bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Genotype-Dependent Toolbox of Wheat under Drought Stress
Authors: Vassileva Valya , Georgieva Mariyana , Zehirov Grigor , Dimitrova Anna
Published: September 2023

Drought stress imposes substantial constraints on the growth and production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a globally important cereal crop essential for food security. To mitigate these adverse effects, researchers are intensifying their efforts to comprehend how different genotypes respond to drought stress, aiding in the development of sustainable breeding and management strategies. This review summarizes past and recent research on genotype-dependent responses of wheat plants to drought stress, encompassing morphological, physiological, biochemical, molecular, genetic, and epigenetic reactions. Screening drought-affected features at early developmental stages can provide valuable insights into the late growth stages that are closely linked to plant productivity. This review underscores the importance of identifying traits associated with drought resistance, and the potential of leveraging wheat diversity to select cultivars with desirable agronomic characteristics. It also highlights recent advancements in investigating Bulgarian wheat genotypes with varying levels of drought tolerance, specifically in detecting essential features contributing to drought tolerance. Cultivating drought-resistant wheat genotypes and understanding stress stability determinants could markedly contribute to enhancing wheat production and ensuring stable yields under changing climate conditions.
Turnip Yellows Virus Field Infection in Oilseed Rape: Does It Impact the Yield and Quality?
Authors: Vizi Ramóna , Kiss József , Turóczi György , Dobra Nóra , Pálinkás Zoltán
Published: September 2023

Brassica napus L., winter oilseed rape (OSR), is a major crop worldwide, with a wide range of uses and high profitability. Viruses, such as turnip yellows virus (TuYV), are becoming increasingly important, and in certain years, they can cause significant infestations in OSR. It is difficult to detect the presence of the virus during visual field inspections, as the symptoms it causes can be confused with either those caused by abiotic factors (e.g., low winter temperature, soil compaction, nutrient deficiencies, etc.) or by other viruses. The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of four commercial hybrids of oilseed rape to TuYV in Hungary and to determine the effect of the virus on phenotypic and yield parameters. The results showed that infection with the TuYV can be significant in OSR in some growing seasons. It was found that the appearance of visual symptoms (e.g., anthocyanin leaves) does not always confirm the presence of the virus (based on the ELISA (enzyme-linked immuno assay)), and it does not always detect a negative effect of TuYV on all phenotypic and yield parameters of the tested hybrids based on the results in one growing season.
Role of Melatonin in Directing Plant Physiology
Authors: Ramasamy Karthikeyan , Karuppasami Kalarani M. , Alagarswamy Senthil , Shanmugam Kavitha P. , Rathinavelu Sivakumar , Vellingiri Geethalakshmi , Muniyappan Umapathi , Kanthan Thirukumaran , Kuppusamy Anitha , Rajendran Megala , Kathirvel Arunkumar , Kanagarajan Selvaraju
Published: September 2023

Melatonin (MT), a naturally occurring compound, is found in various species worldwide. In 1958, it was first identified in the pineal gland of dairy cows. MT is an “old friend” but a “new compound” for plant biology. It brings experts and research minds from the broad field of plant sciences due to its considerable influence on plant systems. The MT production process in plants and animals is distinct, where it has been expressed explicitly in chloroplasts and mitochondria in plants. Tryptophan acts as the precursor for the formation of phyto-melatonin, along with intermediates including tryptamine, serotonin, N-acetyl serotonin, and 5-methoxy tryptamine. It plays a vital role in growth phases such as the seed germination and seedling growth of crop plants. MT significantly impacts the gas exchange, thereby improving physio-chemical functions in plant systems. During stress, the excessive generation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, nucleic acid damage, and enzyme inhibition. Because it directly acts as an antioxidant compound, it awakens the plant antioxidant defense system during stress and reduces the production of ROS, which results in decreasing cellular oxidative damage. MT can enhance plant growth and development in response to various abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, high temperature, flooding, and heavy metals by regulating the antioxidant mechanism of plants. However, these reactions differ significantly from crop to crop and are based on the level and kind of stress. The role of MT in the physiological functions of plants towards plant growth and development, tolerance towards various abiotic stresses, and approaches for enhancing the endogenous MT in plant systems are broadly reviewed and it is suggested that MT is a steering compound in directing major physiological functions of plants under the changing climate in future.
Bloodstream Infection Due to Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci: Impact of Species on Prevalence of Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Haddad Sara F. , Lahr Brian D. , Patarroyo Sebastian Santos , Chesdachai Supavit , Kies Kami D. , O’Horo John C. , DeSimone Daniel C. , Sendi Parham , Baddour Larry M.
Published: September 2023

