bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First Insights in the Relationship between Lower Limb Anatomy and Back Squat Performance in Resistance-Trained Males and Females
Authors: Knopfli Céline , Achermann Basil , Oberhofer Katja , Lorenzetti Silvio R.
Published: July 2023

Identifying key criteria of squat performance is essential to avoiding injuries and optimizing strength training outcomes. To work towards this goal, this study aimed to assess the correlation between lower limb anatomy and back squat performance during a set-to-exhaustion in resistance-trained males and females. Optical motion captures of squat performance and data from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lower limbs were acquired in eight healthy participants (average: 28.4 years, four men, four women). It was hypothesized that there is a correlation between subject-specific musculoskeletal and squat-specific parameters. The results of our study indicate a high correlation between the summed volume of the hamstrings and quadriceps and squat depth normalized to thigh length (r = −0.86), and a high correlation between leg size and one-repetition maximum load (r = 0.81), respectively. Thereby, a marked difference was found in muscle volume and one-repetition maximum load between males and females, with a trend of females squatting deeper. The present study offers new insights for trainers and athletes for targeted musculoskeletal conditioning using the squat exercise. It can be inferred that greater muscle volume is essential to achieving enhanced power potential, and, consequently, a higher 1RM value, especially for female athletes that tend to squat deeper than their male counterparts.
Multifunctional Sodium Hyaluronate/Chitosan Foam Used as an Absorbable Hemostatic Material
Authors: Chen Ran , Du Fanglin , Yuan Qipeng
Published: July 2023

Absorbable hemostatic materials have great potential in clinical hemostasis. However, their single coagulation mechanism, long degradation cycles, and limited functionality mean that they have restricted applications. Here, we prepared a sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethyl chitosan absorbable hemostatic foam (SHCF) by combining high-molecular-weight polysaccharide sodium hyaluronate with carboxymethyl chitosan via hydrogen bonding. SHCFs have rapid liquid absorption performance and can enrich blood cells. They transform into a gel when it they come into contact with blood, and are more easily degraded in this state. Meanwhile, SHCFs have multiple coagulation effects and promote hemostasis. In a rabbit liver bleeding model, SHCFs reduced the hemostatic time by 85% and blood loss by 80%. In three severe and complex bleeding models of porcine liver injury, uterine wall injury, and bone injury, bleeding was well-controlled and anti-tissue adhesion effects were observed. In addition, degradation metabolism studies show that SHCFs are 93% degraded within one day and almost completely metabolized within three weeks. The absorbable hemostatic foam developed in this study is multifunctional; with rapid hemostasis, anti-adhesion, and rapid degradation properties, it has great clinical potential for in vivo hemostasis.
Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Maiese Kenneth
Published: July 2023

Almost three million individuals suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout the world, a demyelinating disease in the nervous system with increased prevalence over the last five decades, and is now being recognized as one significant etiology of cognitive loss and dementia. Presently, disease modifying therapies can limit the rate of relapse and potentially reduce brain volume loss in patients with MS, but unfortunately cannot prevent disease progression or the onset of cognitive disability. Innovative strategies are therefore required to address areas of inflammation, immune cell activation, and cell survival that involve novel pathways of programmed cell death, mammalian forkhead transcription factors (FoxOs), the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), the silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), and associated pathways with the apolipoprotein E (APOE-ε4) gene and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). These pathways are intertwined at multiple levels and can involve metabolic oversight with cellular metabolism dependent upon nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Insight into the mechanisms of these pathways can provide new avenues of discovery for the therapeutic treatment of dementia and loss in cognition that occurs during MS.
Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in Medulloblastoma Development
Authors: Penco-Campillo Manon , Pages Gilles , Martial Sonia
Published: July 2023

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most prevalent brain tumor in children. Although the current cure rate stands at approximately 70%, the existing treatments that involve a combination of radio- and chemotherapy are highly detrimental to the patients’ quality of life. These aggressive therapies often result in a significant reduction in the overall well-being of the patients. Moreover, the most aggressive forms of MB frequently relapse, leading to a fatal outcome in a majority of cases. However, MB is highly vascularized, and both angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are believed to play crucial roles in tumor development and spread. In this context, our objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research progress in elucidating the functions of these two pathways.
Transformer Architecture and Attention Mechanisms in Genome Data Analysis: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Choi Sanghyuk Roy , Lee Minhyeok
Published: July 2023

