bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of body fat percentage assessments by bioelectrical impedance analysis, anthropometrical prediction equations, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in older women
Authors: Velázquez-Alva María Consuelo , Irigoyen-Camacho María Esther , Zepeda-Zepeda Marco Antonio , Rangel-Castillo Itzam , Arrieta-Cruz Isabel , Mendoza-Garcés Luciano , Castaño-Seiquer Antonio , Flores-Fraile Javier , Gutiérrez-Juárez Roger
Published: December 2022

Background

Individuals with high body fat have a higher risk of mortality. Numerous anthropometric-based predictive equations are available for body composition assessments; furthermore, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) estimates are available. However, in older adults, the validity of body fat estimates requires further investigation.

Objective

To assess the agreement between percentage body fat (BF%) estimates by BIA and five predictive equations based on anthropometric characteristics using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as reference method. A secondary objective was to identify whether excluding short-stature women improves the agreement of BF% estimates in a group of community-dwelling, older Mexican women.

Methods

A concordance analysis of BF% was performed. A total of 121 older women participated in the study. Anthropometric information, BIA, and DXA body composition estimates were obtained. Five equations using anthropometric data were evaluated in order to determine body fat percentage (BF%) using DXA as reference method. Paired t-test comparisons and standard error of estimates (SEE) were obtained. The Bland-Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement and the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were used to evaluate the BF% prediction equations and BIA estimates.

Results

The mean age of the study participants was 73.7 (±5.8) years old. BIA and the anthropometric based equations examined showed mean significant differences when tested in the entire sample. For the taller women (height > 145 cm), no significant difference in the paired comparison was found between DXA and BIA of BF% estimates. The mean BF% was 40.3 (±4.8) and 40.7 (±6.2) for DXA and BIA, respectively. The concordance between methods was good (CCC 0.814), (SEE 2.62). Also, in the taller women subset, the Woolcott equation using waist-to-height ratio presented no significant difference in the paired comparison; however, the error of the estimates was high (SEE 3.37) and the concordance was moderate (CCC 0.693).

Conclusion

This study found that BIA yielded good results in the estimation of BF% among women with heights over 145 cm. Also, in this group, the Woolcott predictive equation based on waist circumference and height ratio showed no significant differences compared to DXA in the paired comparison; however, the large error of estimates observed may limit its application. In older women, short stature may impact the validity of the body fat percentage estimates of anthropometric-based predictive equations.
Can a morphological description of the peritoneal carcinomatosis in advanced ovarian cancer add prognostic information? Analysis of 1686 patients of the tumor bank ovarian cancer
Authors: Nasser Sara , Babayeva Aygun , Braicu Ioana , Richter Rolf , Bilir Esra , Chekerov Radoslav , Muallem Mustafa-Zelal , Pietzner Klaus , Inci Melissa-Guelhan , Sehouli Jalid
Published: December 2022

Background

Peritoneal carcinomatosis in ovarian cancer is frequent and generally associated with higher stage and poorer outcome. The clinical features of peritoneal carcinomatosis are diverse and their relevance for surgical and long-term outcome remains unclear. We conducted this prospective study to describe intraoperatively the different features of peritoneal carcinomatosis(PC) and correlate them with clinicopathological features, progression-free(PFS) and overall survival (OS),.

Methods

We performed a systematic analysis of all patients with documented intraoperative PC and a primary diagnosis of epithelial ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer from January 2001 to September 2018. All data were evaluated by using the systematic tumor bank tool. Specific PC features included texture(soft-hard), consistency(coarse-fine or both), wet vs dry(PC with ascites vs. PC without ascites), and localization(diffuse-local). PC characteristics were then evaluated for correlation with age, FIGO-stage, histology, lymph-node involvement, grade, and presence of residual tumor at primary surgery. Moreover, the influence of PC characteristics on OS and PFS was analyzed.

Results

A total of 1686 patients with PC and primary epithelial ovarian cancer were included. Majority of the patients were characterized by diffuse PC(73.9%). The majority of peritoneal nodules were fine in texture (55.3%) and hard in consistency (87.4%). Moreover, 27.6% of patients had dry PC. Diffuse PC localization was significantly associated with higher FIGO-stage (p<0.001), high-grade (p=0.003) and serous tumors (p=0.006) as well as residual tumor as compared to local PC (p<0.001). Wet PC also significantly correlated with diffuse localization (p <0.001) and residual tumor as compared to dry PC (p<0.001). Coarse PC was significantly associated with residual tumor as compared to fine PC (p=0.044). All other PC features didn´t correlate with clinicopathological features. As for survival outcomes, diffuse peritoneal localization (p<0.001), wet PC (p<0.001), and additional lymph node involvement (p<0.001) were associated with lower OS and PFS rates. Other PC features did not significantly impact survival.

