bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal Exercise Programs Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Modulates Hepatic miRNAs in Adult Male Offspring
Authors: Zhou Liyuan , Li Shunhua , Zhang Qian , Yu Miao , Xiao Xinhua
Published: March 2022

Detrimental exposures in mothers are recognized as risk factors for the development of metabolic dysfunction in offspring. In contrast, maternal exercise has been reported to be an effective strategy to maintain offspring health. However, the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of maternal exercise on adult offspring metabolic homeostasis are largely unclear. This study aims to investigate whether maternal exercise before and during pregnancy could combat the adverse effects of maternal high-fat diet (HFD) on metabolism in 24-week-old male offspring and to explore the role of miRNAs in mediating the effects. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed with either control diet or HFD 3-week prior to breeding and throughout pregnancy and lactation, among whom half of the HFD-fed mice were submitted to voluntary wheel running training 3-week before and during pregnancy. Male offspring were sedentary and fed with a control diet from weaning to 24 weeks. Body weight, the content of inguinal subcutaneous adipose tissue and perirenal visceral adipose tissue, glucose tolerance, and serum insulin and lipids in offspring were analyzed. Hepatic tissues were collected for transcriptome and miRNA sequencing and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation. The results showed that maternal HFD resulted in significant glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in adult offspring, which were negated by maternal exercise. Transcriptome sequencing showed that maternal exercise reversed perinatal HFD-regulated genes in adult offspring, which were enriched in glucose and lipid metabolic-related signaling pathways. At the same time, maternal exercise significantly rescued the changes in the expression levels of 3 hepatic miRNAs in adult offspring, and their target genes were involved in the regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis and epigenetic modification, which may play an important role in mediating the intergenerational metabolic regulation of exercise. Overall, our research pioneered the role of miRNAs in mediating the programming effects of maternal exercise on adult offspring metabolism, which might provide novel insight into the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders in early life.
Use of Nab-Paclitaxel Plus Gemcitabine Followed by Hypofractionated Tomotherapy With Simultaneous Integrated Boost in Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Shi Zhan , Yang Ju , Kong Weiwei , Qiu Xin , Lu Changchang , Liu Juan , Liu Baorui , Du Juan
Published: March 2022

Background and Purpose

A phase 2 study LAPACT indicated nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (AG) improved outcomes of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Conventional radiotherapy failed to show benefit, indicating high dose to volume with high risk of recurrence is needed. The high dose can be delivered through hypofractionated tomotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB). However, there is a lack of such prospective trials and more data are needed to validate the role of AG plus hypofractionated tomotherapy with SIB in patients with LAPC.

Materials and Methods

Patients with LAPC receiving AG plus tomotherapy at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between 2018 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment was scheduled as follows: nab-paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 plus gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every three weeks for at least two cycles, followed by hypofractionated tomotherapy with SIB (high dose field: 50 Gy/10 fractions, the remainder: 30 Gy/10 fractions). Then patients were given AG until intolerance or disease progression.

Results

Overall, 22 patients completing the chemoradiotherapy were included. The median follow-up was 15.2 months. After the chemoradiotherapy, 5 patients achieved a partial response (PR), 15 had a stable disease (SD), and another 2 patients were with progressive disease (PD). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 12.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–21.3 months) and 16.3 months (95% CI 10.9–21.6 months), respectively. The optimal carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 response and chemotherapy cycles ≥6 were correlated with favorable PFS and OS. The most common recurrent pattern was peritoneal dissemination (22.7%) and the locoregional recurrence rate was relatively low (4.5%). Treatments were well-tolerated. The most common grade ≥3 adverse event was thrombocytopenia (13.6%).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the feasibility of AG followed by hypofractionated tomotherapy with SIB in patients with LAPC. The hypofractionated tomotherapy with SIB was safe and showed high local control rate. Further study with a larger population to validate our data is underway.
Response of Tonsil Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma to Multimodal Treatment Including Pembrolizumab: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Chen Nanxiang , Ba Wei , Zhao Dawei , Sheng Lei , Zhang Xinxin
Published: March 2022

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare malignant neoplasm that was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) under histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms in the 2016 revision. Considering the rarity of this tumor, there is no standardized treatment. It is usually treated by complete surgical resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are alternative methods. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represented by the programmed death receptor 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibody have achieved significant clinical benefits in a variety of solid tumors. However, reports on the treatment of FDCS with ICIs are rare. FDCS often expresses high levels of PD-L1, which provides a rationale to use immunotherapy in cases of FDCS. Here, we present a 51-year-old Filipino-Chinese man with FDCS who was treated with multimodal treatment, including the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab and achieved a relatively long disease-free survival of 24 months. This case emphasizes that the application of ICIs under the guidance of NGS technology seems to be a meaningful treatment option for patients with FDCS.
Effect of Time Since Smoking Cessation on Lung Cancer Incidence: An Occupational Cohort With 27 Follow-Up Years
Authors: Su Zheng , Jia Xin-Hua , Zhao Fang-Hui , Zhou Qing-Hua , Fan Ya-Guang , Qiao You-Lin
Published: March 2022

Background

This special cohort reveals the effect of smoking cessation in occupational miners exposed to radon and arsenic.

