bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current Evidence and Future Directions of Berberine Intervention in Depression
Authors: Zhu Wen-Qian , Wu Hui-Ying , Sun Zhi-Hui , Guo Yi , Ge Tong-Tong , Li Bing-Jin , Li Xin , Cui Ran-Ji
Published: May 2022

A major type of serious mood disorder, depression is currently a widespread and easily overlooked psychological illness. With the low side effects of natural products in the treatment of diseases becoming the pursuit of new antidepressants, natural Chinese medicine products have been paid more and more attention for their unique efficacy in improving depression. In a view from the current study, the positive antidepressant effects of berberine are encouraging. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to accurately elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of berberine in depression. In this review, the relevant literature reports on the treatment of depression and anxiety by berberine are updated, and the potential pharmacological mechanism of berberine in relieving depression has also been discussed.
Effect of Intravenous Paracetamol on Opioid Consumption in Multimodal Analgesia After Lumbar Disc Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Yin Feng , Wang Xiu-Hong , Liu Fei
Published: May 2022

Background: Intravenous paracetamol, as an adjunct to multimodal analgesia, has been shown to successfully reduce opioid consumption after joint arthroplasty, abdominal surgery, and caesarean delivery. However, there are limited data on the opioid-sparing effect of intravenous paracetamol on lumbar disc surgery.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of intravenous paracetamol for reducing opioid consumption in lumbar disc surgery. The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption within 24 h postoperatively.

Method: We followed the PRISMA-P guidelines and used GRADE to assess the quality of evidence. The review was registered in PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42021288168. Two reviewers conducted electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, and Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the postoperative opioid consumption of intravenous paracetamol with placebo in lumbar discectomy were included.

Results: Five trials comprising a total of 271 patients were included. The overall opioid consumption within 24 h postoperatively was reduced [mean difference (MD), −10.61 (95% CI, −16.00 to −5.22) mg, p = 0.0001, I2 = 90%] in patients with intravenous paracetamol. Intravenous paracetamol significantly reduced the postoperative pain scores at 1 h [MD, −2.37 (95%CI, −3.81 to −0.94), p = 0.001, I2 = 82%], 2 h [MD, −3.17 (95%CI, −3.85 to −2.48), p < 0.00001, I2 = 38%], 6 h [MD, −1.75 (95%CI, −3.10 to −0.40), p = 0.01], 12 h [MD, −0.96 (95%CI, −1.77 to −0.15), p = 0.02], and 24 h [MD, −0.97 (95%CI, −1.67 to −0.27), p = 0.006] compared with the placebo. There were no differences in postoperative adverse effects.

Conclusion: Intravenous paracetamol reduced postoperative opioid consumption and decreased postoperative pain scores without increasing adverse effects. The overall GRADE quality of the evidence was rated as low to moderate. Intravenous paracetamol appears to be an applicable option as an important part of multimodal analgesia for postoperative analgesia after lumbar disc surgery.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, CRD42021288168.
Resveratrol Attenuates High Glucose-Induced Osteoblast Dysfunction via AKT/GSK3β/FYN-Mediated NRF2 Activation
Authors: Xuan Yue , Wang Jie , Zhang Xiaohui , Wang Jie , Li Jiahao , Liu Qingbo , Lu Guangping , Xiao Mengjie , Gao Ting , Guo Yuanfang , Cao Cong , Chen Ou , Wang Kunli , Tang Yufeng , Gu Junlian
Published: May 2022

Osteoblast dysfunction, induced by high glucose (HG), negatively impacts bone homeostasis and contributes to the pathology of diabetic osteoporosis (DOP). One of the most widely recognized mechanisms for osteoblast dysfunction is oxidative stress. Resveratrol (RES) is a bioactive antioxidant compound to combat oxidative damage. However, its role in the protection of HG-induced osteoblast dysfunction has not been clarified. Therefore, our study aimed to explore potential regulatory mechanisms of RES for attenuating HG-induced osteoblast dysfunction. Our results showed that osteoblast dysfunction under HG condition was significantly ameliorated by RES via the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2) to suppress oxidative stress. Furthermore, using Nrf2-shRNA and wortmannin, we identified that activation of NRF2 via RES was regulated by the AKT/glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)/FYN axis.
Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Pan-Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis Through the Integration of Large-Scale Transcriptomic Data
Authors: Zhu Lin , Miao Yu , Xi Feng , Jiang Pingping , Xiao Liang , Jin Xin , Fang Mingyan
Published: May 2022

