bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MRI-Based Radiomics Nomogram for Predicting Prostate Cancer with Gray-Zone Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels to Reduce Unnecessary Biopsies
Authors: Zhang Li , Zhang Jing , Tang Min , Lei Xiao-Yan , Li Long-Chao
Published: December 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish a predictive nomogram for predicting prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with gray-zone prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (4–10.0 ng/mL) based on radiomics and other traditional clinical parameters. Methods: In all, 274 patients with gray-zone PSA levels were included in this retrospective study. They were randomly divided into training and validation sets (n = 191 and 83, respectively). Data on the clinical risk factors related to PCa with gray-zone PSA levels (such as Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System, version 2.1 [PI-RADS V2.1] category, age, prostate volume, and serum PSA level) were collected for all patients. Lesion volumes of interest (VOI) from T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) imaging were annotated by two radiologists. The radiomics model, clinical model, and combined prediction model, which was presented on a nomogram by incorporating the radiomics signature and clinical and radiological risk factors for PCa, were developed using logistic regression. The area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUC-ROC) and decision, calibration curve were used to compare the three models for the diagnosis of PCa with gray-zone PSA levels. Results: The predictive nomogram (AUC: 0.953) incorporating the radiomics score and PI-RADS V2.1 category, age, and the radiomics model (AUC: 0.941) afforded much higher diagnostic efficacy than the clinical model (AUC: 0.866). The addition of the rad score could improve the discriminatory performance of the clinical model. The decision curve analysis indicated that the radiomics or combined model could be more beneficial compared to the clinical model for the prediction of PCa. The nomogram showed good agreement for detecting PCa with gray-zone PSA levels between prediction and histopathologic confirmation. Conclusion: The nomogram, which combined the radiomics score and PI-RADS V2.1 category and age, is an effective and non-invasive method for predicting PCa. Furthermore, as well as good calibration and is clinically useful, which could reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies in patients having PCa with gray-zone PSA levels.
Clusterin Plasma Concentrations Are Decreased in Sepsis and Inversely Correlated with Established Markers of Inflammation
Authors: Yagmur Eray , Abu Jhaisha Samira , Buendgens Lukas , Sapundzhieva Nadezhda , Brozat Jonathan F. , Hohlstein Philipp , Pollmanns Maike R. , Koek Ger H. , Weiskirchen Ralf , Trautwein Christian , Tacke Frank , Wirtz Theresa H. , Koch Alexander
Published: December 2022

Clusterin is a multifunctional protein that is recognized to mediate cellular stress response associated with organ failure, systemic inflammation, and metabolic alterations. The aim of this study was to determine the value of clusterin as a clinical biomarker in critical ill patients with or without sepsis. We analyzed clusterin plasma concentrations in 200 critically ill patients (133 with sepsis, 67 without sepsis) on admission to the medical intensive care unit (ICU). The results were compared with 66 healthy controls. Clusterin plasma concentration was significantly elevated in critically ill patients compared to healthy subjects. Clusterin levels were significantly higher in non-septic ICU patients than in patients with sepsis. Clusterin correlated inversely with routinely used biomarkers of inflammatory response. Furthermore, clusterin levels were higher in ICU patients with pre-existing obesity and type 2 diabetes. Clusterin was not associated with disease severity, organ failure, or mortality in the ICU. This study highlights significantly elevated clusterin levels in critically ill patients, predominantly in non-sepsis conditions, and associates circulating clusterin to inflammatory and metabolic dysfunctions.
Novel ATM Gene c.5644 C > T (p.Arg1882*) Variant Detected in a Patient with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Two Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Adenocarcinomas: A Case Report
Authors: Aljamal Abed A. , Elajami Mohamad K. , Mansour Ephraim H. , Bahmad Hisham F. , Medina Ana Maria , Cusnir Mike
Published: December 2022

Ataxia-telangiectasia is an autosomal recessive disorder that usually manifests in childhood due to mutations in the Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) gene. It is believed that there is an association between this gene mutation/polymorphism and cancer risk, including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers. We report a rare case of a 69-year-old woman who developed three different primary cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in both lungs and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and was later found to have a rarely reported variant mutation in the ATM gene, namely Exon 39, c.5644 C > T. We hypothesize that the ATM gene, c.5644 C > T mutation could be a plausible contributor in the pathogenesis of these three cancers. This hypothesis has yet to be validated by larger studies that focus on a mechanistic approach involving DNA repair genes such as the ATM. More importantly, this paves the way to developing new patient-specific targeted therapies and inaugurating precision medicine as a cornerstone in cancer therapeutics.
No Roots, No Fruits: Marcel Tanner’s Scholarly Contribution, Achievements in Capacity Building, and Impact in Global Health
Authors: Graf Andrea , Meier Lukas , Utzinger Jürg
Published: December 2022

