bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immune and oxidative stress disorder in ovulation-dysfunction women revealed by single-cell transcriptome
Authors: Qi Lingbin , Li Yumei , Zhang Lina , Li Shuyue , Zhang Xunyi , Li Wanqiong , Qin Jiaying , Chen Xian , Ji Yazhong , Xue Zhigang , Lv Bo
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Ovulation dysfunction is now a widespread cause of infertility around the world. Although the impact of immune cells in human reproduction has been widely investigated, systematic understanding of the changes of the immune atlas under female ovulation remain less understood.

Methods

Here, we generated single cell transcriptomic profiles of 80,689 PBMCs in three representative statuses of ovulation dysfunction, i.e., polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and menopause (MENO), and identified totally 7 major cell types and 25 subsets of cells.

Results

Our study revealed distinct cluster distributions of immune cells among individuals of ovulation disorders and health. In patients with ovulation dysfunction, we observed a significant reduction in populations of naïve CD8 T cells and effector memory CD4 T cells, whereas circulating NK cells and regulatory NK cells increased.

Discussion

Our results highlight the significant contribution of cDC-mediated signaling pathways to the overall inflammatory response within ovulation disorders. Furthermore, our data demonstrated a significant upregulation of oxidative stress in patients with ovulation disorder. Overall, our study gave a deeper insight into the mechanism of PCOS, POI, and menopause, which may contribute to the better diagnosis and treatments of these ovulatory disorder.
Marine wildlife in Brazilian zoohandicrafts: assessing the expansion of an uncontrolled trade
Authors: Ruenes Greicy F. , Zalmon Ilana Rosental , Novelli Ronaldo , Vidal Marcelo D. , Siciliano Salvatore
Published: December 2023

The trade of wild animal parts as souvenirs, hereafter termed zoohandicrafts, has witnessed significant growth in Brazil due to increasing tourism and the associated demand for souvenirs. This study aimed to investigate the diversity of marine wildlife traded as zoohandicrafts along the Brazilian coast, identify the prevalent categories for these products, and assess the extent of this trade across the country. Sampling was conducted in 23 markets at tourist destinations, covering 11 states from the Northern, Northeastern, Southeastern, and Southern regions of Brazil, between 2017 and 2022. A total of 160 items or voucher specimens were examined, revealing the presence of 68 invertebrate species and two fishes. Statistical analysis indicated significant variations in the number of species across different categories of use and within the visited states and regions. Several species were found to serve multiple purposes. Whole mollusk shells constituted the most frequently traded item, with 58 identified species. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed two distinct groups—one including species with diverse uses in all regions of Brazil and the other encompassing species predominantly associated with decoration and religious purposes—particularly in the Northeastern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. An increasing diversity of species and a lower frequency of use were observed in the Southeastern region, relative to the Northeastern region. Approximately 20% of the species recorded are exclusively from the Indo-Pacific Ocean and are regarded as non-native to Brazil. Only 12 of the species were listed in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and two are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This research sheds light on the status of the zoohandicraft trade in Brazil and highlights the lack of regulatory measures, the potential threats posed to biodiversity loss, and the economic importance of these species for people’s livelihoods. Further investigations are required to gain a comprehensive understanding of the actual social, economic, and ecological impacts of the trade in zoohandicrafts in Brazil and to devise strategies that promote both conservation and the socioeconomic wellbeing of all people involved in this commerce, from sourcing, production, distribution, and sale.
A deep learning approach for object detection of rockfish in challenging underwater environments
Authors: Liu Mingxin , Jiang Wencheng , Hou Mingxin , Qi Zihua , Li Ruixin , Zhang Chun
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Preserving the marine ecological environment and safeguarding marine species is a global priority. However, human overfishing has led to a drastic decline in fish species with longer growth cycles, disrupting the equilibrium of the marine ecosystem. To address this issue, researchers are turning to deep learning techniques and state-of-the-art underwater devices, such as underwater robots, to explore the aquatic environment and monitor the activities of endangered populations. This approach has emerged as a focal point of recent research in protecting the marine ecological environment. This study employs a deep learning-based object detection algorithm to identify fish species in complex underwater environments.

Methods

The algorithm is built upon the You Only Look Once version 7(YOLOv7) algorithm, with the addition of the attention mechanism Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) in the network’s backbone. CBAM enhances the feature maps through the fusion of spatial attention and channel attention, ultimately improving the robustness and accuracy of the model’s inference by replacing the original loss function CIoU with SCYLLAIntersection over Union(SIoU). In this paper, the rockfish pictures in the dataset Label Fishes in the Wild published by the National Marine Fisheries Service are selected, and the underwater image enhancement model (UWCNN) is introduced to process the pictures.

Result

The experimental results show that the mean average precision (mAP) value of the improved model on the test set is 94.4%, which is 3.5% higher than the original YOLOv7 model, and the precision and recall rate are 99.1% and 99%, respectively. The detection performance of the algorithm in the field of complex underwater environment is improved.

