Combined Analysis Research Articles

Integrated genome-transcriptome analysis unveiled the mechanism of Debaryomyces hansenii-mediated arsenic stress amelioration in rice

Globally, rice is becoming more vulnerable to arsenic (As) pollution, posing a serious threat to public food safety. Previously Debaryomyces hansenii was found to reduce grain As content of rice. To better understand the underlying mechanism, we performed a genome analysis to identify the key genes in D. hansenii responsible for As tolerance and plant growth promotion. Notably, genes related to As resistance (ARR, Ycf1, and Yap) were observed in the genome of D. hansenii. The presence of auxin pathway and glutathione metabolism-related genes may explain the plant growth-promoting potential and As tolerance mechanism of this novel yeast strain. The genome annotation of D. hansenii indicated that it contains a repertoire of genes encoding antioxidants, well corroborated with the in vitro studies of GST, GR, and glutathione content. In addition, the effect of D. hansenii on gene expression profiling of rice plants under As stress was also examined. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database revealed 307 genes, annotated in D. hansenii-treated rice, related to metabolic pathways (184), photosynthesis (12), glutathione (10), tryptophan (4), and biosynthesis of secondary metabolite (117). Higher expression of regulatory elements like AUX/IAA and WRKY transcription factors (TFs), and defense-responsive genes dismutases, catalases, peroxiredoxin, and glutaredoxins during D. hansenii+As exposure was also observed. Combined analysis revealed that D. hansenii genes are contributing to stress mitigation in rice by supporting plant growth and As-tolerance. The study lays the foundation to develop yeast as a beneficial biofertilizer for As-prone areas.

When contract clauses conflict: The Salvador light rail vehicle concession

Infrastructure concession contracts may include clauses that allow for capacity expansion, term extensions, or even risk management strategies such as cap and floor schemes. These clauses provide project managers with the flexibility required to adapt their operational strategies as new information is revealed in time and limit investor risk. However, when contracts include combinations of these clauses, determining their overall impact on the objectives of the contract and the project is non-trivial and require the combined analysis of these effects. While the literature on the valuation of infrastructure projects tends to focus on a single type of flexibility at a time, we analyze the combined interaction between these clauses and their impact on the overall value of the project under the real options approach. Using the Salvador Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) concession project as a numerical example, our results suggest that these clause interactions can have non-intuitive results and negatively affect the stated objectives of both parties in the contract. We also show how policy makers can use this information to improve the value of the project to society and reduce the risk to the government.

Evaluating the comprehensive diagnosis efficiency of lung cancer, including measurement of SHOX2 and RASSF1A gene methylation

Methylation of the promoters of SHOX2 and RASSF1A (LungMe®) exhibits promise as a potential molecular biomarker for diagnosing lung cancer. This study sought to assess the aberrant methylation of SHOX2 and RASSF1A in broncho-exfoliated cells (BEC) and compare it with conventional cytology, histology examination, immunohistochemistry, and serum tumor markers to evaluate the overall diagnostic efficiency for lung cancer. This study recruited 240 patients, including 185 malignant cases and 55 benign cases. In our observation, we noted a slight reduction in the detection sensitivity, however, the ΔCt method exhibited a significant enhancement in specificity when compared to Ct judgment. Consequently, the ΔCt method proves to be a more appropriate approach for interpreting methylation results. The diagnostic sensitivity of cytology and histology was in ranged from 20.0%-35.1% and 42.9%-80%, respectively, while the positive detection rate of LungMe® methylation ranged from 70.0% to 100%. Additionally, our findings indicate a higher prevalence of SHOX2( +) among patients exhibiting medium and high expression of Ki67 (P < 0.01), as opposed to those with low expression of Ki67, but RASSF1A methylation did not show this phenomenon (P = 0.35). Furthermore, CEA, SCCA, and CYFRA21-1 showed positive detection rates of 48.8%, 26.2%, and 55.8%, respectively. Finally, we present a comprehensive lung cancer diagnostic work-up, including LumgMe® methylation. The combined analysis of SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation serves as a powerful complement and extension to conventional methods, enhancing the accuracy of a lung cancer diagnosis with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity.

