bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative mapping and correlation analysis revealed differentiation in the genetic basis of stem trichome development between cultivated tetraploid cotton species
Authors: Yuan Rong , Cao Yuefen , Li Tengyu , Yang Feng , Yu Li , Qin Yuan , Du Xiongming , Liu Fang , Ding Mingquan , Jiang Yurong , Zhang Hua , Paterson Andrew H. , Rong Junkang 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Cotton stem trichomes and seed fibers are each single celled structures formed by protrusions of epidermal cells, and were found sharing the overlapping molecular mechanism . Compared with fibers, cotton stem trichomes are more easily observed, but the molecular mechanisms underlying their development are still poorly understood.Results: In this study, Gossypium hirsutum (Gh ) and G . barbadense ( Gb ) were found to differ greatly in percentages of varieties/accessions with glabrous stems and in trichome density, length, and number per trichopore. Gh varieties normally had long singular and clustered trichomes, while Gb varieties had short clustered trichomes. Genetic mapping using five F2 populations from crosses between glabrous varieties and those with different types of stem trichomes revealed that much variation among stem trichome phenotypes could be accounted for by different combinations of genes/alleles on Chr.06 and Chr.24. The twenty six F1 generations from crosses between varieties with different types of trichomes had varied phenotypes, further suggesting that the trichomes of tetraploid cotton were controlled by different genes/alleles. Compared to modern varieties, a greater proportion of Gh wild accessions were glabrous or had shorter and denser trichomes; whereas a smaller proportion of Gb primitive accessions had glabrous stems. A close correlation between fuzz fiber number and stem trichome density was observed in both Gh and Gb primitive accessions and modern varieties.Conclusion: Based on these findings, we hypothesize that stem trichomes evolved in parallel with seed fibers during the domestication of cultivated tetraploid cotton. In addition, the current results illustrated that stem trichome can be used as a morphological index of fiber quality in cotton conventional breeding.
Appropriate insertion point for percutaneous pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine using c-arm fluoroscopy: a cadaveric study
Authors: Xu Wei-Xing , Ding wei-guo , Xu Bin , Hu Tian-Hong , Sheng Hong-Feng , Zhu Jia-Fu , Zhu Xiao-Long 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: We studied the characteristics and regularity of appropriate insertion points for percutaneous pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine using C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy. The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement and reduce the incidence of superior-level facet joint violation. Methods: Six normal spinal specimens were included. Three different methods for placing percutaneous pedicle screws in the lumbar spine were applied, including the Roy-Camille method, Magerl method and Weinstein method. The relationships among the insertion point, pedicle projection and proximal facet joint on C-arm X-ray films were studied. The projection morphology of the vertebral pedicle in different segments of the lumbar spine was observed. The relationship between the outer edge of the pedicle projection and the outer edge of the cranial articular process was also studied. The distance between the insertion point and the facet joint (M1), the distance between the insertion point and outer edge of the cranial articular process (M2), and the distance between the insertion point and the projection center of the pedicle (M) were measured. Results: In this study, we found that the projection shape of the vertebral pedicle differed across segments of the lumbar spine: the shape for L1-L3 was oval, and that for L4-L5 was round. The radiographic study showed that the outer edge of the cranial articular process was located on the lateral side of the outer edge of the pedicle projection and did not overlap with the pedicle projection. M for the Weinstein group was larger than that for the Roy-Camille group (P < 0.05). M1 for the Weinstein group was larger than that for the Roy-Camille and Magerl groups (P < 0.05). M2 for the Roy-Camille group was negative, M2 for the Magerl group was 0, and M2 for the Weinstein group was positive. Conclusion: Under C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy, we were able to accurately identify the characteristics and regularity of the appropriate insertion point for percutaneous pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine, which was important for improving the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement and reducing the incidence of superior-level facet joint violation.