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, bringing a significant burden to human health and society. Accurate cancer diagnosis and biomarkers that can be used as robust therapeutic targets are of great importance as they facilitate early and effective therapies. Shared etiology among cancers suggests the existence of pan-cancer biomarkers, performance of which could benefit from the large sample size and the heterogeneity of the studied patients. In this study, we conducted a systematic RNA-seq study of 9,213 tumors and 723 para-cancerous tissue samples of 28 solid tumors from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and 7,008 normal tissue samples from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. By differential gene expression analysis, we identified 214 up-regulated and 186 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in more than 80% of the studied tumors, respectively, and obtained 20 highly linked up- and downregulated hub genes from them. These markers have rarely been reported in multiple tumors simultaneously. We further constructed pan-cancer diagnostic models to classify tumors and para-cancerous tissues using 10 up-regulated hub genes with an AUC of 0.894. Survival analysis revealed that these hub genes were significantly associated with the overall survival of cancer patients. In addition, drug sensitivity predictions for these hub genes in a variety of tumors obtained several broad-spectrum anti-cancer drugs targeting pan-cancer. Furthermore, we predicted immunotherapy sensitivity for cancers based on tumor mutational burden (TMB) and the expression of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs), providing a theoretical basis for the treatment of tumors. In summary, we identified a set of biomarkers that were differentially expressed in multiple types of cancers, and these biomarkers can be potentially used for diagnosis and used as therapeutic targets.
Structural Insight Into Ryanodine Receptor Channelopathies
Authors: Hadiatullah Hadiatullah , He Zhao , Yuchi Zhiguang
Published: May 2022

The ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are large cation-selective ligand-gated channels that are expressed in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane. They mediate the controlled release of Ca2+ from SR and play an important role in many cellular processes. The mutations in RyRs are associated with several skeletal muscle and cardiac conditions, including malignant hyperthermia (MH), central core disease (CCD), catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD). Recent breakthroughs in structural biology including cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and X-ray crystallography allowed the determination of a number of near-atomic structures of RyRs, including wildtype and mutant structures as well as the structures in complex with different modulating molecules. This allows us to comprehend the physiological gating and regulatory mechanisms of RyRs and the underlying pathological mechanisms of the disease-causing mutations. In this review, based on the insights gained from the available high-resolution structures of RyRs, we address several questions: 1) what are the gating mechanisms of different RyR isoforms; 2) how RyRs are regulated by multiple channel modulators, including ions, small molecules, and regulatory proteins; 3) how do disease-causing mutations affect the structure and function of RyRs; 4) how can these structural information aid in the diagnosis of the related diseases and the development of pharmacological therapies.
Generating Evidence from Expanded Access Use of Rare Disease Medicines: Challenges and Recommendations
Authors: Polak Tobias B. , Cucchi David G. J. , van Rosmalen Joost , Uyl-de Groot Carin A. , Darrow Jonathan J.
Published: May 2022

Patients with rare diseases often have limited or no options for approved treatments or participation in clinical trials. In such cases, expanded access (or “compassionate use”) provides a potential means of accessing unapproved investigational medicines. It is also possible to capture and analyze clinical data from such use, but doing so is controversial. In this perspective, we offer examples of evidence derived from expanded access programs for rare diseases to illustrate its potential value to the decision-making of regulators and payers in the European Union and the United States. We discuss ethical and regulatory aspects to the use of expanded access data, with a focus on rare disease medicines. The heterogeneous approach to expanded access among countries within the European Union leaves uncertainties to what extent data can be collected and analyzed. We recommend the issuance of new guidance on data collection during expanded access, harmonization of European pathways, and an update of existing European compassionate use guidance. We hereby aim to clarify the supportive role of expanded access in evidence generation. Harmonization across Europe of expanded access regulations could reduce manufacturer burdens, improve patient access, and yield better data. These changes would better balance the need to generate quality evidence with the desire for pre-approval access to investigational medicine.
Puerarin: A Potential Therapeutic for Colon Adenocarcinoma (COAD) Patients Suffering From SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Liang Weizheng , Li Xiushen , Yao Yue , Meng Qingxue , Wu Xueliang , Wang Hao , Xue Jun
Published: May 2022

Patients with colonic adenocarcinoma (COAD) are at relatively high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there is a lack of medical strategies to treat COVID-19/COAD comorbidity. Puerarin, a natural product, is a known antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulatory effect. Therefore, we hypothesised that puerarin could be used to treat COVID-19/COAD patients. Based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis, the potential targets and pharmacological mechanisms of puerarin in COVID-19/COAD were identified. By intersecting therapeutic target genes for puerarin, COVID-19-related genes and COAD-related genes, 42 target genes of puerarin that could potentially treat COVID-19/COAD comorbidity were obtained. By using the 42 potential target genes to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we obtained five core target genes, namely RELA, BCL2, JUN, FOS, and MAPK1. The results of bioinformatics analysis revealed that puerarin could be able to treat COVID-19/COAD comorbidity through apoptosis, antiviral, antioxidant, NF-κB signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and HIF-1 signaling pathway etc. This study found that puerarin has the potential to treat COVID-19/COAD patients and that the therapeutic target genes obtained in the study may provide clues for the treatment of COVID19/COAD comorbidity.
Accelerator Technology and Beam Physics of Future Colliders
Authors: Zimmermann Frank
Published: May 2022

