bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Group Emotion Regulation Interventions on Emotion Regulation Ability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Moore Rebekah , Gillanders David , Stuart Simon
Published: April 2022

Emotional regulation (ER) as a concept is not clearly defined, and there is a lack of clarity about how individuals can improve their ability to regulate emotions. Nevertheless, there is increasing evidence of the importance of ER as a transdiagnostic treatment target across mental health problems. This review examines the impact of ER group interventions on ER ability compared with no intervention, other comparable group interventions, or control conditions. A systematic review was conducted, in which 15 studies were included. Although types of ER intervention were mixed, the interventions had a considerable overlap in skills taught and how ER was measured. In all but one study, the ER intervention improved ER ability. ER interventions were superior to waitlist or treatment as usual, but there was limited evidence to suggest they were superior to other active treatments. Data from some studies suggest that improved ER was sustained at follow-up. Across the studies, there was generally poor linking of theory to practice, which hampers understanding of how interventions were constructed and why different skills were included. Although the results need to be interpreted with caution due to issues with methodological quality with the included papers, there is promising evidence that ER group interventions significantly improve ER ability.
Osteosarcopenia—The Role of Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) in Diagnostics
Authors: Gonera-Furman Aleksandra , Bolanowski Marek , Jędrzejuk Diana
Published: April 2022

Osteoporosis and sarcopenia lead to increased mortality, but their early diagnosis allows preventive measures and treatment to be implemented. The dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method enables the assessment of both bone mineral density (BMD) and bone quality based on the trabecular bone score (TBS), the Bone Strain Index (BSI), hip structure analysis (HSA), and comprehensive hip axis length (HAL). The main complications of osteoporosis are fractures, and a BMD value or T-score together with TBS can be also applied in fracture risk calculation using the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX). In recent years, the interest in sarcopenia has increased. There are many methods for assessing the quality, quantity and function of muscles. Total body DXA provides information not only about the BMD of the whole skeleton or the amount of lean tissue (identified as fat-free mass), but also about the amount and distribution of adipose tissue. Some parameters obtained from DXA measurements related to muscle and/or fat mass are used in the assessment of osteosarcopenia. The following article presents a wide range of possibilities for the use of the DXA method in the diagnosis of osteosarcopenia because DXA is a useful technique for the diagnosis of bone density and body composition together.
Specific Radiologic Risk Factors for Implant Failure and Osteonecrosis of the Humeral Head after Interlocking Nailing with the Targon PH+ of Proximal Humeral Fractures in a Middle to Old Population
Authors: Willauschus Maximilian , Schram Linus , Millrose Michael , Rüther Johannes , Loose Kim , Bail Hermann , Geßlein Markus
Published: April 2022

Background: Operative management of proximal humeral fractures is still challenging. While antegrade nailing has become a valid option in fracture fixation, risk factors for adverse events, and failure have not been sufficiently clarified. Methods: All patients of a single trauma center undergoing surgery for proximal humeral fractures with the Targon PH+ nail between 2014 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. This included complications, revisions, and failures. Pre- and postoperative radiographic imaging were assessed regarding fracture’s complexity, anatomic reduction, reconstruction of the medial hinge, metaphyseal head extension, and fixation of the implant in the calcar region. Follow-up was at a minimum of 12 months. Results: A total number of 130 patients with a mean age of 74.5 years (range 63–94, SD ± 8.2) are included in this study. Two- and three-part fractures were found in 58 patients, while 14 patients showed four-part fractures. Overall, a complication rate of 34.2% and an implant failure rate of 15.4% was found. Four-part fractures showed a significantly higher complication rate than two- and three-part fractures. Four-part fractures also showed significantly higher revisions (p = 0.005) and implant failures (p = 0.008). The nonsufficient anatomical reduction was found to be a risk factor for complications (p < 0.0001), implant failures (p < 0.0001), and later humeral head osteonecrosis (p < 0.0001). Insufficiently reconstructed medial hinges (p = 0.002) and a metaphyseal head extension of under 8 mm (p = 0.005) were also demonstrated as risk factors for osteonecrosis of the humeral head. Conclusions: Four-part fractures in an elderly population show high complication, revision, and implant-failure rates. Therefore, demonstrated radiologic risk factors should be evaluated for improvements. Anatomical reduction and fixation near the calcar proved to be vital for successful antegrade nailing of complex fractures. To prevent osteonecrosis of the humeral head, reconstruction of the medial hinge and metaphyseal head extension should be evaluated.
Eye Involvement in Wilson’s Disease: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Chevalier Kevin , Mauget-Faÿsse Martine , Vasseur Vivien , Azar Georges , Obadia Michaël Alexandre , Poujois Aurélia
Published: April 2022

