bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
APPLICATION OF ACHIEVEMENT TESTING SOFTWARE OF CADETS IN HIGHER MILITARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Лагодинський Олександр Сергійович , Буяло Олексій Васильович , Хамула Сергій Васильович
Published: February 2021

The article presents description, advantages, and use of the Achievement Testing Software (ATS) developed by the authors – the teaching staff of the Military Diplomatic Academy named after Yevheniy Bereznyak – for cadets’ achievement testing in the educational process of higher military educational institutions. The authors prove the necessity of the ATS introduction into the educational process of such institutions due to the inability of existing computer testing software to fully satisfy their needs (high costs of technical maintenance, closed exit codes, and constant reliance on the Internet connection making it impossible to provide sensitive information security). Unlike other systems, the ATS is a reliable instrument of military educational control, capable of operating off-line. It was developed based on fundamental works in test theory, measurement and evaluation by Ukrainian and foreign scholars. It can be widely used for different types of achievement testing in higher military educational institutions: classroom; entrance or summative; and in any type of military course. The ATS rational use allows saving learning time and teachers’ effort, simultaneous engagement of many cadets in the training process, as well as objective measurement and evaluation through its automation. The ATS also provides capabilities of control over the educational process which allow curricula correction due to the constant feedback from cadets. Basically, the ATS performs two interrelated functions: test development and editing (by teachers); and academic achievement measuring (by cadets through the developed test items). The system can be easily installed on personal computers with Windows XP Professional SP2 operational system. The article describes in greater detail the procedure of operating in two modules: the Teacher’s Module and the Testing Module. Here, the ATS provides a user-friendly menu that can be easily navigated by pressing on buttons and selecting necessary options according to the instructions. The test entrance is password-protected, the test is encrypted, and the test score can be quickly viewed by cadets and teachers immediately after its completion. The ATS efficiency was proved through an experiment involving cadets of the Military Diplomatic Academy named after Yevheniy Bereznyak by demonstrating improvement in their performance.
PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BYOD CONCEPT IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Цивільський Федір Миколайович , Козел Віктор Миколайович , Дроздова Євгенія Анатоліївна , Приходько Олена Олександрівна
Published: February 2021

The emerging range of personal mobile devices, due to their advanced technical characteristics, has made it possible to widely use them at enterprises, offices or educational institutions almost in any place. This has led to the introduction of a new concept of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), when a personal device (phone, tablet) is used for work or study. One of the serious problems encountered by teachers on the way of implementing BYOD into the educational process is the insufficient level of information competence and the lack of educational manuals for such classes. The aim of the research is to investigate the relevance of implementing BYOD approach in teaching Computer Engineering students and to consider the possibilities of using mobile devices for didactic purposes directly in the classroom and in distance learning. Within BYOD, the use of learning support mobile systems in the learning process gives its participants access to training materials, services and models adapted for the use in a mobile environment. The teachers effectively manage the learning process, in particular, focus the students’ attention on the sources of information that give the most correct and complete answers within the relevant disciplines. The research presents learning outcomes of two groups: control, with the traditional method of teaching and the equipment provided by the educational institution, and experimental, when students use their own mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) in the educational process, which gives a possibility to learn in any place convenient for a student and remotely send progress reports. The results showed that the students of the experimental group outperformed their groupmates from the control group in academic progress. The implementation of BYOD elements has led to the increase in students’ motivation and interest in their own learning. The main positive aspects of using BYOD technology in the learning process have been identified, such as convenience and flexibility, reducing the expenses of educational institutions, simplifying work with the network services, interactivity of learning, and applying multimedia format in the presentation of educational material during lectures, laboratory and practical classes, effectiveness of work with information and the presentation of results.
What is the impact of research with Morus nigra? – A scientometric study
Authors: Brandão Mêriane Lourdes de Paiva , Romano Camila Aline , Paz Andressa Tuane Santana , Paula José Realino de
Published: February 2021

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is an evergreen tree belonging to the Moraceae family. The genus Morus has numerous described species, including Morus nigra, an important plant in agriculture and traditional cultures. The objective of this study was to conduct a scientometric research on the species M. nigra. Bibliographic data was been obtained from the Web of Science database considering two times periods. These analyzes showed that research involving M. nigra is concentrated in the areas of nutrition, pharmacology and agronomy science. Eastern countries and Brazil are the largest producers of knowledge about M. nigra. The research has shown different interests in recent decades, showing that the scientific knowledge produced about the species is associated with the objective for which the plant was used throughout history. There is a trend in the growth of publications focused on the potential antioxidant of M. nigra products. The articles had a greater impact factor in the past, however, a significant growth trend in research with M. nigra in the last three years, also suggested by the increase in the number of publications in the period. Understanding the publication standards assist in directing future research as well as in understanding the current panorama of research associated with the species.
Brazilian green propolis doesn't have a beneficial effect on the cryopreservation of domestic cat epididymal spermatozoa
Authors: Gomes Henrique Albano Nogueira , Fernandes Denilsa Pires , Barbosa Brenna de Sousa , Izzo Roberta Gonçalves , Santos Fernanda Araujo dos , Silva Andréia Maria da , Macêdo Luã Barbalho de , Brito Parmênedes Dias de , Silva Alexandre Rodrigues , Bezerra Marcelo Barbosa
Published: February 2021

