In recent years, peptides have received increased interest in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and various other fields. The high potency, specificity and good safety profile are the main strengths of bioactive peptides as new and promising therapies that may fill the gap between small molecules and protein drugs. Peptides possess favorable tissue penetration and the capability to engage into specific and high-affinity interactions with endogenous receptors. These positive attributes of peptides have driven research in evaluating peptides as versatile tools for drug discovery and delivery. In addition, among bioactive peptides, those released from food protein sources have acquired importance as active components in functional foods and nutraceuticals because they are known to possess regulatory functions that can lead to health benefits.International Journal of Molecular Sciences represents the second in a series dedicated to peptides. This issue includes thirty-six outstanding papers describing examples of the most recent advances in peptide research and its applicability. This Special Issue of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia strains clinically isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. These findings will open interesting perspectives to apoB cryptides applicability in the treatment of chronic lung infections associated with cystic fibrosis disease. The issue follows with research by Tarallo et al. [Staphylococcus aureus. The bactericidal and keratinocytes cytoprotective mechanisms against invading bacteria are also elucidated. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, individually or in co-occurrence, are the two main pathogens implied in multiple bacterial infections. Since their discovery, the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of innate defense have been considered as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics. However, no commercial AMPs are still available. The review of Rončević et al. [Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, also hampering the proliferation of their single and dual-species biofilms. The study of Prasad et al. [The Special Issue begins with a group of papers exploring aspects of synthetic peptides that are of significance to develop novel drugs for controlling and/or managing chronic diseases. It begins with a study of Gaglione et al.  on the io et al.  on a newo et al.  demonstro et al.  investigo et al.  investigo et al.  study tho et al.  demonstro et al. . The stuo et al.  aiming to et al.  screen ać et al.  is aimedć et al.  to exertd et al.  reviews d et al.  investigd et al.  report td et al.  synthesiFollowing, there is a short series of articles dealing with the elucidation of modes of action of known food-derived bioactive peptides. Fernández-Tomé et al.  provide Miichthys miiuy) swim bladder against oxidative damage to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Gomez et al. [Crassostrea angulata) proteins through in silico analyses and in vitro tests. C. angulata proteins were proven to be sources of angiotensin I-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitory peptides with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Using different commercial proteases, Ding et al. [Lactobacillus rhamnosus EBD1 by Daliri et al. [Another group of papers explores the potential of new proteins as sources of bioactive peptides. Cai et al.  explore z et al.  report og et al.  produce g et al.  describei et al.  show anti et al.  summarizChlorella sorokiniana proteins as source of bioactive peptides. The BIOPEP’s profile shows that these proteins have multiple dipeptydil peptidase IV inhibitors, glucose uptake stimulants, antioxidant, regulating, anti-amnestic and anti-thrombotic peptides. Pepsin, bromelain and papain are the main proteases responsible for the release of bioactive peptides with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential. The review of Bozovičar and Bratkovic [The issue includes some studies on bioinformatic and proteomic tools useful for peptide research. Using molecular docking, Chamata et al.  describeratkovic  focuses Another group of papers explores the effects of endogenous peptides on body functions and their potential for new drug alternatives. In a glioma mouse model, Kucheryavykh et al.  reveal bFinally, a couple of articles describe new developed techniques to investigate the response of immune system. Thus, Kametani et al.  describehttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/peptides_2020).We wish to thank the invited authors for their interesting and insightful contributions, and look forward to a new set of advances in the bioactive peptides field to be included in the following Special Issue “Peptides for Health Benefits 2020” (


The epidermal cells of flowers come in different shapes and have different functions, but how they evolved remains largely unknown. Floral micro‐texture can provide tactile cues to insects, and increases in surface roughness by means of conical (papillose) epidermal cells may facilitate flower handling by landing insect pollinators. Whether flower microstructure correlates with pollination system remains unknown.Here, we investigate the floral epidermal microstructure in 29 (congeneric) species pairs with contrasting pollination system. We test whether flowers pollinated by bees and/or flies feature more structured, rougher surfaces than flowers pollinated by non‐landing moths or birds and flowers that self‐pollinate.In contrast with earlier studies, we find no correlation between epidermal microstructure and pollination system. The shape, cell height and roughness of floral epidermal cells varies among species, but is not correlated with pollinators at large. Intriguingly, however, we find that the upper  flower surface that surrounds the reproductive organs and often constitutes the floral display is markedly more structured than the lower  surface.We thus conclude that conical epidermal cells probably play a role in plant reproduction other than providing grip or tactile cues, such as increasing hydrophobicity or enhancing the visual signal. The shape and size of floral epidermal cells differs between different flower sides, but is not associated with pollinator guild across different genera. Kay et al. et al. et al. et al. et al. Ranunculus and Ficaria (Ranunculaceae), contributing to their glossy appearance  feature flat epidermal cells that are indeed slippery, causing prey to slide into the pitcher and be digested  versus areas that will rarely be touched by pollinators, such as the lower  side of the floral display.If conical epidermal cells provide grip to landing insects then, conversely, their absence could be an ‘anti‐bee’ adaptation  will also not need to provide grip or tactile cues to landing insects, so surface structure may be one of the multiple (pollinator‐attracting) traits that degenerate in flowers of self‐pollinating plants  than areas that are invisible/inaccessible to pollinators, and whether (ii) surfaces of bee‐ and fly‐pollinated flowers will be more structured than species that are pollinated by hawkmoths, birds or via self‐fertilisation. We found that there is no large‐scale correlation of flower surface and pollinator guild or mating system, but that the adaxial surfaces of flowers are markedly more structured than abaxial surfaces, hinting at abiotic and/or visual effects as main drivers for flower surface evolution.In this study, we investigate the evolution of flower surfaces by virtue of comparing closely related species with contrasting pollination or mating systems. We include 13 genera across nine angiosperm families, and in total compare the floral epidermal cell shape for 29 congeneric sister species pairs with vertically presented flowers that differ in pollination or mating system. We test whether (i) flower surfaces that are frequently touched and/or seen by insect pollinators are more structured  with a 40× objective. The surface structure of the whole floral organ was examined and the most dominant structure  was photographed with a Nikon D70 camera. Epidermal cell shape dimensions (below) were measured in Fiji . To avoid observer bias, the flower surfaces were observed and measured by an observer (MK) who had no prior knowledge of the pollinator, i.e. the observer was ‘blind’  was examined regardless of its colour (pattern) using dental impression material  as per van der Kooi et al. . Immediavia a ‘roughness index’, which is the ratio of the lateral, 3D surface area to the projected, geometric surface area of the cell’s base hexagonal base, we measured the diameter of the cell’s base, and for cells with a rectangular base, we measured cell length and width Fig. a, b. TheFor the exemplary cases shown in Fig. via a parametric bootstrap test, using the pbkrtest package in R . In the linear models, species was nested within genus as a random effect when testing the effect of flower side, and pair was nested within genus as random effect when testing the effect of pollination system. A likelihood ratio test (LRT) was used to see whether a model with the response variable (pollination system or flower side) fits better to the data than the same model without the response variable (1000 simulations). R script and data files are provided as Supporting Information.Statistical significance was tested P = 0.18), but the adaxial cell height is on average twice that of the abaxial side . As cell height does not adequately capture overall surface curvature, we also calculated a roughness index, which is the ratio of the cell’s outer surface to that of the flat, projected cell surface area . In ten out of the 12 studied species, the adaxial epidermal cells are higher than the abaxial cells; in one species it is approximately the same and in one there is a small decrease in height; the roughness shows a similar effect , cell height  nor roughness index  differs significantly between sister species. Also, when compared per pollinator guild, none are significantly different in epidermal cell height or roughness  diverged sufficiently to develop phenotypic differences or because our method is inadequate to detect a biological signal. Indeed, we found up to three‐fold differences in epidermal cell surface, height and roughness index between sister species, albeit in opposite directions Fig. ; hence tet al. et al (et al. (et al. Our study does not invalidate previous experiments on tactile or grip effects of flower surfaces (Kevan & Lane l. et al  reported (et al.  compared (et al. , and wit. et al. .vice versa, reflecting the asymmetry in the direction of transitions between insect and bird pollination found globally (Thomson & Wilson It remains unknown how striations in the flower’s cuticle contribute to the mechanical interaction with pollinators. In the studied species, the frequent lack of cuticle structure precluded analysis of whether cuticle differences, if any, are linked to specific pollinators. Deeper species sampling would help to elucidate the importance of phylogeny on flower surface evolution. Additionally, in the systems so far considered, bird pollination was derived from bee/fly pollination and not et al. et al. et al. et al. et al. et al. The marked differences between the adaxial and abaxial surfaces Fig. , combine(e.g. flavonoids and anthocyanins; Kay et al.  et al. et al. et al. The asymmetry in epidermal cell shape between adaxial and abaxial flower sides may be linked with the pigmentary aspects of the flower’s visual signal. Many species that have flowers with conical epidermal cells have pigments that occur in the epidermal cells only CJvdK designed the study, both authors collected the data, MK made the photographs and performed measurements, both authors performed the analyses and CJvdK wrote the manuscript. Both authors approved the final version of the manuscript.Table S1. P‐values for different comparisons. The p‐values obtained for the different sublevels were Bonferroni corrected for multiple testing.Data S1. Information on species‐pairs, data file and R script.Click here for additional data file.


