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Plant Physiol Biochem 2021 Apr 2;163:166-177. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Cba, Argentina; Departamento de Biología Agrícola, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, X5804BYA, Río Cuarto, Cba, Argentina.

Knowledge about Solanaceae species naturally adapted to salinity is scarce, despite the fact that a considerable number of Solanaceae has been reported growing in saline environments. Lycium humile Phil. inhabits extreme saline soils in the Altiplano-Puna region (Central Andes, South America) and represents a promising experimental model to study salt tolerance in Solanaceae plants. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2021 Apr 5;782:146901. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Department of Ecology, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address:

Terrestrial productivity underpins ecosystem carbon (C) cycling and multi-trophic diversity. Despite the negative impacts of drought on terrestrial C cycling, our understanding of the responses of above- and belowground productivity to drought remains incomplete. Here, we synthesized the responses of terrestrial productivity and soil factors (e. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2021 Apr 1;782:146887. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Botany & Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Water and Soil Research Group, Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, JORDI GIRONA 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), H2O Building, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain.

The principal objective of this study is to generate mathematical regression equations that facilitate the estimation of the extent to which Eichhornia crassipes (C. Mart.) Solms, water hyacinth, absorbs heavy metals (HMs) into four plant organs (laminae, petioles, roots, and stolons). Read More

Microbiol Res 2021 Apr 2;248:126754. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Caixa Postal 15.053, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address:

Endophytic bacteria show important abilities in promoting plant growth and suppressing phytopathogens, being largely explored in agriculture as biofertilizers or biocontrol agents. Bacteria from canola roots were isolated and screened for different plant growth promotion (PGP) traits and biocontrol of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Thirty isolates belonging to Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Lysinibacillus, and Microbacterium genera were obtained. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Apr 10;216:112196. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address:

Pollution and poisoning with carcinogenic arsenic (As) is of major concern globally. Interestingly, there are ferns that can naturally tolerate remarkably high As concentrations in soils while hyperaccumulating this metalloid in their fronds. Besides Pteris vittata in which As-related traits and molecular determinants have been studied in detail, the As hyperaccumulation status has been attributed also to Pteris cretica. Read More

Oral Oncol 2021 Apr 10;117:105268. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Restoring anatomical contour and position of the malar eminence and orbital rim following ablative mid-face procedures is critical in maintaining facial contour and orbit position.

Objective: To report our reconstructive approach using the scapular tip free-flap (STFF) for orbito-zygomatic defects, evaluating contour and overall shape restoration.

Methods: The study included 2 series: a clinical cohort of 15 consecutive patients who underwent an orbito-zygomatic reconstruction with a STFF and a cohort of 10 patients who had CT scan imaging but did not have orbito-zygomatic surgical resection or reconstruction. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2021 Apr 10:114111. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

National Centre for Biological Science - Tata Institute for Biological Research, Bangalore, India. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch (Gramineae) is a medicinal spice traditionally used in the treatment of hypertension and cancer.

Aim Of The Study: To assess the anti-metastatic potential of the methanol extract of I. Read More

Cancer Res Treat 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to validate the Korean version of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29 Profile V2.1 (K-PROMIS-29 V2.1) among cancer survivors. Read More

Plant Cell 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway.

The genetic basis for the fine-tuned regulation of gene expression is complex and ultimately influences the phenotype and thus the local adaptation of natural populations. Short tandem repeats (STRs) consisting of repetitive DNA motifs have been shown to regulate gene expression. STRs are variable in length within a population and serve as a heritable, but semi-reversible, reservoir of standing genetic variation. Read More

Plant Physiol 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.

Plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is essential for regulating plant growth and various stress responses. ABA-mediated signaling depends on local ABA levels rather than overall cellular ABA concentration. Whereas cellular concentration of ABA can be detected using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based ABA probes, direct imaging of subcellular ABA levels remains unsolved. Read More

PLoS One 2021 13;16(4):e0249909. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Congenital hearing loss affects 1 in every 1000 births, with genetic mutations contributing to more than 50% of all cases. X-linked nonsyndromic hereditary hearing loss is associated with six loci (DFNX1-6) and five genes. Recently, the missense mutation (c. Read More

PLoS One 2021 13;16(4):e0249748. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Laboratory for Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

A human neuroma-in continuity (NIC), formed following a peripheral nerve lesion, impedes functional recovery. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the formation of a NIC are poorly understood. Here we show that the expression of multiple genes of the Wnt family, including Wnt5a, is changed in NIC tissue from patients that underwent reconstructive surgery. Read More

Physiol Plant 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Grassland and Forage Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.