Mechanical and micro-structural aspects of admixture stabilized rock sludge dust

The Rock Sludge Dust (RSD) is a by-product generated during the cutting and polishing of stone slabs obtained from rock blocks in the rock processing industry. Currently, only a minimal amount of RSD is being used, while larger quantities are being stored within the industrial vicinity. In its dry state, this fine sludge dust is susceptible to rising even under mild winds, causing severe health and environmental concerns. The previous attempts by a few researchers to utilize this industrial waste were confined to brick making, cement manufacturing and concrete making within the projected utilization of up to 20%; and even to that extent, the field performance and confirmatory studies are lacking. In this endeavor, an attempt is made to study the possible use of non-reactive RSD as a passive bulk material within the stabilized matrix using other materials such as locally available clay soil, lime, and pozzolan (fly ash). The present study revealed that the addition of 10% local clay soil to RSD could alter its dust texture to natural soil texture so that its handling and transportation become convenient without dust nuisance. Further, the addition of 5% lime and 10% fly ash could impart UCS values ranging from 3.20 MPa to 5.88 MPa, thus making it a suitable material for the construction of low-volume roads. The XRD and SEM analyses of the favorable mix combinations arrived at based on the tests on trial mixes indicate the formation of cementitious minerals and gels. These findings enable the concerned construction industry to utilize the non-reactive RSD for gainful purposes, alleviating environmental issues and making the approach sustainable and eco-friendly.

Lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis of the increase in eicosapentaenoic acid under cobalamin deficiency of Schizochytrium sp.

Schizochytrium sp. is a heterotrophic microorganism capable of accumulating polyunsaturated fatty acids and has achieved industrial production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It also has the potential for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production. In this study, it was found that the cell growth, lipid synthesis and fatty acid composition of Schizochytrium sp. were significantly affected by the level of cobalamin in the medium, especially with regard to the content of EPA in the fatty acids. The content of EPA in the fatty acids increased 17.91 times, reaching 12.00%, but cell growth and lipid synthesis were significantly inhibited under cobalamin deficiency. The response mechanism for this phenomenon was revealed through combined lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis. Although cell growth was inhibited under cobalamin deficiency, the genes encoding key enzymes in central carbon metabolism were still up-regulated to provide precursors (Acetyl-CoA) and reducing power (NADPH) for the synthesis and accumulation of fatty acids. Moreover, the main lipid subclasses observed during cobalamin deficiency were glycerolipids (including glycerophospholipids), with EPA primarily distributed in them. The genes involved in the biosynthesis of these lipid subclasses were significantly up-regulated, such as the key enzymes in the Kennedy pathway for the synthesis of triglycerides. Thus, this study provided insights into the specific response of Schizochytrium sp. to cobalamin deficiency and identified a subset of new genes that can be engineered for modification.

Operational and Environmental Assessment for Night Markets under the Informal Economy Impacts: Insights from the Case Study of Selangor, Malaysia

As an expression of the informal economy, the night market is not only a place that could attract locals to buy goods but also a place where tourists can experience the local characteristics. While the night market brought economic vitality to the city's economy, it also brought some issues. A comprehensive literature review of night markets revealed that existing studies paid less attention to outdoor night markets' spatial operations and waste management. Grounded in the connection between sustainability and night markets, the present study reflected on existing research findings by adopting different periods of fieldwork to conduct a case study of the night market in Jalan 17/1A, Selangor, Malaysia. The study focused on three aspects of night markets: spatial operations, waste, and waste recycling. It found that night market operations brought localized regional economic benefits while causing more severe pollution issues, significantly affecting the region's environmental health and sustainable development. The findings revealed that local government regulation of night market businesses in Malaysia is weak (the issuance of business licenses is informed of the operational guidelines), and there is also no relevant monitoring and penalties by the local government to intervene in the misbehavior of night market consumers. Based on the results of the field survey and combined with the concept of sustainable development, the present study recommended suggestions for the future spatial operation and waste management of night markets. Innovative and novel perspectives of the study combined qualitative observations and data analysis to comprehensively examine how spatial considerations and waste management strategies intersect in the unique context of night markets—aiming to fill the gaps in the sustainability of night market operations and to protect the ecology of the surrounding territorial environment, contributing to the discourse on sustainable development.

