bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. A Systematic Review
Authors: Leiva-Valderrama José Manuel , Montes-de-Oca-Garcia Adrián , Opazo-Diaz Edgardo , Ponce-Gonzalez Jesus G. , Molina-Torres Guadalupe , Velázquez-Díaz Daniel , Galán-Mercant Alejandro
Published: December 2021

Background: Due to the prevalence and incidence worldwide of type 2 diabetes, and the significant role physical activity plays in these patients, a systematic review has been conducted to find out the effects that high-intensity interval training has on inflammatory biomarkers in subjects with type 2 diabetes. This project aims to determine the effect this training modality has on inflammatory biomarkers, in addition to observing its effects on the values of body composition and determining if this is a more effective, less effective or equally effective alternative to standard aerobic or resistance training. Methods: A search was conducted in the months of November and December 2020 on different databases: Pubmed, WoS and PEDro. A protocol for this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42021281186). The studies selected met the previously defined inclusion criteria, and the methodological quality of the papers used was evaluated according to the Downs and Black Checklist. Results: Out of 46 studies found, seven were included. The most relevant data concerning the characteristics of the clinical trials and HIIT characteristics, the values of body composition and the biomarkers under study were extracted from each study. Moreover, the results obtained from the different studies were described. Conclusions: HIIT could have an effect on inflammatory biomarkers. There is likely to be a relationship between changes in inflammatory profile and fat loss. A controlled diet may be a good complement to reduce the inflammatory profile. Further studies are required to determine whether HIIT is a better, worse or an equivalent alternative to medium-intensity aerobic exercise to improve the inflammatory profile.
Sex Differences in Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Retrospective Cohort Study using Hospital Discharge Data in Spain (2016–2019)
Authors: Lopez-de-Andres Ana , Lopez-Herranz Marta , Hernandez-Barrera Valentin , de-Miguel-Diez Javier , de-Miguel-Yanes Jose M. , Carabantes-Alarcon David , Albaladejo-Vicente Romana , Villanueva-Orbaiz Rosa , Jimenez-Garcia Rodrigo
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: To analyze the incidence, clinical characteristics, use of procedures, and in-hospital outcomes in patients who developed pneumonia during their hospital admission according to sex and to the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). (2) Methods: Retrospective cohort study using data from the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database. Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) was classed as non-ventilator HAP and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Separate analyses were performed for men and women with and without T2DM. Population subgroups were compared using propensity score matching. (3) Results: HAP was identified in 38,814 patients (24.07% with T2DM). The adjusted incidence of HAP was higher in patients with T2DM (both sexes) (IRR 1.28; 95% CI 1.25–1.31). The incidence of HAP was higher in men with T2DM than in women with T2DM (adjusted-IR 1.47; 95% CI 1.41–1.53). The incidence of HAP among T2DM patients increased over time. In-hospital mortality (IHM) was around 28% irrespective of T2DM status and sex. After adjusting for confounders and sex, VAP was associated to higher IHM among patients with T2DM (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.7–2.57). (4) Conclusions: T2DM is associated with a higher risk of HAP, whose incidence increased over time. Men with T2DM have an almost 50% higher risk of HAP than women with T2DM. The probability of dying in the hospital was not associated with sex or T2DM.
Determinants of the Underlying Causes of Mortality during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive National Study
Authors: Asiri Abdullah M. , Alomary Shaker A. , Alqahtani Saeed A. , Adam Izzeldin F. , Amer Samar A.
Published: December 2021

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mortality statistics are constantly changing globally. Mortality statistics analysis has vital implications to implement evidence-based policy recommendations. This study aims to study the demographic characteristics, patterns, determinants, and the main causes of death during the first half of 2020, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methodology: A retrospective descriptive study targeted all death (29,291) registered in 286 private and governmental health settings, from all over KSA. The data was extracted from the ministry of health’s death records after the ethical approval. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and WHO grouping, were used to classify the underlying causes of deaths. The collected data were analyzed using the appropriate tables and graphs. Results: 7055 (24.9%) died at the middle age (40–59 year), and 19,212 (65.6%) were males, and 18,110 (61.8%) were Saudi. The leading causes of deaths were non-communicable diseases (NCDs) 15,340 (62.1%), mainly Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) 10,103 (34.5%). There was a significant relationship between the main causes of deaths and sex (p < 0.05) and nationality (p = 0.01). Conclusion: NCDs mainly CVDs are the leading cause of death. The COVID-19 mortalities were mainly in males, and old age > 55 year. The lockdown was associated with a reduction in the NCDs and Road traffic accidents mortalities.
Study on the Spatio–Temporal Evolution of China’s Smart Water Co-Governance in G–E–P Mode
Authors: Zhang Ning , Wang Zichen , Ru Hongkai , Li Haiyang
Published: December 2021