Discussion

The underwater fish detection scheme proposed in this study holds significant practical value and significance in promoting the conservation of marine ecosystems and the protection of fish species.
Recommendations for the individualised management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in adults
Authors: Ávila Ana , Cao Mercedes , Espinosa Mario , Manrique Joaquín , Morales Enrique
Published: December 2023

Background

Despite significant advances in therapeutic management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), guidelines are not timely updated and achieving a consensus on management recommendations remains a topic of ongoing discussion.

Methods

A Scientific Committee with five experts was set up. A literature review was conducted and publications addressing the classification of aHUS, patient profiles and therapeutic approach were selected. Recommendations were proposed at an initial meeting, evaluated through an online questionnaire and validated during a second meeting.

Results

Patients with confirmed or clear suspicion of aHUS should be treated with C5 inhibitors within 24 h of the diagnosis or suspicion of aHUS. Treatment monitoring and the decision to interrupt treatment should be individualised according to the risk of relapse and each patient’s evolution. aHUS with a genetic variant or associated with pregnancy should be treated for at least 6–12 months; de novo aHUS associated with kidney transplant until renal function is recovered and genetic variants are ruled out; aHUS associated with malignant hypertension until genetic variants are ruled out; aHUS associated with non-kidney transplant, autoimmune diseases, infection-or drug-induced until the thrombotic microangiopathy is resolved. Patients with a high risk of relapse should be treated for longer than 6–12 months.

Conclusion

These recommendations provides physicians who are not familiar with the disease with recommendations for the management of aHUS in adults. The experts who participated advocate early treatment, maintenance for at least 6–12 months and treatment interruption guided by genetic background, trigger factors, risk of relapse and evolution.
The role of intra- and interdialytic sodium balance and restriction in dialysis therapies
Authors: Lew Susie Q. , Asci Gulay , Rootjes Paul A. , Ok Ercan , Penne Erik L. , Sam Ramin , Tzamaloukas Antonios H. , Ing Todd S. , Raimann Jochen G.
Published: December 2023

The relationship between sodium, blood pressure and extracellular volume could not be more pronounced or complex than in a dialysis patient. We review the patients’ sources of sodium exposure in the form of dietary salt intake, medication administration, and the dialysis treatment itself. In addition, the roles dialysis modalities, hemodialysis types, and dialysis fluid sodium concentration have on blood pressure, intradialytic symptoms, and interdialytic weight gain affect patient outcomes are discussed. We review whether sodium restriction (reduced salt intake), alteration in dialysis fluid sodium concentration and the different dialysis types have any impact on blood pressure, intradialytic symptoms, and interdialytic weight gain.
Markers of oxidative stress during post-COVID-19 fatigue: a hypothesis-generating, exploratory pilot study on hospital employees
Authors: Hofmann Hanna , Önder Alexandra , Becker Juliane , Gröger Michael , Müller Markus M. , Zink Fabian , Stein Barbara , Radermacher Peter , Waller Christiane
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Post-COVID-19 fatigue is common after recovery from COVID-19. Excess formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to oxidative stress-related mitochondrial dysfunction is referred to as a cause of these chronic fatigue-like symptoms. The present observational pilot study aimed to investigate a possible relationship between the course of ROS formation, subsequent oxidative stress, and post-COVID-19 fatigue.

Method

A total of 21 post-COVID-19 employees of the General Hospital Nuremberg suffering from fatigue-like symptoms were studied during their first consultation (T1: on average 3 months after recovery from COVID-19), which comprised an educational talk on post-COVID-19 symptomatology and individualized outpatient strategies to resume normal activity, and 8 weeks thereafter (T2). Fatigue severity was quantified using the Chalder Fatigue Scale together with a health survey (Patient Health Questionnaire) and self-report on wellbeing (12-Item Short-Form Health Survey). We measured whole blood superoxide anion (O2•-) production rate (electron spin resonance, as a surrogate for ROS production) and oxidative stress-induced DNA strand breaks (single cell gel electrophoresis: “tail moment” in the “comet assay”).

Results

Data are presented as mean ± SD or median (interquartile range) depending on the data distribution. Differences between T1 and T2 were tested using a paired Wilcoxon rank sign or t-test. Fatigue intensity decreased from 24 ± 5 at T1 to 18 ± 8 at T2 (p < 0.05), which coincided with reduced O2•- formation (from 239 ± 55 to 195 ± 59 nmol/s; p < 0.05) and attenuated DNA damage [tail moment from 0.67 (0.36–1.28) to 0.32 (0.23–0.71); p = 0.05].