Construction and description of a constitutive plipastatin mono-producing Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Vahidinasab Maliheh , Lilge Lars , Reinfurt Aline , Pfannstiel Jens , Henkel Marius , Heravi Kambiz Morabbi , Hausmann Rudolf 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Plipastatin is a potent Bacillus antimicrobial lipopeptide with the prospect to replace conventional antifungal chemicals for controlling plant pathogens. However, the application of this lipopeptide has so far been investigated in a few cases, principally because of the yield in low concentration and unknown regulation of biosynthesis pathways. B. subtilis synthesizes plipastatin by a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase encoded by the ppsABCDE operon. In this study, B. subtilis 3NA (a non-sporulation strain) was engineered to gain more insights about plipastatin mono-production.Results: The 4-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Sfp posttranslationally converts non-ribosomal peptide synthetases from inactive apoforms into their active holoforms. In case of 3NA strain, sfp gene is inactive. Accordingly, the first step was an integration of a repaired sfp version in 3NA to construct strain BMV9. Subsequently, plipastatin production was doubled after integration of a fully expressed degQ version from B. subtilis DSM10T strain (strain BMV10), ensuring stimulation of DegU-P regulatory pathway that positively controls the ppsABSDE operon. Moreover, markerless substitution of the comparably weak native plipastatin promoter (Ppps) against the strong constitutive promoter Pveg led to approximately fivefold enhancement of plipastatin production in BMV11 compared to BMV9. Intriguingly, combination of both repaired degQ expression and promoter exchange (Ppps::Pveg) did not increase the plipastatin yield. Afterwards, deletion of surfactin (srfAA-AD) operon by the retaining the regulatory comS which is located within srfAB and is involved in natural competence development, resulted in the loss of plipastatin production in BMV9 and significantly decreased the plipastatin production of BMV11. We also observed that supplementation of ornithine as a precursor for plipastatin formation caused higher production of plipastatin in mono-producer strains, albeit with a modified pattern of plipastatin composition.Conclusions: This study provides evidence that degQ stimulates the native plipastatin production. Moreover, a full plipastatin production requires surfactin synthetase or some of its components. Furthermore, as another conclusion of this study, results point towards ornithine provision being an indispensable constituent for a plipastatin mono-producer B. subtilis strain. Therefore, targeting the ornithine metabolic flux might be a promising strategy to further investigate and enhance plipastatin production by B. subtilis plipastatin mono-producer strains.
Treatment of Volar Defects of the Finger using Dorsal Digital–metacarpal Flap Versus Free Medial Plantar Artery Flap: A Comparative Study
Authors: Liu Quanzhe , Guo Wenlai , Qu Wenrui , Ou Xiaolan , Li Rui , Tian Heng 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: The treatment of defects on the volar surface of the finger has been scarcely reported, and its utility for digital resurfacing remains unclear. This study compared the outcomes of free medial plantar artery flap (MPAF) and dorsal digital–metacarpal flap (DDMF) in finger reconstruction.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 24 patients with soft-tissue defects on the volar surface of the finger from March 2014 to March 2017. The patients were divided into two groups: the MPAF group and the DDMF group. The operation time, complications, such as flap necrosis, graft loss, infection, paresthesia, and donor-site morbidity, as well as two-point discrimination (2-PD) were carefully recorded. The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire was used for conduct follow-up assessment.Results: After more than 12 months of follow-up, the MPAF group had a longer operative time compared with DDMF group, but there was no significant difference in postoperative complications and the results (2-PD and Modified VSS score) were significant. In terms of overall function, MPAF was superior to DDMF (p < 0.005).Conclusion: MPAF and DDMF are reliable for reconstruction of the volar surface of the finger; however, MPAF offers better functional outcomes and is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative complications.
Fall Inducing Movable Platform (FIMP) for Overground Trips and Slips
Authors: Er Jie Kai , Donnelly Cyril John William , Wee Seng Kwee , Ang Wei Tech 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: The study of falls and fall prevention/intervention devices requires the recording of true fallsincidence. However, true falls are rare, random, and difficult to collect in real world settings. A system capableof producing falls in an ecologically valid manner will be very helpful in collecting the data necessary toadvance our understanding of the neuro and musculoskeletal mechanisms underpinning real-world falls events.Methods: A fall inducing movable platform (FIMP) was designed to arrest or accelerate a subject's ankle toinduce a trip or slip. The ankle was arrested posteriorly with an electromagnetic brake and acceleratedanteriorly with a motor. A power spring was connected in series between the ankle and the brake/motor toallow freedom of movement (system transparency) when a fall is not being induced. A gait phase detectionalgorithm was also created to enable precise activation of the fall inducing mechanisms. Statistical ParametricMapping (SPM1D) and one-way repeated measure ANOVA were used to evaluate the ability of the FIMP toinduce a trip or slip.Results: During FIMP induced trips, the brake activates at the terminal swing or mid swing gait phase toinduce the lowering or skipping strategies, respectively. For the lowering strategy, the characteristic leg loweringand subsequent contralateral leg swing was seen in all subjects. Likewise, for the skipping strategy, all subjectsskipped forward on the perturbed leg.Slip was induced by FIMP by using a motor to impart unwanted forward acceleration to the ankle with thehelp of friction-reducing ground sliding sheets. Joint stiffening was observed during the slips, and subjectsuniversally adopted the surfing strategy after the initial slip.Conclusion: The results indicate that FIMP can induce ecologically valid falls under controlled laboratoryconditions. The use of SPM1D in conjunction with FIMP allows for the time varying statistical quanticationof trip and slip reactive kinematics events. With future research, fall recovery anomalies in subjects can nowalso be systematically evaluated through the assessment of other neuromuscular variables such as joint forces,muscle activation and muscle forces.