Smart water co-governance (SWCG) is a fundamental driving force to reduce the water crisis and promote the sustainable development of water resources. To explore the applicability and development of SWCG in different regions, the authors of this paper took 31 provinces of China (with the exception Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) as research districts and used the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to measure and compare the efficiency of smart water governance (SWG) in the government–enterprise–public (G–E–P) mode and without public participation in the government–enterprise (G–E) mode in 2019. Then, the Malmquist model was used to measure the spatio–temporal evolution of the G–E–P mode from 2010 to 2019, focusing on the analysis of the top ten provinces of the China Internet Development Index in 2019. According to the empirical analysis, the following results were obtained: (1) the efficiency of SWCG in the G–E–P mode was significantly higher than that in G–E model, as 13 provinces showed a significant decline and 10 provinces had a small change. In addition, SWCG in the G–E–P mode showed a good development trend in the eastern and southern regions. (2) The governance efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency showed upward trends, but the technological progress index and total factor productivity were still low. Therefore, SWG should vigorously promote public participation and the independent implementation of enterprises under the guidance and restriction of the government. Meanwhile, the construction of an SWG infrastructure and the level of science and technology should be strengthened. In addition, each province should adjust the input–output structure according to its redundancy or deficiency, weigh the suitability of the input level and scale, and strengthen the matching and support of the ability of multi-subjects and factors to ensure that an appropriate input–output scale level is reached and the efficiency of SWCG is improved.
Workability in the Ageing Workforce—A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Nygaard Niels-Peter Brøchner , Thomsen Gert Frank , Rasmussen Jesper , Skadhauge Lars Rauff , Gram Bibi
Published: December 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of age, musculoskeletal pain and ergonomic exposure on workability in the oldest group of workers. Methods: The study was a population based cross-sectional survey. The study population comprised citizens born between 1952–1966, living in Esbjerg municipality ultimo 2016 (n = 23,463). A questionnaire was sent electronically or by mail. The analysis included the working population only. A stereotype logistic regression was used with the primary dependent variable being workability and independent variables included age, musculoskeletal pain, and ergonomic exposure. Results: The response rate was 58% and the data demonstrated a significant negative association between age and workability. With excellent workability as a reference, the odds for poor workability increased by 97% being 60+ y compared to 50–55 y. Both moderate intensity and severe musculoskeletal pain in the back, shoulder and knee/hip all showed significantly higher odds for poor workability. Ergonomic exposures, such as standing/walking, working with back bent or twisted and carrying or lifting had a significant negative impact on workability. Conclusion: Age, musculoskeletal pain and ergonomic exposures showed a significant negative impact on workability in the oldest group of workers and should be targeted with preventive initiatives.
Peri-Implantitis: Application of a Protocol for the Regeneration of Deep Osseous Defects. A Retrospective Case Series
Authors: Verardi Simone , Valente Nicola Alberto
Published: December 2021

Background and aims: Peri-implantitis is a complex pathology, both in its diagnosis and in the identification of etiological causes. Although we have been studying more and more over the years to try to answer the many questions that remain regarding everything that circulates around this disease which affects implants, nothing has yet been taken as an official consensus regarding its surgical treatment. There are still many proposed protocols, each of which has been shown to have comforting results and promising prospects, but no total predictability. The aim of this case series is to assess the clinical outcomes of a mixed protocol for the regeneration of deep osseous defects. Materials and methods: The data and clinical records of 23 patients, with 29 implants affected by peri-implantitis treated surgically in private practice, were analyzed retrospectively. The method used for the surgical treatment was a mixed protocol of mechanical–chemical decontamination and bone regeneration with bovine xenograft. Results: All patients were followed for at least 2 years, averaging 28.9 months (a range of 24–38 months) with a reduction in the probing depth (PD) at one year from the initial 8.14 ± 1.156 mm to 3.72 ± 0.649 mm, and to 4.14 ± 1.093 mm at the final assessment. The differences between assessment time points were always statistically significant. The data regarding bleeding on probing (BoP) and suppuration also showed a statistically significant reduction at the final time point compared to the baseline. Only one patient, at 24 months, still showed BoP, suppuration, and a PD deeper than 5 mm, indicating a recurrence of the disease compared to the initial improvement of the PD (5 mm) at one year. Conclusions: In conclusion, within the limits of this retrospective analysis, it can be affirmed that this combined mechanical–chemical and regenerative decontamination therapy is effective in the treatment of peri-implantitis.
Eight-Year Retrospective Study of Young Adults in a Diabetes Transition Clinic
Authors: Sritharan Aarooran , Osuagwu Uchechukwu L. , Ratnaweera Manjula , Simmons David
Published: December 2021

