu Hui , Li Qingjiang , Liu Qi
Published: October 2021

Neuromorphic machines based on spiking neural networks (SNNs) provide a more fascinating platform over traditional computers on building energy-efficient intelligent systems, in which spiking neuron are pivotal components. Recently, memristive neurons, with promising bio-plausibility and density, have been developed, but with limited reliability or bulky capacitors for integration or additional circuits for reset. Here, we propose a novel anti-ferroelectric field-effect transistor (AFeFET) neuron based on the inherent polarization and depolarization of Hf0.2Zr0.8O2 anti-ferroelectric film to meet these challenges. In this neuron, the intrinsic polarization accumulation effect in the Hf0.2Zr0.8O2 film increases the channel current of AFeFET gradually, which implements the integration feature of the neuronal membrane and avoids using external capacitors. Also, the spontaneous depolarization effect in AFeFET emulates the leaky behavior of neurons, saving the hardware overhead of neuron circuits by getting rid of external reset circuits. Moreover, the AFeFET neuron exhibits other comprehensive merits, such as low energy consumption (37 fJ/spike), excellent endurance (>1012), high uniformity and high stability. Using such an AFeFET neuron, we further construct a two-layer fully ferroelectric (784×400×10) SNN combining established FeFET synapse, achieving 96.8% recognition accuracy on MNIST datasets. This work opens the way to emulate spiking neurons with anti-ferroelectric materials and provides a more competitive approach to build high efficient neuromorphic hardware systems.