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El desarrollo de software seguro es un asunto de alta importancia en las compañías, debido a que la mayoría de ellas dependen altamente de sus aplicaciones para su operación normal. Es por esto que se hace necesario implementar efectivamente metodologías de desarrollo seguro que sean aplicadas en cada fase del ciclo de vida: requisitos, diseño, desarrollo y pruebas. Es importante tener presente la seguridad desde las etapas más tempranas del proceso de desarrollo y no dejarla en un segundo plano. Además, se requiere investigar el estado del arte en desarrollo de aplicaciones seguras y así escoger metodologías de acuerdo con las necesidades de cada aplicación y los requisitos de los interesados en el producto final. El objetivo de este artículo es recopilar una serie de metodologías y herramientas existentes que se puedan implementar, añadiendo seguridad en toda la aplicación y desarrollando no sólo software de alta calidad sino también de alta seguridad.

Abstract: Increased longevity of leaves, or improved leaf retention, has been suggested as a possible means to increase productivity of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). This study evaluated variation in leaf retention and its relation to cassava productivity under irrigated and stressed conditions. In the first trial 1350 clones were evaluated on the North Coast of Colombia with a 5-month dry period towards the end of the growth cycle. Clones with the leaf retention trait produced more total fresh biomass and yielded 33% more root dry matter than plants without the trait. In the irrigated trial 110 clones were evaluated on the CIAT farm at about 1000 mamsl. Leaf retention was quantified using a 1–5 visual score with five corresponding to excellent leaf retention. Genetic correlations between leaf retention and fresh foliage production (0.49), root dry matter yield (0.46), fresh root production (0.43) and root dry matter content (0.25) were obtained. Increased root yield under stressed and unstressed conditions was associated with increased total biomass production and increased harvest index. These finding concur with the results of cassava growth models that include leaf longevity as a variable. The lack of any negative genetic correlations between leaf retention and useful agronomic traits coupled with the relatively high genetic correlation for root yield and the high heritability (0.55) for leaf retention indicate that it should be relatively easy and advantageous to incorporate this characteristic in breeding and selection programs directed to increasing root yield under both water stressed and unstressed conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) was introduced to Southeast Asia in the 16th-17th centuries and has since flourished as an industrial crop. Since the 1980s, Thailand has emerged as the leading producer and exporter of cassava products. This growth coincided with the initiation of cassava breeding programs in collaboration with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), focusing on root yield and starch production. The success of Thai cassava breeding programs can be attributed to the incorporation of valuable genetic diversity from international germplasm resources to cross with the local landraces, which has become the genetic foundation of many Thai commercial varieties. Effective evaluation under diverse environmental conditions has led to the release of varieties with high yield stability. A notable success is the development of Kasetsart 50. However, extreme climate change poses significant challenges, including abiotic and biotic stresses that threaten cassava root yield and starch content, leading to a potential decline in starch-based industries. Future directions for cassava breeding must include hybrid development, marker-assisted recurrent breeding, and gene editing, along with high-throughput phenotyping and flower induction. These strategies are essential to achieve breeding objectives focused on drought tolerance and disease resistance, especially for CMD and CBSD.

The primary mechanism of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) comprises the initial mechanical trauma due to the transmission of energy to the spinal cord, subsequent deformity, and persistent compression. The secondary mechanism of injury, which involves structures that remained undamaged after the initial trauma, triggers alterations in microvascular perfusion, the liberation of free radicals and neurotransmitters, lipid peroxidation, alteration in ionic concentrations, and the consequent cell death by necrosis and apoptosis. Research in the treatment of SCI has sought to develop early therapeutic interventions that mitigate the effects of these pathophysiological mechanisms. Clinical and experimental evidence has demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of sex-steroid hormone administration after traumatic brain injury and SCI. The administration of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone has been associated with neuroprotective effects, better neurological recovery, and decreased mortality after SCI. This review evaluated evidence supporting hormone-related neuroprotection over SCI and the possible underlying mechanisms in animal models. As neuroprotection has been associated with signaling pathways, the effects of these hormones are observed on astrocytes and microglia, modulating the inflammatory response, cerebral blood flow, and metabolism, mediating glutamate excitotoxicity, and their antioxidant effects. Based on the current evidence, it is essential to analyze the benefit of sex steroid hormone therapy in the clinical management of patients with SCI.