The emergence and rapid development of deep learning, specifically transformer-based architectures and attention mechanisms, have had transformative implications across several domains, including bioinformatics and genome data analysis. The analogous nature of genome sequences to language texts has enabled the application of techniques that have exhibited success in fields ranging from natural language processing to genomic data. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the most recent advancements in the application of transformer architectures and attention mechanisms to genome and transcriptome data. The focus of this review is on the critical evaluation of these techniques, discussing their advantages and limitations in the context of genome data analysis. With the swift pace of development in deep learning methodologies, it becomes vital to continually assess and reflect on the current standing and future direction of the research. Therefore, this review aims to serve as a timely resource for both seasoned researchers and newcomers, offering a panoramic view of the recent advancements and elucidating the state-of-the-art applications in the field. Furthermore, this review paper serves to highlight potential areas of future investigation by critically evaluating studies from 2019 to 2023, thereby acting as a stepping-stone for further research endeavors.
Range Dynamics of Striped Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius) in Northern Eurasia under Global Climate Change Based on Ensemble Species Distribution Models
Authors: Petrosyan Varos , Dinets Vladimir , Osipov Fedor , Dergunova Natalia , Khlyap Lyudmila
Published: July 2023

The striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1771) is a widespread species in Northern Eurasia. It damages crops and carries zoonotic pathogens. Its current and future range expansion under climate change may negatively affect public health and the economy, warranting further research to understand the ecological and invasive characteristics of the species. In our study, we used seven algorithms (GLM, GAM, GBS, FDA, RF, ANN, and MaxEnt) to develop robust ensemble species distribution models (eSDMs) under current (1970–2000) and future climate conditions derived from global circulation models (GCMs) for 2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100. Simulation of climate change included high-, medium-, and low-sensitivity GCMs under four scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5). We analyzed the habitat suitability across GCMs and scenarios by constructing geographical ranges and calculating their centroids. The results showed that the range changes depended on both the sensitivity of GCMs and scenario. The main trends were range expansion to the northeast and partial loss of habitat in the steppe area. The striped field mouse may form a continuous range from Central Europe to East Asia, closing the range gap that has existed for 12 thousand years. We present 49 eSDMs for the current and future distribution of A. agrarius (for 2000–2100) with quantitative metrics (gain, loss, change) of the range dynamics under global climate change. The most important predictor variables determining eSDMs are mean annual temperature, mean diurnal range of temperatures, the highest temperature of the warmest month, annual precipitation, and precipitation in the coldest month. These findings could help limit the population of the striped field mouse and predict distribution of the species under global climate change.
Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Flavonoids: Impact on Proinflammatory Cytokine Production: A Systematic Review
Authors: Stevens Barrón Jazmín Cristina , Chapa González Christian , Álvarez Parrilla Emilio , De la Rosa Laura Alejandra
Published: July 2023

Flavonoids are a diverse group of plant-derived compounds that have been shown to have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects. However, their use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases has been limited due to their low bioavailability. The nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids has been proposed as a potential solution to this issue, as it allows the sustained release of the flavonoids over time. There are several different nanoparticle systems that have been developed for flavonoid delivery, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, and inorganic nanoparticles. This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in various diseases. We analyzed the performance of flavonoid-encapsulated nanoparticles in regulating cytokine production in different in vitro and in vivo studies. To this end, we followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to conduct a comprehensive search of the literature and to assess the quality of the included studies. The results showed that flavonoid-encapsulated nanoparticles significantly downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18. In some cases, this effect was significantly greater than that observed with non-encapsulated flavonoids These findings suggest that nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids may have potential as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Glaucoma-Associated CDR1 Peptide Promotes RGC Survival in Retinal Explants through Molecular Interaction with Acidic Leucine Rich Nuclear Phosphoprotein 32A (ANP32A)
Authors: Schmelter Carsten , Fomo Kristian Nzogang , Brueck Alina , Perumal Natarajan , Markowitsch Sascha D. , Govind Gokul , Speck Thomas , Pfeiffer Norbert , Grus Franz H.
Published: July 2023