The transition of people from paediatric to adult diabetes services is associated with worsening glycaemia and increased diabetes-related hospitalisation. This study compared the clinical characteristics of those with and without mental health conditions among attenders at a diabetes young adult clinic diabetes before and after changes in service delivery. Retrospective audit of 200 people with diabetes attending a Sydney public hospital over eight years corresponding to the period before (2012–2016) and after (2017–2018) restructuring of a clinic for young adults aged 16–25 years. Characteristics of those with and without mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, diabetes related distress, eating disorders), were compared. Among clinic attenders (type 1 diabetes n = 184, 83.2%), 40.5% (n = 89) had a mental health condition particularly, depression (n = 57, 64%), which was higher among Indigenous than non-Indigenous people (5.6% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.031) but similar between diabetes type. Over eight years, those with, compared with those without a mental health condition had higher haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at the last visit (9.4% (79 mmol/mol) vs. 8.7% (71 mmol/mol), p = 0.027), the proportion with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA 60.7% vs. 42.7%, p = 0.009), smoking (38.4 vs. 13.6%, p = 0.009), retinopathy (9.0 vs. 2.3%, p = 0.025), multiple DKAs (28.4 vs. 16.0%, p = 0.031) were significantly higher. Having a mental health condition was associated with 2.02 (95% confidence intervals 1.1–3.7) fold increased risk of HbA1c ≥9.0% (75 mmol/mol). Changes to the clinic were not associated with improvements in mental health condition (39.0% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.096). In conclusion, we found that mental health conditions, particularly depression, are common in this population and are associated with diabetes complications. Diabetes type and clinic changes did not affect the reported mental health conditions. Additional strategies including having an in-house psychologist are required to reduce complication risks among those with mental health conditions.
The Development and Effectiveness of a Web-Based Emergency Management Educational Program for Long-Term Care Facility Interprofessional Practitioners
Authors: Choi Young-Rim , Kwon Dai-Young , Chang Sung-Ok
Published: December 2021

Long-term care facility (LTCF) interprofessional practitioners who care for residents at high risk of emergencies due to old age, frailty, and complex diseases must be able to manage such emergencies collaboratively. A shared mental model (SMM) enhances performance toward a common goal by allowing effective collaboration through promoting the sharing of knowledge and skills among interprofessional team members. Therefore, this study developed a web-based educational program for LTCF interprofessional practitioners based on an SMM. We followed a network-based instructional system design that consists of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation for developing the program. A total of 54 participants completed the educational program in four LTCFs in South Korea. A significant improvement was identified in communication knowledge, communication confidence, role recognition, transactive memory system, and team effectiveness in the experimental group. The results show that the program improved the emergency management process and reliability among interprofessional practitioners, positively impacting interprofessional collaboration and ensuring the safety of patients during emergencies in LTCFs.
Board Gender Diversity and Cash Holdings: Empirical Evidence from the European Sport and Leisure Sector
Authors: Dimitropoulos Panagiotis E. , Koronios Konstantinos
Published: December 2021

The scope of this study is to examine the impact of board gender diversity on corporate cash-holding decisions within the European sport and leisure sector. A sample of 125 unique firms was selected for the period from 2008 to 2019, and analysis was performed using panel fixed-effects regressions. Empirical evidence documented that the higher the number of women serving on the board of directors, the higher the level of cash the firm holds. This result is attributed to the critical mass theory of governance, suggesting that boards having at least two women directors are associated with higher cash holdings compared to firms with one or no women directors. Additionally, gender diversity leads to increased cash holdings for firms with lower governance quality, suggesting that women on boards perform a monitoring role within those firms with the most severe agency problems. The results remain robust after several sensitivity tests controlling for potential endogeneity among the variables and the model’s functional form.
Aptamer-Aptamer Chimera for Targeted Delivery and ATP-Responsive Release of Doxorubicin into Cancer Cells
Authors: Esawi Ezaldeen , Alshaer Walhan , Mahmoud Ismail Sami , Alqudah Dana A. , Azab Bilal , Awidi Abdalla
Published: December 2021

Aptamers offer a great opportunity to develop innovative drug delivery systems that can deliver cargos specifically into targeted cells. In this study, a chimera consisting of two aptamers was developed to deliver doxorubicin into cancer cells and release the drug in cytoplasm in response to adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) binding. The chimera was composed of the AS1411 anti-nucleolin aptamer for cancer cell targeting and the ATP aptamer for loading and triggering the release of doxorubicin in cells. The chimera was first produced by hybridizing the ATP aptamer with its complementary DNA sequence, which is linked with the AS1411 aptamer via a poly-thymine linker. Doxorubicin was then loaded inside the hybridized DNA region of the chimera. Our results show that the AS1411–ATP aptamer chimera was able to release loaded doxorubicin in cells in response to ATP. In addition, selective uptake of the chimera into cancer cells was demonstrated using flow cytometry. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy showed the successful delivery of the doxorubicin loaded in chimeras to the nuclei of targeted cells. Moreover, the doxorubicin-loaded chimeras effectively inhibited the growth of cancer cell lines and reduced the cytotoxic effect on the normal cells. Overall, the results of this study show that the AS1411–ATP aptamer chimera could be used as an innovative approach for the selective delivery of doxorubicin to cancer cells, which may improve the therapeutic potency and decrease the off-target cytotoxicity of doxorubicin.
Malondialdehyde-Acetaldehyde Modified (MAA) Proteins Differentially Effect the Inflammatory Response in Macrophage, Endothelial Cells and Animal Models of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Duryee Michael J. , Clemens Dahn L. , Opperman Patrick J. , Thiele Geoffrey M. , Duryee Logan M. , Garvin Robert P. , Anderson Daniel R.
Published: December 2021

