bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Herbicides as fungicides: Targeting heme biosynthesis in the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis
Authors: Damoo Djihane , Kretschmer Matthias , Lee Christopher W. J. , Herrfurth Cornelia , Feussner Ivo , Heimel Kai , Kronstad James W. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPathogens must efficiently acquire nutrients from host tissue to proliferate, and strategies to block pathogen access therefore hold promise for disease control. In this study, we investigated whether heme biosynthesis is an effective target for ablating the virulence of the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis on maize plants. We first constructed conditional heme auxotrophs of the fungus by placing the heme biosynthesis gene hem12 encoding uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (Urod) under the control of nitrogen or carbon source‐regulated promoters. These strains were heme auxotrophs under non‐permissive conditions and unable to cause disease in maize seedlings, thus demonstrating the inability of the fungus to acquire sufficient heme from host tissue to support proliferation. Subsequent experiments characterized the role of endocytosis in heme uptake, the susceptibility of the fungus to heme toxicity as well as the transcriptional response to exogenous heme. The latter RNA‐seq experiments identified a candidate ABC transporter with a role in the response to heme and xenobiotics. Given the importance of heme biosynthesis for U. maydis pathogenesis, we tested the ability of the well‐characterized herbicide BroadStar to influence disease. This herbicide contains the active ingredient flumioxazin, an inhibitor of Hem14 in the heme biosynthesis pathway, and we found that it was an effective antifungal agent for blocking disease in maize. Thus, repurposing herbicides for which resistant plants are available may be an effective strategy to control pathogens and achieve crop protection.
Radium levels in Brazil nuts: A review of the literature
Authors: Koeder Christian , Keller Markus 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBrazil nuts are well known for their extraordinarily high selenium content. For this reason, they are frequently recommended as a kind of natural selenium ‘supplement’, particularly for certain population groups such as vegetarians and vegans in regions with low soil selenium levels. Typically, an intake of one or two Brazil nuts per day is recommended. Brazil nuts, however, also stand out from other nuts in terms of their high (albeit highly variable) radium content. The radium isotopes Ra‐226 and Ra‐228 emit alpha‐ and beta‐radiation, with this type of radiation being particularly harmful when ingested. Consequently, it is important to consider radium levels in Brazil nuts before formulating recommendations for a long‐term, daily intake of these nuts. To date, however, no comprehensive overview of radium levels in Brazil nuts has been published. Therefore, a literature review without time or language restrictions was conducted, including unpublished original data from Germany. The literature review (including the German data) indicated mean Ra‐226 and Ra‐228 levels of 49 (range: 17–205) mBq/g and 67 (range: 12–235) mBq/g, respectively. Assuming a consistent daily intake of one or two Brazil nuts, this would result in an effective dose of ~88–220 μSv/year. This level of exposure appears to be neither clearly harmful nor clearly harmless. As increased radioactivity exposure (at least at higher doses) is associated with increased cancer risk, randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of Brazil nuts on cancer risk biomarkers are needed.
CPK28‐mediated phosphorylation enhances nitrate transport activity of NRT2.1 during nitrogen deprivation
Authors: Yue Lindi , Liu Mengyuan , Liao Jiahui , Zhang Kaina , Wu Wei‐Hua , Wang Yang 
Published: November 2024

Summary
Nitrate (NO3−) serves as the primary inorganic nitrogen source assimilated by most terrestrial plants. The acquisition of nitrate from the soil is facilitated by NITRATE TRANSPORTERS (NRTs), with NRT2.1 being the key high‐affinity nitrate transporter. The activity of NRT2.1, which has multiple potential phosphorylation sites, is intricately regulated under various physiological conditions. Here, we discovered that CALCIUM‐DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE 28 (CPK28) positively regulates nitrate uptake under nitrogen deprivation conditions.
We found CPK28 as the kinase targeted by immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry and examined the in‐planta phosphorylation status of NRT2.1 in cpk28 mutant plants by employing quantitative MS‐based phosphoproteomics. Through a combination of in vitro phosphorylation experiment and immunoblotting using phospho‐specific antibody, we successfully demonstrated that CPK28 specifically phosphorylates NRT2.1 at Ser21.
Functional analysis conducted in Xenopus oocytes revealed that co‐expression of CPK28 significantly enhanced high‐affinity nitrate uptake of NRT2.1. Further investigation using transgenic plants showed that the phosphomimic variant NRT2.1S21E, but not the nonphosphorylatable variant NRT2.1S21A, fully restored high‐affinity 15NO3− uptake ability in both nrt2.1 and cpk28 mutant backgrounds.
This study clarifies that the kinase activity of CPK28 is promoted during nitrogen deprivation conditions. These significant findings provide valuable insights into the intricate regulatory mechanisms that govern nitrate‐demand adaptation.
Effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on obesogenic eating behaviors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kao Tsui‐Sui Annie , Ling Jiying , Alanazi Mohammed , Atwa Ahmed , Liu Stephanie 
Published: November 2024

SummaryThis systematic review and meta‐analysis examined the effects of mindful‐based interventions (MBIs) on changes in obesogenic eating behaviors. Seven databases (CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Sociological Abstracts) were searched. Random‐effects models were performed to estimate the pooled effects, and mixed‐effects models were used to explore potential moderators of MBIs on eating behavioral changes. The significant effects on mindless eating habits included controlled eating (Hedge's g = 0.23, p = 0.005), external eating (g = −0.62, p = 0.001), fullness awareness (g = 0.64, p < 0.001), hunger eating (g = −0.69, p = 0.032), energy intake (g = −0.60, p = 0.003), sweet intake (g = −0.39, p < 0.001), and impulsive food choice (g = −0.43, p = 0.002). However, small and insignificant effects were noted for stress‐related eating habits like emotional eating (g = −0.27; p = 0.070) and binge eating (g = −0.35, p = 0.136). The long‐term effects were significantly sustained on hunger eating (g = −0.50, p = 0.007) but insignificant on emotional eating (g = −0.22, p = 0.809). MBIs delivered in clinical settings were more effective for decreasing emotional eating compared with those in school settings. Our findings support the effectiveness of MBIs. The pooled effects on improving mindless eating habits were stronger than the modification of stress‐related eating habits.
OsBRW1, a novel blast‐resistant gene, coded a NBS‐LRR protein to interact with OsSRFP1 to balance rice growth and resistance
Authors: Ma Shiwei , Xu Shichang , Tao Huan , Huang Yunxia , Feng Changqing , Huang Guanpeng , Lin Shoukai , Sun Yiqiong , Chen Xuan , Fabrice Kabore Manegdebwaoga Arthur , Tareke Woldegiorgis Samuel , Ai Yufang , Zhang Lina , Liu Wei , He Huaqin 
Published: November 2024

SummaryIt is urgent to mine novel blast‐resistant genes in rice and develop new rice varieties with pyramiding blast‐resistant genes. In this study, a new blast‐resistant gene, OsBRW1, was screened from a set of rice near‐isogenic lines (NILs) with different blast‐resistant ability. Under the infection of Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), OsBRW1 in the resistant NIL Pi‐4b was highly induced than that in the susceptible NIL Pi‐1 and their parent line CO39, and the blast‐resistant ability of OsBRW1 was further confirmed by using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout and over‐expression methods. The protein encoded by OsBRW1 was a typical NBS‐LRR with NB‐ARC domain and localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus, and the transient expression of OsBRW1 was capable of triggering hypersensitive response in tobacco leaves. Protein interaction experiments showed that OsBRW1 protein directly interacted with OsSRFP1. At the early infection stage of M. oryzae, OsBRW1 gene induced OsSRFP1 to highly expression level and accumulated H2O2, up‐regulated the defence responsive signalling transduction genes and the pathogenesis‐related genes and increased JA and SA content in the resistant NIL Pi‐4b. By contrary, lower content of endogenous JA and SA in osbrw1 mutants was found at the same stage. After that, OsSRFP1 was down‐regulated to constitution abundance to balance the growth of the resistant NIL Pi‐4b. In summary, OsBRW1 solicited OsSRFP1 to resist the infection of blast fungus in rice by inducing the synergism of induced systemic resistance (ISR) and system acquired resistance (SAR) and to balance the growth of rice plants.
Use of Postoperative Radiotherapy and Multiple Adjuvant Treatments After Surgical Removal of a Giant Retroauricular Keloid in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Sicre Joaquín Espiñeira , Ivars Marta , Heinz Oliver Haag , Ludwig Peter Wienberg , Isern Verdun Josep , Baselga Torres Eulalia 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for the treatment of keloids in the pediatric population is rare, despite being a common pathology at this age. Recurrences after surgery are very common. The absence of a standardized protocol for the management of recurrent keloids further complicates therapeutic decision‐making. Here, we present a clinical case involving a recurrent giant retroauricular keloid in a pediatric patient, demonstrating a satisfactory response to a comprehensive approach involving surgery, PORT, and periodic injections of 5‐fluorouracil with corticosteroid. We believe that reporting this case adds value as a potential therapeutic option in the absence of established protocols for recurrent keloids in pediatric patients.
