bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and On-Field Deployment of a Mobile-Based Application ‘MoSQuIT’ for Malaria Surveillance in International Border Districts of Northeast India—Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Patgiri Saurav Jyoti , Gohain Gunenja Gobinda , Goswami Santanu Kumar , Bhattacharyya Dibya Ranjan , Debnath Sudhanshu Hari Das , Panat Lakshmi , Karajkhede Ganesh , Mohapatra Pradyumna K. , Sarma Devojit Kumar , Bhowmick Ipsita Pal , Gogoi Kongkona , Biswas Sujit , Debnath Jayanta , Acharjee Sukanta , Senapati Susmita , Neog Rahul , Nath Prabal , Meitei Keisham , Baidya Subrata , Debbarma Dinesh , Sarma Ajit , Ahmed Rahim A. , Boro Hemkanta , Das Rubal Chandra , Mahanta Jagadish , Debbarma Satya Ranjan , Kaur Harpreet
Published: February 2022

The conventional paper-based system for malaria surveillance is time-consuming, difficult to track and resource-intensive. Few digital platforms are in use but wide-scale deployment and acceptability remain to be seen. To address this issue, we created a malaria surveillance mobile app that offers real-time data to stakeholders and establishes a centralised data repository. The MoSQuIT app was designed to collect data from the field and was integrated with a web-based platform for data integration and analysis. The MoSQuIT app was deployed on mobile phones of accredited social health activists (ASHA) working in international border villages in the northeast (NE) Indian states of Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh for 20 months in a phased manner. This paper shares the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of MoSQuIT for malaria surveillance. MoSQuIT employs the same data entry formats as the NVBDCP’s malaria surveillance programme. Using this app, a total of 8221 fever cases were recorded, which included 1192 (14.5%) cases of P. falciparum malaria, 280 (3.4%) cases of P. vivax malaria and 52 (0.6%) mixed infection cases. Depending on network availability, GPS coordinates of the fever cases were acquired by the app. The present study demonstrated that mobile-phone-based malaria surveillance facilitates the quick transmission of data from the field to decision makers. Geospatial tagging of cases helped with easy visualisation of the case distribution for the identification of malaria-prone areas and potential outbreaks, especially in hilly and remote regions of Northeast India. However, to achieve the full operational potential of the system, operational challenges have to be overcome.
Sleep and Economic Status Are Linked to Daily Life Stress in African-Born Blacks Living in America
Authors: Waldman Zoe C. , Schenk Blayne R. , Duhuze Karera Marie Grace , Patterson Arielle C. , Hormenu Thomas , Mabundo Lilian S. , DuBose Christopher W. , Jagannathan Ram , Whitesell Peter L. , Wentzel Annemarie , Horlyck-Romanovsky Margrethe F. , Sumner Anne E.
Published: February 2022

To identify determinants of daily life stress in Africans in America, 156 African-born Blacks (Age: 40 ± 10 years (mean ± SD), range 22–65 years) who came to the United States as adults (age ≥ 18 years) were asked about stress, sleep, behavior and socioeconomic status. Daily life stress and sleep quality were assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. High-stress was defined by the threshold of the upper quartile of population distribution of PSS (≥16) and low-stress as PSS < 16. Poor sleep quality required PSQI > 5. Low income was defined as <40 k yearly. In the high and low-stress groups, PSS were: 21 ± 4 versus 9 ± 4, p < 0.001 and PSQI were: 6 ± 3 versus 4 ± 3, p < 0.001, respectively. PSS and PSQI were correlated (r = 0.38, p < 0.001). The odds of high-stress were higher among those with poor sleep quality (OR 5.11, 95% CI: 2.07, 12.62), low income (OR 5.03, 95% CI: 1.75, 14.47), and no health insurance (OR 3.01, 95% CI: 1.19, 8.56). Overall, in African-born Blacks living in America, daily life stress appears to be linked to poor quality sleep and exacerbated by low income and lack of health insurance.
Sex, Gender and Health: Mapping the Landscape of Research and Policy
Authors: Greaves Lorraine , Ritz Stacey A.
Published: February 2022

Including sex and gender considerations in health research is considered essential by many funders and is very useful for policy makers, program developers, clinicians, consumers and other end users. While longstanding confusions and conflations of terminology in the sex and gender field are well documented, newer conceptual confusions and conflations continue to emerge. Contemporary social demands for improved health and equity, as well as increased interest in precision healthcare and medicine, have made obvious the need for sex and gender science, sex and gender-based analyses (SGBA+), considerations of intersectionality, and equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives (EDI) to broaden representation among participants and diversify research agendas. But without a shared and precise understanding of these conceptual areas, fields of study, and approaches and their inter-relationships, more conflation and confusion can occur. This article sets out these areas and argues for more precise operationalization of sex- and gender-related factors in health research and policy initiatives in order to advance these varied agendas in mutually supportive ways.
Water Polo Offensive Methods after the 2018 FINA Rules Update
Authors: Canossa Sofia , Fernandes Ricardo J. , Estriga Luísa , Abraldes J. Arturo , Lupo Corrado , Garganta Júlio M.
Published: February 2022