(1) Background: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are an important group of organisms that can cause bloodstream infection (BSI) and infective endocarditis (IE). The prevalence of IE in patients with BSI due to different CoNS species, however, has received limited attention; (2) Methods: A retrospective study of adults with monomicrobial CoNS BSI who had undergone echocardiography and a risk factor analysis was done to determine the most common CoNS species that cause definite IE; (3) Results: 247 patients with CoNS BSI were included in the investigation; 49 (19.8%) had definite IE, 124 (50.2%) possible IE, and 74 (30.0%) BSI only. The latter two entities were grouped in one category for further analysis. The most common species in CoNS BSI was Staphylococcus epidermidis (79.4%) and most patients (83.2%) had possible IE/BSI only. 59.1% of patients with BSI due to S. lugdunensis had definite IE. The majority of CoNS were healthcare-associated/nosocomial bacteremia. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that valve disease (p = 0.002) and a foreign cardiovascular material (p < 0.001) were risk factors associated with definite IE. Patients with S. lugdunensis BSI had an 8-fold higher risk of definite IE than did those with S. epidermidis BSI and nearly a 13-fold higher risk than did patients with BSI due to other species of CoNS (p = 0.002); (4) Conclusions: The prevalence of definite IE in patients with BSI due to different CoNS species was significant. CoNS bacteremia, particularly with S. lugdunensis, confers a significant risk of IE, particularly in patients with a valve disease or intravascular foreign body material and should not be immediately dismissed as a contaminant.
Anthocyanin Effects on Vascular and Endothelial Health: Evidence from Clinical Trials and Role of Gut Microbiota Metabolites
Authors: Laudani Samuele , Godos Justyna , Di Domenico Federica Martina , Barbagallo Ignazio , Randazzo Cinzia Lucia , Leggio Gian Marco , Galvano Fabio , Grosso Giuseppe
Published: September 2023

Hypertension and derived cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Increased oxidative stress and inflammatory state are involved in different alterations in endothelial functions that contribute to the onset of CVD. Polyphenols, and in particular anthocyanins, have aroused great interest for their antioxidant effects and their cardioprotective role. However, anthocyanins are rarely detected in blood serum because they are primarily metabolized by the gut microbiota. This review presents studies published to date that report the main results from clinical studies on the cardioprotective effects of anthocyanins and the role of the gut microbiota in the metabolism and bioavailability of anthocyanins and their influence on the composition of the microbiota. Even if it seems that anthocyanins have a significant effect on vascular health, more studies are required to better clarify which molecules and doses show vascular benefits without forgetting the crucial role of the microbiota.
Effect of Near-Infrared Pre-Irradiation on Irreversible Electroporation Treatment of Rat Gastric Tissues
Authors: Jeon Han Jo , Kim Hong Bae , Yim Sun Young , Lee Jae Min , Choi Hyuk Soon , Kim Eun Sun , Seo Yeon Seok , Jeen Yoon Tae , Lee Hong Sik , Chun Hoon Jai , Keum Bora
Published: September 2023

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a recognized ablation technique that induces apoptosis via potent electric fields. Nonetheless, the heterogeneity of biological tissues often results in inconsistent treatment outcomes, leaving residual viable cells and leading to potential relapse. To address this, previous strategies incorporated chemical enhancers to IRE, but these faced limitations such as limited tissue diffusion and hyperpigmentation. In this study, we explore the synergistic application of near-infrared (NIR) irradiation with IRE. Using an in vivo rat gastric tissue model, we pre-irradiated samples with NIR at 3 J/cm2 prior to IRE. The combined treatment, termed NIRE, produced a change in tissue impedance of 13.5 Ohm compared to IRE alone, indicating NIR’s potential in modulating tissue electrical properties. Subsequent histopathological and molecular assessments revealed a 1.12-fold increase in apoptosis for NIRE over IRE. Notably, the apoptosis-related proteins BCL and p21 exhibited a 1.24-fold and 1.29-fold overexpression following NIRE treatment, respectively, emphasizing NIRE’s enhanced apoptotic activation. In essence, our findings underscore the augmented therapeutic efficacy of IRE when complemented with NIR, presenting a promising avenue for bolstering treatment outcomes in tissue ablation.
Effect of Temperature and Thermal Ageing of Cable Silicone Rubber Accessories on Interface Pressure of Cable Joints
Authors: Xia Rong , Ouyang Benhong , Wang Yuli , Yuan Jianjun , Huang Kaiwen , Fang Chunhua , Wang Yanhui
Published: September 2023