Methods

A total of 9,134 tin miners with at least 10 years of underground radon and arsenic exposure were enrolled beginning in 1992 and followed for up to 27 years. Detailed smoking information was collected at baseline, and information on smoking status was consecutively collected from 1992 to 1996. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to explore the relationship between time since smoking cessation and lung cancer.

Results

A total of 1,324 lung cancer cases occurred in this cohort over 167,776 person-years of follow-up. Among populations exposed to radon and arsenic, miners after quitting smoking for 10 years or more had almost halved their lung cancer risk [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38–0.79], compared with current smokers. Among miners after quitting smoking for 5 years or more, lung cancer incidence approximately halved (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30–0.92) for squamous cell lung carcinoma, while it showed no significant decline for adenocarcinoma (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.34–1.85).

Conclusion

Smoking cessation for 10 years or more halved lung cancer incidence among miners exposed to radon and arsenic, and the benefit was more pronounced among squamous cell lung carcinoma.
The Discrepancy Between Standard Histologic WHO Grading of Meningioma and Molecular Profile: A Single Institution Series
Authors: Roehrkasse Amanda M. , Peterson Jo Elle G. , Fung Kar-Ming , Pelargos Panayiotis E. , Dunn Ian F.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Meningiomas are the most common primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor. They are most often benign, but a subset of these can behave aggressively. Current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines classify meningiomas into three grades based on the histologic findings and presence or absence of brain invasion. These grades are intended to guide treatment, but meningiomas can behave inconsistently with regard to their assigned histopathological grade, influencing patient expectations and management. Advanced molecular profiling of meningiomas has led to the proposal of alternative molecular grading schemes that have shown superior predictive power. These include methylation patterns, copy number alterations, and mutually exclusive driver mutations affecting oncogenes, including BAP1, CDKN2A/B, and the TERT promoter, which are associated with particularly aggressive tumor biology. Despite the evident clinical value, advanced molecular profiling methods are not widely incorporated in routine clinical practice for meningiomas.

Objective

To assess the degree of concordance between the molecular profile of meningiomas and the histopathologic WHO classification, the current method of predicting meningioma behavior.

Methods

In a two-year single-institution experience, we used commercially available resources to determine molecular profiles of all resected meningiomas. Copy number aberrations and oncogenic driver mutations were identified and compared with the histopathologic grade.

Results

One hundred fifty-one total meningioma cases were included for analysis (85.4% WHO grade 1, 13.3% WHO grade 2, and 1.3% grade 3). Chromosomal analysis of 124 of these samples showed that 29% of WHO grade 1 tumor featured copy number profiles consistent with higher grade meningioma, and 25% of WHO grade 2 meningiomas had copy number profiles consistent with less aggressive tumors. Furthermore, 8% harbored mutations in TERT, CDKN2A/B, or BAP1 of which 6% occurred in grade 1 meningiomas.

Conclusions

Routine advanced molecular profiling of all resected meningiomas using commercially available resources allowed for identification of a significant number of meningiomas whose molecular profiles were inconsistent with WHO grade. Our work shows the clinical value of integrating routine molecular profiling with histopathologic grading to guide clinical decision making.
Fentanyl Exposure in Preterm Infants: Five-Year Neurodevelopmental and Socioemotional Assessment
Authors: Mills Kimberly P. , Lean Rachel E. , Smyser Christopher D. , Inder Terrie , Rogers Cynthia , McPherson Christopher C.
Published: March 2022

Objective

To evaluate the association between cumulative fentanyl dose during neonatal intensive care and 5-year neurodevelopmental and socioemotional outcomes in very preterm infants.

Materials and Methods

Patient demographics and clinical factors during the perinatal and neonatal course were collected in 84 patients born between 23- and 30-weeks gestational age (GA). Cumulative fentanyl dose during neonatal intensive care was calculated. Developmental testing at age 5 years included the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient, Third Edition, Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool, Second Edition, Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC-2), and Shape School Assessment. Socioemotional outcomes were assessed via caregiver's responses on the Child Behavior Checklist/1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5.5) and Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2). Covariates were identified on bivariate analysis (p < 0.1). Linear regression models related outcome measures to the log of cumulative fentanyl dose adjusted for covariates.