Exploration of the causality of frailty index on psoriasis: A Mendelian randomization study.

Frailty is associated with a variety of diseases, but the relationship between frailty and psoriasis remains unclear. First, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate genetic causality between frailty index and common diseases in dermatology. Inverse variance weighted was used to estimate causality. Second, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTLs) analysis was conducted to identify the genes affected by Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Third, we performed function and pathway enrichment, transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) analysis based on eQTLs. It was shown that the rise of frailty index could increase the risk of psoriasis (IVW, beta=0.916, OR=2.500, 95%CI:1.418-4.408, p=0.002) through Mendelian randomization (MR), and there was no heterogeneity and pleiotropy. There was no causality between the frailty index and other common diseases in dermatology. We found 31 eQTLs based on strongly correlated SNPs in the causality. TWAS analysis found that the expressions of four genes were closely related to psoriasis, including HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQA2, HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1. It suggested that the frailty index had a significant positive causality on the risk of psoriasis, which was well documented by combined genomic, transcriptome, and proteome analyses.

Eligibility criteria for using menopausal hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors: a safety report based on a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) effectively alleviates menopausal symptoms. However, it is generally not recommended for breast cancer survivors, although the scientific evidence is scarce. This study aimed to establish eligibility criteria for use of the MHT in breast cancer survivors based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. We conducted exhaustive literature searches until June 2022 in MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, using a tailored strategy with a combination of controlled vocabulary and search terms related to breast cancer survivors and MHT. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions tools. The quality of the evidence was graded according to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations criteria (A, high; B, moderate; C, low; and D, very low). We categorized MHT use into four levels: category 1 (no restrictions on use), category 2 (the benefits outweigh the risks), category 3 (the risks generally outweigh the benefits), and category 4 (MHT should not be used). A total of 12 studies met the eligibility criteria. Analysis of the three randomized clinical trials using combined MHT or tibolone revealed no significant differences concerning tumor recurrence (relative risk [RR], 1.46; 95% CI, 0.99-2.24). A combined analysis of randomized clinical trials, prospective, and retrospective trials found no elevated risk of recurrence (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.54-1.33) or death (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.38-2.19). The eligibility criteria for patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive tumors fell into categories 3B and 3C for combined MHT or estrogen alone and 4A for tibolone. For HR-negative tumors, the category was 2B and 2C. Our findings suggest that MHT could be a viable treatment alternative for breast cancer survivors experiencing menopausal symptoms, especially those with HR-negative tumors. Personalized management is recommended for each peri/postmenopausal woman facing a diminished quality of life because of menopause symptoms. Further randomized trials are needed before considering changes to current standards of care.

Trophic niche partitioning of golden cuttlefish (Sepia esculenta) during ontogeny revealed by stable isotope analysis and DNA metabarcoding

Cephalopods are becoming more important in global fishery. Understanding the trophic ecology partitioning during their ontogeny is critical to the stock assessment and fishery management. The golden cuttlefish (Sepia esculenta), one of commercially important cephalopod species has been found at different life-history stages that co-inhibit in the coastal waters of Qingdao, China. In the present study, the trophic ecology of S. esculenta was assessed by using stable isotope analysis (SIA: based δ13C and δ15N from muscle and liver tissue) and DNA metabarcoding of the stomach contents through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). SIA uncovered the variation in isotope niche and trophic position of S. esculenta during ontogeny. DNA metabarcoding showed a higher resolution of prey identification than before. The combined analysis of SIA and DNA metabarcoding indicated that diet shifts occurred in the ontogeny of S. esculenta. Paralaval and juvenile prefer zooplankton, while sub-adult and adult prefer demersal fishes. The standard ellipse area (SEAc) indicated that low isotope niche overlaps among paralaval, juvenile and sub-adult of S. esculenta, which reflect the squid foraging strategy during ontogeny. The study confirmed that S. esculenta resources can be partitioned into different life stages, suggesting a survival strategy to maintain population dynamics.

