bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hyperechoic Content of the Fetal Colon Is Not Always Cystinuria—Case Report
Authors: Knapke Antje , Bourdat Michel Guylhène , Marey Isabelle , Le Tanno Pauline
Published: February 2022

Cystinuria is a recessively inherited genetic disease causing recurrent kidney stones with risk of kidney failure. The discovery of hyperechoic colonic content on an antenatal ultrasound is considered to be a pathognomic sign of cystinuria. Herein, we present a clinical case with antenatal diagnosis of cystinuria in an ultrasound finding, which eventually revealed a multisystem disease, characterized by the association of renal Fanconi syndrome, hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, and hepatic dysfunction. Genetic investigations evidenced the recurrent heterozygous missense HNF4A (p.Arg76Trp) variant. Our case report shows that antenatal hyperechoic colonic content can hide a complex proximal renal tubulopathy, and questions the genetic counseling provided to families in the antenatal period.
Different Pattern of Cardiovascular Impairment in Methylmalonic Acidaemia Subtypes
Authors: Liu Ying , Yang Ling , Shuai Ruixue , Huang Suqiu , Zhang Bingyao , Han Lianshu , Sun Kun , Wu Yurong
Published: February 2022

Methylmalonic acidaemia (MMA) has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular involvement, especially for the combined type with homocystinuria. We have screened 80 control subjects and 99 MMA patients (23 isolated type and 76 combined type) using electrocardiograph and echocardiography. 32 cases (34%) of ECG changes were found including sinus tachycardia (n = 11), prolonged QTc interval (n = 1), I-degree atrioventricular block (n = 1), left axis deviation (n = 5) and T wave change (n = 14). By echocardiography, 8 cases of congenital heart disease were found in 4 combined MMA patients (5.3%) including ventricular septal defect (n = 2), atrial septal defect (n = 3), patent ductus arteriosus (n = 1) and coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula (n =2). Pulmonary hypertension (n = 2) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n = 1) in combined subtype were also noted. Moreover, echocardiographic parameters were analyzed by multiple regression to clarify the influence of different subtypes on cardiac function. It was found that the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was significantly reduced only in combined subtype [R = −3.0, 95%CI (−5.4, −0.5), P = 0.017]. For left ventricle, the mitral E' velocity was significantly reduced [isolated type: R = −1.8, 95%CI (−3.3, −0.4), P = 0.016; combined type: R = −2.5, 95%CI (−3.5, −1.5), P < 0.001], the global longitudinal strain (GLS) was the same [isolated type: R = −1.4, 95%CI (−2.3, −0.4), P = 0.007; Combined type: R = −1.1, 95%CI (−1.8, −0.4), P = 0.001], suggesting weakened left ventricular diastolic and systolic functions in both subtypes. For right ventricle, only in combined subtype, the tricuspid E' velocity was significantly reduced [R = −1.4, 95%CI (−2.6, −0.2), P = 0.021], and the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was the same [R = −1.3, 95%CI (−2.3, −0.3), P=0.013], suggesting impaired right ventricular systolic and diastolic function. In conclusion, isolated and combined types showed different pattern of cardiac dysfunction, specifically the former only affected the left ventricle while the latter affected both ventricles. And it is necessary to perform echocardiographic screening and follow up in both MMA subtypes.
Podocyte VEGF-A Knockdown Induces Diffuse Glomerulosclerosis in Diabetic and in eNOS Knockout Mice
Authors: Veron Delma , Aggarwal Pardeep K. , Li Qi , Moeckel Gilbert , Kashgarian Michael , Tufro Alda
Published: February 2022

Vascular endothelial growth factor-a (VEGF-A) and nitric oxide (NO) are essential for glomerular filtration barrier homeostasis, and are dysregulated in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). While NO availability is consistently low in diabetes, both high and low VEGF-A have been reported in patients with DKD. Here we examined the effect of inducible podocyte VEGF-A knockdown (VEGFKD) in diabetic mice and in endothelial nitric oxide synthase knockout mice (eNOS−/−). Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin using the Animal Models of Diabetic Complications Consortium (AMDCC) protocol. Induction of podocyte VEGFKD led to diffuse glomerulosclerosis, foot process effacement, and GBM thickening in both diabetic mice with intact eNOS and in non-diabetic eNOS−/−:VEGFKD mice. VEGFKD diabetic mice developed mild proteinuria and maintained normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR), associated with extremely high NO and thiol urinary excretion. In eNOS−/−:VEGFKD (+dox) mice severe diffuse glomerulosclerosis was associated with microaneurisms, arteriolar hyalinosis, massive proteinuria, and renal failure. Collectively, data indicate that combined podocyte VEGF-A and eNOS deficiency result in diffuse glomerulosclerosis in mice; compensatory NO and thiol generation prevents severe proteinuria and GFR loss in VEGFKD diabetic mice with intact eNOS, whereas VEGFKD induction in eNOS−/−:VEGFKD mice causes massive proteinuria and renal failure mimicking DKD in the absence of diabetes. Mechanistically, we identify VEGFKD-induced abnormal S-nitrosylation of specific proteins, including β3-integrin, laminin, and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), as targetable molecular mechanisms involved in the development of advanced diffuse glomerulosclerosis and renal failure.
Genetic Epidemiology of Medication Safety and Efficacy Related Variants in the Central Han Chinese Population With Whole Genome Sequencing
Authors: Tian Junbo , Zhang Jing , Yang Zengguang , Feng Shuaisheng , Li Shujuan , Ren Shiqi , Shi Jianxiang , Hou Xinyue , Xue Xia , Yang Bei , Xu Hongen , Guo Jiancheng
Published: February 2022

