bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
After the fall: Responding to the Champlain Towers building collapse
Authors: Beidel Deborah C. , Rozek David C. , Bowers Clint A. , Newins Amie R. , Steigerwald Victoria L.
Published: January 2023

In June 2021, a condominium in Florida collapsed, with the loss of 98 lives. Search and rescue teams spent 2 weeks, recovering the victims. This study's objective was to assess the presence of psychological symptoms that might emerge in the following months, using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire−9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder – 7 (GAD-7), Suicide Cognitions Scale-Short (SCS-S), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A monthly survey conducted for 3 months found that overall, mean scores on these measures did not indicate significant emotional distress. We then compared the scores when the group was divided into responders who recovered human remains and those who did not. Scores were significantly higher among the subgroup that recovered human remains. Fifty-three percent (53%) of this sub-group met the cut-off score for a provisional diagnosis of PTSD, depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder−15% met the cut-off score criteria on the PCL-5 for probable PTSD, 36.8% for probable depressive disorder on the PHQ-9, and 26.3% for probable generalized anxiety disorder on the GAD-7. The results are consistent with other investigations examining mental health after mass disasters. Specifically, not all first responders will develop emotional distress but certain recovery activities may put some responders at higher risk, with a percentage displaying psychological distress. The results emphasize the need to assess the impact of these events on the mental health of first responders and to consider strategies to prevent or mitigate the development of impairing psychopathology.
Artificial intelligence (AI) acceptance in primary care during the coronavirus pandemic: What is the role of patients' gender, age and health awareness? A two-phase pilot study
Authors: Chalutz Ben-Gal Hila
Published: January 2023

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) is steadily entering and transforming the health care and Primary Care (PC) domains. AI-based applications assist physicians in disease detection, medical advice, triage, clinical decision-making, diagnostics and digital public health. Recent literature has explored physicians' perspectives on the potential impact of digital public health on key tasks in PC. However, limited attention has been given to patients' perspectives of AI acceptance in PC, specifically during the coronavirus pandemic. Addressing this research gap, we administered a pilot study to investigate criteria for patients' readiness to use AI-based PC applications by analyzing key factors affecting the adoption of digital public health technology.

Methods

The pilot study utilized a two-phase mixed methods approach. First, we conducted a qualitative study with 18 semi-structured interviews. Second, based on the Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model (TRAM), we conducted an online survey (n= 447).

Results

The results indicate that respondents who scored high on innovativeness had a higher level of readiness to use AI-based technology in PC during the coronavirus pandemic. Surprisingly, patients' health awareness and sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender and education, were not significant predictors of AI-based technology acceptance in PC.

Conclusions

This paper makes two major contributions. First, we highlight key social and behavioral determinants of acceptance of AI-enabled health care and PC applications. Second, we propose that to increase the usability of digital public health tools and accelerate patients' AI adoption, in complex digital public health care ecosystems, we call for implementing adaptive, population-specific promotions of AI technologies and applications.
COVID-19, mobility restriction, and sexual behavior among a cohort of people of reproductive age: Nigeria
Authors: Adekola Paul O. , Ugwu Favour C. , Amoo Emmanuel O. , Olawole-Isaac Adebanke , Cirella Giuseppe T.
Published: January 2023

Background

One of the non-pharmaceutical strategies adopted by various governments to control the spread of COVID-19 is mobility restriction (MR), popularly known as a lockdown. Evidence shows that MR has some unintended consequences, such as increased cases of domestic violence, rape, pornography, sex chats, incest, and other unhealthy sexual behaviors (SBs).

Methods

The study examined the influence of MR on SB in Owerri via a cross-sectional quantitative approach. A total of 425 interviewees were randomly chosen among people of a reproductive age. Data were analyzed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels of analysis.

Results

A significant relationship exists between selected socio-demographic characteristics, such as age and marital status, and the ability of people to cope with sexual abstinence. Results from the logistic regression analysis further illustrated this observation as during MR people were twice as likely to engage in prolific sex chats that could spur other harmful SBs.

Conclusion

It is recommended that people should be allowed to determine whether they would like to stay with their partners in subsequent lockdowns, or otherwise, to prevent some of the unpleasant SBs recorded.
Research on the spatial differences and influencing factors of integrated urban-rural development in the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Liu Nina , Chen Yingying , Su Fei
Published: January 2023