Conclusion

Diffuse localization of peritoneal carcinomatosis was significant predictor of recurrence. Lower OS and PFS were associated with diffuse peritoneal localization, wet PC, and additional lymph node involvement. Further prospective trials are warranted with the inclusion of translational research aspects to better understand the different peritoneal carcinomatosis patterns.
Induction chemotherapy increases efficacy and survival rate of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Huang Yuting , Chang Jing , Guo Xiaolei , Zhang Chao , Ji Wenping , Zhou Shusheng , Wang Chao , Zhang Xu
Published: December 2022

Objective

The efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) after induction chemotherapy (IC) in the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of IC in patients with ESCC.

Methods

124 patients with ESCC receiving CRT were included. Patients were divided into IC+CRT group and CRT group. Short-term and long-term efficacy as well as survival time of the two groups were compared, influencing factors of IC efficacy were investigated, and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups were compared in different subgroups.

Results

There was no significant difference in the objective response rate (ORR) between the two groups. After IC, the ORR was higher in patients with single-drug concurrent chemotherapy weekly and patients with effective IC. In the long-term efficacy, advanced clinical stage patients had a shorter PFS compared to early-stage patients, and chemoradiotherapy mode ameliorates patients’ PFS. OS and PFS of IC+CRT group were longer than that of CRT group in both tumor diameter <5cm and single-drug chemotherapy weekly subgroups. In addition, OS of IC+CRT group was longer than that of CRT group in pathological grade G1-2 subgroup.

Conclusions

IC improve the efficacy and survival rate of patients with locally advanced ESCC, and the benefits are more advantageous in subgroups of effective IC, pathological grade G1-2, tumor diameter < 5cm, single-drug concurrent chemotherapy weekly.
Immunoregulatory framework and the role of miRNA in the pathogenesis of NSCLC – A systematic review
Authors: Samarth Nikhil , Gulhane Pooja , Singh Shailza
Published: December 2022

With a 5-year survival rate of only 15%, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common kind of lung carcinoma and the cause of millions of deaths annually, has drawn attention. Numerous variables, such as disrupted signaling caused by somatic mutations in the EGFR-mediated RAS/RAF/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT signaling cascade, supports tumour survival in one way or another. Here, the tumour microenvironment significantly contributes to the development of cancer by thwarting the immune response. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of gene expression that can function as oncogenes or oncosuppressors. They have a major influence on the occurrence and prognosis of NSCLC. Though, a myriad number of therapies are available and many are being clinically tested, still the drug resistance, its adverse effect and toxicity leading towards fatality cannot be ruled out. In this review, we tried to ascertain the missing links in between perturbed EGFR signaling, miRNAs favouring tumorigenesis and the autophagy mechanism. While connecting all the aforementioned points multiple associations were set, which can be targeted in order to combat NSCLC. Here, we tried illuminating designing synthetically engineered circuits with the toggle switches that might lay a prototype for better therapeutic paradigm.
Effects of the “Spinomed active” orthosis on chronic back pain in kyphotic women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures three months and older: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Hettchen Matthias , Willert Sebastian , von Stengel Simon , Kohl Matthias , Kemmler Wolfgang
Published: December 2022

Vertebral fractures are frequent clinical consequences of osteoporosis. Considering the demographic change in Europe, the number of vertebral fractures will quite likely increase during the next decades. Apart from pharmaceutic agents and physiotherapy, spinal orthoses are established elements of conservative therapy for vertebral (body) fractures. Recent studies on acute vertebral fractures reported positive effects on back pain, kyphosis and functional disabilities, but the efficacy of active strengthening spinal orthoses in vertebral fractures ≥6 months remains to be established. Eighty hyperkyphotic, community-dwelling women ≥65 years with chronic back pain and vertebral fractures occurred ≥3 months ago were randomly allocated to a group which wore the “Spinomed active” orthoses 2 × 2–3 h/d for 16 weeks (SOG: n = 40) or an untreated control group (CG: n = 40). Study outcomes were back pain intensity, kyphosis angle, trunk strength, back pain induced- and general function and disability, functional ability (chair-rise test) and respiratory function. We applied an intention-to-treat analysis; data were consistently adjusted for baseline values applying an ANCOVA. Observing a compliance of 82 ± 14% with the wearing protocol, we determined large and significant favorable effects for back pain (p = .008), back pain-induced physical disability (p < .001) and kyphosis angle (p < .001). We also demonstrated positive effects on trunk strength (p = .049), functional ability (p = .062) and general function and disability (p = .057), although not all of the parameters reach significance. No relevant changes were observed for respiratory function. After a few further individual adjustments of the orthosis (n = 2), no adverse effects were reported. In summary, the present study provided evidence for the efficacy of an active strengthening spinal orthosis (“Spinomed active”) in people with vertebral fractures ≥6 months. Based on our results, we recommend expanding the application of the “Spinomed active” orthosis, which was previously validated for acute vertebral fractures, also to older hyperkyphotic women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures ≥3 months.
Parents' dilemma: A therapeutic decision for children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1
Authors: Boursange Sophie , Araneda Marco , Stalens Caroline , Desguerre Isabelle , Barnerias Christine , Nougues Marie-Christine , Isapof Arnaud , Quijano-Roy Susana , Blu Genestine Nadia , Ouillade Laetitia , Martinez Jalilie Maripaz , Castiglioni Claudia , Boespflug-Tanguy Odile , Gargiulo Marcela ,   The SMAPAR Study Group
Published: December 2022

Background

SMA type 1 is a severe neurodegenerative disorder that, in the absence of curative treatment, leads to death before 1 year of age without ventilatory support. Three innovative therapies are available to increase life expectancy.

