bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Central nervous system infection caused by Mycobacterium houstonense: A case report
Authors: Wang LiXia , Wang FaPing , Yang Chuan , Luo FengMing
Published: September 2022

Background

Mycobacterium houstonense is a rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM) that belongs to the unnamed third biovariant complex of the Mycobacterium fortuitum group, which is rarely responsible for human infection. Approximately 76% of infections caused by the M. fortuitum group occur after open fractures or skin, soft tissue, bone, or puncture wounds. To date, only a few cases of human infectious disease caused by M. houstonense have been reported worldwide.

Case presentation

We present a case of a 26-year-old man with a central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by M. houstonense. The patient was transferred to our hospital because of headaches and muscle strength changes. One month prior to presentation at our hospital, the patient was diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis at the other two hospitals, but his condition did not improve after anti-tuberculous treatment, antibiotics, and anti-viral treatment before admission to our hospital. Lumbar puncture was performed at both previous hospitals, as well as at our hospital; the results consistently indicated high cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure. M. houstonense was detected in the CSF of the second hospital's lumbar puncture by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) but was not identified at our hospital. The patient was discharged from our hospital after receiving non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) treatment for 1 month according to the Chinese NTM guidelines. However, the patient died 20 days after discharge.

Conclusion

Since it is difficult to identify M. houstonense, this is the first case of human CNS infection caused by M. houstonense in China. This case may be considered by neurologists and infectious physicians when CNS infection does not respond to conventional treatment, especially in the uncommon type of NTM.
Image-guided LINAC radiosurgery in hypothalamic hamartomas
Authors: Romanelli Pantaleo , Tuniz Francesco , Fabbro Sara , Beltramo Giancarlo , Conti Alfredo
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Hypothalamic hamartomas (HH) are developmental malformations that are associated with mild to severe drug-refractory epilepsy. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an emerging non-invasive option for the treatment of small and medium-sized HH, providing good seizure outcomes without neurological complications. Here, we report our experience treating HH with frameless LINAC SRS.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively collected clinical and neuroradiological data of ten subjects with HH-related epilepsy that underwent frameless image-guided SRS.

Results

All patients underwent single-fraction SRS using a mean prescribed dose of 16.27 Gy (range 16–18 Gy). The median prescription isodose was 79% (range 65–81 Gy). The mean target volume was 0.64 cc (range 0.26–1.16 cc). Eight patients experienced complete or near complete seizure freedom (Engel class I and II). Five patients achieved complete seizure control within 4 to 18 months after the treatment. Four patients achieved Engel class II outcome, with stable results. One patient had a reduction of seizure burden superior to 50% (Engel class III). One patient had no benefit at all (Engel class IV) and refused further treatments. Overall, at the last follow-up, three patients experience class I, five class II, one class III and one class IV outcome. No neurological complications were reported.

Conclusions

Frameless LINAC SRS provides good seizure and long-term neuropsychosocial outcome, without the risks of neurological complications inherently associated with microsurgical resection.
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve immediate stimulation treatment for treatment-resistant depression: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Ma Yue , Wang Zhi , He Jiakai , Sun Jifei , Guo Chunlei , Du Zhongming , Chen Limei , Luo Yi , Gao Deqiang , Hong Yang , Zhang Lei , Liu Yong , Fang Jiliang
Published: September 2022

Objective

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is effective for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In the current study, we observed the immediate modulating brain effect of taVNS in patients with TRD using rest-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Method

Forty patients with TRD and forty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Rs-fMRI was performed before and after 30 min of taVNS at baseline. The brain regions that presented significantly different the Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) between the TRD patients and HCs were selected as the ROI to calculate the functional connectivity (FC) of full brain. The correlations were estimated between the clinical scales' score and the functional brain changes.

Results

Following taVNS stimulation treatment, TRD patients showed significantly reduced ReHo in the medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC) (F = 18.06, P < 0.0001), ANCOVA of the mOFC-Based FC images revealed a significant interaction effect on the left inferior parietal gyrus (IPG) and left superior marginal gyrus (SMG) (F = 11.6615, P<0.001,F = 16.7520, P<0.0001). Among these regions, the HAMD and HAMA scores and ReHo/FC changes were not correlated.