The adequate interfacial pressure of silicone rubber in cable intermediate joints is a basic condition to ensure the normal operation of cable joints, while high temperature and ageing in the operation of actual cables and accessories would affect the magnitude of interfacial pressure. The uniaxial tensile force of two different silicone rubbers for 10 kV cold-shrink joints at different temperatures and thermal ageing times was measured by experiment, and the Yeoh rubber intrinsic structure model was fitted according to the measured data. The material model was embedded into a two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element simulation model of the structure, and the relationship between the interference, temperature, thermal ageing time and interfacial pressure was investigated. The results show that the interfacial pressure increases linearly with the increase in interference. At the same interference, the interfacial pressure at the root of insulating silicone rubber and semiconducting silicone rubber increased by 9.1%, 12.3%, 6.4% and 9.2%, 16.3%, 5.6%, respectively, at 50, 75, and 100 °C compared with room temperature, and the largest interfacial pressure of cable joints was at 75 °C. Using the established ageing life prediction model based on the Arrhenius principle, the service life of the accessories was predicted to be 28.9 years at 90 °C of operating temperature and interfacial pressure greater than 55% of initial interfacial pressure.
AI in Experiments: Present Status and Future Prospects
Authors: Pagliaro Antonio , Sangiorgi Pierluca
Published: September 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become deeply intertwined with scientific inquiry and experimentation [...]
Financial Loss Assessment for Weather-Induced Railway Accidents Based on a Deep Learning Technique Using Weather Indicators
Authors: Lim Kwang-Kyun , Kim Ji-Myong
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this research is to build a deep learning algorithm-based model that can use weather indicators to quantitatively predict financial losses associated with weather-related railroad accidents. Extreme weather events and weather disasters caused by global warming are happening with increasing frequency worldwide, leading to substantial economic losses. Railways, which represent one of the most important means of transportation, are also affected by such weather events. However, empirical and quantitative studies examining losses stemming from weather conditions for railways have to this point been scarce. Hence, the present study collected and analyzed weather-induced railway accident data and meteorological factors (wind, precipitation, rainfall, etc.) from 2001 to 2021 with the aim of predicting financial losses caused by weather events; the ultimate goal is to help inform long-term strategies for effective recovery from railway accidents. Objective and scientific analysis was conducted in the present study by using a deep learning algorithm. The outcomes and framework of this research will offer crucial guidelines for efficient and sustainable railway maintenance. These results will also serve as a crucial point of reference for loss quantification studies and other facility management studies.
Improvement in Some Inequalities via Jensen–Mercer Inequality and Fractional Extended Riemann–Liouville Integrals
Authors: Hyder Abd-Allah , Almoneef Areej A. , Budak Hüseyin
Published: September 2023

The primary intent of this study is to establish some important inequalities of the Hermite–Hadamard, trapezoid, and midpoint types under fractional extended Riemann–Liouville integrals (FERLIs). The proofs are constructed using the renowned Jensen–Mercer, power-mean, and Holder inequalities. Various equalities for the FERLIs and convex functions are construed to be the mainstay for finding new results. Some connections between our main findings and previous research on Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals and FERLIs are also discussed. Moreover, a number of examples are featured, with graphical representations to illustrate and validate the accuracy of the new findings.
MWG-UNet: Hybrid Deep Learning Framework for Lung Fields and Heart Segmentation in Chest X-ray Images
Authors: Lyu Yu , Tian Xiaolin
Published: September 2023

Deep learning technology has achieved breakthrough research results in the fields of medical computer vision and image processing. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) have demonstrated a capacity for image generation and expression ability. This paper proposes a new method called MWG-UNet (multiple tasking Wasserstein generative adversarial network U-shape network) as a lung field and heart segmentation model, which takes advantages of the attention mechanism to enhance the segmentation accuracy of the generator so as to improve the performance. In particular, the Dice similarity, precision, and F1 score of the proposed method outperform other models, reaching 95.28%, 96.41%, and 95.90%, respectively, and the specificity surpasses the sub-optimal models by 0.28%, 0.90%, 0.24%, and 0.90%. However, the value of the IoU is inferior to the optimal model by 0.69%. The results show the proposed method has considerable ability in lung field segmentation. Our multi-organ segmentation results for the heart achieve Dice similarity and IoU values of 71.16% and 74.56%. The segmentation results on lung fields achieve Dice similarity and IoU values of 85.18% and 81.36%.
Long-Term Clinical Outcome of Abdomino-Thoracic Lymphatic Interventions of Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Lymphatic Leakage in Adults
Authors: Kaminski Lea C. , Wagenpfeil Julia , Buermann Jens , Lutz Philipp L. , Luetkens Julian A. , Attenberger Ulrike I. , Strassburg Christian P. , Kalff Jörg C. , Schild Hans H. , Pieper Claus C.
Published: September 2023

The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the long-term results of lymphatic interventions in adults with abdomino-thoracic lymphatic pathologies. Management of abdomino-thoracic chylous effusions in adults undergoing X-ray-lymphangiography with or without lymph-vessel embolization (LVE) from 2010–2018 was reviewed. Patients underwent lymphangiography alone when imaging showed normal findings or lymphatic obstruction without leakage or reflux; otherwise, LVE was performed (leakage, reflux, obstruction with leakage or reflux, lymphatic masses). Technical and clinical success, complications, and long-term outcomes were assessed. 78 patients (47 male, median age 56.3 years) were treated for chylous effusions (60.3% traumatic, 39.7% non-traumatic). Lymphangiography showed leakage (48.7%), reflux (14.1%), obstruction (28.2%), lymphatic masses (5.1%), and normal findings (3.8%). Embolization was performed in 49/78 (62.8%) cases. Overall, treatment was clinically successful in 74.4% (mean follow-up of 28 months), with significant differences between LVE and lymphangiography (91.8% vs. 44.8%; p < 0.001), traumatic and non-traumatic etiologies (89.4% vs. 51.6%; p < 0.001), and leakage locations (p = 0.003). The clinical success of LVE did not differ between leakage etiologies or locations. Complications occurred in 5 patients (2/5 needed treatment). Patients survived significantly longer after successful treatment (2679 vs. 927 days; p = 0.044) and without malignancy (3214 vs. 1550 days; p = 0.043). Lymphatic interventions are safe and effective. LVE should be attempted whenever feasible, as success is high (>90%). Successful intervention has a positive effect on patient survival.
The Gender of Retirement in a Double-Ageing Country: Perspectives and Experiences of Retired Women and Men in Portugal
Authors: Pereira Maria Carolina , Rosa Miriam , Santos Maria Helena
Published: September 2023

