bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carbenoxolone does not Improve Sevoflurane-induced Neurotoxicity in the Developing Rat Hippocampus
Authors: Bi Congjie , Xie Dan , Yu Donghai , Wang Yang 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Connexin 43 is the most abundant connexin protein expressed in astrocytes. Our previous research found that sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity was related to Cx43 via JNK/MAPK/Ap-1 signaling pathway. Cx43 functions through hemichannels (HCs) and gap junctions (GJs) and both of them could affect the homeostasis of central nervous system. Carbenoxolone (Cbx) is generally considered as a Cx43 hemichannel and gap junction inhibitor in traditional applications. Therefore, we hypothesized that preadministration of Cbx may attenuate sevoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction.Methods: Seven-day-old SD rats (P7) were exposed to 3% sevoflurane for 4 hours with or without Cbx pretreatment at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Levels of Bcl-2, Bax, Cx43 and caspase-3 positive cells in P8 rat’s hippocampus were examined using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Morris water maze was performed from P28 to P33 to test the cognitive function.Results: Cx43 levels and caspase-3 positive cells in P7 rat hippocampus were increased 1 day after exposure to 3% sevoflurane for 4 h compared with control rats. Sevoflurane anesthesia decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and increased the expression of Bax in P8 rat’s hippocampus (P<0.05, n=5). Exposure to sevoflurane led to significant cognitive impairment from P28 to P33.All these defects could not be alleviated by pretreatment with Cbx.Conclusions: These data suggested that Cbx could not improve sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity by inhibiting Cx43 HCs in the developing brain.
Resveratrol Alleviates the KCl Salinity Stress of Malus hupenensis Rhed. Seedlings by Regulating K+/Na+ Homeostasis, Osmotic Adjustment, and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging
Authors: Li Tingting , Li Yuqi , Sun Zhijuan , Xi Xiangli , Sha Guangli , Ma Changqing , Tian Yike , Wang Caihong , Zheng Xiaodong 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Applying large amounts of potash fertilizer in apple orchards for high apple quality and yield aggravates KCl stress. As a phytoalexin, resveratrol (Res) participates in plant resistance to biotic stress. However, its role in relation to KCl stress have never been reported. Results: Malus hupenensis is a widely used apple rootstock in China and is sensitive to KCl stress. In this study, 100 µmol Res was exogenously applied to alleviate KCl stress in M. hupenensis seedlings. The seedlings treated with Res had higher chlorophyll content and photosynthetic index than those without Res treatment. Moreover, the molecular and physiological mechanisms of Res in ion toxicity, osmotic stress, and oxidative damage induced by KCl stress were also investigated. First, exogenous Res affects K+/Na+ homeostasis in cytoplasm by enhancing K+ efflux outside the cells, inhibiting Na+ efflux and K+ absorption, and compartmentalizing K+ into vacuoles. Second, this compound could respond to osmotic stress by regulating the accumulation of proline. Lastly, this polyphenol functions as an antioxidant that strengthens the activities of POD and CAT thus eliminates the reactive oxygen species production induced by KCl stress.Conclusions: Taken together, these results reveal that resveratrol alleviates the KCl salinity stress of M. hupenensis seedlings by regulating K+/Na+ homeostasis, osmotic adjustment, and reactive oxygen species scavenging.
Analysis of field-grown Panax ginseng rhizosphere microbiome provides clues for preventing red skin root syndrome
Authors: Bian Xingbo , Dong Ling , Zhao Yan , Yang He , Xu Yonghua , Han Yongzhong , Zhang Lianxue 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background

Ginseng red skin root syndrome (GRS) is one of the most common ginseng diseases. It leads to a severe decline in ginseng quality and seriously affects the ginseng industry in China. However, as a root disease, the characteristics of GRS rhizosphere microbiome are still unclear.
Methods

The amplicon sequencing technology, combined with bioinformatics analysis, was used to explore the relationship between soil ecological environment and GRS.