Glaucoma is a complex, multifactorial optic neuropathy mainly characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons, resulting in a decline of visual function. The pathogenic molecular mechanism of glaucoma is still not well understood, and therapeutic strategies specifically addressing the neurodegenerative component of this ocular disease are urgently needed. Novel immunotherapeutics might overcome this problem by targeting specific molecular structures in the retina and providing direct neuroprotection via different modes of action. Within the scope of this research, the present study showed for the first time beneficial effects of the synthetic CDR1 peptide SCTGTSSDVGGYNYVSWYQ on the viability of RGCs ex vivo in a concentration-dependent manner compared to untreated control explants (CTRL, 50 µg/mL: p < 0.05 and 100 µg/mL: p < 0.001). Thereby, this specific peptide was identified first as a potential biomarker candidate in the serum of glaucoma patients and was significantly lower expressed in systemic IgG molecules compared to healthy control subjects. Furthermore, MS-based co-immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed the specific interaction of synthetic CDR1 with retinal acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32A (ANP32A; p < 0.001 and log2 fold change > 3), which is a highly expressed protein in neurological tissues with multifactorial biological functions. In silico binding prediction analysis revealed the N-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain of ANP32A as a significant binding site for synthetic CDR1, which was previously reported as an important docking site for protein-protein interactions (PPI). In accordance with these findings, quantitative proteomic analysis of the retinae ± CDR1 treatment resulted in the identification of 25 protein markers, which were significantly differentially distributed between both experimental groups (CTRL and CDR1, p < 0.05). Particularly, acetyl-CoA biosynthesis I-related enzymes (e.g., DLAT and PDHA1), as well as cytoskeleton-regulating proteins (e.g., MSN), were highly expressed by synthetic CDR1 treatment in the retina; on the contrary, direct ANP32A-interacting proteins (e.g., NME1 and PPP2R4), as well as neurodegenerative-related markers (e.g., CEND1), were identified with significant lower abundancy in the CDR1-treated retinae compared to CTRL. Furthermore, retinal protein phosphorylation and histone acetylation were also affected by synthetic CDR1, which are both partially controlled by ANP32A. In conclusion, the synthetic CDR1 peptide provides a great translational potential for the treatment of glaucoma in the future by eliciting its neuroprotective mechanism via specific interaction with ANP32A’s N terminal LRR domain.
COVID-19: Variants, Immunity, and Therapeutics for Non-Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Lee Cameron , Suzuki Jon
Published: July 2023

The continuing transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a world-wide 21st-century public health emergency of concern. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused greater than 600 million cases of COVID-19 and over 6 million deaths globally. COVID-19 continues to be a highly transmissible disease despite efforts by public health officials and healthcare providers to manage and control the disease. Variants identified in selected worldwide epicenters add to the complexity of vaccine efficacy, overage, and antibody titer maintenance and bioactivity. The identification of the SARS-CoV-2 variants is described with respect to evading protective efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and breakthrough infections. Vaccines and other therapeutics have prevented millions of SARS-CoV-2 infections and thousands of deaths in the United States. We explore aspects of the immune response in a condensed discussion to understand B and T cell lymphocyte regulatory mechanisms and antibody effectiveness and senescence. Finally, COVID-19 therapies including Paxlovid, Remdisivir, Molnupiravir and convalescent plasma in non-hospitalized patients are presented with limitations for identification, collection, and distribution to infected patients.
Heterozygous Pathogenic Nonsense Variant in the ATM Gene in a Family with Unusually High Gastric Cancer Susceptibility
Authors: Guadagnolo Daniele , Mastromoro Gioia , Marchionni Enrica , Germani Aldo , Libi Fabio , Sadeghi Soha , Savio Camilla , Petrucci Simona , De Marchis Laura , Piane Maria , Pizzuti Antonio
Published: July 2023

Germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in the Ataxia Telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene (MIM* 607585) increase the risk for breast, pancreatic, gastric, and prostatic cancer and, to a reduced extent, ovarian and colon cancer and melanoma, with moderate penetrance and variable expressivity. We describe a family presenting early-onset gastric cancer and harboring a heterozygous pathogenic ATM variant. The proband had gastric cancer (age 45) and reported a sister deceased due to diffuse gastric cancer (age 30) and another sister who developed diffuse gastric cancer (age 52) and ovarian serous cancer. Next generation sequencing for cancer susceptibility genes (APC, ATM, BRD1, BRIP1, CDH1, CDK4, CDKN2A, CHEK2, EPCAM, MLH1, MRE11, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, NBN, PALB2, PMS2, PTEN, RAD50, RAD51C, RAD51D, RECQL1, SMAD4, STK11, and TP53) was performed. Molecular analysis identified the truncating c.5944C>T, p.(Gln1982*) variant in the ATM (NM_000051.3; NP_000042.3) in the proband. The variant had segregated in the living affected sister and in the unaffected daughter of the deceased affected sister. Familial early-onset gastric cancer is an unusual presentation for ATM-related malignancies. Individual variants may result in different specific risks. Genotype–phenotype correlations are challenging given the low penetrance and variable expressivity. Careful family history assessments are pivotal for prevention planning and are strengthened by the availability of molecular diagnoses.
Interdependence of Rheological and Biochemical Parameters of Blood in a Group of Patients with Clinically Silent Multifocal Vascular Cerebral Lesions
Authors: Marcinkowska-Gapińska Anna , Siemieniak Izabela , Kawałkiewicz Weronika , Stieler Olgierd , Hojan-Jezierska Dorota , Kubisz Leszek
Published: July 2023

Background: Hemorheology is a field of science which often becomes interesting to researchers studying impairments related to blood flow disturbances. Clinically silent vascular cerebral lesions (CSVCLs) are considered a problem of great importance in neurology. Objective: This work aimed to analyze the interdependencies of the rheological and biochemical parameters of the blood. Methods: The group of patients included persons with clinically silent multifocal vascular cerebral lesions diagnosed using neuroimaging. The control group had no symptoms in the central nervous system (CNS). We analyzed hemorheological profiles in 69 patients with CSVCLs diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging (MR) or 64-row computer tomography measurements. Rheological data were acquired using a rotary-oscillating rheometer, the Contraves LS-40, an instrument dedicated to blood viscosity measurements. For each sample, the hematocrit value was measured using the standard method. Analysis of erythrocytes’ aggregability and deformability was performed using the rheological model of Quemada. Biochemical tests of blood were also performed. Results: The results of rheological and biochemical studies were compared with those obtained in the control group. Special attention was paid to the correlation analysis of rheological and biochemical parameters. Conclusions: Such correlations were found, e.g., between the red cells’ deformability and the fibrinogen level. The results improve our understanding of blood flow hemodynamics by analyzing the shear-dependent behavior of the aggregation and deformability of red blood cells.
A Family with Myh7 Mutation and Different Forms of Cardiomyopathies
Authors: Catrina Bianca Iulia , Batar Florina , Baltat Georgiana , Bitea Cornel Ioan , Puia Andreea , Stoia Oana , Fleacă Sorin Radu , Teodoru Minodora
Published: July 2023

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are common heart muscle disorders that are caused by pathogenic variants in sarcomere protein genes. In this study, we describe a variant in the MHY7 gene, segregating in a family having three different phenotypes of cardiomyopathies. MYH7 encodes for the myosin heavy-chain β (MHC-β) isoform involved in cardiac muscle contractility. Method and results: We present the case of a family with four members diagnosed with HCM and four members with DCM. The proband is a 42-year-old man diagnosed with HCM. He has an extended family of eight siblings; two of them are diagnosed with HCM and are implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) carriers. One of the siblings died at the age of 23 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and DCM of unknown etiology which was diagnosed at autopsy. Another brother was diagnosed with DCM during a routine echocardiographic exam. Genetic testing was performed for the proband and two of his siblings and a niece of the proband, who suffered a cardiac arrest at the age of nine, all being MYH7 mutation positive. For all four of them, cardiac imaging was performed with different findings. They are ICD carriers as well. Conclusions: Our results reveal three variants in phenotypes of cardiomyopathies in a family with MYH7 mutation associated with high SCD risk and ICD needed for primary and secondary prevention.
A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating Lumbar Proprioception Impairments in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Correlations with Glycated Hemoglobin Levels
Authors: ALMohiza Mohammad A. , Reddy Ravi Shankar , Alkhamis Batool Abdulelah , Alghamdi Nabeel Hamdan , Alshahrani Adel , Ponneru Bhaskar Reddy , Mukherjee Debjani
Published: July 2023