Conclusion

This study applied rs-fMRI technology to examine the effect of taVNS stimulation treatment on the brain activity of TRD. These results suggest that the brain response of TRD patients to taVNS treatment may be associated with the functional modulation of cortical regions including the medial orbital frontal cortex, the left inferior parietal gyrus, and the left superior marginal regions. Changes in these neuroimaging indices may represent the neural mechanisms underlying taVNS Immediate Stimulation treatment in TRD.
Lipid-lowering drug targets and Parkinson's disease: A sex-specific Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhao Yangfan , Gagliano Taliun Sarah A.
Published: September 2022

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects millions of individuals worldwide, and it is the second most common late-onset neurodegenerative disorder. There is no cure and current treatments only alleviate symptoms. Modifiable risk factors have been explored as possible options for decreasing risk or developing drug targets to treat PD, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). There is evidence of sex differences for cholesterol levels as well as for PD risk. Genetic datasets of increasing size are permitting association analyses with increased power, including sex-stratified analyses. These association results empower Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, which, given certain assumptions, test whether there is a causal relationship between the risk factor and the outcome using genetic instruments. Sex-specific causal inference approaches could highlight sex-specific effects that may otherwise be masked by sex-agnostic approaches. We conducted a sex-specific two-sample cis-MR analysis based on genetic variants in LDL-C target encoding genes to assess the impact of lipid-lowering drug targets on PD risk. To complement the cis-MR analysis, we also conducted a sex-specific standard MR analysis (using genome-wide independent variants). We did not find evidence of a causal relationship between LDL-C levels and PD risk in females [OR (95% CI) = 1.01 (0.60, 1.69), IVW random-effects] or males [OR (95% CI) = 0.93 (0.55, 1.56)]. The sex-specific standard MR analysis also supported this conclusion. We encourage future work assessing sex-specific effects using causal inference techniques to better understand factors that may contribute to complex disease risk differently between the sexes.
The value of immunotherapy in children with initial short-term frequent seizures
Authors: Zhao Yongheng , Li Jun , Gao Liang , Yang Xiaofan , Zhao Haiqing , Li Yumei , Su Li , Zhao Xiaoyu , Ding Hao , Li Baomin
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to discuss clinical characteristics, therapy, and antibody prevalence in epilepsy (APE) score for short-term, frequent epileptic seizures in children who are autoimmune-antibody negative and respond well to immunotherapy. The clinical characteristics, imaging manifestations, electrophysiology, and effective treatment plan of 9 children who met the above criteria were retrospectively analyzed in the Pediatric Neurology Department of Qilu Hospital at Shandong University from June 2019 to December 2021. All 9 patients (6 boys, 3 girls; aged 13 months−11 years and 5 months, median 3.5 years) had acute-onset seizures within 3 months. All had previous normal growth/development with no family history of disease. Seizure types were focal motor seizures (6), generalized tonic-clonic seizures (2), and generalized secondary-to-focal (1); occurred >10 times/day; and lasted <1 min/episode. Formal treatment with ≥2 types of antiseizure medicine (ASM) achieved an unsatisfactory effect. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed an abnormal result in 1 case. The APE score was ≥4 in 3 cases and <4 in 6 cases. All patients experienced symptomatic relief with immunotherapy; subsequently, 8 patients were free of recurrence and 1 had significantly reduced seizure frequency. Autoimmune antibody screening is recommended for children who were previously well and have acute-onset epilepsy; high frequency, short-duration seizures; no good response to 2 types of ASM; and other etiologic factors excluded, even with APE score <4. Even with negative autoimmune antibody results, the possibility of autoimmune epilepsy should be considered for urgent initiation of immunotherapy, which can achieve good results.
High systemic immune-inflammation index is associated with carotid plaque vulnerability: New findings based on carotid ultrasound imaging in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Zhang Lianlian , Lyu Qi , Zhou Wenyan , Li Xia , Ni Qinggan , Jiang Shu , Shi Guofu
Published: September 2022

Vulnerable carotid plaque is closely related to the occurrence of Ischemic stroke. Therefore, accurate and rapid identification of the nature of carotid plaques is essential. AS is a chronic immune inflammatory process. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a novel index of immune inflammation obtained from routine whole blood cell count analysis, which comprehensively reflects the state of inflammation and immune balance in the body. This study sought to explore the relationship between SII level and carotid plaque vulnerability, plaque composition characteristics, and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) severity. A total of 131 patients diagnosed with AIS presenting with a carotid atherosclerotic plaque were enrolled in this study. Using carotid ultrasound (CDU) to assess the carotid-responsible plaque properties, we divided the patients into stable plaques group and vulnerable plaques group, and analyzed the correlation between SII levels and plaque vulnerability. And we further analyzed to evaluate the correlation between high SII levels and plaque characteristics and AIS severity. In addition, Cohen's Kappa statistics was used to detect the consistency of Carotid ultrasound (US) and cervical High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) in evaluating plaque vulnerability. The findings showed that the vulnerable group had higher levels of SII compared with the stable group. The high SII group had more vulnerable plaques and a high frequency of plaque fibrous cap rupture compared with the low SII group. Logistic analysis showed that a high SII level was an independent risk factor for vulnerable plaques (odds ratio [OR] = 2.242) and plaque fibrous cap rupture (OR=3.462). The results also showed a high consistency between Carotid US and HRMRI methods in the assessment of plaque vulnerability [Cohen's kappa value was 0.89 (95% CI = 0.78–0.97)] and the level of SII was positively associated with NIHSS score (r = 0.473, P < 0.001). Our study suggests that elevated levels of SII may have adverse effects on the vulnerability of carotid plaques, especially in stroke patients with vulnerable plaques with ruptured fibrous caps, which may aggravate the severity of AIS.
Auditory event-related potentials based on name stimuli: A pilot study
Authors: Zhao Jindi , Yang Yuancheng , An Xingwei , Liu Shuang , Du Hongyin , Ming Dong
Published: September 2022