KiDS-1000 cosmology: Combined second- and third-order shear statistics

Aims. In this work, we perform the first cosmological parameter analysis of the fourth release of Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS-1000) data with second- and third-order shear statistics. This paper builds on a series of studies aimed at describing the roadmap to third-order shear statistics. Methods. We derived and tested a combined model of the second-order shear statistic, namely, the COSEBIs and the third-order aperture mass statistics 〈ℳap3〉 in a tomographic set-up. We validated our pipeline with N-body mock simulations of the KiDS-1000 data release. To model the second- and third-order statistics, we used the latest version of HMCODE2020 for the power spectrum and BIHALOFIT for the bispectrum. Furthermore, we used an analytic description to model intrinsic alignments and hydro-dynamical simulations to model the effect of baryonic feedback processes. Lastly, we decreased the dimension of the data vector significantly by considering only equal smoothing radii for the 〈ℳap3〉 part of the data vector. This makes it possible to carry out a data analysis of the KiDS-1000 data release using a combined analysis of COSEBIs and third-order shear statistics. Results. We first validated the accuracy of our modelling by analysing a noise-free mock data vector, assuming the KiDS-1000 error budget, finding a shift in the maximum of the posterior distribution of the matter density parameter, ΔΩm &lt; 0.02 σΩm, and of the structure growth parameter, ΔS8 &lt; 0.05 σS8. Lastly, we performed the first KiDS-1000 cosmological analysis using a combined analysis of second- and third-order shear statistics, where we constrained Ωm = 0.248−0.055+0.062 and S8 = σ8√(Ωm/0.3 )= 0.772 ± 0.022. The geometric average on the errors of Ωm and S8 of the combined statistics decreases, compared to the second-order statistic, by a factor of 2.2.

Functional exploration of lunasin peptide in transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) and its role in controlling mitophagy in MDA-MB-231 cells

Lunasin, a novel bioactive peptide initially found in soybean, exhibits multiple biological functions. Here, we overexpressed lunasin in maize to generated the transgenic maize with high lunasin content for application in functional food. A maize variety YF464 was screened and used as receptor material (WT), and the identification of lunasin peptide in maize was demonstrated through Western blot and ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Thirteen overexpression (OE) lines were obtained, then OE1 (182.34 ± 13.62 μg g−1) and OE2 (294.51 ± 34.25 μg g−1) were selected for further study based on high expression of lunasin. Lunasin extract from maize (LEM) presented significantly higher antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activity in OE lines than that from WT. Furthermore, LEM from OE1 and OE2 showed superior anti-proliferation function on human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 than that from WT. Combination analysis with matched proteins from transcriptome and proteome after lunasin exposure showed that genes and proteins associated with mitophagy was highly activated in MDA-MB-231 cells, indicated lunasin may act an important role in promoting mitophagy, inducing cell death. Therefore, lunasin overexpressing maize has a great potential as a functional food in the diets of patients with cancer, together with an alternative for dietary nutrition and health care in the future. More importantly, it will provide the scientific data for further exploration on its anti-cancer function.

A recurrence for the surface area of the (n,k)$$ \left(n,k\right) $$‐star graph

SummaryWe present a simple recurrence for the surface area of the ‐star graph, , that is, the number of nodes at a certain distance from the identity node in the graph, an important parameter for interconnection networks in parallel computing. The family of the ‐star graphs includes several popular interconnection networks such as the star graph and the alternating group network. Previously, a surface area recurrence has been obtained for a special case, for example, when , in the family of ‐star. Our recurrence gives one single recurrence for all graphs in the family, thus completely solving the surface area of ‐star for all . Compared to explicit surface area formulas previously obtained through complicated and involved combinatorial analysis and generating function approach, our derivation is more elementary and our recurrence gives a way to compute the surface area of the ‐star efficiently.

The Flavor Characteristics, Antioxidant Capability, and Storage Year Discrimination Based on Backpropagation Neural Network of Organic Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) during Long-Term Storage.