Wilson’s disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder due to a mutation of the ATP7B gene, resulting in impaired hepatic copper excretion and accumulation in various tissues. Ocular findings are one of the hallmarks of the disease. Many ophthalmological manifestations have been described and new techniques are currently available to improve their diagnosis and to follow their evolution. We have performed a systematic PubMed search to summarize available data of the recent literature on the most frequent ophthalmological disorders associated with WD, and to discuss the newest techniques used for their detection and follow-up during treatment. In total, 49 articles were retained for this review. The most common ocular findings seen in WD patients are Kayser–Fleischer ring (KFR) and sunflower cataracts. Other ocular manifestations may involve retinal tissue, visual systems and eye mobility. Diagnosis and follow-up under decoppering treatment of these ocular findings are generally easily performed with slit-lamp examination (SLE). However, new techniques are available for the precocious detection of ocular findings due to WD and may be of great value for non-experimented ophthalmologists and non-ophthalmologists practitioners. Among those techniques, anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and Scheimpflug imaging are discussed.
Prognostic Value of Characterizing Myocardial Tissue by Cardiac MRI with T1 Mapping in HFpEF Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Golukhova Elena , Bulaeva Naida , Alexandrova Svetlana , Gromova Olga , Berdibekov Bektur
Published: April 2022

Objectives: Our study aimed at conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, with the objective of evaluating the prognostic value of T1 mapping techniques via cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients. Materials and methods: The protocol was prospectively registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews PROSPERO (registration number CRD42022300991). We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and EMBASE for studies examining the prognostic value of characterizing myocardial tissue via CMR imaging with T1 mapping in HFpEF. Hazard ratios (HRs) for uniformly defined predictors were pooled for meta-analysis. Results: In total, 7 studies were retrieved from 351 publications for this systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 1930 patients (mean age of 69.4 years, mean follow-up duration of 25.6 months) was included in the analysis. The meta-analysis demonstrated that higher extracellular volume (ECV) was associated with an increased risk of death and/or hospitalization with heart failure (HF) (HR:1.12; 95% CI: 1.06–1.18; p < 0.0001). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, the higher extent of ECV remained strongly associated with the risk of death and/or hospitalization with HF (HRadjusted: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04–1.13; p = 0.0001). However, no significant association of native T1 value with risk of death or adverse cardiovascular events was found (HR:1.01; 95% CI: 1.00–1.02; p = 0.21). Conclusion: Assessment of ECV via CMR has an important prognostic value for outcomes of death and/or hospitalization with HF, and can therefore be used as an effective tool for risk stratification of patients with HFpEF.
Physical Exercise and Health: A Focus on Its Protective Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Bonanni Roberto , Cariati Ida , Tarantino Umberto , D’Arcangelo Giovanna , Tancredi Virginia
Published: April 2022

Scientific evidence has demonstrated the power of physical exercise in the prevention and treatment of numerous chronic and/or age-related diseases, such as musculoskeletal, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders. In addition, regular exercise is known to play a key role in the context of neurodegenerative diseases, as it helps to reduce the risk of their onset and counteracts their progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. In this regard, neurotrophins, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), glia cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), have been suggested as key mediators of brain health benefits, as they are involved in neurogenesis, neuronal survival, and synaptic plasticity. The production of these neurotrophic factors, known to be increased by physical exercise, is downregulated in neurodegenerative disorders, suggesting their fundamental importance in maintaining brain health. However, the mechanism by which physical exercise promotes the production of neurotrophins remains to be understood, posing limits on their use for the development of potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this literature review, we analyzed the most recent evidence regarding the relationship between physical exercise, neurotrophins, and brain health, providing an overview of their involvement in the onset and progression of neurodegeneration.
Global Maritime Container Shipping Networks 1969–1981: Emergence of Container Shipping and Reopening of the Suez Canal
Authors: Saito Tomohiro , Shibasaki Ryuichi , Murakami Shinsuke , Tsubota Kenmei , Matsuda Takuma
Published: April 2022

This study applied graph theory to conduct an empirical analysis of the evolution of global maritime container shipping networks, mainly focusing on the 1970s. In addition to analyzing the change in overall structures of the networks over the long term (from the 1970s to the present) and midterm (in the 1970s), the authors examined the changes in the container shipping networks before and after the reopening of the Suez Canal in 1975. As a result, it was confirmed that the initial single polar network structure, in which New York and other North American ports were placed at the center, changed to a multipolar structure, finally forming a hub-and-spoke structure. Subsequently, the authors confirmed discontinuous changes in inter-regional density from 1975 to 1976 caused by an increase in the average number of ports of call in 1976, because the recession caused by the first oil crisis in 1973 decreased the maritime container shipping demand, and the reopening of the Suez Canal caused a surplus of containerships. This study would contribute to accumulating empirical knowledge on the vulnerability analysis of the present and future maritime container shipping networks.
Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders
Authors: Riisgård Hans Ulrik , Larsen Poul S.
Published: April 2022