Purpose

(i) To increase knowledge about parents' experiences with their decision to have opted for an innovative therapy; (ii) to assess the middle-term psychological consequences in the parents' lives.

Methods

We used an in-depth interview; a self-administrated questionnaire and self-report scales (BDI-II, STAI-Y, PSI-SF, SOC-13, PBA, DAS 16 and FICD). We compared parents hesitant before the decision to parents who were not-hesitant and the group of parents whose child was treated with gene therapy (GT) to parents whose child received another innovative therapy.

Main results

We included n = 18 parents of 13 children. Parent's mean age was 34.7 (±5.2), child's average age was 44.3 months (±38.0). Retrospectively, most parents felt involved by doctors in decision-making on treatment, they felt their point of view was considered and were satisfied with the effects of the treatment. The group of parents “non-hesitant” was more depressed (p < 0.001), more anxious (p = 0.022) and had higher parental stress (p = 0.026) than the group of “hesitant” parents; the group of “GT-treated” parents was more depressed (p = 0.036) than the group of parents with “other therapy”. Qualitative data highlights revealed: the need to save the child's life at all costs; the fear of coping with end of life and palliative care, the high value of perceived physician confidence in the treatment, the hope that the child will acquire autonomy or be cured. At the time of the decision, no parents felt they fully understood all of the issues regarding therapy and the disease.

Conclusion

Hesitating before making a decision did not predispose parents to depression and anxiety. The narratives suggest that the parents faced a dilemma regarding their child's health in an urgent context. The decision was not final, and parents will continue to think about it throughout the care process.
Increased expression of the TLR7/9 signaling pathways in chronic active EBV infection
Authors: Liu Luyao , Wang Ying , Wang Wenjie , Ying Wenjing , Sun Bijun , Wang Xiaochuan , Sun Jinqiao
Published: December 2022

We aimed to investigate the immunological mechanisms of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways in different types of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. We retrospectively summarized the clinical data, routine laboratory tests and the immunological function of the infectious mononucleosis (IM) and chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) patients. A real-time quantitative PCR array was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of TLR7/TLR9 and myeloid-differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). Flow cytometry was used to detect the protein expression of TLR7/TLR9. The MyD88 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) (p65) protein were detected by western blotting. A cytometric bead array (CBA) assay was used to detect the expression of downstream cytokines. CAEBV patients presented with increased expression of TLR7/TLR9 in monocytes and B lymphocytes. TLR9 expression in the B lymphocytes of IM patients was decreased compared with the CAEBV pateints. Downstream signaling mediators, including MyD88 and NF-κB, were revealed to be increased in EBV-infected patients. Moreover, the expression of MyD88 and NF-κB was higher in CAEBV patients, leading to disrupted balance of downstream cytokines. EBV may activate the immune system via TLR7/TLR9 signaling pathways. Moreover, the overactivated TLR7/TLR9 pathway in CAEBV patients resulted in excessive inflammation, which might be relevant to the poor prognosis.
Triplex-forming oligonucleotides as an anti-gene technique for cancer therapy
Authors: Li Chun , Zhou Zunzhen , Ren Chao , Deng Yi , Peng Feng , Wang Qiongfen , Zhang Hong , Jiang Yuan
Published: December 2022

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) can bind to the major groove of double-stranded DNA with high specificity and affinity and inhibit gene expression. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides have gained prominence because of their potential applications in antigene therapy. In particular, the target specificity of triplex-forming oligonucleotides combined with their ability to suppress oncogene expression has driven their development as anti-cancer agents. So far, triplex-forming oligonucleotides have not been used for clinical treatment and seem to be gradually snubbed in recent years. But triplex-forming oligonucleotides still represent an approach to down-regulate the expression of the target gene and a carrier of active substances. Therefore, in the present review, we will introduce the characteristics of triplex-forming oligonucleotides and their anti-cancer research progress. Then, we will discuss the challenges in their application.
Proteomic analysis revealed the pharmacological mechanism of Xueshuantong injection in preventing early acute myocardial infarction injury
Authors: Wang Aoao , Li Ying , Wang Ziyan , Xin Gaojie , You Yue , Sun Mingqian , Miao Lan , Li Lei , Pan Yinghong , Liu Jianxun
Published: December 2022

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common and life-threatening cardiovascular disease. However, there is a lack of pathology and drug studies on AMI within 20 min. Xueshuantong injection (XST) is mainly composed of Panax notoginseng saponins, which can dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation, and is clinically used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the protective mechanism of Xueshuantong injection against acute myocardial infarction within 20 min in rats by proteomic methods and molecular docking.