Water polo is a team sport that has been suffering rule changes aiming for a more attractive game. Our goal was to unveil whether different offensive playing styles or methods were adopted by elite national teams from Eastern Europe and from other world countries after the new rules framework was applied at the 2019 FINA World Championship. Additionally, we questioned whether those rules induced a more dynamic game. A total of 648 offensive sequences from games contested by the top-six ranked national squads were analysed. Descriptive statistics, parametric and nonparametric tests were computed, and the effect size was used. The eastern Europeans were the tallest (t (76) = −4.081; p < 0.001, d = 0.42) and the Hungarians were higher than Italians (p = 0.005, dz = −0.41). Offensive time length differed between teams (H (5) = 30.50, p < 0.001) with Serbia being the fastest (Mdn = 22 s). In successful attacks without extra time, Italy was quicker than Spain (17.5 vs. 25.0 s; p = 0.031, dz = −0.36) scoring 30% of their total goals under 20 s, while Australia up to 24% and Croatia, Hungary and Spain ≤ 16.0%. When power-play occurred, the teams’ pass action was different (H (5) = 15.99, p < 0.007), with Italy performing more passes than counterparts, especially Serbia (Mdn = 13 vs. 9, respectively; p= 0.003, dz = 0.20) and with the exception of Hungary. Through fast play sequences, Italy, Serbia and Australia scored up to 33% of their goals, while Spain, Croatia, and Hungary scored ≤ 15%. The power-play contributed to ≥50% of teams’ goals, except for Spain and Australia (48 and 45%, respectively). Playing styles commonly attributed to Eastern vs. non-Eastern Europeans and other worldwide national teams such as Australia were not confirmed. However, offensive trends were perceived and described for the first time, and some base guidelines were suggested to distinguish the static or positional vs. a more dynamic playing model. Rule changes did not seem to induce the expected effects on game dynamics.
Listening to the Shenzhen Primary Healthcare Context to Adapt the mhGAP-IG.v2 for the Assessment of Depression: Qualitative Workshops with Primary Healthcare Leaders
Authors: Searle Kendall , Blashki Grant , Kakuma Ritsuko , Yang Hui , Minas Harry
Published: February 2022

In Shenzhen, despite recent primary and mental healthcare reform, Primary healthcare doctors (PHC) have limited access to diagnostic tools and a significant mental health treatment gap presides. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) mental health gap intervention guide (mhGAP-IG.v2) offers a non-specialist and evidence-based guide for the assessment of depression however requires adaptation to the context of use. Bilingual (Mandarin and English) qualitative research was undertaken with 30 PHC leaders from Shenzhen to compare their assessment approach for depression against the mhGAP-IG.v2 in order to identify context-specific modifications for a local guide. Local assessment differentiators included: a need for culturally sensitive translation of depression symptoms; a preference for a broad, non-hierarchical symptom presentation (including somatic, behavioural and anxiety items); national prioritisation of suicide patients; the integration of family into the cycle of care; limited primary care awareness of a depressive episode in Bipolar Disorder; and China’s specialist-led diagnostic approach. Contextual modification of mhGAP-IG.v2 is recommended to take account of China’s unique cultural and primary health system response to depression. Ongoing mental health training is required to develop professional confidence in the recognition of mental disorders.
Examination and Forecast of Relationship among Tourism, Environment, and Economy: A Case Study in Shandong Province, China
Authors: Li Ranran , Ding Ziyuan , An Yan
Published: February 2022

Correctly understanding and handling the relationship of tourism industry, ecological environment, and regional economy is an important prerequisite and foundation for realizing regional ecological protection and high-quality development. Based on the entropy method and the coupling coordination model, this paper conducts quantitative research on the coupling coordination relationship and development law of tourism industry–ecological environment–regional economic (TEE) in various cities in Shandong Province. First, a coupling coordination evaluation system of TEE was constructed to evaluate the comprehensive development level of the three systems in each city in Shandong Province from 2010 to 2017; secondly, based on the coupling coordination model, the relationship among the three systems of each city was analyzed using spatial and temporal dimensions; finally, the gray GM (1, 1) model was used to predict the future coupling coordination degree of the three systems in Shandong Province. The research results show that: (1) the development of the economy and tourism industry of cities in Shandong Province is highly correlated, and the overall trend is increasing. The ecological environment mainly changes first, and then rises. (2) From the perspective of time, the changes in the coupling coordination degree of the three systems are mainly to maintain stability and increase fluctuations, and generally develop in the direction of benign coordination. From a spatial perspective, the coupling coordination degree of the three systems shows significant regional integrity and differences, showing a pattern of high in the east and low in the west. (3) In the next few years, the coupling coordination degree of the three systems will roughly continue the characteristics of changes from 2010 to 2017.
Removal of Toxic and Essential Nutrient Elements from Commercial Rice Brands Using Different Washing and Cooking Practices: Human Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Shahriar Syfullah , Paul Alok Kumar , Rahman Mohammad Mahmudur
Published: February 2022

