PlantPAD: a platform for large-scale image phenomics analysis of disease in plant science.

Plant disease, a huge burden, can cause yield loss of up to 100% and thus reduce food security. Actually, smart diagnosing diseases with plant phenomics is crucial for recovering the most yield loss, which usually requires sufficient image information. Hence, phenomics is being pursued as an independent discipline to enable the development of high-throughput phenotyping for plant disease. However, we often face challenges in sharing large-scale image data due to incompatibilities in formats and descriptions provided by different communities, limiting multidisciplinary research exploration. To this end, we build a Plant Phenomics Analysis of Disease (PlantPAD) platform with large-scale information on disease. Our platform contains 421 314 images, 63 crops and 310 diseases. Compared to other databases, PlantPAD has extensive, well-annotated image data and in-depth disease information, and offers pre-trained deep-learning models for accurate plant disease diagnosis. PlantPAD supports various valuable applications across multiple disciplines, including intelligent disease diagnosis, disease education and efficient disease detection and control. Through three applications of PlantPAD, we show the easy-to-use and convenient functions. PlantPAD is mainly oriented towards biologists, computer scientists, plant pathologists, farm managers and pesticide scientists, which may easily explore multidisciplinary research to fight against plant diseases. PlantPAD is freely available at http://plantpad.samlab.cn.

CKIP-1 suppresses odontoblastic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells via BMP2 pathway and can interact with NRP1.

AIM: Casein kinase 2 interacting protein-1 (CKIP-1) is a recently discovered intracellular regulator of bone formation, muscle cell differentiation, and tumor cell proliferation. Our study aims to identify the inhibition of BMP2-Smad1/5 signaling by CKIP-1 in odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: DPSCs infected CKIP-1 siRNA or transfected CKIP-1 full-length plasmid were cultured in odontoblastic differentiation medium or added noggin (200 ng/mL) for 21 days. We examined the effects of CKIP-1 on odontoblastic differentiation, mineralized nodules formation, and interaction by western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red S staining, and immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Firstly, we have demonstrated that CKIP-1 expression markedly decreased time-dependently along with cell odontoblastic differentiation. Indeed, the silence of CKIP-1 upregulated odontoblastic differentiation via BMP2-Smad1/5 signaling, while CKIP-1 over-expression had a negative effect on odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs. Furthermore, CKIP-1 could interact with Neuropilin-1 (NRP1). CONCLUSIONS: This work provides data that advocates a novel perception on odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs. Therefore, inhibiting the expression of CKIP-1 may be of great significance to the development of dental caries.

Wireless Channel Propagation Characteristics and Modeling Research in Rice Field Sensor Networks.

Wireless channel propagation characteristics and models are important to ensure the communication quality of wireless sensor networks in agriculture. Wireless channel attenuation experiments were carried out at different node antenna heights (0.8 m, 1.2 m, 1.6 m, and 2.0 m) in the tillering, jointing, and grain filling stages of rice fields. We studied the path loss variation trends at different transmission distances and analyzed the differences between estimated values and measured values of path loss in a free space model and a two-ray model. Regression analysis of measured path loss values was used to establish a one-slope log-distance model and propose a modified two-slope log-distance model. The attenuation speed in wireless channel propagation in rice fields intensified with rice developmental stage and the transmission range had monotone increases with changes in antenna height. The relative error (RE) of estimation in the free space model and the two-ray model under four heights ranged from 6.48⁻15.49% and 2.09⁻13.51%, respectively, and these two models were inadequate for estimating wireless channel path loss in rice fields. The ranges of estimated RE for the one-slope and modified two-slope log-distance models during the three rice developmental stages were 2.40⁻2.25% and 1.89⁻1.31%, respectively. The one-slope and modified two-slope log-distance model had better applicability for modeling of wireless channels in rice fields. The estimated RE values for the modified two-slope log-distance model were all less than 2%, which improved the performance of the one-slope log-distance model. This validates that the modified two-slope log-distance model had better applicability in a rice field environment than the other models. These data provide a basis for modeling of sensor network channels and construction of wireless sensor networks in rice fields. Our results will aid in the design of effective rice field WSNs and increase the transmission quality in rice field sensor networks.

Design and Test of a Soil Profile Moisture Sensor Based on Sensitive Soil Layers.