Once the integrated urban-rural development enters a high-quality development stage, multiple dimensions would be reflected in population, space, economics, society, and environment, which will further advance sustainable development. An integrated urban and rural development have shown different features, rules, and models amid different social systems and in different development stages. Therefore, it's urgent to scientifically measure the integration level of rural and urban areas, revealing the spatial differences, characteristics, and internal mechanism. Targeting the 41 cities within the Yangtze River Delta, this paper evaluates the integrated urban-rural development in this area based on the global principal component analysis, explores its spatial agglomeration and evolution pattern by ESDA method, analyzes the principal factors that result in the spatial differences in integrated urban and rural development in the Yangtze River Delta and their interactive relations by the geographical detector, and discusses the regional differences between those influencing factors by the geographical weighted regression method. The results indicate that (1) the integrated development of the 41 cities is not balanced and there is a great difference between different cities. (2) The integrated development of this area has shown the apparent feature of geographical agglomeration, or in other words, the central cities have become the forces that drive the development of neighboring cities. (3) Since integrated urban-rural development is influenced by economic development, basic infrastructure, government support, and industrial structure, all regions should put forward suggestions for the formulation of policies accordingly based on realities.
Representing mental disorders with virtual reality applications: Designing for multimodality and complex participation
Authors: Bakk Ágnes Karolina
Published: January 2023

In this paper, I present various strategies adopted by creators of artistic interactive virtual reality (VR) experiences to represent mental health problems and their contexts. The strategies can foster dialogues about these problems, as they present their complexities by embedding them into various narrative and non-narrative elements. In discussing the representational complexity of these works, I emphasize design strategies that tackle stereotypes and their ethical representations and which create a specific type of suspense for the experiencer to bypass the representation of suffering that documentary VR works often use. These productions approach mental health issues as dynamic systems and represent them through linearity or non-linearity (see Stepney 2018). This approach offers limited agency to the interactor, in the sense that the user has a sense of embodiment (Kilteni et al., 2012) and is scripted as an interactor in specific cases (Murray 1997). In this paper, I argue that the VR medium’s characteristic of expressing non-linearity via multimodality (see Elleström 2019) and sense of embodiment makes it suitable for such productions.
3D-printed Model and guide plate for accurate resection of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas
Authors: Jiang Weiqian , Chen Peng , Cui Lei , Li Li , Shao Yan , Zhang Dekang , Xu Lin , Tao Ran , Chen Youbai , Han Yan
Published: January 2023

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Schematic figure of the relationship between guide plate and tumor. The orange area represents the body surface; the red area represents the maximum range of tumor subcutaneous invasion in MRI; the yellow area represents the visible part of the tumor on the body surface; the blue area represents the projection range of the tumor on body surface and the green dotted line represents the guide plate range to help resection, which is 5 mm beyond the projection boundary.
Maintenance of PKMζ-modulated synaptic efficacies despite protein turnover
Authors: Aslam Naveed
Published: January 2023

How can synaptic efficacies be maintained despite the fast turnover of proteins at synapses? Partially, we know that the synthesis of new proteins is essential for the induction of the late, long-lasting phase of long-term potentiation (L-LTP). Recent experiments suggest that the concentration of protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) is increased during L-LTP and that inhibiting the PKMζ activity during the maintenance phase can effectively reverse L-LTP. Experiments have also shown that phosphorylation is necessary for the activation of PKMζ. However, it is not clear what mechanism maintains the level and activity of PKMζ despite protein turnover and phosphatase activity. Using a mathematical modeling framework, I examine the hypothesis that the activity of PKMζ is sustained through a local switching mechanism. The model for the switching mechanism is motivated by several experimental observations: 1) PKMζ has two phosphorylation sites; one is mediated by another constitutively active kinase, Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 PDK1 (T410) and is essential for its activity, and another is an autophosphorylation site, T560. 2) The phosphorylation of PKMζ increases its stability and the doubly phosphorylated PKMζ has a significantly longer lifetime than the unphosphorylated and singly phosphorylated states of PKMζ. 3) The doubly phosphorylated PKMζ also regulates the new synthesis of PKMζ through a translation feedback loop. The present study implemented a mass action model consistent with these observations. The results show that such a model can be bistable and that L-LTP induction produces an increase in the total amount of PKMζ at active synapses. The increase in PKMζ concentration was maintained through the regulation of new protein synthesis by PKMζ. The results also show that blocking the activity of PKMζ in a dose-dependent manner can effectively abolish the increase in the total amount of PKMζ, which is consistent with the effect that the PKMζ inhibitor zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP) has experimentally demonstrated. The model is consistent with available experimental results regarding the phosphorylation levels of PKMζ and the temporal aspects of blocking experiments and produces a new prediction.
Development and Validation of the COVID-19 Worries and Fears Scale
Authors: Cuadrado Esther , Arenas Alicia , Moyano Manuel , La Gamma Martina
Published: January 2023

Objectives: How individuals perceive the risk of COVID-19 influences their mental health and protective behaviors. Therefore, the development of an instrument to capture COVID-19-related worries and fears is relevant. This study aims to develop and validate the CoV-WoFe to measure COVID-19-related worries and fears.

Methods: An online questionnaire was completed by 593 participants during Christmas 2020 and by 328 participants during Summer 2021, from which 88 participants formed a longitudinal sample.

Results: Analyses confirmed a robust adjustment for consistency over time and a gender-invariant bifactorial structure. Factor 1 represented worry about the health consequences of COVID-19 and Factor 2 represented the perceived physiological symptoms associated with fear of COVID-19. Construct validity was evidenced by: the expected relations between the CoV-WoFe and other theoretically related constructs; the serial mediating role of both dimensions in the relationship that security values establish with protective behaviors against COVID-19 and with anxiety; and the expected gender differences in the Cov-WoFe.