This study evaluated the effect of different concentrations of Brazilian green propolis on the cryopreservation of epididymal sperm from domestic cats. Spermatozoa were collected from cauda epididymis by slicing technique in a TRIS extender, preheated to 37ºC. Then, the sperm were evaluated and divided randomly between the control group (without adding propolis in the extender) and the treatment groups (adding different concentrations of propolis extract in the extender): P1 (0.1 mg/mL), P2 (0.3 mg/mL) e P3 (0.6 mg/mL). Subsequently, sperm were cryopreserved. The evaluated parameters were sperm kinetics by the Computer Assisted Semen Analysis, vigor, viability, membrane functionality, chromatin condensation and morphology. The parameters were measured before and after cryopreservation. Propolis didn’t show toxicity to the sperm in any concentrations, with no changes observed in the motility pattern. There was no significant influence of propolis on motility, vigor, percentage of viable spermatozoa, chromatin quality and other kinetic parameters in the cryopreserved samples. In sperm morphology, it was demonstrated a reduction in the percentage of normal cells in P1 and P2 groups in relation to the fresh sample, control and P3 group. In addition, an interesting effect from the propolis groups was observed on possible growth inhibition of microorganisms in the contaminated samples. Propolis didn’t provide superiority to the sperm parameters evaluated after thawing, except for the values of plasma membrane functionality, which were better. The propolis is an interesting component to be incorporated in the cryoprotectant medium due to its non-toxicity and the potential inhibition of microbial growth.
Determination of Nurses’ Attitudes and Beliefs on Sexual Care Towards
Urology Patients
Authors: Okgün Alcan Aliye , Çetin Serpil , Seyhan Ak Ezgi , Çulha Yeliz , Özbaş Ayfer
Published: February 2021

Objective: The aim of this descriptive research is to determine the attitudes and beliefs of urology nurses regarding sexual care.

Material and Methods: The data of this study were collected via internet between May and August 2020. The sample of the study consisted of 118 nurses who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study, able to use internet and working in clinics which urology patients are cared for. The data of the study were collected using data collection form that consists questions regarding the sociodemographic characteristics of the nurses and Sexual Attitudes and Belief Scale. Number and percentage distribution, Kruskal-Wallis, MannWhitney U test, Spearman Correlation Analysis were used in the analysis of the data.

Results: It was determined that the average age of the nurses was 32.61±6.73 (min:22, max:46) years. In this study, the mean score of the Sexual Attitudes and Beliefs Scale was determined as 40.86±8.57 (min:15 max:65). It was found that 79.7% (n:94) of the nurses did not spare time to discuss the sexual problems of their patients. It was found that the marital status of the nurses (U:190.00 p:0.010) and being educated about sexual care (U:1052.00 p:0.007) affected their sexual attitudes and beliefs. It was determined that the mean score of the nurses to feel themselves competent in providing counseling regarding sexual care to their patients was 4.25±2.39 (min:0, max:10) out of 10. It was determined that the mean score of the nurses for feeling comfortable while giving counseling to their patients regarding sexual care was 4.32±2.63 out of 10 (min:0 to max:10).

Conclusion: In conclusion, it has been determined that urology nurses have a moderate obstacle in providing consultancy to patients about sexual care, and do not feel comfortable and comfortable. It is recommended to strengthen nursing education curricula on sexual health and care.

Keywords: Urology; nurse; sexual care; attitude; belief
IFT20 Mediates the Transport of Cell Migration Regulators From the Trans-Golgi Network to the Plasma Membrane in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Yang Huihui , Zhang Fan , Long Huan , Lin Yiwen , Liao Jiahui , Xia Haibin , Huang Kaiyao
Published: February 2021

IFT20 is a subunit of the intraflagellar transport (IFT) system essential for the formation and function of cilia. Besides predominant research in the cilia field, some IFT subunits perform extraciliary roles in non-ciliated cancer cells. However, the specific roles of IFT subunits in tumorigenesis remain unknown. Here, we found that knockout of IFT20 in mouse breast cancer cells lacking primary cilia promoted epithelial mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), active lamellipodia formation, and cell migration. IFT20 localized at the trans-Golgi and trans-Golgi network (TGN), and displayed vesicular co-distributions with Rab8a, the marker of TGN-to-plasma membrane vesicular trafficking. Proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) and colocalization analyzes showed that Numb and Ctnnal1, whose depletion promoted cell migration, co-localized with IFT20 at the trans-Golgi/TGN or intracellular transport vesicles. Furthermore, Strep-Tactin pulldown assays revealed an interaction between IFT20 and Ctnnal1 or Numb. Loss of IFT20 lowered the expression of actin-associated Tagln2, whose knockdown promoted cell migration. Thus, the extraciliary function of ITF20 in breast cancer cell was associated with the negative regulation of migration.
3D Cartilage Regeneration With Certain Shape and Mechanical Strength Based on Engineered Cartilage Gel and Decalcified Bone Matrix
Authors: Ci Zheng , Zhang Ying , Wang Yahui , Wu Gaoyang , Hou Mengjie , Zhang Peiling , Jia Litao , Bai Baoshuai , Cao Yilin , Liu Yu , Zhou Guangdong
Published: February 2021

