bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated Identification of Coronary Arteries in Assisting Inexperienced Readers: Comparison between Two Commercial Vendors
Authors: De Santis Domenico , Tremamunno Giuseppe , Rucci Carlotta , Polidori Tiziano , Zerunian Marta , Piccinni Giulia , Pugliese Luca , Masci Benedetta , Ubaldi Nicolò , Laghi Andrea , Caruso Damiano
Published: August 2022

Background: to assess the performance and speed of two commercially available advanced cardiac software packages in the automated identification of coronary vessels as an aiding tool for inexperienced readers. Methods: Hundred and sixty patients undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) were prospectively enrolled from February until September 2021 and randomized in two groups, each one composed by 80 patients. Patients in group 1 were scanned on Revolution EVO CT Scanner (GE Healthcare), while patients in group 2 had the CCTA performed on Brilliance iCT (Philips Healthcare); each examination was evaluated on the respective vendor proprietary advanced cardiac software (software 1 and 2, respectively). Two inexperienced readers in cardiac imaging verified the software performance in the automated identification of the three major coronary vessels: (RCA, LCx, and LAD) and in the number of identified coronary segments. Time of analysis was also recorded. Results: software 1 correctly and automatically nominated 202/240 (84.2%) of the three main coronary vessels, while software 2 correctly identified 191/240 (79.6%) (p = 0.191). Software 1 achieved greater performances in recognizing the LCx (81.2% versus 67.5%; p = 0.048), while no differences have been reported in detecting the RCA (p = 0.679), and the LAD (p = 0.618). On a per-segment analysis, software 1 outperformed software 2, automatically detecting 942/1062 (88.7%) coronary segments, while software 2 detected 797/1078 (73.9%) (p < 0.001). Average reconstruction and detection time was of 13.8 s for software 1 and 21.9 s for software 2 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: automated cardiac software packages are a reliable and time-saving tool for inexperienced reader. Software 1 outperforms software 2 and might therefore better assist inexperienced CCTA readers in automated identification of the three main vessels and coronaries segments, with a consistent time saving of the reading session.
SNP rs2920280 in PSCA Is Associated with Susceptibility to Gastric Mucosal Atrophy and Is a Promising Biomarker in Japanese Individuals with Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Isomoto Hajime , Sakaguchi Takuki , Inamine Tatsuo , Takeshita Shintaro , Fukuda Daisuke , Ohnita Ken , Kanda Tsutomu , Matsushima Kayoko , Honda Tetsuro , Sugihara Takaaki , Hirayama Tatsuro , Nakao Kazuhiko , Tsukamoto Kazuhiro
Published: August 2022

Helicobacter pylori infection results in gastric cancer (GC) with gastric mucosal atrophy (GMA). Some single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the prostate stem cell antigen gene (PSCA) are associated with GC and duodenal ulcers. However, the relationship of other identified SNPs in PSCA with these diseases remains unclear. Herein, the association between PSCA SNPs and GMA among 195 Japanese individuals with H. pylori infection was evaluated. The definition of GMA or non-GMA was based on serum pepsinogen levels or endoscopic findings. Five tag PSCA SNPs were analyzed using PCR high-resolution melting curve analysis with nonlabelled probes. The frequencies of alleles and the genotypes of each tag SNP were compared between the GMA and non-GMA groups. Subsequently, a genetic test was performed using associated SNPs as biomarkers to detect patients developing GMA. Two tag PSCA SNPs (rs2920280 and rs2294008) were related to GMA susceptibility. Individuals with the rs2920280 G/G genotype or the rs2294008 T/T genotype in PSCA had 3.5- and 2.1-fold susceptibility to GMA, respectively. In conclusion, SNP rs2920280 is a possible biomarker for detecting individuals developing GMA. PSCA polymorphisms may be useful biomarkers for predicting GMA linked to GC risk and a screening endoscopy strategy to detect GC related to early stage H. pylori associated GMA.
Editorial on Special Issue “Quantitative PET and SPECT”
Authors: van Velden Floris , de Geus-Oei Lioe-Fee
Published: August 2022

Since the introduction of personalized (or precision) medicine, where individually tailored treatments are designed to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, the primary focus of imaging has moved from detection and diagnosis to tissue characterization, determination of prognosis, prediction of treatment efficacy, and measurement of treatment response [...]
Reduction of Specular Reflection Based on Linear Polarization Control for Fluorescence-Induced Diagnostic Evaluation
Authors: Lee Sangyun , Yoon Kicheol , Kim Jungmin , Kim Kwang Gi
Published: August 2022