Conclusion: The CoV-WoFe represents a short, valid, reliable, gender-invariant tool that is easy to apply in both the health professional and research context to assessCOVID-19-related worries and fears, which are variables of relevance for spread of the virus and for mental health.
Solid Fuel Use and the Progression of Multimorbidity in Middle-Aged Chinese Participants: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wu Tingting , Zhang Yue , Zhou Yaguan , Zhang Zifan , Cheng Yangyang , Liu Xiangtong , Xu Xiaolin
Published: January 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association of solid fuel use for cooking and heating with the progression of multimorbidity.

Methods: A total of 5,437 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of the independent and joint effects of solid fuel use for cooking and heating with the progression of multimorbidity.

Results: The proportion of participants reporting solid fuel use for both cooking and heating was 59.0% at baseline. Solid fuel use for both cooking and heating was associated with the progression of multimorbidity (adjusted OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.19–1.70), compared with clean fuel use for both.

Conclusion: Solid fuel use for cooking and heating play an important role in the progression of multimorbidity. Therefore, solid fuel reduction should be considered in developing multimorbidity control and prevention programmes.
Angiomyolipoma of the kidney—Clinicopathological analysis of 52 cases
Authors: Fejes Zsuzsanna , Sánta Fanni , Jenei Alex , Király István Előd , Varga Linda , Kuthi Levente
Published: January 2023

The renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign tumor characteristically composed of fat, smooth muscle tissue, and vessels. We collected AMLs from our nephrectomy database, reclassified them according to their histological appearance, recorded the demographic, clinical, and pathological parameters, and compared them with oncocytoma (RO) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Immunohistochemistry was ordered in 41 cases. In 2224 nephrectomies, we found 52 AMLs with a 53 mm median size. The mean age was 52.76. Forty-eight tumors were sporadic, while four were hereditary. The revision resulted in 31 classic, 13 leiomyoma-like, five lipoma-like, two epithelioid, and one AML with epithelial cysts. SMA was diffusely positive, except for the epithelioid type, while MelanA harbored stronger expression than HMB45. AML was more frequent in females and appeared ten and 7 years earlier than RO and RCC, respectively. The follow-up time was 7.42 years, and neither tumor-related death nor relapse occurred. AML is rare in nephrectomies and develops primarily in females in their 50s with an average size of 50–60 mm at the surgery. The histological appearance in order of frequency is classic, leiomyoma-like, lipoma-like, epithelioid, and cystic. The MelanA, HMB45, and SMA immunohistochemistry can support the light-microscopic findings.
An Analytical–Numerical Method for Simulating the Performance of Piezoelectric Harvesters Mounted on Wing Slats
Authors: Tommasino Domenico , Moro Federico , Zumalde Eneko , Kunzmann Jan , Doria Alberto
Published: January 2023

Recently, there have been significant developments in the field of vibration energy harvesters to feed sensors for structural health monitoring in aeronautics and other high technology fields. Within the framework of the EU InComEss project, new eco-friendly piezoelectric materials are under development. A foreseen application is vibration energy harvesting from the wing slats of aircraft. Semi-analytical models of the vibrating slat make it possible to estimate the maximum voltage that can be generated by a piezoelectric patch bonded to a slat surface. A more detailed analysis must consider details of the three-dimensional geometry of both the harvester and the bonding layer. This can only be carried out with multiphysics finite element software. A finite element model of a whole slat would require a large computational effort as millions of elements are typically needed to model very thin piezoelectric layers. To simplify this analysis, an integrated analytical–numerical method is proposed in this paper. A large-scale analytical model of the whole slat was used to calculate loads on the portion of the slat where a piezoelectric patch was attached. Then, a small-scale finite element model of the portion of the slat with the piezoelectric patch was used to calculate the open circuit voltage generated by the patch. The response of the harvester to random excitation, typical of aeronautic applications, was calculated. The effects of the details of the harvester design on the generated voltage were analyzed and discussed.
Impact—Shredding Processing of Whole-Plant Corn: Machine Performance, Physical Properties, and In Situ Ruminant Digestion
Authors: Pintens David A. , Shinners Kevin J. , Friede Joshua C. , Digman Matthew F. , Kalscheur Kenneth F.
Published: January 2023

