bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Continental‐scale plant invasions reshuffle the soil microbiome of blue carbon ecosystems
Authors: Gao Gui‐Feng , Li Huan , Shi Yu , Yang Teng , Gao Chang‐Hao , Fan Kunkun , Zhang Yihui , Zhu Yong‐Guan , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Zheng Hai‐Lei , Chu Haiyan 
Published: April 2022

AbstractTheory and experiments support that plant invasions largely impact aboveground biodiversity and function. Yet, much less is known on the influence of plant invasions on the structure and function of the soil microbiome of coastal wetlands, one of the largest major reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon on Earth. We studied the continental‐scale invasion of Spartina alterniflora across 2451 km of Chinese coastlines as our model‐system and found that S. alterniflora invasion can largely influence the soil microbiome (across six depths from 0 to 100 cm), compared with the most common microhabitat found before invasion (mudflats, Mud). In detail, S. alterniflora invasion was not only positively associated with bacterial richness but also resulted in important biotic homogenization of bacterial communities, suggesting that plant invasion can lead to important continental scale trade‐offs in the soil microbiome. We found that plant invasion changed the community composition of soil bacterial communities across the soil profile. Moreover, the bacterial communities associated with S. alterniflora invasions where less responsive to climatic changes than those in native Mud microhabitats, suggesting that these new microbial communities might become more dominant under climate change. Plant invasion also resulted in important reductions in the complexity and stability of microbial networks, decoupling the associations between microbes and carbon pools. Taken together, our results indicated that plant invasions can largely influence the microbiome of coastal wetlands at the scale of China, representing the first continental‐scale example on how plant invasions can reshuffle the soil microbiome, with consequences for the myriad of functions that they support.
QTL analysis of regrowth ability in bmr sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) × sudangrass (S. bicolor subsp. drummondii) populations
Authors: Yonemaru Jun‐ichi , Kasuga Shigemitsu , Kawahigashi Hiroyuki 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is an important annual forage crop. Multiple harvests per year not only increase the total yield of sorghum but also help to avoid its injury and damage by biotic and abiotic stresses. It is well known that S. bicolor subsp. drummondii, or sudangrass, regrows vigorously after cutting. To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying this ability, we evaluated recombinant inbred lines and advanced populations of bmr (brown midrib) sorghum × sudangrass under different environments and identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling regrowth ability. Although the dry matter weight at the second harvest varied among years, significant QTLs for increased regrowth ability were detected on chromosomes (Chrs.) 3, 6, 7 and 10. In particular, the sudangrass alleles of two QTLs detected on Chrs. 7 and 10 showed a positive effect on regrowth ability. We named the QTL on the short arm of Chr. 7 qRG7‐1 and verified it in the QTL analysis of F3 and BC2F3 populations. QTL analysis by using an F3 population segregating for regrowth ability also showed a clear LOD peak in the qRG7‐1 region. Substitution mapping using two BC2F3 populations placed qRG7‐1 at 3.81–9.75 Mb on Chr. 7.
Fabrication of porous silica with controllable and tunable porosity via freeze casting
Authors: Arslanoglu Mert , Ozdoganlar O. Burak , Panat Rahul 
Published: April 2022

AbstractPorous ceramics offer unique properties that can bring advances to many application areas. The freeze‐casting process has a strong potential for fabricating porous ceramics; however, the effects of process parameters on part porosity must be well understood for scalable manufacturing via freeze casting. This paper presents an experimental analysis of the freeze‐casting process that correlates the freeze‐casting parameters with pore characteristics. A full‐factorial design of experiments is conducted on a unidirectional freeze‐casting testbed using silica as the ceramic material and camphene as the solvent. The effects of solid loading, particle size, cooling temperature, and the distance from the cooling surface on porosity characteristics are evaluated. The fabricated samples are cross‐sectioned vertically and horizontally and imaged using scanning electron microscopy. Image processing is used to obtain the porosity characteristics of areal porosity, pore size, pore shape, and pore orientation. The capability to steer the pore orientation is also demonstrated through bidirectional freezing experiments supported by a finite‐element model. As a result, a quantitative understanding of the effects of freeze‐casting process parameters on porosity characteristics is gained for the silica–camphene system. These results and the presented approach can be used for reproducible manufacture of porous ceramics with controlled porosity.