Sponges are one of the earliest-evolved and simplest groups of animals, but they share basic characteristics with more advanced and later-evolved filter-feeding invertebrates, such as mussels. Sponges are abundant in many coastal regions where they filter large amounts of water for food particles and thus play an important ecological role. Therefore, a better understanding of the bioenergetics and growth of sponges compared to other filter-feeders is important. While the filtration (pumping) rates of many sponge species have been measured as a function of their size, little is known about their rate of growth. Here, we use a bioenergetic growth model for demosponges, based on the energy budget and observations of filtration (F) and respiration rates (R). Because F versus dry weight (W) can be expressed as F = a1Wb1 and the maintenance respiratory rate can be expressed as Rm = a2Wb2, we show that if b1~ b2 the growth rate can be expressed as: G = aWb1, and, consequently, the weight-specific growth rate is µ = G/W = aWb1−1 = aWb where the constant a depends on ambient sponge-available food particles (free-living bacteria and phytoplankton with diameter < ostia diameter). Because the exponent b1 is close to 1, then b ~ 0, which implies µ = a and thus exponential growth as confirmed in field growth studies. Exponential growth in sponges and in at least some bryozoans is probably unique among filter-feeding invertebrates. Finally, we show that the F/R-ratio and the derived oxygen extraction efficiency in these sponges are similar to other filter-feeding invertebrates, thus reflecting a comparable adaptation to feeding on a thin suspension of bacteria and phytoplankton.
Control of Flow Past a Circular Cylinder Using a Rotating Control Rod
Authors: Zhao Ming , Taheri Erfan
Published: April 2022

Control of flow past a circular cylinder using a rotating control rod is investigated by conducting two-dimensional numerical simulations with a Reynolds number of 200, a rod-to-cylinder diameter ratio of 0.2, a gap ratio of 0.2, position angles of the control rod between 0° and 180°, and rotation rates between −7 and 7. The rotation rate is positive if the cylinder rotates in the anticlockwise direction. The aim of this paper is to discover the effects of the position angle and the rotation rate on flow control. If the rod is placed at the side (position angle = 90°) or nearly to the side of the cylinder (position angle = 45° and 135°), the rotating rod affects the flow in three ways, depending on its rotation rate: (1) strong negative rotation of the rod weakens the negative free shear layers and reduces the lift; (2) flow through the gap interferes with vortex shedding when the rotation rate is small in either direction; and (3) strong positive rotation of the rod enhances the negative free shear layers and increases the lift coefficient. Placing a rotation rod immediately in front of or behind the cylinder (position angle = 0° or 180°) causes a reduction in the lift coefficient for all rotation rates.
Numerical Study on the Influence of Tropical Cyclone Characteristics on the Sea State and Sea Surface Roughness inside the Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Li Shuiqing , Li Rui , Wang Yanjun , Lu Jiuyou
Published: April 2022

The development of wind wave (i.e., sea state) inside an intense tropical cyclone (TC) is the dominant contributor to the sea surface roughness and thus significantly impacts the air–sea interaction. The sea state is known to vary with TC characteristics (intensity, size, and translation speed); however, comprehensive knowledge of the influence of TC characteristics on the sea state and sea surface roughness is quite limited, largely because of the lack of observations. In this study, numerical experiments are performed to investigate the influence of TC characteristics on the sea state and the sea surface roughness under a range of idealized TCs. The numerical results indicate that the sea states are systematically younger for a more intense or smaller TC, and their azimuthal variation is predominantly determined by the TC translation. The dependence of the sea surface roughness on wind speed shows systematic variations with the TC characteristics, which are most significant for a moderately moving TC.
An Overview of Oil-Mineral-Aggregate Formation, Settling, and Transport Processes in Marine Oil Spill Models
Authors: Zhong Xiaomei , Niu Haibo , Li Pu , Wu Yongsheng , Liu Lei
Published: April 2022

An oil spill is considered one of the most serious polluting disasters for a marine environment. When oil is spilled into a marine environment, it is dispersed into the water column as oil droplets which often interact with suspended particles to form oil-mineral-aggregate (OMA). Knowing how OMA form, settle, and are transported is critical to oil spill modelling which can determine the fate and mass balance of the spilled volumes. This review introduces oil weathering and movement, and the commonly used numerical models that oil spill specialists use to determine how a spill will evolve. We conduct in-depth reviews of the environmental factors that influence how OMA form and their settling velocity, and we review how OMA formation and transport are modelled. We point out the existing gaps in current knowledge and the challenges of studying OMA. Such challenges include having to systematically conduct laboratory experiments to investigate how the environment affects OMA formation and settling velocities, and the need for a comprehensive algorithm that can estimate an OMA settling velocity.
Construction and Characterization of a Botrytis Virus F Infectious Clone
Authors: Córdoba Laura , Ruiz-Padilla Ana , Rodríguez-Romero Julio , Ayllón María A.
Published: April 2022