This article aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of women and men at the stage in their lives following professional retirement, enriching the present and future of a continuously ageing Portuguese society. In order to better capture the diversity and complexity of each individual’s experiences, a qualitative methodology was used. Semi-structured individual interviews were carried out with sixteen retired people, eight women and eight men, aged between 59 and 88 years old. A thematic analysis allowed us to identify five themes in the interviewees’ discourses. We concluded that gender may be a source of heterogeneity at this stage of life, suggesting that these findings should be analysed in the scope of a life course perspective, and highlighting the impact that the different trajectories of women and men have, as well as the historical and social context in which they take place.
COVID-19 and the Nervous System from a Cuban Experience
Authors: Robinson-Agramonte Maria de los Angeles , Sánchez Teresa Serrano , García Elena Noris , Barrera Orlando Rafael Serrano , Siniscalco Dario
Published: September 2023

Neuropsychiatric manifestations of viral infections (both per se and secondary to the neuroinflammatory reaction of the host) are mainly attributed to immunological reactions, so many aspects of their pathogenesis are still nuclear. Some novel therapeutic strategies are progressively emerging in which a vaccination may be having a particular impact on recovery and reduction of death. In this context, it is accepted that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is profoundly neurotropic and neuroinvasive, with various effects on the nervous system, although there is no complete understanding of the mechanism of neuroinvasion, brain injury, or short- or long-term neuropsychiatric sequelae. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the post-infectious manifestations of COVID-19 to guide the management of neuropsychiatric diseases. Thus, based on different research groups focused on this field, in this manuscript we summarize papers on COVID-19 and the nervous system (NS) published in a series of articles by Cuban authors. This review focuses on cognitive and affective emotional states, pathogenesis, biomarkers, clinical manifestations, and intervention strategies.
Tire–Pavement Interaction Simulation Based on Finite Element Model and Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Zhang Qingtao , Shangguan Lingxiao , Li Tao , Ma Xianyong , Yin Yunfei , Dong Zejiao
Published: September 2023

Acquiring accurate tire–pavement interaction information is crucial for pavement mechanical analysis and pavement maintenance. This paper combines the tire finite element model (FEM) and response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain tire–pavement interaction information and to analyze the pavement structure response under different loading conditions. A set of experiments was initially designed through the Box–Behnken design (BBD) method to obtain input and output variables for RSM calibration. The resultant RSM was evaluated accurately using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach. Then, tire loading simulations were conducted under different magnitudes of static loading using the optimal parameter combination obtained from the RSM. The results show that the deviations between the simulations and the real test results were mostly below 5%, validating the effectiveness of the tire FEM. Additionally, three different dynamic conditions—including free rolling, full brake, and full traction—were simulated by altering the tire rolling angle and translational velocities. Finally, the pavement mechanical response under the three rolling conditions was analyzed based on the tire–pavement contact feature.
Reduced Risk of All-Cause, Cancer-, and Cardiovascular Disease-Related Mortality among Patients with Primary Malignant Cardiac Tumors Receiving Chemotherapy in the United States
Authors: Appiah Duke , Goodart Carina R. , Kothari Grishma K. , Ebong Imo A. , Nwabuo Chike C.
Published: September 2023

Primary malignant cardiac tumors (PMCTs) are rare but lethal neoplasms. There are limited evidence-based treatment guidelines for PMCTs. We evaluated the relation of chemotherapy with mortality outcomes in patients with PMCTs in the United States. Data were from patients aged ≥ 20 years from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program who were diagnosed with PMCTs from 2000 to 2020. Cox regression, competing risk, and propensity score analyses were performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI). About 53% of the 563 patients with PMCTs received chemotherapy as the first course of treatment. During a mean follow-up of 24.7 months (median: 10), 458 deaths occurred with 81.7% and 9.4% due to cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), respectively. In models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinico-pathophysiological factors including histology, receipt of chemotherapy was associated with low risk for all-cause (HR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.45–0.69), cancer (HR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.50–0.80) and CVD mortality (HR: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12–0.58). Patients who had both chemotherapy and surgery had the lowest risk for all-cause and cancer mortality. This study suggests that the subpopulations of patients with PMCTs who receive chemotherapy may have better prognosis than those who do not receive this therapy regardless of histology.
Multilevel Threshold Segmentation of Skin Lesions in Color Images Using Coronavirus Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Alsahafi Yousef S. , Elshora Doaa S. , Mohamed Ehab R. , Hosny Khalid M.
Published: September 2023