We review key challenges for future next and next-next (-next) generation particle colliders and possible technological paths to address them.
High Starch in Diet Leads to Disruption of Hepatic Glycogen Metabolism and Liver Fibrosis in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), Which is Mediated by the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhong Liang , Liu Hongli , Zhang Haiqi , Zhang Weidong , Li Minghao , Huang Ya , Yao Jiayun , Huang Xiaoli , Geng Yi , Chen Defang , Ouyang Ping , Yang Shiyong , Luo Wei , Yin Lizi
Published: May 2022

Due to its special flavour and cheapness, starch is a source of nutrition for humans and most animals, some of whom even prefer to consume large amounts of starchy foods. However, the use of starch by carnivorous fish is limited and excessive starch intake can lead to liver damage, but the mechanism of damage is not clear. Therefore, in this study, two isonitrogenous and isolipid semi-pure diets, Z diet (0% starch) and G diet (22% starch), were formulated, respectively. The largemouth bass (M. salmoides) cultured in fiberglass tanks were randomly divided into two groups and fed the two diets for 45 days. Blood and liver were collected on day 30 and 45 for enzymology, histopathology, ultramicropathology, flow cytometry, and transcriptomics to investigate the damage of high starch on the liver of largemouth bass and its damage mechanism. The results showed that the high starch not affect the growth performance of largemouth bass. However, high starch caused a whitening of the liver and an increase in hepatopancreas index (HSI), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the serum. Histopathological observations showed that high starch led to severe vacuolisation, congestion, and moderate to severe necrotizing hepatitis in the liver. The high starch intake led to a significant increase in postprandial blood glucose and insulin in serum of largemouth bass, promoting the synthesis and accumulation of large amounts of hepatic glycogen in the liver, leading to the loss of hepatocyte organelles and inducing liver fibrosis. Meanwhile, high starch induced the production of oxidative stress and promoted apoptosis and necrosis of hepatocytes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that there were 10,927 and 2,656 unique genes in the G and Z groups, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that 19 pathways were significantly enriched, including those related to glucose metabolism and cell survival. Network mapping based on enrichment pathways and differential expressing genes showed the emergence of a regulatory network dominated by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This indicated that the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway plays a very important role in this process, regulating the liver injury caused by high starch. Our results provide a reference for the mechanism of liver injury caused by high starch, and the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for liver injury caused by high starch.
Fixed Airflow Obstruction in Asthma: A Problem of the Whole Lung Not of Just the Airways
Authors: Rutting Sandra , Thamrin Cindy , Cross Troy J. , King Gregory G. , Tonga Katrina O.
Published: May 2022

Abstract Asthma with irreversible or fixed airflow obstruction (FAO) is a severe clinical phenotype that is difficult to treat and is associated with an accelerated decline in lung function and excess morbidity. There are no current treatments to reverse or prevent this excessive decline in lung function in these patients, due to a lack of understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. The current paradigm is that FAO in asthma is due to airway remodeling driven by chronic inflammation. However, emerging evidence indicates significant and critical structural and functional changes to the lung parenchyma and its lung elastic properties in asthma with FAO, suggesting that FAO is a ‘whole lung’ problem and not just of the airways. In this Perspective we draw upon what is known thus far on the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to FAO in asthma, and focus on recent advances and future directions. We propose the view that structural and functional changes in parenchymal tissue, are just as (if not more) important than airway remodeling in causing persistent lung function decline in asthma. We believe this paradigm of FAO should be considered when developing novel treatments.
Grazing Changed Plant Community Composition and Reduced Stochasticity of Soil Microbial Community Assembly of Alpine Grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Li Yu , Dong Shikui , Gao Qingzhu , Fan Chun , Fayiah Moses , Ganjurjav Hasbagan , Hu Guozheng , Wang Xuexia , Yan Yulong , Gao Xiaoxia , Li Shuai
Published: May 2022