The storage period of tea is a major factor affecting tea quality. However, the effect of storage years on the non-volatile major functional components and quality of green tea remains largely unknown. In this study, a comparative analysis of organic green teas with varying storage years (1-16 years) was conducted by quantifying 47 functional components, using electronic tongue and chromatic aberration technology, alongside an evaluation of antioxidative capacity. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between the storage years and levels of tea polyphenols, total amino acids, soluble sugars, two phenolic acids, four flavonols, three tea pigments, umami amino acids, and sweet amino acids. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed that 10 functional components were identified as effective in distinguishing organic green teas with different storage years. Electronic tongue technology categorized organic green teas with different storage years into three classes. The backpropagation neural network (BPNN) analysis demonstrated that the classification predictive ability of the model based on the electronic tongue was superior to the one based on color difference values and 10 functional components. The combined analysis of antioxidative activity and functional components suggested that organic green teas with shorter storage periods exhibited stronger abilities to suppress superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals and reduce iron ions due to the higher content of eight components. Long-term-stored organic green teas, with a higher content of substances like L-serine and theabrownins, demonstrated stronger antioxidative capabilities in clearing both lipid-soluble and water-soluble free radicals. Therefore, this study provided a theoretical basis for the quality assessment of green tea and prediction of green tea storage periods.

Resolving a ramp-flat structure from combined analysis of co- and post-seismic geodetic data: an example of the 2015 Pishan Mw 6.5 earthquake

SUMMARY Previous studies have shown that it is difficult to determine whether the 2015 Pishan earthquake occurred on a uniform fault or a ramp-flat fault with variable dip angles due to the similar goodness of data fit to coseismic and afterslip models on these two fault models. Here, we first present the InSAR deformation obtained from both ascending and descending orbits, covering the coseismic period and cumulative 5-yr period after the 2015 Pishan earthquake. We then determine the preferred fault geometry by the spatial distributions between the positive Coulomb failure stress change triggered by main shock and the afterslip. Based on the preferred fault model, we finally use a combined model to determine the contributions of elastic and viscoelastic deformation in the post-seismic deformation. We find that the Pishan earthquake prefers to occur on a ramp-flat fault, and the coseismic slip is mainly distributed at a depth of 9–13 km, with a maximum slip of about 1.3 m. The post-seismic deformation is primarily governed by afterslip, as the poroelastic rebound-induced deformation fails to account for the observed post-seismic deformation and the contributions from the viscoelastic relaxation mechanism can be considered negligible in the combined model. Moreover, the modelled stress-driven afterslip and observed kinematic afterslip have good consistency, and the difference between the root mean square error of the two afterslip models is only 4.3 mm. The results from the afterslip model indicate that both of the updip and downdip directions distribute the afterslip, and slip in the updip direction is greater than that of the downdip direction. Meanwhile, the maximum cumulative afterslip after 5 yr is approximately 0.26 m which is equivalent to a released seismic moment of a Mw 6.47.

Justification of geodetic monitoring methodology of the retaining walls on the example of the embankment in Kremenchuk

Purpose. Development of a methodology for analyzing the results of geodetic measurements according to which it is possible to use the materials of past years for the needs of geodetic monitoring on the example of a retaining wall in the conditions of the city’s recreational area. Methodology. A technological scheme of geodetic monitoring of retaining walls has been developed with four main stages: analysis of initial data, design of geodetic monitoring, periodic observations, processing and analysis of geodetic monitoring results. The conditions of the recreational areas of the city determine the specifics of geodetic monitoring, limit the possibilities of choosing a scheme of the geodetic network and methods of measurements. In this regard, it is proposed to develop models of the development of deformation processes already at the first stage of geodetic monitoring, which will allow geodetic monitoring to be carried out with greater reliability in the future and avoid possible forecasting errors. Findings. The results of the analysis of geodetic measurements in the geodetic networks of Kremenchuk (coordinates and heights of wall signs) show the presence of horizontal and vertical displacements of the retaining wall. In the horizontal plane the retaining wall has shifted in the south-western direction, towards the Dnipro River. In the vertical plane, the retaining wall has subsided. The displacements of different parts of the retaining wall are uneven. The average annual rate of both horizontal and vertical displacements is equivalent and is approximately 1 mm/year. The values of absolute displacement vectors of wall signs in the horizontal plane exceed the accuracy of geodetic measurements and normative tolerances. Originality. Modeling of displacements of retaining walls in the conditions of recreational areas of the city is already underway, taking into account the analysis of the results of geodetic measurements of past years. Practical value. The data of the analysis of the results of geodetic measurements carried out in the geodetic densification networks of Kremenchuk indicate the presence of deformation processes and justify the need for their control through geodetic monitoring. The suggested models can be used as the comparative and combined analysis of future forecast changes based on previous and current results of measurements, which is a topic for another research.