The primary goal of cancer surgery is to completely eliminate tumors. A real-time diagnostic method uses a fluorescence contrast agent and a surgical microscope to assess the status of tumor resection and the patient’s blood circulation. The biggest problem in imaging diagnostics using a microscope is the specular reflection phenomenon. While observing a lesion, the observation field may be obstructed due to specular reflection, making it difficult to obtain accurate results during the diagnostic process. Herein we propose a method to reduce specular reflection during tumor diagnosis by introducing a linearly polarized filter for a surgical microscope system. The method of angular direction adjustment of the filter ensures that only the horizontally polarized light passes through it, thereby obstructing the specular reflection. As a result of removing specular reflection, clear images were obtained at 90° and 270°. This experiment was conducted using phantoms and animals. Our results prove that the proposed method can be applied to imaging cameras used in internal medicine, surgery, and radiology for diagnosis.
Wildfire Identification Based on an Improved Two-Channel Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Guo Ying-Qing , Chen Gang , Wang Yi-Na , Zha Xiu-Mei , Xu Zhao-Dong
Published: August 2022

The identification of wildfires is a very complex task due to their different shapes, textures, and colours. Traditional image processing methods need to manually design feature extraction algorithms based on prior knowledge, and because fires at different stages have different characteristics, manually designed feature extraction algorithms often have insufficient generalization capabilities. A convolutional neural network (CNN) can automatically extract the deeper features of an image, avoiding the complexity and blindness of the feature extraction phase. Therefore, a wildfire identification method based on an improved two-channel CNN is proposed in this paper. Firstly, in order to solve the problem of the insufficient dataset, the dataset is processed by using PCA_Jittering, transfer learning is used to train the model and then the accuracy of the model is improved by using segmented training. Secondly, in order to achieve the effective coverage of the model for fire scenes of different sizes, a two-channel CNN based on feature fusion is designed, in which the fully connected layers are replaced by a support vector machine (SVM). Finally, in order to reduce the delay time of the model, Lasso_SVM is designed to replace the SVM in the original model. The results show that the method has the advantages of high accuracy and low latency. The accuracy of wildfire identification is 98.47% and the average delay time of fire identification is 0.051 s/frame. The wildfire identification method designed in this paper improves the accuracy of identifying wildfires and reduces the delay time in identifying them.
Maintaining Carbon Storage Does Not Reduce Fish Production from Mangrove-Fish Pond System: A Case Study in Coastal Area of Subang District, West Java, Indonesia
Authors: Sumarga Elham , Syamsudin Tati Suryati , Rahman Sheila Pertiwi , Kurnia Putri Azzahra Ramadhanti , Velia  , Aldi Alfiazka Anargha , Basyuni Mohammad
Published: August 2022

Deforestation and degradation of mangrove forests can be categorized as key environmental problems in Indonesia. These problems are majorly driven by overexploitation and the conversion of mangroves into brackish water aquaculture areas. One of the most common aquaculture systems traditionally developed in the coastal areas is the mangrove-fish pond system that combines fish production with existing trees. This study aims to analyze the environmental and economic aspects of mangrove-fish pond aquaculture in different levels of mangrove cover in the coastal area of Subang District, West Java, Indonesia. The spatial analysis method was used to analyze mangrove distribution and identify the current coverage in the aquaculture area. The economic aspect was analyzed, based on the costs and revenue from fish production, while the environmental aspect was represented by carbon storage, which is among the crucial mangrove ecosystem services. This study estimated carbon storage in the four-carbon pools: above- and below-ground biomass, deadwood, and litterfall. Based on the combination of visual interpretation of Sentinel 2A satellite images and field observations, approximately 667 ha of mangrove-fish pond was identified. This study found that there were no significant differences in fish production and net income from mangrove-fish pond aquaculture at various levels of mangrove cover. Meanwhile, the ponds with high mangrove cover stored higher carbon than those with medium and low mangrove covers. This indicates that maintaining carbon storage does not reduce fish production from mangrove-fish pond aquaculture.
Point Cloud Based Mapping of Understory Shrub Fuel Distribution, Estimation of Fuel Consumption and Relationship to Pyrolysis Gas Emissions on Experimental Prescribed Burns
Authors: Herzog Molly M. , Hudak Andrew T. , Weise David R. , Bradley Ashley M. , Tonkyn Russell G. , Banach Catherine A. , Myers Tanya L. , Bright Benjamin C. , Batchelor Jonathan L. , Kato Akira , Maitland John S. , Johnson Timothy J.
Published: August 2022

Forest fires spread via production and combustion of pyrolysis gases in the understory. The goal of the present paper is to understand the spatial location, distribution, and fraction (relative to the overstory) of understory plants, in this case, sparkleberry shrub, namely its degree of understory consumption upon burn, and to search for correlations between the degree of shrub consumption to the composition of emitted pyrolysis gases. Data were collected in situ at seven small experimental prescribed burns at Ft. Jackson, an army base in South Carolina, USA. Using airborne laser scanning (ALS) to map overstory tree crowns and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to characterize understory shrub fuel density, both pre- and postburn estimates of sparkleberry coverage were obtained. Sparkleberry clump polygons were manually digitized from a UAV-derived orthoimage of the understory and intersected with the TLS point cloud-derived rasters of pre- and postburn shrub fuel bulk density; these were compared in relation to overstory crown cover as well as to ground truth. Shrub fuel consumption was estimated from the digitized images; sparkleberry clump distributions were generally found to not correlate well to the overstory tree crowns, suggesting it is shade-tolerant. Moreover, no relationship was found between the magnitude of the fuel consumption and the chemical composition of pyrolysis gases, even though mixing ratios of 25 individual gases were measured.
Characterization, Stability, and Antibrowning Effects of Oxyresveratrol Cyclodextrin Complexes Combined Use of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Authors: He Jianfei , Chen Huai-Yu , Chen Hongbin , Wang Baobei , Guo Fengxian , Zheng Zong-Ping
Published: August 2022