Grazing is a substantial threat to the sustainability of grassland ecosystems, while it is uncertain about the variety of plant and soil microbial community and the linkages between them limit the comprehensive understanding of grazing ecology. We conducted an experiment on the effects of the grazing regimes rotational grazing (RG), continuous grazing (CG), and grazing exclusion (GE) on an alpine meadow in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The differences of plant community composition, soil microbial community assembly mechanism, and taxonomic and functional composition between grazing regimes were examined, and the relationship between plant species and the soil microbes was assessed by constructing a co-occurrence network. The results showed that the plant community composition varied with the grazing regimes, while the soil microbial community composition did not vary with the grazing regimes. The soil bacterial functional composition was similar under RG and CG, while the soil fungal functional composition was similar under GE and RG. The soil microbial community under all grazing regimes was assembled mainly according to stochastic rather than deterministic mechanisms, and RG and CG reduced the relative importance of the stochastic ratio. At the microbial phylum level, CG and GE increased the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and Armatimonadetes and CG and RG increased the relative abundance of Elusimicrobia. In the network of plant species and soil microbial classes, plants and bacteria themselves were mainly positively linked (symbiosis and promotion), while plants and soil microbes were mainly negatively linked (competition). There were five microbial generalists in the network, which connected with many microbes, and four showed no difference in their abundance among the grazing regimes. Overall, the stable key microbes in the network and the fact that many of the plants are unconnected with microbes weakened the impact of grazing-induced changes in the plant community on soil microbes, probably resulting in the stable soil microbial community composition. Moreover, there was still a dominant and tolerant plant species, Kobresia pygmaea, that connected the plant and microbial communities, implying that the dominant plant species not only played a crucial role in the plant community but also acted as a bridge between the plants and soil microbes; thus, its tolerance and dominance might stabilize the soil microbial community.
Nanofertilizer Possibilities for Healthy Soil, Water, and Food in Future: An Overview
Authors: Verma Krishan K. , Song Xiu-Peng , Joshi Abhishek , Rajput Vishnu D. , Singh Munna , Sharma Anjney , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Li Dong-Mei , Arora Jaya , Minkina Tatiana , Li Yang-Rui
Published: May 2022

Conventional fertilizers and pesticides are not sustainable for multiple reasons, including high delivery and usage inefficiency, considerable energy, and water inputs with adverse impact on the agroecosystem. Achieving and maintaining optimal food security is a global task that initiates agricultural approaches to be revolutionized effectively on time, as adversities in climate change, population growth, and loss of arable land may increase. Recent approaches based on nanotechnology may improve in vivo nutrient delivery to ensure the distribution of nutrients precisely, as nanoengineered particles may improve crop growth and productivity. The underlying mechanistic processes are yet to be unlayered because in coming years, the major task may be to develop novel and efficient nutrient uses in agriculture with nutrient use efficiency (NUE) to acquire optimal crop yield with ecological biodiversity, sustainable agricultural production, and agricultural socio-economy. This study highlights the potential of nanofertilizers in agricultural crops for improved plant performance productivity in case subjected to abiotic stress conditions.
Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome and Metabolome Reveals the Mechanism of Chlorine Dioxide Repressed Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tuber Sprouting
Authors: Zheng Xiaoyuan , Li Mei , Tian Shilong , Li Shouqiang , Chen Jianxin , Zhang Xuejiao , Wu Xiaohua , Ge Xia , Tian Jiachun , Mu Yuwen , Song Juan
Published: May 2022

Sprouting is an irreversible deterioration of potato quality, which not only causes loss in their commercial value but also produces harmful toxins. As a popular disinfectant, ClO2 can inhibit the sprouting of potato tubers. Using transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches to understand the repressive mechanism of ClO2 in potato sprouting is yet to be reported. Sequencing the transcriptome and metabolome of potatoes treated with ClO2 in this study revealed a total of 3,119 differentially expressed genes, with 1,247 and 1,872 genes showing down- and upregulated expression, respectively. The majority of the downregulated genes were associated with plant hormone signal transduction, whereas upregulated differential genes were associated primarily with biological processes, such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Metabonomic assays identified a total of 932 metabolites, with 33 and 52 metabolites being down- and upregulated, respectively. Downregulated metabolites were mostly alkaloids, amino acids, and their derivatives, whereas upregulated metabolites were composed mainly of flavonoids and coumarins. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that many different metabolites were regulated by several different genes, forming a complex regulatory network. These results provide new insights for understanding the mechanism of ClO2-mediated repression of potato sprouting.
Impact of Silver Nanoparticles on Lemon Growth Performance: Insecticidal and Antifungal Activities of Essential Oils From Peels and Leaves
Authors: Mosa Walid F. A. , Mackled Marwa I. , Abdelsalam Nader R. , Behiry Said I. , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Basile Adriana , Abdelkhalek Ahmed , Elsharkawy Mohsen M. , Salem Mohamed Z. M.
Published: May 2022