Results

There were significant differences in the diversity and richness of soil microorganisms between the rhizosphere with different degrees of disease, especially between healthy ginseng (HG) and heavily diseased groups. We also found that bacterial communities underwent multiple changes between complex stability and simple instability in different ginseng rhizospheres through the established interaction networks. The GRS group also had more competition with each other and ecological niche separation than the HG group. The fungal community's stability decreased significantly in the early stages of the disease, followed by the formation of a stable and complex fungal community. The GRS groups significantly increased interspecies cooperation and ecological niche overlap in the fungal network than the HG group. Microbes closely related to potential pathogenic fungi were also identified according to the interaction network, which provided clues for looking for biological control agents. Finally, the Distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) results indicated that total P (TP), available K (AK), available P (AP), catalase (CAT), invertase (INV) are the key factors that influence the microbial communities.
Conclusions

This study collectively analyzed the changing characteristics in ginseng rhizosphere and provided the basis for soil improvement and biological control of field-grown ginseng.
Depth-dependent Influence of Biochar Application on the Abundance and Community Structure of Diazotrophic Under Sugarcane Growth
Authors: Fallah Nyumah , Tayyab Muhammad , Yang Ziqi , Zhang Caifang , Abubakar Ahmad , Lin Zhaoli , Pang Ziqin , Allison Americ , Zhang Hua 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Despite progress in understanding diazotrophic distribution in surface soils, few studies have investigated the distribution of diazotrophic in dipper soil layers. Here, we leveraged high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of nifH genes obtained to assess the influence of biochar amended soil (BC) and control (CK), and soil depths (0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm) on diazotrophic abundance and community structures, and soil biochemical properties. Although soil physio-chemical properties, enzymes activities, diazotrophic genera and enriched OTUs were significantly influenced across the entire soil profiles, our results also revealed that BC amended soil significantly increased cane stalk height and weight, soil NO3-, NH4+, OM, TC and AK, and enhanced diazotrophic genera in soil depth 0-20 cm compared to CK treatment. Soil TC, TN, OM and NH4+ were the major impact factors shifting diazotrophic community structures in soil depth 0-20 cm. Moreover, multivariate ANOVA analysis revealed that changes in majority of the soil parameters measured were associated with soil depth rather than fertilization. More diazotrophic genera were to a greater extent significantly and positively associated with many soil environmental variables especially in the surface soil 0-20 cm than diazotrophic phyla. Overall, these results were more pronounced in 0-20 cm soil depth in BC than CK treatment.
Histopathological Assessment of the Effect of Pregabalin Toxicity on Cerebrum and Cerebellum of Adult Albino Rats
Authors: Hassan Wael Abdou , Shehata Shaimaa , ElBana Ahmad 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background: Pregabalin (PGB) used as analgesic in treatment of neurogenic pains of chronic diseases, is considered as one of the most abused anti-epileptic drugs worldwide and it has been proved that it induces addictive behaviors. The present histopathological study aimed to identify the effect of PGB administration on cerebral cortex and cerebellar cortex, in both acute and chronic toxicity. Seventy-two male and non-pregnant female adult albino rats’ 6- to 8-week-old divided into 3 main groups of 24 rats each were studied. Group 1 represented the control group and group 2 represented the acute toxicity group, in which rats were given a single dose of PGB (5000 mg/kg) orally by gavage and after 24 hours, rats were sacrificed and examined. Group 3 represented the chronic toxicity group; were given PGB 500 mg/kg orally by gavage for 12 weeks, after which rats were sacrificed and examined. Result: Cerebral cortex tissue of acute toxicity group displayed astrocytosis and dystrophic changes, while in chronic group showed degeneration, necrosis and cellular infiltrates. The cerebellum of chronic groups showed degeneration and shrunken of Purkinje cells. Conclusion: Acute and chronic intoxication with pregabalin adversely altered the structure of cerebral cortex and cerebellum.