Oxyresveratrol (Oxy) has attracted much attention by employing it as an antibrowning agent in fruits and vegetables. In this study, the formation of cyclodextrin (CD) inclusion exhibited a certain protective effect on Oxy oxidative degradation, while hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP–β-CD) inclusion complex showed stronger stabilizing effects than those of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The combined use of CD and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) greatly improved the stability of Oxy–CD inclusion complexes, with approximately 70% of the trans-Oxy retained after 30 days of storage under light conditions at 25 °C. The results of the interaction between CD and Oxy determined by phase solubility studies and fluorescence spectroscopic analysis showed that the binding strength of CD and Oxy increased in the presence of HPMC. Moreover, Oxy combined with ascorbic acid and HPMC showed an excellent antibrowning effect on fresh-cut apple slices during the 48 h test period, indicating that adding HPMC as the third component will not influence the antibrowning activity of Oxy.
Effect of Physical and Enzymatic Modifications on Composition, Properties and In Vitro Starch Digestibility of Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seed Flour
Authors: Sopawong Pornnutcha , Warodomwichit Daruneewan , Srichamnong Warangkana , Methacanon Pawadee , Tangsuphoom Nattapol
Published: August 2022

In this study, native lotus seed flour (N-LSF) was modified by different methods, namely, partial gelatinization (PG), heat–moisture treatment (HMT), or pullulanase treatment (EP). Their composition, functional properties, starch composition, and estimated glycemic index (eGI) were compared. PG contained similar protein, soluble dietary fiber, and insoluble dietary fiber contents to N-LSF, while those of HMT and EP differed from their native form. PG increased rapid digestible starch (RDS) but decreased resistant starch (RS); while HMT and EP increased amylose and RS contents to 34.57–39.23% and 86.99–92.52% total starch, respectively. Such differences led to the different pasting properties of the modified flours rather than PG, which was comparable to the native flour. HMT had limited pasting properties, while EP gave the highest viscosities upon pasting. The eGI of all samples could be classified as low (<50), except that of PG, which was in the medium range (60). It was plausible that lotus seed flour modified either with HMT or EP could be used as carbohydrate source for diabetes patients or health-conscious people.
Novel Precise Solitary Wave Solutions of Two Time Fractional Nonlinear Evolution Models via the MSE Scheme
Authors: Rahman Zillur , Abdeljabbar Alrazi , Harun-Or-Roshid  , Ali M. Zulfikar
Published: August 2022

We construct soliton solutions of the complex time fractional Schrodinger model (tFSM), as well as the space–time fractional differential model (stFDM), leading wave spread through electrical transmission lines model (ETLM) in low pass with the help of modified simple equation scheme. The approach provides us with generalized rational exponential function solutions with some free parameters. A few well-known solitary wave resolutions are derived, starting from the generalized rational solutions selecting specific values of the free constants. The precise solutions acquired via the technique signify that the scheme is comparatively easier to execute and attractive in view of the results. No auxiliary equation is needed to solve any nonlinear fractional models by the scheme. Additionally, we observed that the numerical results are very encouraging for researchers conducting further research on stFDMs in mathematics and physics.
Integrity, Trustworthiness, and Effectiveness: Towards an Ethos for Forensic Genetics
Authors: Wienroth Matthias , Amankwaa Aaron Opoku , McCartney Carole
Published: August 2022

Forensic genetics comes under critical scrutiny when developments challenge previously accepted legal, ethical, social, and other boundaries. Forensic geneticists continue to build a knowledge culture within a community of practice that acknowledges ethical standards of conduct in both research and the societal application of forensic genetics. As the community further cements and extends its societal role, and in that process often pushing at ethical and legal boundaries, it requires a strong, resilient, and responsive ethos that, in setting clear parameters for conduct, fosters the field’s sense of purpose. While supra-national declarations and human rights protections, coupled with local regulations, provide some parameters for practice, and discipline-specific guidance has refined an agenda for forensic genetics research and application, this maturing field needs to now define its core principles. This contribution proposes the values of integrity, trustworthiness, and effectiveness as a foundational triptych for a bespoke forensic genetics ethos to ensure the augmentation of developments that range from a purely science-oriented to a wider societally relevant knowledge culture.
LHX2 Enhances the Malignant Phenotype of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Upregulating the Expression of SERPINE2
Authors: Li Xukun , Wu Xueling , Chen Hongyan , Liu Zhihua , He Huan , Wang Luhua
Published: August 2022