Familial HLH (FHL) is a fatal disorder and determining gene mutations is a good guide for predicting the prognosis and choosing treatment options. This study aimed to illustrate the clinical, laboratory characteristics, including perforin gene mutation screening, treatment and survival outcome of pediatric HLH patients.we conducted this cross-sectional study on pediatric patients who were diagnosed with HLH using the revised HLH-2004 criteria, from January 2014 to February 2019 at Zagazig University Children's Hospital, Egypt. We collected demographic, clinical and laboratory data and screened for the presence of mutations in perforin (PRF1) gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. We treated the patients according to HLH-2004 treatment protocol and documented their survival outcome.the total number of cases were 18; eight males and ten females, the age range was between three months and 12 years. Of the eight HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria, all patients met at least five criteria. We detected PRF1 gene mutation in 38.9% (7 patients) with nine previously unreported mutations. Sixteen patients (88.9%) received HLH-2004 treatment protocol and the remaining two patients died before initiation of treatment. The overall mortality was 72.2% (13 patients).our results increase the awareness of clinical and laboratory characterizations of pediatric HLH patients and the prevalence of PRF1 gene mutations among those patients. HLH is an immunological disease characterized by hemophagocytosis of red bood cells (RBCs), platelets and neutrophils by histiocytes (activated macrophages) and proliferation of T-cells and histiocytes in the spleen, bone marrow and infiltration into body organs. The activated macrophages secrete large amounts of cytokines, which cause tissue damage and lead to organ failure . In pati9/L, absolute neutrophil count <1x109/L)), hypertriglyceridemia and/or hypofibrinogenemia (fasting serum triglyceride ≥3mmol/L (≥265mg/dl) plasma fibrinogen <1.5g/L), serum ferritin >500ng/ml, sCD25 (s IL-2 receptor) ≥2400U/ml, NK cell activity decreased (below 5%) or absent and hemophagocytosis  [For PRF1 gene, more than 120 different mutations have been detected: 101 missense/non-sense mutations and 21 deletion/insertion mutations . The incl fluid) . The aimWe conducted this cross-sectional study on pediatric patients diagnosed with HLH using the revised HLH-2004 criteria and they met at least five out of the eight diagnostic criteria , from JaWe screened our patients for the common viral infections triggering HLH including EBV, CMV and HBV using PCR techniques. Also, we searched for other causes of secondary HLH such as rheumatological diseases, malignancies, metabolic and autoimmune diseases in patients´ records. We screened patients for the presence of mutations in the coding exons and exon-intron boundaries of PRF1 gene by PCR amplification of genomic DNA followed by direct sequencing of the PCR products . We perfZagazig University institutional review board approved this study. Data were collected, extracted and analysed by SPSS version 20. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed for all the studied variables. A number of statistical tests were used during the analysis process including Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney tests for comparisons of continuous data that were not normally distributed and X2 tests for comparisons of categorical data if all data were >5 (or Fisher´s exact tests if not).This study included 18 patients who met at least five out of the eight HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria. Age of the studied patients ranged from 3 months to 12 years with a median 2.25 years. Eight patients were male and ten were female with 0.8: 1.0 male to female ratio. The values of laboratory characteristics of our patients are summarized in As regards patients' outcome, 13 patients died and five survived; two patients died before starting treatment, six patients died during induction period of HLH-2004 treatment protocol (before eight weeks of treatment) and five patients died during the maintenance period of treatment protocol (after eight weeks of treatment). According to patient survival; three patients with FHL2 survived after receiving successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and two patients with viral infections (one patient with EBV and the other with CMV) after completing HLH protocol and supportive treatment including antiviral therapy for CMV. As regards outcome in patients with PRF1 gene mutation; four out of the eight patients died during induction period of treatment (three patients did not find HLA matched donors and one patient was on the waiting list for HSCT) and the remaining three patients are alive on the last follow up after receiving HSCT. There was a significant negative correlation between patients´ age and their outcome . On the other hand, there was non-significant relation between patients´ outcome and gender, presence of fever, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly or laboratory data as shown in et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. Xu et al. and Sasan et al. who stated that male to female ratio of 1.2: 1, 1.27: 1 and 1.83: 1, respectively [Nowadays, there is improved knowledge about the aetiology of HLH as a syndromic disorder with a unique pattern. However, persistent efforts are made to identify the genetic and the immunologic basis of this syndrome . Our stuet al. , Xu et a [et al. , Sasan e [et al.  and Zhan [et al. . Accordi [et al.  but diffectively -12.et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [According to the diagnostic criteria of HLH, we found that all of our studied patients had fever and hyperferritinemia which were a common finding in many reports ,15,16. F [et al.  and Mukd [et al.  and is m [et al. . About 8 [et al. , Leow et [et al.  who repo [et al.  despite  [et al.  but diff [et al. ,15,22-24 [et al. . Althoug [et al. . Meanwhi [et al.  and Leow [et al.  whose reConcerning the cause of HLH, we detected seven patients with FHL2 and six patients with positive viral infection either for EBV, CMV or HBV. HLH in these patients could be either EBV-driven HLH, secondary HLH or genetic forms of FHL other than FHL2 triggered by infection as none of patients with PRF1 gene mutation in our study were positive for viral infection. Viral infection is a common triggering factor to primary or secondary HLH . The reset al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. Bin et al. Alzyoud et al. and Gregory et al. whose percentage of deaths were 31%, 26.7%, 19% and 21%, respectively [In our study, direct sequencing of PCR products spanning the two coding exons (exon 2 and 3) of the PRF1 gene revealed mutations in seven out of 18 patients tested 38.9%), which is similar to Zhang et al.  and highet al. . Accordi [et al. , mutatio [et al. ,27,28. T%, which  [et al. ,30. As r [et al.  and diff [et al.  and Kaya [et al.  whose peectively ,21,27,33et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [et al. found that severe neutropenia was significantly associated with increased early death in HLH [This results has also been different from those of Bin et al.  whose st [et al.  whose re [et al.  and Kaya [et al.  and diff [et al.  and Sasa [et al.  who stath in HLH . Our stuThe majority of HLH patients had fever, hepato-splenomegaly, cytopenia and hyperferritinemia. Hemophagocytosis could not be detected in bone marrow of all patients and its sensitivity as an early diagnostic criterion should be revised. PRF1 gene mutation is a leading cause for familial HLH and we detected novel mutations related to it. HSCT is life saving in patients with FHL2. Our findings increase the awareness of the clinical and laboratory presentation and the prevalence of PRF1 gene mutations among paediatric patients with HLH.The diagnosis of HLH can be done with the presence of at least five of the eight following diagnostic criteria: fever, splenomegaly, cytopenias, hypertriglyceridemia and/or hypofibrinogenemia hyperferritinemia, elevated sCD25, decreased or absent NK cell activity and hemophagocytosis;The PRF1 gene mutation causes FHL2.Hemophagocytosis could not be detected in bone marrow of all patients and its sensitivity as an early diagnostic criterion should be revised;We detected novel mutations related to PRF1 gene.


After adjustment for baseline symptoms and psychiatric history the prospective associations between neuroticism and internalizing phenomena were reduced by half (d = 0.10–0.40), whereas the association with substance abuse and thought problems were not attenuated. Prospective associations were four times larger over short (<4 year) than long (≥4 years) follow-up intervals, suggesting a substantial decay of the association with increasing time intervals. Adjusted effects were only slightly larger over short vs. long time intervals, however, which suggests that high neuroticism indexes a risk constellation that exists years prior to the development and onset of all measured mental disorders. Admittedly, such prospective associations do not rule out the spectrum and scar model—see Ormel et al. (Finally, the review by Brandes and Tackett missed a recent meta-analysis of the prospective associations between neuroticism and psychopathology with 59 longitudinal/prospective studies and 444.313 participants . This mel et al.  or Tackel et al.  for elabl et al. ; GoldsteThe author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and has approved it for publication.The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


Biochar is the solid residue that is recovered after the thermal cracking of biomasses in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Biochar has been used for many years as a soil amendment and in general soil applications. Nonetheless, biochar is far more than a mere soil amendment. In this review, we report all the non-soil applications of biochar including environmental remediation, energy storage, composites, and catalyst production. We provide a general overview of the recent uses of biochar in material science, thus presenting this cheap and waste-derived material as a high value-added and carbonaceous source. Nowaday000 €/kg . In cont000 €/kg . High-te000 €/kg ,10,11. T000 €/kg ,13, chem000 €/kg . The con000 €/kg , mainly 000 €/kg ,18,19. C000 €/kg ,21,22 an000 €/kg . These t000 €/kg .In this review paper, we report a comprehensive overview of the non-soil applications of biochar to prove its feasibility as a replacement for traditional carbon materials and as a solid competitor with high tech materials.We summarize the recent literature in four main sections dedicated to (i) environmental remediation, (ii) energy storage, (iii) composite production, and (iv) other applications.We hope that this review is an useful tool to navigate the great sea of biochar potential.Biochar is produced through four main thermochemical routes: (i) torrefaction, (ii) pyrolysis, (iii) hydrothermal carbonization and (iv) gasification.Torrefaction is a low temperature thermal treatment that is used to densify biomasses for energy purposes . The opePyrolysis is a high temperature thermal treatment that breaks polymeric macromolecules, thus giving compounds that have a lower molecular weight in an oxygen free atmosphere ,32. PyroHydrothermal carbonization is a thermal depolymerization process that is used to convert wet biomass into crude-like oil, gas, and hydrochar under moderate temperature and high pressure  by usingGasification is the conversion of biomass into a gaseous fuel by heating in a gasification medium such as air , oxygen,As shown in Hydrogen/carbon and oxygen/carbon ratio low values are characteristic of less defective carbonaceous structures and could be more appealing for electronic and electric applications, while the other samples could be more useful as additive and for adsorbitive processes ,52.Environmental pollution is a global menace, and its magnitude is increasing day by day due to urbanization, heavy industrialization, and the changing lifestyles of people. In view of this, providing clean air, water and environments for people is a challenging task. In particular, the overall demand of water