Background: Cassava retting ability and the textural qualities of cooked fufu are important quality traits. Cassava retting is a complex process in which soaking causes tissue breakdown, starch release, and softening. The rate at which various traits linked to it evolve varies greatly during fufu processing. According to the literature, there is no standard approach for determining retting ability. The retting indices and textural properties of fufu were measured using both manual and instrumental approaches., Results: Different protocols were developed to classify 64 and 11 cassava genotypes into various groups based on retting ability and textural qualities, respectively. The retting protocols revealed considerable genetic dissimilarities in genotype classification: foaming ability and water clarity should be measured at 24 h, while penetrometer, hardness, turbidity, pH, and total titratable acidity data are best collected after 36 h. The stepwise regression model revealed that pH, foaming ability, and dry matter content are the best multivariates (with the highest R 2 ) for predicting cassava retting. These predictors were used to develop an index for assessing the retting ability of cassava genotypes. The retting index developed showed a significant relationship with dry matter content and fufu yield. The study also showed significant correlations between instrumental cohesiveness and sensory smoothness (r = -0.75), moldability (r = -0.62), and stretchability (r = 0.78). Instrumental cohesiveness can correctly estimate fufu smoothness (R 2  = 0.56, P = 0.008) and stretchability (R 2  = 0.60, P = 0.005)., Conclusion: pH, foaming ability, and dry matter content are the best traits for predicting cassava retting ability, while instrumental cohesiveness can effectively estimate fufu smoothness and stretchability. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Cassava roots are widely consumed in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Although the protein, vitamin, carotenoid, and mineral content in the leaves makes them a nutritionally attractive option, their consumption is limited due to their high levels of cyanogenic compounds (CCs). In this study, the CC content in different parts of the plant (leaves, storage root cortex, and parenchyma) was assessed at harvest for 50 landrace genotypes representative of cassava diversity in Latin America. The changes in CC in leaves at different physiological ages (3, 6, 9, and 11 months after planting) were also investigated., Results: The average CC was higher in the cortex (804 ppm) and leaves (655 ppm) than in root parenchyma (305 ppm). Genotypes from different regions of Latin America, as identified by seven genetic diversity groups, differed significantly in CC levels. The Andean and Amazon groups had, respectively, the lowest (P = 0.0008) and highest (P < 0.0001) CC levels in all three parts of the plants. Cyanogenic compound concentrations were higher in leaves from young plants (P < 0.0001) and decreased with increasing physiological age., Conclusion: The results help to guide the selection of parental lines with low CC levels for breeding and to contribute to the expanded use of cassava and its by-products for food and feed. Cassava for fresh consumption, especially, requires varieties with low total CC content, especially in the root cortex and parenchyma. COL1108 (204, 213, and 174 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) and PER297 (83, 238, and 299 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) can fulfill this requirement. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Boiled yam key quality attributes typical for West African consumers are that it is crumbly, easy to break and has a sweet taste. New yam varieties are being developed but high- or medium-throughput tools to assess the required quality traits and their range of acceptance are limited. This study assessed the acceptance thresholds of these quality attributes and established predictive models for screening yam varieties that meet the required consumer preferences., Results: Overall liking was associated with sweet taste, crumbliness and easiness to break (r-values 0.502, 0.291 and -0.087, respectively). These parameters and selected biophysical parameters highly discriminated the boiled yam varieties. Crumbly texture and easiness to break were well predicted by penetration force and dry matter, whereas sweet taste were well predicted by dry matter and sugar intensity. A high crumbliness and sweet taste are preferred (sensory scores above 6.19 and 6.22 for crumbly and sweet taste, respectively, on a 10 cm unstructured line scale), while a too high easiness to break is disliked (sensory scores ranging from 4.72 to 7.62). Desirable biophysical targets were between 5.1 and 7.1 N for penetration force, dry matter around 39% and sugar intensity below 3.62 g 100 g -1 . Some improved varieties fulfilled the acceptable thresholds, and screening was improved through deviation from the optimum., Conclusion: Acceptance thresholds and deviation from optimum for boiled yam assessed through the instrumental measurements are promising tools for yam breeders. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Roots, tubers and cooking bananas are bulky and highly perishable. In Africa, except for yams, their consumption is mainly after transport, peeling and cooking in the form of boiled pieces or dough, a few days after harvest. To stabilize and better preserve the products and, in the case of cassava, release toxic cyanogenic glucosides, a range of intermediate products have been developed, mainly for cassava, related to fermentation and drying after numerous processing operations. This review highlights, for the first time, the impact of genotypes on labour requirements, productivity and the associated drudgery in processing operations primarily carried out by women processors. Peeling, soaking/grinding/fermentation, dewatering, sieving and toasting steps were evaluated on a wide range of new hybrids and traditional landraces. The review highlights case studies of gari production from cassava. The results show that, depending on the genotypes used, women's required labour can be more than doubled and even the sum of the weights transported along the process can be up to four times higher for the same quantity of end product. Productivity and loads carried between each processing operation are highly influenced by root shape, ease of peeling, dry matter content and/or fiber content. Productivity and the often related experienced drudgery are key factors to be considered for a better acceptance of new genotypes by actors in the value-addition chain, leading to enhanced adoption and ultimately to improved livelihoods for women processors. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Determinants of culinary qualities of East African highland cooking bananas (EAHCB) are not well known. This constrains the inclusion of user-preferred traits in breeding. The present study aimed to quantify key indicators of user-preferred characteristics to enable selection of acceptable hybrids., Results: Qualitative characteristics that drive preference were big bunches (15-34 kg), long straight/slightly curved fingers (12-23 cm), yellowness and soft texture. Descriptive sensory analysis of the intensity of colour and texture the 23 genotypes revealed that landraces Kibuzi, Mbwazirume, Nakitembe and Mpologoma had higher intensity of yellowness and lower intensity of hardness (softer) and a low score (≤ 1.0) of astringency taste. A preference test showed that they had higher acceptability scores. Biochemical, instrumental and sensory data revealed correlations between sensory firmness and instrumental hardness (r = 0.5), sensory firmness and amylopectin (r = -0.54), suggesting that qualitative descriptions can be predicted by instrumental and biochemical indicators. Significant (P < 0.05) variations in amylose and total starch content were observed in different varieties. Moderate correlations between instrumental hardness and firmness in mouth (r = 0.55), cohesiveness and firmness in the mouth (r = 0.57), and adhesiveness and firmness in the mouth (r = 0.64) were observed. Surprisingly, carotenoids content was not correlated with yellowness in cooked matooke. However, positive correlations were observed between chroma (b*) parameters of raw matooke and sensorial assessed color on cooked samples., Conclusion: Qualitative characteristis; the bunch, pulp colour and texture; that drive users-preference in the EAHCB were quantified, paving way for breeders to use them to select genotypes with these attributes early in the breeding process. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Biological treatments involve the application of metallic material coatings to enhance biocompatibility and properties. In invasive therapies, metallic electrodes are utilized, which are implanted in patients. One of these invasive therapeutic procedures is deep brain stimulation (DBS), an effective therapy for addressing the motor disorders observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This therapy involves the implantation of electrodes (IEs) into the subthalamic nucleus (STN). However, there is still a need for the optimization of these electrodes. Plasma-synthesized polypyrrole doped with iodine (PPPy/I) has been reported as a biocompatible and anti-inflammatory biomaterial that promotes nervous system regeneration. Given this information, the objective of the present study was to develop and characterize a PPPy/I-coated electrode for implantation into the STN. The characterization results indicate a uniform coating along the electrode, and physical-chemical characterization studies were conducted on the polymer. Subsequently, the IEs, both coated and uncoated with PPPy/I, were implanted into the STN of male rats of the Wistar strain to conduct an electrographic recording (EG-R) study. The results demonstrate that the IE coated with PPPy/I exhibited superior power and frequency signals over time compared to the uncoated IE ( p < 0.05). Based on these findings, we conclude that an IE coated with PPPy/I has optimized functional performance, with enhanced integrity and superior signal quality compared to an uncoated IE. Therefore, we consider this a promising technological development that could significantly improve functional outcomes for patients undergoing invasive brain therapies.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as inter-stage between normal cognitive aging and major neurocognitive disorder (MND). This state of decay is a crucial factor in treatment to prevent the progression to MND. In this study, our group developed a virtual screening process to evaluate 2568 phytochemical compounds against 5 key proteins associated with MCI and MND. As a result, two potential candidates were identified: carpaine, found in Carica papaya leaves, and punicalagin, present in Punica granatum. A model of cognitive impairment (CI) was developed in 10-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats by administering aluminum chloride (AlCl 3 ) at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 30 days. After AlCl 3  administration period, one of the groups received carpaine and punicalagin in a phytochemical extract (PE) by oral gavage for 30 days. Novel object recognition test (NOR) was assessed at three different time points (T1 - before CI, T2 - after CI, and T3 - after PE treatment). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were identified in the hippocampus of rats at the end of the study period. After administration of AlCl 3 , a reduction in discrimination index vs control rats (CI = 0.012 ± 0.08 vs Control = 0.076 ± 0.03), was observed. After phytochemical extract treatment, a significant increase in discrimination index values was observed in the PE group 0.4643 ± 0.13 vs CI group 0.012 ± 0.08. Additionally, the evaluation of immunohistochemistry showed an increase in GFAP positivity in the hippocampus of the CI groups, while a slight decrease was observed in the PE group. This work addressed a comprehensive methodology that utilized in silico tools to identify phytochemical compounds (carpaine and punicalagin) as potential candidates for affecting key proteins in CI. The phytochemical extract containing carpaine and punicalagin resulted in a trend in the decrease of GFAP expression in the hippocampus and improved recognition memory in rats with CI induced by age and AlCl 3 administration., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Uncertainty in the context of advanced cancer diagnosis often incurs significant psychological distress. The aims were to evaluate the incidence of psychological distress upon diagnosis of advanced cancer and to analyze whether the relationship between illness uncertainty and psychological distress can be mediated by coping strategies., Methods: A multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 medical oncology departments across Spain. Individuals with unresectable advanced cancer completed questionnaires on uncertainty (Michel Uncertainty of Illness Scale, coping strategies (Mental Adjustment to Cancer, M-MAC), and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI-18) after the diagnostic and treatment appointment and before beginning systemic cancer treatment., Results: 841 patients eligible for systemic treatment with palliative intent were included between February 2020 and April 2022. A total of 71.7% had clinically significant levels of psychological distress. Univariate analyses identified that the groups with less psychological distress were male (ηp 2  = 0.016), married (ηp 2  = 0.006), and had a better performance status (ηp 2  = 0.007). The most widely used coping strategies were positive attitude and cognitive avoidance. A positive relationship was found between uncertainty, coping strategies, and psychological distress (p < 0.05). Participants who responded with anxious preoccupation suffered more helplessness and psychological distress, while those who responded with cognitive avoidance displayed greater positive attitude and lesser psychological distress., Conclusion: Patients with newly diagnosed unresectable advanced cancer frequently experience psychological distress in the face of uncertainty, potentially influenced by coping strategies like cognitive avoidance., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Spinal cord injury (SCI) harms patients' health and social and economic well-being. Unfortunately, fully effective therapeutic strategies have yet to be developed to treat this disease, affecting millions worldwide. Apoptosis and autophagy are critical cell death signaling pathways after SCI that should be targeted for early therapeutic interventions to mitigate their adverse effects and promote functional recovery. Tibolone (TIB) is a selective tissue estrogen activity regulator (STEAR) with neuroprotective properties demonstrated in some experimental models. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TIB on apoptotic cell death and autophagy after SCI and verify whether TIB promotes motor function recovery. A moderate contusion SCI was produced at thoracic level 9 (T9) in male Sprague Dawley rats. Subsequently, animals received a daily dose of TIB orally and were sacrificed at 1, 3, 14 or 30 days post-injury. Tissue samples were collected for morphometric and immunofluorescence analysis to identify tissue damage and the percentage of neurons at the injury site. Autophagic (Beclin-1, LC3-I/LC3-II, p62) and apoptotic (Caspase 3) markers were also analyzed via Western blot. Finally, motor function was assessed using the BBB scale. TIB administration significantly increased the amount of preserved tissue ( p < 0.05), improved the recovery of motor function ( p < 0.001) and modulated the expression of autophagy markers in a time-dependent manner while consistently inhibiting apoptosis ( p < 0.05). Therefore, TIB could be a therapeutic alternative for the recovery of motor function after SCI.