This study determined the influence of different cooking procedures on the removal of toxic elements (TEs) including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) along with other nutrient elements from different commercially available rice brands sold in Bangladeshi markets. We observed 33%, 35%, and 27% average removal of As, Cd, and Pb accordingly from rice when cooked with a rice to water ratio of 1:6 after washing 5 times. We also found a significant reduction in essential elements: Zn (17%), Cu (10%), Mn (22%), Se (49%), and Mo (22%), when rice cooking was performed as in traditional practice. Daily dietary intakes were found to be between 0.36 and 1.67 µg/kgbw for As, 0.06 and 1.15 µg/kgbw for Cd, and 0.04 and 0.17 µg/kgbw for Pb when rice was cooked by the rice cooker method (rice:water 1:2), while in the traditional method (rice:water 1:6) daily intake rates ranged from 0.23 to 1.3 µg/kgbw for As, 0.04 to 0.88 µg/kgbw for Cd, and 0.03 to 0.15 µg/kgbw for Pb for adults. The HQ and ILCR for As, Cd, and Pb revealed that there is a possibility of noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risk for As but no appreciable risk for Cd and Pb from consumption of rice.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Bangladesh: Findings from Demographic Health Survey 2017–2018
Authors: Mazumder Tapas , Akter Ema , Rahman Syed Moshfiqur , Islam Md. Tauhidul , Talukder Mohammad Radwanur
Published: February 2022

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has serious consequences for both maternal and neonatal health. The growing number of noncommunicable diseases and related risk factors as well as the introduction of new World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for GDM are likely to impact the GDM prevalence in Bangladesh. Our study aimed to assess the national prevalence and identify the risk factors using the most recent WHO criteria. We used the secondary data of 272 pregnant women (weighted for sampling strategy) from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–2018. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors of GDM. The overall prevalence of GDM in Bangladesh was 35% (95/272). Increased odds of GDM were observed among women living in the urban areas (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43–5.27) compared to rural areas and those aged ≥25 years (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.13–3.65). GDM rates were less prevalent in the later weeks of pregnancy compared to early weeks. Our study demonstrates that the national prevalence of GDM in Bangladesh is very high, which warrants immediate attention of policy makers, health practitioners, public health researchers, and the community. Context-specific and properly tailored interventions are needed for the prevention and early diagnosis of GDM.
Development and Validation of a Questionnaire of the Perioperative Nursing Competencies in Patient Safety
Authors: Peñataro-Pintado Ester , Rodríguez-Higueras Encarna , Llauradó-Serra Mireia , Gómez-Delgado Noelia , Llorens-Ortega Rafael , Díaz-Agea José Luis
Published: February 2022

(1) Background: This research presents the CUCEQS© (Spanish acronym for Questionnaire of Perioperative Nursing Safety Competencies), which evaluates the perception of perioperative nurses about their competencies related to surgical patient safety. The aim of the present study was to design, validate, and analyze the psychometric properties of the CUCEQS©. (2) Methods: We devised an instrumental, quantitative, and descriptive study divided into two phases: in the first, the questionnaire was designed through a Delphi method developed by perioperative nurses and experts in patient safety. In the second, the reliability, validity, and internal structure of the tool were evaluated. (3) Results: In the first phase, the items kept were those that obtained a mean equal to or higher than four out of five in the expert consensus, and a Content Validity Index higher than 0.78. In the second phase, at the global level, a Stratified Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.992 was obtained, and for each competency, Cronbach’s Alpha values between 0.81 and 0.97 were found. A first-order confirmatory factor analysis of the 17 subscales (RMSEA 0.028, (IC 90% = 0.026–0.029) and its observed measures was performed for the 164 items, as well as a second-order analysis of the four competencies (RMSEA = 0.034, (IC90% = 0.033–0.035). (4) Conclusions: The questionnaire is a valid tool for measuring the perceived level of competency by the perioperative nurses in surgical patient safety. This is the first questionnaire developed for this purpose, and the results obtained will facilitate the identification of areas to be improved by health professionals in patient safety
A Study on the Preliminary Validity Analysis of Korean Firefighter Job-Related Physical Fitness Test
Authors: Cho Eun-Hyung , Nam Jung-Hoon , Shin Seung-A. , Lee Jong-Back
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study is to revise and modify the firefighter job-related performance tests from overseas to implement into the circumstances in Korea, examine its validity by analyzing the level of association between the test employed in the ongoing firefighter selection process, and propose a Korean firefighter job-related physical fitness test. Therefore, a modified version of Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) from the United States firefighter selection process was conducted on 28 male firefighter officer candidates. Recorded results from VO2max, heart rate, blood lactate, anaerobic power test, and the ongoing Korean firefighter physical fitness test were analyzed to assess the validity of the modified test. IBM SPSS Statistics Ver. 27.0 was employed for the data correlation analysis in different fitness factors and the total circuit physical test time. The results revealed the proposed modified firefighter job-related physical fitness test showed significant correlation with VO2max (r = −0.450, p < 0.05), METS (r = −0.735, p < 0.01) recovery lactate over 15 min (r = −0.460, p < 0.05), peak power (r = −0.484, p < 0.05), average power (r = −0.647, p < 0.01), and in the ongoing firefighter physical fitness test, grip strength (r = −0.709, p < 0.01), lower back strength (r = −0.681, p < 0.01), standing long jump (r = −0.618, p < 0.01), sit-ups (r = −0.397, p < 0.05), and shuttle run (r = −0.523, p < 0.01). Fitness factors including VO2max, recovery lactate, anaerobic power, muscular strength, and so forth known to play a crucial role in firefighting operations were also shown to be important in the modified firefighter job-related physical fitness test. However, we suggest that studies with a larger sample size are needed in order to generalize our findings.
Entrepreneurial Resilience: A Case Study on University Students
Authors: Montoro-Fernández Elisabet , Cárdenas-Gutiérrez Antonio Ramón , Bernal-Guerrero Antonio
Published: February 2022