Use-wear Traces and Plant Micro-remain Analysis Reveal the Function of Perforated Shells From the Xianrendong and Diaotonghuan Sites in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China
Authors: Ma Zhikun , Zhang Chi , Liu Shu , Linda Perry , Huan Xiujia , Ma Yongchao , Wan Zhiwei , Zhou Guangming , Yang Xiaoyan 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Shell remains are common cultural relics recovered from the late Paleolithic to the historical-age sites in China. Archaeological evidence shows that the number of perforated shells gradually increased at the transition from the Paleolithic to Neolithic age, a time period that coincides with the beginning of farming activities. Usage traces and plant residues from prehistoric perforated shells are often used to interpret tool function. In this study, we analyzed use-wear traces and recovered ancient starches and phytoliths from both the used edges and unused backs of twelve perforated shells from the Xianrendong and Diaotonghuan sites (30,000–12,000 cal. Y BP). These sites are well-known for the earliest pottery and the earliest cultivated rice micro-remains in the world. We found that: (1) all the twelve shells had scars and use wear, and the use traces occurred on the used edges; (2) an assemblage of 83 identifiable starch grains were recovered from the twelve perforated shells, including remains of acorns, Panicoideae and the tribe Triticeae, tubers and roots; (3) only six phytoliths from the stems and leaves of grass taxa including Panicoideae and Bambusoideae were recovered from four shells. The meta-analysis of the use-wear and plant micro-remain analysis indicate that the functions of perforated shells were nearly identical from the late Paleolithic to early Neolithic periods. These functions include processing, harvesting or cutting grasses from the Panicoideae, Bambusoideae, and the tribe Triticeae, processing acorns or/and their starchy products, and digging and scraping tubers and roots. The digging and scraping of tubers and roots increased in intensity with the increase in rice cultivation during the period between 20,000 and 12,000 cal. Y BP.
Effect of Cane Vigour on the Kiwifruit Quality of A. Deliciosa and A. Arguta
Authors: Medic Aljaz , Veberic Robert , Hudina Metka 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Kiwifruit has not been studied as much as other well-known fruits especially when it comes to studies about plant vigour and training systems. The aim of the study was to determine the importance of cane vigour of Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward' and Actinidia arguta 'Issai' in order to develop the proper pruning technique that results in the best fruit quality. In addition, the effect of storage parameters such as weight, firmness and quality of the fruit was also studied. The study showed that the fruit size and weight are lower in low vigour canes in A. arguta, in contrast to A. deliciosa, where the fruit size and weight are smaller on high-vigorous canes. For A. arguta, it is recommended to choose high-vigour canes as the optimal fruit wood during pruning. In this way, the fruits will ripen more evenly. The other possibility is to perform the harvest two to three times per season to achieve a more uniform fruit quality. In the case of A. deliciosa the fruit are less variable between different cane vigour, so harvesting can be done in a single picking. In A. deliciosa the less vigorous canes tend to show a slightly better fruit quality.
Rectal Specimen Self-Collection for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Feasibility Study at a Community Health Center
Authors: Haddad Marwan , Bifulco Lauren , McIntosh Jeannie , Garcia Meghan McClain 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Purpose: Rectal self-collection increases detection of asymptomatic chlamydia and gonorrhea among at-risk men who have sex with men and transgender women. This feasibility study assessed patient and primary care provider (PCP) perceptions of implementing rectal self-collection at a large, general practice community health center.Methods: PCPs offered rectal self-collection to at-risk patients due for routine or risk-based screening. Patients and PCPs completed brief cross-sectional assessments.Results: Rectal screening was feasible in a large primary care setting despite clinical time and resource constraints and was universally accepted when offered (n=36; 91.6% of whom opted for self-collection). Both PCPs and patients preferred self-collection over clinician-collection.Conclusions: Rectal self-collection can increase screening and improve extra-genital chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses. Adoption of rectal self-collection in primary care is a scalable, useful, and acceptable strategy to increase extra-genital screening among medically underserved sexual and gender minority patients and combat the current sexually-transmitted infection epidemic.
Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Irrigated Tomato Production in North Gondar Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Koye Tigabu Dagnew , Koye Abebe Dagnew , Mekie Taye Melese 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Ethiopia is a country with a total population of more than 110 million, of which about 80% of the total population is engaged in subsistence farming in rural areas. Although agricultural sector plays a great role in Ethiopian economy, it is characterized by low productivity due to technological and socioeconomic factors. Improving smallholder irrigated tomato production, and productivity, would contribute to enhancing food security and alleviating poverty. Therefore, this study was investigated to fill this gap with the aim of analyzing technical efficiency of irrigated tomato production and its determinant factors in North Gondar Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from 160 farmers’ selected using multistage sampling procedure and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a parametric stochastic frontier production function models. The stochastic frontier and Cobb-Douglas functional form with a one-step approach was employed to analyze efficiency and factors affecting efficiency in irrigated tomato production. The estimated gamma parameters indicated that 80% of the total variation in tomato output was due to technical inefficiency. The means technical efficiency was found 55%, and about 6,907.32 kg of tomato output per hectare was lost due to inefficiency factors implying there is a room for improvement in technical efficiency by 43% with the present technology. The Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) result revealed that ODE, DAP and plot size at 1% and labor at 10% probability level significantly influencing tomato production. The socio-economic variables that exercised important role for variations in technical efficiency positively were the level of education, TLU and watering in morning, and in contrast age, off farm, watering frequency and training for marketing were found to increase inefficiency significantly among farm households. To get better farmers' efficiency in the production of irrigated tomato a continuous marketing training should be established and strengthening the available farmers training center (FTC) to improve farm productivity. The government and any concerned bodies should be build irrigation canals and other alternatives so as to reduce watering frequency. There should be timely and sufficient supply of DAP to improve farmers’ efficiency in production of tomato.
High Dimensional Characterization of Post-acute Sequalae of COVID-19: analysis of health outcomes and clinical manifestations at 6 months
Authors: Al-Aly Ziyad , Xie Yan , Bowe Benjamin 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral illness caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The acute clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are well characterized. The post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 have not been comprehensively described. Here, we use the national healthcare databases of the US Department of Veterans Affairs to undertake a high dimensional approach to comprehensively identify 6-months outcomes of incident clinical manifestations including diagnoses, medication use, and laboratory abnormalities in people who survived the first 30 days of COVID-19. We first describe the clinical manifestations in people with COVID-19 compared to users of the Veterans Affairs healthcare system. We then provide a comparative evaluation of the post-acute sequalae in 30-day survivors who were hospitalized for COVID-19 vs. seasonal influenza. We show that beyond the first 30 days of illness, people with COVID-19 are at higher risk of death and health resource utilization. Our approach identifies incident clinical manifestations in the respiratory system and several other manifestations including the nervous system and neurocognitive disorders, mental health disorders, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and signs and symptoms related to poor generalized wellbeing including malaise, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and anemia. There was increased incident use of pain medications (opioids and non-opioids), antidepressants, anxiolytics, antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemic, insulin, and several other medication classes. The findings show that beyond the first 30 days of illness, substantial burden of health loss — spanning pulmonary and several extrapulmonary organ systems — is experienced by COVID-19 survivors. The results provide a roadmap to inform health system planning and development of multidisciplinary care strategies aimed at reducing chronic health loss and optimizing wellness among COVID-19 survivors.