LHX2 dysregulations have been found to present in cancers, but the function of LHX2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. Here, we report that LHX2 was upregulated in ESCC tissues in comparison to the LHX2 levels in adjacent normal tissues. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that the knockdown of LHX2 markedly inhibited ESCC cells’ proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor growth and metastasis, whereas the overexpression of LHX2 had the opposite effects. A mechanistic investigation revealed that LHX2 bound to the promoter of SERPINE2 gene and transcriptionally regulated the expression of SERPINE2. Collectively, LHX2 facilitates ESCC tumor progression, and it could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.
The Divergent Pluripotent States in Mouse and Human Cells
Authors: Wang Xuepeng , Wu Qiang
Published: August 2022

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which can self-renew and give rise to all cell types in all three germ layers, have great potential in regenerative medicine. Recent studies have shown that PSCs can have three distinct but interrelated pluripotent states: naive, formative, and primed. The PSCs of each state are derived from different stages of the early developing embryo and can be maintained in culture by different molecular mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the current understanding on features of the three pluripotent states and review the underlying molecular mechanisms of maintaining their identities. Lastly, we discuss the interrelation and transition among these pluripotency states. We believe that comprehending the divergence of pluripotent states is essential to fully harness the great potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine.
Development of Soil Moisture Content and Soil Matric Suction Model Based on Field Instrumentation and Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) for Highway Slopes Constructed on High Expansive Clay Soil
Authors: Nobahar Masoud , Salunke Rakesh , Khan Mohammad Sadik , Amini Farshad
Published: August 2022

In highway slopes (HWS) constructed on high expansive clay soil (HECS), in situ moisture variation is an environmentally driven variable that can significantly impact the safety of the constructed soil. Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) is a non-destructive method with a considerable potential for subsurface soil moisture mapping, which can be correlated with volumetric soil moisture content (VSMC) and soil matric suction (SMS) of HECS to remarkably enhance the evaluation of the performance of the HWS. However, limited datasets are available to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of the available correlative field-based models for the HECS under various field conditions. The objective of the current study is to develop a field-based model of VSMC and SMS using real-time field monitoring and ERI data. Six HWS located in the Jackson metro area in Mississippi (MS), USA were considered as reference slopes in this study. Comprehensive field instrumentation was executed at the six HWS to monitor the VSMC, SMS and rainfall intensity. The sensors were installed at the crest, middle and toe of the slope. The 2D ERI test was conducted using a dipole–dipole array with multiple electrodes at 5 ft (1.5 m) spacing. The ERI survey was conducted at the crest and middle of the six HWS to image the continuous soil subsurface profile in terms of moisture variation. The developed models indicated a good agreement between instrumented and ERI data. The developed models will facilitate the estimation of VSMC and SMS variations and aid in performance monitoring of the HWS built on HECS such as Yazoo clay.
Healthcare Supply Chain Management under COVID-19 Settings: The Existing Practices in Hong Kong and the United States
Authors: Lau Yui-Yip , Dulebenets Maxim A. , Yip Ho-Tung , Tang Yuk-Ming
Published: August 2022

COVID-19 is recognized as an infectious disease generated by serious acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. COVID-19 has rapidly spread all over the world within a short time period. Due to the coronavirus pandemic transmitting quickly worldwide, the impact on global healthcare systems and healthcare supply chain management has been profound. The COVID-19 outbreak has seriously influenced the routine and daily operations of healthcare facilities and the entire healthcare supply chain management and has brough about a public health crisis. As making sure the availability of healthcare facilities during COVID-19 is crucial, the debate on how to take resilience actions for sustaining healthcare supply chain management has gained new momentum. Apart from the logistics of handling human remains in some countries, supplies within the communities are urgently needed for emergency response. This study focuses on a comprehensive evaluation of the current practices of healthcare supply chain management in Hong Kong and the United States under COVID-19 settings. A wide range of different aspects associated with healthcare supply chain operations are considered, including the best practices for using respirators, transport of life-saving medical supplies, contingency healthcare strategies, blood distribution, and best practices for using disinfectants, as well as human remains handling and logistics. The outcomes of the conducted research identify the existing healthcare supply chain trends in two major Eastern and Western regions of the world, Hong Kong and the United States, and determine the key challenges and propose some strategies that can improve the effectiveness of healthcare supply chain management under COVID-19 settings. The study highlights how to build resilient healthcare supply chain management preparedness for future emergencies.
Lower Limbs Wearable Sports Garments for Muscle Recovery: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Duarte João P. , Fernandes Ricardo J. , Silva Gonçalo , Sousa Filipa , Machado Leandro , Pereira João R. , Vilas-Boas João P.
Published: August 2022