In recent years, diagnostic studies of brain disorders based on auditory event-related potentials (AERP) have become a hot topic. Research showed that AERP might help to detect patient consciousness, especially using the subjects' own name (SON). In this study, we conducted a preliminary analysis of the brain response to Chinese name stimuli. Twelve subjects participated in this study. SONs were used as target stimuli for each trial. The names used for non-target stimuli were divided into three Chinese character names condition (3CC) and two Chinese characters names condition (2CC). Thus, each subject was required to be in active (silent counting) and passive mode (without counting) with four conditions [(passive, active) × (3CC, 2CC)]. We analyzed the spatio-temporal features for each condition, and we used SVM for target vs. non-target classification. The results showed that the passive mode under 3CC conditions showed a similar brain response to the active mode, and when 3CC was used as a non-target stimulus, the brain response induced by the target stimulus would have a better interaction than 2CC. We believe that the passive mode 3CC may be a good paradigm to replace the active mode which might need more attention from subjects. The results of this study can provide certain guidelines for the selection and optimization of the paradigm of auditory event-related potentials based on name stimulation.
Prospects and hot spots for mammalian target of rapamycin in the field of neuroscience from 2002 to 2021
Authors: Li Lijun , Xia Xiaojing , Luo Yunfeng , Zhu Yuanting , Luo Xuhong , Yang Baolin , Shang Lei
Published: September 2022

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an important molecule that regulates cell metabolism, growth, and proliferation in the nervous system. This study aimed to present the current study hot spots and predict the future development trend of the mTOR pathway in neurologic diseases using bibliometrics. We referred to the publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database. VOSviewer and CiteSpace programs were used to evaluate countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and citations showing the current study focus and predicting the future trend of mTOR in neuroscience. The search date ended on 19 June 2022, and there were 3,029 articles on mTOR in neuroscience from 2002 to 2021. Visual analysis showed that although the number of publications declined slightly in some years, the number of publications related to mTOR generally showed an upward trend, reaching its peak in 2021. It had the largest number of publications in the United States. Keywords and literature analysis showed that protein synthesis regulation, ischemia, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation may be hot spots and future directions of the nervous system in mTOR studies. Recently, the most studied neurological diseases are Alzheimer’s disease (AD), tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and depression, which are still worthy of further studies by researchers in the future. This can provide a useful reference for future researchers to study mTOR further in the field of neuroscience.
Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Authors: Wang Jing , Wang Qiuyuan , Zhang Peitong , Zhang Ruoqi , He Jie
Published: September 2022

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Currently available Western medical management strategies are unable to prolong the survival time and reduce the mortality of patients with pancreatic cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine has achieved promising results in many clinical studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SR/MA) aimed to explore the benefits and evaluate the quality of evidence of traditional Chinese medicine-based interventions for preventing and treating pancreatic cancer. A systematic search of eight databases for SRs/MAs of randomized controlled trials on traditional Chinese medicine treatment for pancreatic cancer was conducted (from inception to April 2022). The methodological quality of the SRs/MAs was assessed using AMSTAR 2.0, and the quality of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE guide. Nine SRs/MAs, including 145 randomized controlled trials, were considered eligible for this study. The literature were published between 2014 and 2022. The sample size of randomized controlled trials in the MAs ranged from 336 to 1,989. The methodological quality of the nine studies was critically low. Among the 59 outcome indicators of the nine SRs/MAs, seven, 33, and 19 had moderate-, low-, and critically low-quality evidence, respectively, while high-quality evidence was not identified. The results for the long-term indicators, short-term indicators, and adverse reactions in the SRs/MAs displayed consistencies and differences. In conclusion, the methodological and evidence quality of the current evidence is generally low, highlighting the need for additional focus on implementation processes. Some evidence with moderate quality validated that several specific traditional Chinese medicine were optimum for improving the short-term clinical efficacy. However, more objective and high-quality investigations are warranted to verify the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for pancreatic cancer.
New frontiers in intracranial imaging with HF-OCT: Ex vivo human cerebrovasculature evaluation and in vivo intracranial arteries dynamic visualization
Authors: Anagnostakou Vania , Epshtein Mark , Peker Ahmet , Puri Ajit S. , Singh Jasmeet , Ughi Giovanni J. , Gounis Matthew J.
Published: September 2022