To meet the demand of intelligent irrigation for accurate moisture sensing in the soil vertical profile, a soil profile moisture sensor was designed based on the principle of high-frequency capacitance. The sensor consists of five groups of sensing probes, a data processor, and some accessory components. Low-resistivity copper rings were used as components of the sensing probes. Composable simulation of the sensor’s sensing probes was carried out using a high-frequency structure simulator. According to the effective radiation range of electric field intensity, width and spacing of copper ring were set to 30 mm and 40 mm, respectively. A parallel resonance circuit of voltage-controlled oscillator and high-frequency inductance-capacitance (LC) was designed for signal frequency division and conditioning. A data processor was used to process moisture-related frequency signals for soil profile moisture sensing. The sensor was able to detect real-time soil moisture at the depths of 20, 30, and 50 cm and conduct online inversion of moisture in the soil layer between 0⁻100 cm. According to the calibration results, the degree of fitting (R²) between the sensor’s measuring frequency and the volumetric moisture content of soil sample was 0.99 and the relative error of the sensor consistency test was 0⁻1.17%. Field tests in different loam soils showed that measured soil moisture from our sensor reproduced the observed soil moisture dynamic well, with an R² of 0.96 and a root mean square error of 0.04. In a sensor accuracy test, the R² between the measured value of the proposed sensor and that of the Diviner2000 portable soil moisture monitoring system was higher than 0.85, with a relative error smaller than 5%. The R² between measured values and inversed soil moisture values for other soil layers were consistently higher than 0.8. According to calibration test and field test, this sensor, which features low cost, good operability, and high integration, is qualified for precise agricultural irrigation with stable performance and high accuracy.

Effect of silicon spraying on rice photosynthesis and antioxidant defense system on cadmium accumulation.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious threat to food safety and human health. Minimizing Cd uptake and enhancing Cd tolerance in plants are vital to improve crop yield and reduce hazardous effects to humans. In this study, we designed three Cd concentration stress treatments (Cd1: 0.20 mg·kg-1, Cd2: 0.60 mg·kg-1, and Cd3: 1.60 mg·kg-1) and two foliar silicon (Si) treatments (CK: no spraying of any material, and Si: foliar Si spraying) to conduct pot experiments on soil Cd stress. The results showed that spraying Si on the leaves reduced the Cd content in brown rice by 4.79-42.14%. Si application increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 1.77-4.08%, stomatal conductance (Gs) by 5.27-23.43%, transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.99-20.50% and intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ci) by 6.55-8.84%. Foliar spraying of Si significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in rice leaves by 9.84-14.09% and 4.69-53.09%, respectively, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 7.83-48.72%. In summary, foliar Si spraying protects the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of rice canopy leaves, and is an effective method to reduce the Cd content in brown rice.

SCARA5 inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma via inactivating the STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common tumor in the world. Despite the rapid development of medical care, OSCC is also accompanied by high incidence and mortality every year. Therefore, it is still necessary to continuously develop new methods or find new targets to treat OSCC. Previous research showed that scavenger receptor class A member 5 (SCARA5) was one of the potential biomarkers of OSCC, and its expression is significantly low in OSCC. This study aimed to explore the role and related molecular mechanisms of SCARA5 in OSCC. In this study, we found that the SCARA5 expression was lower in CAL-27 and SCC-9 cells than that in human normal oral epithelial keratinocytes. SCARA5 overexpression significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of CAL-27 and SCC-9 cells. In addition, SCARA5 repressed OSCC cell epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), evidenced by increased E-cadherin expression and reduced N-cadherin expression. Finally, we found that SCARA5 could suppress STAT3, PI3K, and AKT phosphorylation. Therefore, SCARA5 was related to STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in OSCC. In conclusion, SCARA5 inhibited the proliferation and EMT and induced the apoptosis of OSCC cells through the inhibition of STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, thereby exerting a tumor suppressor effect.

Synergistic Effects of Water Management and Silicon Foliar Spraying on the Uptake and Transport Efficiency of Cadmium in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

To study the synergistic effects of water management and silicon (Si) foliar spraying on the uptake and transport of cadmium (Cd) in rice, we designed four treatments: conventional intermittent flooding + no Si foliar spraying (CK), continuous flooding throughout the growth stage + no Si foliar spraying (W), conventional intermittent flooding + Si foliar spraying (Si) and continuous flooding throughout the growth stage + Si foliar spraying (WSi). The results show that WSi treatment reduced the uptake and translocation of Cd by rice and significantly reduced the brown rice Cd content, with no effect on rice yield. Compared with CK, the Si treatment increased the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) of rice by 6.5-9.4%, 10.0-16.6% and 2.1-16.8%, respectively. The W treatment decreased these parameters by 20.5-27.9%, 8.6-26.8% and 13.3-23.3%, respectively, and the WSi treatment decreased them by 13.1-21.2%, 3.7-22.3% and 2.2-13.7%, respectively. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activity decreased by 6.7-20.6% and 6.5-9.5%, respectively, following the W treatment. Following the Si treatment, SOD and POD activity increased by 10.2-41.1% and 9.3-25.1%, respectively, and following the WSi treatment, they increased by 6.5-18.1% and 2.6-22.4%, respectively. Si foliar spraying ameliorated the detrimental effects of continuous flooding throughout the growth stage on photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activity. We conclude that synergistic continuous flooding throughout the growth stage, combined with Si foliar spraying, can significantly block Cd uptake and translocation and is therefore an effective means of reducing the accumulation of Cd in brown rice.

[Clinical analysis and countermeasures of 739 cases treated in the emergency department of stomatology in general hospital during COVID-19 epidemic].