This review aims to understand the different technologies incorporated into lower limbs wearable smart garments and their impact on post-exercise recovery. Electronic searches were conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases. Eligibility criteria considered meta-analyses that examined the effects of wearable smart garments on physical fitness in healthy male and female adults. Seven meta-analyses were considered in the current umbrella review, indicating small effects on delayed-onset muscle soreness ([0.40–0.43]), rate of perceived exertion (0.20), proprioception (0.49), anaerobic performance (0.27), and sprints ([0.21–0.37]). The included meta-analyses also indicated wearable smart garments have trivial to large effects on muscle strength and power ([0.14–1.63]), creatine kinase ([0.02–0.44]), lactate dehydrogenase (0.52), muscle swelling (0.73), lactate (0.98) and aerobic pathway (0.24), and endurance (0.37), aerobic performance (0.60), and running performance ([0.06–6.10]). Wearing wearable smart garments did not alter the rate of perceived exertion and had a small effect on delayed-onset muscle soreness. Well-fitting wearable smart garments improve comfort and kinesthesia and proprioception and allow a reduction in strength loss and muscle damage after training and power performance following resistance training or eccentric exercise.
Evaluating Magnitude Agreement and Occurrence Consistency of CHIRPS Product with Ground-Based Observations over Medium-Sized River Basins in Nepal
Authors: Upadhyay Surabhi , Silwal Priya , Prajapati Rajaram , Talchabhadel Rocky , Shrestha Sandesh , Duwal Sudeep , Lakhe Hanik
Published: August 2022

High spatio-temporal resolution and accurate long-term rainfall estimates are critical in sustainable water resource planning and management, assessment of climate variability and extremes, and hydro-meteorology-related water system decisions. The recent advent of improved higher-resolution open-access satellite-based rainfall products has emerged as a viable complementary to ground-based observations that can often not capture the rainfall variability on a spatial scale. In a developing country such as Nepal, where the rain-gauge monitoring network is sparse and unevenly distributed, satellite rainfall estimates are crucial. However, substantial errors associated with such satellite rainfall estimates pose a challenge to their application, particularly in complex orographic regions such as Nepal. Therefore, these precipitation products must be validated before practical usage to check their accuracy and occurrence consistency. This study aims to assess the reliability of the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) product against ground-based observations from 1986 to 2015 in five medium-sized river basins in Nepal, namely, Babai, Bagmati, Kamala, Kankai, and the West Rapti river basin. A set of continuous evaluation metrics (correlation coefficient, root mean square error, relative bias, and Kling-Gupta efficiency) were used in analyzing the accuracy of CHIRPS and categorical metrics (probability of detection, critical success index, false alarm ratio, and frequency bias index). The Probability of Detection and Critical Success Index values were found to be considerably low (<0.4 on average), while the false alarm ratio was significant (>0.4 on average). It was found that CHIRPS showed better performance in seasonal and monthly time scales with high correlation and indicated greater consistency in non-monsoon seasons. Rainfall amount (less than 10 mm and greater than 150 mm) and rainfall frequency was underestimated by CHIRPS in all basins, while the overestimated rainfall was between 10 and 100 mm in all basins except Kamala. Additionally, CHIRPS overestimated dry days and maximum consecutive dry days in the study area. Our study suggests that CHIRPS rainfall products cannot supplant the ground-based observations but complement rain-gauge networks. However, the reliability of this product in capturing local extreme events (such as floods and droughts) seems less prominent. A high-quality rain gauge network is essential to enhance the accuracy of satellite estimations.
Toxicology, Nanotoxicology and Occupational Diseases Related to Chemical Exposure
Authors: Sutunkova Marina P.
Published: August 2022

The Special Issue “Toxicology, Nanotoxicology and Occupational Diseases” of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences includes six articles presenting the results of recent experimental studies in the fields of toxicology, nanotoxicology, and occupational health [...]
Comparative Analysis of Epicuticular Lipids in Locusta migratoria and Calliptamus italicus: A Possible Role in Susceptibility to Entomopathogenic Fungi
Authors: Ganina Mariya D. , Tyurin Maksim V. , Zhumatayeva Ulzhalgas T. , Lednev Georgy R. , Morozov Sergey V. , Kryukov Vadim Yu.
Published: August 2022

Cuticular lipids protect insects from desiccation and may determine resistance to fungal pathogens. Nonetheless, the trade-off between these lipid functions is still poorly understood. The migratory locust Locusta migratoria and the Italian locust Calliptamus italicus have dissimilar hygrothermal preferences: L. migratoria inhabits areas near water bodies with a reed bed, and C. italicus exploits a wide range of habitats and prefers steppes and semideserts with the predominance of sagebrushes. This paper presents significant differences between these species’ nymphs in epicuticular lipid composition (according to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry) and in susceptibility to Metarhizium robertsii and Beauveria bassiana. The main differences in lipid composition are shifts to longer chain and branched hydrocarbons (di- and trimethylalkanes) in C. italicus compared to L. migratoria. C. italicus also has a slightly higher n-alkane content. Fatty acids showed low concentrations in the extracts, and L. migratoria has a wider range of fatty acids than C. italicus does. Susceptibility to M. robertsii and the number of conidia adhering to the cuticle proved to be significantly higher in C. italicus, although conidia germination percentages on epicuticular extracts did not differ between the species. We propose that the hydrocarbon composition of C. italicus may be an adaptation to a wide range of habitats including arid ones but may make the C. italicus cuticle more hospitable for fungi.
Myocardial T2* Imaging at 3T and 1.5T: A Pilot Study with Phantom and Normal Myocardium
Authors: Chang Suyon , Park Jinho , Yang Young-Joong , Beck Kyongmin Sarah , Kim Pan Ki , Choi Byoung Wook , Jung Jung Im
Published: August 2022