for human activities and the amount of wastewater that is produced are continuously increasing worldwide year by year . WastewaWater pollution is a global problem that is threatening the entire biosphere and affecting millions of lives . Water pBiochar represents a game-changer material that is able to remove both inorganic and organic pollutants through adsorbitive and degradative processes. Furthermore, biochar could be successfully used for air purification by removing molecules such as carbon dioxide or hydrogen disulfide.Water pollution due to the presence of dissolved metal species has become a serious issue in a lot of underdeveloped ,64,65,6643−, NH4+, As3+, Cd2+, Cr3+, Pb2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+) of wastewater treatment with more efficiency than activated carbon. Furthermore, biochar can be produced from so many feedstock sources that it guarantees a high versatility. Arán et al. [Carbonaceous materials play a relevant role in the detoxification of watery sources, and biochar represents a very affordable solution. Huggins et al.  comparedn et al.  proved tChromium is a widely diffused element in the earth’s crust that has found a lot of applications. Consequently, chromium pollution has arisen as a serious environmental issue due to its abundant emissions from refractory materials, stainless steel production, and steel alloy production . ChromiuAnother promising approach taken by various researchers is based on redox methodology that converts Cr(VI) into Cr(III) after adsorption onto a carbonaceous structure . In one Adsorption onto neat biochar particles was also used to purify water streams from Cd(II), Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Sm(III) ,90,91,92Biochar surface modification plays a very relevant role on the adsorptive performances of biochar-based materials.3, H2O2 or KMnO4. This functionalization led to a 97.4 wt.% sorption of Pb(II) from the watery solution. Liatsou et al. [3, that anhydrides and carboxylic acids act as main surface groups to bind metal ions.One of the most established procedures to magnify functionalities on a biochar surface is partial oxidation during or after pyrolytic treatment. A low-oxygen pyrolysis atmosphere (1%–4%) was used by Zhang et al.  with a su et al.  showed, 3-decorated biochar. This study clearly showed that the main removal mechanism of bromate was due to the oxidation of hydroxyl groups while an Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple served as electron shuttle to facilitate the electron transfer.This assumption remains true for inorganic tailored biochar, as clearly showed by Feng et al. . The autBiochar iron decoration represents a very interesting approach to produce a performing and highly recoverable adsorbent material with complex interactions between iron and carbonaceous phases . Zhang eAnionic species that are dissolved in water represent another great family of watery pollutants; however, in this case, biochars still represent a valuable tool ,108,109.Phosphates are probably one of the principal causes of the eutrophication of surface waters ,112,113.Several biochar modifications have been used to tailor phosphorous uptake, ranging from electrochemical  to inorgNitrate represents another anion species that is strongly correlated with eutrophication . DivbandBiochar destiny after adsorption represents another strong point for its use for water purification. As reported by several authors ,125, conThe desalinization process represents a further relevant application of water treatments that use biochar. This procedure has been performed through simple osmotic filtration  and throWatery pollution, due to the presence of organic molecules, has risen together with the anthropization. The anthropogenic effect is the main cause of the release of pollutants such as dyes, pharmaceuticals, and polymers residues ,132. DurBiochar represents a cheaper solution compared to other carbonaceous materials with very promising performances ,137 due The great variety of interactions that occur between biochar and organic molecules ranges from very weak  to very strong .The simultaneous occurrence of these interactions is the reason for the good performance of biochar as an adsorber for several typologies of compounds ,142,143.Firstly, biochar has been used to remove persistent small organic molecules such as aromatics. Jayawardhana et al.  used bioLiquidambar formosana. The authors claimed an oil adsorption close to 99 wt.%.Al Ameri et al.  used a p2O4-tailored biochar composite for the simultaneous removal of bisphenol A and sulfamethoxazole.Dyes represent the other great threat to water sanification due to their persistency and toxicity . The adsAnother rising issue in civilian water is the presence of traces of pharmaceuticals compounds due to their consumption ,163 and Adsorption processes are neither the only nor the most used route to eliminate organic pollutants from watery streams. Degradative processes based on the oxidation routes play a major role in this field, mainly through catalytic-mediated peroxide oxidation, as shown in 2O2 systems. Based on this study, He et al. [Fenton and Fenton-like processes are the more effective processes based on the activation of peroxides in mild conditions by using cheap metal precursors  and moree et al.  describeMyriophyllum aquaticum tailored with Fe3O4 were described by Fu et al. [Interestingly, Ho et al.  producedu et al. . This cau et al. ,177. Furu et al.  and ultru et al. ,180 indu2O4 for the activation of peroxymonosulfate.Gan et al.  induced Fenton and Fenton-like routes are not the only available oxidative procedures. Moussavi et al.  preparedAlternatively to oxidative degradation processes, reductive processes can also be performed, even if they are less appealing than the others due to their greater complexity. Some authors have described a reductive approach for the removal of nitro alkylated benzene based on the use of Fe(0)-tailored biochars ,184, but3O4-BiOBr was used by Li et al. [Photodegradative procedures have also been considered for watery streams purification . Shirvani et al.  for carbi et al.  describei et al. . Furtheri et al. .3 h, along with a fast response to shock loads. A very similar approach was described by Braghiroli et al. [2 that was generated from anthropogenic sources. Shao et al. [2 activation in producing a material with a higher adsorption capability and a higher regenerability compared with pristine biochar.Gas mixture purification is one of the most relevant industrial issues . Actualli et al.  for the o et al.  used act2 atmospheric emissions, which represent one of the greatest threat for climate change [2 for biochar activation is not the only route to mitigate emissions. The other and more appealing approach is represented by the use of biochar for the removal of CO2 from gaseous mixtures [2 adsorbers, reaching a gas uptake of up to 119 mg/g at 35 °C. Igalavithana et al. [2 uptake and a very good recyclability. Huang et al. [Leucaena wood, ultimately reaching a CO2 uptake of up to 53 mg/g. Chiag et al. [2 adsorption abilities with the surface microstructures and residual functionalities of carbonaceous materials. The effect of nitrogen residual functionalities was used by Zhang et al. [2 at a rate of 59 mg/g. Rice husk was also pyrolyzed under microwave irradiation [2 uptake values. Pyrolysis post-treatments were widely used to increase the CO2 adsorption ability of a biochar by introducing basic sites via ammonia functionalization processes [Furthermore, the use of carbon dioxide as a biochar activation reagent could contribute to the reduction of COe change ,201,202.mixtures . Liu et mixtures  describea et al.  recovereg et al.  used a bg et al.  explaineg et al.  for the adiation  and actiadiation , ultimatrocesses ,212.Energy storage technology represents a great challenge of 21st century  due to iA battery is a system formed by at least two electrochemical cells with contacts to supply electrical energy according to electrochemical potential. Specialist literature has been focused on two main solid state battery systems based on lithium  and sodi−6 up to 343 S/m when carbon content changed from 86.8 to 93.7 wt.%. This phenomenon was attributed to the formation of graphite nanocrystals in the main structure of the biochar during the high temperature treatment.The essential requirement for producing a performing supercapacitor material is an elevated surface area where the double ionic layer can be created. For this purpose, physically- and chemically-activated biochar is a very attractive material for the realization of supercapacitor electrodes . Chemica2.Chemical activation is a well-established procedure to create an activated biochar with a good capacitive performance. Luo et al.  reported3 at 150 °C. Activated biochar showed a very high specific area of up to 2000 m2/g with a specific capacitance of up to 260 F/g.Jin et al.  describe2/g, a capacitance of 314 F/g, and a remarkable stability after 105 cycles in a symmetrical cell. Fast pyrolysis and alkaline chemical activation was used by Chen et al. [A low ash content feedstock was used by Qu et al.  for a din et al.  for the n et al.  and seven et al. ,233 haveSurface morphology plays a relevant role in biochar-based supercapacitors ,235,236.Activated biochar properties could be also modulated by using a plasma treatment, as described by Gupta et al. . The aut2/g and a capacitance of 229 F/g.Furthermore, non-lignocellulosic biomasses could be converted into usefully carbonaceous materials for capacitive uses. As an example, keratin-mixed algae  was pyro2/g. This biochar was employed as an anode for an Li-ion battery and showed an impressive discharge capacity of up to 1169 mAh/g. Low porousity biochars have shown far lower performances, as reported by Luna-Lama et al. [2O4 to produce a flexible performing anode material. Similarly, Li et al. [3O4 nanoparticles, reaching a capacity of up to 635 mAh/g. Salimi et al. [3O4 nanoparticle-tailoring process with the pyrolysis of algae to produce an electrode material with a higher initial specific discharge capacity of up to 740 mAh/g and a good cyclic stability [Several authors have explored the use of biochars as anodic materials for the realization of performing batteries. Many authors have focused on the realization of lithium ion batteries due the great demand of highly technological devices based on them. Dai et al.  produceda et al. , who usea et al. , who repa et al.  reporteda et al.  showed ta et al.  as a cata et al. —the autha et al.  decoratei et al.  tailoredi et al.  combinedtability .Different ion-based batteries have also been developed, though in minor quantities; the only solid works about is from Saavedra Rios et al. , who use2 at 800 °C. A detailed study of direct carbon fuel cells was reported by Kacprzak et al. [2.Several authors ,254,255 k et al. ,259,260.