Isolation, heterologous expression, and purification of a novel antifungal protein from Bacillus subtilis strain Z-14
Authors: Zhang Xuechao , Guo Xiaojun , Wu Cuihong , Li Chengcui , Zhang Dongdong , Zhu Baocheng 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Wheat sheath blight, a soil borne fungal disease caused by Rhizoctonia cerealis, is considered as one of the most serious threats to wheat worldwide. Bacillus subtilis Z-14 was isolated from soil sampled from a wheat rhizosphere and was confirmed to have strong antifungal activity against R. cerealis. Results: An antifungal protein, termed F2, was isolated from the culture supernatant of Z-14 strain using precipitation with ammonium sulfate, anion exchange chromatography, and reverse phase chromatography. Purified F2 had a molecular mass of approximately 8 kDa, as assessed using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Edman degradation was used to determine the amino acid sequence of the N-terminus, which was NH2‑ASGGTVGIYGANMRS. This sequence is identical to a hypothetical protein RBAM_004680 (YP_001420098.1) synthesized by B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42. The recombinant F2 protein (rF2) was heterologously expressed in the yeast host Pichia pastoris, purified using a Ni‑affinity column, and demonstrated significant antifungal activity against R. cerealis. The purified rF2 demonstrated broad spectrum antifungal activity against different varieties of fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum, Verticillium dahliae, Bipolaris papendorfii, and Fusarium proliferatum. rF2 was thermostable, retaining 91.5% of its activity when incubated for 30 min at 100 °C. Meanwhile, rF2 maintained its activity under treatment by proteinase K and trypsin and over a wide pH range from 5 to 10.Conclusions: A novel antifungal protein, F2, was purified from biocontrol Bacillus subtilis Z-14 strain fermentation supernatant and heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris to verify its antifungal activity against R. cerealis and the validity of the gene encoding F2. Considering its significant antifungal activity and stable characteristics, protein F2 presents an alternative compound to resist fungal infections caused by R. cerealis.
Barriers in Implementing the Dying Patient Law: The Israeli Experience - A Qualitative Study
Authors: Zigdon Avi , Nissanholtz-Gannot Rachel 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Coping with end-of-life issues is a major challenge for governments and health systems. Despite progress in legislation, many barriers exist to its full implementation. This study is aimed at identifying these end-of-life barriers in relation to Israel.Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews using professionals and decision makers in the health-care and related systems (n=37) were carried out, along with two focus groups based on brainstorming techniques consisting of nurses (n=10) and social workers (n=10). Data was managed and analyzed using Naralyzer software.Results: Qualitative analysis showed identification of six primary barriers: 1) law, procedures, and forms; 2) clinical aspects; 3) human aspects; 4) knowledge and skills of medical teams; 5) communication; and 6) resource allocation. These were further divided into 44 sub area barriers.Conclusions: This study highlights the role of the family doctor in end-of-life by training physicians in decision-making workshops and increasing their knowledge in the field of palliative medicine. Effectively channeling resources, knowledge, and support for medical teams, by accounting for the structure and response of the units for home treatment will improve patient's access to information on and support for end-of-life laws, as well as reduce legislative barriers in other countries that face the same issues.
Relationship between medial meniscus extrusion and cartilage measurements in the knee by fully automatic three-dimensional MRI analysis
Authors: Aoki Hayato , Ozeki Nobutake , Katano Hisako , Hyodo Akinobu , Miura Yugo , Matsuda Junpei , Takanashi Kimiko , Suzuki Kenji , Masumoto Jun , Okanouchi Noriya , Fujiwara Takeo , Sekiya Ichiro 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: We developed a fully automatic three-dimensional knee MRI analysis software that can quantify meniscus extrusion and cartilage measurements, including the projected cartilage area ratio (PCAR), which represents the ratio of the subject’s actual cartilage area to their ideal cartilage area. We also collected 3D MRI knee data from 561 volunteers (aged 30–79 years) from the “Kanagawa Knee Study.” Our purposes were to verify the accuracy of the software for automatic cartilage and meniscus segmentation using knee MRI and to examine the relationship between medial meniscus extrusion measurements and cartilage measurements from Kanagawa Knee Study data. Methods: We constructed a neural network for the software by randomly choosing 10 healthy volunteers and 103 patients with knee pain. We validated the algorithm by randomly selecting 108 of these 113 subjects for training, and determined Dice similarity coefficients from five other subjects. We constructed a neural network using all data (113 subjects) for training. Cartilage thickness, cartilage volume, and PCAR in the medial femoral, lateral femoral, medial tibial, and lateral tibial regions were quantified by using the trained software on Kanagawa Knee Study data and their relationship with subject height was investigated. We also quantified the medial meniscus coverage ratio (MMCR), defined as the ratio of the overlapping area between the medial meniscus area and the medial tibial cartilage area to the medial tibial cartilage area. Finally, we examined the relationship between MMCR and PCAR at middle central medial tibial (mcMT) subregion located in the center of nine subregions in the medial tibial cartilage. Results: Dice similarity coefficients for cartilage and meniscus were both approximately 0.9. The femoral and tibial cartilage thickness and volume at each region correlated with height, but PCAR did not correlate with height in most settings. PCAR at the mcMT was significantly correlated with MMCR. Conclusions: Our software showed high segmentation accuracy for the knee cartilage and meniscus. PCAR was more useful than cartilage thickness or volume since it was less affected by height. A relationship was observed between the medial tibial cartilage measurements and the medial meniscus extrusion measurement in our cross-sectional study.