Background: Myocardial T2* mapping at 1.5T remains the gold standard, but the use of 3T scanners is increasing. We aimed to determine the conversion equations in different scanners with clinically available, vendor-provided T2* mapping sequences using a phantom and evaluated the feasibility of the phantom-based conversion method. Methods: T2* of a phantom with FeCl3 (five samples, 3.53–20.09 mM) were measured with 1.5T (MR-A1) and 3T scanners (MR-A2, A3, B), and the site-specific equation was determined. T2* was measured in the interventricular septum of three healthy volunteers at 1.5T (T2*1.5T, MR-A1) and 3T (T2*3.0T, MR-B). T2*3.0T was converted based on the equation derived from the phantom (T2*eq). Results: R2* at 1.5T and 3T showed linear association, but a different relationship was observed according to the scanners (MR-A2, R2*1.5T = 0.76 × R2*3.0T − 2.23, R2 = 0.999; MR-A3, R2*1.5T = 0.95 × R2*3.0T − 34.28, R2 = 0.973; MR-B, R2*1.5T = 0.76 × R2*3.0T − 3.02, R2 = 0.999). In the normal myocardium, T2*eq and T2*1.5T showed no significant difference (35.5 ± 3.5 vs. 34.5 ± 1.2, p = 0.340). The mean squared error between T2*eq and T2*1.5T was 16.33, and Bland–Altman plots revealed a small bias (−0.94, 95% limits of agreement: −8.86–6.99). Conclusions: a phantom-based, site-specific equation can be utilized to estimate T2* values at 1.5T in centers where only 3T scanners are available.
Activation of AcvR1-Mediated Signaling Results in Semilunar Valve Defects
Authors: Syed Shabber , Rajderkar Sudha , Mann Jeffrey M. , Hawkins Travis , Wu Bingrou , Zhou Bin , Sugi Yukiko , Mishina Yuji , Kaartinen Vesa
Published: August 2022

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a common cardiac defect, particularly in the aging population. While several risk factors, such as bi-leaflet valve structure and old age, have been identified in CAVD pathogenesis, molecular mechanisms resulting in this condition are still under active investigation. Bone morphogenetic protein signaling via the activin type I receptor (AcvRI) plays an important role during physiological and pathological processes involving calcification, e.g., bone formation and heterotopic ossification. In addition, AcvRI is required for normal cardiac valve development, yet its role in aortic valve disease, if any, is currently unknown. Here, we induced the expression of constitutively active AcvRI in developing mouse embryos in the endocardium and in cells at the valve leaflet–wall junction that are not of endocardium origin using the Nfac1Cre transgene. The mutant mice were born alive, but showed thickened aortic and pulmonary valve leaflets during the early postnatal period. Adult mutant mice developed aortic stenosis with high frequency, sclerotic aortic valves, and displayed Alcian Blue-positive hypertrophic chondrocyte-like cells at the leaflet–wall junction. Calcification was only seen with low penetrance. In addition, we observed that the expression levels of gene sets associated with inflammation-related cytokine signaling, smooth muscle cell contraction, and cGMP signaling were altered in the mutants when compared with those of the controls. This work shows that, in a mouse model, such continuous AcvRI activity in the Nfatc1Cre recombination domain results in pathological changes in the aortic valve structure and function.
Security and Privacy Management in Internet of Medical Things (IoMT): A Synthesis
Authors: Hireche Rachida , Mansouri Houssem , Pathan Al-Sakib Khan
Published: August 2022

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has become a strategic priority for future e-healthcare because of its ability to improve patient care and its scope of providing more reliable clinical data, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs. It is no wonder that many healthcare institutions nowadays like to harness the benefits offered by the IoMT. In fact, it is an infrastructure with connected medical devices, software applications, and care systems and services. However, the accelerated adoption of connected devices also has a serious side effect: it obscures the broader need to meet the requirements of standard security for modern converged environments (even beyond connected medical devices). Adding up different types and numbers of devices risks creating significant security vulnerabilities. In this paper, we have undertaken a study of various security techniques dedicated to this environment during recent years. This study enables us to classify these techniques and to characterize them in order to benefit from their positive aspects.
Criterion-Referenced Assessment of Intelligence as Adaptation to the Environment: Is It Possible, Plausible, or Practical?
Authors: Sternberg Robert J. , Chowkase Aakash , Parra-Martinez Fabio Andres , Landy Jenna
Published: August 2022

Criterion-referenced testing is usually applied to the assessment of achievement. In this article, we suggest how it can also be applied to the assessment of adaptive intelligence, that is, intelligence as adaptation to the environment. In the era of the Anthropocene, we argue that adaptive intelligence is what is most important not only for individual success, but also for success in terms of preservation of the world as we know it. We define criterion-referenced testing and compare it to norm-referenced testing. We then discuss two kinds of scoring of criterion-referenced testing, namely, with respect to external criteria and with respect to internal (theory-based) criteria. We then discuss past research on intelligence that could be viewed as criterion-referenced. Finally, we suggest how criterion-referencing could be applied to the assessment of adaptive intelligence.
Yeast Diversity in the Qaidam Basin Desert in China with the Description of Five New Yeast Species
Authors: Wei Xu-Yang , Zhu Hai-Yan , Song Liang , Zhang Ri-Peng , Li Ai-Hua , Niu Qiu-Hong , Liu Xin-Zhan , Bai Feng-Yan
Published: August 2022