Financial difficulties experienced by cancer patients negatively impact the mental health of the patients. The objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of financial difficulties between physical symptoms and depression in patients with advanced cancer. A prospective, cross-sectional design was adopted in the study. The data were collected from 861 participants with advanced cancer in 15 different tertiary hospitals in Spain. The participants' socio-demographic characteristics were collected using a standardized self-report form. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to explore the mediating role of financial difficulties. In the results, 24% of patients reported a high level of financial difficulties. Physical symptoms were positively associated with financial difficulties and depression (β = 0.46 and β = 0.43, respectively), and financial difficulties was positively associated with depression (β = 0.26). Additionally, financial difficulties played a role in explaining the relationship between physical symptoms and depression, showing a standardized regression coefficient of 0.43 which decreased to 0.39 after the financial difficulties were controlled. Healthcare professionals should consider the importance of providing financial resources and emotional support to help patients and their families cope with the financial burden associated with cancer treatment and its symptoms.

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause paralysis, for which effective therapeutic strategies have not been developed yet. The only accepted strategy for patients is rehabilitation (RB), although this does not allow complete recovery of lost functions, which makes it necessary to combine it with strategies such as plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I), a biopolymer with different physicochemical properties than PPy synthesized by conventional methods. After SCI in rats, PPy/I promotes functional recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to increase the beneficial effects of both strategies and identify which genes activate PPy/I when applied alone or in combination with a mixed scheme of RB by swimming and enriched environment (SW/EE) in rats with SCI., Methods: Microarray analysis was performed to identify mechanisms of action underlying the effects of PPy/I and PPy/I+SW/EE on motor function recovery as evaluated by the BBB scale., Results: Results showed robust upregulation by PPy/I in genes related to the developmental process, biogenesis, synapse, and synaptic vesicle trafficking. In addition, PPy/I+SW/EE increased the expression of genes related to proliferation, biogenesis, cell development, morphogenesis, cell differentiation, neurogenesis, neuron development, and synapse formation processes. Immunofluorescence analysis showed the expression of β-III tubulin in all groups, a decreased expression of caspase-3 in the PPy/I group and GFAP in the PPy/I+SW/EE group ( p < 0.05). Better preservation of nerve tissue was observed in PPy/I and PPy/SW/EE groups ( p < 0.05). In the BBB scale, the control group scored 1.72 ± 0.41, animals with PPy/I treatment scored 4.23 ± 0.33, and those with PPy/I+SW/EE scored 9.13 ± 0.43 1 month after follow-up., Conclusion: Thus, PPy/I+SW/EE could represent a therapeutic alternative for motor function recovery after SCI., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. RO, JM-C, GC, MO, CR, AD-R, AM-G, RM-L, LA-M, and HS-C have patent titles granted for the development of PPy in the United States, the European Community, China, India, Russia, Japan, Mexico and Indonesia., (Copyright © 2023 Coyoy-Salgado, Orozco-Barrios, Sánchez-Torres, Olayo, Cruz, Morales-Corona, Olayo, Diaz-Ruiz, Ríos, Alvarez-Mejia, Mondragón-Lozano, Morales-Guadarrama, Alonso-García, Fabela-Sánchez and Salgado-Ceballos.)

Salvia amarissima Ortega is an endemic species of Mexico used in folk medicine to alleviate pain and as a nervous tranquilizer. The S. amarissima extract and one of its abundant metabolites, identified and isolated through chromatographic techniques, were investigated to obtain scientific evidence of its potential effects to relieve nociplastic pain such as fibromyalgia. Then, the extract and amarisolide A (3-300 mg/kg, i.p.) were pharmacologically evaluated in reserpine-induced fibromyalgia-type chronic pain and in depressive-like behavior (as a common comorbidity) by using the forced swimming test in rats. The 5-HT 1A serotonin receptor (selective antagonist WAY100635, 1 mg/kg, i.p.) was explored after the prediction of a chemical interaction using in silico analysis to look for a possible mechanism of action of amarisolide A. Both the extract and amarisolide A produced significant and dose-dependent antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects in rats, as well as significant antidepressive behavior without sedative effects when the antinociceptive dosages were used. The 5-HT 1A serotonin receptor participation was predicted by the in silico descriptors and was corroborated in the presence of WAY100635. In conclusion, S. amarissima possesses antihyperalgesic, antiallodynic, and anti-depressive activities, partially due to the presence of amarisolide A, which involves the 5-HT 1A serotonin receptor. This pharmacological evidence suggests that S. amarissima and amarisolide A are both potential alternatives to relieve pain-like fibromyalgia.