An intensive processing mechanism that combined impact and shredding was applied to create physical disruption of whole-plant corn as a means to increase in situ dry matter (DM) digestion in lactating dairy cows. A ratio of treatment leachate conductivity relative to that of an ultimately processed treatment, defined as a processing level index, was used to quantify material physical disruption. Two processing levels were compared to a control treatment, which applied conventional chopping and kernel processing. The non-grain fraction was substantially size-reduced by processing such that only 28% to 51% by mass of this material remained greater than 6.4 mm length. After processing with the experimental processor, greater than 85% of kernels passed through a 4.75 mm screen, and the corn silage processing score (CSPS) was 18 to 27 percentage points greater than the control. The highly fiberized material was more compliant; thus, compacted density was 9% to 17% greater than the control. During in situ digestion experiments, processing significantly increased the rapidly soluble DM fraction by 10 percentage points and the extent of DM disappearance by 5 percentage points through 16 h incubation.
Analysis of Factors Influencing the Adoption Behavior of Agricultural Productive Services Based on Logistic—ISM Model: A Case Study of Rice Farmers in Jiangxi Province, China
Authors: Ai Juan , Hu Lun , Xia Shuhua , Xiang Hongling , Chen Zhaojiu
Published: January 2023

Agricultural productive services can increase grain output and farmers’ incomes, promote agricultural production efficiency and break the constraints of agricultural environmental resources. In practice, China’s agricultural productive services are developing, and the use of agricultural machinery in rice planting is not sufficient. The employment rate of machinery in farming and harvesting is high, but the employment rate of machinery in seedling raising, planting, fertilization, and pesticide spraying is very low. This paper takes rice farmers in Jiangxi Province of China as the research object, uses 647 survey data of farmers in nine counties of Jiangxi Province, constructs a logistic-ISM model, first identifies the influencing factors of rice farmers’ adoption of agricultural productive services, and then analyzes the hierarchical structure of each influencing factor. The results indicate that: (1) among the seven significant influencing factors of rice farmers’ adoption of agricultural productive services, agricultural income rate and rice planting area are the deep-rooted factors; (2) the social identity of the household head, the risk preference of the household head and the understanding degree of the social service subsidy of agricultural machinery are intermediate level factors; and (3) the age of the household head and the number of agricultural laborers in the family are the direct factors. Based on the significance analysis of the influencing factors of rice farmers’ adoption of agricultural productive services, this paper puts forward policy suggestions to strengthen policy publicity, enhance the level of farmer policy cognition; encourage the transfer of labor force and reasonable allocation of family agricultural labor force; encourage land transfer and expand the scale operation of rice; we should guide farmers reasonably and give full play to their professional advantages.
Developmental, Phytochemical and Enzymatic Changes in Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) cvs. Hybrid and French with Salicylic Acid (SA) and Polyamine Spermidine (SP) Foliar Spray
Authors: Ahmad Sohail , Ahmed Waseem , Mihoub Adil , Jamal Aftab , Farhan Saeed Muhammad , Masood Nasir , Radicetti Emanuele , Fawad Muhammad , Nicola Silvana
Published: January 2023

Marigolds (Calendula officinalis L.) are valuable in ornamentation, human food, and other uses; to enhance productivity, plant growth regulators produce stimulatory effects, including salicylic acid (SA) and spermidine (SP), but there is a lack of scientific evidence about such effects in marigolds. The study assessed, under greenhouse conditions, changes in physico-chemical parameters, enzymatic activity, and bioactive compounds of marigold cvs. Hybrid and French marigolds were sprayed of SA (1 and 2 mM) and SP (2 and 3 mM) and compared to control (pure water). The SA at 2 mM improved leaf length (8.20 cm), flower height and diameter (5.32, 8.28 cm), flower fresh and dry weight (14.30, 1.5 g), and the maximum number of flower petals (55) in ‘Hybrid’. Similarly, 2 mM SA gave the maximum number of leaves (40.71) and stem thickness (5.76 mm) in ‘French’, but 3 mM SP promoted the maximum plant height in ‘Hybrid’. Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities increased in ‘Hybrid’ with 2 mM SA; with this SA dose, ‘Hybrid’ had higher contents of total phenolic compounds (68.34 mg GAE g−1), antioxidants (77%), carotenoids (110 mg 100 g−1), and flavonoids (67.5 mg RE g−1) than the control. The best dose for improving growth in both marigold varieties was 2 mM SA.
Organic Fertilizer Sources Distinctively Modulate Productivity, Quality, Mineral Composition, and Soil Enzyme Activity of Greenhouse Lettuce Grown in Degraded Soil
Authors: Cardarelli Mariateresa , El Chami Antonio , Iovieno Paola , Rouphael Youssef , Bonini Paolo , Colla Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