Ten-year-old lemon (Citrus limon L. cv. Eureka) was used during the 2019 and 2020 seasons to investigate the effect of AgNPs at control, 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/L as a foliar application on vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality. The selected trees were subjected to agricultural practices applied in the field during the study. The results indicated that the foliar application of AgNPs positively improved the shoot length, total chlorophyll, flower, and fruit set percentage, fruit yield, physical and chemical characteristics of fruits, and leaf mineral composition from macro and micronutrients compared to control in both seasons. The foliar application of AgNPs at 10 mg/L showed the highest mean values followed by 7.5 and 5 mg/L, respectively, for the previous characteristics. The treated leaves and fruit peels were hydrodistillated to extract the essential oils (EOs), and GC–MS analysis of leaf EOs. The analysis of leaves EOs showed the presence of neral, geranial, neryl acetate, and limonene as the main abundant bioactive compounds. While in peel the main compounds were neral, geranial, neryl acetate, D-limonene, geraniol acetate, linalool, and citronellal. Toxin effect of both EOs from leaves and peels were evaluated on the rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) and the results indicated a higher effect of lemon peel EOs than leaves based on mortality percentage and the values of LC50 and LC95 mg/L. Melia azedarach wood samples loaded with the produced lemon EOs were evaluated for their antifungal activity against the molecularly identified fungus, Fusarium solani (acc # OL410542). The reduction in mycelial growth was increased gradually with the applied treatments. The most potent activity was found in lemon leaf EOs, while peel EOs showed the lowest reduction values. The mycelial growth reduction percentages reached 72.96 and 52.59%, by 0.1% leaf and peel EOs, respectively, compared with control.
Crystal Structures of Arabidopsis thaliana GDP-D-Mannose Pyrophosphorylase VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE 1
Authors: Zhang Chi , Zhao Shun , Li Yu-Shuai , He Chao , Wang Xiao , Liu Lin
Published: May 2022

Plant GDP-D-mannose pyrophosphorylase (GMPase) catalyzes a committed step in ascorbic acid biosynthesis pathway. Arabidopsis thaliana VTC1 is the first genetically characterized plant GMPase and has unique properties when compared with bacterial and animal homologs. Here we present the crystal structures of VTC1 in the unliganded and product-bound states at resolutions of 2.8 and 3.0 Å, respectively. VTC1 dimerizes in a same way like other known GMPases, but dodecamerizes in a previously unobserved arrangement. The interactions to GDP-D-mannose and inorganic pyrophosphate are revealed by the product-bound VTC1 structure. An in vitro GMPase activity assay confirms the regulatory role of the C-terminal left-handed β-helix domain, and structural analyses suggest the models of VTC1 hetero-complex with its interacting proteins. The structural information advances our insights into the different mechanisms involved in VTC1 regulation.
A Novel Mutator-Like Transposable Elements With Unusual Structure and Recent Transpositions in Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
Authors: Gao Dongying , Caspersen Ann M. , Hu Gongshe , Bockelman Harold E. , Chen Xianming
Published: May 2022

Mutator-like transposable elements (MULEs) represent a unique superfamily of DNA transposons as they can capture host genes and cause higher frequency of mutations in some eukaryotes. Despite their essential roles in plant evolution and functional genomics, MULEs are not fully understood yet in many important crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare). In this study, we analyzed the barley genome and identified a new mutator transposon Hvu_Abermu. This transposon is present at extremely high copy number in barley and shows unusual structure as it contains three open reading frames (ORFs) including one ORF (ORF1) encoding mutator transposase protein and one ORF (ORFR) showing opposite transcriptional orientation. We identified homologous sequences of Hvu_Abermu in both monocots and dicots and grouped them into a large mutator family named Abermu. Abermu transposons from different species share significant sequence identity, but they exhibit distinct sequence structures. Unlike the transposase proteins which are highly conserved between Abermu transposons from different organisms, the ORFR-encoded proteins are quite different from distant species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Abermu transposons shared closer evolutionary relationships with the maize MuDR transposon than other reported MULEs. We also found phylogenetic incongruence for the Abermu transposons identified in rice and its wild species implying the possibility of horizontal transfer of transposon. Further comparison indicated that over 200 barley genes contain Abermu-related sequences. We analyzed the barley pan genomes and detected polymorphic Hvu_Abermu transposons between the sequenced 23 wild and cultivated barley genomes. Our efforts identified a novel mutator transposon and revealed its recent transposition activity, which may help to develop genetic tools for barley and other crops.
Development of Superior Fibre Quality Upland Cotton Cultivar Series ‘Ravnaq’ Using Marker-Assisted Selection
Authors: Darmanov Mukhtor M. , Makamov Abdusalom K. , Ayubov Mirzakamol S. , Khusenov Naim N. , Buriev Zabardast T. , Shermatov Shukhrat E. , Salakhutdinov Ilkhom B. , Ubaydullaeva Khurshida A. , Norbekov Jurabek K. , Kholmuradova Maftuna M. , Narmatov Sardor E. , Normamatov Ilyos S. , Abdurakhmonov Ibrokhim Y.
Published: May 2022