Botrytis virus F (BVF) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus within the Gammaflexiviridae family of the plant-pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. In this study, the complete sequence of a BVF strain isolated from B. cinerea collected from grapevine fields in Spain was analyzed. This virus, in this work BVF-V448, has a genome of 6827 nt in length, excluding the poly(A) tail, with two open reading frames encoding an RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) and a coat protein (CP). The 5′- and 3′-terminal regions of the genome were determined by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Furthermore, a yet undetected subgenomic RNA species in BVF-V448 was identified, indicating that the CP is expressed via 3′ coterminal subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs). We also report the successful construction of the first BVF full-length cDNA clone and synthesized in vitro RNA transcripts using the T7 polymerase, which could efficiently transfect two different strains of B. cinerea, B05.10 and Pi258.9. The levels of growth in culture and virulence on plants of BVF-V448 transfected strains were comparable to BVF-free strains. The infectious clones generated in this work provide a useful tool for the future development of an efficient BVF foreign gene expression vector and a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) vector as a biological agent for the control of B. cinerea.
The Multifaceted Role of Mating Type of the Fungus and Sex of the Host in Studies of Fungal Infections in Humans
Authors: Kraševec Nada
Published: April 2022

This review discusses the inclusion of sex and gender variables in studies of fungal infections in humans at the pathogen, host, and antifungal trial levels. The mating type of some fungi, or perhaps more likely the absence of the other, appears to be associated with some infections. Sexual and parasexual reproduction of some fungi is an important mechanism for the development of antifungal drug resistance. Host sex or gender influences the incidence of some infections such as aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, dermatophytosis, and candidiasis due to differences in immune response, behavior, and awareness for early detection and treatment. Participant sex (and age) is relevant not only in clinical antifungal trials but also in preclinical studies. The dimensions of sex and gender are important determinants throughout the fungal infection process and in approaches to prevent or treat these infections, as well as in development of antifungal drugs. Failure to consider sex and gender may be detrimental to the holistic understanding of the processes involved in fungal infection.
The Arf-GAP Proteins AoGcs1 and AoGts1 Regulate Mycelial Development, Endocytosis, and Pathogenicity in Arthrobotrys oligospora
Authors: Yang Le , Li Xuemei , Ma Yuxin , Zhang Keqin , Yang Jinkui
Published: April 2022

Small GTPases from the ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) family and their activating proteins (Arf-GAPs) regulate mycelial development, endocytosis, and virulence in fungi. Here, we identified two orthologous Arf-GAP proteins, AoGcs1 and AoGts1, in a typical nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. The transcription of Aogcs1 and Aogts1 was highly expressed in the sporulation stage. The deletion of Aogcs1 and Aogts1 caused defects in DNA damage, endocytosis, scavenging of reactive oxygen species, lipid droplet storage, mitochondrial activity, autophagy, serine protease activity, and the response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. The combined effects resulted in slow growth, decreased sporulation capacity, increased susceptibility to chemical stressors and heat shock, and decreased pathogenicity of the mutants compared with the wild-type (WT) strain. Although deletion of Aogcs1 and Aogts1 produced similar phenotfypic traits, their roles varied in conidiation and proteolytic activity. The ΔAogts1 mutant showed a remarkable reduction in conidial yield compared with the WT strain but not in proteolytic activity; in contrast, the ΔAogcs1 mutant showed an increase in proteolytic activity but not in sporulation. In addition, the growth of ΔAogcs1 and ΔAogts1 mutants was promoted by rapamycin, and the ΔAogts1 mutant was sensitive to H-89. Collectively, the ΔAogts1 mutant showed a more remarkable difference compared with the WT strain than the ΔAogcs1 mutant. Our study further illustrates the importance of Arf-GAPs in the growth, development, and pathogenicity of nematode-trapping fungi.
Characterization by Gender of Frailty Syndrome in Elderly People according to Frail Trait Scale and Fried Frailty Phenotype
Authors: Palomo Iván , García Francisco , Albala Cecilia , Wehinger Sergio , Fuentes Manuel , Alarcón Marcelo , Arauna Diego , Montecino Hector , Mendez Diego , Sepúlveda Magdalena , Fuica Peggy , Fuentes Eduardo
Published: April 2022