Medication safety and efficacy-related pharmacogenomic research play a critical role in precision medicine. This study comprehensively analyzed the pharmacogenomic profiles of the central Han Chinese population in the context of medication safety and efficacy and compared them with other global populations. The ultimate goal is to improve medical treatment guidelines. We performed whole-genome sequencing in 487 Han Chinese individuals and investigated the allele frequencies of pharmacogenetic variants in 1,731 drug response-related genes. We identified 2,139 (81.18%) previously reported variants in our population with annotations in the PharmGKB database. The allele frequencies of these 2,139 clinical-related variants were similar to those in other East Asian populations but different from those in other global populations. We predicted the functional effects of nonsynonymous variants in the 1,731 pharmacogenes and identified 1,281 novel and 4,442 previously reported deleterious variants. Of the 1,281 novel deleterious variants, five are common variants with an allele frequency >5%, and the rest are rare variants with an allele frequency <5%. Of the 4,442 known deleterious variants, the allele frequencies were found to differ from those in other populations, of which 146 are common variants. In addition, we found many variants in non-coding regions, the functions of which require further investigation. This study compiled a large amount of data on pharmacogenomic variants in the central Han Chinese population. At the same time, it provides insight into the role of pharmacogenomic variants in clinical medication safety and efficacy.
Efficient Synthesis of 2,3′-Spirobi (Indolin)-2′-Ones and Preliminary Evaluation of Their Damage to Mitochondria in HeLa Cells
Authors: Li Huajie , Yu Zhenjie , Sun Haoyi , Liu Bo , Wang Xin , Shao Zhe , Wang Meiling , Xie Weilin , Yao Xingang , Yao Qingqiang , Zhi Ying
Published: February 2022

A novel formal (4 + 1) annulation between N-(o-chloromethyl)aryl amides and 3-chlorooxindoles through in situ generated aza-ortho-QMs with 3-chlorooxindoles is reported for the synthesis of a series of 2,3′-spirobi (indolin)-2′-ones in high yields. Under structured illumination microscopy, compound 3a is found to change the mitochondrial morphology and induce mitophagy pathway, which might then trigger mitophagy in cancer cells.
Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors on Water and Sodium Metabolism
Authors: Tang Jun , Ye Lifang , Yan Qiqi , Zhang Xin , Wang Lihong
Published: February 2022

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors exert hypoglycemic and diuretic effects by inhibiting the absorption of sodium and glucose from the proximal tubule. Currently available data indicate that SGLT2 inhibitors transiently enhance urinary sodium excretion and urinary volume. When combined with loop diuretics, SGLT2 inhibitors exert a synergistic natriuretic effect. The favorable diuretic profile of SGLT2 inhibitors may confer benefits to volume management in patients with heart failure but this natriuretic effect may not be the dominant mechanism for the superior long-term outcomes observed with these agents in patients with heart failure. The first part of this review explores the causes of transient natriuresis and the diuretic mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors. The second part provides an overview of the synergistic effects of combining SGLT2 inhibitors with loop diuretics, and the third part summarizes the mechanisms of cardiovascular protection associated with the diuretic effects of SGLT2 inhibitors.
Verapamil Alleviates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Attenuating Oxidative Stress via Activation of SIRT1
Authors: Bao Mi , Huang Weiyi , Zhao Yang , Fang Xinzhe , Zhang Yanmei , Gao Fenfei , Huang Danmei , Wang Bin , Shi Ganggang
Published: February 2022

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a potential complication of ischemic heart disease after recanalization. One of the primary reasons for I/R injury is the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiomyocytes. Verapamil, a classic calcium channel blocker, has the potential to mitigate I/R-evoked oxidative stress. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. SIRT1 is an essential regulator of I/R and offers resistance to oxidative stress arising from I/R. It is still inconclusive if verapamil can reduce myocardial I/R-triggered oxidative damage through modulating SIRT1 antioxidant signaling. To verify our hypothesis, the H9c2 cardiomyocytes and the mice were treated with verapamil and then exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) or I/R in the presence or absence of the SIRT1 inhibitor EX527. As expected, verapamil stimulated SIRT1 antioxidant signaling evidenced by upregulation of SIRT1, FoxO1, SOD2 expressions and downregulation of Ac-FoxO1 expression in vitro and in vivo. In addition, verapamil remarkably suppressed H/R and I/R-induced oxidative stress proven by declined ROS level and MDA content. The cardioprotective actions of verapamil via SIRT1 were further confirmed in the experiments with the presence of the specific SIRT1 inhibitor EX527. We demonstrated that verapamil alleviated myocardial I/R-evoked oxidative stress partially via activation of SIRT1 antioxidant signaling. Subsequently, verapamil protected against cardiac dysfunction and myocardial infarction accompanied by oxidative stress.
ZWZ-3, a Fluorescent Probe Targeting Mitochondria for Melanoma Imaging and Therapy
Authors: Liu Zengjin , Wang Hailan , Sun Changzhen , He Yuanmin , Xia Tong , Wang Jianv , Xiong Xia , Zhang Qingbi , Yang Sijin , Liu Li
Published: February 2022