Lesions to the corticospinal tract result in several neurological symptoms and several rehabilitation protocols have proven useful in attempts to direct underlying plastic phenomena. However, the effects that such protocols may exert on the dendritic spines of motoneurons to enhance accuracy during rehabilitation are unknown. Thirty three female Sprague-Dawley adult rats were injected stereotaxically at the primary motor cerebral cortex (Fr1) with saline (CTL), or kainic acid (INJ), or kainic acid and further rehabilitation on a treadmill 16 days after lesion (INJ+RB). Motor performance was evaluated with the the Basso, Beatie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotion scale and in the Rotarod. Spine density was quantified in a primary dendrite of motoneurons in Lamina IX in the ventral horn of the thoracolumbar spinal cord as well as spine morphology. AMPA, BDNF, PSD-95 and synaptophysin expression was evaluated by Western blot. INJ+RB group showed higher scores in motor performance. Animals from the INJ+RB group showed more thin, mushroom, stubby and wide spines than the CTL group, while the content of AMPA, BDNF, PSD-95 and Synaptophysin was not different between the groups INJ+RB and CTL. AMPA and synaptophysin content was greater in INJ group than in CTL and INJ+RB groups. The increase in the proportion of each type of spine observed in INJ+RB group suggest spinogenesis and a greater capability to integrate the afferent information to motoneurons under relatively stable molecular conditions at the synaptic level., Competing Interests: Declarations of interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Provitamin A biofortification and increased dry matter content are important breeding targets in cassava improvement programs worldwide. Biofortified varieties contribute to the alleviation of provitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of preventable blindness common among pre-school children and pregnant women in developing countries particularly Africa. Dry matter content is a major component of dry yield and thus underlies overall variety performance and acceptability by growers, processors, and consumers. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers linked to these traits have recently been discovered through several genome-wide association studies but have not been deployed for routine marker-assisted selection (MAS). This is due to the lack of useful information on markers' performances in diverse genetic backgrounds. To overcome this bottleneck, technical and biological validation of the loci associated with increased carotenoid content and dry matter content were carried out using populations independent of the marker discovery population. In the present study, seven previously identified markers for these traits were converted to a robust set of uniplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and validated in two independent pre-breeding and breeding populations. These assays were efficient in discriminating marker genotypic classes and had an average call rate greater than 98%. A high correlation was observed between the predicted and observed carotenoid content as inferred by root yellowness intensity in the breeding (r = 0.92) and pre-breeding (r = 0.95) populations. On the other hand, dry matter content-markers had moderately low predictive accuracy in both populations (r< 0.40) due to the more quantitative nature of the trait. This work confirmed the markers' effectiveness in multiple backgrounds, therefore, further strengthening their value in cassava biofortification to ensure nutritional security as well as dry matter content productivity. Our study provides a framework to guide future marker validation, thus leading to the more routine use of markers in MAS in cassava improvement programs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ige, Olasanmi, Bauchet, Kayondo, Mbanjo, Uwugiaren, Motomura-Wages, Norton, Egesi, Parkes, Kulakow, Ceballos, Dieng and Rabbi.)

Amylose-free and wild-type cassava starches were fermented for up to 30 days and oven- or sun-dried. The specific volume ( ν ) after baking was measured in native and fermented starches. The average ν (across treatments) for waxy starch was 3.5 times higher than that in wild-type starches (17.6 vs. 4.8 cm 3 g -1 ). The best wild-type starch (obtained after fermentation and sun-drying) had considerably poorer breadmaking potential than native waxy cassava (8.4 vs. 16.4 cm 3 g -1 , respectively). The best results were generally obtained through the synergistic combination of fermentation (for about 10-14 days) and sun-drying. Fermentation reduced viscosities and the weight average molar mass led to denser macromolecules and increased branching degree, which are linked to a high loaf volume. The absence of amylose, however, was shown to be a main determinant as well. Native waxy starch (neutral in taste, gluten-free, and considerably less expensive than the current alternatives to cassava) could become a new ingredient for the formulation of clean label-baked or fried expanded products.

Introduction: Most cancers occur in older individuals, who are more vulnerable due to functional impairment, multiple comorbidities, cognitive impairment, and lack of socio-familial support. These can undermine patients' sense of dignity. This study seeks to compare dignity scores in older patients with advanced cancer on sociodemographic and clinical variables and analyze the predictive value of anxiety, depression, functional limitations, and social support on dignity scores., Methods: A prospective, multicenter, observational study conducted with participation of 15 hospitals in Spain from February 2020 to October 2021. Patients with newly-diagnosed, advanced cancer completed the dignity (PPDS), anxiety and depression (BSI), Social Support (Duke-UNC-11), and functional limitations (EORTC-C30) scales. Lineal regression analyses explored the effects of anxiety, depression, functional status, and social support on dignity, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables., Results: A total of 180 subjects participated in this study. The results of the correlation analysis revealed that dignity correlated negatively with anxiety, depression, and sex, and positively with social support, functional status, and longer estimated survival. Thus, women, and more anxious and depressed individuals scored lower on the dignity scale, whereas patients with more social support, fewer functional limitations, and longer estimated survival scored higher., Conclusion: In conclusion, being female, having a lower educational level, lower estimated survival, depression, anxiety, less social support, and limited functionality are correlated with less dignity in the elderly with advanced cancer. It is a priority to manage both physical and psychological symptoms in patients with unresectable advanced cancer to mitigate psychological distress and increase their sense of dignity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a significant cause of disability, and treatment alternatives that generate beneficial outcomes and have no side effects are urgently needed. SCI may be treatable if intervention is initiated promptly. Therefore, several treatment proposals are currently being evaluated. Inflammation is part of a complex physiological response to injury or harmful stimuli induced by mechanical, chemical, or immunological agents. Neuroinflammation is one of the principal secondary changes following SCI and plays a crucial role in modulating the pathological progression of acute and chronic SCI. This review describes the main inflammatory events occurring after SCI and discusses recently proposed potential treatments and therapeutic agents that regulate inflammation after insult in animal models.

Phenotypic analysis of cassava root crowns (CRCs) so far has been limited to visual inspection and very few measurements due to its laborious process in the field. Here, we developed a platform for acquiring 3D CRC models using close-range photogrammetry for phenotypic analysis. The state of the art is a low cost and easy to set up 3D acquisition requiring only a background sheet, a reference object and a camera, compatible with field experiments in remote areas. We tested different software with CRC samples, and Agisoft and Blender were the most suitable software for generating high-quality 3D models and data analysis, respectively. We optimized the workflow by testing different numbers of images for 3D reconstruction and found that a minimum of 25 images per CRC can provide high quality 3D models. Up to ten traits, including 3D crown volumes, 3D crown surface, root density, surface-to-volume ratio, root numbers, root angle, crown diameter, cylinder soil volume, CRC compactness and root length can be extracted providing novel parameters for studying cassava storage roots. We applied this platform to partial-inbred cassava populations and demonstrated that our platform provides reliable 3D CRC modelling for phenotypic analysis, analysis of genetic variances and supporting breeding selection., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: Loss of dignity is one of the main reasons for wishing for an early death in patients with incurable diseases such as cancer and is strongly associated with psychological distress and loss of quality of life. The present study aims to analyze the perceived dignity of patients with advanced cancer undergoing systemic treatment and their relationship with sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors., Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in 15 oncology departments in Spain. Patients with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic cancer who were candidates for systemic treatment were included. Participants completed demographic information and Palliative Patients' Dignity Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, Mental Adjustment to Cancer, Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and Illness Uncertainty., Results: A total of 508 patients were recruited between February 2020 and October 2021. Most were male, aged > 65 years, with digestive tumors (41%), and metastatic disease at diagnosis. Subjects were classified as having low (56%, N = 283) or high (44%, N = 225) perceived dignity. Patients ≥ 65 years, with worse baseline status (ECOG ≥ 1), and worse estimated 18-month survival had lower levels of perceived dignity. People with lower perceived dignity scored higher for anxious preoccupation and hopelessness and lower for positive attitude. They also displayed higher levels of anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms, greater uncertainty, and less social support., Conclusion: Self-perceived dignity in advancer cancer patients is significantly associated with psychological factors, psychological distress, uncertainty, less social support. Knowledge of these specific interactions is importance for adequate, comprehensive palliative care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Obispo, Cruz-Castellanos, Hernandez, Gil-Raga, González-Moya, Rogado, López-Ceballos, García-Carrasco, Jiménez-Fonseca and Calderon.)