On 1 October 2022, Marcel Tanner celebrated his 70th birthday with his family and friends on the River Rhein in Basel. Trained in epidemiology (Ph.D.) and public health (MPH), Tanner devoted his entire working life to research, teaching, and capacity building. Indeed, he built up productive partnerships, fostered multinational consortia, served on numerous scientific and strategic advisory boards, and contributed measurably to improving people’s health and well-being. We systematically searched the Web of Science Core Collection to identify Tanner’s scholarly contribution and pursued an in-depth analysis of his scientific oeuvre including the main areas of research, pathogens, diseases, and health systems, and the geographical foci of his scholarly activities. Additionally, we examined Tanner’s impact on personal and institutional capacity building in the arena of global health. We also invited a handful of colleagues to describe their experiences while working with Marcel Tanner. What transpires is a considerable breadth and depth of peer-reviewed publications in tropical medicine; epidemiology, environmental, and occupational health; parasitology; and infectious diseases. More than a third of the 622 peer-reviewed articles, the first piece published in 1978, focused on various aspects of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium and the disease it causes: malaria. Tanner trained, taught, and inspired generations of students, scientists, and practitioners all over the world. His unique ability to bring people and institutions together to work in partnership is at the heart of an impactful career in global health.
Educational Innovation in Adult Learning Considering Digital Transformation for Social Inclusion
Authors: Ramirez Abdon , Inga Esteban
Published: December 2022

This research seeks to identify teaching-learning mechanisms that allow innovation and educational evolution for Youth and Adult Basic Education and thus achieve social inclusion in a rural development environment that has technological limitations and internet access in rural areas. The work seeks to identify a strategic process of learning objects to apply an inverted classroom in no presential modality. The objective is to respond to the low level of knowledge in the area of Language and Literature to mitigate the lack of understanding of the andragogical resources of the teachers in virtual classes. A methodological strategy is proposed that is related to the scientific field through bibliometric and quantitative analysis based on scientific information; in a second moment, the environment is evaluated via satisfaction surveys conducted with students and teachers of the third baccalaureate of the rural areas in the no presential modality of the Juan Jiménez Educational Unit, Abdón Calderón extension, province of Sucumbíos, Ecuador. A total of 66.67% of teachers between 41 and 45 agree with implementing ICT as a strategy for better learning in the education of young people and adults despite the scarce access to the internet in rural areas.
Diagnosis Myocardial Infarction Based on Stacking Ensemble of Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Elmannai Hela , Saleh Hager , Algarni Abeer D. , Mashal Ibrahim , Kwak Kyung Sup , El-Sappagh Shaker , Mostafa Sherif
Published: December 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are vital in identifying patients at risk of serious illness by providing an early hazards risk. Myocardial infarction (MI) is a silent disease that has been harvested and is still threatening many lives. The aim of this work is to propose a stacking ensemble based on Convolutional Neural Network model (CNN). The proposed model consists of two primary levels, Level-1 and Level-2. In Level-1, the pre-trained CNN models (i.e., CNN-Model1, CNN-Model2, and CNN-Model3) produce the output probabilities and collect them in stacking for the training and testing sets. In Level-2, four meta-leaner classifiers (i.e., SVM, LR, RF, or KNN) are trained by stacking the output probabilities of the training set and are evaluated using the stacking of the output probabilities of the testing set to make the final prediction results. The proposed work was evaluated based on two ECG heartbeat signals datasets for MI: Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Beth Israel Hospital (MIT-BIH) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) datasets. The proposed model was compared with a diverse set of classical machine learning algorithms such as decision tree, K-nearest neighbor, and support vector machine, and the three base CNN classifiers of CNN-Model1, CNN-Model2, and CNN-Model3. The proposed model based on the RF meta-learner classifier obtained the highest scores, achieving remarkable results on both databases used. For the MIT-BIH dataset it achieved an accuracy of 99.8%, precision of 97%, recall of 96%, and F1-score of 94.4%, outperforming all other methods. while with PTB dataset achieved an accuracy of 99.7%, precision of 99%, recall of 99%, and F1-score of 99%, exceeding the other methods.
A Survey on Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)
Authors: Agarwal Pranay , Manekiya Mohammedhusen , Ahmad Tahir , Yadav Ashish , Kumar Abhinav , Donelli Massimo , Mishra Saurabh Tarun
Published: December 2022

To leverage the existing spectrum and mitigate the global spectrum dearth, the Federal Communications Commission of the United States has recently opened the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, spanning 3550–3700 MHz, for commercial cognitive operations. The CBRS has a three-tier hierarchical architecture, wherein the incumbents, including military radars, occupy the topmost tier. The priority access licenses (PAL) and general authorized access (GAA) are second and third tier, respectively, facilitating licensed and unlicensed access to the spectrum. This combination of licensed and unlicensed access to the spectrum in a three-tier model has opened novel research directions in optimal spectrum sharing as well as privacy preservation, and hence, several schemes have been proposed for the same. This article provides a detailed survey of the existing literature on the CBRS. We provide an overview of the CBRS ecosystem and discuss the regulation and standardization process and industrial developments on the CBRS. The existing schemes for optimal spectrum sharing and resource allocation in CBRS are discussed in detail. Further, an in-depth study of the existing literature on the privacy of incumbents, PAL devices, and GAA devices in CBRS is presented. Finally, we discuss the open issues in CBRS, which demand more attention and effort.
The Economic Value of Fuel Treatments: A Review of the Recent Literature for Fuel Treatment Planning
Authors: Hunter Molly E. , Taylor Michael H.
Published: December 2022