Scaffold-free cartilage-sheet technology can stably regenerate high-quality cartilage tissuein vivo. However, uncontrolled shape maintenance and mechanical strength greatly hinder its clinical translation. Decalcified bone matrix (DBM) has high porosity, a suitable pore structure, and good biocompatibility, as well as controlled shape and mechanical strength. In this study, cartilage sheet was prepared into engineered cartilage gel (ECG) and combined with DBM to explore the feasibility of regenerating 3D cartilage with controlled shape and mechanical strength. The results indicated that ECG culturedin vitrofor 3 days (3 d) and 15 days (15 d) showed good biocompatibility with DBM, and the ECG–DBM constructs successfully regenerated viable 3D cartilage with typical mature cartilage features in both nude mice and autologous goats. Additionally, the regenerated cartilage had comparable mechanical properties to native cartilage and maintained its original shape. To further determine the optimal seeding parameters for ECG, the 3 d ECG regenerated using human chondrocytes was diluted in different concentrations (1:3, 1:2, and 1:1) for seeding andin vivoimplantation. The results showed that the regenerated cartilage in the 1:2 group exhibited better shape maintenance and homogeneity than the other groups. The current study established a novel mode of 3D cartilage regeneration based on the design concept of steel (DBM)-reinforced concrete (ECG) and successfully regenerated homogenous and mature 3D cartilage with controlled shape and mechanical strength, which hopefully provides an ideal cartilage graft for the repair of various cartilage defects.
Clinical and Laboratory Profile of Hospitalized Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients: Case Series Study From the First COVID-19 Center in the UAE
Authors: Hannawi Suad , Hannawi Haifa , Naeem Kashif Bin , Elemam Noha Mousaad , Hachim Mahmood Y. , Hachim Ibrahim. Y. , Darwish Abdulla Salah , Al Salmi Issa
Published: February 2021

Introduction

COVID-19 is raising with a second wave threatening many countries. Therefore, it is important to understand COVID-19 characteristics across different countries.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of 525 hospitalized symptomatic COVID-19 patients, from the central federal hospital in Dubai-UAE during period of March to August 2020.

Results

UAE’s COVID-19 patients were relatively young; mean (SD) of the age 49(15) years, 130 (25%) were older than 60 and 4 (<1%) were younger than 18 years old. Majority were male(47; 78%). The mean (SD) BMI was 29 (6) kg/m2. While the source of contracting COVID-19 was not known in 369 (70%) of patients, 29 (6%) reported travel to overseas-country and 127 (24%) reported contact with another COVID-19 case/s. At least one comorbidity was present in 284 (54%) of patients and 241 (46%) had none. The most common comorbidities were diabetes (177; 34%) and hypertension (166; 32%). The mean (SD) of symptoms duration was 6 (3) days. The most common symptoms at hospitalization were fever (340; 65%), cough (296; 56%), and shortness of breath (SOB) (243; 46%). Most of the laboratory values were within normal range, but (184; 35%) of patients had lymphopenia, 43 (8%) had neutrophilia, and 116 (22%) had prolong international normalized ratio (INR), and 317 (60%) had high D-dimer. Chest x ray findings of consolidation was present in 334 (64%) of patients and CT scan ground glass appearance was present in 354 (68%). Acute cardiac injury occurred in 124 (24%), acute kidney injury in 111 (21%), liver injury in 101 (19%), ARDS in 155 (30%), acidosis in 118 (22%), and septic shock in 93 (18%). Consequently, 150 (29%) required ICU admission with 103 (20%) needed mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated the special profile of COVID-19 in UAE. Patients were young with diabetes and/or hypertension and associated with severe infection as shown by various clinical and laboratory data necessitating ICU admission.
Transbrachial Access for Transcatheter Closure of Paravalvular Leak Following Prosthetic Valve Replacement
Authors: Zhang Hui , Wang Jing-Yan , Lv Jian-Hua , Hu Hai-Bo , Xie Rui-Gang , Jin Qi , Pang Kun-Jing , Xu Liang , Xu Zhong-Ying , Zhang Ge-Jun , Pan Xiang-Bin
Published: February 2021

Background: Transcatheter closure of paravalvular leak (PVL) has evolved into an alternative to surgery in high-risk patients. In this study, we introduce a new access for transcatheter closure of PVL and seek to evaluate the feasibility and safety of this access.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing transbrachial access for transcatheter mitral or aortic PVL closure (August 2017–November 2019) at our hospital. All patients underwent puncture of the brachial artery under local anesthesia.