The increased drug resistance and metastasis of melanoma resulted in poor prognosis of patients. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel hemicyanine-based fluorescent probe ZWZ-3, and investigated its application for melanoma imaging and treatment both in vitro and in vivo. ZWZ-3 preferentially accumulated in melanoma cells via a process that depended on the organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP), which targeted mitochondria on the hemicyanine cationic nitrogen. In addition, we investigated the effect and molecular mechanism of ZWZ-3 in melanoma. In vitro studies showed that ZWZ-3 promoted the generation of reactive oxygen species and induced mitochondrial-mediated cell apoptosis by upregulating Bax and activating caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP. Importantly, ZWZ-3 also induced autophagy by upregulating LC-3II and Atg5 and downregulating P62. It significantly suppressed tumor growth of A375 xenograft tumor in mice without notable side effects. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that ZWZ-3 induced apoptosis and inhibited tumor cell proliferation. Thus, ZWZ-3 represents a novel theranostic agent that can be used to effectively targeting, detecting, and treating melanoma. It could also help monitoring disease progression and response to treatment.
Pentamidine Alleviates Inflammation and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Sepsis by Inhibiting TLR4 Activation via Targeting MD2
Authors: Wu Siru , Lin Cong , Zhang Tianshu , Zhang Bo , Jin Yushan , Wang Hongshuang , Li Hongyuan , Wang Yibo , Wang Xiaohui
Published: February 2022

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) that can recognize lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and initiate the immune response, to protect the body from infection. However, excessive activation of TLR4 induced by LPS leads to substantial release of pro-inflammatory factors, which may bring a cytokine storm in the body and cause severe sepsis. Existing molecules specialized in sepsis therapy are either in clinical trials or show mediocre effects. In this study, pentamidine, an approved drug used in the treatment of trypanosomiasis, was identified as a TLR4 antagonist. Saturation transferred difference (STD)-NMR spectra indicated that pentamidine directly interacted with TLR4’s co-receptor myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) in vitro. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) showed that pentamidine binding decreased MD2 stability, which was supported by in silico simulations that pentamidine binding rendered most regions of MD2 more flexible. Pentamidine was found to inhibit the formation of the TLR4/MD2/MyD88 complex and the activation of the TLR4 signaling axes of NF-κB and MAPKs, therefore blocking LPS-induced TLR4 signaling downstream of the pro-inflammatory factors NO, TNF-α, and IL-1β. The bioisosteric replacement of the methylene group at the center 13′ site of pentamidine by the ether oxygen group significantly decreased its interactions with MD2 and abolished its TLR4 antagonist activity. Furthermore, pentamidine enhanced the survival rate of septic mice and exerted an anti-inflammatory effect on organs. All these data provide strong evidence that pentamidine may be an effective drug in alleviating inflammation and sepsis.
Antibiotic Combination Therapy: A Strategy to Overcome Bacterial Resistance to Aminoglycoside Antibiotics
Authors: Wang Nuoyan , Luo Jing , Deng Fei , Huang Yasi , Zhou Hong
Published: February 2022

After the first aminoglycoside antibiotic streptomycin being applied in clinical practice in the mid-1940s, aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGAs) are widely used to treat clinical bacterial infections and bacterial resistance to AGAs is increasing. The bacterial resistance to AGAs is owed to aminoglycoside modifying enzyme modification, active efflux pump gene overexpression and 16S rRNA ribosomal subunit methylation, leading to modification of AGAs’ structures and decreased concentration of drugs within bacteria. As AGAs’s side effects and bacterial resistance, the development of AGAs is time-consuming and difficult. Because bacterial resistance may occur in a short time after application in clinical practice, it was found that the antibacterial effect of the combination was not only better than that of AGAs alone but also reduce the dosage of antibiotics, thereby reducing the occurrence of side effects. This article reviews the clinical use of AGAs, the antibacterial mechanisms, the molecular mechanisms of bacterial resistance, and especially focuses a recent development of the combination of AGAs with other drugs to exert a synergistic antibacterial effect to provide a new strategy to overcome bacterial resistance to AGAs.
Ab Initio Downfolding Based on the GW Approximation for Infinite-Layer Nickelates
Authors: Hirayama Motoaki , Nomura Yusuke , Arita Ryotaro
Published: February 2022