Periodontal disease: A systemic condition
Authors: Villoria German E. M. , Fischer Ricardo G. , Tinoco Eduardo M. B. , Meyle Joerg , Loos Bruno G. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractFor decades, periodontitis has been considered to be a local inflammatory disease of the periodontal tissues in the oral cavity. Initially, associations of periodontitis with a multitude of noncommunicable diseases were each studied separately, and relationships were shown. The associations of periodontitis with morbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, respiratory diseases, have been demonstrated. As most such studies were cross‐sectional in nature, questions about causality cannot be univocally answered. And periodontitis as an independent risk factor for one systemic disease, becomes even more difficult to assess since recently periodontitis has also been associated with multimorbidity. Periodontitis and many systemic diseases share environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors, and share immunopathology. Moreover, suffering from one common noncommunicable disease may increase the susceptibility for another such chronic disease; the systemic effects of one condition may be one of various risk factors for another such disease. The overarching effect of any systemic disease is it causing a pro‐inflammatory state in the individual; this has also been shown for periodontitis. Moreover, in periodontitis a prothrombotic state and elevated immunological activity have been shown. As such, when we consider periodontal disease as another systemic disease, it can affect the susceptibility and progression of other systemic diseases, and importantly, vice versa. And with this, it is not surprising that periodontitis is associated with a variety of other noncommunicable diseases. The medical definition of a systemic disease includes diseases that affect different organs and systems. Thus, the aim of this opinion paper is to propose that periodontitis should be considered a systemic disease in its own right and that it affects the individual's systemic condition and wellbeing. The dental and medical profession and researchers alike, should adapt this paradigm shift, advancing periodontal disease out of its isolated anatomical location into the total of chronic noncommunicable diseases, being for some conditions a comorbid disease and, vice versa, comorbidities can affect initiation and progression of periodontal disease.
Associations between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and adherence to self‐management behaviours among community‐dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Sun Jingxian , Zhao Yayi , Wang Aihong 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBackgroundSelf‐management is vital for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to enhance cognitive health and mitigate the risk of dementia. However, maintaining consistent engagement in self‐management strategies can be challenging for older adults with MCI. This study aimed to explore the associations between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and adherence to self‐management behaviours among community‐dwelling older adults with MCI.MethodsA cross‐sectional study involving 467 community‐dwelling older adults with MCI was conducted from July to November 2022 across Nanjing, Xuzhou, and Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province, China. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as self‐management behaviours for MCI, were collected. Multiple linear and binary logistic regressions were employed to identify factors influencing self‐management behaviours.ResultsAmong the four recommended self‐management behaviours for MCI, participants adopted an average of 1.37 ± 1.202 behaviours. Physical exercise (n = 239; 51.2%) was the most prevalent behaviour, followed by modifiable risk factors management (n = 156; 33.4%), cognitive training (n = 144; 30.8%), and cognitive function monitoring (n = 103; 22.1%). Higher education level (B = 0.286, P < 0.001), urban employee medical insurance (B = 0.621, P < 0.001), and non‐smoking status (B = 0.389, P = 0.002) positively correlated with aggregate MCI self‐management behaviours, while older age (B = −0.295, P < 0.001) had a negative association. Marital status, monthly income, employment status, gender, residence, and family history of cognitive disorders were also found to be associated with specific self‐management behaviours for MCI.ConclusionsEnhancing adherence to self‐management among community‐dwelling older adults with MCI is critical. Sociodemographic and clinical factors should be considered to pinpoint at‐risk populations and accordingly tailor support strategies.
The lasting effect of the Romantic view of nature: How it influences perceptions of risk and the support of symbolic actions against climate change
Authors: Siegrist Michael , Berthold Anne 
Published: November 2024

AbstractCulture can have a major impact on how we perceive different hazards. In the Romantic period, nature was described and portrayed as mysterious and benevolent. A deep connection to nature was perceived as important. We proposed that this romantic view would be positively related to people's risk perceptions of man‐made hazards and, more specifically, to concerns about climate change. Further, we hypothesized that the Romantic perception of nature leads to a biased perception of natural hazards and that the moral component of action is of particular importance above and beyond the mere efficacy of the action. We conducted an online survey in Germany (N = 531), a country where Romanticism had a very widespread influence. The study shows that individuals with a Romantic view of nature perceived greater risks associated with climate change than those without such a view. In addition, those with a Romantic view of nature were more likely to support measures to reduce the risks of climate change, even when it is said that such measures are not effective. Finally, the study found a significantly higher positive correlation between Romantic views of nature and risk perceptions of man‐made versus natural hazards. The results suggest that ideas developed during the Romantic era continue to influence hazard perception in Germany.
The mirage of research and research expertise: Reflections on leading Horizon Europe bids
Authors: Shortall Sally , Meredith David 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis article offers critical reflections on the process of leading Horizon Europe research bids, drawing from the authors’ experiences with two funded projects: GRASS CEILING and SafeHabitus. It highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by multi‐actor research, which brings together researchers, policymakers, stakeholders and end users. We discuss strategies for developing and managing these partnerships, including approaches to participant compensation and engagement. We address the complexities of fitting research into the EU framework, noting how prescriptive call texts can sometimes limit innovative approaches. It raises questions about the role of academics in these projects, highlighting concerns about the potential for an instrumental approach to research that prioritises funding acquisition over intellectual curiosity. The authors provide recommendations for future co‐ordinators, emphasising the importance of clear communication, early deliverables to build team cohesion and showcasing participants from living labs or communities of practice. The article concludes with a call for honest debate about the significance of research within multi‐actor projects and suggests the development of mentoring systems for co‐ordinators.