Papiliotrema flavescens, a plant growth-promoting fungus, alters root system architecture and induces systemic resistance through its volatile organic compounds in Arabidopsis

The current trend in agricultural development is the establishment of sustainable agricultural systems. This involves utilizing and implementing eco-friendly biofertilizers and biocontrol agents as alternatives to conventional fertilizers and pesticides. A plant growth-promoting fungal strain, that could alter root system architecture and promote the growth of Arabidopsis seedlings in a non-contact manner by releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was isolated in this study. 26S rDNA sequencing revealed that the strain was a yeast-like fungus, Papiliotrema flavescens. Analysis of plant growth-promoting traits revealed that the fungus could produce indole-3-acetic acid and ammonia and fix nitrogen. Transcriptome analysis in combination with inhibitor experiments revealed that P. flavescens VOCs triggered metabolic alterations, promoted auxin accumulation and distribution in the roots, and coordinated ethylene signaling, thus inhibiting primary root elongation and inducing lateral root formation in Arabidopsis. Additionally, transcriptome analysis and fungal infection experiments confirmed that pretreatment with P. flavescens stimulated the defense response of Arabidopsis to boost its resistance to the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Solid-phase microextraction, which was followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, identified three VOCs (acetoin, naphthalene and indole) with significant plant growth-promoting attributes. Their roles were confirmed using further pharmacological experiments and upregulated expression of auxin- and ethylene-related genes. Our study serves as an essential reference for utilizing P. flavescens as a potential biological fertilizer and biocontrol agent.

Low-Level Students’ Perspectives Toward Synchronous and Asynchronous Blended Learning Activities in the Post-Pandemic Era

Entering the post-pandemic era, educators at universities across South Korea dealt with many restrictions and challenges transitioning back to face-to-face courses. To overcome these difficulties, some instructors used their experiences during emergency remote teaching to incorporate more blended learning activities. This study aimed to gain insight into low-level students’ perspectives toward participating in online synchronous and online asynchronous activities during an in-person EFL course in the first semester of 2022. A total of 83 students participated in this study by completing a series of surveys composed of a mix of Likert-scale and semi-structured qualitative questions. Data analysis combined descriptive statistical analysis with qualitative analysis based on the creation of themes and categories. Key findings are as follows: first, learners enjoyed both types of blended learning activities but preferred asynchronous discussion boards; second, low-level learners believe synchronous activities can help improve their listening skills, while asynchronous activities provide valuable chances to read and write; third, low-level students will accept an activity if they perceive it has value, and these learners have their own opinions of how to make the activities better. Specific comments and examples related to student perspectives and suggestions for the future use of blended learning activities are discussed.

Digital Gait Measures Capture 1-Year Progression in Early-Stage Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2.