We derive an effective three-orbital model for the infinite-layer nickelates based on the band structure obtained by the GW approximation (GWA), where we consider the Ni 3dx2−y2 and O 2p orbitals forming the σ-bond. In the GWA, the self-energy correction to the local density approximation (LDA) increases the energy difference between Ni 3dx2−y2 and O 2p, which reduces the bandwidth of the antibonding 3dx2−y2 orbitals. The isolation of the Ni 3dx2−y2 around the Fermi level suppresses the screening effect. As a result, the correlation effect becomes more significant than that in the model constructed by the LDA-based downfolding. Furthermore, the Mott-Hubbard type character is enhanced in the GWA-based effective model, because the charge-transfer energy increases more rapidly compared to the increase in the interaction parameters.
Microglial Activation Modulated by P2X4R in Ischemia and Repercussions in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Castillo Carolina , Saez-Orellana Francisco , Godoy Pamela Andrea , Fuentealba Jorge
Published: February 2022

There are over 80 million people currently living who have had a stroke. The ischemic injury in the brain starts a cascade of events that lead to neuronal death, inducing neurodegeneration which could lead to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cerebrovascular diseases have been suggested to contribute to AD neuropathological changes, including brain atrophy and accumulation of abnormal proteins such as amyloid beta (Aβ). In patients older than 60 years, the incidence of dementia a year after stroke was significantly increased. Nevertheless, the molecular links between stroke and dementia are not clearly understood but could be related to neuroinflammation. Considering that activated microglia has a central role, there are brain-resident innate immune cells and are about 10–15% of glial cells in the adult brain. Their phagocytic activity is essential for synaptic homeostasis in different areas, such as the hippocampus. These cells polarize into phenotypes or subtypes: the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, or the immunosuppressive M2 phenotype. Phenotype M1 is induced by classical activation, where microglia secrete a high level of pro- inflammatory factors which can cause damage to the surrounding neuronal cells. Otherwise, M2 phenotype is the major effector cell with the potential to counteract pro-inflammatory reactions and promote repair genes expression. Moreover, after the classical activation, an anti-inflammatory and a repair phase are initiated to achieve tissue homeostasis. Recently it has been described the concepts of homeostatic and reactive microglia and they had been related to major AD risk, linking to a multifunctional microglial response to Aβ plaques and pathophysiology markers related, such as intracellular increased calcium. The upregulation and increased activity of purinergic receptors activated by ADP/ATP, specially P2X4R, which has a high permeability to calcium and is mainly expressed in microglial cells, is observed in diseases related to neuroinflammation, such as neuropathic pain and stroke. Thus, P2X4R is associated with microglial activation. P2X4R activation drives microglia motility via the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Also, these receptors are involved in inflammatory-mediated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and induce a secretion and increase the expression of BDNF and TNF-α which could be a link between pathologies related to aging and neuroinflammation.
In vivo Evaluation of Non-viral NICD Plasmid-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles in Developing Zebrafish to Improve Cardiac Functions
Authors: Messerschmidt Victoria L. , Chintapula Uday , Bonetesta Fabrizio , Laboy-Segarra Samantha , Naderi Amir , Nguyen Kytai T. , Cao Hung , Mager Edward , Lee Juhyun
Published: February 2022

In the era of the advanced nanomaterials, use of nanoparticles has been highlighted in biomedical research. However, the demonstration of DNA plasmid delivery with nanoparticles forin vivogene delivery experiments must be carefully tested due to many possible issues, including toxicity. The purpose of the current study was to deliver a Notch Intracellular Domain (NICD)-encoded plasmidviapoly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles and to investigate the toxic environmental side effects for anin vivoexperiment. In addition, we demonstrated the target delivery to the endothelium, including the endocardial layer, which is challenging to manipulate gene expression for cardiac functions due to the beating heart and rapid blood pumping. For this study, we used a zebrafish animal model and exposed it to nanoparticles at varying concentrations to observe for specific malformations over time for toxic effects of PLGA nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle. Our nanoparticles caused significantly less malformations than the positive control, ZnO nanoparticles. Additionally, the NICD plasmid was successfully delivered by PLGA nanoparticles and significantly increased Notch signaling related genes. Furthermore, our image based deep-learning analysis approach evaluated that the antibody conjugated nanoparticles were successfully bound to the endocardium to overexpress Notch related genes and improve cardiac function such as ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and cardiac output. This research demonstrates that PLGA nanoparticle-mediated target delivery to upregulate Notch related genes which can be a potential therapeutic approach with minimum toxic effects.
Corn Seed Defect Detection Based on Watershed Algorithm and Two-Pathway Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Wang Linbai , Liu Jingyan , Zhang Jun , Wang Jing , Fan Xiaofei
Published: February 2022

Corn seed materials of different quality were imaged, and a method for defect detection was developed based on a watershed algorithm combined with a two-pathway convolutional neural network (CNN) model. In this study, RGB and near-infrared (NIR) images were acquired with a multispectral camera to train the model, which was proved to be effective in identifying defective seeds and defect-free seeds, with an averaged accuracy of 95.63%, an averaged recall rate of 95.29%, and an F1 (harmonic average evaluation) of 95.46%. Our proposed method was superior to the traditional method that employs a one-pathway CNN with 3-channel RGB images. At the same time, the influence of different parameter settings on the model training was studied. Finally, the application of the object detection method in corn seed defect detection, which may provide an effective tool for high-throughput quality control of corn seeds, was discussed.
Identification and Functional Analysis of lncRNA by CRISPR/Cas9 During the Cotton Response to Sap-Sucking Insect Infestation
Authors: Zhang Jie , Li Jianying , Saeed Sumbul , Batchelor William D. , Alariqi Muna , Meng Qingying , Zhu Fuhui , Zou Jiawei , Xu Zhongping , Si Huan , Wang Qiongqiong , Zhang Xianlong , Zhu Huaguo , Jin Shuangxia , Yuan Daojun
Published: February 2022