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology is a well-established diagnostic tool in multiple fields of medicine. Intravascular OCT has been used for more than a decade for the clinical imaging of coronary arteries, however, its use for the imaging of the human cerebrovasculature has been delayed by the challenges posed by the elevated vascular tortuosity. A novel high-frequency OCT (HF-OCT) probe designed for neurovascular use was evaluated in tortuous, ex vivo, human intracranial anatomy and, using an in vivo canine model, for the dynamic imaging of intracranial arteries and the subarachnoid trabecula (SAT). Using four cadavers, we investigated HF-OCT probe navigation and imaging performances in human anterior arterial circulation (from the M4 segment to internal carotid artery), in the posterior arterial circulation (from the P4 segment to vertebrobasilar junction) and in a broad range of venous sinuses. HF-OCT was able to gain distal access through elevated tortuosity and generate high-quality imaging data depicting vessel morphology, the vessel wall pathology (e.g., atherosclerotic disease and dissecting lesions), and the subarachnoid trabecula (SAT). Using an in vivo canine model, the HF-OCT probe was used to record stationary dynamic data in multiple intracranial vascular locations. Data showed the motion of the arteries and the SAT, including collisions between vessels, membranes, and the interaction between the SAT and the blood vessels. HF-OCT data allowed for the quantification of the dynamics of the vessels and the SAT, including vessel lateral motion with respect to the parenchyma, and collisions between large and small arteries. Results showed that the HF-OCT probe can overcome delivery obstacles in tortuous cerebrovascular anatomy and provide high-quality and high-resolution imaging at multiple distal locations, including M4 and P4 segments of the anterior and posterior circulations. HF-OCT has the potential to facilitate a better understanding of fine anatomical details of the cerebrovascular and perivascular environment, neurovascular disease, and collect real time information about the dynamics of the subarachnoid space and arteries and become a valuable diagnostic tool.
Assessing Heterogeneity in Students’ Visual Judgment: Model-Based Partitioning of Image Rankings
Authors: Tallon Miles , Greenlee Mark W. , Wagner Ernst , Rakoczy Katrin , Wiedermann Wolfgang , Frick Ulrich
Published: September 2022

Differences in the ability of students to judge images can be assessed by analyzing the individual preference order (ranking) of images. To gain insights into potential heterogeneity in judgement of visual abstraction among students, we combine Bradley–Terry preference modeling and model-based recursive partitioning. In an experiment a sample of 1,020 high-school students ranked five sets of images, three of which with respect to their level of visual abstraction. Additionally, 24 art experts and 25 novices were given the same task, while their eye movements were recorded. Results show that time spent on the task, the students’ age, and self-reported interest in visual puzzles had significant influence on rankings. Fixation time of experts and novices revealed that both groups paid more attention to ambiguous images. The presented approach makes the underlying latent scale of visual judgments quantifiable.
Associations between socioeconomic status and physical activity: A cross-sectional analysis of Chinese children and adolescents
Authors: Ke Youzhi , Shi Lijuan , Peng Lingqun , Chen Sitong , Hong Jintao , Liu Yang
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Although socioeconomic status (SES) has been shown to be an important determinant of physical activity (PA) in adults, the association in children and adolescents remains less consistent based on evidence from western developed countries. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate associations between SES and PA among Chinese children and adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with a self-reported questionnaire in China. The multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used, and 2,955 children and adolescents (8–17 years old, 53.4% girls) were enrolled in this study. SES was assessed by measuring parental education levels, perceived family wealth, and Family Affluence Scale II (FAS II). PA was assessed by reliable and valid items from the Health Behavior School-aged Children Surveillance questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to report sample characteristics, including demographic characteristics, levels of PA, and SES. The Chi-square test was applied to analyze the differences of PA in gender and school period. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the association between SES and PA among children and adolescents.

Results

Overall, 10.4% of children and adolescents accumulated moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at least 60 min per day. Boys were more physically active than girls (14.1% vs. 7.2%, p < 0.001). Higher socioeconomic status was positively associated with higher physical activity levels among children and adolescents, especially using FAS and mother education level as SES measures. The association between SES and PA varied by gender and grade group, and the effects of SES are also different on weekdays and weekends.