Cadmium (Cd) is toxic; however, whether silicon (Si) alleviates Cd toxicity was never studied in sugar beet. The study was conducted on two weeks old sugar beet cultivated in the presence or absence of Cd (10 μM CdSO ) and Si (1 mM Na SiO ) in hydroponic conditions. The morphological impairment and cellular damages observed in sugar beet upon Cd toxicity were entirely reversed due to Si. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Research Center for Urban Forestry of Beijing Forestry University, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Forest Ecosystem of State Forestry Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most common and serious fungal diseases of the tree Mangifera persiciforma. Yet we lack an effective method to evaluate this ecological interaction accurately. Here, we measured the functional traits and leaf reflectance spectrum of the host plants under different disease degrees. Read More

Environ Monit Assess 2021 Apr 13;193(5):263. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Biossistemas (PGEB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 24210-240, Brazil.

Rainfall is a climatic variable that dictates the daily rhythm of urban areas in Northeastern Brazil (NEB) and, therefore, understanding its dynamics is fundamental. The objectives of the study were (i) to validate the CHELSA product with data in situ, (ii) assess the spatial-temporality of the rains, and (iii) assess the trends and socio-environmental implications in the Metropolitan Region of Maceió (MRM). The monthly rainfall data observed between 1960 and 2016 were flawed and were filled with the imputation of data. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.

Progressive aortic dilation is common in Marfan syndrome (MFS) and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). Risk factors for progression are poorly understood. Normal variation in the aortic root (AoR) rotational position relative to the left ventricular base may impact this risk. Read More

Arch Toxicol 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Kumamoto, Japan.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is known to cause serious neurological deficits in humans. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of MeHg-mediated neuropathic pain and identified the underlying pathophysiological mechanism in a rat model of MeHg exposure. Rats were exposed to MeHg (20 ppm in drinking water) for 3 weeks. Read More

Stat Methods Med Res 2021 Apr 13:9622802211003620. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Tactile Robotics, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

Quantifying the tool-tissue interaction forces in surgery can be used in the training process of novice surgeons to help them better handle surgical tools and avoid exerting excessive forces. A significant challenge concerns the development of proper statistical learning techniques to model the relationship between the true force exerted on the tissue and several outputs read from sensors mounted on the surgical tools. We propose a nonparametric bootstrap technique and a Bayesian multilevel modeling methodology to estimate the true forces. Read More

Radiology 2021 Apr 13:203928. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

From the Department of Radiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UY, England (T.D.T., J.W.M.); Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England (T.D.T., J.W.M.); Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, England (S.B.L.); Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, England (S.R.); Departments of Engineering (G.M.T., A.H.G.) and Medicine (K.E.S.P.), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif (J.A.L.); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan (N.A.S.).

Background Imaging of structural disease in osteoarthritis has traditionally relied on MRI and radiography. Joint space mapping (JSM) can be used to quantitatively map joint space width (JSW) in three dimensions from CT images. Purpose To demonstrate the reproducibility, repeatability, and feasibility of JSM of the knee using weight-bearing CT images. Read More

J Med Chem 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

LAQV, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.

Omeprazole is usually administered under an enteric coating. However, there is a Food and Drug Administration-approved strategy that enables its release in the stomach. When locally absorbed, omeprazole shows a higher efficacy and a cytoprotective effect, whose mechanism was still unknown. Read More

Dent Med Probl 2021 Jan-Mar;58(1):31-37

Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India.