Sap-sucking insects cause severe damage to cotton production. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital regulatory roles in various development processes and stress response, however, the function of lncRNAs during sap-sucking insect infection in cotton is largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptome profiles between resistant (HR) and susceptible (ZS) cotton cultivars under whitefly infestation at different time points (0, 4, 12, 24, and 48 h) were compared. A total of 6,651 lncRNAs transcript and 606 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified from the RNA-seq data. A co-expression network indicated that lncA07 and lncD09 were potential hub genes that play a regulatory role in cotton defense against aphid infestation. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out mutant of lncD09 and lncA07 showed a decrease of jasmonic acid (JA) content, which potentially lead to increased susceptibility toward insect infestation. Differentially expressed genes between wild type and lncRNA knock-out plants are enriched in modulating development and resistance to stimulus. Additionally, some candidate genes such as Ghir_A01G022270, Ghir_D04G014430, and Ghir_A01G022270 are involved in the regulation of the JA-mediated signaling pathway. This result provides a novel insight of the lncRNA role in the cotton defense system against pests.
Prunus persica Terpene Synthase PpTPS1 Interacts with PpABI5 to Enhance Salt Resistance in Transgenic Tomatoes
Authors: Meng Xiangguang , Zhang Yuzheng , Wang Ning , He Huajie , Tan Qiuping , Wen Binbin , Zhang Rui , Sun Mingyue , Zhao Xuehui , Fu Xiling , Li Dongmei , Lu Wenli , Chen Xiude , Li Ling
Published: February 2022

Terpene synthase (TPS) is related to the production of aromatic substances, but there are few studies on the impact of abiotic stress on TPS and its molecular mechanism, especially in peaches. This study found that salt resistance and abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity of transgenic tomatoes were enhanced by overexpression of PpTPS1. Moreover, it was found that PpTPS1 interacted with and antagonized the expression of the bZIP transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (PpABI5), which is thought to play an important role in salt suitability. In addition, PpTCP1, PpTCP13, and PpTCP15 were found to activate the expression of PpTPS1 by yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase assays, and they could also be induced by ABA. In summary, PpTPS1 may be involved in the ABA signaling regulatory pathway and play an important role in salt acclimation, providing a new reference gene for the improvement of salt resistance in peaches.
An Update on Coat Protein Complexes for Vesicle Formation in Plant Post-Golgi Trafficking
Authors: Law Kai Ching , Chung Ka Kit , Zhuang Xiaohong
Published: February 2022

Endomembrane trafficking is an evolutionarily conserved process for all eukaryotic organisms. It is a fundamental and essential process for the transportation of proteins, lipids, or cellular metabolites. The aforementioned cellular components are sorted across multiple membrane-bounded organelles. In plant cells, the endomembrane mainly consists of the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network or early endosome (TGN/EE), prevacuolar compartments or multivesicular bodies (PVCs/MVBs), and vacuole. Among them, Golgi apparatus and TGN represent two central sorting intermediates for cargo secretion and recycling from other compartments by anterograde or retrograde trafficking. Several protein sorting machineries have been identified to function in these pathways for cargo recognition and vesicle assembly. Exciting progress has been made in recent years to provide novel insights into the sorting complexes and also the underlying sorting mechanisms in plants. Here, we will highlight the recent findings for the adaptor protein (AP) complexes, retromer, and retriever complexes, and also their functions in the related coated vesicle formation in post-Golgi trafficking.
Resistance Induction in Olive Tree (Olea europaea) Against Verticillium Wilt by Two Beneficial Microorganisms and a Copper Phosphite Fertilizer
Authors: López-Moral Ana , Llorens Eugenio , Scalschi Loredana , García-Agustín Pilar , Trapero Antonio , Agustí-Brisach Carlos
Published: February 2022