In spinal cord injury (SCI) there is damage to the nervous tissue, due to the initial damage and pathophysiological processes that are triggered subsequently. There is no effective therapeutic strategy for motor functional recovery derived from the injury. Several studies have demonstrated neurons growth in cell cultures on polymers synthesized by plasma derived from pyrrole, and the increased recovery of motor function in rats by implanting the polymer in acute states of the SCI in contusion and transection models. In the process of transferring these advances towards humans it is recommended to test in mayor species, such as nonhuman primates, prioritizing the use of non-invasive techniques to evaluate the injury progression with the applied treatments. This work shows the ability of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to evaluate the evolution of the SCI in nonhuman primates through the fraction of anisotropy (FA) analysis and the diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) calculus. The injury progression was analysed up to 3 months after the injury day by FA and DTT. The FA recovery and the DTT re-stabilization were observed in the experimental implanted subject with the polymer, in contrast with the non-implanted subject. The parameters derived from DTI are concordant with the histology and the motor functional behaviour.

This paper reviews and analyzes key features from cassava breeding at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) over 50 years and draws lessons for public breeding efforts broadly. The breeding team, jointly with national program partners and the private processing sector, defined breeding objectives and guiding business plans. These have evolved through the decades and currently focus on four global product profiles. The recurrent selection method also evolved and included innovations such as estimation of phenotypic breeding values, increasing the number of locations in the first stage of agronomic evaluations, gradual reduction of the duration of breeding cycles (including rapid cycling for high-heritability traits), the development of protocols for the induction of flowering, and the introduction of genome-wide predictions. The impact of cassava breeding depends significantly on the type of target markets. When roots are used for large processing facilities for starch, animal feeding or ethanol production (such as in SE Asia), the adoption of improved varieties is nearly universal and productivity at the regional scale increases significantly. When markets and relevant infrastructure are weak or considerable proportion of the production goes for local artisanal processing and on-farm consumption, the impact has been lower. The potential of novel breeding tools needs to be properly assessed for the most effective allocation of resources. Finally, a brief summary of challenges and opportunities for the future of cassava breeding is presented. The paper describes multiple ways that public and private sector breeding programs can learn from each other to optimize success., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Key Message: We characterized genes that function in the photoperiodic flowering pathway in cassava. Transcriptome analysis of field-grown plants revealed characteristic expression patterns of these genes, demonstrating that field-grown cassava experiences two distinct developmental transitions. Cassava is an important crop for both edible and industrial purposes. Cassava develops storage roots that accumulate starch, providing an important source of staple food in tropical regions. To facilitate cassava breeding, it is important to elucidate how flowering is controlled. Several important genes that control flowering time have been identified in model plants; however, comprehensive characterization of these genes in cassava is still lacking. In this study, we identified genes encoding central flowering time regulators and examined these sequences for the presence or absence of conserved motifs. We found that cassava shares conserved genes for the photoperiodic flowering pathway, including florigen, anti-florigen and its associated transcription factor (GIGANTEA, CONSTANS, FLOWERING LOCUS T, CENTRORADIALIS/TERMINAL FLOWER1 and FD) and florigen downstream genes (SUPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 and APETALA1/FRUITFUL). We conducted RNA-seq analysis of field-grown cassava plants and characterized the expression of flowering control genes. Finally, from the transcriptome analysis we identified two distinct developmental transitions that occur in field-grown cassava.

An explanation for the social dysfunction observed in Williams syndrome may be deficits in social cognition. This study explored aspects of social cognition in children with Williams syndrome with different genotypes. The 12 participants included one with a 1.1 Mb deletion that retained the GTF2IRD1, GTF2I, and GTF2IRD2 genes, seven with a 1.5 Mb deletion that preserved the GTF2IRD2 gene, and four with a 1.8 Mb deletion with loss of all three genes. The participant retaining all three genes was found to have better performance on social judgment and first-order theory of mind tasks than the group with loss of all three genes. These results may reflect the influence of the GTF2I gene family on social cognition in Williams syndrome.

Introduction: Motor function is impaired in multiple neurological diseases associated with corticospinal tract degeneration. Motor impairment has been linked to plastic changes at both the presynaptic and postsynaptic levels. However, there is no evidence of changes in information transmission from the cortex to spinal motor neurons., Methods: We used kainic acid to induce stereotactic lesions to the primary motor cortex of female adult rats. Fifteen days later, we evaluated motor function with the BBB scale and the rotarod and determined the density of thin, stubby, and mushroom spines of motor neurons from a thoracolumbar segment of the spinal cord. Spinophilin, synaptophysin, and β iii-tubulin expression was also measured., Results: Pharmacological lesions resulted in poor motor performance. Spine density and the proportion of thin and stubby spines were greater. We also observed increased expression of the 3 proteins analysed., Conclusion: The clinical symptoms of neurological damage secondary to Wallerian degeneration of the corticospinal tract are associated with spontaneous, compensatory plastic changes at the synaptic level. Based on these findings, spontaneous plasticity is a factor to consider when designing more efficient strategies in the early phase of rehabilitation., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Consumers prefer cassava roots that cook quickly during boiling. Current methods to evaluate cooking time (CT) are slow and labour-intensive. This article describes improved protocols for assessing CT in roots. We evaluated CT in 36 genotypes monthly at 8-11 months after planting. CT showed differences for plant age at harvest and among genotypes. During boiling, roots absorbed water (WAB) and thus reduced their relative density (DEN). We classified three groups of genotypes with increasing CT (≤25 min, 25-40 min and >40 min), associated with decreasing WAB, respectively, 15.3 ± 3.1, 10.7 ± 1.7 and 4.9 ± 3.8% of initial root weight. A similar trend was observed for changes in DEN (46.3 ± 9.8, 54.5 ± 11.1 and 75.9 ± 6.9% of initial DEN, respectively). The highest correlations between WAB and DEN with CT ( r 2  > 0.6) were found at 30-min boiling. These alternative protocols facilitate screening large numbers of cassava genotypes for CT., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science & Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food, Science and Technology (IFSTTF).)