This review synthesizes the scientific literature on fuel treatment economics published since 2013 with a focus on its implications for land managers and policy makers. We review the literature on whether fuel treatments are financially viable for land management agencies at the time of implementation, as well as over the lifespan of fuel treatment effectiveness. We also review the literature that considers the broad benefits of fuel treatments across multiple sectors of society. Most studies find that fuel treatments are not financially viable for land management agencies based on revenue generated from forest products, biomass, or carbon credits at the time of implementation. Fuel treatments also tend to not be financially viable based on future management costs savings (fire suppression and rehabilitation costs) or averted losses in forest products from wildfire over the lifespan of treatment effectiveness. Similarly, most studies that consider benefits beyond those accruing to land management agencies find that the benefits from any single category (e.g., damage to structures and infrastructure, critical watersheds, air quality, or ecosystem values) are not sufficient to offset treatment costs. Overall, the recent literature suggests that fuel treatment projects are more likely to have benefits that exceed costs if they generate benefits in multiple categories simultaneously. The literature also documents tremendous variability in benefits and costs across regions and between projects within regions, which poses a challenge to reaching general conclusions about the benefits and costs of fuel treatments at programmatic scales, and suggests that practitioners should proceed with caution when trying to extrapolate the benefits and costs for a prospective fuel treatment project from estimates reported in the previous literature.
Establishment and Natural Regeneration of Native Trees in Agroforestry Systems in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest
Authors: Insfrán Ortiz Amado , Rey Benayas José María , Cayuela Luis
Published: December 2022

The establishment of planted trees and the natural regeneration of trees in agroecosystems is challenging. This study evaluated the establishment and natural regeneration of the following six native tree species in two agricultural systems in the Atlantic Forest in Paraguay: Cedrela fissilis Vell., Cordia trichotoma (Vell) Arráb. ex Steud., Handroanthus albus (Cham.) Mattos, Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos, Peltophorum dubium (Sprengel) Taubert, and Cordia americana (L.) Gottschling and J.S.Mill. At the study site in Caaguazú, 18 plots of 100 m2 each were established in 2 agronomic systems (conventional or agroecological) featuring 3 plantation types (pathsides, agricultural field edges, and islets). Trees were planted at this site in spring 2010 at a density of 1800 individuals ha−1, and the site was monitored for six years. At the study site in Itapúa, 30 plots of 50 m2 each were established in three agronomic systems (conventional, traditional, or agroecological). Trees were planted at this site in spring 2012 at a density of 1600 individuals ha−1, and the site was monitored for four years. Survival and relative growth rates of the planted species and natural regeneration were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models that considered species, agronomic system, and plantation type as fixed factors, and time and plot as random factors. At both sites, survival varied among species. Here, C. fissilis showed lower survival and C. trichotoma higher growth than the other species. Naturally regenerated species were C. trichotoma, H. albus, and P. dubium. The agronomic system and species affected growth and natural regeneration at both locations. Plantation type affected survival and growth in Caaguazú only. We conclude that species contributes more than agronomic system or plantation type to determining the survival, relative growth rate, and natural regeneration in agroforestry systems in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest.
Oils Derived from GM Crops as Sustainable Solutions to the Supply of Long-Chain Omega-3 for On-Growing Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.)
Authors: Betancor Mónica B. , Sprague Matthew , González-Silvera Daniel , Ortega Aurelio , de la Gándara Fernando , Gong Xu , Napier Johnathan A. , Tocher Douglas R. , Mourente Gabriel
Published: December 2022

Recently Camelina sativa, has been genetically modified to produce oils rich in omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and EPA + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of using these novel sources of de novo EPA and EPA + DHA as substitutes for marine oil in feeds for juvenile Atlantic Bluefin tuna (ABT). The results showed the oils were practical sources of n-3 LC-PUFA which could potentially replace fish oil (FO) in feeds for ABT juveniles. Fish fed the test diets (ECO, EPA alone and DCO, EPA + DHA) displayed good growth performance, survival and feed utilisation approaching that of ABT fed the reference diet (MGK) containing marine fish oil with the rank order being MGK > DCO > ECO. The test diets showed positive effects, upregulating the expression of genes of major nuclear receptors and those of lipid metabolism including digestion, LC-PUFA synthesis and antioxidant pathways. The results indicated that the DCO feed containing both DHA and EPA performed better than the ECO feed with much lower DHA. However, feeds formulated with both these oils may still require supplementary DHA to satisfy the high requirement of ABT for this essential nutrient.
Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil from Allium tenuissimum L. Flowers
Authors: Li Meiping , Zhao Xiying , Xu Manjun
Published: December 2022