Intensive greenhouse vegetable production is often associated with a decline of crop productivity due to the increase of soil salinity and/or a reduction of biological fertility. The aim of the current work was to assess the effects of three organic fertilizers on morpho-physiological and agronomic traits of greenhouse lettuce as well as soil enzyme activity under poor soil quality conditions. The tested organic fertilizers (poultry manure, vinasse-based fertilizer, and insect’s frass fertilizer) were applied pre-planting at the same equivalent nitrogen (N) rate (90 kg N ha−1). Laboratory incubation assay results showed that vinasse-based fertilizer was the most suitable fertilizer in supplying the mineral N in the short term. All fertilizers increased shoot fresh and dry weight compared to unfertilized control with a more pronounced effect (+75%) with vinasse-based fertilizer and insect’s frass. Insect frass reduced by 27% the leaf nitrate concentration in comparison with the other treatments. The toxic heavy metal Pb was 46% lower in all organically fertilized lettuce leaves. Soil enzymatic activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase (ArS), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase), dehydrogenase, and total hydrolase (THA) were enhanced by poultry manure and insect’s frass in comparison with unfertilized control while vinasse-based fertilizer increased ArS, NAGase, and THA. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the application of organic fertilizers especially vinasse-based fertilizer and insect’s frass during intensive crop production is a suitable approach for mitigating the negative impact of soil salinity, enhancing soil biological fertility, and improving agronomic performance of greenhouse lettuce.
Drought Tolerance of Mungbean Is Improved by Foliar Spray of Nanoceria
Authors: Maduraimuthu Djanaguiraman , Alagarswamy Senthil , Prabhakaran Jeyakumar , Karuppasami Kalarani M. , Venugopal Prasad B. R. , Koothan Vanitha , Natarajan Sritharan , Dhashnamurthi Vijayalakshmi , Veerasamy Ravichandran , Rathinavelu Sivakumar , Parasuraman Boominathan
Published: January 2023

In crops, drought stress reduces the photosynthetic rate and gamete function through oxidative damage. Earlier studies showed that nanoceria possesses an antioxidant property; however, the ability of nanoceria to alleviate drought-stress-stimulated oxidative damage in pulse crops has not been studied. Therefore, experiments were conducted to assess the impacts of nanoceria on drought-induced oxidative damage in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]. We hypothesize that foliar application of nanoceria under drought stress can scavenge the excess produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to its inherent properties which could result in increased photosynthesis and reproductive success of mungbean. Three experiments were conducted under well-watered and limited-moisture conditions. The traits associated with oxidative damage, photosynthesis, reproductive success, and yield were recorded. Results showed that for mungbean, the optimum concentration of nanoceria for foliar spray was 100 mg L−1. Field and pot culture experiments showed that foliar application of nanoceria under drought decreased the superoxide radical content (29%), hydrogen peroxide content (28%), and membrane damage (35%) over water spray. Nanoceria increased the photosynthetic rate (38%), pod-set percentage (16%), and seed weight m−2 (44%) in drought-stressed plants compared to control plants. The increased photosynthetic rate by nanoceria spray under drought stress is associated with lesser oxidative damage and stomatal limitation caused by nanoceria’s inherent ROS-scavenging ability. Hence, foliar application of nanoceria at the rate of 100 mg L−1 under drought stress could increase mungbean seed yield per plant through increased photosynthetic rate and pod-set percentage.
In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Heraclenol as a Novel Bacterial Histidine Biosynthesis Inhibitor against Invasive and Biofilm-Forming Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Chaudhary Naveen , Modgil Vinay , Kalia Manmohit , Kant Vishal , Mohan Balvinder , Bhatia Alka , Taneja Neelam
Published: January 2023

Globally, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most frequent bacterial infections. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the predominant etiological agents causing community and healthcare-associated UTIs. Biofilm formation is an important pathogenetic mechanism of UPEC responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. The development of high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among UPEC has complicated therapeutic management. Newer antimicrobial agents are needed to tackle the increasing trend of AMR and inhibit biofilms. Heraclenol is a natural furocoumarin compound that inhibits histidine biosynthesis selectively. In this study, for the first time, we have demonstrated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of heraclenol against UPEC. The drug reduced the bacterial load in the murine catheter UTI model by ≥4 logs. The drug effectively reduced bacterial loads in kidney, bladder, and urine samples. On histopathological examination, heraclenol treatment showed a reversal of inflammatory changes in the bladder and kidney tissues. It reduced the biofilm formation by 70%. The MIC value of heraclenol was observed to be high (1024 µg/mL), though the drug at MIC concentration did not have significant cytotoxicity on the Vero cell line. Further molecular docking revealed that heraclenol binds to the active site of the HisC, thereby preventing its activation by native substrate, which might be responsible for its antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. Since the high MIC of heraclenol is not achievable clinically in human tissues, further chemical modifications will be required to lower the drug’s MIC value and increase its potency. Alternatively, its synergistic action with other antimicrobials may also be studied.
Local and Systemic Antibiotics in Peri-Implantitis Management: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Boccia Giovanni , Di Spirito Federica , D’Ambrosio Francesco , Di Palo Maria Pia , Giordano Francesco , Amato Massimo
Published: January 2023