Method: The male Sprague–Dawley rat acute myocardial infarction model was established by LAD ligation, and Xueshuantong injection (38 mg/kg) was injected into the caudal vein 15 min before surgery. Cardiac function evaluation, morphological observation, label-free quantitative proteomics, Western blotting analysis, molecular docking, and affinity measurement were applied in this study.

Results: In a span of 20 min after acute myocardial infarction, the model group showed significant cardiac function impairment. Xueshuantong injection can significantly improve cardiac function and prevent pathological injury of myocardial tissue. A total of 117 vital differentially expressed proteins were identified by proteomic analysis, including 80 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the sham group compared with model rats (Sham: model) and 43 DEPs in model rats compared with the Xueshuantong injection group (Model: XST). The treatment of Xueshuantong injection mainly involves “poly(A) RNA binding” and “cadherin binding involved in cell–cell adhesion.” The differentially expressed levels of the pathways related to proteins Echdc2, Gcdh, Dlst, and Nampt, as well as 14-3-3 family proteins Ywhaz and Ywhab, could be quantitatively confirmed by WB. Molecular docking analysis and SPR analysis revealed that Ywhaz has a generally stable binding with five Xueshuantong injection components.

Conclusion: Xueshuantong injection (XST) could protect rat myocardial function injury against AMI in 20 min. Echdc2, Ywhaz, Gcdh, Ywhab, Nampt, and Dlst play an essential role in this protective effect. In particular, Ywhaz might be the core target of Xueshuantong injection when treating acute myocardial infarction in the early stage. This study promoted the understanding of the protective mechanism of Xueshuantong injection in 20 min injury of acute myocardial infarction and contributed to the identification of possible targets of Xueshuantong injection.
Cyclovirobuxine D, a cardiovascular drug from traditional Chinese medicine, alleviates inflammatory and neuropathic pain mainly via inhibition of voltage-gated Cav3.2 channels
Authors: Su Deyuan , Gong Ye , Li Songyu , Yang Jian , Nian Yin
Published: December 2022

Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-D), the main active constituent of traditional Chinese medicine Buxus microphylla, was developed as a safe and effective cardiovascular drug in China. B. microphylla has also been used to relieve various pain symptoms for centuries. In this study, we examined and uncovered strong and persistent analgesic effects of cyclovirobuxine D against several mouse models of pain, including carrageenan- and CFA-induced inflammatory pain and paclitaxel-mediated neuropathic hypersensitivity. Cyclovirobuxine D shows comparable analgesic effects by intraplantar or intraperitoneal administration. Cyclovirobuxine D potently inhibits voltage-gated Cav2.2 and Cav3.2 channels but has negligible effects on a diverse group of nociceptive ion channels distributed in primary afferent neurons, including Nav1.7, Nav1.8, TRPV1, TPRA1, TRPM8, ASIC3, P2X2 and P2X4. Moreover, inhibition of Cav3.2, rather than Cav2.2, plays a dominant role in attenuating the excitability of isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons and pain relieving effects of cyclovirobuxine D. Our work reveals that a currently in-use cardiovascular drug has strong analgesic effects mainly via blockade of Cav3.2 and provides a compelling rationale and foundation for conducting clinical studies to repurpose cyclovirobuxine D in pain management.
The potential function and clinical application of FGF21 in metabolic diseases
Authors: Chen Zhiwei , Yang Lili , Liu Yang , Huang Ping , Song Haiyan , Zheng Peiyong
Published: December 2022

As an endocrine hormone, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays a crucial role in regulating lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. Endogenous FGF21 is generated by multiple cell types but acts on restricted effector tissues, including the brain, adipose tissue, liver, heart, and skeletal muscle. Intervention with FGF21 in rodents or non-human primates has shown significant pharmacological effects on a range of metabolic dysfunctions, including weight loss and improvement of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to the poor pharmacokinetic and biophysical characteristics of native FGF21, long-acting FGF21 analogs and FGF21 receptor agonists have been developed for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction. Clinical trials of several FGF21-based drugs have been performed and shown good safety, tolerance, and efficacy. Here we review the actions of FGF21 and summarize the associated clinical trials in obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and NAFLD, to help understand and promote the development of efficient treatment for metabolic diseases via targeting FGF21.
Effects of the Radix Ginseng and Semen Ziziphi Spinosae drug pair on the GLU/GABA-GLN metabolic cycle and the intestinal microflora of insomniac rats based on the brain–gut axis
Authors: Qiao Tie , Wang Yuan , Liang Ke , Zheng Bingyuan , Ma Jin , Li Fangxiao , Liu Chi , Zhu Mingdan , Song Meng
Published: December 2022

Introduction: To explore the mechanism of action of appling Radix Ginseng and Semen Ziziphi Spinosae Drug pair (R-S) in the treatment of insomnia by investigating the effect of R-S on GLU/GABA-GLN metabolic cycle and intestinal microflora of rats with insomnia.