Background: Frailty has emerged as one of the main geriatric syndromes to be prevented in order to improve quality of health and life in the elderly. In this sense, the characterization of this syndrome through reliable and feasible diagnostic tools for clinical use, such as the Frail Trait Scale 5 (FTS-5) and Frail Trait Scale 3 (FTS-3), represents the basis for this objective. Objectives: To characterize the frailty syndrome in a population of older adults using FTS-5, FTS-3, and Fried phenotype (FP) as frailty diagnostic tools. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: 300 adults ≥65 years recruited from different Family Health Centers and community groups of older people in Talca, Chile. Methods: The diagnosis of frailty was made according to FP, FTS-5, and FTS-3 tools. Data about sociodemographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements were collected by a clinical interview by a previously trained health professional. Results: A total prevalence of frailty according to the FP of 19.7% was observed; while in the group of women and men it was 21.4% and 15.0%, respectively. Concerning the FTS-5 tool, the total prevalence of frailty was 18%, while in the group of women and men was 18.0% and 17.5%, respectively. The FTS-3 tool shows a total prevalence of frailty of 23.3%, while in the group of women and men a prevalence of 22.7% and 25.0%, respectively. A significant difference is observed with respect to the presence of the Fried criteria of “weakness” (women: 21.4%, men: 38.8%) and “weight loss” (women: 16.8%, men: 7.5%; p < 0.05). A significant difference is observed concerning the average score of “Handgrip” criteria, “walking time”, and “Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly” (PASE) between the group of women and men. Frailty, diagnosed by FTS-3, is significantly associated with the risk factors of overweight (body mass index ≥ 25) (OR: 10.225, 95% CI: 1.297–80.617) and advanced age (age ≥ 75 years) (OR: 1.839, 95% CI: 1.040–3.250). Conclusion: The prevalence of frailty observed with the FTS-5 (18%) and FTS-3 (23.3%) tools are similar to the prevalence observed through the FP (19.7%) and those reported in other observational studies. Considering the similar prevalence of frailty diagnosed with the three tools, FTS-3 should be a valuable tool for the screening of frailty in the community.
Home Health Nursing Care Time for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Iwasa Yumi , Suzuki Miyoko , Saito Izumi
Published: April 2022

There is an urgent need to provide personalized care more efficiently to patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who live at home. To understand the impact of patient attributes and features on nursing care time, we assessed the amount of time required to perform home visits to patients with PD and identified patient characteristics related to differences in nursing care time. Twenty patient (median age 78.0 years) visits were video-recorded. Nursing care activities were categorized, while time spent on them was measured to identify differences in care time by patient. Correlations between patient characteristics and care times were calculated. The median time per visit was 49 min and 7 s. Time was mostly spent on daily living assistance (76.0%), followed by medical care assistance (10.0%) and record keeping and administration (14.0%). Results suggested that patient care was characterized by longer time spent on patient comfort, physical therapy, and patient consultation or education. In general, time per visit increased with patients’ age. The variation in care implementation time tended to be large in daily living assistance and small in medical care assistance. These data may be useful for providing and managing personalized care for patients. These data can also contribute to making nurse care more specialized.
Biomarkers of Cancer Stem Cells for Experimental Research and Clinical Application
Authors: Saito Shigeo , Ku Chia-Chen , Wuputra Kenly , Pan Jia-Bin , Lin Chang-Shen , Lin Ying-Chu , Wu Deng-Chyang , Yokoyama Kazunari K.
Published: April 2022

The use of biomarkers in cancer diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis has been highly effective over several decades. Studies of biomarkers in cancer patients pre- and post-treatment and during cancer progression have helped identify cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their related microenvironments. These analyses are critical for the therapeutic application of drugs and the efficient targeting and prevention of cancer progression, as well as the investigation of the mechanism of the cancer development. Biomarkers that characterize CSCs have thus been identified and correlated to diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. However, CSCs demonstrate elevated levels of plasticity, which alters their functional phenotype and appearance by interacting with their microenvironments, in response to chemotherapy and radiotherapeutics. In turn, these changes induce different metabolic adaptations of CSCs. This article provides a review of the most frequently used CSCs and stem cell markers.
Bone Marrow Aging and the Leukaemia-Induced Senescence of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells: Exploring Similarities
Authors: Ruiz-Aparicio Paola Fernanda , Vernot Jean-Paul
Published: April 2022

Bone marrow aging is associated with multiple cellular dysfunctions, including perturbed haematopoiesis, the propensity to haematological transformation, and the maintenance of leukaemia. It has been shown that instructive signals from different leukemic cells are delivered to stromal cells to remodel the bone marrow into a supportive leukemic niche. In particular, cellular senescence, a physiological program with both beneficial and deleterious effects on the health of the organisms, may be responsible for the increased incidence of haematological malignancies in the elderly and for the survival of diverse leukemic cells. Here, we will review the connection between BM aging and cellular senescence and the role that these processes play in leukaemia progression. Specifically, we discuss the role of mesenchymal stem cells as a central component of the supportive niche. Due to the specificity of the genetic defects present in leukaemia, one would think that bone marrow alterations would also have particular changes, making it difficult to envisage a shared therapeutic use. We have tried to summarize the coincident features present in BM stromal cells during aging and senescence and in two different leukaemias, acute myeloid leukaemia, with high frequency in the elderly, and B-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, mainly a childhood disease. We propose that mesenchymal stem cells are similarly affected in these different leukaemias, and that the changes that we observed in terms of cellular function, redox balance, genetics and epigenetics, soluble factor repertoire and stemness are equivalent to those occurring during BM aging and cellular senescence. These coincident features may be used to explore strategies useful to treat various haematological malignancies.
Nonlinear Machine Learning in Warfarin Dose Prediction: Insights from Contemporary Modelling Studies
Authors: Zhang Fengying , Liu Yan , Ma Weijie , Zhao Shengming , Chen Jin , Gu Zhichun
Published: April 2022