Entrepreneurial resilience refers to the capacity to face, overcome and project oneself after suffering life events with a negative impact. Emerging adulthood and the characteristics of university life facilitate the occurrence of stressful situations that can affect well-being. The aim of this phenomenological research is to explore the strategic components of entrepreneurial resilience and how young university students have shaped their entrepreneurial resilience after experiencing negative life events. The present research is a multiple case study that was developed through a mixed methodology. The methodological sequence was quantitative and qualitative, with priority given to the qualitative phase of the research. Ten university students with high levels of resilience were interviewed. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that resilience is built through intrapersonal and exopersonal processes. These processes make up a set of strategic dimensions related to entrepreneurial behaviour that are used for the construction of personal projects.
DeepWindows: Windows Instance Segmentation through an Improved Mask R-CNN Using Spatial Attention and Relation Modules
Authors: Sun Yanwei , Malihi Shirin , Li Hao , Maboudi Mehdi
Published: February 2022

Windows, as key components of building facades, have received increasing attention in facade parsing. Convolutional neural networks have shown promising results in window extraction. Most existing methods segment a facade into semantic categories and subsequently employ regularization based on the structure of manmade architectures. These methods merely concern the optimization of individual windows, without considering the spatial areas or relationships of windows. This paper presents a novel windows instance segmentation method based on Mask R-CNN architecture. The method features a spatial attention region proposal network and a relation module-enhanced head network. First, an attention module is introduced in the region proposal network to generate a spatial attention map, then the attention map is multiplied with the objectness scores of the classification branch. Second, for the head network, relation modules are added to model the spatial relationships between proposals. Appearance and geometric features are combined for instance recognition. Furthermore, we constructed a new window instance segmentation dataset with 1200 annotated images. With our dataset, the average precisions of our method on detection and segmentation increased from 53.1% and 53.7% to 56.4% and 56.7% compared with Mask R-CNN. A comparison with state-of-the-art methods also proves the predominance of our proposed method.
Recent Advances of Microneedles and Their Application in Disease Treatment
Authors: Zhang Wenjing , Zhang Wei , Li Cairong , Zhang Jianhua , Qin Ling , Lai Yuxiao
Published: February 2022

For decades, scientists have been doing a lot of research and exploration to find effective long-term analgesic and/or disease-modifying treatments. Microneedles (MNs) are a simple, effective, and painless transdermal drug delivery technology that has emerged in recent years, and exhibits great promise for realizing intelligent drug delivery. With the development of materials science and fabrication technology, the MN transdermal drug delivery technology has been applied and popularized in more and more fields, including chronic illnesses such as arthritis or diabetes, cancer, dermatocosmetology, family planning, and epidemic disease prevention, and has made fruitful achievements. This paper mainly reviews the latest research status of MNs and their fabrication methodology, and summarizes the application of MNs in the treatment of various diseases, as well as the potential to use nanotechnology to develop more intelligent MNs-based drug delivery systems.
Angiotensin II and AT1a Receptors in the Proximal Tubules of the Kidney: New Roles in Blood Pressure Control and Hypertension
Authors: Leite Ana Paula de Oliveira , Li Xiao C. , Nwia Sarah M. , Hassan Rumana , Zhuo Jia L.
Published: February 2022

Contrary to public perception, hypertension remains one of the most important public health problems in the United States, affecting 46% of adults with increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney diseases. The mechanisms underlying poorly controlled hypertension remain incompletely understood. Recent development in the Cre/LoxP approach to study gain or loss of function of a particular gene has significantly helped advance our new insights into the role of proximal tubule angiotensin II (Ang II) and its AT1 (AT1a) receptors in basal blood pressure control and the development of Ang II-induced hypertension. This novel approach has provided us and others with an important tool to generate novel mouse models with proximal tubule-specific loss (deletion) or gain of the function (overexpression). The objective of this invited review article is to review and discuss recent findings using novel genetically modifying proximal tubule-specific mouse models. These new studies have consistently demonstrated that deletion of AT1 (AT1a) receptors or its direct downstream target Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3) selectively in the proximal tubules of the kidney lowers basal blood pressure, increases the pressure-natriuresis response, and induces natriuretic responses, whereas overexpression of an intracellular Ang II fusion protein or AT1 (AT1a) receptors selectively in the proximal tubules increases proximal tubule Na+ reabsorption, impairs the pressure-natriuresis response, and elevates blood pressure. Furthermore, the development of Ang II-induced hypertension by systemic Ang II infusion or by proximal tubule-specific overexpression of an intracellular Ang II fusion protein was attenuated in mutant mice with proximal tubule-specific deletion of AT1 (AT1a) receptors or NHE3. Thus, these recent studies provide evidence for and new insights into the important roles of intratubular Ang II via AT1 (AT1a) receptors and NHE3 in the proximal tubules in maintaining basal blood pressure homeostasis and the development of Ang II-induced hypertension.
Genetic Architecture of Grain Yield-Related Traits in Sorghum and Maize
Authors: Baye Wodajo , Xie Qi , Xie Peng
Published: February 2022