Methods: Rats were intraperitoneally injected with 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine (PCPA) to make sleep deprivation (SD) models. The rats were divided into 6 groups, with 8 rats in each group. The general status of the rats was observed and the pentobarbital sodium sleep synergy experiment was performed. The contents of GABA, GLU, GLN, GAD65, and GS in hippocampus of rats were determined by ELISA. The expressions of GABAARα1mRNA, mGluR5mRNA, NR1mRNA and GluR1mRNA in rats’ hippocampal tissue were determined by Realtime PCR. 16SrRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the intestinal microflora of insomnia rats.

Results: In PCPA-induced insomnia rats, the state of insomnia was relieved, the sleep rate was improved, the duration of sleep latency was shortened and the sleep duration was prolonged in each dose group of R-S (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) compared with the model group. The contents of GABA, GLN, GAD65 and GS were increased (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) while GLU content was decreased (p < 0.01) in both medium and high dose groups, especially in the high dose group. The expression of GABAARα1mRNA was increased (p < 0.01), and the expressions of mGluR5mRNA, NR1mRNA and GluR1mRNA were decreased (p < 0.01) in hippocampal tissue of rats in R-S groups, especially in the high dose group. At the same time, the various dose groups of R-S could improve the species diversity, microflora abundance of insomnia rats and regulate the KEGG metabolic pathway related to sleep.

Discussion: R-S can improve the sleep of PCPA-induced insomnia rats by regulating GLU/GABA-GLN metabolic cycle and intestinal microflora, which provides experimental basis for appling R-S in the treatment of insomnia.
Myriocin enhances the antifungal activity of fluconazole by blocking the membrane localization of the efflux pump Cdr1
Authors: Wang Hongkang , Ji Zhe , Feng Yanru , Yan Tianhua , Cao Yongbing , Lu Hui , Jiang Yuanying
Published: December 2022

Introduction: Extrusion of azoles from the cell, mediated by an efflux pump Cdr1, is one of the most frequently used strategies for developing azole resistance in pathogenic fungi. The efflux pump Cdr1 is predominantly localized in lipid rafts within the plasma membrane, and its localization is sensitive to changes in the composition of lipid rafts. Our previous study found that the calcineurin signal pathway is important in transferring sphingolipids from the inner to the outer membrane.

Methods: We investigated multiple factors that enhance the antifungal activity of fluconazole (FLC) using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays and disk diffusion assays. We studied the mechanism of action of myriocin through qRT-PCR analysis and confocal microscopy analysis. We tested whether myriocin enhanced the antifungal activity of FLC and held therapeutic potential using a mouse infection model.

Results: We found that this signal pathway has no function in the activity of Cdr1. We found that inhibiting sphingolipid biosynthesis by myriocin remarkably increased the antifungal activity of FLC with a broad antifungal spectrum and held therapeutic potential. We further found that myriocin potently enhances the antifungal activity of FLC against C. albicans by blocking membrane localization of the Cdr1 rather than repressing the expression of Cdr1. In addition, we found that myriocin enhanced the antifungal activity of FLC and held therapeutic potential.

Discussion: Our study demonstrated that blocking the membrane location and inactivating Cdr1 by inhibiting sphingolipids biogenesis is beneficial for enhancing the antifungal activity of azoles against azole-resistant C. albicans due to Cdr1 activation.
Dynamic and high-speed measurement system for blade tip clearance of engine with optical comb
Authors: Han Jibo , Bai Yu , Lv Linjie , Wu Tengfei , Wu Yahui , Cao Zhang , Yang Yongjun
Published: December 2022

For blade tip clearance measurement, the optical measurement method has the characteristics of high precision, anti-electromagnetic interference, and non-contact measurement. A dynamic and high-speed blade tip clearance measurement system based on time stretch dispersive Fourier transform with the optical comb is proposed and demonstrated. The dynamic experiments are designed to verify the accuracy of the system. The results show that the measuring speed is up to 17.6 MHz and the measurement errors are less than 1 μm under dynamic conditions. The experiments prove that the system has the advantages of high measurement accuracy, high speed, and good repeatability. It can provide a new tool for engine health monitoring.
The root signals in rhizospheric inter-organismal communications
Authors: Lyu Dongmei , Smith Donald L.
Published: December 2022

Root exudates play a key role in mediating plant–plant and plant–rhizomicrobiome interactions, including regulating biochemical/physiological aspects of plant-associated microorganisms, to enhance host plant growth and resilience. Root exudates can act as signals to reduce the competition from neighboring plants and recruiting/choreographing a wide range of diverse rhizomicrobiome members to make the host plant a good fit with its immediate environment. Root exudate production is a dynamic and key process, but there is a limited understanding of the metabolites or metabolic pathways involved in the inter-organismal communications facilitated by them. Given the well-known symbiotic relationships between plants and associated rhizomicrobiome members, adding root exudates to microbial isolation media may allow some of the large segments of rhizomicrobiome members that are not currently culturable to be grown in vitro. This will provide new insights into how root signals orchestrate associated microbes, will benefit agricultural production in the face of challenges posed by climate change, and will help to sustainably provide food for a growing global human population.
Estimation of wheat tiller density using remote sensing data and machine learning methods
Authors: Hu Jinkang , Zhang Bing , Peng Dailiang , Yu Ruyi , Liu Yao , Xiao Chenchao , Li Cunjun , Dong Tao , Fang Moren , Ye Huichun , Huang Wenjiang , Lin Binbin , Wang Mengmeng , Cheng Enhui , Yang Songlin
Published: December 2022