−2. Elleuch et al. [2.In the same field, Ali et al.  used tith et al. —in simil2, with power cost of power output cost 17 $/W. This was 90% cheaper than graphene-based fuel cell electrodes, which have a cost of up to 402 $/W. Further improvements were achieved by using a manganese oxide-doped biochar, thus improving the power output by up to 606 mW/m2 [Another appealing use of biochar is the realization of electrodes for microbial fuel cells, as reported by Huggins et al. . The aut06 mW/m2 . Khudzar06 mW/m2  develope2. Similarly, Yuan et al. [2.Biochar was also used for the production of performing cathode electrodes. Li et al.  producedn et al.  used a s−9 m2/s. Comparing proton conductivity and power harvested per unit, the biochar-based membrane outperformed those based on materials such as Nafion.Apart from the electrodes, Chakraborty et al.  developeNowadays, composite materials represent one of the largest global markets, with an expected future development of up to 131 billion dollars in 2024, as shown in Carbon-based composites represent one of the most relevant parts of global markets, with an annual production of about 150 kton/y in 2018 . As showCement production is a one of the largest productions in the world, with more than 3 Gton/y produced in 2018 . Along hCosentino et al.  evaluateGupta et al.  also proCement and concrete are not the only inorganic matrixes that have been used to host biochar. Mu et al.  deeply dDahal et al.  used bioCarbonaceous-reinforced thermoset plastics are widely diffuse materials that incorporate a plethora of different matrixes ,298,299.Pyrolytic temperature plays a crucial role in the interactions between epoxy resins and biochar particles. Giorcelli et al.  used a mHigh temperature-treated biochar could be a solid choice for the production of conductive epoxy composites. Giorcelli et al.  reportedFurthermore, biochar from pyrolyzed, wasted cotton fibers could be recovered in a carbon fiber shape that showed the property enhancement of an epoxy resin host matrix ,307.Regarding thermoplastic-reinforced plastics, polyolefins-based biochars are the most produced. Among them, biochar-containing polyethylene was studied by Arrigo et al.  by usingPoly(propylene) is the other widely studied polyolefin for the realization of biochar-based composites. Das et al.  proved tMiscanthus at 500 and 900 °C, and they showed the beneficial effect of the high temperature-produced biochar and the detrimental effect of the other. Sheng et al. [Furthermore, polyesters were impregnated with biochar in a study by Ogunsona et al. . The autg et al.  modifiedRecently, biochar has been used for the production of biopolymer (i.e., starch  and glutBiochar has found plenty of applications in all the field that are traditionally occupied by carbonaceous materials such as solid fuel ,327. The2 into glycerol carbonate.Vidal et al.  developeAreeprasert et al.  introduc2.Furthermore, biochar could be efficiently used in redox-mediated reactions . Cao et 2/NiOOH for the realization of non-enzymatic glucose electrode. Alternatively, Martins et al. [Biochar could also be used for the production of electrochemical measurement devices ,340. Zies et al.  developeBiochar has also been used in biological procedures. Huang et al.  pyrolyzeIn this review, we have presented an updated overview of non-soil applications of biochar with a focus on more useful and unusual ones. We reported many studies on the adsorbitive capacity of ions and organic molecules, together with their biochar electrochemical properties. These properties are particularly relevant in the future perspective of clean energy production and storage. We also described, in detail, the possibility of using biochars as sound replacements for traditional fillers in both inorganic and organic composites materials. This evidence has shown the feasibility of the biochars used in a lot of sectors as solid alternatives to traditional and next-generation materials. The polyhedral nature of biochar represents a very strong advantage for spread the biochar use across material science field.We hope that this summary of recent literature can lead to the foundation of new research which will exploit the great potential of biochar and biochar based materials.


Dear Editor,et al.We were interested to read your recently published paper describing the need for storytelling and poetry for clinicians in the time of coronavirus (Barrett In the original paper, it was highlighted that clinicians and patients can use poetry and storytelling to ‘support identification’, ‘to process experiences’ and ‘to promote coping’. This is especially important during the intense and emotional pandemic period, when this narrative approach to practicing medicine can aid in building resilience for clinicians. However, we feel when applied to the context of medical student education, these qualitative mediums enable us to develop self-knowledge and to deepen the insight required as clinicians to have effective and compassionate patient communication.All the world’s a stage,And all the men and women are merely players;– Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II Scene 7For medical students, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new challenges for existing curricula and in gaining adequate clinical experiences. In a learning environment now dominated by virtual lectures, self-directed learning and a lack of patient contact, a narrative approach for learning medicine is more important than ever. We believe integrating narratives robustly into the curriculum is a priority; fostering these important skills early will help our future doctors become more reflective, conscientious and resilient in their practice.Narrative is fundamental to understanding human experience. In medicine, ‘players’ are regularly put in situations that challenge emotions and conceptions of self; often requiring difficult decisions. Clinicians’ actions should balance the rational mechanisms of procedural medicine and the requirement to understand the meaning of our roles and interactions. Thus, as clinicians, it is fundamental to develop narrative competence Charon . Literatet al., explain that narrative competence can be sought and practiced using several approaches, including poetry, storytelling and literature in addition to Schwartz Rounds and Balint groups. We will analyse and discuss these techniques for medical students – for whom the utility and benefits likely differ from those of a clinician.Barrett et al.et al.et al.Literature and poetry are a valuable tool in developing medical students into self-realised, emotionally conscious clinicians. Existing programmes have improved communication skills and clinician-patient relationships Brown . Used inet al. et al.et al. As undergraduates, we were fortunate to experience Balint groups. These were a valuable forum to discuss and reflect upon emotionally challenging clinical situations, develop interpersonal skills and to view the patient beyond a clinical problem-solving exercise. Patient narratives at medical school can sadly exist merely as simplified ‘cases’ and patient presentations are only discussed at surface level. To develop meaningful doctor–patient relationships, exploring patient narratives should be prioritised alongside learning communication and history taking skills. Recent research has highlighted the value of Balint groups for undergraduates, improving personal and professional development, stress management and reducing burnout (Yazdankhahfard et al.et al. et al.et al.et al.Schwartz Rounds foster a compassionate culture; through which clinicians feel patient-centred care is prioritised Goodrich . Incorpoet al. Balint groups and Schwartz Rounds can therefore be seen as effective for students to develop self-awareness, in addition to promoting personal growth and well-being. Whilst these techniques promote self-exploration in a safe setting, literature and poetry allow the first-hand experience of multiple and diverse voices, fostering creativity and acceptance of ambiguity. Medical schools should promote these values to prepare our future doctors to face the uncertainties and pressures of the clinical workplace (Novack et al., express the need for ‘new frameworks of systemic support’ in response to increasing clinician burnout. In response, we would like to highlight increasing burnout amongst medical students: a recent study found 29% of respondents were given a mental health diagnosis during medical school, and 85% could be classified as ‘disengaged’ and 85% ‘exhausted’ (Farrell et al.et al.et al.et al.Barrett et al., that learning narrative techniques at medical school will help students develop not only into effective, compassionate clinicians, but also into self-realised human beings.Thus, establishing narrative learning is paramount for medical students, this should be done not only through Balint groups and Schwartz Rounds, but more importantly through the cultivation of a culture of self-knowledge and lifelong learning. It is our view, motivated by Barrett


Early diagnosis and treatment of depression are associated with better prognosis. We used baseline data of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging  to examine differences in prevalence and predictors of undiagnosed depression (UD) between immigrants and non-immigrants at baseline and persistent and/or emerging depressive symptoms (DS) 18 months later. At this second time point, we also examined if a mental health care professional (MHCP) had been consulted.We excluded individuals with any prior mood disorder and/or current anti-depressive medication use at baseline. UD was defined as the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression 10 score ⩾10. DS at 18 months were defined as Kessler 10 score ⩾19. The associations of interest were examined in multivariate logistic regression models.v. 65 (10.7) years in non-immigrants and 52.1% v. 57.1% were male. Among immigrants, 12.2% had UD at baseline of whom 34.2% had persistent DS 18 months later v. 10.6% and 31.4%, respectively, among non-immigrants. Female immigrants were more likely to have UD than female non-immigrants  but no difference observed for men. The risk of persistent DS and consulting an MHCP at 18 months did not differ between immigrants and non-immigrants.Our study included 4382 immigrants and 18 620 non-immigrants. The mean age (standard deviation) in immigrants was 63 (10.3) years Female immigrants may particularly benefit from depression screening. Seeking mental health care in the context of DS should be encouraged. We also evaluated the association between immigration status and the presence of depressive symptoms (DS) at 18 months in those with and those without UD at baseline. In addition, we examined the association between immigration status and consulting a mental health care professional (MHCP) at 18 months among those with and those without DS at this time point and accounting for UD at baseline.et al., n = 30 097; face-to-face interviews at baseline and computer-assisted phone interview at 18 months), excluding those with any mood disorder in the last year, current anti-depressant use, and/or missing information on the outcomes and main exposure of interest as defined below .Between 2012 and 2015, for the baseline data of its Comprehensive cohort, the CLSA recruited and collected information from community-dwelling males and females ages 45–85 years. Details about the CLSA's sampling and design have been published elsewhere  score ⩾10. The short form of CES-D, CES-D 10 was used in this study. This is a ten-item questionnaire with four possible choices for each question: all of the time, occasionally, some of the time, and rarely or never  and personal health habits as suggested by Andersen's behavioural model  for continuous variables and counts with percentages for categorical variables were computed by immigration status. Multivariate logistic regression models were used (1) to assess the associations between immigrant status and UD; (2) to examine the association between immigrant status and DS at 18 months in those depressed and those not depressed at baseline; and (3) to examine the association between immigrant status and consulting an MHCP at 18 months among those with and without DS at this time point. Immigration status, sex, age and province were included in all models, and all models adjusted for predisposing, enabling, needs-related and health-choice factors. In the model assessing the association between immigration status and UD, we examined the interaction effect between immigration status and other predisposing, enabling and needs factors. In the model assessing the association between immigration status and DS at 18 months, we examined the interaction effect between immigration status and UD at baseline and between UD at baseline and other predisposing, enabling and needs factors. Finally, in the model assessing the association between immigration status and MHCP at 18 months, we examined the interaction effect between immigration status and DS and between DS and UD at baseline. A significance level of 0.05 and the Bayesian information criterion were used to select the final models. To make the estimates generalisable to the Canadian population and address the complexity of the CLSA survey design, we used sample weights and geographic strata information provided by the CLSA in the descriptive analyses and regression analyses  and over 75% had a household income above Can$ 50 000. Roughly, 85% had a post-secondary degree, over half were retired (55.9%) and 40.6% were employed. Most (65.7%) reported very good/excellent health. Hypertension (36.0%), diabetes (16.3%) and cancer (15.5%) were their most prevalent chronic diseases. One-third (32.8%) lived with pain and 7.8% had bowel disorders. Almost half consumed alcohol more than twice a week, 7.5% were current smokers, 68.6% were obese or overweight and almost half participated in a social activity involving sports or a physical exercise with others at least once a week (48.1%) . These were mostly from urban settings 87.7%; , White ( (48.1%) .Table 1v. non-immigrants) were more likely male, older, with post-secondary degree/diploma, to speak English most often at home (v. French), unemployed (v. employed), with lower incomes, residing in Quebec (v. other). Immigrants were less likely single, smokers, living in rural/suburban areas, with bowel disorders or cancer, and less likely overweight or obese (Nearly one-fifth (19.1%) of our study individuals had immigrated to Canada, the majority >20 years ago (87.5%) and only 1.3% had lived in Canada for <5 years. In multivariate logistic regression models, immigrants (or obese .v. employed) or had prior anxiety disorders were at higher risk of UD, while those who exercised at least once a week were at lower risk. Immigrants (but not non-immigrants) who consumed alcohol once a month (v. never) and those who were current smokers were at higher risk of UD. Immigrants who arrived in Canada at age >40 years were twice as likely as non-immigrants to have UD . As well, those who resided in Canada for <20 or >40 years were more likely than non-immigrants to have UD (online Supplementary Table B).Among immigrants, 12.2% had UD at baseline compared to 10.6% of non-immigrants . Risk fav. immigrant males  and non-immigrant females v. non-immigrant males ] , but among females, immigrant status was associated with a 50% increased odd of UD . Female immigrant and female non-immigrant were more likely to be depressed than their male counterparts [immigrant females v. females without UD: OR 5.10, 95% CI 4.29–6.06) and for males , and the risk of UD was higher in females without UD v. males without UD, but similar in females with UD v. males with UD  whether or not they had DS. Examining the interaction effect of DS at 18 months and UD at baseline revealed that the likelihood of consulting an MHCP among those with DS did not differ between those with and those without UD at baseline  was over 20 years ago. Female immigrants were more likely to have UD than female non-immigrants, but no difference was observed in men. The risk of UD was higher in immigrants who arrived in Canada at age ⩾40 years and among those who resided in Canada for <20 or >40 years. Persistent DS at 18 months and seeking MHCP for these symptoms did not differ between immigrants and non-immigrants. Of note, only 17% of immigrants and 15% of non-immigrants with persistent DS (DS at 18 months and baseline UD) had consulted an MHCP in the previous month.et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., As expected, immigrants in our study differed from non-immigrants on all mental health-predisposing, enabling, needs-related and personal health choices considered except for perceived health and alcohol consumption. Similar to other studies, immigrants were more likely to have post-secondary education and lower income (Dunn and Dyck, et al., v. non-immigrants is in line with the results of other studies that looked at the risk of depression in these groups (Wong and Tsang, et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., The risk of UD has not been previously assessed in Canadian immigrants. In a US study, UD was associated with psychosocial stressors including unemployment and relationship problems, but immigration status was not specifically examined (Williams et al., et al., et al., et al., In our study, immigrants who resided in Canada for <20 years and those who resided for >40 years were at increased risk of UD than the host population. Our findings support a ‘U’ shape association between UD and length of stay in the host country Beiser, . Immigraet al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Our results also showed an increased risk of UD in those who migrated at ages ⩾40 years. Contrary to our results, one US study reported a lower risk of psychiatric disorders onset in US Latino groups with older ages at arrival (Alegria et al., et al., et al., et al., In our study, immigrants were as likely as non-immigrants to have persistent DS at 18 months and to have consulted an MHCP for these symptoms in the past month. These results differ from those reported by other Canadian studies that found immigrants to be less likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to seek out or be referred to mental health services when they experience comparable levels of distress (Fenta et al., et al., et al., et al., Strengths of our study include the use of the carefully designed, population-based CLSA database and the high quality of its data. Our study has also some limitations. Although we used the survey weights in our analyses, participation bias cannot be ruled out (Haine et al., et al., et al., et al., Future studies should further investigate the personal, cultural and social factors (Dixon-Woods To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Canadian study to comprehensively assess associations between UD and immigration status. Screening for depression may particularly benefit female immigrants and those who migrated at 40 years of age and older.Systematic inquiry into patients' migration trajectory and subsequent follow-up on culturally appropriate indicators of health will allow clinicians to recognise problems in adaptation and undertake mental health promotion, disease prevention or treatment interventions in a timely way. Follow-up screening should query persistence of DS and encourage seeking mental health care regardless of immigration status.


Cement-based materials play an irreplaceable role in building and sustaining our society by meeting the performance demand imposed on structures and sustainability. Cement-based materials are no longer limited to derivatives of Portland cement, and appreciate a wider range of binders that come from various origins. It is therefore of utmost importance for understanding and expanding the relevant knowledge on their microstructure and likely durability performance. This Special Issue “Microstructures and Durability of Cement-Based Materials” presents recent studies reporting microstructural and durability investigation revealing the characteristics of cement-based materials. Concrete is the most widely used construction material and is also the second most consumed substance on the planet after water . Portlan2 emissions associated with using concrete and it improves the overall performance by doing so. In a study by Li et al. [2S in a carbonation condition.It is important to test and verify the performance of concrete and mortar prior to employing them in the relevant fields. A study by Fattah et al.  adopted i et al. , the auti et al. , while ii et al. , and baci et al. . By empli et al.  investigi et al.  observedThe performance of concrete can be improved by incorporating various admixtures, as demonstrated by , which i4 and investigating its effect on the pore structure. An unconventional means of producing alkali-activated cements has been presented in [SCMs can be used to partially replace Portland cement in concrete, or they can be solely used by alkali activation. A number of studies published in this Special Issue have investigated the performance of alkali-activated cements. Lee et al.  proposedented in ,16 where3S. In addition to the use of graphene in concrete, carbon nanotubes can be a useful admixture as demonstrated by Fan et al. [The use of carbon nanomaterials in concrete is a topic for ongoing discussions. A study by Zheng et al.  showed tn et al. , which sn et al. .


Trachemys scripta) that possibly contributes to their tremendous diving capacity. The purpose of the present immunohistochemical study was firstly to screen major groups of vertebrates for the presence of cardiac smooth muscle. Secondly, we investigated the phylogenetic distribution of cardiac smooth muscle within the turtle order (Testudines), including terrestrial and aquatic species. Atrial smooth muscle was not detected in a range of vertebrates, including Xenopus laevis, Alligator mississippiensis, and Caiman crocodilus, all of which have pronounced diving capacities. However, we confirmed earlier reports that traces of smooth muscle are found in human atrial tissue. Only within the turtles (eight species) was there substantial amounts of nonvascular smooth muscle in the heart. This amount was greatest in the atria, while the amount in proportion to cardiac muscle was greater in the sinus venosus than in other chambers. T. scripta had more smooth muscle in the sinus venosus and atria than the other turtles. In some specimens, there was some smooth muscle in the ventricle and the pulmonary vein. Our study demonstrates that cardiac smooth muscle likely appeared early in turtle evolution and has become extensive within the Emydidae family, possibly in association with diving. Across other tetrapod clades, cardiac smooth muscle might not associate with diving. Anat Rec, 303:1327–1336, 2020. © 2019 The Authors. The Anatomical Record published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association for Anatomy.A prominent layer of smooth muscle lining the luminal side of the atria of freshwater turtles (Emydidae) was described more than a century ago. We recently demonstrated that this smooth muscle provides a previously unrecognized mechanism to change cardiac output in the emydid red‐eared slider ( Emys orbicularis)  were observed in isolated atrial preparations from European pond turtles (s) Fano, . The tons) Fano, , but dess) Fano, , the sciE. orbicularis (formerly Emys europaea) ; very little detail is given by Pereira  did notet al., et al., et al., Isl1  and Longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus [n = 1])were obtained from commercial sources or donated from private collections and maintained at the Aarhus University . C. serpentina  and Alligator mississippiensis  hearts were obtained from animals maintained at the University of North Texas . Mouse (Mus musculus [n = 1]), and a bird, the lesser redpoll (Acanthis cabaret [N = 1]), sections were obtained from archived samples (body mass unknown) at the Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC) . One caecilian (Idiocranium sp.) section was taken from unpublished data associated with an earlier study  cardiac samples were provided from the Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, AMC .The majority of the turtle species (−1) before the brain was destroyed. All experiments were performed in accordance with local animal care regulations.For the hearts used for immunohistochemistry, the animals were euthanized with an overdose of pentobarbital  and stored in 70% ethanol. The hearts were then embedded in paraffin  and cut into 10‐μm transverse or coronal sections. A standard immunohistochemistry protocol was followed as described elsewhere (Jensen P. subrufa (n = 2), C. mccordi (n = 2), P. sinensis (n = 1), C. senegalensis (n = 2), C. serpentina (n = 2), T. hermanii (n = 2), C. carbonaria (n = 3) and T. scripta (n = 6). For each heart, the % area of smooth muscle was averaged from three or four equidistant sections from across the atria, although in some C. mccordi (n = 1), P. sinensis (n = 1), and C. carbonaria (n = 2) only two representative sections could be used. Due to the low animal sample sizes available for most species, no statistical comparisons were made between species. A linear regression was performed to investigate the relationship between body mass and atrial smooth muscle coverage in T. scripta. To investigate whether there were chamber differences in the proportion of the detected SMA relative to all detected SMA and cTnI, we used the Plugin function “RGB Measure” of ImageJ after having delineated the sinus venosus, atria, or ventricle with the Freehand selections tool . The output value (mean) is a composite measure of the number of pixels that contain each color and the color intensity. We only used images that contained both sinus venosus and atria (N = 73). In 25 of the 73 images, there was also ventricular tissue. Differences between the sinus venosus and atria were tested with paired T‐test. We used the Pearson correlation test for significant relation between the proportion of SMA in the sinus venosus as compared to the atria and ventricle. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics version 24) or GraphPad Prism (Version 8.0). Data are presented as means ± SD.The number of pixels containing myocardium (red) and smooth muscle (green) in composite images were determined by splitting the red and green colors using the “Color Threshold” function of ImageJ , and then measuring the area on the split colors allowing us to calculate relative smooth muscle area as a percentage of the total muscle area (smooth and cardiac muscle). To maintain standardization, only transverse images of the atria were used for this quantification, thus the final sample sizes in this analysis were as follows: Alligators mississipinesis)          Fig. A, spectaus) Fig. A, pink‐tii) Fig. B, longnous) Fig. D, mouse us) Fig. E, or leset) Fig. F. Only iis) Fig. C and canus) Fig. B did we p.) Fig. C. We conP = 0.271). In T. scripta there was a great amount of smooth muscle in the sinus venosus and atria   Fig. A. In T. lae Fig. , althougT. scripta we established that there was no relationship between body mass and atrial smooth muscle area  . However, the proportional amount of SMA was greater in T. scripta compared to the other turtles in the sinus venosus  and in the atria  but not in the ventricle .Given the body mass range we encountered within and between species, in 44) Fig. . Also, iT. scripta is dramatically reduced when the smooth muscle of the atria is induced to contract .The cardiac output of et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., Our results suggest that (nonvessel) cardiac smooth muscle appeared early in turtle evolution, possibly in the sinus venosus before other chambers, as it was observed, at least in small amounts, in representatives across the turtle phylogeny, including side‐necked turtles (Pleurodira) that diverged from other turtles over 150 million years ago  in which it was first described and detailed , but these findings received little subsequent attention and were not independently verified  or acetylcholine  provideet al., et al., et al., et al., et al., per se, may not be unique to the turtle lineage.We did, nevertheless, verify that human atria contain traces of smooth muscle (Nagayo, et al., et al., et al., T. scripta (Fig. Extensions of left atrial myocardium that partially envelop the pulmonary veins, known as “myocardial sleeves,” have been well described in mammals and birds (Nathan and Gloobe, pta Fig. B, it appIn summary, our comparative study indicates that atrial smooth muscle evolved early in the order of Testudines. The atrial smooth muscle is particularly scarce in terrestrial tortoises, but well developed in some aquatic species, which lends tentative support to our hypothesis that it may be involved in the regulation of cardiac output of turtles during diving. All of the turtles investigated exhibited both smooth muscle and cardiac muscle in the sinus venosus, which may also be able to contribute to the regulation of cardiac output. A mixture of smooth and cardiac muscle in the sinus venosus was also evident in the anuran amphibians and has previously been reported in fish (Yamauchi,


Borderline ovarian tumours (BOTs) are ovarian neoplasms characterised by epithelial proliferation, variable nuclear atypia and no evidence of destructive stromal invasion. BOTs account for approximately 15% of all epithelial ovarian cancers. Due to the fact that the majority of BOTs occur in women under 40 years of age, their surgical management often has to consider fertility-sparing approaches. The aim of this mini-review is to discuss the state of the art of fertility-sparing surgery for BOTs with a specific focus on the extent of surgery, post-operative management and fertility. Borderline ovarian tumours (BOTs) are a group of ovarian neoplasms described as ‘semimalignant disease’ for the first time by Taylor  in 1929.BOTs account for approximately 15% of all epithelial ovarian cancers, with an annual prevalence of 1.8–4.8/100,000 –8. Additet al [et al [et al [p = 0.003), need for mini laparotomy for retrieving the specimens (p = 0.006) and global operative time (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, laparoscopy obtained less intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.007) and shorter operative time (p < 0.001).Surgery is the primary treatment for BOTs. Similarly to the management of malignant ovarian cancers, the extent of surgery depends on stage: for stage I disease, the therapeutic approach should include a surgical staging with total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, peritoneal washing and multiple biopsies; appendix should be removed in case of mucinous histology , 13. In et al  demonstrl [et al  reportedl [et al  analysedet al [et al [The increasing use of robotic surgery in gynaecology was focalised also on the management of early-stage ovarian cancer and BOTs. In fact, the robotic-assisted approach is useful and safe in patients with presumed early stage disease . In a reet al  showed nl [et al  in a retet al [et al [et al [Overall, the choice of surgical approach for BOTs should consider size of ovarian masses, presence and localisation of peritoneal implants, presence of bulky nodes, surgeon’s skills and patient’s individual characteristics , 22. Anoet al , no diffet al , 25. Howet al , 25. Foret al , 26. Thel [et al  reportedl [et al . In a rel [et al  analysedl [et al . Globalll [et al . In casel [et al .Because many patients are still fertile at the time of diagnosis, not having completed the desire of childbearing, fertility-sparing surgery is considered as a relevant option in the management of BOTs. In many series published, the overall survival for patients undergoing a fertility-sparing surgery is close to 100% –34.et al [et al [p < 0.0001). Overall, in cases of bilateral BOTs, USO+CC did not obtain an advantage compared to BC in terms of recurrence (26.1% versus 25.6); therefore, less destructive approaches in this setting may be considered in order to preserve patients’ fertility. Although no differences were found between conservative and radical surgery in terms of overall survival, the authors concluded that the low mortality rate precludes pooling estimation for death in relation to the different types of fertility sparing surgery; moreover, the short-term follow-up times tend to limit the interpretation of survival analysis. In this meta-analysis, the only prospective randomised controlled trial was an Italian paper published by Palomba et al [p < 0.01); however, performing a regression analysis, the difference did not reach a statistical significance (p = 0.14); additionally, disease recurrence  was not different between these groups.In woman with unilateral/bilateral ovarian involvement, fertility-sparing options include surgical procedures, such as unilateral cystectomy (US), unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO), bilateral cystectomy (BC) or unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy plus contra-lateral cystectomy (USO+CC). In a French multi-centre study, including 313 patients with stage I BOTs, the recurrence rates after cystectomy, USO or BSO were 30.3%, 11% and 1.7%, respectively . In a reet al  analysedet al . The autl [et al  publisheba et al , which cObtaining a biopsy from a normal appearing contra-lateral ovary is not recommended in patients undergoing surgical management for BOTs because the risk of under-diagnosis of an occult malignancy tends to be very low . FurtherThe management of relapse of BOTs mostly depends on tumour location and histotype. In case of a relapse in remnant ovarian tissue, a second conservative surgery could represent a suitable treatment option in patients desiring to preserve fertility ; otherwiet al [et al [et al [p > 0.05); moreover, no differences in antral follicle count (AFC) were shown [It is difficult to exactly assess the impact of fertility-sparing treatments for BOTs on ovarian function and fertility. It has been reported that approximately 81% of women retain normal menstrual cycles after conservative surgery for BOTs . As in bet al  the serul [et al  also foul [et al  among pare shown .et al [Pregnancy rates in women attempting to conceive after fertility-sparing surgery are very heterogeneous . In the et al  did not et al .in vitro fertilisation may be required after fertility-sparing surgery in order to enhance the chance of conceiving. Potential associations between ovulation-inductor drugs and BOTs have been proposed by several authors: in 1994, Rossing et al [et al [Another controversial topic is the need to use assisted reproductive techniques for improving fertility outcomes. In selected patients, induction of ovulation and ng et al  highlighng et al –56. A mel [et al  showed al [et al .As general rule, fertility counselling should be mandatory in the management of BOTs among women aiming to spare fertility. Patients with diagnosis of BOTs should be referred to an oncofertility centre before surgery in order to assess their reproductive status and to plan subsequent operative management , 59.et al [et al [et al [Currently, there is no universally accepted standard-of-care regarding follow-up after surgery for BOTs. In a cohort of 39 women, Uzan et al  reportedet al . Same evl [et al  in a cohl [et al . As in tl [et al  analysedThe main clinical factors associated with disease relapse are advanced age at diagnosis, preoperative elevation of serum levels of CA125, presence of invasive implants and micropapillary histology .et al. [p = 0.01); among the women with initial diagnosis of serous BOT, only 3 (11.5%) developed an invasive carcinoma; in contrast, among those with initial diagnosis of mucinous BOT, invasive carcinoma occurred in 9 women (52.9%).Rates of relapse described after fertility sparing surgery for BOTs greatly differ in the current literature. The evidence shows that serous BOTs recurred more frequently than mucinous BOTs, despite progressing to an invasive carcinoma only in a smaller percentage of cases. In a retrospective analysis by Uzan et al. , 191 of Recurrence of serous BOT in residual ovary almost always has a non-invasive histology; for this reason, it should be considered as a new primary BOT and could be potentially treated by a second fertility-sparing surgery; conversely, the vast majority of invasive recurrences are characterised by extra-ovarian involvement ,65. For et al [In a prospective observational study, Franchi et al  used traet al .Recurrence rates in fertility-sparing surgery for BOTs are higher than after radical surgery; however, after the completion of desire of conception the surgical second look with removal of uterus and contra-lateral ovary remains debated. In fact, the published data does not report differences in terms of survival rates after completion of surgery for BOTs. For serous BOTs many authors suggest expectant management and performance of radical surgery only in cases of disease recurrence , 69. ForFertility sparing surgery for BOTs is feasible and does not seem to negatively influence patients’ long-term survival, although higher disease recurrence rates have been reported. The extent of surgery should be individualised based on patient characteristics, tumour stage and histology. Women with a diagnosis of BOT should be referred to an oncofertility centre prior to performing fertility-sparing surgery in order to assess reproductive status and to plan future post treatment pregnancies. In these patients, a routine follow-up evaluation should be done, including clinical examination, ultrasound and dosage of serum tumour markers. Surgical management of relapse depends on disease localisation and histology.The authors have not conflict of interest to declare.MMAliterature review, manuscript writingFBmanuscript revisionMVMliterature reviewSSdata analysisMMOdata analysisSFmanuscript revisionSCsupervisionThis paper has not been funded.