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) helps to shorten breeding time as well as reduce breeding resources and efforts. In our MAS program, we have targeted one of previously reported LD-blocks with its simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker(s), putatively associated with, at least, four different fibre quality QTLs such as fibre length, strength, micronaire and uniformity. In order to transfer targeted QTLs from a donor genotype to a cultivar of choice, we selected G. hirsutum donor genotypes L-141 and LN-1, possessing a fibre quality trait-associated LD-block from the chromosome 7/16. We crossed the donor lines with local elite G. hirsutum cultivars ‘Andijan-35’ and ‘Mekhnat’ as recipients. As a result, two segregating populations on LD-block of interest containing fibre QTLs were developed through backcrossing (BC) of F1 hybrids with their relative recipients (used as recurrent parents) up to five generations. In each BC and segregating BC1-5F1 populations, a transfer of targeted LD-block/QTLs was monitored using a highly polymorphic SSR marker, BNL1604 genotype. The homozygous cultivar genotypes with superior fibre quality and agronomic traits, bearing a targeted LD-block of interest, were individually selected from self-pollinated BC5F1 (BC5F2–5) population plants using the early-season PCR screening analysis of BNL1604 marker locus and the end-of-season fibre quality parameters. Only improved hybrids with superior fibre quality compared to original recipient parent were used for the next cycle of breeding. We successfully developed two novel MAS-derived cotton cultivars (named as ‘Ravnaq-1’ and ‘Ravnaq-2’) of BC5F5 generations. Both novel MAS cultivars possessed stronger and longer fibre as well as improved fibre uniformity and micronaire compared to the original recurrent parents, ‘Andijan-35’ and ‘Mekhnat’. Our efforts demonstrated a precise transfer of the same LD-block with, at least, four superior fibre QTLs in the two independent MAS breeding experiments exploiting different parental genotypes. Results exemplify the feasibility of MAS in cotton breeding.
Biostimulatory Action of Vegetal Protein Hydrolysate Compensates for Reduced Strength Nutrient Supply in a Floating Raft System by Enhancing Performance and Qualitative Features of “Genovese” Basil
Authors: Ciriello Michele , Formisano Luigi , Kyriacou Marios C. , Colla Giuseppe , Graziani Giulia , Ritieni Alberto , De Pascale Stefania , Rouphael Youssef
Published: May 2022

The floating raft constitutes a valuable system for growing herbs as it effectuates high yield and prime functional quality. However, the pressing need for advancing sustainability in food production dictates the reduction of chemical fertilizer inputs in such intensive production schemes through innovative cultivation practices. In this perspective, our work appraised the productive and qualitative responses of two “Genovese” basil genotypes (Eleonora and Italiano Classico) grown in a floating raft system with nutrient solutions of varied electrical conductivity (EC; 2 and 1 dS m−1) combined with root application of protein hydrolysate biostimulant at two dosages (0.15 and 0.3 0 ml L−1 of Trainer®). The phenolic composition, aromatic profile, and antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) of basil were determined by UHPLC/HRMS, GC/MS, and spectrophotometry, respectively. “Eleonora” demonstrated higher number of leaves (37.04 leaves per plant), higher fresh yield (6576.81 g m−2), but lower polyphenol concentration (1440.81 μg g−1 dry weight) compared to “Italiano Classico.” The lower EC solution (1 dS m−1) increased total phenols (+32.5%), ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP antioxidant activities by 33.2, 17.1, and 15.8%, respectively, and decreased linalool relative abundance by 5.5%. Biostimulant application improved crop performance and increased total phenolic concentration in both genotypes, with the highest phenolic concentration (1767.96 μg g−1 dry weight) registered at the lowest dose. Significant response in terms of aromatic profile was detected only in “Eleonora.” Our results demonstrate that the application of protein hydrolysate may compensate for reduced strength nutrient solution by enhancing yield and functional quality attributes of “Genovese” basil for pesto.
Construction of Sci-Tech Financial Ecosystem Indicators and International Comparative Research
Authors: Junfang Zhang , Mu Su
Published: May 2022

The development of science and technology (sci-tech) finance is conducive to improving the transformation quality of sci-tech achievements and optimizing the allocation of resources. However, the current sci-tech finance field in China is mainly promoted by the way of government work, and the theoretical research on the operation mechanism and system structure of sci-tech finance is relatively lagging. This article constructs the research framework of the sci-tech financial ecosystem from the perspective of ecology, uses the quantitative method of index design to deconstruct the gap between China and other major countries in the world, and analyzes the reasons and enlightenment. It is expected to provide decision-making support for relevant policies from the perspective of top-level design while promoting theoretical research.
Multiple Factors Influencing Healthy Performance for Pre-professional and Professional Classical Violinists: An Exploratory Study Focusing on Physical Health
Authors: Steemers Suze , Veen Mario , van Middelkoop Marienke , Bierma-Zeinstra Sita M. A. , Stubbe Janine H.
Published: May 2022