Allium tenuissimum L. as a kind of food condiment in northern China, is popular among more and more consumers owning to its special flavor from the flower. However, its composition has not been widely studied. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of essential oil from Allium tenuissimum L. flowers. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied to detect the chemical composition. The antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens was evaluated by measuring the zones of inhibition (ZOI), the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). The antioxidant effect was tested by the scavenging capacity on DPPH, ABTS+•, and •OH. The results of GC-MS showed that 72 volatile components were isolated and the structures 68 of them were identified, which comprised about 91.92% of the total composition of the oil. Among these compounds, terpenoid compounds and sulfurous compounds had the highest contents, especially dimethyl trisulfide. Our investigation demonstrated that the essential oil has better antimicrobial efficiency to Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, the essential oil had a strong stability to UV. Furthermore, the essential oil exhibited a high radical-scavenging effect on DPPH, ABTS+•, and •OH, which is significant for application in the food industry. In conclusion, the essential oil could be used as an inexpensive and natural antibacterial and antioxidant agent in food.
Modulation of the Gut Microbiota Structure and Function by Two Structurally Different Lemon Pectins
Authors: Firrman Jenni , Mahalak Karley , Bobokalonov Jamshed , Liu LinShu , Lee Jung-Jin , Bittinger Kyle , Mattei Lisa , Gadaingan Rizalina , Narrowe Adrienne , Lemons Johanna
Published: December 2022

Pectins are plant polysaccharides consumed as part of a diet containing fruits and vegetables. Inside the gastrointestinal tract, pectin cannot be metabolized by the mammalian cells but is fermented by the gut microbiota in the colon with the subsequent release of end products including short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The prebiotic effects of pectin have been previously evaluated but reports are inconsistent, most likely due to differences in the pectin chemical structure which can vary by molecular weight (MW) and degree of esterification (DE). Here, the effects of two different MW lemon pectins with varying DEs on the gut microbiota of two donors were evaluated in vitro. The results demonstrated that low MW, high DE lemon pectin (LMW-HDE) altered community structure in a donor-dependent manner, whereas high MW, low DE lemon pectin (HMW-LDE) increased taxa within Lachnospiraceae in both donors. LMW-HDE and HMW-LDE lemon pectins both increased total SCFAs (1.49- and 1.46-fold, respectively) and increased acetic acid by 1.64-fold. Additionally, LMW-HDE lemon pectin led to an average 1.41-fold increase in butanoic acid. Together, these data provide valuable information linking chemical structure of pectin to its effect on the gut microbiota structure and function, which is important to understanding its prebiotic potential.
Effect of Encapsulation Processes by Freeze and Spray Drying on the Antioxidant Properties of Red Wine from cv. Listan Prieto and Syrah
Authors: Díaz-Gálvez Irina , Gutiérrez-Gamboa Gastón , Plaza Andrea , Concha-Meyer Anibal A.
Published: December 2022

Background: Wine antioxidants are linked to cardiovascular disease prevention, thus are highly valued by the healthy food market. The dehydration process removes alcohol and water from wine and allows it to extend its shelf life, while encapsulation can help preserve physical-chemical and antioxidant properties. Moreover, information on the effect of wine drying and encapsulation on non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds is limited in the literature. Methods: Listan Prieto and Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) wines were dehydrated and converted into powder by freezing and spray drying. Powdered wines were subjected to water activity, pH, soluble solids, color, and phenolic compounds analysis. Results: Freeze-drying process produced powdered wines with higher pH than the spray-drying process. Powdered wines made by these processes presented similar water activity and soluble solids. Powdered wines did not show statistical differences in trans-resveratrol, hydrocinnamic acids, phloretin, kaempferol, and quercetin content according to their dehydration process. In addition, powdered wines significantly concentrated hydrocinnamic acid and quercetin when compared to non-dealcoholized and dealcoholized wine samples. Conclusions: The results suggest that the dehydration process does not negatively modify the characteristics of the wine, and it retains a significant concentration of phenolic compounds. Therefore, powdered wines have an interesting potential to be used as a natural source of antioxidants for food supplementation.
Ethylene Response Factor MaERF012 Modulates Fruit Ripening by Regulating Chlorophyll Degradation and Softening in Banana
Authors: Chen Hangcong , Lai Xiuhua , Wang Lihua , Li Xueping , Chen Weixin , Zhu Xiaoyang , Song Zunyang
Published: December 2022

Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are one of largest plant-specific transcription factor families involved in fruit ripening. However, the regulatory mechanism by which ERFs modulate fruit yellowing and softening remains unknown in banana. We previously found that the transcription of MaERF012 was closely related to ‘Fenjiao’ banana fruit ripening. Herein, we found that MaERF012 was differentially expressed in the fruit pulp and peel and was closely related to fruit ripening. MaERF012 activated the promoter activity of one chlorophyll degradation gene (MaSGR1), two starch degradation genes (MaGWD1 and MaAMY3), and three cell wall degradation genes (MaPL8, MaEXP-A8, and MaXYL23-like), which were tested by EMSA, Y1H, and DLR. Transient overexpression of MaERF012 accelerates fruit ripening by promoting fruit yellowing and softening by up-regulating the transcription of chlorophyll, starch, and cell wall degradation genes. Over-expression of MaERF012 alters the transcriptome profiles of the fruit peel and pulp, and the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, biosynthesis of secondary metabolism, and fructose and mannose metabolism. Overall, the data showed that MaERF012 acts as a transcriptional activator by regulating fruit ripening by activating the transcription of chlorophyll, starch, and cell wall degradation genes.
Magnetic Field, Variable Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Radiation, and Viscous Dissipation Effect on Heat and Momentum of Fractional Oldroyd-B Bio Nano-Fluid within a Channel
Authors: Kaleem Muhammad Madssar , Usman Muhammad , Asjad Muhammad Imran , Eldin Sayed M.
Published: December 2022

This study deals with the analysis of the heat and velocity profile of the fractional-order Oldroyd-B bio-nanofluid within a bounded channel. The study has a wide range of scope in modern fields of basic science such as medicine, the food industry, electrical appliances, nuclear as well as industrial cooling systems, reducing pollutants, fluids used in the brake systems of vehicles, etc. Oldroyd-B fluid is taken as a bio-nanofluid composed of base fluid (blood) and copper as nanoparticles. Using the fractional-order Oldroyd-B parameter, the governing equation is generalized from an integer to a non-integer form. A strong approach, i.e., a finite difference scheme, is applied to discretize the model, because the fractional approach can well address the physical phenomena and memory effect of the flow regime. Therefore, a Caputo fractional differentiation operator is used for the purpose. The transformations for the channel flow are utilized to transfigure the fractional-order partial differential equations (PDEs) into non-dimension PDEs. The graphical outcomes for non-integer ordered Oldroyd-B bio-nanofluid dynamics and temperature profiles are navigated using the numerical technique. These results are obtained under some very important physical conditions applied as a magnetic field effect, variable thermal conductivity, permeable medium, and heat source/sink. The results show that the addition of (copper) nanoparticles to (blood) base fluids enhances the thermal conductivity. For a comparative study, the obtained results are compared with the built-in results using the mathematical software MAPLE 2016.
Adaptive Fuzzy Backstepping Control of Fractional-Order Chaotic System Synchronization Using Event-Triggered Mechanism and Disturbance Observer
Authors: Bai Zhiye , Li Shenggang , Liu Heng , Zhang Xiulan
Published: December 2022

The synchronization of fractional-order chaotic systems is investigated using command-filtered adaptive fuzzy control with a disturbance observer, where an event-triggered mechanism and backstepping control technique are employed. In order to relieve the pressure of the continuous update of the controller and improve the resource utilization, an event-triggered control strategy is constructed to reduce the amount of communication for the actuator. Under the framework of adaptive fuzzy backstepping recursive design, fuzzy logical systems and disturbance observers are proposed to estimate the unknown parametric uncertainties and external disturbances, respectively. Moreover, a tracking differentiator is introduced to eliminate the drawback of the explosion of complexity in traditional backstepping. By applying the fractional-order stability theory, all closed-loop signals are bounded and chaos synchronization is achieved. Finally, a simulation example is provided to confirm the effectiveness of the designed method.
A General Return-Mapping Framework for Fractional Visco-Elasto-Plasticity
Authors: Suzuki Jorge L. , Naghibolhosseini Maryam , Zayernouri Mohsen
Published: December 2022

We develop a fractional return-mapping framework for power-law visco-elasto-plasticity. In our approach, the fractional viscoelasticity is accounted for through canonical combinations of Scott-Blair elements to construct a series of well-known fractional linear viscoelastic models, such as Kelvin–Voigt, Maxwell, Kelvin–Zener, and Poynting–Thomson. We also consider a fractional quasi-linear version of Fung’s model to account for stress/strain nonlinearity. The fractional viscoelastic models are combined with a fractional visco-plastic device, coupled with fractional viscoelastic models involving serial combinations of Scott-Blair elements. We then develop a general return-mapping procedure, which is fully implicit for linear viscoelastic models, and semi-implicit for the quasi-linear case. We find that, in the correction phase, the discrete stress projection and plastic slip have the same form for all the considered models, although with different property and time-step-dependent projection terms. A series of numerical experiments is carried out with analytical and reference solutions to demonstrate the convergence and computational cost of the proposed framework, which is shown to be at least first-order accurate for general loading conditions. Our numerical results demonstrate that the developed framework is more flexible and preserves the numerical accuracy of existing approaches while being more computationally tractable in the visco-plastic range due to a reduction of 50% in CPU time. Our formulation is especially suited for emerging applications of fractional calculus in bio-tissues that present the hallmark of multiple viscoelastic power-laws coupled with visco-plasticity.
Correction: Song et al. New Results on Robust Synchronization for Memristive Neural Networks with Fractional Derivatives via Linear Matrix Inequality. Fractal Fract. 2022, 6, 585
Authors: Song Chao , Cao Jinde , Abdel-Aty Mahmoud
Published: December 2022