Conclusion

This study found socioeconomic disparities in PA among Chinese children and adolescents, and showed the importance of targeting children and adolescents with low SES intervention priority. Based on these research findings, it is suggested that SES, especially for FAS and mother education level, should be considered when designing and implementing the promotion of regular PA in children and adolescents. Health policymakers may use this information to develop interventions to reduce health inequalities among children and adolescents in the future.
The influence of parents’ perception on online education and training brand recognition
Authors: Xue Biyun , Song Ye
Published: September 2022

At present, the academic education of Chinese students is basically public education, but the quality training is mainly handed over to the market for training. Therefore, China’s online education and training institutions have gradually developed under this demand. With the improvement of people’s living standards, families have higher and higher requirements for children’s education, expecting that children can be well improved in physical, mental and psychological aspects, and hoping that they will have their own advantages in the future competition. Therefore, this paper studies the influence of parents’ perception on the brand recognition of online education and training. Through the analysis of dance online training institutions, the research shows that among the three categories, teachers’ Graduation schools account for the highest proportion, with an average proportion of 47.07%, followed by teachers’ grade certificates, with a proportion of 32.29%, and teachers’ competition scores of 25.57%. Therefore, in the process of operation, online dance training institutions should meet the needs of parents to understand the professional level of teachers. Improve the service system of training institutions, improve the parent brand recognition and the number of customers of training institutions, further improve online education and training institutions, and provide them with improvement suggestions and measures for reference.
Enhanced superstructure optimization for heat exchanger network synthesis using deterministic approach
Authors: Yang Zekun , Zhang Nan , Smith Robin
Published: September 2022

Heat Exchanger Network (HEN) synthesis is primarily formulated as a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem based on method of stage-wise superstructure (SWS). Approaches to obtain an optimal HEN configuration can adopt deterministic algorithms. But, as a large scale problem, it is difficult to solve due to the complexities arisen from nonlinearities of SWS. To overcome the model nonlinearities, stochastic algorithms and meta-heuristic approaches have been proposed in the literature to tackle the problem. However, it reaches a near-optimal HEN configuration from a series of stochastic solutions, which are obtained by the execution of many computational procedures with extensive time resource, and a global optimum will not be guaranteed from only randomly generated results. In this paper, an enhanced SWS approach is proposed, in which new temperature and heat duty constraints are updated to reduce the redundant combinations and avoid conflicted calculation of non-isothermal mixing energy balance. The present model is also extended to allow flexible stream splitting for practical applications. Then, a deterministic-based global solver (GAMS/BARON) is applied in solving three case studies. The results show that the proposed approach can provide cost-efficient HEN solutions with lower TAC than using existing stochastic and deterministic algorithms.
3D Printed Device for Separation of Cells and Particles by Tilted Bulk Acoustic Wave Actuation
Authors: Ozcelik Adem
Published: September 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been proven to be a reliable manufacturing method for a diverse set of applications in engineering. Simple benchtop tools such as mini centrifuges, automated syringe pumps, and basic-robotic platforms have been successfully printed by basic 3D printers. The field of lab-on-a-chip offers promising functions and convenience for point-of-care diagnostics and rapid disease screening for limited resource settings. In this work, stereolithography (SLA) 3D resin printing is implemented to fabricate a microfluidic device to be used for separation of HeLa cells from smaller polystyrene particles through titled angle standing bulk acoustic wave actuation. The demonstrated device achieved continuous and efficient separation of target cells with over 92% HeLa cell purity and 88% cell recovery rates. Overall, 3D printing is shown to be a viable method for fabrication of microfluidic devices for lab-on-a-chip applications.
Development of KASP and SSR Markers for PmQ, a Recessive Gene Conferring Powdery Mildew Resistance in Wheat Landrace Qingxinmai
Authors: Gebremedhin Habteab Goitom , Li Yahui , Hu Jinghuang , Qiu Dan , Wu Qiuhong , Zhang Hongjun , Yang Li , Zhou Yang , Zhou Yijun , Liu Zhiyong , Zhang Peng , Li Hongjie
Published: September 2022

A recessive gene PmQ conferring powdery mildew resistance was previously localized on the long arm of chromosome 2B in winter wheat landrace Qingxinmai. Breeder-friendly molecular markers are necessary for introgressing this gene into adapted wheat backgrounds for developing disease-resistant wheat cultivars. Three Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were developed and validated based on SNP variants detected by Bulked segregant analysis-RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) analysis using a recombinant inbred population derived from cross Qingxinmai × 041133. Two polymorphic SSR markers were also developed from the motifs in the Chinese Spring reference genome sequences of the target genomic region. Those markers were incorporated into a more saturated genetic linkage map for PmQ. The two flanking markers, Xicsq405 and Xicsk18, are 1.1 and 0.9 cM from PmQ, respectively. The KASP marker Xicsk19 produced unique amplification pattern in 158 out of 160 wheat cultivars or breeding lines. This marker with the gene-linked SSR markers Xicsqc, Xicsqd and Xicsq405 provides an efficient means in molecular marker-assisted selection for PmQ in wheat breeding. The corresponding genomic region of PmQ in the Chinese Spring reference genome has a conserved synteny with the genomes of sequenced wheat cultivars and Triticum durum, T. diccocoides, T. uratu, and barley. The annotation of the two genes, TraesCS2B01G517400.1 and TraesCS2B01G517700.1, associated with plant defense against pathogens placed a start for cloning PmQ.
A Machine Learning Model for Early Prediction of Crop Yield, Nested in a Web Application in the Cloud: A Case Study in an Olive Grove in Southern Spain
Authors: Cubillas Juan J. , Ramos María I. , Jurado Juan M. , Feito Francisco R.
Published: September 2022