Results: The study population included 11 patients, with an average age of 55.91 ± 14.82 years. Ten out of 11 patients were successfully implanted with devices via the brachial artery approach, and one patient was converted to the transseptal approach. The technical success rate of transbrachial access was 90.9%. Mean NYHA functional class improved from 3.1 ± 0.5 before the procedure to 1.9 ± 0.5 after PVL closure. Severe paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) in five patients and moderate PVR in six patients prior to the procedure were significantly reduced to mild in four patients and none in seven patients after the procedure. Complications included one case of pseudoaneurysm and one case of moderate hemolysis aggravation after closure. One patient had an unknown cause of sudden death within 24 h after the procedure. The half-year mortality rate during follow-up was 9.1% (1/11).

Conclusions: Transbrachial access for transcatheter closure of PVL may be a feasible and safe treatment and should include well-selected patients. It has several potential advantages of simplifying the procedure process and reducing postprocedural bed rest time.
The Key Role of Uric Acid in Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Fibrosis, Apoptosis, and Immunity in the Pathogenesis of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Deng Yawen , Liu Fei , Yang Xiaolei , Xia Yunlong
Published: February 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a highly prevalent cardiac arrhythmia that leads to numerous adverse outcomes including stroke, heart failure, and death. Hyperuricemia is an important risk factor that contributes to atrium injury and AF, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this review, we discussed the scientific evidence for clarifying the role of hyperuricemia in the pathogenesis of AF. Experimental and Clinical evidence endorse hyperuricemia as an independent risk factor for the incidence of AF. Various in vivo and in vitro investigations showed that hyperuricemia might play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AF at different UA concentrations through the activation of oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, and immunity.
An Effective Multimodal Image Fusion Method Using MRI and PET for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Song Juan , Zheng Jian , Li Ping , Lu Xiaoyuan , Zhu Guangming , Shen Peiyi
Published: February 2021

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible brain disease that severely damages human thinking and memory. Early diagnosis plays an important part in the prevention and treatment of AD. Neuroimaging-based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has shown that deep learning methods using multimodal images are beneficial to guide AD detection. In recent years, many methods based on multimodal feature learning have been proposed to extract and fuse latent representation information from different neuroimaging modalities including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). However, these methods lack the interpretability required to clearly explain the specific meaning of the extracted information. To make the multimodal fusion process more persuasive, we propose an image fusion method to aid AD diagnosis. Specifically, we fuse the gray matter (GM) tissue area of brain MRI and FDG-PET images by registration and mask coding to obtain a new fused modality called “GM-PET.” The resulting single composite image emphasizes the GM area that is critical for AD diagnosis, while retaining both the contour and metabolic characteristics of the subject's brain tissue. In addition, we use the three-dimensional simple convolutional neural network (3D Simple CNN) and 3D Multi-Scale CNN to evaluate the effectiveness of our image fusion method in binary classification and multi-classification tasks. Experiments on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset indicate that the proposed image fusion method achieves better overall performance than unimodal and feature fusion methods, and that it outperforms state-of-the-art methods for AD diagnosis.
Cognitive Performance of Wild Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Rural and Urban, Native, and Non-native Environments
Authors: Chow Pizza Ka Yee , Clayton Nicola S. , Steele Michael A.
Published: February 2021

Enhanced cognitive ability has been shown to impart fitness advantages to some species by facilitating establishment in new environments. However, the cause of such enhancement remains enigmatic. Enhanced cognitive ability may be an adaptation occurring during the establishment process in response to new environments or, alternatively, such ‘enhancement’ may merely reflect a species’ characteristic. Based on previous findings that have shown ‘enhanced’ cognitive ability (i.e., higher success rate in solving novel food-extraction problems or, ‘innovation’) in Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), a successful mammalian invader and urban dweller, we used an intraspecific comparative paradigm to examine the cause of their ‘enhanced’ cognitive ability. We conducted a field study to compare cognitive performance of free-ranging squirrels residing in rural and urban habitats in native (United States) and non-native environments (United Kingdom). By using established tasks, we examined squirrels’ performance in easy and difficult, novel food-extraction problems (innovation), a motor memory recall test of the difficult problem, and a spatial learning task. We found that the four groups of squirrels showed comparable performance in most measures. However, we also found that the native urban squirrels showed: (1) higher success rate on the first visit for the difficult problem than the non-native urban squirrels; (2) some evidence for higher recall latency for the difficult problem after an extended period than the non-native rural squirrels; and (3) learning when encountering the same difficult problem. These results suggest that the previously reported ‘enhanced’ performance is likely to be a general characteristic and thus, a pre-adaptive phenotypic trait that brings fitness advantages to this species in a new environment. Despite this, some cognitive abilities in gray squirrels such as solving novel problems has undergone mild variation during the adaptive process in new environments.
The Larval Density of Mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) in Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province, China: Influence of Bacterial Diversity, Richness, and Physicochemical Factors
Authors: Wang Haiyang , Wang Yang , Cheng Peng , Wang Huaiwei , Wang Haifang , Liu Hongmei , Zhang Chongxing , Gong Maoqing
Published: February 2021