The glyconanoparticle (GlycoNP) has multiple effects and has important applications in drug delivery and bioimaging. It not only has the advantages of nano drug delivery system but also utilizes the characteristics of multivalent interaction of sugar, which greatly improves the targeting of drug delivery. Herein, the application of GlycoNP in drug delivery was analyzed and discussed, the solution to its problem was proposed, and its prospects were forecasted. In addiNanomaterials as the carriers of carbohydrates have been gradually developed since the first synthesis of carbohydrate-functionalized gold nanoparticles in 2001  that wrapped carbohydrate molecules was reported, they could specifically bind to cell surface receptors in certain tissues and organs. Certain liver cells had asialoglycoprotein receptor on their surfaces. It could specifically bind to QDs with galactose residues  lactose-QDs conjugate with more flexible sugar ligands.Moreover, Yang et al.  preparedin situ evaluation of cell surface sialic acid (SA) groups by combining the multiplex sandwich binding of the 3-aminophenylboronic acid functionalized QD (APBA-QD) probes to SA groups on living cells, glyconanoparticles, and the sensitive fluorescence detection of metal-responsive dye . GNP-LLO91–99 exhibited dual antitumour activities. It was proposed this adjuvant nanotherapy for preventing the progression of the first stages of melanoma.Dendritic cell-based (DC-based) vaccines are promising immunotherapies for cancer. However, the lack of efficient targeted delivery and the sources and types of DCs has limited the efficacy of DCs and their clinical potential. Calderon-Gonzalez et al.  proposedIn vivo pulmonary delivered siRNA GNPs were capable of targeting c-Myc gene expression via in vivo RNAi in tumor tissue, which led to an ∼80% reduction in tumor size without associated inflammation  are full of promise in areas like biomedicine, biotechnology and materials science because of their amazing physical, chemical and biological properties. The human galectin-3  is well-known to be overexpressed in several human tumors and can act as a biorecognizable target. Aykaç et al.  preparedQian et al.  reportedy antigens, T-cell helper peptides, and glucose in well-defined average proportions and with different density were synthesized in a one-step procedure  and studied their uptake by DC-SIGN expressing Burkitt lymphoma cells (Raji DC-SIGN cell line) and monocyte-derived immature dendritic cells.Arnáiz et al.  preparedNagahori et al.  communicThe Thomsen–Friedenreich antigen-containing glycopeptide thiols based on a mucin peptide repeating unit were prepared. These novel multivalent tools should prove extremely useful in exploring the binding properties and immune response to this important carbohydrate antigen (Sundgren & Barchi, Wang et al.  reportedMicrociona prolifera as potential tools to explore carbohydrate-mediated cell recognition.Carvalho et al.  studied 2.3.Activation of the endothelium is a pivotal first step for leukocyte migration into the diseased brain. So, imaging this activation process is highly desirable. It indicated that the targeted carbohydrate-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles accumulated in the brain vasculature following acute administration into a clinically relevant animal model of stroke (Farr et al., Dual-modal fluorescent magnetic glyconanoparticles are powerful in probing lectins displayed on pathogenic and mammalian cell surfaces. It indicated that glyconanoparticles were useful tools to enrich lectin expressing cells because of their magnetic properties. The dual-modal glyconanoparticles were biocompatible and that they could be employed in lectin-associated biological studies and biomedical applications (Park et al., Magnetic glyconanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method, and they were formed in a simple and direct process (Kekkonen et al., El-Boubbou et al.  demonstrde la Fuente et al.  reportedSundhoro et al.  reportedin vitro simple method to evaluate the efficiency of the magnetic probes to label specifically cell populations in the whole blood by magnetic resonance imaging and fluorescence techniques. In addition, García et al. (in vivo imaging of brain disease.Gallo et al.  offered a et al.  also esta et al.  designedZhou et al.  developeGlyconanoparticles that exhibit multivalent binding to lectins are desirable for molecular recognition and therapeutic applications. Besford et al.  exploredWu et al.  exploredE. coli K88 adhesin and potentially could be used as a transporter for an antibacterial drug.Gallegos-Tabanico et al.  modifiedWon et al.  introduc3.The targeted drug delivery has been investigated as one of the main methods in medicine to ensure successful treatments of diseases. Pharmaceutical sciences are using micro or nano carriers to obtain a controlled delivery of drugs, able to selectively interact with pathogens, cells or tissues.Herein, the construction, preparation, and applications of several common water-soluble and stable glyconanoparticles were summarized and discussed. It can be clearly seen that these new multivalent systems have opened up new avenues for the study of carbohydrate-involved biological interactions. These glyconanoparticles are easy to prepare and have unique physical, chemical, and biological properties, which make them have a wide range of applications in drug delivery, biomedical imaging, diagnosis, and treatment. It is believed that with the in-depth study of carbohydrate nanobiology, as well as the crossing of chemistry, physics, and pharmacy, the research of carbohydrate QDs, gold/silver glyconanoparticles, and magnetic glyconanoparticles will make great progress, and find a wider application field.Major effort should be focused toward the design and synthesis of more complex and biologically relevant carbohydrate mimics in order to have a better understanding of the carbohydrate–carbohydrate and carbohydrate–protein interactions. The full therapeutic potential of these carbohydrate-based nanoparticles systems can be achieved when the functions of carbohydrates in biological systems are clarified.


Goats are reared for their meat, mohair and other socio-cultural needs in Lesotho. Helminth infections are some of the major setbacks in the goat production industry due to their negative impact on animals’ health, resulting in significant losses on meat and mohair production and death. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence, fecal egg infestation, and morphological identification of gastrointestinal parasites in goats.Fecal samples were collected from 765 goats and subjected to McMaster egg counting techniques using the flotation method. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v.26.0).Haemonchus contortus was identified as the prevalent gastrointestinal nematode species found in goats. The prevalence and fecal egg count of gastrointestinal parasites were significantly higher (p<0.05) in goats located in the highlands and Senqu River Valley, while goats in the lowlands demonstrated a significantly (p<0.05) higher prevalence of H. contortus. Immature goats and kids were more significantly (p<0.05) prone to gastrointestinal parasites.The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 94.7%, and the identified gastrointestinal parasites were nematodes (64.7%), coccidia (25.8%), and cestodes (4.2%). The nematodes and coccidia infestations were prevalent in goats located in the highlands and foothills, respectively, whereas nematode and coccidia fecal egg loads were higher in goats located in the foothills and Senqu River Valley, respectively. Angora goat production serves as a cushion in the event of crop failure due to climatic vagaries, especially in arid and semi-arid environments ,2. Angoret al.  stated t [et al.  indicate [et al. .et al. [et al. [et al. [Furthermore, Ademola et al.  reported [et al.  also sta [et al.  also repA cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence, fecal egg infestation, and morphological identification of gastrointestinal parasites in goats.The ethical approval was granted by the Department of Animal Science of the National University of Lesotho based on the recommended principles for the use of animals in conducting research. The animals were used with the consent of the farmers.The fecal sample collection was conducted from December 2018 to October 2019 in four agro-ecological zones of Lesotho which are Senqu River Valley, Highlands (Mountains), Foothills and lowlands represented by Qacha’s Nek, Thaba-Tseka, Leribe and Mafeteng districts, respectively . Senqu RA total of 765 experimental animals kept under a semi-intensive management system were randomly selected. Animals <1 year (0-12 months) were considered kids, while those >1 year up to 2 years were immature (12-24 months), and those above 2 years were considered adults (>24 months).The simple random sampling technique was employed in the four agro-ecological zones of Lesotho. Four villages in each agro-ecological zone were selected with the assistance of shearing shed farmer associations. Three goat farmers were randomly selected in each agro-ecological zone, whereby each farmer provided 15 animals as experimental units composed of five kids, five immature, and five adult goats.Fecal samples were collected directly from each animal’s rectum using sterile disposable plastic gloves and were placed in the labeled screw-capped plastic bottles and then kept in a cooler box with ice packs. The samples were then transported to the National University of Lesotho and refrigerated at 4°C, and the laboratory analyses were performed within 48 h.Two grams of crushed fecal samples were mixed with 58 ml of sodium chloride (flotation solution) and stirred. A homogenous solution was strained into the beaker, and few drops of amyl alcohol (3-5 drops) were added to treat bubbles in the solution. A McMaster quantitative technique was used to determine the number of eggs present per gram of feces, and each number obtained was multiplied by a factor of 100 to give an approximate number of eggs/gram of feces. A sub-sample was drawn from each sample using disposable pipettes and filled both chambers of the McMaster slides, which were observed under a microscope at 100× following standard procedures outlined by several researchers -16.3 to migrate up the inner walls of culture jars and then harvested repeatedly by holding the jars at a slant position with mouth pointing downwards and spraying the inner walls with water to allow the larvae to drain into a suitable container (beaker) as recommended by van Wyk and Mayhew [Copro-cultures comprising pooled samples from each agro-ecological zone were prepared using goat fecal pellets. The pellets were thoroughly crumbled before being mixed with sufficient vermiculite chips to yield a crumbly mixture, which was lightly compacted and moistened sufficiently. The crumbly mixture was ensured not to be water-logged and then incubated in jars in the dark (laboratory cupboards) at room temperature for 7 days. The inside of jars was sprayed lightly with water before being placed in bright light that stimulates the Ld Mayhew .The larvae were preserved unchanged by adding formalin to the larval suspension to a final concentration of about 1-2% and then heated to 57°C in a water bath for about 1 min to kill larvae and straighten or uncurl it ,18.et al. [Larvae were prepared for examination by adding a drop of diluted Lugol’s iodine solution to a drop of larval suspension on a glass microscope slide and then mounted a coverslip as outlined by van Wyk et al. .3 of most parasitic nematodes was based principally on examining the caudal (tail) and cranial (head) extremities. Conventional characteristics for identification  of infective larvae GIN species were microscopically examined at 10× with ocular number ten and measured using a calibrated stage micrometer that was imputed in an ocular lens [Morphological identification of Llar lens .The data collected were manually inputted in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and transferred into SPSS v.26.0 for analyses. General linear model was employed to determine the effect of agro-ecological zone and age on the prevalence and fecal egg load of gastrointestinal parasites in goats. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to analyze the FEC, where negative binomial regression was involved in the analysis. Odds ratio was used to measure the association between exposure and outcome. Descriptive statistics were implemented to determine the prevalence of identified species between the animals’ agro-ecological zones and age groups. Pearson Chi-square test was also adopted to assess the degree of association between each risk factor and GIN. In the analyses, the confidence level was held at 95%.The goats in the highlands and foothills were more susceptible to nematode infestation than those in the lowlands and Senqu River Valley . The preAs illustrated in Goats in the lowlands were significantly (p<0.05) different from those in the highlands in the prevalence of cestodes. As depicted in The prevalence of nematodes was high (p<0.05) in immature goats, followed by adults, and the lowest prevalence was observed in kids . The oddIn the case of coccidian , the infIn terms of cestodes, a high prevalence was observed in kids, followed by immature goats, and was lowest in adult goats. There was also a significant difference (p<0.05) discovered between the different age groups. The likelihood of goats exhibiting cestodes infestation from adults to immature and kids increased significantly (p<0.05). The low prevalence of cestode infestation observed in adults might be due to body resistance as they might have developed immunity due to repeated natural infestations.Haemonchus contortus was the only species of GI nematodes that were discovered in this study. Of 172 samples examined, 130 were positive for H. contortus, and the overall prevalence in goats in this study was 75.6%. The cranial extremity of the infective larvae was observed to have a bullet-shaped head  and lack of shrubs for goats to browse; hence, forcing the goats to graze closer to the ground, thereby, contacting the infective larvae. A higher (p<0.05) H. contortus infestation was observed in kids than in adult and immature goats.The higher (p<0.05) prevalence of lowlands  comparedA higher (p<0.05) intensity of nematode FEC mean was observed in goats located in the foothills compared with other agro-ecological zones . The likThe nematode egg load was higher in immature goats, followed by adult goats, and lowest in kids . The adoThis study showed that adult goats were significantly lower (p<0.05) than other age groups in terms of coccidia fecal egg load. The study further demonstrated that coccidia egg count was significantly (p<0.05) higher in kids, followed by immature goats, and lowest in adult goats.The kids had significantly (p<0.05) higher cestode egg load than immature and adult goats. The likelihood of infestation increased significantly (p<0.05) from adult to immature goats, and from adults to kids, the chances of infestation increased significantly (p<0.05).et al. [Strongyloides (nematodes) in goats in the highlands. This high prevalence of nematodes, coccidian, and cestodes observed in goats in the highlands, foothills, and Senqu River Valley, respectively, suggests the existence of favorable environmental conditions for survival and development of parasitic larvae to the infective stage. Nabi et al. [et al. [This study’s results agree with the findings obtained by Koinari et al. , who repi et al.  illustra [et al. , who illet al. [et al. [et al. [et al. [Moniezia spp. (cestodes) might be due to less dissemination of eggs in the feces from the gravid segment.However, in a study by Moiloa et al. , nematodet al.  further  [et al.  emphasiz [et al. , there w [et al.  emphasiz [et al.  also outet al. [et al. [et al. [et al., [et al., [et al. [et al. [et al. [The results of this study agree with those reported by Sunandhadevi et al. , who sho [et al.  Mpofu et [et al.  also add[et al.,  Nabi et [et al.,  noted th [et al.  also arg [et al.  emphasiz [et al.  stated t [et al.  argued t [et al.  viewed tet al. [Eimeria spp. (coccidia) (86.34%). This may be attributed to the fact that kids are underdeveloped and have lower immunity resistance toward coccidia infestation than immature and adult goats. Similarly, Jittapalapong et al. [et al. [Eimeria (coccidia) infestation was the most prevalent parasitic infestation, followed by Strogyles (nematodes). Nevertheless, in a study conducted by Yusof and Isa [Eimeria spp. oocysts in feces, which contributed as a source of infestation for younger goats. Moreover, Mpofu et al. [According to the present findings, Gupta et al.  reportedg et al.  also rep [et al.  added th and Isa , adult gu et al.  added thThese results also agree with the study conducted by Yusof and Isa , who notStrongyloides (nematodes) in the highlands (Tambul) were significantly higher than those in the lowlands (Labu). Koinari et al. [Eimeria was higher in the highlands than in the lowlands. However, Regassa et al. [The results of this study agree with the findings of a previous study in Papua New Guinea , who disi et al.  also adda et al.  argued tet al. [Sharma et al.  also obset al. [Following the results of this study, Kahan and Greiner  also addet al.  reportedThe findings in this study agree with the report of Yusof and Isa , who outH. contortus was identified as the prevalent GIN species found in goats. Nematodes and coccidia highly infested immature and kids.It can be concluded that nematode and coccidia infestation was higher in the highlands and foothills, while nematodes and coccidia fecal egg loads were higher in foothills and Senqu River Valley. LGM conceived and designed the research under the guidance of SM. LGM, MoP, and MaP conducted the sample collection. MoP and LGM carried out the morphological identification analysis. SM, MaP, and LGM carried out the data analyses. LGM wrote the manuscript. SM reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


Recent years witnessed a stagnation in yield enhancement in major staple crops, which leads plant biologists and breeders to focus on an urgent challenge to dramatically increase crop yield to meet the growing food demand. Systems models have started to show their capacity in guiding crops improvement for greater biomass and grain yield production. Here we argue that systems models, phenomics and genomics combined are three pillars for the future breeding for high-yielding photosynthetically efficient crops (HYPEC). Briefly, systems models can be used to guide identification of breeding targets for a particular cultivar and define optimal physiological and architectural parameters for a particular crop to achieve high yield under defined environments. Phenomics can support collection of architectural, physiological, biochemical and molecular parameters in a high-throughput manner, which can be used to support both model validation and model parameterization. Genomic techniques can be used to accelerate crop breeding by enabling more efficient mapping between genotypic and phenotypic variation, and guide genome engineering or editing for model-designed traits. In this paper, we elaborate on these roles and how they can work synergistically to support future HYPEC breeding. Previous studies suggest that production of major crops needs to double to meet the projected demand by the year 2050, which requires an increased speed of yield improvement compared to the historical trends  assimilation is needed. The 3D architecture-based canopy and root models, using organ physical and physiological properties, micro-environment around plants and inside organs as input, can predict canopy photosynthesis and root absorption activities  possible, as demonstrated by the high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and the emerging robotized enzymes activity measurement platforms  data for plants grown at different temporal and spatial scales and environmental conditions . Many mo.et al.  develope (et al.  develope (et al.  proposed. et al.. High-th13C/12C ratio of the leaf (Condon et al.Drysdale, a bread wheat cultivar with improved transpiration efficiency and grain yield (Condon et al.2 uptake rate (Song et al.et al.It is worth emphasizing here that systems models may also drive the development and expansion of phenotyping tools. Firstly, systems models can be used to identify critical morphological and physiological parameters to be screened using phenomic approaches. As an example, a model of carbon isotope discrimination and stomatal conductance suggested that leaf water use efficiency can be ‘recorded’ in the Genomics accelerates the development of crop systems models and realization of crops designed with these models. As mentioned above, a key feature of future advanced crop systems models is to predict phenotype from genotype. How can one incorporate genomic information into systems models? The first approach is to construct mapping functions between molecular markers and macroscopic model parameters. For example, heading time of individual lines in a recombination inbred population was successfully predicted under different environments based on the parameterization of four model parameters from corresponding QTL markers (Yin et al.et al.et al.et al. (Arabidopsis. Furthermore, with the genome information of Mycoplasma genitalium, a whole-cell computational model was constructed to predict a wide range of phenotypes from its genotype (Karr et al..et al.  accurateet al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.et al.Genomics can accelerate identification of alleles or QTLs controlling traits identified by crops systems model as targets to produce HYPEC. Such QTLs or alleles have already been used in molecular marker-assisted breeding (Collard in silico simulation, crop systems models can be used to identify key parameters or parameter combinations to increase yield (item 5.1 in Here we summarize the above contents and describe the framework of systems model-guided HYPEC breeding, which will be built on the synergism of systems models, phenomics and genomics . FirstlyImproving photosynthetic efficiency over a whole growing season is now recognized as a major option to drastically improve crop yield, for which all the sink and flow related processes also need to be simultaneously considered to achieve the expected gain in crop yield potential. In this aspect, many breeding organizations, such as CIMMYT, have recognized this and created physiology-based breeding programmes to simultaneously improve source-, sink- and flow-related traits (Reynolds and Langridge