Discussion

Our pilot study shows that post-COVID-19 fatigue coincides with (i) enhanced O2•- formation and oxidative stress, which are (ii) reduced with attenuation of fatigue symptoms.
Mass mortality of the keratose sponge Sarcotragus foetidus in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) correlates with proliferation of Vibrio bacteria in the tissues
Authors: Dinçtürk Ezgi , Öndes Fikret , Leria Laia , Maldonado Manuel
Published: December 2023

In the last two decades, episodes of mass mortality in benthic communities have often been associated with climatic anomalies, but the ultimate mechanisms through which they lead to death have rarely been identified. This study reports a mass mortality of wild sponges in the Aegean Sea (Turkey, Eastern Mediterranean), which affected the keratose demosponge Sarcotragus foetidus in September 2021. We examined the occurrence of thermo-dependent bacteria of the genus Vibrio in the sponges, identified through 16S rRNA of colonies isolated from sponge tissue in specific culturing media. Six Vibrio sequences were identified from the sponges, three of them being putatively pathogenic (V. fortis, V. owensii, V. gigantis). Importantly, those Vibrios were isolated from only tissues of diseased sponges. In contrast, healthy individuals sampled in both summer and winter led to no Vibrio growth in laboratory cultures. A 50 years record of sea surface temperature (SST) data for the study area reveals a progressive increase in temperature from 1970 to 2021, with values above 24°C from May to September 2021, reaching an absolute historical maximum of 28.9°C in August 2021. We hypothesize that such elevated SST values maintained for several months in 2021 promoted proliferation of pathogenic Vibrio species (thermo-dependent bacteria) in S. foetidus, triggering or aggravating the course of sponge disease. Thus, vibrioisis emerges as one of the putative mechanisms through which global water warming in the Mediterranean Sea translates into sponge mortality. The historical time course of temperature data for the studied area in the Aegean Sea predicts that recurrent waves of elevated SST are likely to occur in the coming summers. If so, recurrent disease may eventually eliminate this abundant sponge from the sublittoral in the midterm, altering the original bathymetric distribution of the species and compromising its ecological role.
Hydrogen bonding in duplex DNA probed by DNP enhanced solid-state NMR N-H bond length measurements
Authors: Bhai Lakshmi , Thomas Justin K. , Conroy Daniel W. , Xu Yu , Al-Hashimi Hashim M. , Jaroniec Christopher P.
Published: December 2023

Numerous biological processes and mechanisms depend on details of base pairing and hydrogen bonding in DNA. Hydrogen bonds are challenging to quantify by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM due to difficulty of visualizing hydrogen atom locations but can be probed with site specificity by NMR spectroscopy in solution and the solid state with the latter particularly suited to large, slowly tumbling DNA complexes. Recently, we showed that low-temperature dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enhanced solid-state NMR is a valuable tool for distinguishing Hoogsteen base pairs (bps) from canonical Watson-Crick bps in various DNA systems under native-like conditions. Here, using a model 12-mer DNA duplex containing two central adenine-thymine (A-T) bps in either Watson-Crick or Hoogsteen confirmation, we demonstrate DNP solid-state NMR measurements of thymine N3-H3 bond lengths, which are sensitive to details of N-H···N hydrogen bonding and permit hydrogen bonds for the two bp conformers to be systematically compared within the same DNA sequence context. For this DNA duplex, effectively identical TN3-H3 bond lengths of 1.055 ± 0.011 Å and 1.060 ± 0.011 Å were found for Watson-Crick A-T and Hoogsteen A (syn)-T base pairs, respectively, relative to a reference amide bond length of 1.015 ± 0.010 Å determined for N-acetyl-valine under comparable experimental conditions. Considering that prior quantum chemical calculations which account for zero-point motions predict a somewhat longer effective peptide N-H bond length of 1.041 Å, in agreement with solution and solid-state NMR studies of peptides and proteins at ambient temperature, to facilitate direct comparisons with these earlier studies TN3-H3 bond lengths for the DNA samples can be readily scaled appropriately to yield 1.083 Å and 1.087 Å for Watson-Crick A-T and Hoogsteen A (syn)-T bps, respectively, relative to the 1.041 Å reference peptide N-H bond length. Remarkably, in the context of the model DNA duplex, these results indicate that there are no significant differences in N-H···N A-T hydrogen bonds between Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen bp conformers. More generally, high precision measurements of N-H bond lengths by low-temperature DNP solid-state NMR based methods are expected to facilitate detailed comparative analysis of hydrogen bonding for a range of DNA complexes and base pairing environments.
Mapping knowledge structure and themes trends of cancer-associated fibroblasts: a text-mining study
Authors: Cheng Kunming , Li Wanqing , Wu Haiyang , Li Cheng
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute an important component of the tumor microenvironment, participating in various facets of cancer advancement and being recognized as contributors to tumor immune evasion. The role of CAFs in various tumor types has attracted increasing attention recently. In this work, we conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to uncover research trajectories and highlight emerging areas in the field of CAFs.

Methods: A systematic search was performed within the Web of Science Core Collection to identify articles/reviews on CAFs published between 2000 and 2023. Leveraging advanced bibliometric tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and online website, we examined and visualized publication trends, geographic contributions, institutional affiliations, journal prominence, author collaborations, and noteworthy references, keywords, and genes.

Results: Our analysis included 5,190 publications, indicating a rapid growth trend in both annual publications and citations related to CAFs. China and the United States emerged as the foremost contributors in terms of publications, funding agencies, and international collaborations. Breast cancer was the most studied tumor, followed by colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and gastric cancer. Based on co-occurrence and bursting keywords, we identified the following research topics including immune cells (T cells, B-cells, tumor-associated macrophages), tumor immune microenvironment (antitumor immunity, immune infiltration, immunosuppression), immunotherapy (PD-L1), microRNAs (miRNA), extracellular vesicles (exosome), multiple tumors (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, bladder cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma), antitumor agents (gemcitabine, cisplatin resistance), bioinformatics (pan-cancer), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (stemness), FAPI PET/CT, DNA methylation, etc., may receive sustained attention in the future. Furthermore, TGFB1, IL-6, TNF, TP53, and VEGFA emerged as the top 5 genes that have garnered the greatest research attention in the field of CAFs. The KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted that the top 20 most studied genes were mainly associated with HIF-1 and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways.