As Jiaxiang County of Shandong province is an area with complex mosquito vector composition, it is necessary to investigate the relationship between bacterial diversity, physicochemical factors, and larval density. Therefore, the physicochemical properties of 46 breeding sites for six kinds of habitat types (small puddles, small water containers, paddy fields, large water containers, irrigation channels, and drainage ditches) were investigated by a multiparameter analyzer; the water’s bacterial diversity was analyzed by the 16S rRNA full-length sequencing method. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the correlation between larval density and variables. The variables analyzed were dissolved oxygen, pH, hardness, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, ammonia nitrogen, water depth, and distance from the nearest house. One-Way ANOVA was used to understand whether there are differences in bacterial diversity in different habitats. Pearson linear correlation model was used to analyze the effects of bacterial diversity and richness on mosquito densities in breeding sites. A total of 3291 larvae were captured, and a total of 6 species of 4 genera were identified. The identified species were Culex pipiens pallens, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles sinensis, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex bitaeniorhynchus, and Mansonia uniformis. The density and species can be jointly affected by physicochemical properties and bacterial diversity, especially Shannon index and distance from the nearest house. In general, the physicochemical parameters and bacterial diversity of different habitats were significantly different. Even for the same habitat type, the physicochemical parameters varied greatly due to different environments.
Can PIRCHE-II Matching Outmatch Traditional HLA Matching?
Authors: Unterrainer Christian , Döhler Bernd , Niemann Matthias , Lachmann Nils , Süsal Caner
Published: February 2021

We analyzed in a cohort of 68,606 first deceased donor kidney transplantations reported to the Collaborative Transplant Study whether an epitope-based matching of donor-recipient pairs using the Predicted Indirectly ReCognizable HLA Epitopes algorithm (PIRCHE-II) is superior to currently applied HLA antigen matching. PIRCHE-II scores were calculated based on split antigen HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 typing and adjusted to the 0–6 range of HLA mismatches. PIRCHE-II scores correlated strongly with the number of HLA mismatches (Spearman ρ = 0.65, P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses both parameters were found to be significant predictors of 5-year death-censored graft loss with high prognostic power [hazard ratio (HR) per adjusted PIRCHE-II score = 1.102, per HLA mismatch = 1.095; z-value PIRCHE-II: 9.8, HLA: 11.2; P < 0.001 for both]. When PIRCHE-II scores and HLA mismatches were analyzed simultaneously, their predictive power decreased but remained significant (PIRCHE-II: P = 0.002; HLA: P < 0.001). Influence of PIRCHE-II was especially strong in presensitized and influence of HLA mismatches in non-sensitized recipients. If the level of HLA-incompatibility was low (0–3 mismatches), PIRCHE-II scores showed a low impact on graft survival (HR = 1.031) and PIRCHE-II matching did not have additional significant benefit (P = 0.10). However, if the level of HLA-incompatibility was high (4–6 mismatches), PIRCHE-II improved the positive impact of matching compared to applying the traditional HLA matching alone (HR = 1.097, P = 0.005). Our results suggest that the PIRCHE-II score is useful and can be included into kidney allocation algorithms in addition to HLA matching; however, at the resolution level of HLA typing that is currently used for allocation it cannot fully replace traditional HLA matching.
Variability in Fitness Trade-Offs Amongst Coral Juveniles With Mixed Genetic Backgrounds Held in the Wild
Authors: Quigley Kate M. , Marzonie Magena , Ramsby Blake , Abrego David , Milton Grant , van Oppen Madeleine J. H. , Bay Line K.
Published: February 2021

Novel restoration methods are currently under consideration worldwide to help coral reefs recover or become more resilient to higher temperature stress. Critical field-based information concerning the paradigm of “local is best” is lacking for many methods; information which is essential to determine the risk and feasibility associated with restoration. One method involves breeding corals from different reef regions with expected variation in heat tolerance and moving those offspring to new locations to enhance offspring survival; thereby augmenting local stock to enhance survival for anticipated warming. In this study, surviving colonies from the 2016 to 2017 mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) were reproductively crossed and they included colonies sourced from northern (three) and central (two) reefs. The gravid colonies ofAcropora tenuiswere collected across 6° of latitude, and they were spawned to produce a total of 17 purebred and hybrid crosses. Juvenile corals (3,748 individual colonies settled on 1,474 terracotta tiles) were deployed to Davies reef in the central GBR after 4 months of aquarium rearing. Survival, growth, and coral colour (as a proxy for bleaching) were assessed after 0, 91, and 217 days of field deployment. Overall, a high percentage of juveniles (17% ± 2.5 SE) survived relative to expected survival at the final census. Survival was significantly higher for central purebred crosses, hybrid crosses had intermediate survival while northern purebreds had the lowest survival. Colour and growth rates (0.001−0.006 mm2day–1) were not significantly different amongst central, northern, or hybrid crosses but were of a reverse pattern compared to survival. On average, northern purebred crosses grew the fastest, followed by hybrid crosses, and then central purebred crosses. Modelled growth trajectories suggest that northern purebreds would take 8 years to grow to reproductive size, hybrids would take nine, and central purebreds would require 12. All deployed juvenile corals paled over time in the field although the colour ofA. tenuisjuveniles did not differ significantly amongst central, northern, or hybrid crosses. Growth and survival trade-off analysis showed that although most crosses did not outperform the native central juveniles, two of the eight hybrid crosses (SBxLS, DRxCU) demonstrated faster time to reproductive age and increased survival. Overall, reduced time to reach reproductive size and minimal trade-offs in at least two of the eight hybrids suggest that these crosses may accelerate and supplement recovery through natural re-seeding of genes sourced from northern reefs.
Novel High-Speed Turbo Compressor With Integrated Inverter for Fuel Cell Air Supply
Authors: Antivachis Michael , Dietz Flurin , Zwyssig Christof , Bortis Dominik , Kolar Johann W.
Published: February 2021