Predictive systems are a crucial tool in management and decision-making in any productive sector. In the case of agriculture, it is especially interesting to have advance information on the profitability of a farm. In this sense, depending on the time of the year when this information is available, important decisions can be made that affect the economic balance of the farm. The aim of this study is to develop an effective model for predicting crop yields in advance that is accessible and easy to use by the farmer or farm manager from a web-based application. In this case, an olive orchard in the Andalusia region of southern Spain was used. The model was estimated using spatio-temporal training data, such as yield data from eight consecutive years, and more than twenty meteorological parameters data, automatically charged from public web services, belonging to a weather station located near the sample farm. The workflow requires selecting the parameters that influence the crop prediction and discarding those that introduce noise into the model. The main contribution of this research is the early prediction of crop yield with absolute errors better than 20%, which is crucial for making decisions on tillage investments and crop marketing.
Genetic Evaluation of a Diverse Rice Panel for Direct Seeded Adapted Traits Using Kompetitive Allele Specific Primer Assay
Authors: Singh Harpreet , Singh Jasneet , Ade Pooja Ankush , Raigar Om Prakash , Kaur Rupinder , Khanna Renu , Mangat Gurjit Singh , Sandhu Nitika
Published: September 2022

Direct seeded rice (DSR) cultivation is an attractive non-conventional technology for growing rice. It saves labor, water, energy, and takes 5 to 7 days for early crop maturity. The yield advantage in DSR can be obtained by implementing various cultural practices including proper sowing time and seed rate, selection of suitable cultivars with appropriate management of weeds and water. The present study involves the agronomic and molecular screening of advanced breeding lines under direct seeded as well as transplanted conditions, so as to identify DSR adapted genotypes. Significant variations among genotypes have been observed for most of the traits measured in the present study. The yield under DSR was comparable to TPR but the grain quality was not comparable, and poor milling and head rice recovery were observed. Molecular characterization using 106 Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR assays (KASP) was performed. The best performing genotypes with different allele combinations under DSR were PAU 6456-8-2-1-1-1, PAU 5187-RIL1649-F8, PAU 6456-8-1-1-1-3, PAU 6456-8-2-1-1-2, NVSR 2107, and PAU 6778-12-1-4-1-1. The selected genotypes performed better in terms of traits associated with seedling establishment, root architecture, yield, and yield-related traits. The identified promising breeding lines may serve as novel donors to be further used in a marker-assisted selection program which target improving the grain yield and adaptability under DSR.
Effects of High Concentration Nitrogen Gas Stunning of Pigs on the Quality Traits of Meat and Small Intestine
Authors: Alam Muhammad Shahbubul , Song Dong-Heon , Lee Jeong-Ah , Hoa Van-Ba , Hwang Inho , Kim Hyoun-Wook , Kang Sun-Moon , Cho Soo-Hyun , Seol Kuk-Hwan
Published: September 2022

The objective of present study was to investigate the feasibility of utilizing only high concentration of nitrogen gas in the stunning of pigs and its effects on the quality traits of the meat and small intestine.To conduct this experiment, three treatment groups were compared: (i) electric stunning (T1), (ii) CO2 (80%) gas stunning (T2), and (iii) N2 (98%) gas stunning (T3). A total of 21 standard pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; LYD) were collected from a commercial pig farm, randomly selecting seven pigs for each group (body weight of 104.5 to 120.6 kg). For stunning, each individual pig was separately kept in a gas chamber, after which each specific gas was used to fulfill the desired level in the pit. To obtain the desired level of concentration for each gas (N2 at 98% and CO2 at 80%), approximately 80 min and 35 min were required, respectively. It was observed that after reaching the desired level of concentration, pigs were stunned within a very short time (for CO2, 90 s and for N2, 120 s). For electric stunning, standard quality electric devices were used. After slaughtering, the meat and small intestine of each animal was collected separately and kept in a cool room where temperature was −2 °C. In the meat and small intestine, L* (Lightness) and b* (Yellowness) were high (p < 0.05) in the T1 and T3 groups. The T2 group showed high a* (Redness) (p < 0.05) values in both the meat and small intestine. A proximate composition of meat showed no significant differences except moisture. The water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of meat were lowest in the T2 group, but not at a notable difference compared to T3. In the small intestine, L* (Lightness), a* (Redness), b* (Yellowness), and thickness significantly differed (p < 0.05) in each group, but WBSF showed no significance between the T2 and T3 groups. It is concluded that a high concentration of N2 gas (98%) may be considered in the stunning of pigs, and its effect on meat and small intestine is favorable.
Transcriptome Analysis of the Adipose Tissue of Luchuan and Duroc Pigs
Authors: Pan Hongyuan , Huang Tengda , Yu Lin , Wang Peng , Su Songtao , Wu Tian , Bai Yin , Teng Yonghao , Wei Yutian , Zhou Lei , Li Yixing
Published: September 2022