Discussion: In sum, our bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in the field of CAFs. It encompasses the current state, evolving patterns, and prospective avenues of exploration, with special attention to the potential advancements in tumor immune microenvironment.
Focus on post-exertional malaise when approaching ME/CFS in specialist healthcare improves satisfaction and reduces deterioration
Authors: Wormgoor Marjon E. A. , Rodenburg Sanne C.
Published: December 2023

Background

Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is considered a hallmark characteristic of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This may also apply to subgroups of patients with long COVID-induced ME/CFS. However, it is uncertain to what extent PEM is acknowledged in routine specialist healthcare for ME/CFS patients, and how this affects patient outcomes.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate to what extent ME/CFS patients experienced focus on PEM in specialist healthcare practice and its significance for outcome and care quality.

Methods

Data from two online cross-sectional surveys covering specialist healthcare services for ME/CFS patients at rehabilitation institutes in Norway and two regional hospitals, respectively, were analyzed. Evaluations of 788 rehabilitation stays, 86 hospital consultations, and 89 hospital interventions were included. Logistic regression models and Mann–Whitney U-tests were used to quantify the impact of addressing PEM on health and functioning, care satisfaction, or benefit. Spearman’s rank correlation and Cronbach’s alpha of focus on PEM with the respondents’ perception of healthcare providers’ knowledge, symptom acknowledgment, and suitability of intervention were assessed as measures for care quality and their internal consistency, respectively.

Results

PEM was addressed in 48% of the rehabilitation stays, 43% of the consultations, and 65% of the hospital interventions. Failure to address PEM roughly doubled the risk of health deterioration, following rehabilitation (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.29–0.52; 40.1% vs. 63.2% P = <0.001) and hospital intervention (OR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.89; 22.4% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.026). The focus on PEM (PEM-focus) during the clinical contact was associated with significantly higher scores on patients’ rated care satisfaction and benefit of both consultation and intervention. Furthermore, addressing PEM was (inter)related to positive views about healthcare providers’ level of knowledge of ME/CFS, their acknowledgment of symptoms, obtained knowledge, and the perceived suitability of intervention (Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.80).

Discussion

PEM is still frequently not acknowledged in specialist healthcare practice for ME/CFS patients in Norway. Not addressing PEM substantially increased the probability of a decline in health and functioning following the intervention and was strongly associated with reduced perceived care quality, satisfaction, and benefit. These findings may be related to the applied explanatory models for ME/CFS and are most likely of relevance to long COVID.
Knowledge mapping of idiopathic scoliosis genes and research hotspots (2002–2022): a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Ru Like , Zheng Hong , Lian Wenjun , Zhao Shuying , Fan Qimeng
Published: December 2023

Background

The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) remains unclear. Gene-based studies on genetic etiology and molecular mechanisms have improved our understanding of IS and guided treatment and diagnosis. Therefore, it is imperative to explicate and demarcate the preponderant areas of inquiry, key scholars, and their aggregate scholarly output, in addition to the collaborative associations amongst publications or researchers.

Methods

Documents were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) with the following criteria: TS = (“idiopathic scoliosis” AND gene) refined by search operators (genomic OR “hereditary substance” OR “germ plasm” OR Cistrons OR genetics OR genetic OR genes OR Polygenic OR genotype OR genome OR allele OR polygenes OR Polygene) AND DOCUMENT TYPES (ARTICLE OR REVIEW), and the timespan of 2002-01-01 to 2022-11-26. The online bibliometric analysis platform (bibliometric), bibliographic item co-occurrence matrix builder (BICOMB), CiteSpace 6.1. R6 and VOS viewer were used to evaluate articles for publications, nations, institutions, journals, references, knowledge bases, keywords, and research hotspots.

Results

A total of 479 documents were retrieved from WoSCC. Fourty-four countries published relevant articles. The country with the most significant number of articles was China, and the institution with the most significant number of articles was Nanjing University. Citation analysis formed eight meaningful clusters and 16 high-frequency keywords. (2) The citation knowledge map included single nucleotide polymorphisms, whole exome sequencing, axonal dynamin, drug development, mesenchymal stem cells, dietary intake, curve progression, zebrafish development model, extracellular matrix, and rare variants were the current research hotspots and frontiers.