Objective: This study aimed to systematically assess the characteristics and risk of bias of previous studies that have investigated nonlinear machine learning algorithms for warfarin dose prediction. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database up to March 2022. We assessed the general characteristics of the included studies with respect to the participants, predictors, model development, and model evaluation. The methodological quality of the studies was determined, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Prediction model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Results: From a total of 8996 studies, 23 were assessed in this study, of which 23 (100%) were retrospective, and 11 studies focused on the Asian population. The most common demographic and clinical predictors were age (21/23, 91%), weight (17/23, 74%), height (12/23, 52%), and amiodarone combination (11/23, 48%), while CYP2C9 (14/23, 61%), VKORC1 (14/23, 61%), and CYP4F2 (5/23, 22%) were the most common genetic predictors. Of the included studies, the MAE ranged from 1.47 to 10.86 mg/week in model development studies, from 2.42 to 5.18 mg/week in model development with external validation (same data) studies, from 12.07 to 17.59 mg/week in model development with external validation (another data) studies, and from 4.40 to 4.84 mg/week in model external validation studies. All studies were evaluated as having a high risk of bias. Factors contributing to the risk of bias include inappropriate exclusion of participants (10/23, 43%), small sample size (15/23, 65%), poor handling of missing data (20/23, 87%), and incorrect method of selecting predictors (8/23, 35%). Conclusions: Most studies on nonlinear-machine-learning-based warfarin prediction models show poor methodological quality and have a high risk of bias. The analysis domain is the major contributor to the overall high risk of bias. External validity and model reproducibility are lacking in most studies. Future studies should focus on external validity, diminish risk of bias, and enhance real-world clinical relevance.
The Effects of a Patient-Specific Integrated Education Program on Pain, Perioperative Anxiety, and Functional Recovery following Total Knee Replacement
Authors: Ho Cheng-Jung , Chen Yen-Ti , Wu Hung-Lan , Huang Hsuan-Ti , Lin Sung-Yen
Published: April 2022

The perioperative care of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) affects functional recovery and clinical outcomes. This study aims to introduce a patient-specific integrated education program (IEP) into the TKA clinical pathway and to evaluate patient outcomes between the intervention and control groups. We performed a two-site, two-arm, parallel-prospective controlled trial. The experiment group received an IEP incorporating verbal preoperative education, prehabilitation, multidisciplinary personalized rehabilitation during hospitalization, and supervised self-executed home-based exercise after discharge. The control group received regular TKA clinical care. We monitored the pain intensity, anxiety scores, and functional scores at six time points from the pre-operation interview to 3 months post-operation. The pain score was significantly decreased in the IEP group during hospitalization (p < 0.01) and before discharge (p < 0.05). The anxiety status was also improved after intervention in terms of state and trait anxiety inventory scores (p < 0.001) during hospitalization. The patient-reported (WOMAC) or physician-reported (American Knee Society Score) functional scores (p < 0.01 at most of the time points) all improved significantly under hospitalization. We found that the patient-specific IEP combining preoperative education, prehabilitation, the in-hospital group education class, and postoperative care navigation is effective in reducing postoperative pain, decreasing perioperative anxiety, and facilitating functional recovery following TKA.
Common UGT1A6 Variant Alleles Determine Acetaminophen Pharmacokinetics in Man
Authors: Cerezo-Arias María de las Olas , Gómez-Tabales Javier , Martí Manuel , García-Martín Elena , Agúndez José A. G.
Published: April 2022

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is a widely used drug that causes adverse drug events that are often dose-dependent and related to plasma drug concentrations. Acetaminophen metabolism strongly depends on UGT1A enzymes. We aimed to investigate putative factors influencing acetaminophen pharmacokinetics. We analyzed acetaminophen pharmacokinetics after intravenous administration in 186 individuals, and we determined the effect of sex; body mass index (BMI); previous and concomitant therapy with UGT1A substrates, inhibitors, and inducers; as well as common variations in the genes coding for UGT1A1, UGT1A6, and UGT1A9. We identified sex and UGT1A6 genetic variants as major factors influencing acetaminophen pharmacokinetics, with women showing lower clearance (p < 0.001) and higher area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUC) values than men (p < 0.001). UGT1A6 genetic variants were related to decreased acetaminophen biodisposition. Individuals who were homozygous or double-heterozygous for variant UGT1A6 alleles showed a 22.5% increase in t1/2 values and a 22.8 increase in drug exposure (p < 0.001, and 0.006, respectively) after correction by sex. The effect is related to the UGT1A6*2 and UGT1A6*4 variant alleles, whereas no effect of UGT1A6*3 and UGT1A9*3 alleles, BMI, or drug–drug interaction was identified in this study. We conclude that sex and UGT1A6 variants determine acetaminophen pharmacokinetics, thus providing evidence to eventually developing pharmacogenomics procedures and recommendations for acetaminophen use.
Modulation of Secondary Cancer Risks from Radiation Exposure by Sex, Age and Gonadal Hormone Status: Progress, Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Biegon Anat , Cohen Siobhan , Franceschi Dinko
Published: April 2022