Chronic inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Currently, the mechanism(s) by which inflammation contributes to this disease are not entirely understood. Inflammation is known to induce oxidative stress, which can lead to lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation can result in the production of reactive by-products that can oxidatively modify macromolecules including DNA, proteins, and lipoproteins. A major reactive by-product of lipid peroxidation is malondialdehyde (MDA). MDA can subsequently break down to form acetaldehyde (AA). These two aldehydes can covalently interact with the epsilon (ε)-amino group of lysines within proteins and lipoproteins leading to the formation of extremely stable, highly immunogenic malondialdehyde/acetaldehyde adducts (MAA-adducts). The aim of this study was to investigate the inflammatory response to MAA-modified human serum albumin (HSA-MAA) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-MAA). We found that animals injected with LDL-MAA generate antibodies specific to MAA-adducts. The level of anti-MAA antibodies were further increased in an animal model of atherosclerosis fed a Western diet. An animal model that combined both high fat diet and immunization of MAA-modified protein resulted in a dramatic increase in antibodies to MAA-adducts and vascular fat accumulation compared with controls. In vitro exposure of endothelial cells and macrophages to MAA-modified proteins resulted in increased fat accumulation as well as increased expression of adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The expression of cytokines varied between the different cell lines and was unique to the individual modified proteins. The results of these studies demonstrate that different MAA-modified proteins elicit unique responses in different cell types. Additionally, the presence of MAA-modified proteins appears to modulate cellular metabolism leading to increased accumulation of triglycerides and further progression of the inflammatory response.
Hopes and Hurdles of Employing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in the Treatment of Cardiac Fibrosis
Authors: Neuber Sebastian , Emmert Maximilian Y. , Nazari-Shafti Timo Z.
Published: December 2021

Excessive cardiac fibrosis plays a crucial role in almost all types of heart disease. Generally, cardiac fibrosis is a scarring process triggered in response to stress, injury, or aging and is characterized by the accumulation of activated myofibroblasts that deposit high levels of extracellular matrix proteins in the myocardium. While it is beneficial for cardiac repair in the short term, it can also result in pathological remodeling, tissue stiffening, and cardiac dysfunction, contributing to the progression of heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Despite its high prevalence, there is a lack of effective and safe therapies that specifically target myofibroblasts to inhibit or even reverse pathological cardiac fibrosis. In the past few decades, cell therapy has been under continuous evaluation as a potential treatment strategy, and several studies have shown that transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can reduce cardiac fibrosis and improve heart function. Mechanistically, it is believed that the heart benefits from MSC therapy by stimulating innate anti-fibrotic and regenerative reactions. The mechanisms of action include paracrine signaling and cell-to-cell interactions. In this review, we provide an overview of the anti-fibrotic properties of MSCs and approaches to enhance them and discuss future directions of MSCs for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.
Analysis of Unsatisfying User Experiences and Unmet Psychological Needs for Virtual Reality Exergames Using Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Yan Qiang , Zhou Simin , Ma Linye , Wang Siran
Published: December 2021

The number of consumers playing virtual reality games is booming. To speed up product iteration, the user experience team needs to collect and analyze unsatisfying experiences in time. In this paper, we aim to detect the unsatisfying experiences hidden in online reviews of virtual reality exergames using a deep learning method and find out the unmet psychological needs of users based on self-determination theory. Convolutional neural networks for sentence classification (textCNN) are used in this study to classify online reviews with unsatisfying experiences. For comparison, we set eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) with lexical features as the baseline of machine learning. Term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) is used to extract keywords from every set of classified reviews. The micro-F1 score of textCNN classifier is 90.00, which is better than 82.69 of XGBoost. The top 10 keywords of every set of reviews reflect relevant topics of unmet psychological needs. This paper explores the potential problems causing unsatisfying experiences and unmet psychological needs in virtual reality exergames through text mining and makes a supplement for experimental studies about virtual reality exergames.
An Inspection and Classification System for Automotive Component Remanufacturing Industry Based on Ensemble Learning
Authors: Saiz Fátima A. , Alfaro Garazi , Barandiaran Iñigo
Published: December 2021