Conclusions

Recent research has focused on IS-related genes, whereas the extracellular matrix and unusual variants are research frontiers and hotspots. Functional analysis of susceptibility genes will prove to be valuable for identifying this disease.
L-cysteine ethyl ester prevents and reverses acquired physical dependence on morphine in male Sprague Dawley rats
Authors: Bates James N. , Getsy Paulina M. , Coffee Gregory A. , Baby Santhosh M. , MacFarlane Peter M. , Hsieh Yee-Hsee , Knauss Zackery T. , Bubier Jason A. , Mueller Devin , Lewis Stephen J.
Published: December 2023

The molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition of addiction/dependence on morphine may result from the ability of the opioid to diminish the transport of L-cysteine into neurons via inhibition of excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAA3). The objective of this study was to determine whether the co-administration of the cell-penetrant L-thiol ester, L-cysteine ethyl ester (L-CYSee), would reduce physical dependence on morphine in male Sprague Dawley rats. Injection of the opioid-receptor antagonist, naloxone HCl (NLX; 1.5 mg/kg, IP), elicited pronounced withdrawal phenomena in rats which received a subcutaneous depot of morphine (150 mg/kg) for 36 h and were receiving a continuous infusion of saline (20 μL/h, IV) via osmotic minipumps for the same 36 h period. The withdrawal phenomena included wet-dog shakes, jumping, rearing, fore-paw licking, 360° circling, writhing, apneas, cardiovascular (pressor and tachycardia) responses, hypothermia, and body weight loss. NLX elicited substantially reduced withdrawal syndrome in rats that received an infusion of L-CYSee (20.8 μmol/kg/h, IV) for 36 h. NLX precipitated a marked withdrawal syndrome in rats that had received subcutaneous depots of morphine (150 mg/kg) for 48 h) and a co-infusion of vehicle. However, the NLX-precipitated withdrawal signs were markedly reduced in morphine (150 mg/kg for 48 h)-treated rats that began receiving an infusion of L-CYSee (20.8 μmol/kg/h, IV) at 36 h. In similar studies to those described previously, neither L-cysteine nor L-serine ethyl ester (both at 20.8 μmol/kg/h, IV) mimicked the effects of L-CYSee. This study demonstrates that 1) L-CYSee attenuates the development of physical dependence on morphine in male rats and 2) prior administration of L-CYSee reverses morphine dependence, most likely by intracellular actions within the brain. The lack of the effect of L-serine ethyl ester (oxygen atom instead of sulfur atom) strongly implicates thiol biochemistry in the efficacy of L-CYSee. Accordingly, L-CYSee and analogs may be a novel class of therapeutics that ameliorate the development of physical dependence on opioids in humans.
Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Salvia glutinosa and comparison with the tanshinone profile of danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
Authors: Ayvazyan Arpine , Deutsch Lenard , Zidorn Christian , Kircher Brigitte , Çiçek Serhat S.
Published: December 2023

The roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza are the source of the traditional Chinese medicine danshen and the class of tanshinones, particular quinoid nor-diterpenoids of the abietane type. Of these compounds, cryptotanshinone, dihydrotanshinone I, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA, have been extensively studied for their anticancer potential, not only but as well because of their high abundance in S. miltiorrhiza and their thus easy availability. However, also additional Salvia species are known to contain tanshinones, mainly such of the subgenus Glutinaria, of which S. glutinosa is the only species widely occurring in Europe. Using UHPLC-DAD-MS, the tanshinone profile of S. glutinosa roots collected from two different locations was compared to the profile in S. miltiorrhiza roots. In addition, tanshinone IIA and another six diterpenoids from S. glutinosa were investigated for their antiproliferative and cytotoxic potential against MDA-MB-231 and HL-60 cells. Apart from dihydrotanshinone I, which has been previously characterized due to its anticancer properties, we determined danshenol A as a highly antiproliferative and cytotoxic agent, significantly surpassing the effects of dihydrotanshinone I. With regard to the diterpenoid profile, S. miltiorrhiza showed a higher concentration for most of the tanshinones, except for (+)-danshexinkun A, which was present in comparable amounts in both species. Danshenol A, in contrast, was only present in S. glutinosa as were dehydroabietic acid and (+)-pisiferic acid. The results of our study underlines the long traditional use of danshen due to its high amount on tanshinones, but also demonstrates the potential value of investigating closely related species for the discovery of new biologically active lead compounds.
The structure of the tetraploid sour cherry ‘Schattenmorelle’ (Prunus cerasus L.) genome reveals insights into its segmental allopolyploid nature
Authors: Wöhner Thomas W. , Emeriewen Ofere F. , Wittenberg Alexander H. J. , Nijbroek Koen , Wang Rui Peng , Blom Evert-Jan , Schneiders Harrie , Keilwagen Jens , Berner Thomas , Hoff Katharina J. , Gabriel Lars , Thierfeldt Hannah , Almolla Omar , Barchi Lorenzo , Schuster Mirko , Lempe Janne , Peil Andreas , Flachowsky Henryk
Published: December 2023