The skeletal muscle mass reduces 30-60% after spinal cord injury, this is mostly due to protein degradation through ubiquitin-proteasome system. In this work, we propose that the flavanol (-)-epicatechin, due its widespread biological effects on muscle health, can prevent muscle mass decrease after spinal cord injury. Thirty-six female Long Evans rats were randomized into 5 groups: (1) Spinal cord injury 7 days, (2) Spinal cord injury + (-)-epicatechin 7 days, (3) Spinal cord injury 30 days, (4) Spinal cord injury + (-)-epicatechin 30 days and (5) Sham (Only laminectomy). Hind limb perimeter, muscle cross section area, fiber cross section area and ubiquitin-proteasome system protein expression together with total protein ubiquitination were assessed. At 30 days Spinal cord injury group lost 49.52 ± 2.023% of muscle cross section area (-)-epicatechin treated group lost only 24.28 ± 15.45% being a significant difference. Ubiquitin-proteasome markers showed significant changes. FOXO1a increased in spinal cord injury group vs Sham (-)-epicatechin reduced this increase. In spinal cord injury group MAFbx increased significantly vs Sham but decrease in (-)-epicatechin treatment group at 30 days. At 7 and 30 days MuRF1 increased in the spinal cord injury and decreased in the (-)-epicatechin group. The global protein ubiquitination increases after spinal cord injury, epicatechin treatment induce a significant decrease in protein ubiquitination. These results suggest that (-)-epicatechin reduces the muscle waste after spinal cord injury through down regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

Flowering in cassava is closely linked with branching. Early-flowering genotypes branch low and abundantly. Although farmers prefer late flowering genotypes because of their erect plant architecture, their usefulness as progenitors in breeding is limited by their low seed production. In general, the first inflorescence aborts in cassava. Preventing this abortion would result in early production of seeds and make cassava breeding more efficient. The objective of this study was to assess if pruning young branches prevents the abortion of first inflorescences and promotes early fruit and seed set. Four genotypes with early, late, very late, and no flowering habits were grown under an extended photoperiod (EP) or normal dark night conditions (DN). Additional treatments included pruning young branches at the first or second flowering event and spraying (or not) benzyladenine (BA) after pruning. One genotype failed to flower and was not considered further. For the remaining genotypes, EP proved crucial to induce an earlier flowering, which is a pre-requisite for pruning. Total production of seeds in EP plots was 2,971 versus 150 in DN plots. For plants grown under EP, the average number of seeds per plant without pruning was 3.88, whereas those pruned produced 17.60 seeds per plant. Pruning at the first branching event led to higher number of seeds per plant (26.25) than pruning at the second flowering event (8.95). In general, applying BA was beneficial (38.52 and 13.98 seeds/plant with or without spraying it, respectively). The best combination of treatments was different for each genotype. Pruning young branches and applying BA in the first flowering event not only prevented the abortion of inflorescences but also induced the feminization of male flowers into hermaphrodite or female-only flowers. The procedures suggested from this study (combining EP, pruning young branches, and spraying BA), allowed the production of a high number of seeds from erect cassava genotypes in a short period. The implementation of these procedures will improve the breeding efficiency in cassava., (Copyright © 2020 Pineda, Yu, Tian, Morante, Salazar, Hyde, Setter and Ceballos.)

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) can cause paralysis and permanent disability. Rehabilitation (RB) is currently the only accepted treatment, although its beneficial effect is limited. The development of biomaterials has provided therapeutic possibilities for TSCI, where our research group previously showed that the plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I), a biopolymer with different physicochemical characteristics than those of the PPy synthesized by conventional methods, promotes recovery of motor function after TSCI. The present study evaluated if the plasma-synthesized PPy/I applied in combination with RB could increase its beneficial effects and the mechanisms involved. Adult rats with TSCI were divided into no treatment (control); biopolymer (PPy/I); mixed RB by swimming and enriched environment (SW/EE); and combined treatment (PPy/I + SW/EE) groups. Eight weeks after TSCI, the general health of the animals that received any of the treatments was better than the control animals. Functional recovery evaluated by two scales was better and was achieved in less time with the PPy/I + SW/EE combination. All treatments significantly increased βIII-tubulin (nerve plasticity) expression, but only PPy/I increased GAP-43 (nerve regeneration) and MBP (myelination) expression when were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The expression of GFAP (glial scar) decreased in treated groups when determined by histochemistry, while morphometric analysis showed that tissue was better preserved when PPy/I and PPy/I + SW/EE were administered. The application of PPy/I + SW/EE, promotes the preservation of nervous tissue, and the expression of molecules related to plasticity as βIII-tubulin, reduces the glial scar, improves general health and allows the recovery of motor function after TSCI. The implant of the biomaterial polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I) synthesized by plasma (an unconventional synthesis method), in combination with a mixed rehabilitation scheme with swimming and enriched environment applied after a traumatic spinal cord injury, promotes expression of GAP-43 and βIII-tubulin (molecules related to plasticity and nerve regeneration) and reduces the expression of GFAP (molecule related to the formation of the glial scar). Both effects together allow the formation of nerve fibers, the reconnection of the spinal cord in the area of injury and the recovery of lost motor function. The figure shows the colocalization (yellow) of βIII-tubilin (red) and GAP-43 (green) in fibers crossing the epicenter of the injury (arrowheads) that reconnect the rostral and caudal ends of the injured spinal cord and allowed recovery of motor function.

Background: The granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of amylose, and therefore, its absence results in individuals with a waxy starch phenotype in various amylaceous crops. The validation of mutation points previously associated with the waxy starch phenotype in cassava, as well as the identification of alternative mutant alleles in the GBSSI gene, can allow the development of molecular-assisted selection to introgress the waxy starch mutation into cassava breeding populations., Results: A waxy cassava allele has been identified previously, associated with several SNPs. A particular SNP (intron 11) was used to develop SNAP markers for screening heterozygote types in cassava germplasm. Although the molecular segregation corresponds to the expected segregation at 3:1 ratio (dominant gene for the presence of amylose), the homozygotes containing the SNP associated with the waxy mutation did not show waxy phenotypes. To identify more markers, we sequenced the GBSS gene from 89 genotypes, including some that were segregated from a cross with a line carrying the known waxy allele. As a result, 17 mutations in the GBSSI gene were identified, in which only the deletion in exon 6 (MeWxEx6-del-C) was correlated with the waxy phenotype. The evaluation of mutation points by discriminant analysis of principal component analysis (DAPC) also did not completely discriminate the waxy individuals. Therefore, we developed Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers that allowed discrimination between WX and wx alleles. The results demonstrated the non-existence of heterozygous individuals of the MeWxEx6-del-C deletion in the analyzed germplasm. Therefore, the deletion MeWxEx6-del-C should not be used for assisted selection in genetic backgrounds different from the original source of waxy starch. Also, the alternative SNPs identified in this study were not associated with the waxy phenotype when compared to a panel of accessions with high genetic diversity., Conclusion: Although the GBSSI gene can exhibit several mutations in cassava, only the deletion in exon 6 (MeWxEx6-del-C) was correlated with the waxy phenotype in the original AM206-5 source.

In Asia, cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) is cultivated by more than 8 million farmers, driving the rural economy of many countries. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), in partnership with national agricultural research institutes (NARIs), instigated breeding and agronomic research in Asia, 1983. The breeding program has successfully released high-yielding cultivars resulting in an average yield increase from 13.0 t ha -1 in 1996 to 21.3 t ha -1 in 2016, with significant economic benefits. Following the success in increasing yields, cassava breeding has turned its focus to higher-value traits, such as waxy cassava, to reach new market niches. More recently, building resistance to invasive pests and diseases has become a top priority due to the emergent threat of cassava mosaic disease (CMD). The agronomic research involves driving profitability with advanced technologies focusing on better agronomic management practices thereby maintaining sustainable production systems. Remote sensing technologies are being tested for trait discovery and large-scale field evaluation of cassava. In summary, cassava breeding in Asia is driven by a combination of food and market demand with technological innovations to increase the productivity. Further, exploration in the potential of data-driven agriculture is needed to empower researchers and producers for sustainable advancement., (Copyright © 2020 by JAPANESE SOCIETY OF BREEDING.)