Fuel cell technology is continuously gaining ground in E-mobility applications. Fuel cells require a constant supply of pressurized air, for which high-speed turbo compressors with air bearings are an optimal choice to reduce size, guarantee oil-free operation required for the lifetime of the fuel cell, and increase efficiency. However, the inverter driving the electric motor of the turbo compressor does not scale down with increasing speed; therefore, other technology advances are required to achieve an overall compressor system with low weight. New power electronic topologies (double-bridge voltage sources inverter), cutting edge power semiconductor technology (gallium nitride), and multiobjective optimization techniques allow reducing the inverter size, increasing inverter efficiency, and improving the output current quality and in return lowering the losses in the electric motor. This enables the electrical, mechanical, and thermal integration of the inverter into the compressor housing of very high-speed and compact turbo compressors, thereby reducing the size and weight of the overall compressor system by a factor of two. Furthermore, a turbo compressor with an integrated inverter reduces complexity and cost for operators with savings in casing, cables, coolant piping, and connectors and reduces EMI noise by shielding the high-frequency motor currents with one housing. Beside its main application for fuel cell air supply, the advantages gained by an integrated inverter can also be used in other boosting and air handling applications such as advanced air and exhaust handling in combustion engines. The proposed integration concept is verified with a 280,000 rpm, 1 kW turbo compressor, targeted for the Balance of Plant (BoP) of a 5–15 kW fuel cell. The experimental results show that the temperature limits on the power electronics parts can be kept below the limit of 90 °C up to a coolant temperature of 55 °C, and beside the advantage of lower cabling effort, the efficiency of the compressor system (turbo compressor and integrated inverter) is increased by 5.5% compared to a turbo compressor without an integrated inverter.
The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on People With Epilepsy and Vagal Nerve Stimulation
Authors: Grande Eleonora , Tufo Tommaso , Ciavarro Marco , Di Muccio Ines , Fuggetta Filomena , Silvestri Martina , Bevacqua Giuseppina , Lanzone Jacopo , Assenza Giovanni
Published: February 2021

Objectives: Restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to limit contagion, have had a severe impact on mental health. The burden of lockdown has been particularly heavy on patients with chronic neurologic diseases such as People with Epilepsy (PwE). Our survey aims to describe the struggles and needs of Drug-Resistant (DR) PwE with implanted Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS) during the first wave of the COVID-19 lockdown in order to find strategies that help patients cope with present or future periods of restriction.

Methods: We collected answers from 30 respondents who underwent an online survey including socio-demographic and clinical information and COVID-19-related information. Depression, anxiety symptoms, and sleep quality were investigated in patients through BDI II, GAD-7, and the PSQI scale.

Results: In all, 46% of our sample reported an increase in the number of seizures; the entire sample complained of epilepsy-related issues (medication availability, VSN adjustments, anxiety, sleep disturbance); one out of three participants reported major epilepsy issues felt urgent; 30% had to postpone scheduled examination. Significantly higher scores for depression and anxiety scales were found in patients who perceived seizure frequency worsening and reported major epilepsy-related issues.

Conclusion: Preliminary findings showed that the first lockdown influenced the clinical and psychological status of PwE and was related to seizures worsening. The lack of medical assistance and control on VNS therapy left patients to cope with the situation without a chance to contact a specialist. We discuss how a wider implementation of telemedicine programs could facilitate remote assistance of PwE with a VNS implant.
Case Report: Adjuvant Radiotherapy Can Be an Effective Treatment for Intimal Sarcoma of the Heart
Authors: Romanowska Anna , Lewicka Ewa , Sławiński Grzegorz , Jankowska Hanna , Zaucha Renata
Published: February 2021