With disease-modifying drugs in reach for cerebellar ataxias, fine-grained digital health measures are highly warranted to complement clinical and patient-reported outcome measures in upcoming treatment trials and treatment monitoring. These measures need to demonstrate sensitivity to capture change, in particular in the early stages of the disease. Our aim is to unravel gait measures sensitive to longitudinal change in the-particularly trial-relevant-early stage of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). We performed a multicenter longitudinal study with combined cross-sectional and 1-year interval longitudinal analysis in early-stage SCA2 participants (n = 23, including nine pre-ataxic expansion carriers; median, ATXN2 CAG repeat expansion 38 ± 2; median, Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia [SARA] score 4.8 ± 4.3). Gait was assessed using three wearable motion sensors during a 2-minute walk, with analyses focused on gait measures of spatio-temporal variability that have shown sensitivity to ataxia severity (eg, lateral step deviation). We found significant changes for gait measures between baseline and 1-year follow-up with large effect sizes (lateral step deviation P = 0.0001, effect size rprb = 0.78), whereas the SARA score showed no change (P = 0.67). Sample size estimation indicates a required cohort size of n = 43 to detect a 50% reduction in natural progression. Test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change analysis confirm the accuracy of detecting 50% of the identified 1-year change. Gait measures assessed by wearable sensors can capture natural progression in early-stage SCA2 within just 1 year-in contrast to a clinical ataxia outcome. Lateral step deviation represents a promising outcome measure for upcoming multicenter interventional trials, particularly in the early stages of cerebellar ataxia. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis Reveal bZIP Transcription Factors Mediated Hormones That Functions during Early Somatic Embryogenesis in Dimocarpus longan.

The basic leucine zip (bZIP) transcription factors (TFs) are a group of highly conserved gene families that play important roles in plant growth and resistance to adversity stress. However, studies on hormonal regulatory pathways and functional analysis during somatic embryogenesis (SE) in Dimocarpus longan is still unavailable. In this study, a total of 51 bZIP family members were systematically identified in the whole genome of longan, a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of DlbZIP (bZIP family members of D. longan) was performed, and subcellular localization and profiles patterns after transiently transformed DlbZIP60 were analyzed. The combined analysis of RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq showed that four members have different H3K4me1 binding peaks in early SE and differentially expressed with increased chromatin accessibility. Comparative transcriptome analysis of bZIPs expression in early SE, different tissues and under 2,4-D treatment revealed that DlbZIP family might involved in growth and development during longan early SE. The qRT-PCR results implied that DlbZIP family were subjected to multiple hormonal responses and showed different degrees of up-regulated expression under indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments, which indicated that they played an important role in the hormone synthesis pathways associated with the early SE of longan. Subcellular localization showed that DlbZIP60 was located in the nucleus, and the contents of endogenous IAA, MeJA and ABA were up-regulated in transiently DlbZIP60 overexpressed cell lines. These results suggest that DlbZIP60 may mediate hormones pathways that functions the development during early SE in longan.

Relationship between mental health and job competence of college teachers: Application of sentiment analysis algorithm

In systematically collecting and investigating data related to the teaching field, the association between teachers’ Mental Health (MH) and Job Competence (JC) is an important field that has not been systematically studied. Understanding this association is vital due to its direct impact on the Quality of Education (QoE) and its standard educational system. Due to problems in evaluating all qualitative data, such as Open-Ended Survey Feedback (OESF), traditional models frequently find it challenging to epitomize intricate relations accurately. This article reports on these tasks by introducing a Mixed-Method Approach (MMA). The research study was directed through online learning across numerous higher education institutions in three provinces of China, and a combination analysis of quantitative study data using qualitative Sentiment Analysis (SA) was recommended. The new thing about the method is that it suggests an algorithm based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to SA that lets all of the qualitative data from the OESF questions be studied. This algorithm suggests a more philosophical knowledge of teachers’ MH and its association with their specialized skills overall OESF. The study’s results represent a significant insight into the dynamics between MH and JC related to College Teachers (CT). It highlights how every feature impacts others and the prerequisites for educational strategies supporting teacher well-being. By overcoming boundaries in existing models, the proposed work contributes to a broader and better knowledge of teacher well-being, its impact on educational quality, and the potential for SA in educational research. We compared how well three classifiers—Naïve Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Linear Regression (LR)—performed on six topics that were chosen for this SA research. The performance analysis for evaluation is accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. The reliability of the OESF measures was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha values signifying high internal consistency: 0.85 for JC, 0.88 for MH status, and 0.82 for innovative teaching ability.