Skin Cancer (SC) is among the most hazardous due to its high mortality rate. Therefore, early detection of this disease would be very helpful in the treatment process. Multilevel Thresholding (MLT) is widely used for extracting regions of interest from medical images. Therefore, this paper utilizes the recent Coronavirus Disease Optimization Algorithm (COVIDOA) to address the MLT issue of SC images utilizing the hybridization of Otsu, Kapur, and Tsallis as fitness functions. Various SC images are utilized to validate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm is compared to the following five meta-heuristic algorithms: Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA), Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA), Reptile Search Algorithm (RSA), Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA), Seagull Optimization Algorithm (SOA), and Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer (GTO) to prove its superiority. The performance of all algorithms is evaluated using a variety of measures, such as Mean Square Error (MSE), Peak Signal-To-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Feature Similarity Index Metric (FSIM), and Normalized Correlation Coefficient (NCC). The results of the experiments prove that the proposed algorithm surpasses several competing algorithms in terms of MSE, PSNR, FSIM, and NCC segmentation metrics and successfully solves the segmentation issue.
The Utility of NGS Analysis in Homologous Recombination Deficiency Tracking
Authors: Tsantikidi Aikaterini , Papadopoulou Eirini , Metaxa-Mariatou Vasiliki , Kapetsis George , Tsaousis Georgios , Meintani Angeliki , Florou-Chatzigiannidou Chrysiida , Gazouli Maria , Papadimitriou Christos , Timotheadou Eleni , Kotsakis Athanasios , Boutis Anastasios , Boukovinas Ioannis , Kampletsas Eleftherios , Kontovinis Loukas , Fountzilas Elena , Andreadis Charalampos , Karanikiotis Charisios , Filippou Dimitrios , Theodoropoulos Georgios , Özdoğan Mustafa , Nasioulas George
Published: September 2023

Several tumor types have been efficiently treated with PARP inhibitors (PARPis), which are now approved for the treatment of ovarian, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. The BRCA1/2 genes and mutations in many additional genes involved in the HR pathway may be responsible for the HRD phenomenon. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between genomic loss of heterozygosity (gLOH) and alterations in 513 genes with targeted and immuno-oncology therapies in 406 samples using an NGS assay. In addition, the %gLOHs of 24 samples were calculated using the Affymetrix technology in order to compare the results obtained via the two methodologies. HR variations occurred in 20.93% of the malignancies, while BRCA1/2 gene alterations occurred in 5.17% of the malignancies. The %LOH was highly correlated with alterations in the BRCA1/2 genes, since 76.19% (16/21) of the BRCA1/2 positive tumors had a high %LOH value (p = 0.007). Moreover, the LOH status was highly correlated with the TP53 and KRAS statuses, but there was no association with the TMB value. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient for the 24 samples simultaneously examined via both assays was 0.87, indicating a nearly perfect agreement. In conclusion, the addition of gLOH analysis could assist in the detection of additional patients eligible for treatment with PARPis.
New Challenges for Anatomists in the Era of Omics
Authors: Stabile Anna Maria , Pistilli Alessandra , Mariangela Ruggirello , Rende Mario , Bartolini Desirée , Di Sante Gabriele
Published: September 2023

Anatomic studies have traditionally relied on macroscopic, microscopic, and histological techniques to investigate the structure of tissues and organs. Anatomic studies are essential in many fields, including medicine, biology, and veterinary science. Advances in technology, such as imaging techniques and molecular biology, continue to provide new insights into the anatomy of living organisms. Therefore, anatomy remains an active and important area in the scientific field. The consolidation in recent years of some omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics allows for a more complete and detailed understanding of the structure and function of cells, tissues, and organs. These have been joined more recently by “omics” such as radiomics, pathomics, and connectomics, supported by computer-assisted technologies such as neural networks, 3D bioprinting, and artificial intelligence. All these new tools, although some are still in the early stages of development, have the potential to strongly contribute to the macroscopic and microscopic characterization in medicine. For anatomists, it is time to hitch a ride and get on board omics technologies to sail to new frontiers and to explore novel scenarios in anatomy.
Pulmonary Surfactant in Adult ARDS: Current Perspectives and Future Directions
Authors: Dushianthan Ahilanandan , Grocott Michael P. W. , Murugan Ganapathy Senthil , Wilkinson Tom M. A. , Postle Anthony D.
Published: September 2023