The tiller density is a key agronomic trait of winter wheat that is essential to field management and yield estimation. The traditional method of obtaining the wheat tiller density is based on manual counting, which is inefficient and error prone. In this study, we established machine learning models to estimate the wheat tiller density in the field using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing data. The results showed that the vegetation indices related to vegetation cover and leaf area index are more suitable for tiller density estimation. The optimal mean relative error for hyperspectral data was 5.46%, indicating that the results were more accurate than those for multispectral data, which had a mean relative error of 7.71%. The gradient boosted regression tree (GBRT) and random forest (RF) methods gave the best estimation accuracy when the number of samples was less than around 140 and greater than around 140, respectively. The results of this study support the extension of the tested methods to the large-scale monitoring of tiller density based on remote sensing data.
Comprehensive identification of bHLH transcription factors in Litsea cubeba reveals candidate gene involved in the monoterpene biosynthesis pathway
Authors: Yang Jiahui , Chen Yicun , Gao Ming , Wu Liwen , Xiong Shifa , Wang Siqi , Gao Jing , Zhao Yunxiao , Wang Yangdong
Published: December 2022

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Person, an economically important aromatic plant producing essential oils, has lemon-like fragrance and 96.44–98.44% monoterpene contents. bHLH transcription factor plays an important role in plant secondary metabolism and terpene biosynthesis. In this study, we used bioinformatics to identify bHLH transcription factors in L. cubeba, 173 bHLH genes were identified from L. cubeba and divided these into 26 subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis. The majority of bHLHs in each subfamily shared comparable structures and motifs. While LcbHLHs were unevenly distributed across 12 chromosomes, 10 tandem repeats were discovered. Expression profiles of bHLH genes in different tissues demonstrated that LcbHLH78 is a potential candidate gene for regulating monoterpene biosynthesis. LcbHLH78 and the terpene synthase LcTPS42 showed comparable expression patterns in various tissues and fruit development stages of L. cubeba. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that LcbHLH78 protein localizes to the nucleus, consistent with a transcription factor function. Importantly, transient overexpression of LcbHLH78 increased geraniol and linalol contents. Our research demonstrates that LcbHLH78 enhances terpenoid biosynthesis. This finding will be beneficial for improving the quality of L. cubeba and provides helpful insights for further research into the control mechanism of LcbHLH genes over terpenoid biosynthesis.
Stereoselective (4 + 3) cycloadditions of allenyl ethers-furans by chiral auxiliaries inducing and evaluation of anti-breast cancer activity
Authors: Lei Wenli , Song Yuyang , Long Ai , Que Yanyan , He Shuzhong , Zhong Hang , Chen Yang
Published: December 2022

The medicinal plants were wildly library of natural products in drug discovery. The most active molecules with seven-membered rings skeleton represent a challenge for construction. A stereoselectivity (4 + 3) cycloadditions between allenyl ethers and substituted furans induced by chiral auxiliaries has been investigated. And the results showed significant stereoselectivities and regioselectivities. The optical cycloadducts with an oxygen-substituted seven-membered ring framework were generated by removing chiral auxiliaries under acidic conditions. The antiproliferative activity of the novel compounds displayed moderate antiproliferative effects toward T47D cells.
An efficient genomic prediction method without the direct inverse of the genomic relationship matrix
Authors: Liu Hailan , Xia Chao , Lan Hai
Published: December 2022

GBLUP, the most widely used genomic prediction (GP) method, consumes large and increasing amounts of computational resources as the training population size increases due to the inverse of the genomic relationship matrix (GRM). Therefore, in this study, we developed a new genomic prediction method (RHEPCG) that avoids the direct inverse of the GRM by combining randomized Haseman–Elston (HE) regression (RHE-reg) and a preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG). The simulation results demonstrate that RHEPCG, in most cases, not only achieves similar predictive accuracy with GBLUP but also significantly reduces computational time. As for the real data, RHEPCG shows similar or better predictive accuracy for seven traits of the Arabidopsis thaliana F2 population and four traits of the Sorghum bicolor RIL population compared with GBLUP. This indicates that RHEPCG is a practical alternative to GBLUP and has better computational efficiency.
Impact of climate change on grape berry ripening: An assessment of adaptation strategies for the Australian vineyard
Authors: Rogiers Suzy Y. , Greer Dennis H. , Liu Yin , Baby Tintu , Xiao Zeyu
Published: December 2022