Biogeography and diversification of bare‐eyes, an endemic Amazonian clade
Authors: Carneiro Lincoln , Burlamaqui Tibério C. T. , Aleixo Alexandre , Oren David C. , Silva José Maria Cardoso Da 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAimBiotic interchange, speciation and extinction processes drive biotas assembling. However, the evolutionary outcomes of those mechanisms are complex and difficult to discriminate. Here, we investigate how these processes affect avian diversification in tropical forest regions and test the relative roles of vicariant speciation and biotic interchange on the assemblage of Amazonian biota through the reconstruction of the biogeographical history of bare‐eyes using molecular markers.LocationAmazon.TaxonPhlegopsis (Aves: Thamnophilidae).MethodsWe carried out a phylogenetic reconstruction of Phlegopsis based on four mtDNA and nuclear markers of 52 individuals from 21 localities representing all recognized taxa in the genus. We estimated phylogenetic relationships using both gene tree and species tree methods, demographic history, gene flow and divergence time to reconstruct the biogeographical history of the genus.ResultsPhylogenetic analyses recovered nine lineages delimited by some of the largest Amazonian rivers. Molecular dating and biogeographical studies showed that (1) most of the diversification in the genus occurred during the Quaternary; (2) vicariance was the most critical biogeographical process driving the history of this group and (3) two lineages are expanding their ranges, with one of them (P. n. nigromaculata) crossing the boundaries of areas of endemism.Main conclusionsOur results reinforce the notion that continental biotas are assembled by alternating dispersal and vicariance events. In Phlegopsis, vicariance shaped the distribution and differentiation of most lineages, but one event of post‐speciation dispersal made two lineages sympatric in Western Amazonia. Dispersal events within the Amazon are not random but are constrained by the characteristics of the species that are expanding their ranges and the features of the places that receive such species. Although most of the speciation events of Phlegopsis occurred during the Quaternary, there is no reason to assume that such events were driven by climatic‐vegetation changes associated with the Milankovitch cycles.
Expression profiles of iron transport molecules along the duodenum
Authors: Balusikova Kamila , Dostalikova‐Cimburova Marketa , Tacheci Ilja , Kovar Jan 
Published: April 2022

AbstractDuodenal biopsies are considered a suitable source of enterocytes for studies of dietary iron absorption. However, the expression level of molecules involved in iron absorption may vary along the length of duodenum. We aimed to determine whether the expression of molecules involved in the absorption of heme and non‐heme iron differs depending on the location in the duodenum. Analysis was performed with samples of duodenal biopsies from 10 individuals with normal iron metabolism. Samples were collected at the following locations: (a) immediately post‐bulbar, (b) 1–2 cm below the papilla of Vater and (c) in the distal duodenum. The gene expression was analyzed at the mRNA and protein level using real‐time PCR and Western blot analysis. At the mRNA level, significantly different expression of HCP1, DMT1, ferroportin and Zip8 was found at individual positions of duodenum. Position‐dependent expression of other molecules, especially of FLVCR1, HMOX1 and HMOX2 was also detected but with no statistical significances. At the protein level, we observed statistically significantly decreasing expression of transporters HCP1, FLVCR1, DMT1, ferroportin, Zip14 and Zip8 with advancing positions of duodenum. Our results are consistent with a gradient of diminishing iron absorption along the duodenum for both heme and non‐heme iron.
Prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, neuropathic pain and foot ulceration in the Arabian Gulf region
Authors: Ponirakis Georgios , Elhadd Tarik , Al Ozairi Ebaa , Brema Imad , Chinnaiyan Subitha , Taghadom Etab , Al Kandari Jumana , Al Wotayan Rehab , Al Ozairi Abdulla , Aljohani Naji , AlMistehi Wael , Al Qahtani Nora , Khan Shawana , Dabbous Zeinab , Siddique Mashhood A , Petropoulos Ioannis N , Khan Adnan , Almuhannadi Hamad , Ashawesh Khaled AE , Dukhan Khaled M , Mahfoud Ziyad R , Zirie Mahmoud A , Jayyousi Amin , Malik Rayaz A 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAims/IntroductionThis study determined the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), painful DPN and diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) in patients with type 2 diabetes in secondary healthcare in Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Materials and MethodsAdults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes were randomly enrolled from secondary healthcare, and underwent clinical and metabolic assessment. DPN was evaluated using vibration perception threshold and neuropathic symptoms and painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy was evaluated using the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire.ResultsA total of 3,021 individuals were recruited between June 2017 and May 2019. The prevalence of DPN was 33.3%, of whom 52.2% were at risk of DFU and 53.6% were undiagnosed. The prevalence of painful DPN was 43.3%, of whom 54.3% were undiagnosed. DFU was present in 2.9%. The adjusted odds ratios for DPN and painful DPN were higher with increasing diabetes duration, obesity, poor glycemic control and hyperlipidemia, and lower with greater physical activity. The adjusted odds ratio for DFU was higher with the presence of DPN, severe loss of vibration perception, hypertension and vitamin D deficiency.ConclusionsThis is the largest study to date from the Middle East showing a high prevalence of undiagnosed DPN, painful DPN and those at risk of DFU in patients with type 2 diabetes, and identifies their respective risk factors.
Variation in gut microbial communities of Chilo suppressalis in the typical bivoltine areas of northern China
Authors: Zhang Jingtong , Chen Chen , Zhu Kexin , Ma Haotian , Fu Zhanyu , Tan Hao , Wang Xingya 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe gut microbiota play an important role in digestion, development, nutritional metabolism and detoxification in insects. The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is one of the most destructive rice pests and has caused serious economic losses to major rice‐producing areas of China. However, little is known about how its gut microbiota has adapted to different geographical environments. We investigated the gut microbiota of C. suppressalis populations collected from five sites in the typical areas of northern China using 16S rDNA gene sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq platform. In total, 453,853,707 reads and 1650 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in 25 gut samples of C. suppressalis were obtained. We identified 697 bacterial genera from 30 phyla, and Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the most dominant phyla. Gut bacterial richness and alpha‐diversity metrics revealed no significant differences among these populations. We detected the highest bacterial diversity in Beizhen, western Liaoning Province. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and clustering analysis (UPGMA) showed no distinct gut microbial community structure of C. suppressalis in these regions. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) indicated that the bacterial species exhibited significant differences among the middle, northern and western regions. Finally, PICRUSt analysis demonstrated that microbial functions closely associated with the gut microbiome mainly included membrane transport, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. Accordingly, our study provided important insights into the investigation of insect‐bacteria symbioses and evaluated gut microorganisms as biocontrol agents for this pest and other agricultural lepidopterans.
Shifting interpretations in evidence and guidance in pain and opioids research: A bibliometric analysis of a highly cited case series from 1986
Authors: Tafreshi Sina , Steiner Adam , Sud Abhimanyu 
Published: April 2022

AbstractRationale, Aims and ObjectivesPortenoy and Foley's 1986 landmark case series ‘Chronic use of opioid analgesics in non‐malignant pain: report of 38 cases’ has been reproached for opening the floodgates of opioid prescribing for chronic non‐cancer pain and the attendant harms. This influential article has been cited over 500 times in the scientific literature over the last four decades. This study seeks to understand the impact of Portenoy and Foley's article on subsequent discussions and research about opioids.MethodsWe conducted a multi‐method bibliometric analysis of all citations of this article from 1986 through 2019 using quantitative relational and qualitative content analysis to determine how uses and interpretations of this case series and associated prescribing guidance have changed over time, in relationship to the evolution of the North American opioid crises.ResultsUsing time series analysis, we identified three periods with distinct interpretations and uses of the index article. In the first ‘exploration’ period (1986–1996), the index article was well‐received by the scientific community and motivated further study of the effects of opioids. In the second ‘implementation’ period (1997–2003, coinciding with the release of OxyContin®), this case series was used as evidence to support widespread prescribing of opioid analgesics, even while it was recognized that long‐term effects had not yet been evaluated. The third ‘reassessment’ period (2004–2019) focused on how opioid‐related harms had been overlooked, and in many cases, these harms were directly attributed to this article.ConclusionThese changes in interpretation demonstrate shifting currents of the use and mobilization of evidence regarding pain and opioids, and how these currents both impact and are impacted by clinical practices and major sociohistorical phenomena such as the opioid crisis. Researchers and clinicians must account for these shifting dynamics when developing and interpreting scientific knowledge, including in the form of clinical practice guidelines.