Impaired proprioception is a recognized complication in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), contributing to balance deficits and increased risk of falls. However, limited research has focused on lumbar proprioception in this population. This study aimed to investigate lumbar proprioception in individuals with T2DM, as well as healthy individuals. Additionally, this study aimed to examine the correlation between lumbar proprioception and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which is a marker of long-term glycemic control in T2DM. A cross-sectional study was conducted, comparing lumbar joint reposition errors (JRE) between a T2DM group (n = 85) and a healthy group (n = 85). Lumbar JRE was assessed in flexion, extension, lateral bending left, and lateral bending right using a dual inclinometer device. HbA1c levels were measured as an indicator of glycemic control. Significant differences in lumbar JRE were found between the T2DM and healthy groups, with individuals with T2DM exhibiting larger JRE values, indicating impaired lumbar proprioception (p < 0.001). The correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between HbA1c levels and lumbar JRE. Higher HbA1c levels were correlated with greater joint JRE in flexion (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), extension (r = 0.51, p < 0.001), left lateral bending (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), and right lateral bending (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) in the T2DM group. This study provides evidence of impaired lumbar proprioception in individuals with T2DM, as evidenced by larger lumbar JRE compared to the healthy group.
Biomarkers of the Complement System Activation (C3a, C5a, sC5b-9) in Serum of Patients before and after Liver Transplantation
Authors: Budkowska Marta , Ostrycharz Ewa , Serwin Natalia Maria , Nazarewski Łukasz , Cecerska-Heryć Elżbieta , Poręcka Marta , Rykowski Paweł , Pietrzak Radosław , Zieniewicz Krzysztof , Siennicka Aldona , Hukowska-Szematowicz Beata , Dołęgowska Barbara
Published: July 2023

The liver has a huge impact on the functioning of our body and the preservation of homeostasis. It is exposed to many serious diseases, which may lead to the chronic failure of this organ, which is becoming a global health problem today. Currently, the final form of treatment in patients with end-stage (acute and chronic) organ failure is transplantation. The proper function of transplanted organs depends on many cellular processes and immune and individual factors. An enormous role in the process of acceptance or rejection of a transplanted organ is attributed to, among others, the activation of the complement system. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the concentration of selected biomarkers’ complement system activation (C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9 (terminal complement complex)) in the serum of patients before and after liver transplantation (24 h, two weeks). The study was conducted on a group of 100 patients undergoing liver transplantation. There were no complications during surgery and no transplant rejection in any of the patients. All patients were discharged home 2–3 weeks after the surgery. The levels of all analyzed components of the complement system were measured using the ELISA method. Additionally, the correlations of the basic laboratory parameters—C-reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin (Hb), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP), and albumin—with the parameters of the complement system (C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9) were determined. In our study, changes in the concentrations of all examined complement system components before and after liver transplantation were observed, with the lowest values before liver transplantation and the highest concentration two weeks after. The direct increase in components of the complement system (C3a, C5a, and sC5b-9) 24 h after transplantation likely affects liver damage after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), while their increase two weeks after transplantation may contribute to transplant tolerance. Increasingly, attention is being paid to the role of C3a and CRP as biomarkers of damage and failure of various organs. From the point of view of liver transplantation, the most interesting correlation in our own research was found exactly between CRP and C3a, 24 h after the transplantation. This study shows that changes in complement activation biomarkers and the correlation with CRP in blood could be a prognostic signature of liver allograft survival or rejection.
Airway Epithelium Senescence as a Driving Mechanism in COPD Pathogenesis
Authors: Bateman Georgia , Guo-Parke Hong , Rodgers Aoife M. , Linden Dermot , Bailey Melanie , Weldon Sinéad , Kidney Joseph C. , Taggart Clifford C.
Published: July 2023