Enhancement of the natural defenses of a plant by beneficial microorganisms, i.e., endophytic bacteria and fungi or fertilizers such as copper phosphonates, could result in a potential alternative strategy against verticillium wilt of olive tree (Olea europaea). In this study, two beneficial microorganisms (the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans AP08 and the bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PAB-024) and a phosphonate salt copper phosphite (CuPh) were evaluated for their effectiveness as host resistance inducers against Verticillium dahliae in olive. To this end, 6-month-old healthy olive plants of the susceptible cultivar Picual were treated by foliar or root applications by spraying 15 ml per plant or by irrigation with 350 ml per plant of the dilutions of each product (CuPh: 3 or 10 ml l–1, respectively; PAB-024: 108 UFC ml–1; AP08: 106 UFC ml–1). Treatments were conducted weekly from 2 weeks before inoculation to 10 days after inoculation. A cornmeal–water–sand mixture (1:2:9; w:v:w) colonized by V. dahliae was used for plant inoculation. Additionally, treated and noninoculated, nontreated and inoculated, and nontreated and noninoculated plants were included for comparative purposes. Disease severity progress and shoot fresh weight were assessed. Parameters involved in plant resistance were monitored through determination and quantification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) response (H2O2), and evaluation of hormones was done by gene expression analysis. Aureobasidium pullulans and CuPh were the most effective in disease reduction in planta by foliar or root application, respectively. Plants treated with CuPh showed significantly higher shoot fresh weight compared to the other treatments. ROS was significantly enhanced in plants treated with B. amyloliquefaciens PAB-024 compared to the rest of treatments and control. With regard to the evaluation of hormones, high levels of salicylic acid were detected on leaves from all treatment combinations, but without significant enhancements compared to the nontreated control. Regarding the gene expression related to salicylic acid, only the WRKY5 gene has shown a strong enhancement in the treatment with B. amyloliquefaciens. On the other hand, a strong accumulation of jasmonic acid and jasmonic acid-isoleucine in plants treated with A. pullulans was observed in all the tissues analyzed and also in the roots of plants treated with B. amyloliquefaciens and CuPh.
The Impact of Poor Nonverbal Social Perception on Functional Capacity in Schizophrenia
Authors: Chapellier Victoria , Pavlidou Anastasia , Maderthaner Lydia , von Känel Sofie , Walther Sebastian
Published: February 2022

Background

Nonverbal social perception is the ability to interpret the intentions and dispositions of others by evaluating cues such as facial expressions, body movements, and emotional prosody. Nonverbal social perception plays a key role in social cognition and is fundamental for successful social interactions. Patients with schizophrenia have severe impairments in nonverbal social perception leading to social isolation and withdrawal. Collectively, these aforementioned deficits affect patients’ quality of life. Here, we compare nonverbal social perception in patients with schizophrenia and controls and examine how nonverbal social perception relates to daily functioning.

Methods

We compared nonverbal social perception in 41 stable outpatients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls using the Mini Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity (Mini-PONS). The participants evaluated 64 video clips showing a female actor demonstrating various nonverbal social cues. Participants were asked to choose one of two options that best described the observed scenario. We correlated clinical ratings (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Negative Syndrome Scale), Self-report of Negative Symptoms, and functional assessments (functional capacity and functional outcome) with Mini-PONS scores.

Results

Patients performed significantly poorer in the Mini-PONS compared to controls, suggesting deficits in nonverbal social perception. These deficits were not associated with either positive symptoms or negative symptoms (including self-report). However, impaired nonverbal social perception correlated with distinctive domains of BNSS (mainly avolition and blunted affect), as well as functional capacity and functional outcome in patients.

Conclusion

We demonstrate that nonverbal social perception is impaired in stable outpatients with schizophrenia. Nonverbal social perception is directly related to specific negative symptom domains, functional capacity and functional outcome. These findings underline the importance of nonverbal social perception for patients’ everyday life and call for novel therapeutic approaches to alleviate nonverbal social perception deficits.
Comparative Study on Residents' Health-Promoting Lifestyle and Life Satisfaction in Wuhan Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ke Da , Chen Wei
Published: February 2022

The Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically affected residents' life. Whether the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced the residents' health-promoting lifestyle, and life satisfaction is an urgent problem to be studied. Based on Health Belief Model (HBM), this paper explored and compared the responses of residents' health-promoting lifestyle and life satisfaction on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from a sample of 2,054 residents in Wuhan by questionnaire survey. The results show that the total score of health-promoting lifestyle after the COVID-19 pandemic has increased significantly compared with that before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the scores of all dimensions of health-promoting lifestyle have improved. Among them, the scores of exercises, self-actualization, and stress management are significantly higher than those before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the score of residents' life satisfaction has shown a downward trend. There were also significant differences in life satisfaction on the demographic variables, such as gender, age, education level, marital status, and family average income. The findings are of great significance in promoting residents' health-promoting lifestyles and life satisfaction in the context of the extraordinary pandemic.
Compressive Sensing-Based Secure Uplink Grant-Free Systems
Authors: Wang Yuanchen , Lim Eng Gee , Zhang Yanfeng , Zhong Bowen , Pei Rui , Zhu Xu
Published: February 2022