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) face devastating health, social, and financial consequences, as well as their families and caregivers. Reducing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress are essential strategies for SCI treatment. Some compounds from traditional medicine could be useful to decrease ROS generated after SCI. This review is aimed at highlighting the importance of some natural compounds with antioxidant capacity used in traditional medicine to treat traumatic SCI. An electronic search of published articles describing animal models of SCI treated with natural compounds from traditional medicine was conducted using the following terms: Spinal Cord Injuries (MeSH terms) AND Models, Animal (MeSH terms) AND [Reactive Oxygen Species (MeSH terms) AND/OR Oxidative Stress (MeSH term)] AND Medicine, Traditional (MeSH terms). Articles reported from 2010 to 2018 were included. The results were further screened by title and abstract for studies performed in rats, mice, and nonhuman primates. The effects of these natural compounds are discussed, including their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. Moreover, the antioxidant properties of natural compounds were emphasized since oxidative stress has a fundamental role in the generation and progression of several pathologies of the nervous system. The use of these compounds diminishes toxic effects due to their high antioxidant capacity. These compounds have been tested in animal models with promising results; however, no clinical studies have been conducted in humans. Further research of these natural compounds is crucial to a better understanding of their effects in patients with SCI., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Angélica Coyoy-Salgado et al.)

Although numerous studies of diversity have been conducted in cassava, there is no comprehensive assessment of global genetic diversity. Here we draw on previous studies and breeders' knowledge to select diversity sets from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) genebanks and breeders' germplasm, as well as elite germplasm and landraces from eastern, southern and central (ESC) Africa to make a global assessment of diversity in cassava, using a SNP based GoldenGate (Illumina Inc.) assay. A synthesis of results from genetic distance and ADMIXTURE analysis essentially revealed four populations (i) South American germplasm characterised by relatively higher genetic diversity with hypothetical ancestral founder genotypes from Brazil, (ii) a smaller group of African introduction germplasm which is more distantly related to all other germplasm, (iii) West Africa germplasm dominated by IITA breeding lines, containing sources of cassava mosaic disease resistance, and IITA genebank accessions from West Africa, both characterised by slightly lower diversity, and (iv) a less cohesive group of African germplasm, termed 'Other', with moderate levels of diversity and a majority of germplasm from ESC Africa. This study highlights opportunities for heterosis breeding, purging of duplicates in genebanks and the need for conservation of ESC Africa landraces., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a condition that puts the patient's life at risk in the acute phase and, during the chronic stage, results in permanent deficits in motor, sensory and autonomic functions. Isolated therapeutic strategies have not shown an effect on this condition. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and curcumin, alone or combined, on the oxidative balance, motor function recovery and amount of preserved tissue following a traumatic SCI. Long-Evans rats were divided into five groups: SHAM, SCI, SCI + EA, SCI + Curcumin, and SCI + EA + Curcumin. Nitric oxide was significantly decreased in the Curcumin group; the EA, Curcumin and SCI + EA + Curcumin groups had significantly decreased hydroxyl radical and lipid peroxidation levels. Motor function recovery and the amount of preserved spinal cord tissue were significantly greater in the EA, Curcumin and EA + Curcumin groups. The results show that EA and Curcumin treatment alone or in combination decreased oxidative stress, improved functional motor recovery and increased the amount of preserved spinal cord tissue following a traumatic injury.

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from a heterozygous microdeletion on chromosome 7q11.23. Most of the time, the affected region contains ~1.5 Mb of sequence encoding approximately 24 genes. Some 5-8% of patients with WS have a deletion exceeding 1.8 Mb, thereby affecting two additional genes, including GTF2IRD2. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the implications of GTF2IRD2 loss for the neuropsychological phenotype of WS patients., Objectives: The present study aimed to identify the role of GTF2IRD2 in the cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive profile of WS patients., Methods: Twelve patients diagnosed with WS participated, four with GTF2IRD2 deletion (atypical WS group), and eight without this deletion (typical WS group). The age range of both groups was 7-18 years old. Each patient's 7q11.23 deletion scope was determined by chromosomal microarray analysis. Cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive abilities were assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests., Results: Compared with the typical WS group, the atypical WS patients with GTF2IRD2 deletion had more impaired visuospatial abilities and more significant behavioral problems, mainly related to the construct of social cognition., Conclusions: These findings provide new evidence regarding the influence of the GTF2IRD2 gene on the severity of behavioral symptoms of WS related to social cognition and certain visuospatial abilities. (JINS, 2018, 24, 896-904).

Cassava biofortification programs have made significant progress in improving pro-vitamin A carotenoid (pVAC) content; however, the nutritional impact of traditional and industrial food processing has not been fully assessed. The effects of fermentation and thermal processing on the stability and bioaccessibility of pVAC from elite selections of biofortified cassava roots were assessed to determine the potential for genotype x processing effects. Unfermented (UF) and fermented (F) flours were produced from 10 genotypes. Gari (G) flour was produced by toasting two fermented cassava genotypes. Bioaccessibility of pVAC was evaluated from finished products (porridges at 22% flour/water) via in vitro digestion. Levels of β-carotene equivalents (β-CE) were 23-43 μg β-CE per g DW among genotypes. F and Gari flours showed higher β-CE retention (p < 0.05) during oven-drying and cooking of porridges compared with UF flours. Bioaccessibility of β-CE (ME%) was 4-15%, across the genotypes and processing. However, contrasting effects of fermentation and thermal processing effects were observed among individual cassava genotypes. These results suggest that genotypic and other factors may impact release and availability of carotenoids and that consideration of both genetics and processing may be warranted in the selection of biofortified cassava cultivars to advance into the application.

It is widely recognized that increasing agricultural production to the levels needed to feed an expanding world population requires sharply increased public investment in research and development and widespread adoption of new technologies, but funding for national and international agricultural research has rather declined in recent years. In this situation, priority setting has become increasingly important for allocating scarce research resources among competing needs to achieve greater impacts. Using partial equilibrium economic surplus models and poverty impact simulations, this paper assesses cassava research priorities in Africa, Latin America and Caribbean, and Asia based on the potential economic and poverty reduction impacts of alternative research and technology options. The results showed that efficient planting material production and distribution systems and sustainable crop and soil fertility management practices have the greatest expected economic and poverty reduction impacts in the three regions. Lack of clean planting materials is a major constraint to adoption and it is envisaged that efficient production and distribution systems for planting material can accelerate technology adoption by farmers. Similarly, sustainable crop and soil fertility management practices play a key role in closing the observed yield gaps, especially in Africa. The paper discusses the results of the priority assessment for key cassava research options and concludes with the implications for cassava research priorities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a health problem for which there is currently no treatment or definitive therapy. Medicine has explored therapeutic options for patients with TSCI with the aim to improve their quality of life. One alternative has been the development of biomaterials that offer neuroprotection or neuroregeneration of damaged nerve tissue. The microinjection of iodine-doped polypyrrole particles synthesised by plasma (PPPy/I) has shown neuroprotective effects that favour motor function recovery in experimental animals with TSCI. However, their ability to migrate into the tissue has led to the need to test a suspension vehicle that enables the concentration of particles at the site of injury. To achieve this, two biomaterials of PPPy/I (P1 and P2) were studied. The superficial physicochemical characterisation of the polymers was performed by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle. The rheological performance under oscillatory shear rate of suspensions containing both polymers alone and in combination with bovine serum albumin was also studied. In vivo tests were performed on animals with and without TSCI that were microinjected with particles of P1 or P2 in suspension using a solution of rat serum albumin. Exposure to the protein solutions generates a protein multilayer on the surface of the biomaterials that can drastically change the behaviour of both P1 and P2, which led to severe repercussions in the in vivo assays. The results showed that surface chemistry plays an important role in the performance and that it is possible to treat TSCI with these materials. The interaction of the surface of materials PPPy/I.1 (P1) and PPPy/I.2 (P2) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) resulted in a series of changes in the surface chemistry of both biomaterials. The contact angle study (Fig. A) showed the presence of a critical BSA concentration ([BSA] c ), in which a monolayer was formed on both polymers and then a stable protein multilayer, as evidenced by the establishment of a plateau in the determination of the contact angle. In vivo tests showed that this interaction may be beneficial in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), depending on the surface characteristics with or without rat serum albumin (RSA). The TSCI + P1 and TSCI + P2 + RSA groups obtained significant differences in functional recovery compared with the control group according to the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scale (BBB).