In the original publication, there were two mistakes in Figure 1 and Figure 2, as published [...]
Genomic Analyses Implicate the Amazon–Orinoco Plume as the Driver of Cryptic Speciation in a Swimming Crab
Authors: Peres Pedro A. , Bracken-Grissom Heather , Timm Laura E. , Mantelatto Fernando L.
Published: December 2022

The Amazon–Orinoco plume (AOP) is the world’s largest freshwater and sediment discharge into the ocean. Previous studies limited to mtDNA suggest that the swimming crab Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 exists as two distinct genetic clusters separated by the AOP. However, questions concerning migration, diversification time, and species delimitation are unresolved. Densely sampling markers across the genome (SNPs) could elucidate the evolutionary processes within this species. Here, we combined mtDNA data and ddRAD-seq to explore the diversification patterns and processes within the swimming crab C. ornatus. We show great genetic differentiation between groups on the north and south sides of the plume but also signs of hybridization. Demographic modeling indicates the divergence between groups starting around 8 Mya following the AOP’s formation. After a period of isolation, we detect two incidences of secondary contact with stronger migration in concordance with the North Brazil Current flow. Our results suggest speciation with gene flow explained by the interplay among the AOP, oceanographic currents, and long larval dispersal. This work represents the first investigation employing ddRAD-seq in a marine invertebrate species with distribution encompassing the north and south Atlantic and sheds light on the role of the AOP in the diversification of a marine species.
Which Types of Body-Oriented Interventions Promote Preschoolers’ Social-Emotional Competence? A Systematic Review
Authors: Dias Rodrigues Andreia , Cruz-Ferreira Ana , Marmeleira José , Laranjo Luís , Veiga Guida
Published: December 2022

There has been a recent increase in body-oriented interventions implemented in educational contexts. Body-oriented interventions are grounded on the body–mind relationship, involving body and movement awareness and expression. In this systematic review of the literature on body-oriented interventions implemented in preschool contexts, we review the scope and quality of the quantitative evidence of each type of body-oriented intervention regarding social-emotional competence. Seven databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs. Seven core body-oriented intervention programs were found (e.g., play, relaxation, and psychomotricity). Play programs were the most studied and appear to be the most effective to improve social-emotional competence. Nevertheless, the level of scientific evidence was compromised by the lack of studies with high methodological quality.
The Prevalence of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies and High Levels of Non-Essential Heavy Metals in Saudi Arabian Adults
Authors: Albalawi Omar , Almubark Rasha , Almarshad Abdulrahman , Alqahtani Amani S.
Published: December 2022

Although the micronutrient status of a population is of high national priority, as it critically impacts public health, limited data is available for quantifying the micronutrient status in Saudi Arabia. We aimed to provide comprehensive, epidemiological, descriptive data regarding micronutrient levels in Saudi adults. This cross-sectional study included 3432 adults aged ≥18 years (mean age, 37.7 ± 11.7 years; women, 51.2%) across all 13 Saudi administrative regions (March 2019–November 2021). Laboratory data for 14 micronutrients (8 vitamins, 4 minerals, and 2 nonessential heavy metals) were characterized using descriptive analysis. Vitamin D deficiency (64.3%) was the most prevalent, followed by vitamin B2 (44.9%) and A (9.6%) deficiencies. Among minerals, iron deficiency was the most prevalent (23.2%), followed by zinc (15.3%) and copper (8.7%) deficiencies. Most Saudi adults exhibited normal arsenic (99.7%) and mercury (99.9%) levels. Men exhibited significantly higher vitamin B2, B9, and D deficiencies than women, while women exhibited higher vitamin A, B12, iron, and zinc deficiencies than men. Younger adults demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of vitamin D and iron deficiencies, whereas older adults exhibited a higher prevalence of vitamin B1 and magnesium deficiencies. As micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern, health policies and programs need to be developed and implemented to address them.
The Effectiveness and Safety of Botulinum Neurotoxin in Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Ting-Yen , Su Yu-Chi , Lin Yu-Ching , Guo Yao-Hong
Published: December 2022