Compressive sensing (CS) has been extensively employed in uplink grant-free communications, where data generated from different active users are transmitted to a base station (BS) without following the strict access grant process. Nevertheless, the state-of-the-art CS algorithms rely on a highly limited category of measurement matrix, that is, pilot matrix, which may be analyzed by an eavesdropper (Eve) to infer the user’s channel information. Thus, the physical layer security becomes a critical issue in uplink grant-free communications. In this article, the channel reciprocity in time-division duplex systems is utilized to design environment-aware (EA) pilots derived from transmission channels to prevent eavesdroppers from acquiring users’ channel information. The simulation results show that the proposed EA-based pilot approach possesses a high level of security by scrambling the Eve’s normalized mean square error performance of channel estimation.
Realistic River Image Synthesis Using Deep Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Gautam Akshat , Sit Muhammed , Demir Ibrahim
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we demonstrated a practical application of realistic river image generation using deep learning. Specifically, we explored a generative adversarial network (GAN) model capable of generating high-resolution and realistic river images that can be used to support modeling and analysis in surface water estimation, river meandering, wetland loss, and other hydrological research studies. First, we have created an extensive repository of overhead river images to be used in training. Second, we incorporated the Progressive Growing GAN (PGGAN), a network architecture that iteratively trains smaller-resolution GANs to gradually build up to a very high resolution to generate high quality (i.e., 1,024 × 1,024) synthetic river imagery. With simpler GAN architectures, difficulties arose in terms of exponential increase of training time and vanishing/exploding gradient issues, which the PGGAN implementation seemed to significantly reduce. The results presented in this study show great promise in generating high-quality images and capturing the details of river structure and flow to support hydrological modeling and research.
Evolution of Hot and Dense Stellar Interiors: The Role of the Weak Interaction Processes
Authors: Kosmas T. S. , Tsoulos I. , Kosmas O. , Giannaka P. G.
Published: February 2022

The evolution of the hot and dense interior of massive stars has aroused the intense interest of researchers the last more than three decades. In this article, the role of the semi-leptonic weak interaction processes of leptons (involving neutrinos) with nucleons and nuclei in the late stages of stellar evolution, as well as in the relevant terrestrial neutrino detection experiments, is reviewed. Such processes play crucial role for the massive stars’ evolution in the final stages of their life, and specifically in the core-collapse supernova leading to the supernova explosion phenomenon. We start by mainly focusing on the neutrino producing charged-lepton capture, like the electron-capture and the muon-capture on nuclei and, then, we discuss the neutrino absorbing reactions which are essential in the neutrino-driven explosive nucleo-synthesis. These processes are also significant in many ongoing and planned worldwide underground sensitive experiments aiming to detect astrophysical neutrinos which rely on the interactions of neutrinos with the bound nucleons inside atomic nuclei.
Re-used or New Bedding Are Not Drivers of Salmonella Levels and Serovar Emergence in Commercially Farmed Broilers in Australia
Authors: Chinivasagam Helene Nalini , Estella Wiyada , Rodrigues Hugh , Mayer David G. , Tran Thuy , Onysk Agnieszka , Weyand Caitlin , Diallo Ibrahim , Billington Craig
Published: February 2022

To inform Salmonella on-farm management during broiler rearing, a 2-year study on two farms compared the Australian practices of new bedding use, partial litter re-use and an alternative, full litter re-use. Six sequential commercial cycles of ~50 days each were tested on each farm, on ~day 7 from placement (litter only), prior to first thin-out, and prior to final removal (litter and ceca). A random number sample collection occurred, defined by shed supports (33, 39), different drinkers, feeders, and shed center. Across the six cycles on both farms, Salmonella levels in ceca just prior to thin-out on full re-use litter were higher (log 3.11 MPN/g, P = 0.008) than for new bedding (log 2.04 MPN/g) and partial re-use (log 2.43 MPN/g) litter (the latter two were not significantly different). Prior to final removal across all practices the Salmonella levels in ceca from new bedding (log 1.72 MPN/g), partial re-use litter (log 1.77 MPN/g), and full re-use litter (log 2.33 MPN/g) were not statistically different, suggesting no effect of litter practice. The Salmonella levels in litter prior to the first (log 1.96–2.31 MPN/g) and second (log 2.24–2.48 MPN/g) removals were also not statistically different. The emergence of Salmonella serovars in the partitioned chicken-free grow-out end (back) of all sheds at ~day 7 did not suggest carry-over. Both the pattern of emergence of Salmonella serovars and Salmonella levels in litter ~day 7 in the brooder-end with chickens (front), suggested the Salmonella present were due to flock contribution and not practice driven. The dominant Salmonella serovar across cycles on both farms was S. Sofia (75 and 77% isolates) followed by S. Typhimurium (11 and 17%). Irrespective of initial serovars, Salmonella Sofia rapidly gained dominance and displaced 14 other serovars including S. Typhimurium on both farms. This study demonstrates that the litter practices are not the major driver of Salmonella prevalence in broiler farming, supporting the commercial re-use of bedding as a sustainable farming practice in Australia. The major contributor of Salmonella load in production is the Salmonella status of the incoming flock, indicating this is the key area to focus future control measures.
The Status Quo Problem and the Role of Consumers Against Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Ancillotti Mirko , Nilsson Elin , Nordvall Anna-Carin , Oljans Emma
Published: February 2022