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is an important allotetraploid cherry species that evolved in the Caspian Sea and Black Sea regions from a hybridization of the tetraploid ground cherry (Prunus fruticosa Pall.) and an unreduced pollen of the diploid sweet cherry (P. avium L.) ancestor. Details of when and where the evolution of this species occurred are unclear, as well as the effect of hybridization on the genome structure. To gain insight, the genome of the sour cherry cultivar ‘Schattenmorelle’ was sequenced using Illumina NovaSeqTM and Oxford Nanopore long-read technologies, resulting in a ~629-Mbp pseudomolecule reference genome. The genome could be separated into two subgenomes, with subgenome PceS_a originating from P. avium and subgenome PceS_f originating from P. fruticosa. The genome also showed size reduction compared to ancestral species and traces of homoeologous sequence exchanges throughout. Comparative analysis confirmed that the genome of sour cherry is segmental allotetraploid and evolved very recently in the past.
New strategies to address world food security and elimination of malnutrition: future role of coarse cereals in human health
Authors: Zou Xin , Zhang Jieyu , Cheng Ting , Guo Yangyang , Zhang Li , Han Xiao , Liu Changying , Wan Yan , Ye Xueling , Cao Xiaoning , Song Chao , Zhao Gang , Xiang Dabing
Published: December 2023

As we face increasing challenges of world food security and malnutrition, coarse cereals are coming into favor as an important supplement to human staple foods due to their high nutritional value. In addition, their functional components, such as flavonoids and polyphenols, make them an important food source for healthy diets. However, we lack a systematic understanding of the importance of coarse cereals for world food security and nutritional goals. This review summarizes the worldwide cultivation and distribution of coarse cereals, indicating that the global area for coarse cereal cultivation is steadily increasing. This paper also focuses on the special adaptive mechanisms of coarse cereals to drought and discusses the strategies to improve coarse cereal crop yields from the perspective of agricultural production systems. The future possibilities, challenges, and opportunities for coarse cereal production are summarized in the face of food security challenges, and new ideas for world coarse cereal production are suggested.
Relation between metacognitive strategies, motivation to think, and critical thinking skills
Authors: Ossa Carlos J. , Rivas Silvia F. , Saiz Carlos
Published: December 2023

Critical thinking is a complex reasoning skill, and even though it is hard to reach a consensus on its definition, there is agreement on it being an eminently cognitive skill. It is strongly related with reflective and metacognitive skills, as well as attitudinal or motivational aspects, although no model has yet been able to integrate these three elements. We present herein the preliminary results of a study seeking to establish these relations, in a sample of Chilean university students. 435 students from three universities participated, of which 88 were men, 333 were women, and 14 did not indicate their gender. Their ages ranges between 18 and 51 years old (M = 21, SD = 3.09). Three instruments were applied, one to measure metacognitive strategies, one to measure motivation to critical thinking, and a third to measure critical thinking skills. The relation was analyzed via structural equations. The results show a positive, strong, and significant relation between metacognition and motivation to think. However, only a weak significant relation was observed between motivation to think and critical thinking, and no direct relation was found between metacognition and critical thinking. We hypothesize a significant but moderate relation between the variables, where metacognition influences motivation to think, which in turn influences critical thinking skills. Factors are discussed which could negatively affect the studied relations, as well as the importance of generating integrated models between the three variables, as they would show a theoretical and empirical link.
Are non-competitors greener? The effect of consumer awareness differences on green food consumption
Authors: Zheng Manhua , Zheng Qiujin , Chen Jianhong , Tang Decong
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Green consumption plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental degradation. Governments and corporations are actively fostering the growth of green consumption. The escalating environmental issues have awakened consumers' environmental and competitive awareness, which significantly aids in increasing the probability of green food consumption.

Methods

This study, based on the Self-Consistency Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, constructs a model to analyze the effects of consumer competitive and environmental awareness on green food purchase intentions. Data from 700 consumer surveys were examined through structural equation modeling.

Results

Findings indicate that while consumer competitive awareness negatively impacts green self-efficacy and perceived control, environmental awareness has a positive effect. Green self-efficacy and perceived control both positively influence green food purchase intentions. Notably, competitive awareness has a more substantial negative impact on perceived control compared to green self-efficacy. In contrast, the positive influence of environmental awareness on green self-efficacy is stronger than on perceived control. Moreover, the effect of green self-efficacy on green food purchase intention is more pronounced than that of perceived control.

Discussion

Strategies like enhancing media publicity, educational initiatives, and improving purchase convenience can increase consumer purchase intentions. This study offers valuable insights for governments and businesses in understanding consumer psychology in green food consumption, aiding in marketing strategies for green food products.
Effects of elevated emotional symptoms on metabolic disease development: a 10-year follow-up study
Authors: Sanchez-Carro Yolanda , de la Torre-Luque Alejandro , Vassou Christina , Lopez-Garcia Pilar , Georgousopoulou Ekavi , Pitsavos Christos , Ayuso-Mateos José Luis , Panagiotakos Demóstenes
Published: December 2023

Background

In recent decades, the relationship between emotional disorders (i.e., depression and anxiety) and alterations in physiological functions (i.e., inflammation or metabolism) have been well supported. However, studies on a symptom-based approach have provided mixed results. Our study aims to gain insight into how subclinical statuses, featured by elevated depressive and/or anxious symptoms, may influence immunometabolic alterations in the concurrent relationship; and the development of metabolic diseases at 10-year follow-up: diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.