Compressed vintages, high alcohol and low wine acidity are but a few repercussions of climate change effects on Australian viticulture. While warm and cool growing regions may have different practical concerns related to climate change, they both experience altered berry and must composition and potentially reduced desirable wine characteristics and market value. Storms, drought and uncertain water supplies combined with excessive heat not only depress vine productivity through altered physiology but can have direct consequences on the fruit. Sunburn, shrivelling and altered sugar-flavour-aroma balance are becoming more prevalent while bushfires can result in smoke taint. Moreover, distorted pest and disease cycles and changes in pathogen geographical distribution have altered biotic stress dynamics that require novel management strategies. A multipronged approach to address these challenges may include alternative cultivars and rootstocks or changing geographic location. In addition, modifying and incorporating novel irrigation regimes, vine architecture and canopy manipulation, vineyard floor management, soil amendments and foliar products such as antitranspirants and other film-forming barriers are potential levers that can be used to manage the effects of climate change. The adoption of technology into the vineyard including weather, plant and soil sensors are giving viticulturists extra tools to make quick decisions, while satellite and airborne remote sensing allow the adoption of precision farming. A coherent and comprehensive approach to climate risk management, with consideration of the environment, ensures that optimum production and exceptional fruit quality is maintained. We review the preliminary findings and feasibility of these new strategies in the Australian context.
Going within, between and beyond: An exploration of regular Ashtanga Yoga practitioners’ conceptualizations of five dimensions of wellbeing
Authors: Ramirez-Duran Daniela , Stokes Helen , Kern Margaret L.
Published: December 2022

Yoga is an embodied practice underpinned by philosophical elements, seeking to evolve different dimensions of human existence for optimal functioning in relation to oneself, others and beyond. This mixed-methods research focused on 137 regular Ashtanga Yoga practitioners (AYPs) by investigating their conceptualizations of five dimensions of wellbeing (i.e., physical, emotional, psychological, social, spiritual). Conceptualizations were analysed through word count analysis and Reflexive Thematic Analysis separately for each dimension, yielding four themes in each case, which partly aligned with existing wellbeing and yoga models, and partly extended on the existing literature. Further higher level analysis identified shared meanings across these five dimensions, expressed in themes grouped within five topics (i.e., freedom from and managing suffering, a positive and integrated sense of self, a sense of equanimity and steadiness, the self in relation to others and the world, meta-awareness). Furthermore, it also portrayed each dimension as multileveled, represented in three levels of human functioning. The foundational level encompassed the absence and managing suffering, representing functioning in coping and recovery mode. The optimal functioning level included a positive and integrated sense of self, a sense of equanimity and steadiness, and the self in relation to others and the world, representing functioning in personal development and growth mode. The contemplative and transcendental level involved meta-awareness in every dimension of wellbeing, representing functioning in transpersonal mode. As a result, we propose a preliminary model informed both by this empirical work and previous theories. While the continuousness of themes across dimensions reinforces the importance of embodiment and transcendence in wellbeing frameworks, the notion of the self as a multi-level system could be further explored in relation to knowing about and cultivating wellbeing.
Autonomous motivation, goal-facilitating behaviours, and dietary goal progress in individuals transitioning to a veg*n diet: A longitudinal study
Authors: Kolbuszewska Marta , Anderson Jo , Milyavskaya Marina
Published: December 2022

Previous studies have consistently shown that autonomous motivation – pursuing goals because one wants to, rather than has to – is associated with greater behaviour maintenance in the context of healthy eating, exercise, and diet maintenance. The present study used a 7-wave longitudinal design to examine how autonomous motivation is related to dietary goal progress in individuals (N = 222) transitioning to a veg*n (i.e., vegetarian or vegan) diet. We hypothesized that when people reported more autonomous motivation (compared to their own average) they would be more successful in reaching their dietary goals. We also explored the role of goal-facilitating behaviours in this process. We found no directional effects of relative autonomous motivation on goal progress or goal-facilitating behaviours, although the concurrent relations were significant. There were also no within-person effects of behaviours on progress. These findings shed light onto the relationship between autonomous motivation, behaviours, and goal progress both at the same time and over time, and highlight the importance of examining within-person fluctuations over time.
Housing difficulties, health status and life satisfaction
Authors: Hu Mingzhi , Su Yinxin , Yu Xiaofen
Published: December 2022

This study examines the effects of housing difficulties on life satisfaction. By using longitudinal data from the China Family Panel Studies survey, we find strong evidence that households who experience housing difficulties are less satisfied with their lives than those who do not after controlling for a wide range of household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and county and year fixed effects. Our estimated results are robust to unobservable household characteristics, model misspecification and selection bias. We also provide explanations for the negative effects of housing difficulties on life satisfaction through which housing difficulties are detrimental to physical and psychological health. Life satisfaction remains negatively associated with housing difficulties even after controlling for health status.
Mourning the lost: A social actor analysis of gender representation in the @FacesofCovid’s tweets
Authors: Almaghlouth Shrouq
Published: December 2022