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms survive exposure and proliferate in the presence of therapeutic levels of antimicrobial drugs. Because antimicrobial resistance is increasing, it is vital to encourage consumers to change and adopt smarter antibiotic behaviour. Despite World Health Organization's efforts to combat antibiotic resistance and their emphasis on the importance of public involvement, the role of consumers has been overlooked. The manifold responsibility for antibiotic resistance extends across different actors, including food retailers and consumers. Given this shared responsibility, a blame game arises and no action occurs. To overcome this status quo situation, we draw attention to the potential role of individual responsibility and social pressure to encourage consumers to adopt smart antibiotic behaviour but also to empower them. Conditions must be put in place to enable consumers' critical evaluation of the health-related and ethical aspects of their food choices. Such behaviour can be facilitated using digital innovations to support informed choices, in store and online.
Characterization of Bacterial Microbiota Composition in Healthy and Diarrheal Early-Weaned Tibetan Piglets
Authors: Kong Qinghui , Zhang Wenqian , An Miao , Kulyar Muhammad Fakhar-e-Alam , Shang Zhenda , Tan Zhankun , Xu Yefen , Li Jiakui , Liu Suozhu
Published: February 2022

The occurrence of diarrhea in Tibetan piglets is highly notable, but the microorganisms responsible are yet unclear. Its high incidence results in serious economic losses for the Tibetan pig industry. Moreover, the dynamic balance of intestinal microflora plays a crucial role in maintaining host health, as it is a prime cause of diarrhea. Therefore, the present study was performed to analyze the characteristics of bacterial microbiota structure in healthy, diarrheal and treated weaned piglets in Tibet autonomous region for providing a theoretical basis to prevent and control diarrhea. The study was based on the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and gut microbiota functions following the metagenome analysis of fresh fecal samples (n = 5) from different groups. The Shannon and Simpson indices differed substantially between diarrheal and treated groups (p < 0.05). According to our findings, the beta diversities, especially between healthy and diarrheal groups, were found different. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla in three groups. Furthermore, the abundance of Fusobacteria in the diarrheal group was higher than the other groups. The dominant genera in the diarrheal group were Fusobacterium, Butyricimonas, Sutterella, Peptostreptococcus, and Pasteurella. Moreover, Lactobacillus, Megasphaera and Clavibacter were distinctly less abundant in this group. It is noteworthy that the specific decrease in the abundance of pathogenic bacteria after antibiotic treatment in piglets was noticed, while the level of Lactobacillus was evidently increased. In conclusion, fecal microbial composition and structure variations were discovered across the three groups. Also, the ecological balance of the intestinal microflora was disrupted in diarrheal piglets. It might be caused by a reduction in the relative number of beneficial bacteria and an increase in the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. In the context of advocating for non-resistant feeding, we suspect that the addition of probiotics to feed may prevent early-weaning diarrhea in piglets. Moreover, our findings might help for preventing diarrhea in weaned Tibetan piglets with a better understanding of microbial population dynamics.
How do European Mature Adults and Elderly Perceive SARS-COV-2 and Associated Control Measures? A Cross-Country Analysis of Mental Health Symptoms in June and July 2020
Authors: Perelman Julian , Xavier Miguel , Barros Pedro Pita
Published: February 2022

Objectives: Recent literature points out that elderly people are psychologically resilient to COVID-19, but the studies were performed in specific contexts. We measured the link between the worsening of mental health symptoms, the epidemiologic situation, and control measures among European people aged 50 or older.

Methods: We used data from the 2020 wave of SHARE, merged with Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker data (n = 38,358). We modeled the risk of worsening of depression, anxiety, sleeping trouble, and loneliness symptoms’ self-perception, as functions of control measures and 7-days death incidence, using logistic regressions.

Results: The worsening of anxiety and depression perception were more common (16.2 and 23.1%, respectively), compared to that of sleeping troubles and loneliness (8.1 and 11.5%, respectively). The worsening of depression and anxiety perception was negatively related to the rigor of control measures. The seven-days death incidence was positively linked to all symptoms except sleeping troubles.

Conclusion: Older people were the most exposed to death risk and were affected psychologically by the COVID-19 epidemiological situation; yet control measures were protective (or neutral) to their mental health condition.
Modeling-Based EMG Signal (MBES) Classifier for Robotic Remote-Control Purposes
Authors: Antonelli Michele Gabrio , Beomonte Zobel Pierluigi , Durante Francesco , Zeer Mohammad
Published: February 2022

The fast-growing human–robot collaboration predicts that a human operator could command a robot without mechanical interface if effective communication channels are established. In noisy, vibrating and light sensitive environments, some sensors for detecting the human intention could find critical issues to be adopted. On the contrary, biological signals, as electromyographic (EMG) signals, seem to be more effective. In order to command a laboratory collaborative robot powered by McKibben pneumatic muscles, promising actuators for human–robot collaboration due to their inherent compliance and safety features have been researched, a novel modeling-based electromyographic signal (MBES) classifier has been developed. It is based on one EMG sensor, a Myotrac one, an Arduino Uno and a proper code, developed in the Matlab environment, that performs the EMG signal recognition. The classifier can recognize the EMG signals generated by three hand-finger movements, regardless of the amplitude and time duration of the signal and the muscular effort, relying on three mathematical models: exponential, fractional and Gaussian. These mathematical models have been selected so that they are the best fitting with the EMG signal curves. Each of them can be assigned a consent signal for performing the wanted pick-and-place task by the robot. An experimental activity was carried out to test and achieve the best performance of the classifier. The validated classifier was applied for controlling three pressure levels of a McKibben-type pneumatic muscle. Encouraging results suggest that the developed classifier can be a valid command interface for robotic purposes.