This paper presents an automated inspection and classification system for automotive component remanufacturing industry, based on ensemble learning. The system is based on different stages allowing to classify the components as good, rectifiable or rejection according to the manufacturer criteria. A study of two deep learning-based models’ performance when used individually and when using an ensemble of them is carried out, obtaining an improvement of 7% in accuracy in the ensemble. The results of the test set demonstrate the successful performance of the system in terms of component classification.
Multi-Keyword Classification: A Case Study in Finnish Social Sciences Data Archive
Authors: Skenderi Erjon , Huhtamäki Jukka , Stefanidis Kostas
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we consider the task of assigning relevant labels to studies in the social science domain. Manual labelling is an expensive process and prone to human error. Various multi-label text classification machine learning approaches have been proposed to resolve this problem. We introduce a dataset obtained from the Finnish Social Science Archive and comprised of 2968 research studies’ metadata. The metadata of each study includes attributes, such as the “abstract” and the “set of labels”. We used the Bag of Words (BoW), TF-IDF term weighting and pretrained word embeddings obtained from FastText and BERT models to generate the text representations for each study’s abstract field. Our selection of multi-label classification methods includes a Naive approach, Multi-label k Nearest Neighbours (ML-kNN), Multi-Label Random Forest (ML-RF), X-BERT and Parabel. The methods were combined with the text representation techniques and their performance was evaluated on our dataset. We measured the classification accuracy of the combinations using Precision, Recall and F1 metrics. In addition, we used the Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain to measure the label ranking performance of the selected methods combined with the text representation techniques. The results showed that the ML-RF model achieved a higher classification accuracy with the TF-IDF features and, based on the ranking score, the Parabel model outperformed the other methods.
A Closer-to-Reality Model for Comparing Relevant Dimensions of Recommender Systems, with Application to Novelty
Authors: Fouss François , Fernandes Elora
Published: December 2021

Providing fair and convenient comparisons between recommendation algorithms—where algorithms could focus on a traditional dimension (accuracy) and/or less traditional ones (e.g., novelty, diversity, serendipity, etc.)—is a key challenge in the recent developments of recommender systems. This paper focuses on novelty and presents a new, closer-to-reality model for evaluating the quality of a recommendation algorithm by reducing the popularity bias inherent in traditional training/test set evaluation frameworks, which are biased by the dominance of popular items and their inherent features. In the suggested model, each interaction has a probability of being included in the test set that randomly depends on a specific feature related to the focused dimension (novelty in this work). The goal of this paper is to reconcile, in terms of evaluation (and therefore comparison), the accuracy and novelty dimensions of recommendation algorithms, leading to a more realistic comparison of their performance. The results obtained from two well-known datasets show the evolution of the behavior of state-of-the-art ranking algorithms when novelty is progressively, and fairly, given more importance in the evaluation procedure, and could lead to potential changes in the decision processes of organizations involving recommender systems.
Analysis and Assessment of Controllability of an Expressive Deep Learning-Based TTS System
Authors: Tits Noé , El Haddad Kevin , Dutoit Thierry
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we study the controllability of an Expressive TTS system trained on a dataset for a continuous control. The dataset is the Blizzard 2013 dataset based on audiobooks read by a female speaker containing a great variability in styles and expressiveness. Controllability is evaluated with both an objective and a subjective experiment. The objective assessment is based on a measure of correlation between acoustic features and the dimensions of the latent space representing expressiveness. The subjective assessment is based on a perceptual experiment in which users are shown an interface for Controllable Expressive TTS and asked to retrieve a synthetic utterance whose expressiveness subjectively corresponds to that a reference utterance.
The Impact of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on the Sugar Contents and Protective Enzymes in Acyrthosiphon pisum
Authors: Li Chunchun , Yuan Weining , Gou Yuping , Zhang Kexin , Zhang Qiangyan , Zhou Jing-Jiang , Liu Changzhong
Published: December 2021

Natural and anthropogenic changes have been altering many environmental factors. These include the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. However, the effects of solar radiation on insect physiology have received little attention. As a pest for agriculture and horticulture, aphids are one of the most difficult pest groups to control due to their small size, high fecundity, and non-sexual reproduction. Study of the effects of UV-B radiation on aphid physiology may provide alternative control strategies in pest management. In this study, we examined the effects of UV-B radiation on protein and sugar contents, as well as the activities of protective enzymes, of the red and green morphs of the pea aphid over eight generations. The results indicated a significant interaction between UV-B radiation and aphid generations. Exposure of the pea aphids to UV-B radiation caused a significant decrease in the protein content and a significant increase in the glycogen and trehalose contents at each generation as measured in whole aphid bioassays. The enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) of the pea aphids changed significantly at each generation with UV-B treatments. The SOD activity increased over eight generations to the highest level at G7 generation. However, the enzyme activity of CAT first increased and then decreased with UV-B treatments, and POD mostly gradually decreased over the eight generations. Therefore, UV-B radiation is an environmental factor that could result in physiological changes of the pea aphid. Moreover, our study discovered that red and green aphids did not display a significant consistent difference in the response to the UV-B treatments. These results may prove useful in future studies especially for assessing their significance in the adaptation and management against UV-B radiation.
Variation in Plant–Pollinator Network Structure along the Elevational Gradient of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona
Authors: Chesshire Paige R. , McCabe Lindsie M. , Cobb Neil S.
Published: December 2021