Results

Higher cumulative fentanyl dose was associated with lower composite motor scores on bivariate analysis (p < 0.01). Cumulative fentanyl dose did not correlate with composite intelligence quotient, language, or executive function. The Clinical Risk Index for Babies score, log of mechanical ventilation, inotrope, and anesthesia duration, and log of cumulative midazolam and hydrocortisone dose were also associated with MABC-2 scores (p < 0.1). Cumulative fentanyl dose was not associated with composite MABC-2 scores on multiple linear regression. Higher cumulative fentanyl dose was associated with decreased socioemotional problems based on caregiver's response on CBCL/1.5-5.5 t-scores driven by fewer symptoms of depression. The McMaster Family Assessment Device general functioning scale score, maternal age, GA, log of total parenteral nutrition days, patent ductus arteriosus requiring treatment, and log of inotrope hours were also associated with CBCL/1.5-5.5 t-scores (p < 0.1). Cumulative fentanyl dose (p = 0.039) and family dysfunction score (p = 0.002) remained significant after controlling for covariates on multiple linear regression.

Conclusion

Cumulative fentanyl dose during neonatal intensive care did not correlate with 5-year motor, cognitive, or language outcomes after controlling for other variables. Fentanyl dose was associated with caregiver reported total socioemotional problems on the CBCL/1.5-5.5 on multivariate modeling. Additional long-term studies are needed to fully elucidate the safety of fentanyl in very preterm neonates.
Altered Gastrocnemius Contractile Behavior in Former Achilles Tendon Rupture Patients During Walking
Authors: Stäudle Benjamin , Seynnes Olivier , Laps Guido , Brüggemann Gert-Peter , Albracht Kirsten
Published: March 2022

Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) remains associated with functional limitations years after injury. Architectural remodeling of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle is typically observed in the affected leg and may compensate force deficits caused by a longer tendon. Yet patients seem to retain functional limitations during—low-force—walking gait. To explore the potential limits imposed by the remodeled GM muscle-tendon unit (MTU) on walking gait, we examined the contractile behavior of muscle fascicles during the stance phase. In a cross-sectional design, we studied nine former patients (males; age: 45 ± 9 years; height: 180 ± 7 cm; weight: 83 ± 6 kg) with a history of complete unilateral ATR, approximately 4 years post-surgery. Using ultrasonography, GM tendon morphology, muscle architecture at rest, and fascicular behavior were assessed during walking at 1.5 m⋅s–1 on a treadmill. Walking patterns were recorded with a motion capture system. The unaffected leg served as control. Lower limbs kinematics were largely similar between legs during walking. Typical features of ATR-related MTU remodeling were observed during the stance sub-phases corresponding to series elastic element (SEE) lengthening (energy storage) and SEE shortening (energy release), with shorter GM fascicles (36 and 36%, respectively) and greater pennation angles (8° and 12°, respectively). However, relative to the optimal fascicle length for force production, fascicles operated at comparable length in both legs. Similarly, when expressed relative to optimal fascicle length, fascicle contraction velocity was not different between sides, except at the time-point of peak series elastic element (SEE) length, where it was 39 ± 49% lower in the affected leg. Concomitantly, fascicles rotation during contraction was greater in the affected leg during the whole stance-phase, and architectural gear ratios (AGR) was larger during SEE lengthening. Under the present testing conditions, former ATR patients had recovered a relatively symmetrical walking gait pattern. Differences in seen AGR seem to accommodate the profound changes in MTU architecture, limiting the required fascicle shortening velocity. Overall, the contractile behavior of the GM fascicles does not restrict length- or velocity-dependent force potentials during this locomotor task.
The Cellular and Developmental Roles of Cullins, Neddylation, and the COP9 Signalosome in Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Kim William D. , Mathavarajah Sabateeshan , Huber Robert J.
Published: March 2022