Grain size, grain number per panicle, and grain weight are crucial determinants of yield-related traits in cereals. Understanding the genetic basis of grain yield-related traits has been the main research object and nodal in crop science. Sorghum and maize, as very close C4 crops with high photosynthetic rates, stress tolerance and large biomass characteristics, are extensively used to produce food, feed, and biofuels worldwide. In this review, we comprehensively summarize a large number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with grain yield in sorghum and maize. We placed great emphasis on discussing 22 fine-mapped QTLs and 30 functionally characterized genes, which greatly hinders our deep understanding at the molecular mechanism level. This review provides a general overview of the comprehensive findings on grain yield QTLs and discusses the emerging trend in molecular marker-assisted breeding with these QTLs.
Cognate DNA Recognition by Engrailed Homeodomain Involves a Conformational Change Controlled via an Electrostatic-Spring-Loaded Latch
Authors: D’Amelio Nicola , Tanielian Benjamin , Sadqi Mourad , López-Navajas Pilar , Muñoz Victor
Published: February 2022

Transcription factors must scan genomic DNA, recognize the cognate sequence of their control element(s), and bind tightly to them. The DNA recognition process is primarily carried out by their DNA binding domains (DBD), which interact with the cognate site with high affinity and more weakly with any other DNA sequence. DBDs are generally thought to bind to their cognate DNA without changing conformation (lock-and-key). Here, we used nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism to investigate the interplay between DNA recognition and DBD conformation in the engrailed homeodomain (enHD), as a model case for the homeodomain family of eukaryotic DBDs. We found that the conformational ensemble of enHD is rather flexible and becomes gradually more disordered as ionic strength decreases following a Debye–Hückel’s dependence. Our analysis indicates that enHD’s response to ionic strength is mediated by a built-in electrostatic spring-loaded latch that operates as a conformational transducer. We also found that, at moderate ionic strengths, enHD changes conformation upon binding to cognate DNA. This change is of larger amplitude and somewhat orthogonal to the response to ionic strength. As a consequence, very high ionic strengths (e.g., 700 mM) block the electrostatic-spring-loaded latch and binding to cognate DNA becomes lock-and-key. However, the interplay between enHD conformation and cognate DNA binding is robust across a range of ionic strengths (i.e., 45 to 300 mM) that covers the physiologically-relevant conditions. Therefore, our results demonstrate the presence of a mechanism for the conformational control of cognate DNA recognition on a eukaryotic DBD. This mechanism can function as a signal transducer that locks the DBD in place upon encountering the cognate site during active DNA scanning. The electrostatic-spring-loaded latch of enHD can also enable the fine control of DNA recognition in response to transient changes in local ionic strength induced by variate physiological processes.
Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells and Their Contribution to Angiogenic Processes in Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Krawczenko Agnieszka , Klimczak Aleksandra
Published: February 2022

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are widely described in the context of their regenerative and immunomodulatory activity. MSCs are isolated from various tissues and organs. The most frequently described sources are bone marrow and adipose tissue. As stem cells, MSCs are able to differentiate into other cell lineages, but they are usually reported with respect to their paracrine potential. In this review, we focus on MSCs derived from adipose tissue (AT-MSCs) and their secretome in regeneration processes. Special attention is given to the contribution of AT-MSCs and their derivatives to angiogenic processes described mainly in the context of angiogenic dysfunction. Finally, we present clinical trials registered to date that concern the application of AT-MSCs and their secretome in various medical conditions.
Antisense Therapy Attenuates Phospholamban p.(Arg14del) Cardiomyopathy in Mice and Reverses Protein Aggregation
Authors: Eijgenraam Tim R. , Stege Nienke M. , Oliveira Nunes Teixeira Vivian , de Brouwer Remco , Schouten Elisabeth M. , Grote Beverborg Niels , Sun Liu , Später Daniela , Knöll Ralph , Hansson Kenny M. , Amilon Carl , Janzén David , Yeh Steve T. , Mullick Adam E. , van der Meer Peter , de Boer Rudolf A. , Silljé Herman H. W.
Published: February 2022

Inherited cardiomyopathy caused by the p.(Arg14del) pathogenic variant of the phospholamban (PLN) gene is characterized by intracardiomyocyte PLN aggregation and can lead to severe dilated cardiomyopathy. We recently reported that pre-emptive depletion of PLN attenuated heart failure (HF) in several cardiomyopathy models. Here, we investigated if administration of a Pln-targeting antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) could halt or reverse disease progression in mice with advanced PLN-R14del cardiomyopathy. To this aim, homozygous PLN-R14del (PLN-R14 Δ/Δ) mice received PLN-ASO injections starting at 5 or 6 weeks of age, in the presence of moderate or severe HF, respectively. Mice were monitored for another 4 months with echocardiographic analyses at several timepoints, after which cardiac tissues were examined for pathological remodeling. We found that vehicle-treated PLN-R14 Δ/Δ mice continued to develop severe HF, and reached a humane endpoint at 8.1 ± 0.5 weeks of age. Both early and late PLN-ASO administration halted further cardiac remodeling and dysfunction shortly after treatment start, resulting in a life span extension to at least 22 weeks of age. Earlier treatment initiation halted disease development sooner, resulting in better heart function and less remodeling at the study endpoint. PLN-ASO treatment almost completely eliminated PLN aggregates, and normalized levels of autophagic proteins. In conclusion, these findings indicate that PLN-ASO therapy may have beneficial outcomes in PLN-R14del cardiomyopathy when administered after disease onset. Although existing tissue damage was not reversed, further cardiomyopathy progression was stopped, and PLN aggregates were resolved.
Novel Insight into the Serum Sphingolipid Fingerprint Characterizing Longevity
Authors: Barbacini Pietro , Torretta Enrica , Arosio Beatrice , Ferri Evelyn , Capitanio Daniele , Moriggi Manuela , Gelfi Cecilia
Published: February 2022