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause of hypoxemic respiratory failure in adults, leading to the requirement for mechanical ventilation and poorer outcomes. Dysregulated surfactant metabolism and function are characteristic of ARDS. A combination of alveolar epithelial damage leading to altered surfactant synthesis, secretion, and breakdown with increased functional inhibition from overt alveolar inflammation contributes to the clinical features of poor alveolar compliance and alveolar collapse. Quantitative and qualitative alterations in the bronchoalveolar lavage and tracheal aspirate surfactant composition contribute to ARDS pathogenesis. Compared to neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (nRDS), replacement studies of exogenous surfactants in adult ARDS suggest no survival benefit. However, these studies are limited by disease heterogeneity, variations in surfactant preparations, doses, and delivery methods. More importantly, the lack of mechanistic understanding of the exact reasons for dysregulated surfactant remains a significant issue. Moreover, studies suggest an extremely short half-life of replaced surfactant, implying increased catabolism. Refining surfactant preparations and delivery methods with additional co-interventions to counteract surfactant inhibition and degradation has the potential to enhance the biophysical characteristics of surfactant in vivo.
Surface-Based Functional Alterations in Early-Onset and Late-Onset Parkinson’s Disease: A Multi-Modal MRI Study
Authors: Wang Min , Tan Changlian , Shen Qin , Cai Sainan , Liu Qinru , Liao Haiyan
Published: September 2023

This study used a surface-based method to investigate brain functional alteration patterns in early-onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) and late-onset Parkinson’s disease (LOPD) to provide more reliable imaging indicators for the assessment of the two subtypes. A total of 58 patients with Parkinson’s disease were divided into two groups according to age at onset: EOPD (≤50 years; 16 males and 15 females) and LOPD (>50 years; 17 males and 10 females) groups. Two control groups were recruited from the community: young adults (YC; ≤50 years; 8 males and 19 females) and older adults (OC; >50 years; 12 males and 10 females). No significant differences were observed between the EOPD and YC groups or the LOPD and OC groups in terms of age, sex, education, and MMSE scores (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the EOPD and LOPD groups in terms of education, H-Y scale, UPDRS score, or HAMD score (p > 0.05). Data preprocessing and surface-based regional homogeneity (2D-ReHo) calculations were subsequently performed using the MATLAB-based DPABIsurf software. The EOPD group showed decreased 2D-ReHo values in the left premotor area and right dorsal stream visual cortex, along with increased 2D-ReHo values in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In patients with LOPD, 2D-ReHo values were decreased in bilateral somatosensory and motor areas and the right paracentral lobular and mid-cingulate. The imaging characterization of surface-based regional changes may serve useful as monitoring indicators and will help to better understand the mechanisms underlying divergent clinical presentations.
Patellar Tendon Elasticity and Temperature Following after a 448 Kilohertz Radiofrequency Intervention on Active Healthy Subjects: An Open Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Cuevas-Cervera Maria , Aguilar-Nuñez Daniel , Aguilar-García María , García-Ríos María Carmen , González-Muñoz Ana , Navarro-Ledesma Santiago
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in the elasticity and temperature of the patellar tendon produced by the application of a radiofrequency at 448 kHz (CRMR) just after and 7 days after the intervention. An open controlled clinical trial was used with participants being recruited from a private clinic. The experimental group (n = 22) received a 448 kHz CRMR treatment while the control group (n = 22) did not receive any type of intervention. Quantitative ultrasound strain elastography (SEL) and thermography were used to collect data from 4 different areas of the patellar tendon. These areas were measured at the start (T0), just after (T1), and seven days after (T2) the intervention. There were thermal changes immediately after the intervention (p < 0.001). In addition, when the measurements were collected just after the intervention and seven days after they were analyzed, significant changes (p < 0.001) in temperature were observed in the tendons of both groups. Finally, a low but significant association (r = 0.434, p < 0.04) was observed between the elastic properties of the tendon at its insertion in the patella and thermal changes just after the 448 kHz intervention.
An Efficient and Effective Framework for Intestinal Parasite Egg Detection Using YOLOv5
Authors: Kumar Satish , Arif Tasleem , Ahamad Gulfam , Chaudhary Anis Ahmad , Khan Salahuddin , Ali Mohamed A. M.
Published: September 2023

Intestinal parasitic infections pose a grave threat to human health, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. The traditional manual microscopy system of intestinal parasite detection remains the gold standard procedure for diagnosing parasite cysts or eggs. This approach is costly, time-consuming (30 min per sample), highly tedious, and requires a specialist. However, computer vision, based on deep learning, has made great strides in recent years. Despite the significant advances in deep convolutional neural network-based architectures, little research has been conducted to explore these techniques’ potential in parasitology, specifically for intestinal parasites. This research presents a novel proposal for state-of-the-art transfer learning architecture for the detection and classification of intestinal parasite eggs from images. The ultimate goal is to ensure prompt treatment for patients while also alleviating the burden on experts. Our approach comprised two main stages: image pre-processing and augmentation in the first stage, and YOLOv5 algorithms for detection and classification in the second stage, followed by performance comparison based on different parameters. Remarkably, our algorithms achieved a mean average precision of approximately 97% and a detection time of only 8.5 ms per sample for a dataset of 5393 intestinal parasite images. This innovative approach holds tremendous potential to form a solid theoretical basis for real-time detection and classification in routine clinical examinations, addressing the increasing demand and accelerating the diagnostic process. Our research contributes to the development of cutting-edge technologies for the efficient and accurate detection of intestinal parasite eggs, advancing the field of medical imaging and diagnosis.
Using Computer Vision Techniques to Automatically Detect Abnormalities in Chest X-rays
Authors: Mustafa Zaid , Nsour Heba
Published: September 2023