Cullins (CULs) are a core component of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs), which regulate the degradation, function, and subcellular trafficking of proteins. CULs are post-translationally regulated through neddylation, a process that conjugates the ubiquitin-like modifier protein neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated protein 8 (NEDD8) to target cullins, as well as non-cullin proteins. Counteracting neddylation is the deneddylase, COP9 signalosome (CSN), which removes NEDD8 from target proteins. Recent comparative genomics studies revealed that CRLs and the CSN are highly conserved in Amoebozoa. A well-studied representative of Amoebozoa, the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, has been used for close to 100 years as a model organism for studying conserved cellular and developmental processes owing to its unique life cycle comprised of unicellular and multicellular phases. The organism is also recognized as an exceptional model system for studying cellular processes impacted by human diseases, including but not limited to, cancer and neurodegeneration. Recent work shows that the neddylation inhibitor, MLN4924 (Pevonedistat), inhibits growth and multicellular development in D. discoideum, which supports previous work that revealed the cullin interactome in D. discoideum and the roles of cullins and the CSN in regulating cellular and developmental processes during the D. discoideum life cycle. Here, we review the roles of cullins, neddylation, and the CSN in D. discoideum to guide future work on using this biomedical model system to further explore the evolutionarily conserved functions of cullins and neddylation.
The Influence of Brand Image and Favorability Toward Citizens in a Product’s Country of Origin on Product Evaluation: Moderating Effects of Switching Costs
Authors: Shen Yan , Ahmad Riaz
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to provide practical implications for South Korean corporations seeking to enter the Chinese market. It explored the influences of brand image and favorability toward citizens in a product’s country of origin (FCPCO) on consumers’ product evaluation and repurchase intention, in addition to examining the moderating effects of procedural switching costs (economic risk costs, evaluation costs, learning costs, and set-up costs), financial switching costs (benefit loss costs and monetary loss costs), and relational switching costs (personal relationship loss costs and brand relationship loss costs) on the aforementioned influences. Although previous studies have established the relationships between some of the aforementioned variables, further research is required to determine the moderating effects of switching costs in various dimensions. Studies on the relationships of a product’s country of origin with product evaluation and repurchase intention have rarely explored FCPCO. Through a questionnaire survey, this study obtained effective data from 302 respondents. Constituted of an exploratory research design, this study adopted PLS-SEM method for empirical analysis. IPMA analysis results indicated that brand image had a stronger influence on product evaluation than FCPCO did and that FCPCO had a stronger influence on repurchase intention than brand image did. Overall, the performance of FCPCO was higher than that of brand image. Moreover, economic risk costs and brand relationship loss costs positively moderated the relationship between brand image and product evaluation; monetary loss costs and brand relationship loss costs negatively moderated the relationship between FCPCO and product evaluation. These study results could help corporations gain competitive edge.
Family Resilience and Psychological Responses to COVID-19: A Study of Concordance and Dyadic Effects in Singapore Households
Authors: Ho Yi-Ching Lynn , Chew Mary Su-Lynn , Mahirah Dhiya , Thumboo Julian
Published: March 2022

The impacts of COVID-19 may be magnified in a shared environment like the household, especially with people spending extended time at home during the pandemic. Family resilience is the ability of a family to adapt to crisis and can be a protective factor against stress and negative affect. While there have been calls to address family resilience during the pandemic, there is a lack of empirical study on its benefit. In this dyadic observational study, we sought to investigate the concordance of family members’ psychological responses to COVID-19, whether dyad members’ risk factors (COVID-19 exposure and financial impact) mutually affected each other’s psychological responses, and importantly, whether family resilience was a significant factor in these responses. A total of 200 family dyads from the same household completed the Family Resilience Assessment Scale and questionnaires on COVID-19 threat perception, impacts, and exposure. We found concordant dyad responses for COVID-19 threat perception, but not for psychological impact. Using the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model framework, we found that one’s psychological impact was affected by the financial impact from both dyad members. After controlling for risk factors and demographic covariates, we found that family resilience significantly associated with lower COVID-19 psychological impact, though not with threat perception. The findings suggest that both family and individual factors need to be addressed and there may be benefit in addressing multilevel risk and protective factors using an ecological systems approach, which may help prepare the population for future crises.
Moved by Social Justice: The Role of Kama Muta in Collective Action Toward Racial Equality
Authors: Lizarazo Pereira Diana M. , Schubert Thomas W. , Roth Jenny
Published: March 2022

Participation in collective action is known to be driven by two appraisals of a social situation: Beliefs that the situation is unfair (injustice appraisal) and beliefs that a group can change the situation (collective efficacy appraisal). Anger has been repeatedly found to mediate the relationship between injustice appraisals and collective action. Recent work suggests that the emotion of being moved mediates the relationship between efficacy appraisals and collective action. Building on this prior work, the present research applies kama muta theory to further investigate the relationship between efficacy appraisals and collective action. Kama muta is a positive emotion that is evoked by a sudden intensification of communal sharing, and largely overlaps with the English concept being moved. We investigated its relationship with collective action in both advantaged and disadvantaged racial groups in the context of the Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM) in Spring of 2020. In one pilot study (N = 78) and one main study (N = 215), we confirmed that anger toward the system of racial inequalities mediated between injustice and collective action intentions, and that kama muta toward the movement mediated between collective efficacy and collective action intentions. Both mediations were found for both Black and White participants. We also observed additional unpredicted paths from anger to kama muta and from efficacy to anger. Together, this provides evidence for the pivotal role of emotions in collective action intentions, but also points out that appraisals need to be better understood.
Influence of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Awareness on Employee Creativity in the Hotel Industry
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhang Han , Chen Zhezhi , Zhu Jian , Zhang Yue
Published: March 2022

The current literature in artificial intelligence and robotics awareness (AIRA) focused on the dark side of AIRA. Accordingly, this study sheds light on the positive effect of AIRA on employee creativity by exploring how and when hotel employees may take proactive behavior facing the threat of AI and robotics to further stimulate creativity. Based on the work adjustment theory (TWA) and the locus of control theory, this study constructs a moderating multiple mediation model to explain the influence of AIRA on employee creativity, in which active learning and task crafting are used as mediating variables, and locus of control is used as moderating variable. Data collected from 264 employees in a Chinese hotel are used for empirical analysis. Results show that (a) AIRA indirectly positively affects employee creativity via active learning and task crafting and (b) Locus of control not only moderates the mediating effect of active learning between the relationship of AIRA and employee creativity but also moderates the mediating effect of task crafting between the relationship of AIRA and employee creativity. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
From Pathology to Intervention and Beyond. Reviewing Current Evidence for Treating Trauma-Related Disorders in Later Life
Authors: Lely Jeannette C. G. , Kleber Rolf J.
Published: March 2022