Sphingolipids (SLs) are structural components of the lipid bilayer regulating cell functions. In biological fluids, their distribution is sex-specific and is at variance in aging and many disorders. The aim of this study is to identify SL species associated with the decelerated aging of centenarians. SLs, extracted from serum of adults (Ad, 35–37 years old), aged (Ag, 75–77 years old) and centenarian (C, 105–107 years old) women were analyzed by LC-MS/MS in combination with mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SL biosynthetic enzymes. Results indicated in Ag and C vs. Ad a comparable ceramides (Cers) increase, whereas dihydroceramide (dhCer) decreased in C vs. Ad. Hexosylceramides (HexCer) species, specifically HexCer 16:0, 22:0 and 24:1 acyl chains, increased in C vs. Ag representing a specific trait of C. Sphingosine (Sph), dihydrosphingosine (dhSph), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and dihydrosphingosine-1-phosphate (dhS1P), increased both in Ag and C vs. Ad, with higher levels in Ag, indicating a SL fine-tuning associated with a reduced physiological decline in C. mRNA levels of enzymes involved in ceramide de novo biosynthesis increased in Ag whereas enzymes involved in sphingomyelin (SM) degradation increased in C. Collectively, results suggest that Ag produce Cers by de novo synthesis whereas C activate a protective mechanism degrading SMs to Cers converting it into glycosphingolipids.
Application of a Screen-Printed Sensor Modified with Carbon Nanofibers for the Voltammetric Analysis of an Anticancer Disubstituted Fused Triazinone
Authors: Kozak Jędrzej , Tyszczuk-Rotko Katarzyna , Sadok Ilona , Sztanke Krzysztof , Sztanke Małgorzata
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we propose the first analytical procedure—using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with carbon nanofibers (SPCE/CNFs)—for the detection and quantitative determination of an electroactive disubstituted fused triazinone, namely 4-Cl-PIMT, which is a promising anticancer drug candidate. The electrochemical performances of the sensor were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV). The presence of carbon nanofibers on the sensor surface caused a decrease in charge-transfer resistance and an increase in the active surface compared to the bare SPCE. Under the optimised experimental conditions, the proposed voltammetric procedure possesses a good linear response for the determination of 4-Cl-PIMT in the two linear ranges of 0.5–10 nM and 10–100 nM. The low limits of detection and quantification were calculated at 0.099 and 0.33 nM, respectively. In addition, the sensor displays high reproducibility and repeatability, as well as good selectivity. The selectivity was improved through the use of a flow system and a short accumulation time. The SWAdSV procedure with SPCE/CNFs was applied to determine 4-Cl-PIMT in human serum samples. The SWAdSV results were compared to those obtained by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization/single-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS) method.
Bortezomib-Induced Epigenetic Alterations in Nerve Cells: Focus on the Mechanisms Contributing to the Peripheral Neuropathy Development
Authors: Łuczkowska Karolina , Rogińska Dorota , Kulig Piotr , Bielikowicz Anna , Baumert Bartłomiej , Machaliński Bogusław
Published: February 2022

Bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy (BiPN) occurs in approximately 40% of patients with multiple myeloma. The induction of severe neuropathy entails the dose reduction or complete elimination of bortezomib (BTZ). Interestingly, discontinuation of BTZ mostly results in a reduction or complete resolution of peripheral neuropathy (PN) symptoms. Therefore, it is likely that the BiPN mechanisms are based on temporary/reversible changes such as epigenetic alterations. In this study, we examined the effect of treating nerve cells, differentiated from the Lund human mesencephalic (dLUHMES) cell line, with several low-dose BTZ (0.15 nM) applications. We showed a significant decrease in global histone H3 acetylation as well as histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation. Moreover, analysis of the genetic microarray showed changes mainly in epigenetic processes related to chromatin rearrangement, chromatin silencing, and gene silencing. GSEA analysis revealed three interesting signaling pathways (SIRT1, B-WICH and, b-Catenin) that may play a pivotal role in PN development. We also performed an analysis of the miRNA microarray which showed the interactions of miR-6810-5p with the genes MSN, FOXM1, TSPAN9, and SLC1A5, which are directly involved in neuroprotective processes, neuronal differentiation, and signal transduction. The study confirmed the existence of BTZ-induced complex epigenetic alterations in nerve cells. However, further studies are necessary to assess the reversibility of epigenetic changes and their potential impact on the induction/resolution of PN.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Host Response to Mild and Severe CTV Strains in Naturally Infected Citrus sinensis Orchards
Authors: Ramírez-Pool José Abrahán , Xoconostle-Cázares Beatriz , Calderón-Pérez Berenice , Ibarra-Laclette Enrique , Villafán Emanuel , Lira-Carmona Rosalía , Ruiz-Medrano Roberto
Published: February 2022