Fat deposition is a crucial element in pig production that affects production efficiency, quality and consumer choices. In this study, Duroc pigs, a Western, famous lean pig breed, and Luchuan pigs, a Chinese, native obese pig breed, were used as animal materials. Transcriptome sequencing was used to compare the back adipose tissue of Duroc and Luchuan pigs, to explore the key genes regulating fat deposition. The results showed that 418 genes were highly expressed in the Duroc pig, and 441 genes were highly expressed in the Luchuan pig. In addition, the function enrichment analysis disclosed that the DEGs had been primarily enriched in lipid metabolism, storage and transport pathways. Furthermore, significant differences in the metabolic pathways of alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid explained the differences in the flavor of the two kinds of pork. Finally, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) exposed that the difference in fat deposition between Duroc and Luchuan pigs may be due to the differential regulation of the metabolism pathway of fatty acid. Therefore, this study described the differential expression transcriptional map of adipose tissue of Duroc pig and Luchuan pig, identified the functional genes regulating pig fat deposition, and provided new hypotheses and references for further study of fat development.
Adaptive Responses of the Sea Anemone Heteractis crispa to the Interaction of Acidification and Global Warming
Authors: Wu Yangyang , Tian Wenfei , Chen Chunxing , Ye Quanqing , Yang Liu , Jiang Jiaoyun
Published: September 2022

Ocean acidification and warming are two of the most important threats to the existence of marine organisms and are predicted to co-occur in oceans. The present work evaluated the effects of acidification (AC: 24 ± 0.1 °C and 900 μatm CO2), warming (WC: 30 ± 0.1 °C and 450 μatm CO2), and their combination (CC: 30 ± 0.1 °C and 900 μatm CO2) on the sea anemone, Heteractis crispa, from the aspects of photosynthetic apparatus (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PS II), chlorophyll level, and Symbiodiniaceae density) and sterol metabolism (cholesterol content and total sterol content). In a 15-day experiment, acidification alone had no apparent effect on the photosynthetic apparatus, but did affect sterol levels. Upregulation of their chlorophyll level is an important strategy for symbionts to adapt to high partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). However, after warming stress, the benefits of high pCO2 had little effect on stress tolerance in H. crispa. Indeed, thermal stress was the dominant driver of the deteriorating health of H. crispa. Cholesterol and total sterol contents were significantly affected by all three stress conditions, although there was no significant change in the AC group on day 3. Thus, cholesterol or sterol levels could be used as important indicators to evaluate the impact of climate change on cnidarians. Our findings suggest that H. crispa might be relatively insensitive to the impact of ocean acidification, whereas increased temperature in the future ocean might impair viability of H. crispa.
Addition of Organic Acids and Lactobacillus acidophilus to the Leguminous Forage Chamaecrista rotundifolia Improved the Quality and Decreased Harmful Bacteria of the Silage
Authors: Feng Qixian , Shi Wenjiao , Chen Siqi , Degen Abraham Allan , Qi Yue , Yang Fulin , Zhou Jing
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects of citric acid, malic acid, and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L) on fermentation parameters and the microbial community of leguminous Chamaecrista rotundifolia silage. Fresh C. rotundifolia was treated without any additive (CK), or with L (106 CFU/g fresh weight), different levels (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1% fresh weight) of organic acid (malic or citric acid), and the combinations of L and the different levels of organic acids for 30, 45, and 60 days of ensiling. The effects of malic acid and citric acid were similar during the ensiling process. Treatment with either citric or malic acid and also when combined with L inhibited crude protein degradation, lowered pH and ammonia nitrogen, and increased lactic acid concentration and dry matter content (p < 0.05). The neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber increased initially and then decreased with fermentation time in all treatments (p < 0.05). Increasing the level of organic acid positively affected the chemical composition of C. rotundifolia silage. In addition, the addition of 1% organic acid increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, while the relative abundances of Clostridium and Enterobacter decreased at 60 days (p < 0.05). Moreover, both organic acids and combined additives increased (p < 0.05) the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria at 60 days of fermentation. We concluded that adding malic acid, citric acid, and L combined with an organic acid could improve the quality of C. rotundifolia silage and increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. The addition of organic acid at a level of 1% was the most effective.
Association between Antibiotic Use and Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile Infection in University Tertiary Hospital in Serbia, 2011–2021: An Ecological Analysis
Authors: Perić Aneta , Rančić Nemanja , Dragojević-Simić Viktorija , Milenković Bojana , Ljubenović Nenad , Rakonjac Bojan , Begović-Kuprešanin Vesna , Šuljagić Vesna
Published: September 2022