Copeptin, Pro-atrial Natriuretic Peptide and Pro-adrenomedullin as Markers of Hypoxic Stress in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea - a Prospective Intervention Study
Authors: Karakioulaki Meropi , Grendelmeier Peter , Strobel Werner , Schmid Thomas , Jahn Kathleen , Grize Leticia , Tamm Michael , Stolz Daiana 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) might lead to oxidative stress, inflammation and elevated circulating copeptin, proANP and proADM levels. We aimed to evaluate whether the levels of these prohormones are higher in patients with OSA and whether they might change under continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, serving as potential proxies for the diagnosis and therapy-response in OSA. Methods: A total of 310 patients with suspicion of OSA were recruited. Screening for OSA was performed using overnight pulse oximetry followed by polygraphy and a venous puncture in the morning. All patients diagnosed with OSA underwent CPAP adaptation. A venous puncture was conducted in the night before CPAP and in the following morning. At 1 and 6 months of treatment, polygraphy was performed, followed by a venous puncture in the morning. In the acquired blood, copeptin, proANP and proADM levels were measured.Results: We analyzed 232 patients with OSA and 30 patients without OSA. Our results indicated that only copeptin levels differed significantly among patients with and without OSA at baseline. In OSA patients, the levels of proADM significantly changed after 1 and 6 months on CPAP therapy, when compared to baseline (p<0.001 and p=0.020). Additionally, proANP levels significantly decreased after 12 hours on CPAP therapy, as compared to baseline levels (p<0.001). Conclusions: Copeptin is significantly associated with the presence of OSA. ProANP levels might serve as a potential proxy for the acute response to non-invasive ventilation (12 hours), while proADM reflects the long-term response (1 and 6 months).
Effects of elevated CO2 levels on lung immune response to organic dust and lipopolysaccaride
Authors: Schneberger David , Pandher Upkardeep Singh , Thompson Brooke , Kirychuk Shelley 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Workplaces with elevated organic dust levels such as animal feed barns also commonly have elevated levels of gasses, such as CO2. Workers exposed to such complex environments often experience respiratory effects that may be due to a combination of respirable factors. We examined the effects of CO2 at the ASHRAE recommended limit (1000 ppm) as well as the EPA 8hr time weighted average limit (5000 ppm) on lung innate immune responses in mice with exposure to inflammatory lipopolysaccharide and organic dust. Mice were nasally instilled with dust extracts or LPS and immediately put into chambers with a constant flow of room air (approx. 430 ppm CO2), 1000 ppm, or 5000 ppm CO2 enriched air. Organic dust exposures tended to show decreased inflammatory responses with 1000 ppm CO2 and increased responses at 5000 ppm CO2. Conversely, LPS with addition of CO2 as low as 1000 ppm tended to inhibit several inflammatory markers. In most cases saline treated animals showed few changes with CO2 exposure, though some changes in mRNA levels were present. This shows that CO2 as low as 1000 ppm CO2 was capable of altering innate immune responses to both LPS and organic dust extracts, but each response was altered in a different fashion.
Determination of minimum number of samples allowing to detect long term soil organic carbon changes in Mediterranean arable lands using paired-sites
Authors: Schillaci Calogero , Saia Sergio , Lipani Aldo , Perego Alessia , Zaccone Claudio , Acutis Marco 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background Legacy data are unique occasions for estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration changes and spatial variability, but their use can pose limitations due to the sampling schemes adopted and improvements may be needed in the analysis methodologies. When SOC changes is estimated with legacy data, the use of soil samples collected in different plots (i.e., non-aligned data) may lead to biased results. In the present work, N=302 georeferenced soil samples were selected from a regional (Sicily, south of Italy) soil database. An operational sampling approach was developed to spot SOC concentration changes from 1994 to 2017 in the same plots at the 0-30 cm soil depth and tested. Results The measurements were conducted after computing the minimum number of samples needed to have a reliable estimate of SOC variation after 23 years. By applying an effect size based methodology, 30 out of 302 sites were resampled in 2017 to achieve a power of 80%, and an a=0.05. A Wilcoxon test applied to the variation of SOC from 1994 to 2017 suggested that there was not a statistical difference in SOC concentration after 23 years (Z = -0.556; 2-tailed asymptotic significance = 0.578). In particular, only 40% of resampled sites showed a higher SOC concentration than in 2017. Conclusions This finding contrasts with a previous SOC concentration increase that was found in 2008 (75.8% increase when estimated as differences of 2 models built with non-aligned data), when compared to 1994 observed data (Z = -9.119; 2-tailed asymptotic significance < 0.001). Such a result implies that the use of legacy data to estimate SOC concentration dynamics requires soil resampling in the same locations to overcome the stochastic model errors. Further experiment is needed to identify the percentage of the sites to resample in order to align two legacy datasets in the same area.