Available data on cancer secondary to ionizing radiation consistently show an excess (2-fold amount) of radiation-attributable solid tumors in women relative to men. This excess risk varies by organ and age, with the largest sex differences (6- to more than 10-fold) found in female thyroid and breasts exposed between birth until menopause (~50 years old) relative to age-matched males. Studies in humans and animals also show large changes in cell proliferation rates, radiotracer accumulation and target density in female reproductive organs, breast, thyroid and brain in conjunction with physiological changes in gonadal hormones during the menstrual cycle, puberty, lactation and menopause. These sex differences and hormonal effects present challenges as well as opportunities to personalize radiation-based treatment and diagnostic paradigms so as to optimize the risk/benefit ratios in radiation-based cancer therapy and diagnosis. Specifically, Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT) is a fast-expanding cancer treatment modality utilizing radiopharmaceuticals with high avidity to specific molecular tumor markers, many of which are influenced by sex and gonadal hormone status. However, past and present dosimetry studies of TRT agents do not stratify results by sex and hormonal environment. We conclude that cancer management using ionizing radiation should be personalized and informed by the patient sex, age and hormonal status.
Perceived Symptoms, Mental Health and Quality of Life after Hospitalization in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Fradelos Evangelos C. , Boutlas Stylianos , Tsimitrea Eleni , Sistou Alexandra , Tourlakopoulos Konstantinos , Papathanasiou Ioanna V. , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I.
Published: April 2022

Patients recovering from novel coronavirus are reporting a variety of symptoms such as cough, dyspnea, myalgia as well as psychological distress and poor quality of life. The aim of this study is to assess quality of life and psychological distress in COVID-19 survivors and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics that affect COVID-19 survivors’ mental health status and quality of life. A quantitative study was conducted among COVID-19 survivors, who had previously been admitted to the University Hospital of Larissa, Greece. Data were collected via a questionnaire consisting of three-parts. The first part consisted of questions about the demographic characteristics. The second part was the SF-36 QoL index. The third part was the Symptom Checklist-90r (SCL 90-R). In addition, clinical information such as the length and the department of hospitalization, days since discharge and pulmonary function (spirometry values) were recorded. From a total of 145 patients, 60% were male, aged 59.72 ± 12.74 and 78.6% of them were married; the majority had completed secondary education, 35.9% were pensioners and 58.6 were living in urban areas. The most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue (67.6%) and pain (44.8%) and 11.7% were experiencing psychological distress. Pain, loss of smell, mandatory education, ICU admission, female gender and the experiencing of skin disturbance are associated with poor physical QoL among COVID-19 recovered patients. Greek COVID-19 previously hospitalized patients were reporting several symptoms associated with COVID-19. Good QoL and mental health were also reported. Physical pain, loss of smell and female gender were associated with poor QoL and psychological distress.
Editorial: Land Issues and Their Impact on Tourism Development
Authors: Morrison Alastair M.
Published: April 2022

Tourism development is highly dependent on the quantity, quality, and characteristics of available land [...]
Assessment of Land Use Pattern and Landscape Ecological Risk in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, Southwestern China
Authors: Zeng Chunfen , He Jun , He Qingqing , Mao Yuqing , Yu Boya
Published: April 2022

The Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC) is becoming the fourth growth pole in China after the Yangtze River Delta Economic Circle (YRDEC); Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Economic Circle (GBAEC); Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Economic Circle (BTHEC). The land use and landscape ecological management of the CCEC is critical to its social and economic development. Using ArcGIS modeling and Fragstats processing methods, we divided the CCEC into 5 km × 5 km ecological risk areas and constructed a landscape ecological risk index evaluation model to calculate the spatial and temporal dynamic changes in the urban expansion and landscape ecological risk over the last 20 years. The results show that the land use was mainly cultivated land, which exhibited a decreasing trend and was mainly converted to construction land and forest land. The change in the construction land exhibited a continuous expansion trend with the dual core in Chengdu-Chongqing. The average risk of 10,155 risk communities was about 0.16. The expansion of human activities increased the landscape ecological risk of the construction land, and the risk of the edge of the cultivated land was higher than the internal risk value. The ecological risk index values of 16 cities in the study area ranged from 0.02 to 0.28. The resistance of the landscape pattern to external disturbance was stronger than that in other regions of China. The landscape ecological risk is controllable overall. However, the higher level of economic development in Chengdu, Chongqing, and other mature cities poses a greater landscape ecological risk. The results of this research provide an important reference for promoting the optimization and construction of the land space in the CCEC, building ecological shelters, and preventing ecological risk in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
A Refined Rural Settlements Simulation Considering the Competition Relationship among the Internal Land Use Types: A Case Study of Pinggu District
Authors: Tian Yaya , Jiang Guanghui , Zhou Dingyang , Zhou Tao , Ma Wenqiu
Published: April 2022