Portable Vis/NIRS are flexible tools for fast and unbiased analyses of constituents with minimal sample preparation. This study developed calibration models for dry matter content (DMC) and carotenoids in fresh cassava roots using a portable Vis/NIRS system. We examined the effects of eight data pre-treatment combinations on calibration models and assessed calibrations on processed and intact root samples. We compared Vis/NIRS derived-DMC to other phenotyping methods. The results of the study showed that the combination of standard normal variate and de-trend (SNVD) with first derivative calculated on two data points and no smoothing (SNVD+1111) was adequate for a robust model. Calibration performance was higher with processed than the intact root samples for all the traits although intact root models for some traits especially total carotenoid content (TCC) (R2c = 96%, R2cv = 90%, RPD = 3.6 and SECV = 0.63) were sufficient for screening purposes. Using three key quality traits as templates, we developed models with processed fresh root samples. Robust calibrations were established for DMC (R2c = 99%, R2cv = 95%, RPD = 4.5 and SECV = 0.9), TCC (R2c = 99%, R2cv = 91%, RPD = 3.5 and SECV = 2.1) and all Trans β-carotene (ATBC) (R2c = 98%, R2cv = 91%, RPD = 3.5 and SECV = 1.6). Coefficient of determination on independent validation set (R2p) for these traits were also satisfactory for ATBC (91%), TCC (88%) and DMC (80%). Compared to other methods, Vis/NIRS-derived DMC from both intact and processed roots had very high correlation (>0.95) with the ideal oven-drying than from specific gravity method (0.49). There was equally a high correlation (0.94) between the intact and processed Vis/NIRS DMC. Therefore, the portable Vis/NIRS could be employed for the rapid analyses of DMC and quantification of carotenoids in cassava for nutritional and breeding purposes.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is highly incapacitating, and the neurobiological factors involved in an eventual functional recovery remain uncertain. Plastic changes to dendritic spines are closely related with the functional modifications of behavior., Aim of the Study: To explore the plastic response of dendritic spines in motoneurons after SCI., Methods: Female rats were assigned to either of three groups: Intact (no manipulations), Sham (T9 laminectomy), and SCI (T9 laminectomy and spinal cord contusion)., Results: Motor function according to a BBBscale was progressively recovered from 2 week through 8 week postinjury, reaching a plateau through week 16. Dendritic spine density was greater in SCI vs. control groups, rostral as well as caudal to the lesion, at 8 and 16 weeks postinjury. Thin and stubby/wide spines were more abundant at both locations and time points, whereas mushroom spines predominated at 2 and 4 months in rostral to the lesion. Filopodia and atypical structures resembling dendritic spines were observed. Synaptophysin expression was lower in SCI at the caudal portion at 8 weeks, and was higher at week 16., Conclusion: Spinogenesis in spinal motoneurons may be a crucial plastic response to favor spontaneous recovery after SCI., (Copyright © 2018 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Understanding root traits is a necessary research front for selection of favorable genotypes or cultivation practices. Root and tuber crops having most of their economic potential stored below ground are favorable candidates for such studies. The ability to image and quantify subsurface root structure would allow breeders to classify root traits for rapid selection and allow agronomist the ability to derive effective cultivation practices. In spite of the huge role of Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz), for food security and industrial uses, little progress has been made in understanding the onset and rate of the root-bulking process and the factors that influence it. The objective of this research was to determine the capability of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to predict root-bulking rates through the detection of total root biomass during its growth cycle. Our research provides the first application of GPR for detecting below ground biomass in cassava., Results: Through an empirical study, linear regressions were derived to model cassava bulking rates. The linear equations derived suggest that GPR is a suitable measure of root biomass ( r  = .79). The regression analysis developed accounts for 63% of the variability in cassava biomass below ground. When modeling is performed at the variety level, it is evident that the variety models for SM 1219-9 and TMS 60444 outperform the HMC-1 variety model (r 2  = .77, .63 and .51 respectively)., Conclusions: Using current modeling methods, it is possible to predict below ground biomass and estimate root bulking rates for selection of early root bulking in cassava. Results of this approach suggested that the general model was over predicting at early growth stages but became more precise in later root development.

Background Context: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes irreversible damage with loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions. Currently, there is not an effective treatment to restore the lost neurologic functions., Purpose: Injection of polypyrrole-iodine(PPy-I) particle suspension is proposed as a therapeutic strategy., Study Design: This is an in vivo animal study., Methods: This study evaluates the use of such particles in rats after SCI by examining spared nervous tissue and the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale to evaluate the functional outcome. Diffusive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was employed to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) as non-invasive biomarkers of damage after SCI., Results: Fractional anisotropy decreased, whereas ADC increased in all groups after the lesion. There were significant differences in FA when compared with the SCI-PPy-I group versus the SCI group (p<.05). Significant positive correlations between BBB and FA (r 2 =0.449, p<.05) and between FA and preserved tissue (r 2 =0.395, p<.05) were observed, whereas significant negative associations between BBB and ADC (r 2 =0.367, p<.05) and between ADC and preserved tissue (r 2 =0.421, p<.05) were observed., Conclusions: The results suggested that PPy-I is neuroprotective as it decreased the amount of damaged tissue while improving the motor function. Non-invasive MRI proved to be useful in the characterization of SCI and recovery., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the melting (T m ), glass transition (T g ) and mechanical relaxation (T α ) temperatures of a new waxy cassava starch. Thermal transitions measurements were obtained by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamical Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). The experimental data showed a high correlation between water volume fraction and melting temperature (T m ) indicating that the Flory-Huggins theory can be used to describe the thermal behavior of this starch. The T m of waxy cassava starch-water mixes were lower than a waxy corn starch-water reference system, but differences were not statistically significant. The mechanical relaxation temperatures taken at tan δ peaks were found 29-38°C larger than T g . The T α and T g measured for waxy cassava starch exhibited similar properties to the ones of waxy corn starch, implying that waxy cassava starch can be used in food and materials industry., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)