Background

An emerging body of empirical research on trauma-focused interventions for older adults experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD has yielded encouraging results. Nevertheless, up to date, the evidence remains scattered and is developed within rather specific groups, while studies have focused mostly on individual psychopathology, overlooking the relevance of resilience and recovering in one's social environment.

Objective

This study aims at summarizing the emerging evidence on treating trauma-related disorders in older adults, followed by implications for clinical practice and future research. Specifically, the following research questions are addressed: Which factors may optimize access to intervention, what treatment benefits can be realized, and how to improve resilience by using individual as well as community-oriented approaches?

Methods

A systematic literature research of intervention studies on PTSD among older adults, published between 1980 and December 2021, was expanded by cross-referencing, summarized in a narrative synthesis and supplemented with a clinical vignette reflecting qualitative outcomes.

Results

Five RCTs compared varying types of trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with non-trauma-focused control conditions. From one of them, qualitative results were reported as well. The most recent studies reported encouraging results, confirming the suggestion that evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD can be safely and effectively used with older adults.

Conclusions

Since evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD can be safely and effectively used with older adults, new avenues for practice and research may be found in a resilience perspective and a public mental health framework.
Fear of COVID-19 Among College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Fang , Zhang Le , Ding Lu , Wang Lei , Deng Yang
Published: March 2022

Background

Mental health issue among college students is routinely a major public health concern, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have exacerbated the students' mental health issues which include psychological distress, panic disorder, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, few studies reached a consensus on the impact of COVID-19 fear on mental health among college students. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis that quantitatively synthesized the fear among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO electronic databases were systematically searched to identify cross-sectional study reporting the state of COVID-19 fear examined by the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) published up until November 20, 2021. Methodological quality was complied with the evaluation criteria of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The random effects model was employed to estimate the pooled mean of FCV-19S score. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were also conducted. Publication bias was assessed by Begg's test and funnel plot.

Results

A total of 16 studies with a sample size of 11,872 were included. A pooled mean of FCV-19S score was 17.60 [95% confidence interval (CI): 16.41–18.78]. The mean of COVID-19 fear in women (17.11, 95% CI: 16.59–17.64) was higher than that in men (15.21, 95% CI: 14.33–16.08). The highest and lowest pooled means of FCV-19S score were observed in the studies conducted in multiple countries that include Israel, Russian, and Belarus (21.55, 95% CI: 20.77–22.33) and in Europe (16.52, 95% CI: 15.26–17.77), respectively. No significant publication bias was detected by Begg's test.

Conclusions

College students experienced a moderate level of fear caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to design and implement prevention programs that target the mental health of college students.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021287017, identifier: CRD42021287017.
Because I’m Happy—An Overview on Fostering Positive Emotions Through Virtual Reality
Authors: Pavic Katarina , Vergilino-Perez Dorine , Gricourt Thierry , Chaby Laurence
Published: March 2022

In recent years, an increased demand for improving mental health and well-being led to developing procedures capable of enhancing positive experiences. One highly attractive candidate for evoking positive experiences is Virtual Reality (VR), as VR enables users to experience various situations in controlled and safe environments. This overview first investigates how positive emotions, well-being and VR are interconnected. Then, an overview about how and why to induce positive emotions in adult users is provided. Methodological and ethical considerations about VR technology, measurements of VR’s efficacy and user characteristics are reviewed. It emerges that VR is efficient in inducing positive emotions across the adult lifespan and in various settings. Levels of immersion, interactivity, Virtual environment contents, sensory modalities involved and users’ characteristics emerged as key determinants for successfully inducing positive emotions with VR. The main applications of positive VR experiences consist in using VR for relaxation, stress and pain management, motivation for physical activities, and gives promising results for apathy treatment in elderly users. Although VR is efficient in eliciting positive emotions and experiences, the underlying operating mechanisms remain unclear and are yet to be further investigated. Finally, the need for a user-centered approach when designing positive VR experiences, clear guidelines for the use of VR, and a better documentation of its potential adverse effects are addressed.
Combined Effects of Temperature and Salinity on the Pharmacokinetics of Florfenicol in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in Brackish Water
Authors: Rairat Tirawat , Liu Yi-Kai , Hsu Julia Chu-Nin , Hsieh Chia-Yu , Chuchird Niti , Chou Chi-Chung
Published: March 2022