Our research focused on creating an advanced machine-learning algorithm that accurately detects anomalies in chest X-ray images to provide healthcare professionals with a reliable tool for diagnosing various lung conditions. To achieve this, we analysed a vast collection of X-ray images and utilised sophisticated visual analysis techniques; such as deep learning (DL) algorithms, object recognition, and categorisation models. To create our model, we used a large training dataset of chest X-rays, which provided valuable information for visualising and categorising abnormalities. We also utilised various data augmentation methods; such as scaling, rotation, and imitation; to increase the diversity of images used for training. We adopted the widely used You Only Look Once (YOLO) v8 algorithm, an object recognition paradigm that has demonstrated positive outcomes in computer vision applications, and modified it to classify X-ray images into distinct categories; such as respiratory infections, tuberculosis (TB), and lung nodules. It was particularly effective in identifying unique and crucial outcomes that may, otherwise, be difficult to detect using traditional diagnostic methods. Our findings demonstrate that healthcare practitioners can reliably use machine learning (ML) algorithms to diagnose various lung disorders with greater accuracy and efficiency.
CLIP-Driven Prototype Network for Few-Shot Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Guo Shi-Cheng , Liu Shang-Kun , Wang Jing-Yu , Zheng Wei-Min , Jiang Cheng-Yu
Published: September 2023

Recent research has shown that visual–text pretrained models perform well in traditional vision tasks. CLIP, as the most influential work, has garnered significant attention from researchers. Thanks to its excellent visual representation capabilities, many recent studies have used CLIP for pixel-level tasks. We explore the potential abilities of CLIP in the field of few-shot segmentation. The current mainstream approach is to utilize support and query features to generate class prototypes and then use the prototype features to match image features. We propose a new method that utilizes CLIP to extract text features for a specific class. These text features are then used as training samples to participate in the model’s training process. The addition of text features enables model to extract features that contain richer semantic information, thus making it easier to capture potential class information. To better match the query image features, we also propose a new prototype generation method that incorporates multi-modal fusion features of text and images in the prototype generation process. Adaptive query prototypes were generated by combining foreground and background information from the images with the multi-modal support prototype, thereby allowing for a better matching of image features and improved segmentation accuracy. We provide a new perspective to the task of few-shot segmentation in multi-modal scenarios. Experiments demonstrate that our proposed method achieves excellent results on two common datasets, PASCAL-5i and COCO-20i.
Multidimensional Psychometrics of Teacher Educators’ Professional Identity: An Initial Validation with Teacher Educators in Southeast Asia
Authors: Tsukawaki Ryota , Maki Takayoshi , Hirata Yoshitsugu , Okahana Kiichiro , Shimoda Asami , Tsushima Aiko , Omori Mariko
Published: September 2023

While prior quantitative research has proposed a scale for measuring teacher educators’ professional identity in terms of two dimensions, a qualitative study and comprehensive review of the literature suggested that this factor actually consists of six dimensions: teacher of teachers, researcher, coach, curriculum developer, gatekeeper, and broker. The purpose of this study was to examine whether it is possible to measure teacher educators’ professional identity in terms of these six dimensions. A total of 192 teacher educators from Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand) participated in this study and responded to items we developed to measure their professional identity in addition to providing their basic attributes such as age, gender, highest level of education, and years of service as teachers or teacher educators. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the six-factor model was acceptable and permitted the assessment of teacher educators’ professional identity in terms of six dimensions. The results also show that women exhibit a stronger professional identity as teachers of teachers than do men and that the higher the respondents’ highest level of education, the stronger their professional identity as teachers of teachers, coaches, curriculum developers, or gatekeepers.
Two-Way Immersion Classrooms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Parent and Teacher Perceptions of Student Learning
Authors: Franco-Jenkins Ximena , LaForett Doré R. , Winsler Adam , Ordoñez Rojas Diego
Published: September 2023

The present study examined parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of student learning in Spanish–English Dual Language Education (DLE) programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants included 72 parents of students from kindergarten to second grade and eight teachers in two schools in the southeastern U.S. Parents retrospectively reported their perceptions of their children’s instruction and learning experiences in English and Spanish during the 2020–2021 school year. Teachers reported if their students had opportunities to practice oral bilingual skills and their perception of students’ improvement in English and Spanish skills. Parents reported that there were more opportunities to practice English than there were to practice Spanish. Teachers reported that remote instruction offered fewer opportunities than hybrid instruction did to practice oral language skills. Overall, the teachers agreed that students’ language skills in English and Spanish improved. Similarly, the parents agreed that students’ language skills improved; however, they reported that their English skills improved more than their Spanish skills did. Student and family background factors, such as language fluency and parental education, were negatively associated with barriers to remote access. Implications for future research and suggestions for supporting students attending DLE programs during remote instruction are offered.
Designing an Education Database in a Higher Education Institution for the Data-Driven Management of the Educational Process
Authors: Kustitskaya Tatiana A. , Esin Roman V. , Kytmanov Alexey A. , Zykova Tatiana V.
Published: September 2023