Methods

Data from 758 Greek adults [394 men (aged 41 ± 10 years) and 364 women (aged 37 ± 12 years)] were used. Four groups were created according to the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms: (1) control group (CG), (2) depressive group (DG), (3) anxiety group (AG) and (4) depressive and anxiety group (DAG). Multi-indicator multi-causes (MIMIC) modeling was used to estimate metabolic function and inflammatory response scores, on a wide selection of blood biomarkers. Finally, a binary logistic regression was carried out to study the influence of symptoms on the development of the aforementioned metabolic diseases on a 10-year follow-up.

Results

Group membership was not associated with metabolic function score. Conversely, DAG membership was related with higher inflammatory response score (B = 0.20, CI95 = 0.01, 0.40), with respect to the CG (p < 0.05). Both age and sex were significant variables in the calculation of both scores. Regarding disease at 10-year follow-up effect, risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was associated with age and socioeconomic status. Moreover, DG membership was significant for diabetes risk (OR = 2.08, CI95 = 1.00, 4.22) and DAG for hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.68, CI95 = 1.16, 2.43).

Limitations

Data on anti-inflammatory drugs and psychopharmacological medication were not collected in this study.

Conclusions

Elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety accounts for inflammatory alterations at concurrent relationship and a higher risk of 10-year follow-up metabolic diseases.
Temporary impact on medical system and effectiveness of mitigation strategies after COVID-19 policy adjustment in China: a modeling study
Authors: Hon Chitin , Liang Jingyi , Chen Ruihan , Lin Zhijie , Wang Yangqianxi , He Wei , Liu Ruibin , Sun Jiaxi , Li Qianyin , Liang Lixi , Zhang Minyi , Chang Zichen , Guo Yinqiu , Zeng Wenting , Liu Tie , Oliveira Arlindo L.
Published: December 2023

Background

As China amends its “zero COVID” strategy, a sudden increase in the number of infections may overwhelm medical resources and its impact has not been quantified. Specific mitigation strategies are needed to minimize disruption to the healthcare system and to prepare for the next possible epidemic in advance.

Method

We develop a stochastic compartmental model to project the burden on the medical system (that is, the number of fever clinic visits and admission beds) of China after adjustment to COVID-19 policy, which considers the epidemiological characteristics of the Omicron variant, age composition of the population, and vaccine effectiveness against infection and severe COVD-19. We also estimate the effect of four-dose vaccinations (heterologous and homologous), antipyretic drug supply, non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), and triage treatment on mitigating the domestic infection peak.

Result

As to the impact on the medical system, this epidemic is projected to result in 398.02 million fever clinic visits and 16.58 million hospitalizations, and the disruption period on the healthcare system is 18 and 30 days, respectively. Antipyretic drug supply and booster vaccination could reduce the burden on emergency visits and hospitalization, respectively, while neither of them could not reduce to the current capacity. The synergy of several different strategies suggests that increasing the heterologous booster vaccination rate for older adult to over 90% is a key measure to alleviate the bed burden for respiratory diseases on the basis of expanded healthcare resource allocation.

Conclusion

The Omicron epidemic followed the adjustment to COVID-19 policy overloading many local health systems across the country at the end of 2022. The combined effect of vaccination, antipyretic drug supply, triage treatment, and PHSMs could prevent overwhelming medical resources.
Arts therapies for mental disorders in COVID-19 patients: a comprehensive review
Authors: Luo Xuexing , Zhang Zheyu , Shi Xiaojun , He Caihong , Wang Jue , Wu Qibiao , Huang Guanghui
Published: December 2023

Background and objective

The COVID-19 global pandemic has necessitated the urgency for innovative mental health interventions. We performed a comprehensive review of the available literature on the utility and efficacy of arts therapies in treating mental health problems, with special emphasis on their deployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to provide some evidence for the application of this therapy.

Methods

The potential studies were systematically sourced from five authoritative databases: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the CNKI database. The evaluation of these studies was conducted based on stringent criteria, including validity, suitability, therapeutic potential, and consistency. Each piece of included literature was meticulously scored in accordance with these criteria, thus ensuring the inclusion of only the most robust studies in this review. The data from these Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were carefully extracted using the PICO(S) framework, ensuring a comprehensive and systemic approach to data collection. In order to emphasize the variability in the effects of differing arts therapies on COVID-19-induced psychiatric disturbances, the sourced literature was systematically categorized and scrutinized based on distinct modalities.

Results

Out of the 7,250 sourced articles, 16 satisfied the inclusion conditions. The therapies were predominantly meditation (n = 7), supplemented by individual studies on color therapy (n = 3), music therapy (n = 2), and single studies on horticultural therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness and music therapy, and yoga and music therapy (n = 4 collectively). These various forms of arts therapies had a positive short to medium-term impact on the mental health of COVID-19 patients. Besides improving patients' physical and mental health, these therapies can also be employed to mitigate mental health issues among healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has profound and long-lasting implications for public mental health. Diverse forms of arts therapies are potentially effective in addressing related psychiatric symptoms. The integration of artificial intelligence might further enhance the efficacy and scalability of arts therapies in future implementations.
Epidemiological investigation, determination of related factors, and spatial-temporal cluster analysis of wild type pseudorabies virus seroprevalence in China during 2022
Authors: Gao Wenchao , Jiang Xiaoxue , Hu Zhiqiang , Wang Qing , Shi Yuntong , Tian Xiaogang , Qiao Mengli , Zhang Jinyong , Li Yang , Li Xiaowen
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a linear DNA virus with a double-stranded structure, capable of infecting a diverse array of animal species, including humans. This study sought to ascertain the seroprevalence of Pseudorabies Virus (PRV) in China by conducting a comprehensive collection of blood samples from 16 provinces over the course of 2022.