This ecological study is the largest to date examining the association between rates of antibiotic use (AU) and hospital-onset (HO) Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in a tertiary university hospital in Serbia. There was no clear trend in the incidence of HO-CDI over time. Total utilization of antibacterials for systemic use increased from 38.57 DDD/100 bed-days (BD) in 2011 to 56.39 DDD/100 BD in 2021. The most commonly used antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins, especially ceftriaxone, with maximum consumption in 2021 (19.14 DDD/100 BD). The share of the Access group in the total utilization of antibiotics ranged from 29.95% to 42.96% during the observed period. The utilization of the Reserve group of antibiotics indicated a statistically significant increasing trend (p = 0.034). A statistically significant difference in the consumption of medium-risk antibiotics from 2011 to 2021 was shown for penicillins and a combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The consumption of cefotaxime showed a statistically significant negative association with the rate of HO-CDI (r = −0.647; p = 0.031). Ampicillin and the combination of amoxicilline with clavulanic acid have shown a negative statistically significant correlation with the ID of HO-CDI (r = −0.773 and r = −0.821, respectively). Moreover, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between consumption of “medium-risk antibiotics” and the rate of HO-CDI (r = −0.677). The next challenging step for the hospital multidisciplinary team for antimicrobials is to modify the antibiotic list according to the Access, Watch, and Reserve classification, in such a way that at least 60% of the AU should be from the Access group, according to the World Health Organization recommendation.
Effects of the Gut Microbiota and Barrier Function on Melatonin Efficacy in Alleviating Liver Injury
Authors: Zhang Hao , Liu Xiaoyun , Elsabagh Mabrouk , Zhang Ying , Ma Yi , Jin Yaqian , Wang Mengzhi , Wang Hongrong , Jiang Honghua
Published: September 2022

Environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure has been associated with severe liver injury. In contrast, melatonin (Mel) is a candidate drug therapy for Cd-induced liver injury due to its diverse hepatoprotective activities. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which Mel alleviates the Cd-induced liver injury, as well as the Mel–gut microbiota interaction in liver health, remains unknown. In this study, mice were given oral gavage CdCl2 and Mel for 10 weeks before the collection of liver tissues and colonic contents. The role of the gut microbiota in Mel’s efficacy in alleviating the Cd-induced liver injury was evaluated by the gut microbiota depletion technique in the presence of antibiotic treatment and gut microbiota transplantation (GMT). Our results revealed that the oral administration of Mel supplementation mitigated liver inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitophagy, improved the oxidation of fatty acids, and counteracted intestinal microbial dysbiosis in mice suffering from liver injury. It was interesting to find that neither Mel nor Cd administration induced any changes in the liver of antibiotic-treated mice. By adopting the GMT approach where gut microbiota collected from mice in the control (CON), Cd, or Mel + Cd treatment groups was colonized in mice, it was found that gut microbiota was involved in Cd-induced liver injury. Therefore, the gut microbiota is involved in the Mel-mediated mitigation of ER stress, liver inflammation and mitophagy, and the improved oxidation of fatty acids in mice suffering from Cd-induced liver injury.
Development of Pectin and Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Based Active Packaging Enriched with Itaconic Acid and Apple Pomace-Derived Antioxidants
Authors: Teleky Bernadette-Emőke , Mitrea Laura , Plamada Diana , Nemes Silvia Amalia , Călinoiu Lavinia-Florina , Pascuta Mihaela Stefana , Varvara Rodica-Anita , Szabo Katalin , Vajda Patricia , Szekely Cristian , Martău Gheorghe-Adrian , Elemer Simon , Ranga Floricuța , Vodnar Dan-Cristian
Published: September 2022

The production of active and biodegradable packaging materials is an emerging and efficient alternative to plastic packaging materials. By combining poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), pectin, and itaconic acid (IA), biodegradable and water-soluble packaging materials can be obtained that can also increase the shelf-life and quality of foodstuff. In the present study, the generated film-forming solutions were enriched with organic or phenolic extracts from apple by-products (apple pomace). These extracts possess an efficient antioxidant activity of 9.70 ± 0.08, and 78.61 ± 0.24 μM Trolox/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Furthermore, the lyophilization of these by-products increased the extract’s organic and phenolic content and the antioxidant activity to 67.45 ± 0.28 and 166.69 ± 0.47 μM Trolox/100 g fresh weight, respectively. These extracts influence the physical-chemical properties of the biofilm solutions by facilitating the polymerization process and thus positively influencing their viscosity. The resulting biofilms presented low water vapor permeability and reduced solubility in water. Adding IA and organic/phenolic compounds facilitates the resistance against intrinsic and extrinsic factors; therefore, they might be applicable in the food industry.