The structural patterns comprising bimodal pollination networks can help characterize plant–pollinator systems and the interactions that influence species distribution and diversity over time and space. We compare network organization of three plant–pollinator communities along the altitudinal gradient of the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. We found that pollination networks become more nested, as well as exhibit lower overall network specialization, with increasing elevation. Greater weight of generalist pollinators at higher elevations of the San Francisco Peaks may result in plant–pollinator communities less vulnerable to future species loss due to changing climate or shifts in species distribution. We uncover the critical, more generalized pollinator species likely responsible for higher nestedness and stability at the higher elevation environment. The generalist species most important for network stability may be of the greatest interest for conservation efforts; preservation of the most important links in plant–pollinator networks may help secure the more specialized pollinators and maintain species redundancy in the face of ecological change, such as changing climate.
Exploring the Terminal Pathway of Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis and Metabolism in the Silkworm
Authors: Wang Qing-Hai , Gao Xing , Yu Hong-Song , Zhang Ze , Yu Quan-You
Published: December 2021

Sex pheromones are vital to sexual communication and reproduction in insects. Although some key enzymes in pheromone production have been well studied, information on genes involved in the terminal pathway is limited. The domestic silkworm employs a pheromone blend containing (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienol (bombykol) and analogous (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal (bombykal); whereas, its wild ancestor B. mandarina uses only bombykol. The two closely related moths might be a good model for exploring the genes involved in aldehyde pheromone synthesis and metabolism. By deep sequencing and analyzing the sex pheromone gland (PG) transcriptomes; we identified 116 candidate genes that may be related to pheromone biosynthesis, metabolism, and chemoreception. Spatiotemporal expression profiles and differentially expressed analysis revealed that four alcohol oxidases (BmorAO1; 2; 3; and 4); one aldehyde reductase (BmorAR1); and one aldehyde oxidase (BmorAOX5) might be involved in the terminal pathway. Phylogenetic analysis showed that, except for BmorAO3 and MsexAO3, AOs did not show a conversed orthologous relationship among moths; whereas, ARs and AOXs were phylogenetically conserved. This study provides crucial candidates for further functional elucidation, and which may be utilized as potential targets to disrupt sexual communication in other moth pests.
A New Mitochondrial Genome of Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) and Mitogenome-Wide Investigation on Polymorphisms
Authors: Park Jongsun , Xi Hong , Park Jonghyun , Seo Bo
Published: December 2021

White-backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), is one of the major sap-sucking rice pests in East Asia. We have determined a new complete mitochondrial genome of WBPH collected in the Korean peninsula using NGS technology. Its length and GC percentages are 16,613 bp and 23.8%, respectively. We observed one polymorphic site, a non-synonymous change, in the COX3 gene with confirmation heteroplasmy phenomenon within individuals of WBPH by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing, the first report in this species. In addition, this heteroplasmy was not observed in wild WBPH populations, suggesting that it may be uncommon in fields. We analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertion, and deletions, and simple sequence repeats among the three WBPH mitogenomes from Korea and China and found diverse intraspecific variations, which could be potential candidates for developing markers to distinguish geographical populations. Phylogenetic analysis of 32 mitogenomes of Delphacidae including the three WBPH mitogenomes suggested that Delphacinae seems to be monophyletic and Sogatella species including WBPH are clearly formed as one clade. In the future, it is expected that complete mitogenomes of individuals of geographically dispersed WBPH populations will be used for further population genetic studies to understand the migration pathway of WBPH.
Evolution of the Sex Pheromone Communication System in Ostrinia Moths
Authors: Zhang Dan-Dan
Published: December 2021

It remains a conundrum in the evolution of sexual communication how the signals and responses can co-ordinate the changes during speciation. The genus Ostrinia contains several closely related species as well as distinctive strains with pheromone polymorphism and represents an example of ongoing speciation. Extensive studies in the genus, especially in the species the European corn borer O. nubilalis (ECB), the Asian corn borer O. furnacalis (ACB) and the adzuki bean borer O. scapulalis (ABB), have provided valuable insights into the evolution of sex pheromone communication. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the research on pheromone communication in different Ostrinia species over the past four decades, including pheromone identification and biosynthesis, the ligand profiles of pheromone receptor (PR) genes, the physiology of peripheral olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and the projection pattern to the antennal lobe. By integrating and comparing the closely related Ostrinia species and strains, it provides an evolutionary perspective on the sex pheromone communication in moths in general and also outlines the outstanding questions that await to be elucidated by future studies.
Functional Characterization of a Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase in Diaphorina citri Revealed by RNA Interference and Transcriptome Sequencing
Authors: Song Jian-Chun , Lu Zhan-Jun , Yi Long , Yu Hai-Zhong
Published: December 2021