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is an important threat to the global citrus industry, causing severe economic losses worldwide. The disease management strategies are focused on vector control, tree culling, and the use of resistant varieties and rootstocks. Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) trees showing either severe or mild CTV symptoms have been observed in orchards in Veracruz, Mexico, and were probably caused by different virus strains. To understand these symptomatic differences, transcriptomic analyses were conducted using asymptomatic trees. CTV was confirmed to be associated with infected plants, and mild and severe strains were successfully identified by a polymorphism in the coat protein (CP) encoding gene. RNA-Seq analysis revealed more than 900 significantly differentially expressed genes in response to mild and severe strains, with some overlapping genes. Importantly, multiple sequence reads corresponding to Citrus exocortis viroid and Hop stunt viroid were found in severe symptomatic and asymptomatic trees, but not in plants with mild symptoms. The differential gene expression profiling obtained in this work provides an overview of molecular behavior in naturally CTV-infected trees. This work may contribute to our understanding of citrus–virus interaction in more natural settings, which can help develop strategies for integrated crop management.
Publisher’s Note: Continued Publication of International Journal of Plant Biology by MDPI
Authors: Sayas Enric
Published: February 2022

The International Journal of Plant Biology (ISSN: 2037-0164) was launched in 2010 and publishes international and multidisciplinary research in the different subdisciplines of plant biology [...]
Welcome to the New Version of the International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB)
Authors: Sofo Adriano
Published: February 2022

With great pleasure, I welcome you to this new version of the International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB), an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal about all different subdisciplines of plant biology published quarterly online by MDPI [...]
Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae) Ensemble Distribution Modeling: Applications for Malaria Elimination
Authors: Rhodes Charlotte G. , Loaiza Jose R. , Romero Luis Mario , Gutiérrez Alvarado José Manuel , Delgado Gabriela , Rojas Salas Obdulio , Ramírez Rojas Melissa , Aguilar-Avendaño Carlos , Maynes Ezequías , Valerín Cordero José A. , Soto Mora Alonso , Rigg Chystrie A. , Zardkoohi Aryana , Prado Monica , Friberg Mariel D. , Bergmann Luke R. , Marín Rodríguez Rodrigo , Hamer Gabriel L. , Chaves Luis Fernando
Published: February 2022

In the absence of entomological information, tools for predicting Anopheles spp. presence can help evaluate the entomological risk of malaria transmission. Here, we illustrate how species distribution models (SDM) could quantify potential dominant vector species presence in malaria elimination settings. We fitted a 250 m resolution ensemble SDM for Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann. The ensemble SDM included predictions based on seven different algorithms, 110 occurrence records and 70 model projections. SDM covariates included nine environmental variables that were selected based on their importance from an original set of 28 layers that included remotely and spatially interpolated locally measured variables for the land surface of Costa Rica. Goodness of fit for the ensemble SDM was very high, with a minimum AUC of 0.79. We used the resulting ensemble SDM to evaluate differences in habitat suitability (HS) between commercial plantations and surrounding landscapes, finding a higher HS in pineapple and oil palm plantations, suggestive of An. albimanus presence, than in surrounding landscapes. The ensemble SDM suggested a low HS for An. albimanus at the presumed epicenter of malaria transmission during 2018–2019 in Costa Rica, yet this vector was likely present at the two main towns also affected by the epidemic. Our results illustrate how ensemble SDMs in malaria elimination settings can provide information that could help to improve vector surveillance and control.
Custom Methodology to Improve Geospatial Interpolation at Regional Scale with Open-Source Software
Authors: Massarelli Carmine , Campanale Claudia , Uricchio Vito Felice
Published: February 2022

This study shows a methodological approach to improve geospatial interpolation carried out with the Inverse Distance Weighted algorithm using distances and other parameters to which we attribute relative weights such as elevation. We also provide reliable information about better data output by elaborating a more realistic confidence interval with various percentages of reliability. We tested the methodology to monthly accumulated rainfall and temperatures recorded by multiple monitoring stations in the Puglia region in South Italy. The whole procedure has been called Augmented Inverse Distance Weighted and is tested with the ultimate goal of predicting missing values at a regional scale based on cross-validation techniques applied to a dataset consisting of ten years of precipitation data and five years of temperature data. The efficacy of this approach is evaluated using statistical scores regularly employed in the model’s evaluation studies. Results show that the improvements over the classical approach are remarkable and that the “augmented” method provides more accurate measurements of environmental variables. The main application of this algorithm is the possibility to provide the spatialisation of values of precipitation and temperature, or any other based on its own needs, at every point of the territory, playing a very important role in agricultural decision support systems and letting us identify frosts, drought events, climatic trends, accidental events, cyclicality and seasonality.
Comparison of Corrosion Performance of Extruded and Forged WE43 Mg Alloy
Authors: Liu Guonan , Xu Jilei , Feng Baojing , Liu Jinhui , Qi Dongqing , Huang Wenzhan , Yang Peixu , Zhang Shaojun
Published: February 2022