Methods

The presence of PRV gE antibodies was detected through the utilization of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify potential related factors associated with the serologic status of PRV gE at the animal level. Additionally, the SaTScan 10.1 software was used to analyze the spatial and temporal clusters of PRV gE seroprevalence.

Results

A comprehensive collection of 161,880 samples was conducted, encompassing 556 swine farms throughout the country. The analysis revealed that the seroprevalence of PRV gE antibodies was 12.36% (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.20% to 12.52%) at the individual animal level. However, at the swine farm level, the seroprevalence was considerably higher, reaching 46.22% (95% CI, 42.08% to 50.37%). Related factors for PRV infection at the farm level included the geographic distribution of farms and seasonal variables. Moreover, five distinct high seroprevalence clusters of PRV gE were identified across China, with the peak prevalence observed during the months of April through June 2022.

Conclusion

Our findings serve as a valuable addition to existing research on the seroprevalence, related factors, and temporal clustering of PRV gE in China. Furthermore, our study provides a reference point for the development of effective strategies for the prevention and control of pseudorabies and wild virus outbreaks.
Development of Vibratory Microinjection System for Instantaneous Cell Membrane Piercing in Cytoplasmic Microinjection into Fertilized Eggs
Authors: Miyawaki Fujio , Hasegawa Jun
Published: December 2023

To complete microinjection as quickly as possible, we have developed Vibratory Microinjection Systems (VMSs) that vibrate a micropipette in its longitudinal direction and can significantly reduce the time needed for pronuclear microinjection compared to ordinary (non-vibratory) microinjection. The longest breakdown of the time is the time required to pierce the cell membrane and the pronuclear membrane simultaneously. Because cytoplasmic microinjection, which pierces the cell membrane alone, is far more difficult and time-consuming than pronuclear microinjection, we next aimed to develop a VMS capable of penetrating the cell membrane instantly. In this new and latest version, two types of ultrasonic-wave vibrators were developed: the first for commercially available micropipettes (Femtotip) and the second for self-made micropipettes. The two vibrators differ only in their airtight structure, where the micropipettes connect to their respective vibrators: a female screw plus O-ring for the first vibrator (VMS6_1) and a silicone-rubber tube for the second (VMS6_2). The tube-type joint used in VMS6_2 only slightly damped or amplified vibrations from the vibrator to the micropipette tip, propagating them much more accurately than the screw-type joint in VMS6_1. In addition, VMS6_2 significantly shortened the time taken to pierce the cell membrane of a fertilized egg: an average of 1.52 s (N = 410) vs. 3.62 s (N = 65) in VMS6_1. The VMS6_2 group achieved a piercing time of zero in 86.1% of the allocated eggs, while only 10.8% of the VMS6_1 group did. In each vibrator, we also compared vibratory microinjection (VM; N = 475) and ordinary microinjection (OM; N = 457), which uses injection pressure in place of vibration. None of the eggs in the OM group achieved the zero-second piercing time. Compared to the OM, the VM group showed a significantly shorter piercing time, 1.80 vs. 10.69 s on average, and a significantly better survival rate, 90.3 vs. 81.8% on average. VMS6_2 not only improved on the already demonstrated superiority of VM to OM but also enabled instantaneous piercing of the cell membrane.
Modeling of Coffee Fruit: An Approach to Simulate the Effects of Compression
Authors: Pereira Janielle Souza , Magalhães Ricardo Rodrigues , Santos Fábio Lúcio , de Andrade Ednilton Tavares , Marques Leomar Santos
Published: December 2023

The flavor, aroma, and color of coffee can be changed due to mechanical damage, reducing its quality. To measure the mechanical behavior of the fruit, compression tests can be performed at different stages of ripeness. In this study, we analyzed the deformation, strain energy, and von Mises stress of coffee fruits at mature, semi-mature, and immature stages under compression forces. Compression in three directions (x, y, and z) was simulated on coffee fruit models using the finite element method. A compression support was applied in the opposite direction to the force application axis. Numerical simulations of the compression process allowed us to verify that the more mature the fruit, greater the associated mean deformation (2.20 mm mm−1, 0.78 mm mm−1, and 0.88 mm mm−1), the lower the mean strain energy (0.07 mJ, 0.21 mJ, and 0.34 mJ), and the lower the mean equivalent von Mises stress (0.25 MPa, 1.03 MPa, and 1.25 MPa), corresponding to ripe, semi-ripe, and immature fruits, respectively. These analyses not only save time and professional resources but also offer insights into how strain energy and von Mises stress affect fruits at different maturation stages. This information can guide machine adjustments to reduce coffee harvesting damages.