The present umbrella review aimed to characterize the type and regimen of antibiotics administered locally and/or systemically, alone or in combination with surgical and nonsurgical treatments, for peri-implantitis and to evaluate and compare the associated clinical, radiographic, and crevicular peri-implant outcomes. The secondary objective was to determine the most effective antibiotic type, route of administration, regimen, and protocols (antibiotics alone or in combination with other approaches) for treating peri-implantitis. The study protocol, which was developed in advance under the PRISMA statement, was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022373957). BioMed Central, Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, the Cochrane Library databases, and the PROSPERO registry were searched for systematic reviews through 15 November 2022. Of the 708 records found, seven reviews were included; three were judged of a critically low and four of low quality through the AMSTAR 2 tool. Locally administered antibiotics alone or as an adjunct to surgical or nonsurgical treatments for peri-implantitis showed favorable outcomes, albeit with limited evidence. The administration of systemically-delivered antibiotics in combination with nonsurgical or surgical treatments remained questionable. Local plus systemic antibiotics have not been shown to have durable efficacy. Due to the heterogeneity of reported antibiotic types, routes, regimens, and protocols, no definitive conclusions could be drawn regarding the most effective antibiotic use in treating peri-implantitis.
First Report of IMI-2-Producing Enterobacter bugandensis and CTX-M-55-Producing Escherichia coli isolated from Healthy Volunteers in Tunisia
Authors: Ben Sallem Rym , Arfaoui Ameni , Najjari Afef , Carvalho Isabel , Lekired Abdelmalek , Ouzari Hadda-Imen , Ben Slama Karim , Wong Alex , Torres Carmen , Klibi Naouel
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study was to characterize the prevalence of fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria among healthy humans in Tunisia. Fifty-one rectal swabs of healthy volunteers were plated on MacConkey agar plates supplemented with cefotaxime or imipenem. The occurrences of resistance genes, integrons, and phylogroup typing were investigated using PCR and sequencing. The genetic relatedness of isolates was determined by pulsed-field-gel-electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus-sequence-typing (MLST). Whole-genome-sequencing (WGS) was performed for the carbapenem-resistant isolate. Sixteen ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates and one carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter bugandensis were detected out of the fifty-one fecal samples. The ESBL-producing E. coli strains contained genes encoding CTX-M-15 (n = 9), CTX-M-1 (n = 3), CTX-M-27 (n = 3), and CTX-M-55 (n = 1). Three CTX-M-1-producers were of lineages ST131, ST7366, and ST1158; two CTX-M-15-producers belonged to lineage ST925 and ST5100; one CTX-M-27-producer belonged to ST2887, and one CTX-M-15-producer belonged to ST744. Six isolates contained class 1 integrons with the following four gene cassette arrangements: dfrA5 (two isolates), dfrA12-orf-aadA2 (two isolates), dfrA17-aadA5 (one isolate), and aadA1 (one isolate). E. bugandensis belonged to ST1095, produced IMI-2 carbapenemase, and contained qnrE1 and fosA genes. A genome-sequence analysis of the E. bugandensis strain revealed new mutations in the blaACT and qnr genes. Our results reveal an alarming rate of ESBL-E. coli in healthy humans in Tunisia and the first description of IMI-2 in E. bugandensis.
Valorization of the Antioxidant Effect of Mantua PGI Pear By-Product Extracts: Preparation, Analysis and Biological Investigation
Authors: Bollati Carlotta , Marzorati Stefania , Cecchi Lorenzo , Bartolomei Martina , Li Jianqiang , Bellumori Maria , d’Adduzio Lorenza , Verotta Luisella , Piazza Laura , Arnoldi Anna , Mulinacci Nadia , Lammi Carmen
Published: January 2023

For improving the management of the production chain of PGI Mantua pears (which comprises many varieties, including Abate Fetel), applying the cardinal principles of circular economy and sustainability, the fruits with diseases or defects were recovered for producing dried rounds of pears from the Abate Fetel cultivar, a new product with high nutritional value that extends the remaining life. This process led to the production of secondary and residual by-products, which are mainly composed of the highest and lowest part of the fruits, comprising seeds, pulps, peels and petioles. Hence, this study was focused on the valorization of these secondary by-products of Abate Fetel pears through the production of pear extracts using traditional and “green” extraction methods that involve the use of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction. The produced extracts, together with a reference solvent-derived extract, were analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS, and in parallel, their direct and cellular antioxidant activity were assessed. Evidence has indicated that all the tested extracts reduced the H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide (NO) levels, respectively, in human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Hence, this study clearly suggests that extracts obtained from Mantuan PGI pear by-products may be used as valuable sources of bioactive upcycled phytocomplex for the development of dietary supplements and/or functional foods.
Image Watermarking Based Data Hiding by Discrete Wavelet Transform Quantization Model with Convolutional Generative Adversarial Architectures
Authors: Annadurai C. , Nelson I. , Devi K. Nirmala , Manikandan R. , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: January 2023