Simulating the future evolution of the internal land use structure of rural settlements (RSILUS) is vital for rural land management. However, previous simulation studies have mostly regarded rural settlements as a whole, thereby ignoring their internal structural variations. In this paper, as an example, we select Pinggu District, which has experienced the impact of rapid urbanization and has an unstable rural land use structure (LUS); then, we examine the driving factors of the changes in the RSILUS, construct a cellular automata (CA)–Markov simulation model specifying the RSILUS, and simulate its changes in 2025. The results indicate the following. (1) The influencing factors of various land use changes in rural settlements in Pinggu District differ significantly. Basic land, such as living functional land, is greatly influenced by natural resources, whereas production functional land is subject to socioeconomic factors. (2) The simulation results demonstrate that from 2015 to 2025, the production and living functional land areas of rural settlements will decrease as a whole. Accordingly, the distribution of rural public service land (RPSL) will tend to remain stable, and the trends of land use abandonment and functional degradation will continue as rural areas continue to recede. Our study enriches the research on rural land use systems by refining the simulation of rural settlements to focus on their internal structure. The differentiation and complexity of the changes in rural LUS types further suggests that rural planning and renewal should adapt to the changing conditions of the RSILUS, and the LUS should be adjusted to improve the constructed environment in human settlements and equalize urban and rural areas.
Measuring Inadequacy in Compensation for the Compulsory Acquisition of Land: Evidence from Bengaluru, India
Authors: Shukla Jyoti , Tiwari Piyush
Published: April 2022

Taking inspiration from the longstanding problem of inadequate compensation for the compulsory acquisition of private land for a public purpose, this research estimates the economic value of (i) future development potential of land or ‘hope value’; and (ii) depreciation in property value due to acquisition notification or ‘blight’. Using empirical data on property transactions conducted in the Bengaluru Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project area and registered with sub-registrar offices in Bengaluru India during 2007–14, this research innovatively combines the duration model and hedonic price model to estimate the above. Results indicate that the current mechanisms for compensation are inadequately compensating for the land. The loss of the hope value ranges between 2.39 to 8.35 times the market value of agricultural land in 2006 and loss due to blight is approximately 31 percent. Compensating for these losses ex-ante should induce fairness in the compulsory acquisition process and reduce arbitrariness in the valuation of essential components of a compensation package, thus unburdening the valuation responsibilities of the legal institutions. These findings empirically support the argument of payment of additional monetary compensation to the market value of land and provide a rational measure of the same.
Using Spatial Planning Tools to Identify Potential Areas for the Harnessing of Ocean Currents in the Mexican Caribbean
Authors: Bello-Ontiveros Isabel , Mendoza-González Gabriela , Márquez-Pérez Lizbeth , Silva Rodolfo
Published: April 2022

A spatial analysis was carried out to evaluate the compatibility of human activities and biophysical characteristics in the Mexican Caribbean Sea, in order to identify the most viable areas for energy generation from ocean currents and the areas where the population would most benefit from such energy projects. Of the study area, 82% have some form of protection legislation. Tourism is the main economic activity in the area and this is reflected in a wide range of activities and services that often overlap within the same spatial area. In the case study, the use of renewable ocean energies is seen as an important innovation to reduce fossil fuel dependency. These energies have the potential to meet the demands of the region. However, it is vital to seek for potential areas for this type of energy harvesting where the social, economic and environmental impacts would be minimal. The lack of marine policies and land-use planning processes in Mexico is a major obstacle in avoiding land use conflicts.
Balancing Cultural Heritage Conservation: Visual Integrity Assessment to Support Change Management in the Buffer Zone of Chiang Mai Historic City Using GIS and Computer-Generated 3D Modeling
Authors: Sukwai Janjira , Mishima Nobuo , Srinurak Nattasit
Published: April 2022

The cultural landscape of Chiang Mai city, which is characterized by the interlinkage between mountain and historical settlement, has faced the adverse impacts of visual intrusion in its buffer zone from urbanization. However, there are challenges to creating a quantitative visual evaluation for decision making in response to rapid urban change. This study evaluated the impact of building height on the city skyline and utilized existing cultural heritage locations on the mountain to define a protected visual zone while conducting a 3D-GIS-based visibility analysis to identify obstruction in three scenarios: the actual condition scenario (ACS) considering current conditions, the land use scenario (LUS) considering the land use ordinance, and the proposed scenario (PPS) considering mountain skyline protection, using computer-generated 3D city modeling. The comparative results from the analysis of viewshed, line of sight, and development area calculations revealed that the number of obstructed locations in the LUS decreased by 48.46%, and in the PPS, they decreased by 77.99%, while the development area increased by similar amounts, demonstrating that the city can grow and develop despite stricter height controls. In addition, based on a visual assessment, this study established a buffer distance and intensity to protect the integrity of the heritage while allowing the city to develop.