Intimal sarcoma of the heart is a sporadic disease, which involves symptoms of cardiac insufficiency due to a fast-growing intraluminal mass. Tumor resection is the first-line treatment, although its location precludes excision with wide uninvolved margins. Despite the aggressiveness of this neoplasm and a high risk of recurrence even after removal by microscopically radical surgery, no standard adjuvant therapy has been established. Chemotherapy is used either as an adjuvant treatment or in cases of advanced disease. In contrast, the use of radiotherapy is rare and usually considered in a palliative setting because the risk of radiation-induced heart disease after high-dose radiotherapy to the heart is significant. Herein, we present the cases of two patients, both diagnosed with cardiac intimal sarcoma, who received irradiation after tumor resection. In both cases, radiotherapy was effective, providing long-lasting local disease control. We regularly monitored cardiac function in both patients to assess the impact of radiotherapy on tumor-free heart structures. The excellent local control of the disease with only mild long-term cardiac dysfunction in both patients suggests that radiotherapy can be a useful treatment modality in this indication.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Immune and Prognostic Implication of COL6A6 in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ma Yi , Qiu Mantang , Guo Haifa , Chen Haiming , Li Jiawei , Li Xiao , Yang Fan
Published: February 2021

Collagen type VI alpha 6 chain (COL6A6), a novel collagen, has been considered as a tumor suppressor and therapeutic target in several tumors. However, the functional role of COL6A6 in immune cell infiltration and prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown. Here, we evaluated COL6A6 expression and its impact on survival among LUAD patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and several other databases. COL6A6 was downregulated in LUAD tissues compared to normal tissues at both mRNA and protein levels. COL6A6 expression was negatively associated with pathological stage, tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis. High COL6A6 expression was a favorable prognostic factor in LUAD. Next, we explored the associations between COL6A6 expression and immune cell infiltration. COL6A6 expression was positively associated with the infiltration of B cells, T cells, neutrophils and dendritic cells. Additionally, the immune cell infiltration levels were associated with COL6A6 gene copy number in LUAD. Consistently, gene set enrichment analysis showed that various immune pathways were enriched in the LUAD samples with high COL6A6 expression, including pathways related to T cell activation and T cell receptor signaling. The impacts of COL6A6 on immune activity were further assessed by enrichment analysis of 50 COL6A6-associated immunomodulators. Thereafter, using Cox regression, we identified a seven-gene risk prediction signature based on the COL6A6-associated immunomodulators. The resulting risk score was an independent prognostic predictor in LUAD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed that the seven-gene signature had good prognostic accuracy in the TCGA-LUAD cohort and a Gene Expression Omnibus dataset. Finally, we constructed a clinical nomogram to predict long-term survival probabilities, and calibration curves verified its accuracy. Our findings highlight that COL6A6 is involved in tumor immunity, suggesting COL6A6 may be a potential immunotherapeutic target in LUAD. The proposed seven-gene signature is a promising prognostic biomarker in LUAD.
Induction of Pyroptosis: A Promising Strategy for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Wang Lei , Qin Xiaowei , Liang Jianmin , Ge Pengfei
Published: February 2021

Pyroptosis, a lytic pro-inflammatory type of programmed cell death, has been widely studied in diverse inflammatory disease models. Membrane perforation and cell swelling induced by cleaved gasdermin family members is the main characteristic of pyroptosis. Emerging evidence has revealed a complicated relationship between pyroptosis and cancer. On the one hand, as inflammatory cell death, pyroptosis provides a comfortable environment for tumor proliferation. On the other hand, excessive activation of pyroptosis can inhibit the development of tumor cells. In this review, we first summarized the latest progress about the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis. Then, members from gasdermin family, the central molecules of pyroptosis which formed pores on the cell membrane, were highlighted. In the second part of this review, we summarized drugs that induced pyroptosis in different tumors and their concrete mechanisms based on recent literature reports. In the final section, we discussed several hotspots in pyroptosis and cancer therapy, which will point out the direction of sequent research. In brief, inducing pyroptosis in cancer cells is a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
Pretreatment of Huoxue Jiedu Formula Ameliorates Myocardial Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury by Decreasing Autophagy via Activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway
Authors: Long Linzi , Yu Zikai , Chen ShengJun , Wu Jiarui , Liu Yingying , Peng Jun , Qu Hua , Fu Changgeng
Published: February 2021

Background: Myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) results in myocardial injury via excessive autophagy. Huoxue Jiedu Formula (HJF) has been widely applied in China for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease. However, the mechanisms of HJF are still poorly understood. Thus, the present experiment was designed to observe the effects of HJF on myocardial I/R injury and explore the possible mechanism.

Methods: Myocardial injury in rats subjected to myocardial I/R was reflected by nitrotetrazolium blue chloride staining, thioflavin S staining, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT). Autophagy was determined by electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, Q-PCR and western blot. The possible pathway was predicted by network pharmacology and validated in vivo and in vitro.