Musculoskeletal complaints are common in pre-professional and professional classical violinists and these complaints can affect violinists’ performance. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors that contribute to healthy performance in this population. Qualitative studies with a variety of stakeholders are able to provide insights from different perspectives into factors influencing healthy performance for the pre-professional and professional classical violinist. In the current small-scale, exploratory study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with various stakeholders; two classical violin students, one classical violin teacher, a physiotherapist, a professional classical violinist, who is also a performance coach, and a health specialist who also graduated as a professional classical violist. Thematic analysis was conducted using Atlas.ti 9. We identified six themes that were indicated as important by the participants in terms of ensuring healthy performance for the pre-professional and professional classical violinist. The themes were: (1) physical aspects (involved in playing the violin); (2) practice routine and techniques; (3) interaction between physical and mental aspects; (4) culture; (5) role of the main subject teacher; and (6) preventive measures. Furthermore, when asked specifically about the development of a physical screening tool, the participants indicated that such a tool should include multiple factors covering various regions of the body, the inclusion of a questionnaire on risk-factors, and follow-up measurements. Also, collaborations between health professionals and main subject teachers were recommended as part of the screening tool to increase commitment of participating students. The results of the current study are based on the opinions, attitudes, and ideas of a small, selected group of participants only and cannot be generalized to a wider group of violinists. More research is needed regarding factors influencing healthy performance, before conservatoires and professional orchestras can develop programs for a healthy playing environment for pre-professional and professional violinists.
Gender Self-Confidence as a Protective Factor for Suicide Risk: Analysis of the Sample of Lithuanian Men
Authors: Grigienė Dovile , Skruibis Paulius , Dadašev Said , Rimkevičienė Jurgita , Gailienė Danute
Published: May 2022

Background

Along with other suicide risk factors, masculinity has been analyzed as an important subject for suicidal behavior in men. This study examines masculinity as a gender self-confidence which is the intensity of an individual's belief that he meets his standards for masculinity. We use Hoffman and her colleague's concept, which provides two theoretical constructs as elements of gender self-confidence: gender self-definition and gender self-acceptance. Gender self-definition relates to how salient masculinity is in one's identity; gender self-acceptance relates to how positively one views his masculinity.

Methods

The quantitative research approach was applied in the study. The survey with a nonprobability quota sampling design was implemented to collect the data. The sample consisted of 562 Lithuanian men from various age groups and regions. The age of participants varied from 18 to 92 years (M = 42.99, SD = 17.18); 40.9% of men were from cities, 28.1% from towns, and 30.8% from rural locations. We used the Hoffman Gender Scale to measure gender self-definition and gender self-acceptance. Suicide risk was estimated with the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire—Revised. Patient Health Questionnaire-2 was used to measure depression symptoms as a controlled variable. Statistical analysis of regression and moderation was used to test the hypothesis.

Results

Higher gender self-definition and higher gender self-acceptance were associated with lower suicide risk. The moderation analysis showed that in men with relatively low gender self-definition, the effect of gender self-acceptance on suicidality was larger than in men with high or moderate gender self-definition.

Discussion

We conclude that a stronger gender self-confidence is an important protective factor in male suicide risk. Both, a smaller part of masculinity in one's identity and a negative view of one's masculinity have a cumulative effect on increased suicide risk. The findings have been discussed in accordance with the theories that explain suicidal behavior through the lenses of self-concept.
Barriers to and Facilitators for Teachers’ Wellbeing
Authors: Gearhart Cassandra A. , Blaydes Madison , McCarthy Christopher J.
Published: May 2022

Teaching is widely recognized as a stressful profession, which has been connected to burnout and high turnover of qualified teachers. Despite increasing attention on teacher wellbeing, stress management interventions are often underutilized and demonstrate small effect sizes, and research on teachers’ informal stress management practices and desired resources is limited. It is likely that formal and informal intervention effectiveness is limited by teachers’ ability to access existing resources and navigate the complex educational systems they inhabit. The study explored the barriers to and facilitators for teachers’ engagement in formal and informal stress management interventions and desired resources across socioecological levels. Thirty-two teachers participated across four focus groups. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify relevant themes. Personal barriers (e.g., guilt about self-prioritization), environmental barriers (e.g., mixed messages about self-care), and improved campus resources (e.g., scheduled opportunities to destress) were common themes. Recommendations for supporting teachers’ wellbeing include self-care affirming messages from peers and administrators, campus- and district-level changes to remove logistical barriers to stress management, and increased connectedness among campus community members.
Investigate the Influencing Factors of Industrial Design Platform Demand: From the Perspective of Emotional Interaction
Authors: Zhang Chenxiao , Yang Qin , Tong Lei , Zhou Rong
Published: May 2022