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) plays an important role in the synthesis of trehalose. In the current study, a TPS gene was obtained from Diaphorina citri, and named as DcTPS1 which encoded a protein of 833 amino acid residues. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis revealed that DcTPS1 had the highest expression level in the midgut and fifth-instar nymph stage. Knockdown of DcTPS1 by RNA interference (RNAi) induced an abnormal phenotype and increased mortality and malformation rate with a decreased molting rate. In addition, silencing of DcTPS1 significantly inhibited D. citri chitin metabolism and fatty acid metabolism, while the expression levels of fatty acid decomposition-related genes were downregulated. Furthermore, comparative transcriptomics analysis revealed that 791 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated and 678 DEGs were downregulated when comparing dsDcTPS1 groups with dsGFP groups. Bioinformatics analysis showed that upregulated DEGs were mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, whereas downregulated DEGs were mainly attributed to the lysosome and ribosome. These results indicated that DcTPS1 played an important role in the growth and development of D. citri.
Insecticide Resistance Monitoring in Field Populations of the Whitebacked Planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) in China, 2019–2020
Authors: Li Zhao , Qin Yao , Jin Ruoheng , Zhang Yunhua , Ren Zhijie , Cai Tingwei , Yu Chang , Liu Yu , Cai Yongfeng , Zeng Qinghong , Wan Hu , Li Jianhong
Published: December 2021

Monitoring is an important component of insecticide resistance management. In this study, resistance monitoring was conducted on 18 field populations in China. The results showed that S. furcifera developed high levels of resistance to chlorpyrifos and buprofezin, and S. furcifera showed low to moderate levels of resistance to imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, clothianidin, sulfoxaflor, isoprocarb and ethofenprox. Sogatella furcifera remained susceptible or low levels of resistance to nitenpyram. LC50 values of nitenpyram and dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and chlorpyrifos exhibited significant correlations, as did those between dinotefuran and thiamethoxam, clothianidin, sulfoxaflor, imidacloprid, isoprocarb and buprofezin. Similarly, significant correlations were observed between thiamethoxam and clothianidin, sulfoxaflor and imidacloprid. In addition, the activity of EST in field populations of S. furcifera were significantly correlated with the LC50 values of nitenpyram, thiamethoxam and clothianidin. These results will help inform effective insecticide resistance management strategies to delay the development of insecticide resistance in S. furcifera.
Establishing Irreversible Electroporation Electric Field Potential Threshold in A Suspension In Vitro Model for Cardiac and Neuronal Cells
Authors: Avazzadeh Sahar , O’Brien Barry , Coffey Ken , O’Halloran Martin , Keane David , Quinlan Leo R.
Published: December 2021

Aims: Irreversible electroporation is an ablation technique being adapted for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Currently, there are many differences reported in the in vitro and pre-clinical literature for the effective voltage threshold for ablation. The aim of this study is a direct comparison of different cell types within the cardiovascular system and identification of optimal voltage thresholds for selective cell ablation. Methods: Monophasic voltage pulses were delivered in a cuvette suspension model. Cell viability and live–dead measurements of three different neuronal lines, cardiomyocytes, and cardiac fibroblasts were assessed under different voltage conditions. The immediate effects of voltage and the evolution of cell death was measured at three different time points post ablation. Results: All neuronal and atrial cardiomyocyte lines showed cell viability of less than 20% at an electric field of 1000 V/cm when at least 30 pulses were applied with no significant difference amongst them. In contrast, cardiac fibroblasts showed an optimal threshold at 1250 V/cm with a minimum of 50 pulses. Cell death overtime showed an immediate or delayed cell death with a proportion of cell membranes re-sealing after three hours but no significant difference was observed between treatments after 24 h. Conclusions: The present data suggest that understanding the optimal threshold of irreversible electroporation is vital for achieving a safe ablation modality without any side-effect in nearby cells. Moreover, the evolution of cell death post electroporation is key to obtaining a full understanding of the effects of IRE and selection of an optimal ablation threshold.
What Every Internist-Endocrinologist Should Know about Rare Genetic Syndromes in Order to Prevent Needless Diagnostics, Missed Diagnoses and Medical Complications: Five Years of ‘Internal Medicine for Rare Genetic Syndromes’
Authors: Rosenberg Anna G. W. , Pater Minke R. A. , Pellikaan Karlijn , Davidse Kirsten , Kattentidt-Mouravieva Anja A. , Kersseboom Rogier , Bos-Roubos Anja G. , van Eeghen Agnies , Veen José M. C. , van der Meulen Jiske J. , van Aalst-van Wieringen Nina , Hoekstra Franciska M. E. , van der Lely Aart J. , de Graaff Laura C. G.
Published: December 2021