Carbon‐to‐nitrogen stoichiometry of organic amendments regulates microbial biomass growth and nitrogen mineralization in soil
Authors: Smith Brianna C. , Rogan Tara A. , Redding Matthew R. , Rabbi Sheikh M. F. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe carbon‐to‐nitrogen (C:N) ratio of organic amendments regulates nutrient cycling in soil through its influence on microbial activity. Where an organic amendment has a C:N ratio sparingly higher than that of soil microbes (C:N ratio 6.7—8.7), meeting microbial requirements of carbon and nitrogen may promote microbial biomass growth and nitrogen mineralization. Here we sought to understand the microbial response to the addition of organic amendments with varying C:N ratios and subsequent changes in nitrogen mineralization and plant nitrogen uptake. Dried insect larvae, beef feedlot manure and mixtures of beef feedlot manure with insect larvae or sugarcane residue were used as soil amendments to create a gradient of molar C:N ratios (Cm:Nm) ranging from 6 to 28. An untreated control treatment with a C:N ratio of 17 was also included. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) was grown in control and organic matter amended soils for 20 days after germination. The mixture of beef feedlot manure and insect larvae treatment (Cm:Nm = 9.7) had on average 68% higher microbial biomass compared with the other treatments. Beef feedlot manure with Cm:Nm ratio of 11 did not influence microbial biomass growth. The concentration of mineral nitrogen was highest in the insect larvae (Cm:Nm = 6) treatment, where 23% of the plant nitrogen was derived from the insect larvae as indicated by the δ15N of plant dry matter. We observed both carbon and nitrogen contents in the organic amendment determine microbial biomass growth and nitrogen mineralization in soil. The results presented here demonstrate that microbial response to organic amendments determines the availability of mineral nitrogen in soil.
How to … navigate specialised programmes for early‐career doctors in medical education
Authors: Lim Jun Jie , Birks Samuel , Roberts Chris 
Published: November 2024

AbstractInvesting in early‐career medical education programmes for aspiring clinician‐educators, scholars and leaders offers a strategic approach to shaping the future of health professions education internationally. This paper explores the design and impact of a nationally funded Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) within the United Kingdom. Drawing on existing literature and insights from local trainees, we provide practical guidance for early‐career doctors navigating entry into the field of health professions education. Additionally, we discuss the programme's potential to enhance professional development through structured mentorship, formal qualifications and active participation in scholarly activities, while also addressing the challenges inherent in navigating clinical and academic identities. This paper will be valuable to doctors embarking on early‐career medical education pathways, programme leaders and international stakeholders seeking to establish similar initiatives to support the next generation of health care educators and scholars.
Evaluation of Crushed Posaconazole Delayed Release Tablets in Lung Transplant Recipients
Authors: Gordon Rachael , Yen Bo , Dewey Katherine , Jariwala Ripal , Kukreja Jasleen , Hays Steven , Singer Jonathan P. , Florez Rebecca 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundInvasive fungal infections can cause serious complications after lung transplant; therefore, prophylaxis with posaconazole is common. The posaconazole delayed‐release (DR) tablet is preferred. Although the package insert states DR tablets cannot be crushed, recent data suggest it is reasonable. We hypothesized that crushed posaconazole DR tablets could reach therapeutic levels in lung transplant recipients.MethodsA retrospective study of lung transplant recipients between January 2018 and July 2023, who received crushed posaconazole DR for at least 5 days was completed. Posaconazole troughs were evaluated, and differences were compared between subjects who were therapeutic to those who were subtherapeutic. A cost analysis was also performed.ResultsThirty subjects received crushed posaconazole DR and 50% were therapeutic. The median trough was 1 mg/L for those who were therapeutic and 0.4 mg/L for those who were not (p < 0.001). The median cumulative dose was 2000 mg, and there were no significant differences in the incidence of diarrhea or tube feeds. More subjects in the therapeutic group were loaded (33% vs. 13%), although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.39). No subjects had breakthrough aspergillus one month after starting crushed therapy.ConclusionCrushed posaconazole DR tablets are a viable and cost savings option, but loading doses and higher maintenance doses may be required to reach therapeutic levels. Those who received loading doses (intravenously or crushed) followed by a daily crushed dose of 400 mg were more likely to be therapeutic. Limitations of our study include that it is single‐center, small in sample size, and retrospective.
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