Traditional watermarking methods can remove a watermark from an image, making it possible to see the copyright information about the image owner or to estimate similarities using techniques such as bit error rate and normalized correlation. Deep learning is another examination field in AI, and is utilized to develop a deep network to extract objective elements and afterwards distinguish the general environment. To assure the robustness and security of computerized image watermarking, we propose a novel algorithm using convolutional generative adversarial neural networks. This research proposed a novel technique in digital watermarking, with data hiding based on segmentation and classification, using deep learning techniques. The used input images are medical images, including Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) images, which have been processed for noise removal, smoothening and normalization. The processed image has been watermarked using the Singular Value Decomposition-based discrete wavelet transform quantization model, being segmented and classified using convolutional generative adversarial neural networks. The experimental analysis has been carried out in terms of bit error rate, Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM), Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC), training accuracy, and validation accuracy. This achieved an attained bit error rate of 71%, an SSIM of 56%, a Normalized Cross-Correlation of 71%, a training accuracy of 98%, and a validation accuracy of 95%.
Emotional States versus Mental Heart Rate Component Monitored via Wearables
Authors: Fernández Alberto Peña , Leenders Cato , Aerts Jean-Marie , Berckmans Daniel
Published: January 2023

Psychiatric illnesses are estimated to account for over 15% of the burden of disease, which is more than all kinds of cancer together. Since mental disease is often preceded by issues in emotion processing, a method to objectively measure emotions in daily life would be needed. The goal of this research is to investigate the possibilities of mental heart rate component, assessed with a real-time individualized algorithm that decomposes total heart rate in a physical, basal, and mental component, to classify discrete emotions. For this aim, twenty participants committed to wearing a wristband 24/7 for three months and to label the occurrence of fourteen emotions on their smartphones. In total, 1255 labels were added. The dynamics of the mental heart rate component responses to emotions were identified via data-based mechanistic transfer function models. For the classification, the numerator and denominator model orders and parameters, the four features that define transfer function models, were used as features in a support vector machine classifier. This resulted in an average classification accuracy of the mental heart rate responses of 51.1% over all participants, compared to a random classifier with an average accuracy of 28.5%. We concluded that the dynamics of emotions are not only highly variable between individuals, but that they are also time varying on an individual basis. To increase accuracy, more and higher quality labels are indispensable.
In Vitro Compatibility of Three Native Isolates of Trichoderma with the Insecticide Chlorpyrifos
Authors: Sabogal-Vargas Ana María , Wilson-Krugg Juan , Rojas-Villacorta Walter , De La Cruz-Noriega Magaly , Otiniano Nelida Milly , Rojas-Flores Segundo , Mendoza-Villanueva Karol
Published: January 2023

The compatibility between biocontrol agents and pesticides seems to be a sustainable control strategy in agriculture. Therefore, the in vitro compatibility of three native isolates of Trichoderma was evaluated in three concentrations of chlorpyrifos (960, 1200, and 1440 mg/L), by determining the effect on spore germination, mycelial growth, and the antagonistic capacity. The isolates correspond to Trichoderma asperellum TCA 3, Trichoderma asperellum TCA 21 and Trichoderma harzianum TCA 23. Both spore germination and mycelial growth were performed using the poisoned medium method, while the antagonistic capacity was evaluated against Botrytis sp. in a dual culture. The results showed that TCA 21 strain had a higher germination percentage (79.46, 59.79, and 37.43%) than the TCA 3 and TCA 23 strains, in the three concentrations of chlorpyrifos. Regarding the mycelial growth of the three native strains in chlorpyrifos are affected when concentration of chlorpyrifos increase (p < 0.05). Finally, the antagonistic capacity of the three strains was not affected by any concentration of chlorpyrifos, where strains TCA 21 and TCA 23 presented a degree of antagonism of one, while TCA 3 presented a degree of two, according to the scale used by Bell. In conclusion, T. asperellum TCA 21 was the one that presented the best in vitro compatibility with chlorpyrifos at concentrations of 960 and 1200 mg/L, compared to T. asperellum TCA 3 and TCA 23. These results are favorable for field application since these native strains can also have the ability to degrade the insecticide, representing a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to the environment.
Using UAS-Aided Photogrammetry to Monitor and Quantify the Geomorphic Effects of Extreme Weather Events in Tectonically Active Mass Waste-Prone Areas: The Case of Medicane Ianos
Authors: Kotsi Evelina , Vassilakis Emmanuel , Diakakis Michalis , Mavroulis Spyridon , Konsolaki Aliki , Filis Christos , Lozios Stylianos , Lekkas Efthymis
Published: January 2023

Extreme weather events can trigger various hydrogeomorphic phenomena and processes including slope failures. These shallow instabilities are difficult to monitor and measure due to the spatial and temporal scales in which they occur. New technologies such as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), photogrammetry and the structure-from-motion (SfM) technique have recently demonstrated capabilities useful in performing accurate terrain observations that have the potential to provide insights into these geomorphic processes. This study explores the use of UAS-aided photogrammetry and change detection, using specialized techniques such as the digital elevation model (DEM) of differences (DoD) and cloud-to-cloud distance (C2C) to monitor and quantify geomorphic changes before and after an extreme medicane event in Myrtos, a highly visited touristic site on Cephalonia Island, Greece. The application demonstrates that the combination of UAS with photogrammetry allows accurate delineation of instabilities, volumetric estimates of morphometric changes, insights into erosion and deposition processes and the delineation of higher-risk areas in a rapid, safe and practical way. Overall, the study illustrates that the combination of tools facilitates continuous monitoring and provides key insights into geomorphic processes that are otherwise difficult to observe. Through this deeper understanding, this approach can be a stepping stone to risk management of this type of highly-visited sites, which in turn is a key ingredient to sustainable development in high-risk areas.
Identifying Synthetic Faces through GAN Inversion and Biometric Traits Analysis
Authors: Pasquini Cecilia , Laiti Francesco , Lobba Davide , Ambrosi Giovanni , Boato Giulia , De Natale Francesco
Published: January 2023