PURPOSE: In this paper, based on the age, sex, disease type, and consultation time of dental emergency during COVID-19 epidemic, a comprehensive analysis of dental emergency management and prevention and control of COVID-19 was conducted. METHODS: A total of 739 emergency dental cases were collected from January 29 2020 to February 28 2020. They were divided into 3 groups，including adolescents (≤18 years), young adults (18 ~ 60 years), and elderly ( ≥60 years old). The data was analyzed using SPSS 21.0 software package. RESULTS: The ratio of male to female was 1.24∶1. There were 655 emergency cases during the day and 84 cases during the night. The types of diseases included pericoronitis (15.83%), apical periodontitis (14.21%), pulpitis (13.40%), periodontitis (12.31%), oral mucosal disease (12.18%), Oral and maxillofacial trauma (10.55%), oral and maxillofacial space infection (8.39%), dental disease in children (5.41%), oral and maxillofacial tumors (2.84%), temporomandibular joint dislocations and disorders (1.76%), and others (3.11%). CONCLUSIONS: Under the epidemic situation of the new coronavirus, as one of the high-risk departments, it is of great significance to enhance the clinical emergency skills and ability of emergency treatment, improve patients' oral health awareness, address the diagnosis and treatment of essential diseases, for the improvement the quality of dental medical care and the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic.

[Application and effect of enhanced recovery after surgery in early rehabilitation of oral cancer patients after operation].

PURPOSE: To explore the application and effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in early rehabilitation of oral cancer patients after operation. METHODS: Ninety cases of oral cancer admitted from January 2016 to December 2017 were randomly divided into two groups. 45 cases of oral cancer in the experimental group received ERAS nursing after operation, and another 45 patients received routine nursing after operation. The sleep duration, pain and halitosis 3 days after operation; the first time to get out of bed, the length of hospitalization; and the level of albumin and other laboratory indicators 1 and 3 days after operation were observed. SPSS 17.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After 1 day and 3 day of ERAS intervention, the nutritional index of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. The time of first ambulation and the length of hospitalization were shorter than those of the control group. The average sleep time 3 days after operation was longer than that of the control group. The incidence of halitosis, wound infection and moderate pain was lower than that of the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ERAS nursing after oral cancer surgery can improve the comfort of patients, enhance the clinical outcome, promote rapid recovery of patients, with good clinical application prospects.

[Treatment of 48 cases of benign lower posterior tumor of the parotid gland with C-shaped small incision].

PURPOSE: To summarize the feasibility and advantages of C-shaped small incision for the treatment of benign lower posterior tumor of the parotid gland. METHODS: Forty-eight cases of benign lower posterior tumor of the parotid gland were treated with C-shaped small incision. The treatment outcomes were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The wound healed primarily in all 48 cases. The follow-up period was 1-5 years, and there was no recurrence of tumor and the shape of parotid region recovered well. The residual parotid tissue had certain secretory functions postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: C-shaped small incision is an effective way of surgical treatment for lower posterior benign tumor of the parotid gland, which can reduce surgical trauma, shorten operation time, reduce facial scars, facial nerve injury, reduce tumor recurrence rate and preserve the function of the remaining parotid tissues.

[Clinical analysis of 108 cases of jaw ameloblastoma].

PURPOSE: To review the age of onset, gender, sites, pathologic types, operation methods and prognosis, and explore the internal relations in 108 cases of ameloblastoma. METHODS: The patients were divided into 7 groups according to the age, and then the proportion, primary site, pathologic type, and recurrence rate of ameloblastoma in all groups were analyzed. The relationship among pathologic type, recurrence rate and primary site, as well as the relationship between operation methods and recurrence rate were evaluated. RESULTS: In 108 patients, 61 patients were 20-39 years old (56.48%) with more men than women. 88 patients occurred in the mandible(81.48%). Follicular type accounted for 45.37%, and plexiform type accounted for 62.96%. The average recurrence rate of 108 patients was 32.41%, and recurrence was more often in patients over 50 years old. The postoperative recurrence rate of 65 patients treated by curettage was 43.08%, while it was 16.28% in 43 patients treated by radical correction. The recurrent rate was 34.69% in follicular type, 26.47% in plexiform type, and 28.57% in acanthoma type and granular cell type respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ameloblastoma usually occurs in young men, more frequently in mandibular molar region, ramus and mandibular angle. Follicular type and plexiform type are the most common pathological types. Follicular type relapses more easily. Compared with curettage, radical surgery can reduce the recurrent rate.

[Clinical analysis of the results in 146 patients with benign tumors or malformations of the oral cavity treated by microwave].

To evaluate the clinical effect of microwave on commonly seen benign tumors or malformations of the oral cavity, 146 patients were randomly selected. There were 78 patients with mucous cyst, 22 patients with papilloma, 24 patients with hemangioma or malformation, 6 patients with lymphatic malformation and 16 patients with epulis. All the patients were treated by ECO-100 microwave. It is concluded that 126 patients were cured (86.3%), 20 patients had good response (13.7%) after treatment.