The Qaidam Basin is the highest and one of the largest and driest deserts on Earth. It is considered a mars analog area in China. In contrast to numerous studies concerning its geology, geophysical, and chemistry, relatively few studies have reported microbial diversity and distribution in this area. Here, we investigated culturable yeast diversity in the northeast Qaidam Basin. A total of 194 yeast strains were isolated, and 12 genera and 21 species were identified, among which 19 were basidiomycetous yeasts. Naganishia albida, N. adeliensis, and Filobasidium magnum were the three most dominant species and were distributed in thirteen samples from eight locations. Five new species (Filobasidium chaidanensis, Kondoa globosum, Symmetrospora salmoneus, Teunia nitrariae, and Vishniacozyma pseudodimennae) were found and described based on ITS and D1D2 gene loci together with phenotypic characteristics and physiochemical analysis. Representative strains from each species were chosen for the salt-tolerant test, in which species showed different responses to different levels of NaCl concentrations. Further, the strain from soil can adapt well to the higher salt stress compared to those from plants or lichens. Our study represents the first report of the yeast diversity in the Qaidam Basin, including five new species, and also provides further information on the halotolerance of yeasts from the saline environment in mars analog.
Diaporine Potentiates the Anticancer Effects of Oxaliplatin and Doxorubicin on Liver Cancer Cells
Authors: Tian Shiliu , Su Rui , Wu Ke , Zhou Xuhan , Vadgama Jaydutt V. , Wu Yong
Published: August 2022

Recent studies have shown that diaporine, a novel fungal metabolic product, has a strong in vitro and in vivo anticancer effect on human non-small-cell lung and breast cancers. In this study, three human hepatocarcinoma cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh7) were used to evaluate the efficacy of diaporine alone and in combination with the standard cytotoxic drugs oxaliplatin and doxorubicin for the treatment of liver cancer. We demonstrated that diaporine, oxaliplatin, and doxorubicin triggered a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in the number of HepG2 cells. Diaporine at a concentration of 2.5 μM showed almost 100% inhibition of cell counts at 72 h. Similar effects were observed only with much higher concentrations (100 μM) of oxaliplatin or doxorubicin. Decreases in cell numbers after 48 h treatment with diaporine, oxaliplatin, and doxorubicin were also demonstrated in two additional hepatoma cell lines, Hep3B and Huh7. The combination of these drugs at low concentration for 48 h in vitro noticeably showed that diaporine improved the inhibitory effect on the number of cancer cells induced by oxaliplatin or doxorubicin. Additionally, this combination effectively inhibited colony growth in vitro. We found that inhibition of phosphorylation of ERK1/2 significantly increased when diaporine was used in combination with other agents. In addition, we also found that when diaporine was used in combination with doxorubicin or oxaliplatin, their proapoptotic effect greatly increased. We further revealed that the induction of apoptosis in hepatoma cells after treatment is due, at least in part, to the inhibition of phosphorylation of AKT, leading to the activation of caspase-3, inactivation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and subsequently to DNA damage, as indicated by the increased level of H2AX. Based on these findings, we suggest that diaporine in combination with the standard cytotoxic drugs oxaliplatin and doxorubicin may play a role in the treatment of liver cancer.
Advances in Preclinical In Vitro Models for the Translation of Precision Medicine for Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Silva Iris A. L. , Laselva Onofrio , Lopes-Pacheco Miquéias
Published: August 2022

The development of preclinical in vitro models has provided significant progress to the studies of cystic fibrosis (CF), a frequently fatal monogenic disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. Numerous cell lines were generated over the last 30 years and they have been instrumental not only in enhancing the understanding of CF pathological mechanisms but also in developing therapies targeting the underlying defects in CFTR mutations with further validation in patient-derived samples. Furthermore, recent advances toward precision medicine in CF have been made possible by optimizing protocols and establishing novel assays using human bronchial, nasal and rectal tissues, and by progressing from two-dimensional monocultures to more complex three-dimensional culture platforms. These models also enable to potentially predict clinical efficacy and responsiveness to CFTR modulator therapies at an individual level. In parallel, advanced systems, such as induced pluripotent stem cells and organ-on-a-chip, continue to be developed in order to more closely recapitulate human physiology for disease modeling and drug testing. In this review, we have highlighted novel and optimized cell models that are being used in CF research to develop novel CFTR-directed therapies (or alternative therapeutic interventions) and to expand the usage of existing modulator drugs to common and rare CF-causing mutations.
How Did Amazon Achieve CSR and Some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Climate Change, Circular Economy, Water Resources and Employee Rights during COVID-19?
Authors: Yu Wenxuan , Hassan Abeer , Adhikariparajuli Mahalaxmi
Published: August 2022