Background: The conventional endodontic therapy primarily focuses on biomechanical preparation, which is achieved by the application of various intracanal irrigants and intracanal medicaments. One of the most commonly used intracanal irrigants - sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) - has already been proven to have an antimicrobial effect as well as the ability to dissolve tissues in the areas where files cannot reach. One of the recently used irrigants having a promising effect is calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2), which has been shown to be relatively more stable than NaOCl and has much more chlorine ions. Read More

Physiol Plant 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Soil salinity is among the major abiotic stresses that plants must cope with, mainly in arid and semiarid regions. The tolerance to high salinity is an important agronomic trait to sustain food production. Quinoa is a halophytic annual pseudo-cereal species with high nutritional value that can secrete salt out of young leaves in external non-glandular cells called epidermal bladder cells (EBC). Read More

Tree Physiol 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, via Ponzio 34/5, 20133 Milano, Italy.

Productivity of fruit tree crops depends on the interaction between plant physiology, environmental conditions and agricultural practices. We develop a mechanistic model of fruit tree crops that reliable simulate the dynamics of variables of interest for growers and consequences of agricultural practices while relying on a minimal number of inputs and parameters. The temporal dynamics of carbon content in the different organs (i. Read More

J Clin Periodontol 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Periodontology, Center of Dentistry and Oral Medicine (Carolinum), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

Aim: Comparison of the clinical efficacy (digitally volumetric, aesthetic, patient-centered outcomes) of tunnel technique (TUN) with subepithelial connective tissue graft (CTG) versus coronally advanced flap (CAF) with enamel matrix derivate (EMD) 5 years after gingival recession therapy.

Materials And Methods: In 18 patients contributing 36 RT1 recessions, study models were collected at baseline and follow-ups. Optical scans assessed recessions computer-assisted [recession depth, recession reduction (RECred), complete root coverage (CRC), percentage of root coverage (RC), pointwise (pTHK) and mean areal (aTHK) marginal soft tissue thickness]. Read More

Qual Life Res 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Urology and Andrology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.

Purpose: To psychometrically evaluate the hypothesized four-factor structure of the 19-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Kidney Symptom Index (FKSI-19) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument in a sample of surgically treated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients and examine if an alternative factor structure with good psychometric properties may be derived from the available items.

Methods: The model fit of the hypothesized four-factor structure was examined using confirmatory factor analysis on cohort data from 1731 individuals included in the National Swedish Kidney Cancer Register who had undergone surgery for RCC during the three years 2016-2018 and answered the FKSI-19 instrument within 6-12 months after surgery. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the same dataset to derive a possible alternative factor solution. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, No. 211 Huimin Road, Wenjiang, 611130, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.

Exogenous application of melatonin to plants is a promising approach for assisted phytoremediation of soil lead (Pb). In this study, we investigated the effects of foliar applications of melatonin to mature bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India.

Rice straw burning is causing huge economic losses and environmental hazards. Microbial mediated ex situ composting could be a viable solution which would not only reduce the straw burning but also will enrich nutrition to the soil. Strains of Trichoderma isolated from tree bark were tested to decompose rice straw efficiently, and the Trichoderma-mediated rice straw compost was used subsequently to improve rice growth. Read More

Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.

Backgrounds: Medial meniscus (MM) posterior root tear (PRT) results in joint overloading and degenerative changes in the knee, and pullout repair is recommended to prevent subsequent osteoarthritis. Diagnosing MMPRT is sometimes difficult, especially in the case of an incomplete tear. A posterior shiny-corner lesion (PSCL) is reported to be useful for diagnosis, although the association between MMPRT and PSCL is unknown. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 12;11(1):7913. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, 101, Daehak-ro Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.

The purpose of the retrospective study was to investigate the long-term result of implant-induced injury on the adjacent tooth. The subjects of this retrospective study were patients who had received implants and had tooth injury; direct invasion of root (group I), root surface contact (group II), or < 1 mm distance of the implant from the root (group III). Clinical and pathological changes were periodically examined using radiographs and intra-oral examinations. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 12;11(1):7992. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Ecotoxicogenomics Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India.

Little is known about the interactive effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) and abscisic acid (ABA) on nitrogen (N) metabolism and related changes at molecular and biochemical levels under drought stress. The present study highlights the independent and combined effect of NO and ABA (grouped as "nitrate agonists") on expression profiles of representative key genes known to be involved in N-uptake and assimilation, together with proline metabolism, N-NO metabolism enzyme's activity and nutrient content in polyethylene glycol (PEG) treated roots of Indian mustard (B. juncea cv. Read More