Prudent antimicrobial use requires knowledge of pharmacokinetics (PK) in a specific fish species which in turn depends on water temperature and salinity. Although the influence of each individual factor is known, the combined effect is less clear. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of temperature and salinity concurrently on the PK of florfenicol (FF) in Nile tilapia reared in brackish water. Twenty-eight fish were divided into four groups and kept at one of two temperatures (24 vs. 32°C) and two salinity levels (5 vs. 15 ppt). The FF was administered at a single dose of 15 mg/kg body weight via oral gavage. The serum concentrations were analyzed by HPLC method and the PK parameters were analyzed by a 2-compartmental model. The result revealed that at 32°C, the elimination half-lives (t1/2β), time to reach the peak concentration (Tmax), area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC), and mean residence time (MRT) were significantly decreased, while the clearance relative to bioavailability (CL/F) significantly increased compared to those at 24°C. The extents of these PK changes were similar at the two salinity levels. On the contrary, increasing the salinity from 5 to 15 ppt at a given temperature level produced no significant change in the PK behavior. Our finding indicated that only water temperature, but not salinity, is the major determinant factor governing the FF fate in the fish body.
Reduction of Evapotranspiration in Microenvironment Conditions of Table Grape Vineyards Protected by Different Types of Plastic Covers
Authors: de Palma Laura , Vox Giuliano , Schettini Evelia , Novello Vittorino
Published: March 2022

Saving water is a major challenge to increase environmental sustainability, particularly in semi-arid regions where most table grapes are produced. Water use is driven by atmospheric demand, which combines effects of solar radiation (prominent factor), wind, air temperature and humidity. Covering table grapes with transparent plastics is spread in many regions. Covers lower incoming solar radiation and wind speed, changing air temperature and humidity. This study assessed the effects of two plastic covers on reference evapotranspiration (ET0) in comparison to the open field. For two years, two vineyards (cv. Victoria) trained to overhead trellis systems (tendone) were covered with two transparent polyethylene sheets: an agrotextile fabric (C), and a commercial film (S). The sheet spectrophotometric properties were analyzed and the radiometric coefficients calculated. Micrometeorological data were recorded in the covered vineyards and in a nearby uncovered one. ET0 was calculated for June and July using the simplified Penman–Monteith equation. The coefficient of transmissivity to total photosynthetic radiation, a proxy of net radiation, was 73% for cover C and 83% for cover S. On average, ET0 decreased by 35% under cover C and 31% under cover S. Hence, in addition to providing protection from external agents, covers represent a valid tool for saving water in table grape viticulture; nevertheless, their radiometric properties should be considered and optimized to better achieve this goal.
An Alternative Tool for Intra-Row Weed Control in a High-Density Olive Orchard
Authors: Assirelli Alberto , Ciaccia Corrado , Giorgi Veronica , Zucchini Matteo , Neri Davide , Lodolini Enrico Maria
Published: March 2022

In high-density olive orchards, weed control along the row is pivotal to avoid the competition between the young trees and the weeds to promote a strong vegetative growth of the olives during the first years after planting. Two different mechanical weeders were compared in a high-density olive orchard (1250 trees ha−1) planted in 2019. An intra-row hoeing machine (Control) and an alternative system with a high-pressure water blast (Grass Killer) were compared. The treatments were carried out in summer and autumn. The effects of the two control systems were assessed through the weed soil coverage and indirectly through the growth of olive trees. The effect on weeds in summer was marked without showing significant differences between the applied treatments, even if the Grass Killer did not eradicate totally the weeds. In autumn, the hoeing machine showed a higher weeding capacity, even though the presence of weeds along the row treated with the high-pressure water weeder can contribute to reduce the soil moisture in wintertime. No differences were seen for the young olive tree growth. Results showed a good weeding capacity of the alternative machine, and its use can be managed in combination with other mechanical systems.
DeepSleep 2.0: Automated Sleep Arousal Segmentation via Deep Learning
Authors: Fonod Robert
Published: March 2022

DeepSleep 2.0 is a compact version of DeepSleep, a state-of-the-art, U-Net-inspired, fully convolutional deep neural network, which achieved the highest unofficial score in the 2018 PhysioNet Computing Challenge. The proposed network architecture has a compact encoder/decoder structure containing only 740,551 trainable parameters. The input to the network is a full-length multichannel polysomnographic recording signal. The network has been designed and optimized to efficiently predict nonapnea sleep arousals on held-out test data at a 5 ms resolution level, while not compromising the prediction accuracy. When compared to DeepSleep, the obtained experimental results in terms of gross area under the precision–recall curve (AUPRC) and gross area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) suggest a lightweight architecture, which can achieve similar prediction performance at a lower computational cost, is realizable.
Sarecycline Demonstrated Reduced Activity Compared to Minocycline against Microbial Species Representing Human Gastrointestinal Microbiota
Authors: Ghannoum Mahmoud , Long Lisa , Bunick Christopher , Del Rosso James , Gamal Ahmed , Tyring Stephen , McCormick Thomas , Grada Ayman
Published: March 2022