Obstetric brachial plexus injury, also known as neonatal brachial plexus injury, is not unusual in newborns. Given the lack of a comprehensive synthesis of the available data on the effectiveness of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) in treating children with obstetric brachial plexus injury, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases from inception to 25 November 2022. Outcomes were function of the shoulder and elbow joints, muscle power of the deltoid, biceps brachii and triceps brachii, and the recurrence rate of subluxation or dislocation after reduction of the shoulder joint after BoNT application. Meta-regression was conducted to assess the moderator effect of age. We included 11 case series and 2 cohort studies. Passive range of motion of shoulder external rotation (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.678; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 0.423 to 0.934), Active Movement Scale for shoulder external rotation (SMD, 0.47; 95%CI, 0.131 to 0.808), and active range of motion of elbow extension (SMD, 2.445; 95%CI, 1.556 to 3.334) increased significantly after BoNT. However, the modified Gilbert scale for shoulder abduction (SMD, 1.239; 95% CI, −0.2 to 2.678), the Toronto score for active elbow flexion (SMD, 1.099; 95% CI, −0.053 to 2.252), muscle power of deltoid (SMD, 0.675; 95% CI, −0.599 to 1.949), biceps brachii (SMD, 0.225; 95% CI, −0.633 to 1.083), and triceps brachii (SMD, 1.354; 95% CI, −1.493 to 4.202) did not reach statistical significance. The moderator effect of age was not significant (p = 0.88). Meta-analysis was not done for recurrence rate of subluxation or dislocation due to insufficient data. In conclusion, our data support BoNT use in patients with obstetric brachial plexus injury. However, definite conclusions cannot be drawn due to small sample size and the lack of randomized controlled trials. More research is warranted to clarify the effectiveness of BoNT in patients with obstetric brachial plexus injury by using standardized injection protocols and outcome measurements.
A Systematic Review on Spinal Asymmetries in Case Studies of Unilateral Nephroptosis from a Viscerosomatic Point of View
Authors: Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Ángel , Castillo-Cañuelo María José , Oliva-Pascual-Vaca Jesús , Pérez-Montalbán María , Ordonez Francisco Javier , Martínez-Fernández José Antonio
Published: December 2022

The assessment of posture and asymmetries is common in musculoskeletal clinical practice, and correction is a frequent goal. In this setting, posture and asymmetries are usually interpreted in terms of musculoskeletal issues. This study aimed to evaluate spinal asymmetries in case studies of unilateral nephroptosis. A systematic review was performed using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. We included case reports and case series of nephroptotic patients which showed diagnostic imaging that allowed us to assess the presence of spinal asymmetries in the frontal plane. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed by using Case Report (CARE) checklist. Nineteen studies were included, with a total number of 78 reported patients (69 women) ranging 22 to 44 years old (mean: 29). Only one patient presented with medial nephroptosis, while the rest presented with caudal migration. Ninety-one percent of the cases affected to the right kidney. All cases but two showed homolateral flank closure (lower rib descent, iliac crest raise and/or homolateral side-bending). The correction of nephroptosis, either by supine position or surgical treatment, removed asymmetries in some cases while other cases improved only partly. Manual therapists must consider visceral implications while assessing body posture. Further, since the most common symptom of nephroptosis is loin pain, and it has been claimed that loin pain is underdiagnosed, manual therapists should consider its potential presence during clinical practice. Finally, being that nephroptosis shares several features with idiopathic lumbar scoliosis (type of patient, postural adaptation), more research is needed regarding any possible relation between them.
Caregiver Burden among Caregivers of Patients with Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cham Choy Qing , Ibrahim Norhayati , Siau Ching Sin , Kalaman Clarisse Roswini , Ho Meng Chuan , Yahya Amira Najiha , Visvalingam Uma , Roslan Samsilah , Abd Rahman Fairuz Nazri , Lee Kai Wei
Published: December 2022

Due to the increasing importance of caregivers in the treatment outcomes of patients with mental illness, this study aimed to systematically review studies investigating the former’s caregiver burden and determine its prevalence. An open search, without filters, was conducted. Articles were selected from Medline, Scopus, and PubMed from inception to 30 April 2022 using the PRISMA protocol. Subgroup analyses examined the between-group differences by study setting, measurements used, and disorder type. A total of 5034 caregivers from 23 countries were included in this review. Thirty-nine studies were included in the systematic review, and, among them, twenty-six were deemed eligible for meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of caregiver burden among caregivers of individuals with mental illness was 31.67% (95% CI = 26.22–37.12). Pooled prevalence was the highest among care recipients receiving treatment in a hospital setting (36.06%; 95% CI = 22.50–49.63), followed by the community and clinic settings. Caregiver prevalence values were higher for burden measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (38.05%; 95% CI = 27.68–48.43). compared with other instruments, and for carers of care recipients with psychosis (35.88%; 95% CI = 27.03–44.72) compared with those without. Thus, targeted interventions should focus on caregivers of patients in hospital settings and with psychotic symptoms.
Tracing Trade and Settlement Infrastructures in the Judaic Material Culture of Tafilalt, Southeastern Morocco
Authors: Bigon Liora , Langenthal Edna
Published: December 2022