Advancements in left ventricular assist devices to prevent pump thrombosis and blood coagulopathy
Authors: Malone Grainne , Abdelsayed Gerges , Bligh Fianait , Al Qattan Fatma , Syed Saifullah , Varatharajullu Prateepan , Msellati Augustin , Mwipatayi Daniela , Azhar Maimoona , Malone Andrew , Fatimi Saulat H. , Conway Claire , Hameed Aamir 
Published: April 2022

AbstractMechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are very useful in improving outcomes in patients with advanced‐stage heart failure. Despite recent advances in LVAD development, pump thrombosis is one of the most severe adverse events caused by LVADs. The contact of blood with artificial materials of LVAD pumps and cannulas triggers the coagulation cascade. Heat spots, for example, produced by mechanical bearings are often subjected to thrombus build‐up when low‐flow situations impair washout and thus the necessary cooling does not happen. The formation of thrombus in an LVAD may compromise its function, causing a drop in flow and pumping power leading to failure of the LVAD, if left unattended. If a clot becomes dislodged and circulates in the bloodstream, it may disturb the flow or occlude the blood vessels in vital organs and cause internal damage that could be fatal, for example, ischemic stroke. That is why patients with LVADs are on anti‐coagulant medication. However, the anti‐coagulants can cause a set of issues for the patient—an example of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is given in illustration. On account of this, these devices are only used as a last resort in clinical practice. It is, therefore, necessary to develop devices with better mechanics of blood flow, performance and hemocompatibility. This paper discusses the development of LVADs through landmark clinical trials in detail and describes the evolution of device design to reduce the risk of pump thrombosis and achieve better hemocompatibility. Whilst driveline infection, right heart failure and arrhythmias have been recognised as LVAD‐related complications, this paper focuses on complications related to pump thrombosis, especially blood coagulopathy in detail and potential strategies to mitigate this complication. Furthermore, it also discusses the LVAD implantation techniques and their anatomical challenges.
Flowing Across with Demonic Hate: Belief in Supernatural Evil and Support for Stricter Immigration Policy
Authors: Martinez Brandon C. , Tom Joshua C. , Baker Joseph O. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractPrior research has found that different aspects of religion (such as service attendance and fundamentalism) have significant and varying effects on public attitudes about immigration. We identify an important but understudied aspect of how religion connects to immigration attitudes: beliefs about the reality of supernatural evil (e.g., Satan, hell, and demons). Using a national sample of Americans, we find that greater belief in supernatural evil is a strong and consistent predictor of more restrictive views of immigration, even after controlling for other dimensions of religiosity, sociodemographics, and political characteristics. Overall, beliefs about religious evil are the aspect of religion with the strongest connection to views of immigration. Consequently, consideration of religious evil is integral to understanding how religion influences public attitudes about immigration.