In the field of image forensics, notable attention has been recently paid toward the detection of synthetic contents created through Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), especially face images. This work explores a classification methodology inspired by the inner architecture of typical GANs, where vectors in a low-dimensional latent space are transformed by the generator into meaningful high-dimensional images. In particular, the proposed detector exploits the inversion of the GAN synthesis process: given a face image under investigation, we identify the point in the GAN latent space which more closely reconstructs it; we project the vector back into the image space, and we compare the resulting image with the actual one. Through experimental tests on widely known datasets (including FFHQ, CelebA, LFW, and Caltech), we demonstrate that real faces can be accurately discriminated from GAN-generated ones by properly capturing the facial traits through different feature representations. In particular, features based on facial landmarks fed to a Support Vector Machine consistently yield a global accuracy of above 88% for each dataset. Furthermore, we experimentally prove that the proposed detector is robust concerning routinely applied post-processing operations.
Fast Reset Protocol for Superconducting Transmon Qubits
Authors: Yuan Wei-Ping , He Zhi-Cheng , Li Sai , Xue Zheng-Yuan
Published: January 2023

For larger-scale quantum information processing, qubit reset plays an important role, as the coherent times for qubits are limited. However, previous schemes require either long reset times or a complex pulse calibration technique, leading to low efficiency in qubit reset. Here, we propose a fast and simple reset protocol for superconducting transmon qubits based on the coupler-coupled qubits architecture. In this setup, a mixing pulse is used to transfer the qubit excitation to the combined excitation of a low-qulity coupler and readout resonator, which will quickly decay to their respectively ground states, leading to efficient qubit reset to the ground state. Our numerical results show that the residual population of the qubit’s excited state can be suppressed to 0.04% within 28 ns; the reset time will be 283 ns if photon depletion of the readout resonator is required. Thus, our protocol provides a promising way for the high-efficiency superconducting qubit reset.
Efficiency of Chemical Toilet Sewage (CTS) Co-Fermentation with Typical Energy Crops
Authors: Dębowski Marcin , Kazimierowicz Joanna , Zieliński Marcin
Published: January 2023

Chemical toilets are becoming more and more common. Large volumes of chemical toilet sewage (CTS) are generated in popular tourist destinations, where waste conveyance and treatment systems are not an option, which necessitates new methods for neutralizing such waste. Anaerobic digestion is, potentially, one such solution. The aim of the present study was to test the treatability of chemical toilet sewage (CTS) co-fermented with maize silage biomass using anaerobic digestion (AD). It was found that CTS does not impair AD, as long as the fluid used to dilute the feedstock does not contain more than 30% CTS. Biogas yield reached 400 cm3/gVS, and the biogas produced contained 57 ± 2.6% CH4 methane. Higher doses of CTS inhibited anaerobic digestion. This inhibition was directly linked to CTS toxicity, which reduced methanogen populations. This, in turn, slowed down VFA-to-biogas conversion, triggered VFA accumulation, and ultimately increased FOS/TAC and decreased pH.
Reliability Study for Communication System: A Case Study of an Underground Mine
Authors: Bazargur Batzorig , Bataa Otgonbayar , Budjav Uuganbayar
Published: January 2023

After summarizing and evaluating works on system reliability, various models and results for predicting and evaluating system reliability have been introduced. However, we have not seen a study conducted to assess the reliability of communication systems in an underground mine. Underground mining operations are normally dependent on communication system reliability. The main purpose of this work is to study the failure of a theoretical underground mine communication system, propose a method to improve its reliability, and predict the results of the suggested method using system dynamic modeling. This study contributes to improving the reliability of communication systems in underground mines. In the case of a single nonredundant system, three options were implemented: doubling corrective maintenance, increasing preventative maintenance by 50%, and combining both measures. These three options were modeled by combining Markov modelling with system dynamic modelling methodology and were confirmed by experiments and simulation results. This combination of modelling constitutes the novelty of this study. In this paper, actual system component failure data was used for simulation for the single nonredundant system, after doubling corrective maintenance, increasing preventative maintenance by 50%, and combining in the case of implementing simultaneously both maintenance changes, but not for developing single and dual standby system models. Therefore, these models should be suitable for practical use, as they are based on actual working systems. Modelling confirmed that placing a communication system in each shaft of the theoretical underground mine increases the reliability of the communication system. The degree of availability of the communication system with single standby device shows the result of 62.38% while the communication system with two standby devices and three parallel communication systems’ availability rating shows a result of 85.18%.