This article traces the history of the medieval oasis city of Sijilmassa, southeastern Morocco, and that of its modern, continuation city of metropolitan Rissani in the Tafilalt region. Elements of mobility and transition are discussed in light of the prominent historical role of the urban settlement in Tafilalt in long-distance trans-Saharan trade infrastructure. These elements are developed with a focus on the region’s Jewish communities, their socio-spatial characteristics, the employed toponymy with respect to Sijilmassa, and the material culture. Within the material culture of Tafilalt’s Jewry until the 1950s and 1960s (that is, upon their dramatic emigration from Morocco, mostly to Israel), the article analyzes in an original manner their traditional marriage contracts (ketubah-s) as a textual and especially as an esthetic artifact. The analysis interprets the visual imagery that appears in these manuscripts—an imagery that corresponds with global Jewish symbols, with the vernacular architecture in the Tafilalt, and with wider regional, trans-Saharan conceptual motifs. Revealing the composite symbolic imagery and decoding the visual repertoire of the ketubah-s against the rich cultural histories of the pre-Sahara region—with affinity to both northern Morocco and sub-Saharan, “black”, Africa—necessitates an interdisciplinary approach. This study brings together area studies (of the Middle East and Africa), art histories (of architecture and built forms, artifacts, and manuscripts), cultural studies (critical intra-group relations between Arabs, Berbers and Jews), and human geography (forms of settlements and long-distance trade activity)—in a type of meeting that is quite uncommon in the relevant research literature. Its contribution lies in tracing the dissemination of ideas and material cultures among less researched groups (southeastern Jewry) and regions (pre-Saharan) in Morocco, through engaging a transdisciplinary lens that requires an intimate acquaintance with associated research historiographies.
CO2 Concentrations and Thermal Comfort Analysis at Onsite and Online Educational Environments
Authors: Alegría-Sala Alba , Clèries Tardío Elisenda , Casals Lluc Canals , Macarulla Marcel , Salom Jaume
Published: December 2022

In building areas with high occupancy, such as classrooms, transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 are increased when indoor air quality is deficient. Under this scenario, universities have adopted ventilation measures to mitigate contagious environments. However, the lack of adequate equipment or designs in old educational buildings is a barrier to reach minimum requirements. This study aims to quantify the indoor air quality and thermal comfort at universities and compare it to conditions in students’ households. In this regard, several classrooms in buildings of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia were monitored for temperature, CO2 concentration and relative humidity. The people who used these classrooms were surveyed about their comfort perceptions. A sample of students was also monitored at their homes where they reported to studying during the exam period. By means of point-in-time surveys, students reported their daily comfort, for comparison with the monitored data. The results show that the recommendations for CO2 concentration, temperature, and relative humidity are not always met in any of the study spaces. These factors are more critical at universities due to the high occupancy. In addition, the surveys highlighted the perception that the environment is better at home than at university.
The Role of Forestry-Based Policies in Alleviating Relative Poverty in the Rocky Desertification Area in Southwest China
Authors: Wang Yifan , Li He , Zhao Rong
Published: December 2022

China has put forward a series of forestry-based poverty alleviation policies, aiming to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of rural households, especially in backward and ecologically fragile areas with rich forest resources. Based on field survey data, we used an empirical analysis method to investigate the role of forestry-based policies in alleviating the relative poverty of rural households in the rocky desertification area in southwest China. The Logit regression results demonstrate that forestry-based poverty alleviation policies are significant at alleviating the relative poverty of rural households, and there are differences in the degree and significance of the impact of various forestry-based poverty alleviation policies. In particular, the forestry industry support (FIS) policy, the ecological forest rangers (EFRs) policy, and the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) can significantly decrease the incidence of relative poverty of rural households, while the effect of the Public Benefit Forest Compensation Program (PBFC) on decreasing the incidence of relative poverty is not significant. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the role and effectiveness of China’s forestry-based poverty alleviation policies, and can provide a reference for optimizing the forestry poverty alleviation policies for the specific area and even the whole nation, as well as provide experience for worldwide poverty alleviation by forestry.
Spatial Relationships and Impact Effects between Urbanization and Ecosystem Health in Urban Agglomerations along the Belt and Road: A Case Study of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
Authors: Wu Yan , Wu Yingmei , Li Chen , Gao Binpin , Zheng Kejun , Wang Mengjiao , Deng Yuhong , Fan Xin
Published: December 2022

A healthy ecosystem is fundamental for sustainable urban development. Rapid urbanization has altered landscape patterns and ecological functions, resulting in disturbances to ecosystem health. Exploring the effects of urbanization on ecosystem health and the spatial relationships between them is significant for cities along the “Belt and Road” aiming to achieve sustainable regional development. This study took the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as an example and measured the urbanization level (UL) and ecosystem health index (EHI) from 2000 to 2020 using multisource data. We used bivariate spatial autocorrelation, the geographically weighted regression model (GWR), and the optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD) model to clarify the impact of urbanization on ecosystem health and the spatial relationship between them from multiple perspectives. The major findings of this study were: (1) the EHI in the GBA decreased significantly during the study period, dropping from 0.282 to 0.255, whereas the UL increased significantly, exhibiting opposite spatial distribution features; (2) there was a significant negative spatial correlation between UL and the EHI and significant spatial heterogeneity between high–low and low–high types in the GBA; (3) the negative effects of urbanization on ecosystem health were predominant and becoming more pronounced in the central GBA. Moreover, urbanization had an increasingly significant negative effect, leading to the deterioration of ecosystem health, in the central GBA. Population urbanization drove land urbanization, which became the main factor affecting ecosystem health in the GBA. Overall, urbanization had a significant negative effect on ecosystem health, with this impact being particularly prominent in the core urban junctions of the GBA, which require urgent attention. The results of the study provide a basis for decision making in the context of the steady urbanization and ecosystem health protection of cities along the “Belt and Road”.