Pathogen exposure leads to a transcriptional downregulation of core cellular functions that may dampen the immune response in a macroalga
Authors: Hudson Jennifer , Deshpande Nandan , Leblanc Catherine , Egan Suhelen 
Published: April 2022

AbstractDiseases in marine eukaryotic organisms caused by opportunistic pathogens represent a serious threat to our oceans with potential downstream consequences for ecosystem functioning. Disease outbreaks affecting macroalgae are of particular concern due to their critical role as habitat‐forming organisms. However, there is limited understanding of the molecular strategies used by macroalgae to respond to opportunistic pathogens. In this study, we used mRNA‐sequencing analysis to investigate the early antipathogen response of the model macroalga Delisea pulchra (Rhodophyta) under the environmental conditions that are known to promote the onset of disease. Using de novo assembly methods, 27,586 unique transcripts belonging to D. pulchra were identified that were mostly affiliated with stress response and signal transduction processes. Differential gene expression analysis between a treatment with the known opportunistic pathogen, Aquimarina sp. AD1 (Bacteroidota), and a closely related benign strain (Aquimarina sp. AD10) revealed a downregulation of genes coding for predicted protein metabolism, stress response, energy generation and photosynthesis functions. The rapid repression of genes coding for core cellular processes is likely to interfere with the macroalgal antipathogen response, later leading to infection, tissue damage and bleaching symptoms. Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the genetic features of D. pulchra, highlighting potential antipathogen response mechanisms of macroalgae and contributing to an improved understanding of host–pathogen interactions in a changing environment.
Saliva as a diagnostic specimen for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection: A scoping review
Authors: Wang Yifei , Upadhyay Akshaya , Pillai Sangeeth , Khayambashi Parisa , Tran Simon D. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractObjectivesThis scoping review aims to summarize the diagnostic value of saliva assessed from current studies that (1) compare its performance in reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction testing to nasopharyngeal swabs, (2) evaluate its performance in rapid and point‐of‐care COVID‐19 diagnostic tests, and (3) explore its use as a specimen for detecting anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies.Materials and MethodsA systematic search was performed on the following databases: Medline and Embase (Ovid), World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Global Health (Ovid) from January 2019 to September 2021. Of the 657 publications identified from the searches, n = 146 articles were included in the final scoping review.ResultsOur findings showcase that salivary samples exceed nasopharyngeal swabs in detecting SARS‐CoV‐2 using reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction testing in several studies. A select number of rapid antigen and point‐of‐care tests from the literature were also identified capable of high detection rates using saliva. Moreover, anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies have been shown to be detectable in saliva through biochemical assays.ConclusionWe highlight the potential of saliva as an all‐rounded specimen in detecting SARS‐CoV‐2. However, future large‐scale clinical studies will be needed to support its widespread use as a non‐invasive clinical specimen for COVID‐19 testing.
Differential gene expression in nasal airway epithelium from overweight or obese youth with asthma
Authors: Xu Zhongli , Forno Erick , Acosta‐Pérez Edna , Han Yueh‐Ying , Rosser Franziska , Manni Michelle L. , Canino Glorisa , Chen Wei , Celedón Juan C. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe mechanisms underlying the known link between overweight/obesity and childhood asthma are unclear. We aimed to identify differentially expressed genes and pathways associated with obesity‐related asthma through a transcriptomic analysis of nasal airway epithelium.MethodsWe compared the whole transcriptome in nasal airway epithelium of youth with overweight or obesity and asthma with that of youth of normal weight and asthma, using RNA sequencing data from a cohort of 235 Puerto Ricans aged 9–20 years (EVA‐PR) and an independent cohort of 66 children aged 6–16 years in Pittsburgh (VDKA). Differential expression analysis adjusting for age, sex, sequencing plate number, and sample sorting protocol, and the first five principal components were performed independently in each cohort. Results from the two cohorts were combined in a transcriptome‐wide meta‐analysis. Gene enrichment and network analyses were performed on top genes.ResultsIn the meta‐analysis, 29 genes were associated with obesity‐related asthma at an FDR‐adjusted p <.05, including pro‐inflammatory genes known to be differentially expressed in adipose tissue of obese subjects (e.g., CXCL11, CXCL10, and CXCL9) and several novel genes. Functional enrichment analyses showed that pathways for interferon signaling, and innate and adaptive immune responses were down‐regulated in overweight/obese youth with asthma, while pathways related to ciliary structure or function were up‐regulated. Upstream regulatory analysis predicted significant inhibition of the IRF7 pathway. Network analyses identified “hub” genes like GBP5 and SOCS1.ConclusionOur transcriptome‐wide analysis of nasal airway epithelium identified biologically plausible genes and pathways for obesity‐related asthma in youth.