When COVID-19 swept the world at the end of 2019, it changed life as we knew it. With about 600 million positive cases (both recovered and active) and approximately 6.5 million deaths due to the disease, people worldwide have been affected physically, psychologically, economically, and socially by the pandemic. Amid such difficult times, @FacesofCovid—a Twitter account with more than 150,000 followers—was launched in March 2020 with the mission of honoring the lives of those lost to COVID-19 instead of presenting them as mere statistics. The account is a demonstrative example of the mourning genre as primarily exhibited through concise tweets grieving the deceased. As such, it offers a novel case of a public online mourning platform through microblogging, an understudied research area that merits further examination. A self-built corpus of 280,536 words was built from more than 7,000 tweets on the public account. The analysis presented in this paper focused on how people are constructed in the language of their loved ones as they are mourned through these tweets. Drawing on insight from van Leeuwen’s social actor representation and corpus linguistics, the analysis was conducted using the #LancsBox corpus processing software package. The findings indicated that gender asymmetry persists within this corpus. Therefore, this paper adds to the rich body of literature documenting gender imbalance across different genres and domains. Men are far more present than women and are constructed through functionalization for the most part, whereas women are less functionalized and represented primarily through relational identification. In light of this, it is argued that while sometimes, gender asymmetry can intentionally be ideologically loaded and may serve hidden agendas, at other times, it may inherently and subconsciously be passed on through spontaneous language use.
On the rocky road to efficient behavior management: Can emotional competencies signal the better way?
Authors: Gay Philippe , Genoud Philippe A. , Kappeler Gabriel , Cuozzo Marilena , Gomez Jean-Marc , Bapst Malika S. , Fiori Marina
Published: December 2022

Self-efficacy beliefs in behavior management (SEBiBM) is a key issue for teachers, while emotional competence is a major contributor to professional success and sustainability in this profession. The investigation of the multifaceted nature of these two constructs may be important in order to take a step toward understanding which emotional competence could foster specific aspects of SEBiBM. To explore this issue, elementary school teachers (N = 121, 1st-4th grades) answered the Profile of Emotional Competence, which comprises 12 scores of emotional competencies, and a four-dimensional self-efficacy scale for behavior management in the classroom. Results indicate that intrapersonal emotional competencies, as compared to interpersonal competencies, play a major role regarding self-efficacy beliefs. In particular, multiple regression analyses revealed that higher identification and understanding of personal emotions were associated with better perceived self-efficacy on two aspects of SEBiBM. In addition, using other’s emotions predicted proactive involvement of the pupil’s parent or caregiver. Results are discussed in terms of their contribution to research in educational sciences and in teacher education, particularly with respect to teachers’ sustainability in the profession.
The study of mindfulness as an intervening factor for enhanced psychological well-being in building the level of resilience
Authors: Oh Vincent Kim Seng , Sarwar Abdullah , Pervez Niaz
Published: December 2022

Background

By using a practice like mindfulness, people may become more adaptable and flexible in difficult situations, which lowers the levels of unfavorable experiences. Only a small number of research have examined the connection between mindfulness and resilience, with mindfulness as a source of PWB influencing millennials’ resilience when faced with adversity. This study sought to close this gap by exploring the role that mindfulness practice plays in millennials’ PWB and subsequent increases in resilience to adversity.

Methods

In this study, key components linked to mindfulness, PWB, and resilience are combined with a thorough literature assessment. Millennials who are active members of the Ti-Ratana Youth in Malaysia and the Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM) Youth Section make up the study’s sample population. Before completing the online survey form, each participant was instructed to engage in 4 weeks of supervised mindfulness practice. To assure the validity of the data gathered, it was crucial to secure the youth’s commitment. Only 231 of the 300 respondents who received the link to the online survey had replies that could be used for further research. To analyze the collected data and conduct hypothesis testing, Smart-PLS was used.

Results

Academic research has shown that factors, such as a heavy workload, time constraints, lengthy workdays, work-related home conflicts, and an unstable and uncertain environment all lead to a drop in PWB. According to the findings, the two most significant variables promoting resilience are mindfulness and positive PWB. The outcomes of this experimental study confirmed earlier findings that millennials’ PWB and resilience are enhanced by mindfulness training.

Conclusion

The study’s findings suggest that, in times of high uncertainty, mindfulness-based intervention programs should be expanded to include all young people. This study offers empirical support for the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in raising PWB and resilience.
The impact of role conflict on turnover intention among faculty members: A moderated mediation model of emotional exhaustion and workplace relational conflict
Authors: Asfahani Ahmed M.
Published: December 2022

This study examines the impact of emotional exhaustion on faculty role conflict as a source of stress that leads to turnover intention, which is considered to be an undesirable organizational behavior. Drawing on conservation of resources and job-demand theories, the study investigates the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the relationships between role conflict among faculty members and both emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 321 faculty members employed in 58 Saudi universities and institutions of higher education. Structural equation modeling revealed that emotional exhaustion mediates the significant positive relationship between faculty members’ role conflict and their turnover intention and that these mediating effects are enhanced by the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the significant positive relationship between emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. Unexpectedly, the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the relationship between role conflict and emotional exhaustion was not supported by the results. The study concludes by highlighting several theoretical and practical implications and providing suggestions for future research.