Regional differences between superficial and deep lumbar multifidus in patients with chronic lumbar spine pathology
Authors: Padwal Jennifer , Berry David B , Hubbard James C. , Zlomislic Vinko , Allen R. Todd , Garfin Steven R. , Ward Samuel R. , Shahidi Bahar 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Due to its unique arrangement, the deep and superficial fibers of the multifidus may have differential roles for maintaining spine stabilization and lumbar posture; the superficial multifidus is responsible for lumbar extension and the deep multifidus for intersegmental stability. In patients with chronic lumbar spine pathology, muscle activation patterns have been shown to be attenuated or delayed in the deep, but not superficial, multifidus. This has been interpreted as pain differentially influencing the deep region. However, it is unclear if degenerative changes affecting the composition and function of the multifidus differs between the superficial and deep regions, an alternative explanation for these electrophysiological changes. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate macrostructural and microstructural differences between the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar spine pathology.Methods: In 16 patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery for degenerative conditions, multifidus biopsies were acquired at two distinct locations: 1) the most superficial portion of muscle adjacent to the spinous process and 2) approximately 1 cm lateral to the spinous process and deeper at the spinolaminar border of the affected vertebral level. Structural features related to muscle function were histologically compared between these superficial and deep regions, including tissue composition, fat fraction, fiber cross sectional area, fiber type, regeneration, degeneration, vascularity and inflammation. Results: No significant differences in fat signal fraction, muscle area, fiber cross sectional area, muscle regeneration, muscle degeneration, or vascularization were found between the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus. Total collagen content between the two regions was the same. However, the superficial region of the multifidus was found to have less loose and more dense collagen than the deep region. Conclusions: The results of our study did not support that the deep region of the multifidus is more degenerated in patients with lumbar spine pathology, as gross degenerative changes in muscle microstructure and macrostructure were the same in the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus. In these patients, the multifidus is not protected in order to maintain mobility and structural stability of the spine.
Pulmonary Benign Metastasizing Leiomyomas: a Case Series of 23 Patients at a Single Facility
Authors: Fan Rong , Feng Fengzhi , Yang Hua , Xu Kaifeng , Li Shanqing , You Yan , Wan Xirun , Zhu Lan 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Background: Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma (PBML) is a rare disease characterized by leiomyoma of benign histopathology existing in the lungs. Because of its rarity, limited literature with a single case or small number of cases has been regarding to the clinical course, pathology or management of PBML. Methods: A retrospective study was performed of all PBML cases diagnosed and managed at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from 2001 to 2019. The clinical characteristics, pathology, treatment and outcomes of each case were studied. Results: There were 25 PBML patients identified in the 19-year period in PUMCH, and 23 patients’ data was analyzed. The median age at diagnosis was 46 years. There were 7 patients (30.4%) diagnosed with postmenopausal status. 2 patients (8.7%) had no uterine leiomyoma, and 3 patients (13.0%) had no gynecologic surgery history. Immunohistochemistry of most lesions demonstrated positive for desmin, SMA and Estrogen/Progesterone Receptors; and negative for S-100 were shown in 7 cases. After curative or diagnostic surgeries for the PBML, several treatments from observation to medical or surgical castration were performed. 9 premenopausal patients preserved their ovaries at first. At a median follow-up of 8 years, 3 patients finally had oophorectomy.Conclusions: PBML is a rare disease and should be treated by individualization according to the patients’ age, symptoms and extent of lesion. Curative surgery for patients with limited lesions can achieve the complete response. For patients that are young and asymptomatic, close observation is recommended as the first choice. All patients should undergo long-term surveillance.