Prolonged use of broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotics such as minocycline and doxycycline may significantly alter the gut and skin microbiome leading to dysbiosis. Sarecycline, a narrow-spectrum tetracycline-class antibiotic used for acne treatment, is hypothesized to have minimal impact on the gastrointestinal tract microbiota. We evaluated the effect of sarecycline compared to minocycline against a panel of microorganisms that reflect the diversity of the gut microbiome using in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time-kill kinetic assays. Compared to minocycline, sarecycline showed less antimicrobial activity indicated by higher MIC against 10 of 12 isolates from the Bacteroidetes phylum, three out of four isolates from Actinobacteria phylum, and five of seven isolates from the Firmicutes phylum, with significantly higher MIC values against Propionibacterium freudenreichii (≥3 dilutions). In time-kill assays, sarecycline demonstrated significantly less activity against Escherichia coli compared to minocycline at all time-points (p < 0.05). Moreover, sarecycline was significantly less effective in inhibiting Candida tropicalis compared to minocycline following 20- and 22-h exposure. Furthermore, sarecycline showed significantly less activity against Lactobacillus paracasei (recently renamed as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei) (p = 0.002) and Bifidobacterium adolescentis at 48 h (p = 0.042), when compared to minocycline. Overall, sarecycline demonstrated reduced antimicrobial activity against 79% of the tested gut microorganisms, suggesting that it is less disruptive to gut microbiota compared with minocycline. Further in vivo testing is warranted.
RecA and Specialized Error-Prone DNA Polymerases Are Not Required for Mutagenesis and Antibiotic Resistance Induced by Fluoroquinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Mercolino Jessica , Lo Sciuto Alessandra , Spinnato Maria Concetta , Rampioni Giordano , Imperi Francesco
Published: March 2022

To cope with stressful conditions, including antibiotic exposure, bacteria activate the SOS response, a pathway that induces error-prone DNA repair and mutagenesis mechanisms. In most bacteria, the SOS response relies on the transcriptional repressor LexA and the co-protease RecA, the latter being also involved in homologous recombination. The role of the SOS response in stress- and antibiotic-induced mutagenesis has been characterized in detail in the model organism Escherichia coli. However, its effect on antibiotic resistance in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is less clear. Here, we analyzed a recA deletion mutant and confirmed, by conjugation and gene expression assays, that RecA is required for homologous recombination and SOS response induction in P. aeruginosa. MIC assays demonstrated that RecA affects P. aeruginosa resistance only towards fluoroquinolones and genotoxic agents. The comparison of antibiotic-resistant mutant frequency between treated and untreated cultures revealed that, among the antibiotics tested, only fluoroquinolones induced mutagenesis in P. aeruginosa. Notably, both RecA and error-prone DNA polymerases were found to be dispensable for this process. These data demonstrate that the SOS response is not required for antibiotic-induced mutagenesis in P. aeruginosa, suggesting that RecA inhibition is not a suitable strategy to target antibiotic-induced emergence of resistance in this pathogen.
Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli: Beta-Lactam Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Resistance
Authors: Longhi Catia , Maurizi Linda , Conte Antonietta Lucia , Marazzato Massimiliano , Comanducci Antonella , Nicoletti Mauro , Zagaglia Carlo
Published: March 2022

Multiple-antibiotic-resistant (MAR) extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) represents one of the most frequent causes of human nosocomial and community-acquired infections, whose eradication is of major concern for clinicians. ExPECs may inhabit indefinitely as commensal the gut of humans and other animals; from the intestine, they may move to colonize other tissues, where they are responsible for a number of diseases, including recurrent and uncomplicated UTIs, sepsis and neonatal meningitis. In the pre-antibiotic era, heavy metals were largely used as chemotherapeutics and/or as antimicrobials in human and animal healthcare. As with antibiotics, the global incidence of heavy metal tolerance in commensal, as well as in ExPEC, has increased following the ban in several countries of antibiotics as promoters of animal growth. Furthermore, it is believed that extensive bacterial exposure to heavy metals present in soil and water might have favored the increase in heavy-metal-tolerant microorganisms. The isolation of ExPEC strains with combined resistance to both antibiotics and heavy metals has become quite common and, remarkably, it has been recently shown that heavy metal resistance genes may co-select antibiotic-resistance genes. Despite their clinical relevance, the mechanisms underlining the development and spread of heavy metal tolerance have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this review is to present data regarding the development and spread of resistance to first-line antibiotics, such as beta-lactams, as well as tolerance to heavy metals in ExPEC strains.
Temperature-Related Effects of Myocardial Protection Strategies in Swine Hearts after Prolonged Warm Ischemia
Authors: Tolomeo Anna Maria , Fabozzo Assunta , Malvicini Ricardo , De Lazzari Giada , Bisaccia Paola , Gaburro Gianluca , Arcidiacono Diletta , Notarangelo Denni , Caicci Federico , Zanella Fabio , Marchesan Massimo , Yannarelli Gustavo , Santovito Gianfranco , Muraca Maurizio , Gerosa Gino
Published: March 2022