Results: Pretreatment of HJF decreased the no-reflow area, infarcted area, serum CK-MB levels and serum cTnT levels in I/R rat model. In addition, pretreatment of HJF decreased autophagy in heart tissues (decrease in Beclin-1 and LC3-II, and increase in Bcl-2, p62 and ratio of LC3-I/LC3-II). In the vivo study, pretreatment of HJF significantly decreased hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced autophagy in H9C2 cells. Network pharmacology was applied to predict the possible mechanism by which HJF affects cardiac autophagy, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway was the most significantly enriched pathway. And experimental studies demonstrated that pretreatment of HJF increased the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR, and the effects of HJF on autophagy would be offset by PI3K inhibitor LY294002.

Conclusion: Pretreatment of HJF ameliorates myocardial I/R injury by decreasing autophagy through activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
Methyl Jasmonate Cytotoxicity and Chemosensitization of T Cell Lymphoma In Vitro Is Facilitated by HK 2, HIF-1α, and Hsp70: Implication of Altered Regulation of Cell Survival, pH Homeostasis, Mitochondrial Functions
Authors: Goel Yugal , Yadav Saveg , Pandey Shrish Kumar , Temre Mithlesh Kumar , Singh Vinay Kumar , Kumar Ajay , Singh Sukh Mahendra
Published: February 2021

Methyl jasmonate (MJ) displays antineoplastic potential against numerous neoplastic cells. However, several mechanistic aspects of its antineoplastic action against malignancies of T cell origin remain elusive. The present investigation reports the novel targets of MJ and mechanistic pathways of MJ-mediated antineoplastic and chemosensitizing action against tumor cells derived from murine T-cell lymphoma, designated as Dalton’s lymphoma (DL). The present study demonstrates that MJ directly docks to HIF-1α, hexokinase 2, and Hsp70 at prominent binding sites. MJ exhibits tumoricidal action against tumor cells via induction of apoptosis and necrosis through multiple pathways, including declined mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced expression of ROS, altered pH homeostasis, an elevated level of cytosolic cytochrome c, and modulated expression of crucial cell survival and metabolism regulatory molecules. Additionally, this study also reports the chemosensitizing ability of MJ against T cell lymphoma accompanied by a declined expression of MDR1. This study sheds new light by demonstrating the implication of novel molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor action of MJ against T-cell lymphoma and hence has immense translational significance.
Residual-Based Algorithm for Growth Mixture Modeling: A Monte Carlo Simulation Study
Authors: Marcoulides Katerina M. , Trinchera Laura
Published: February 2021

Growth mixture models are regularly applied in the behavioral and social sciences to identify unknown heterogeneous subpopulations that follow distinct developmental trajectories. Marcoulides and Trinchera (2019) recently proposed a mixture modeling approach that examines the presence of multiple latent classes by algorithmically grouping or clustering individuals who follow the same estimated growth trajectory based on an evaluation of individual case residuals. The purpose of this article was to conduct a simulation study that examines the performance of this new approach for determining the number of classes in growth mixture models. The performance of the approach to correctly identify the number of classes is examined under a variety of longitudinal data design conditions. The findings demonstrated that the new approach was a very dependable indicator of classes across all the design conditions considered.
A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Employment Returns to Education and Health Status in China: Moderating Role of Gender
Authors: Yahong Wang , Khan Salim
Published: February 2021

Based on the nationally representative sample data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS-2015), this study examines the relationship of education levels and health status with an individual's probability of being employed in China. The findings obtained from the binary logistic regression estimator suggest that people with a higher level of education were more likely to be employed than those who have less or no education. The individual with university or above education was found to be 85% more likely to be employed than college or equal diploma holders. Further, the healthier individual was found to be 11% more likely to be employed than relatively less healthy. Moreover, the resulting coefficients obtained from the moderation effect suggest that all of the two-way interaction effects among health status and education levels with gender are not statistically significant even at the 10% level. The results suggest that there was no multiplicative effect of gender with health status and level of education on an individual's probability of being employed. Further, the study also suggests important policy implications in the light of China's active labor force market and the gender gap in employment.
Psychological State Among the General Chinese Population Before and During the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Network Analysis
Authors: Ge Fenfen , Zheng Anni , Wan Mengtong , Luo Guan , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2021

Background: The infectious disease Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbroke in 2019 spread to multiple countries. The quick spread of the virus and isolation strategies may trigger psychological problems. Our aim was to explore the dynamic network structure of the psychological state before and during the epidemic.

Methods: A web-based survey was conducted in two stages: the T1 stage (1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019) and the T2 stage (1 February 2020 to 8 March 2020). In both stages, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess depression, anxiety, and sleep, respectively.

Results: We matched the data based on IP addresses. We included 1,978, 1,547, and 2,061 individuals who completed the depression, anxiety, and sleep assessments, respectively, at both stages. During epidemics, psychomotor agitation/retardation, inability to relax, restless behavior, and the frequency of using medicine had high centrality. Meanwhile, the network structure of psychological symptoms becomes stronger than before the epidemic.

Conclusion: Symptoms of psychomotor agitation/retardation, inability to relax, and restless behavior should be treated preferentially. It is necessary to provide mental health services, including timely and effective early psychological intervention. In addition, we should also pay attention to the way patients use medicines to promote sleep quality.