With the deep integration of industries brought about by big data technology, users’ design needs are diversifying and individuating. Thanks to big data technology, users’ diverse design needs can be precisely met. Meanwhile, big data can be used to realize emotional interaction for personalized design needs of users, resulting in a better user experience. Using grounded theory to mine user demand text data, this paper investigates the influencing factors of emotional interaction and dynamic resource allocation in the digital design supply chain. The results show that government-driven factors have a direct impact on the demand for industrial design in user emotional interactions. Market factors are the most fundamental in the development of an industrial design service platform, and universities play an important role in this. Furthermore, a lack of market sensitivity stems from a lack of emotional interaction with users, resulting in a schism between industry, university, and research, which has become a major impediment to the development of China’s industrial design industry. This study not only lays the theoretical groundwork for understanding the mechanisms of user emotional interaction on IDSPs, but it also points the way forward for future industrial design service platform development.
A Review of the Impact of EFL Teachers’ Affectivity and Surgency and Learners’ Shyness on Their Language Attainment
Authors: Tian Tian
Published: May 2022

Teaching is considered as a complex and demanding profession affected by a number of student-related and teacher-related factors. Instructors’ personality trait has been long scrutinized as an influential issue, which can facilitate or impede the learning process. Teachers’ affective factors and personality types (e.g., surgency) are among the most commonly studied aspects of educational research, particularly English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. The review of related studies suggests that extrovert teachers are more likely to encourage EFL learners to pursue their educational objectives and master the target language effectively because they can create friendly and positive learning conditions where learners are engaged in classroom activities. This will be primarily prominent for EFL learners with higher levels of shyness. Such students prefer to remain reticent during the course, evade engaging in collaborative tasks, and tend to use a number of avoidance strategies while facing a stressful situation. Hence, language teachers are recommended to employ a variety of techniques as well as appropriate tasks in order to help these pupils overcome their negative affective characteristics so that they can enjoy learning the content and producing the target language in a facilitating and inspirational atmosphere.
Stable Anxiety and Depression Trajectories in Late Adolescence for Oral Contraceptive Users
Authors: Doornweerd Anne Marieke , Branje Susan , Nelemans Stefanie A. , Meeus Wim H. J. , Montoya Estrella R. , Engelhard Iris M. , Baas Joke M. P. , Gerritsen Lotte
Published: May 2022

Background

The use of oral contraceptives (OCs) has been associated with increased incidences of anxiety and depression, for which adolescents seem to be particularly vulnerable. Rather than looking at singular outcomes, we examined whether OC use is associated with depressive and anxiety symptom trajectories from early adolescence into early adulthood.

Materials and Methods

Data from 178 girls were drawn from the Research on Adolescent Development and Relationships (RADAR-Y) younger cohort study. We used assessments on 9 waves from age 13 until 24. Developmental trajectories of ratings on the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS-2) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) were compared between never and ever users of OCs.

Results

Never users showed increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms in late adolescence, whereas OC users showed a stable level of symptoms throughout adolescence. This effect remained after adjusting for baseline differences between groups in romantic relationships, sexual debut, educational level, smoking, drinking, and drug use. Age of OC use onset did not significantly predict symptom development.

Conclusions

OC use in adolescence was related to an altered developmental trajectory of internalizing symptoms, in which OC users did not show an increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms in late adolescence, whereas never users did. The question remains whether this altered symptom trajectory can be considered a protective effect of OC use on psychopathology. Additional research is needed to improve our understanding of the long-term consequences of OC use on mental health.
Altered Intrinsic Brain Activity in Patients With Late-Life Depression: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study
Authors: Liu Chaomeng , Pan Weigang , Zhu Dandi , Mao Peixian , Ren Yanping , Ma Xin
Published: May 2022

Objectives

To investigate the altered intrinsic brain activity (IBA) in patients suffering from late-life depression (LLD) using a percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF) method.

Methods

In total, fifty patients with LLD and 40 non-depressed controls (NCs) were recruited for the present research. Participants underwent the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) test and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans. The RBANS test consists of 12 sub-tests that contribute to a total score and index scores across the following five domains: immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory. The PerAF method was used for data analysis to detect changes in neural activity in the relevant brain regions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to evaluate the ability of the RBANS test and proposed the PerAF method in distinguishing the two groups. The relationships between altered IBA and neuropsychologic deficits were determined by the Pearson correlation analysis.

Results

A significant difference existed in RBANS total score, immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, attention, and delayed memory between groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCs group, the LLD group demonstrated decreased PerAF differences in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, orbital part (Frontal_Sup_Orb), and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The PerAF method and RBANS test exhibited an excellent discriminatory power with the area under curve (AUC) values in distinguishing the two groups. In addition, the attention score of the RBANS test positively correlated with the PerAF values of the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC.

Conclusion

The changes of PerAF in the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Orb and bilateral ACC are related to an increased risk of developing LLD. Moreover, the PerAF method could be used as an underlying sensitivity biomarker to identify the psychiatric disorder.