Insufficient supply of cardiac grafts represents a severe obstacle in heart transplantation. Donation after circulatory death (DCD), in addition to conventional donation after brain death, is one promising option to overcome the organ shortage. However, DCD organs undergo an inevitably longer period of unprotected warm ischemia between circulatory arrest and graft procurement. In this scenario, we aim to improve heart preservation after a warm ischemic period of 20 min by testing different settings of myocardial protective strategies. Pig hearts were collected from a slaughterhouse and assigned to one of the five experimental groups: baseline (BL), cold cardioplegia (CC), cold cardioplegia + adenosine (CC-ADN), normothermic cardioplegia (NtC + CC) or normothermic cardioplegia + cold cardioplegia + adenosine (NtC-ADN + CC). After treatment, tissue biopsies were taken to assess mitochondrial morphology, antioxidant enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation and cytokine and chemokine expressions. NtC + CC treatment significantly prevented mitochondria swelling and mitochondrial cristae loss. Moreover, the antioxidant enzyme activity was lower in this group, as was lipid peroxidation, and the pro-inflammatory chemokine GM-CSF was diminished. Finally, we demonstrated that normothermic cardioplegia preserved mitochondria morphology, thus preventing oxidative stress and the subsequent inflammatory response. Therefore, normothermic cardioplegia is a better approach to preserve the heart after a warm ischemia period, with respect to cold cardioplegia, before transplantation.
Chitosan-Tripolyphosphate Nanoparticles Prepared by Ionic Gelation Improve the Antioxidant Activities of Astaxanthin in the In Vitro and In Vivo Model
Authors: Kim Eun Suh , Baek Youjin , Yoo Hyun-Jae , Lee Ji-Soo , Lee Hyeon Gyu
Published: March 2022

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of chitosan (CS)-tripolyphosphate (TPP) nanoparticles (NPs) on the stability, antioxidant activity, and bioavailability of astaxanthin (ASX). ASX-loaded CS-TPP NPs (ACT-NPs) prepared by ionic gelation between CS (0.571 mg/mL) and TPP (0.571 mg/mL) showed 505.2 ± 184.8 nm, 20.4 ± 1.2 mV, 0.348 ± 0.044, and 63.9 ± 3.0% of particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index and encapsulation efficiency, respectively. An in vitro release study confirmed that the release of ASX in simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestinal (pH 6.8) fluid was prolonged within ACT-NPs. The in vitro antioxidant activities of ACT-NPs were significantly improved compared with free ASX (FA) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the cellular and in vivo antioxidant analysis verified that ACT-NPs could enhance the cytoprotective effects on the BHK-21 cell line and demonstrate sustained release properties, leading to prolonged residence time in the rat plasma. The results suggest that the stability, antioxidant properties, and bioavailability of ASX can be effectively enhanced through encapsulation within CS-TPP NPs.
Active Transposition of Insertion Sequences in Prokaryotes: Insights from the Response of Deinococcus geothermalis to Oxidative Stress
Authors: Shin Eunjung , Ye Qianying , Lee Sung-Jae
Published: March 2022

Bacterial genomes contain numerous insertion sequences (ISs) as transposable elements involved in actions such as the sequestration, transmission, mutation and activation of genes that can influence the responsive capacity of the organism to environmental challenges. To date, at least 30 IS families have been identified. In this review, we describe how certain ISs are transposed to carotenoid biosynthesis genes, such as phytoene synthase and phytoene desaturase, when radiation-resistant Deinococcus geothermalis with a redox imbalance and a targeted gene disruption mutation is exposed to oxidative stressors, such as gamma-irradiation, dielectric bilayer discharge plasma and hydrogen peroxide. We also explain the genetic features of IS elements, spontaneous mutation and various stress responses, including nutrient limitation, and physicochemical and oxidative stress, associated with the active transposition of bacterial ISs. Based on the current knowledge, we posit that the redox signalling mechanism inducing IS transposition involves redox sensing and redox switching for the activation of transposase expression and its activity.
Optimization Model for Selective Harvest Planning Performed by Humans and Robots
Authors: Harel Ben , Edan Yael , Perlman Yael
Published: March 2022

This paper addresses the formulation of an individual fruit harvest decision as a nonlinear programming problem to maximize profit, while considering selective harvesting based on fruit maturity. A model for the operational level decision was developed and includes four features: time window constraints, resource limitations, yield perishability, and uncertainty. The model implementation was demonstrated through numerical studies that compared decisions for different types of worker and analyzed different robotic harvester capabilities for a case study of sweet pepper harvesting. The results show the influence of the maturity classification capabilities of the robot on its output, as well as the improvement in cycle times needed to reach the economic feasibility of a robotic harvester.