Patients with complex rare genetic syndromes (CRGS) have combined medical problems affecting multiple organ systems. Pediatric multidisciplinary (MD) care has improved life expectancy, however, transfer to internal medicine is hindered by the lack of adequate MD care for adults. We have launched an MD outpatient clinic providing syndrome-specific care for adults with CRGS, which, to our knowledge, is the first one worldwide in the field of internal medicine. Between 2015 and 2020, we have treated 720 adults with over 60 syndromes. Eighty-nine percent of the syndromes were associated with endocrine problems. We describe case series of missed diagnoses and patients who had undergone extensive diagnostic testing for symptoms that could actually be explained by their syndrome. Based on our experiences and review of the literature, we provide an algorithm for the clinical approach of health problems in CRGS adults. We conclude that missed diagnoses and needless invasive tests seem common in CRGS adults. Due to the increased life expectancy, an increasing number of patients with CRGS will transfer to adult endocrinology. Internist-endocrinologists (in training) should be aware of their special needs and medical pitfalls of CRGS will help prevent the burden of unnecessary diagnostics and under- and overtreatment.
Effect of Violet Light-Transmitting Eyeglasses on Axial Elongation in Myopic Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Mori Kiwako , Torii Hidemasa , Hara Yutaka , Hara Michiko , Yotsukura Erisa , Hanyuda Akiko , Negishi Kazuno , Kurihara Toshihide , Tsubota Kazuo
Published: December 2021

The fact that outdoor light environment is an important suppressive factor against myopia led us to invent violet light-transmitting eyeglasses (VL glasses) which can transmit violet light (VL), 360–400 nm in wavelength, for the suppression of myopia, and can meanwhile block harmful ultraviolet waves from sunlight. The current study is a double-blinded randomized clinical trial to investigate the myopia-suppressive effect of VL glasses compared to conventional eyeglasses (placebo glasses) that do not transmit VL. The subjects were children aged from 6 to 12 years old, the population in which myopia progression is generally accelerated, and the myopia suppressive effect was followed up for two years in a city in Japan. Periodical ophthalmic examinations, interviews, and measurements of reflection and axial length under mydriasis were performed at the initial visit (the baseline) and at 1, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The mean change in axial length in the VL glasses group was significantly smaller than in the placebo glasses group when time for near-work was less than 180 min and when the subjects were limited to those who had never used eyeglasses before this trial (p < 0.01); however, this change was not significant without subgrouping. The suppressive rate for axial elongation in the VL glasses group was 21.4% for two years.
Simple Serum Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Protein Biomarkers—Is There Anything in Sight?
Authors: Kapszewicz Monika , Małecka-Wojciesko Ewa
Published: December 2021

A poor PDAC prognosis is due to a lack of effective treatment and late diagnosis. The early detection of PDAC could significantly decrease mortality and save lives. Idealbiomarkers for PDAC should be cost-effective, detectable in easily accessible biological material, and present in sufficient concentration in the earliest possible phase of the disease. This review addresses newly selected, simple protein biomarkers—new ones such as thrombospondin-2, insulin-linked binding protein 2, lysophosphatidic acid, and autotaxin and conventional ones such as Ca19-9, inflammatory factors, and coagulation factors. Their possible use in the early detection of PDAC, differentiation from benign diseases, prognosis, and treatment response prediction is discussed. We also address the usefulness of possible combinations of biomarkers in diagnostic panels.
Psychological Discomfort in Nursing Degree Students as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Espina-López Fernando , Moreno-Sánchez Emilia , Gago-Valiente Francisco-Javier , Sáez-Padilla Jesús , Salado-Navarro Vanesa , Merino-Godoy María-de-los-Ángeles
Published: December 2021

Students are a population at risk of developing psychological complications, such as psychological discomfort, stress, and anxiety, among other problems, especially during the current health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study’s objective was to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological discomfort of final-year nursing students. A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out. To analyze the psychological discomfort of the participants, the Kessler test (previously validated) was used. The results of this test were divided into two levels (High ≥ 21/Low < 21), showing high sensitivity as a screening method for anxiety and depression. Questionnaires were sent via email to final-year nursing students of Spanish and South American universities, inviting them to participate voluntarily. The sample consisted of 400 students, with an average age of 23.29 years and a sex proportion of 82.75% women and 17.28% men. Almost all participants (n = 396) belonged to Spanish universities, and the greatest participation corresponded to Andalusian universities (64.5%). The average psychological discomfort was high (M = 27.94). Statistically significant relationships were detected between age, sex, and feeling ready for the world of work, observing no relationships with the rest of the studied variables. The sample of 4th-year students of the Degree of Nursing presented a high level of psychological discomfort. This pathology does not seem to be related to having suffered from COVID-19 or being in contact with infected people during the practicum and is more strongly related to personal sociodemographic variables and students’ preparation for the world of work.