Adjusting the microstructure through the deformation process is one of the ways to improve the properties of Mg alloys. Most studies have focused on the influence of the microstructure after deformation treatment on the mechanical properties of Mg alloys. In this paper, extruded and forged Mg-Gd-Y-Nd-Zr alloys were selected to investigate the corrosion performance of two deformed magnesium alloys immersed in 0.6 M NaCl solution using a hydrogen evolution test, a weight loss test, an immersion experiment, and an electrochemical test. The results showed that WE43 alloys undergoing different deformation treatments presented different microstructures, which led to different corrosion behaviors and corrosion resistance. The extruded WE43 alloy showed uniform corrosion, while the forged WE43 alloy suffered severe local galvanic corrosion. Meanwhile, the corrosion rate of the forged WE43 alloy was about four times faster than that of the extruded WE43 alloy.
The Coordination Behavior of Two New Complexes, [(C7H10NO2)CdCl3]n(I) and [(C7H9NO2)CuCl2] (II), Based on 2,6-Dimethanolpyridine; Elaboration of the Structure and Hirshfeld Surface, Optical, Spectroscopic and Thermal Analysis
Authors: Hermi Sabrine , Alotaibi Abdullah A. , Alswieleh Abdullah M. , Alotaibi Khalid M. , Althobaiti M. G. , Jelsch Christian , Wenger Emmanuel , Nasr Cherif Ben , Mrad Mohamed Habib
Published: February 2022

Two novel complexes, [(C7H10NO2)CdCl3]n(I) and [(C7H9NO2)CuCl2],havebeen synthesized and characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that in compound (I), 2,6-dimethanol pyridinium acts as a monodentate ligand through the O atom of the hydroxyl group. Contrarily, the 2,6-dimethanol pyridine ligand interacts tridentately with the Cu(II) ion via the nitrogen atoms and the two oxygen (O, O’) atoms of the two hydroxyl groups. The structure’s intermolecular interactions were studied using contact enrichment ratios and Hirshfeld surfaces. Following metal coordination, numerous hydrogen connections between entities and parallel displacement stacking interactions between pyridine rings dictate the crystal packing of both compounds. The aromatic cycles generate layers in the crystal for both substances. Powder XRD measurements confirmed the crystalline sample phase purity. SEM confirmed the surface homogeneity, whereas EDX semi-quantitative analysis corroborated the composition. IR spectroscopy identified vibrational absorption bands, while optical UV-visible absorption spectroscopy investigated optical properties. The thermal stability of the two materials was tested using TG-DTA.
International Round Robin Test of Thermoelectric Generator Modules
Authors: Ziolkowski Pawel , Blaschkewitz Przemyslaw , Ryu Byungki , Park SuDong , Müller Eckhard
Published: February 2022

The status of metrology for the characterization of thermoelectric generator modules (TEM) is investigated in this work by an international round robin (RR) test including twelve laboratories from nine countries on three continents. Measurements have been performed with three samples of a Bi2Te3-based commercial TEM type, which has prevailed over three competing types during previous tests on the short- and long-term stability. A comparison of temperature-dependent results is provided up to 200 °C hot side temperature for the maximum power output Pmax, the incident heat flow Q˙In (at maximum efficiency conditions), and the maximum efficiency ηmax. Data evaluation from all RR participants reveals maximum standard deviations for these measurands of 27.2% (Pmax), 59.2% (Q˙In), and 25.9% (ηmax). A comparison between RR data sets and reference data from manufacturer specifications shows high deviations of up to 46%, too. These deviations reflect the absence of measurement guidelines and reference samples and confirm the need for improvements in the standardization of TEM metrology. Accordingly, the results of the RR are presented against the background of our own investigations on the uncertainty budgets for the determination of the abovementioned TEM properties using inhouse-developed characterization facilities, which comprise reference and absolute measurement techniques for the determination of heat flow.
Application-Driven Material Design of Printable Strain Hardening Cementitious Composites (SHCC)
Authors: Ivaniuk Egor , Ivanova Irina , Sokolov Dmitrii , Tošić Zlata , Eichenauer Martin Friedrich , Lordick Daniel , Mechtcherine Viktor
Published: February 2022

The creation of concrete shells from customized prefabricated modules is a novel approach that facilitates the construction of free-form surfaces considerably. In the framework of the Adaptive Concrete Diamond Construction (ACDC) project at TU Dresden, a material for 3D printing of the outer contours of such modules has been developed based on the principles of Strain Hardening Cementitious Composite (SHCC). In addition to its high ductility, the required material must also be suitable for 3D printing while enabling the achievement of high geometric accuracy in the manufacture of the modules. To gain the required performance, cellulose ether and starch ether were used specifically to extend the open time, for a longer period of maintaining initial workability, as well as for enhancing shape stability and surface quality. An extensive experimental program was carried out to evaluate the outcomes of the material modifications, including flow table tests, water retention tests, and several specific tests to determine the adhesiveness of the fresh SHCC. For hardened SHCC, surface roughness was assessed using a laser 3D scanner in addition to testing its mechanical properties.