During the past two decades, higher education institutions have been experiencing challenges in transforming the traditional way of in-class teaching into blended learning formats with the support of e-learning technologies that make possible the collection and storing of considerable amounts of data on students. These data have considerable potential to bring digital technologies in education to a new level of personalized learning and data-driven management of the educational process. However, the way data are collected and stored in a typical university makes it difficult to achieve the mentioned goals, with limited examples of data being used for the purposes of learning analytics. In this work, based on the analysis of existing information systems and databases at Siberian Federal University, we propose principles of design for a university database architecture that allow for the development and implementation of a data-driven management approach. We consider various levels of detail of education data, describe the database organization and structure, and provide examples of learning analytics tools that can benefit from the proposed approach. Furthermore, we discuss various aspects of its implementation and associated questions.
Enhanced Learning Using Digital Recordings with Integrated Standardized Patient Examinations (ISPEs) in Physical Therapy Education: A Qualitative Pilot Study
Authors: Kinney Anthony E. (Toby) , Nordon-Craft Amy , Kardong-Edgren Suzan (Suzie) , Thompson Anne
Published: September 2023

(1) Background: Integrated standardized patient examinations (ISPEs) allow students to demonstrate competence with curricular learning and communication. Digital recordings of these experiences provide an objective permanent record, allowing students to review and improve their performance. Although recordings have been utilized as a tool in physical therapy education, no studies have described the impact of reviewing recordings of ISPE. This qualitative pilot study aimed to investigate student perceptions and learning after reviewing their recordings of ISPE. (2) Methods: Second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students (n= 23) participated in the study by completing an anonymous online survey after reviewing their recordings from three ISPEs. Thematic analysis was used to identify codes and central themes from the survey data. (3) Results: The results showed that 95.6% of students found the video review process beneficial. Five themes emerged: (i) digital recordings provide an objective performance assessment, (ii) approaches to self-review vary, (iii) it provides an opportunity for growth, (iv) a holistic review is possible, and (v) students need structure and guidance in the process. (4) Conclusions: Study findings indicate that a review of the recordings of ISPEs facilitates the development of clinical skills for physical therapy students. Implementing an explicit framework for reviewing the recordings may enhance the process and facilitate further promotion of reflection-on-action.
Learning-Based Multi-Domain Anti-Jamming Communication with Unknown Information
Authors: Li Yongcheng , Wang Jinchi , Gao Zhenzhen
Published: September 2023

Due to the open nature of the wireless channel, wireless networks are vulnerable to jamming attacks. In this paper, we try to solve the anti-jamming problem caused by smart jammers, which can adaptively adjust the jamming channel and the jamming power. The interaction between the legitimate transmitter and the jammers is modeled as a non-zero-sum game. Considering that it is challenging for the transmitter and the jammers to acquire each other’s information, we propose two anti-jamming communication schemes based on the Deep Q-Network (DQN) algorithm and hierarchical learning (HL) algorithm to solve the non-zero-sum game. Specifically, the DQN-based scheme aims to solve the anti-jamming strategies in the frequency domain and the power domain directly, while the HL-based scheme tries to find the optimal mixed strategies for the Nash equilibrium. Simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes. It is shown that the HL-based scheme has a better convergence performance and the DQN-based scheme has a higher converged utility of the transmitter. In the case of a single jammer, the DQN-based scheme achieves 80% of the transmitter’s utility of the no-jamming case, while the HL-based scheme achieves 63%.
MIFM: Multimodal Information Fusion Model for Educational Exercises
Authors: Song Jianfeng , Chen Hui , Li Chuan , Xie Kun
Published: September 2023

Educational exercises are crucial factors in the successful implementation of online education as they play a key role in assessing students’ learning and supporting teachers in instruction. These exercises encompass two primary types of data: text and images. However, existing methods for extracting exercise features only focus on the textual data, neglecting the rich semantic information present in the image data. Consequently, the exercise characterization vector generated by these methods struggles to fully characterize the exercise. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a multimodal information fusion-based exercise characterization model called MIFM. The MIFM model tackles the challenges of current exercise modeling methods by performing extraction and fusion operations on the heterogeneous features present in exercises. It employs a dual-stream architecture to separately extract features from images and text, and establishes connections between heterogeneous data using cross-modality attention methods. Finally, the heterogeneous features are fused using a Bi-LSTM combined with a multi-head attention mechanism. The resulting model produces a multimodal exercise characterization vector that fuses both modalities and incorporates three knowledge elements. In the experiments, by using the model to replace the exercise characterization modules in the three educational tasks, specifically, it achieves an increased ACC value of 72.35% in the knowledge mapping task, a heightened PCC value of 46.83% in the exercise difficulty prediction task, and an elevated AUC value of 62.57% in the student performance prediction task.