Stakeholders’ demand for corporate social responsibility (CSR) not only creates pressure on the corporation, but corporations are also themselves aware about leading CSR activities’ reporting and embedding sustainable activities to create value for the short, medium, and long-term. This research investigates the sustainable development and corporate social responsibility of Amazon as one of the most influential multinational enterprises in the world. In this regard, this study sheds light on how Amazon has combined its own interests with corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, and how they have responded to a series of challenges brought by economic globalization to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. The results of this detailed investigation of Amazon from 2018 to 2020 show that Amazon has performed very well in terms of social responsibility and sustainable development. In particular, climate, environment, carbon emissions and other natural measures. However, there are some shortages in terms of human rights, such as insufficient protection and care for employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, and labor union issues. In addition, the study concluded that Amazon has sufficient experience to balance profit and corporate social responsibility. In response to the challenges of globalization, Amazon has also adjusted its sustainable development strategy in a timely manner, which can be used as a reference for other multinational enterprises.
Factors Influencing the Take-Up of Agricultural Insurance and the Entry into the Mutual Fund: A Case Study of the Czech Republic
Authors: Kislingerová Sofia , Špička Jindřich
Published: August 2022

The objective of the study was to identify the main factors influencing farmers’ willingness to take up agricultural insurance and participate in a mutual fund for non-insurable risks in the Czech Republic. Responses from 214 representative farms were processed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, binary logistic regression, and contingency analysis. The regression model showed the influences of agricultural area, distrust in insurance companies, the probability of losing more than 20% of production, the price of insurance premiums, and having a developed formal strategy on the likelihood of taking up agricultural insurance. Unlike previous empirical studies, this study did not attempt to look at agricultural insurance as an isolated risk management tool but rather to show the interrelationship between farmers’ decisions to join a mutual fund and their choice of agricultural insurance. Farmers expect most agricultural production risks to become significantly more important. With the ongoing economic crisis in the EU, there is growing pressure to reduce ad hoc public spending on coverage of non-insurable risks and to seek alternative solutions. The study also shows the need for a holistic approach to the design of risk management support systems in EU countries.
Appraisal of Building Price in Urban Area Using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Data in Depok City
Authors: Atiqi Randhi , Dimyati Muhammad , Gamal Ahmad , Pramayuda Rizki
Published: August 2022

Economic growth and its demographic benefits have enhanced the high rate of urbanization in Indonesia, although property tax revenues are still low compared to G20 countries. This low performance is partly due to the limited capacity of local governments, regarding the determination of building values for tax calculations. To improve local government tax performance, LIDAR mapping is capable of being used for quickly estimating the price of a building. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the patterns by which the spatial differences in building price values influence the tax databases and LiDAR mapping results. Based on this mapping process, the present building site size in high-density housing areas was on average 1.66-times larger than those in the Depok City Government tax database. Meanwhile, the sites in medium-density housing and trade/service areas were 1.35- and 1.08-times wider, respectively. Using a LiDAR 3D model, the observed level of construction was much higher in the highly-urbanized area compared to the price in the Depok City Government tax database. This was based on the construction cost of a building per square meter. Regarding these results, the building prices in high- and medium-density areas, as well as the trade/service area, were nine, six, and three-times higher, respectively.
Dynamics Optimization Research and Dynamics Accuracy and Reliability Analysis of a Multi-Link Mechanism with Clearances
Authors: Jiang Shuai , Lin Yuanpeng , Liu Jianan , Xiao Linjing , Zhang Shuaishuai
Published: August 2022

With the development of high-speed and lightweight mechanisms, and the continuous improvement of manufacturing accuracy requirements in industrial production, clearance joints have increasingly become one of the key factors affecting dynamics performance. Poor clearance will seriously compromise stability, accuracy, and dynamics performance. Based on a genetic algorithm, an efficient modeling methodology for the dynamics optimization of a planar complex multi-link mechanism containing multiple clearance joints is put forward. The model comprises a 2-degree of freedom (DOF) nine-bar mechanism that can be used as the main transmission mechanism of a hybrid drive multi-link press, which is taken as the research object. The optimization objective is to minimize the maximum acceleration of the slider and minimize the difference between the actual central trajectory and the ideal trajectory. By optimizing the quality parameters of key components, an optimal solution for the design parameters is obtained, and the effects of the different optimizations of the objective functions on dynamics response are compared and analyzed. At the same time, a new modeling and calculation methodology of the dynamics accuracy and reliability of a complex multi-link mechanism in terms of multiple clearances is proposed, and the effect of optimization on dynamics accuracy and the reliability of the mechanism is analyzed. Based on the optimization results obtained by taking the minimum difference between the actual center trajectory and the ideal trajectory as an optimization objective, the nonlinear characteristics before and after optimization are analyzed through a phase diagram and Poincaré map. A test platform was built to study the dynamics of the mechanism with clearances. Research not only provides a basis for the dynamics optimization of a multi-link mechanism containing clearances but also provides reference significance for the reliability analysis of a multi-link mechanism containing clearances.