Cellular senescence is a state of permanent cell cycle arrest triggered by various intrinsic and extrinsic stressors. Cellular senescence results in impaired tissue repair and remodeling, loss of physiological integrity, organ dysfunction, and changes in the secretome. The systemic accumulation of senescence cells has been observed in many age-related diseases. Likewise, cellular senescence has been implicated as a risk factor and driving mechanism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis. Airway epithelium exhibits hallmark features of senescence in COPD including activation of the p53/p21WAF1/CIP1 and p16INK4A/RB pathways, leading to cell cycle arrest. Airway epithelial senescent cells secrete an array of inflammatory mediators, the so-called senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), leading to a persistent low-grade chronic inflammation in COPD. SASP further promotes senescence in an autocrine and paracrine manner, potentially contributing to the onset and progression of COPD. In addition, cellular senescence in COPD airway epithelium is associated with telomere dysfunction, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. This review discusses the potential mechanisms of airway epithelial cell senescence in COPD, the impact of cellular senescence on the development and severity of the disease, and highlights potential targets for modulating cellular senescence in airway epithelium as a potential therapeutic approach in COPD.
Paramacular Choriocapillaris Atrophy
Authors: Bućan Ivona , Bućan Kajo
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a review of a rare case of paramacular choriocapillaris atrophy with a foveal-sparing phenotype is carried out. The 73-year-old patient stated that they had impaired vision and photophobia in both eyes during a regular ophthalmological examination, denying visual field defects and night blindness. A complete ophthalmological examination (best-corrected visual acuity, applanation tonometry, and biomicroscopy of anterior and posterior segments) and diagnostic tests, including fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography with angiography, computerized perimetry, and electroretinography, were carried out. The underlying genetic pattern is unclear, which points to paramacular choriocapillaris atrophy. According to recent research on histology, pathologies categorized as regional choroidal dystrophies are caused by alterations at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. Despite the unresolved etiopathogenetic mechanism of foveal sparing in central choroidal and retinal dystrophies, a highly variable disease phenotype with spared fovea and central visual acuity present in a variety of heterogeneous dystrophies supports a disease-independent mechanism that allows the survival of foveal cones. The related preservation of BCVA has implications for individual prognosis and influences how treatment trials for choroidal and retinal dystrophies are designed.
Back to the Basics: Usefulness of Naturally Aged Mouse Models and Immunohistochemical and Quantitative Morphologic Methods in Studying Mechanisms of Lung Aging and Associated Diseases
Authors: Jaramillo-Rangel Gilberto , Chávez-Briones María-de-Lourdes , Ancer-Arellano Adriana , Miranda-Maldonado Ivett , Ortega-Martínez Marta
Published: July 2023

Aging-related molecular and cellular alterations in the lung contribute to an increased susceptibility of the elderly to devastating diseases. Although the study of the aging process in the lung may benefit from the use of genetically modified mouse models and omics techniques, these approaches are still not available to most researchers and produce complex results. In this article, we review works that used naturally aged mouse models, together with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative morphologic (QM) methods in the study of the mechanisms of the aging process in the lung and its most commonly associated disorders: cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infectious diseases. The advantage of using naturally aged mice is that they present characteristics similar to those observed in human aging. The advantage of using IHC and QM methods lies in their simplicity, economic accessibility, and easy interpretation, in addition to the fact that they provide extremely important information. The study of the aging process in the lung and its associated diseases could allow the design of appropriate therapeutic strategies, which is extremely important considering that life expectancy and the number of elderly people continue to increase considerably worldwide.
Another Way to Confuse Motor Control: Manual Technique Supposed to Shorten Muscle Spindles Reduces the Muscular Holding Stability in the Sense of Adaptive Force in Male Soccer Players
Authors: Bittmann Frank N. , Dech Silas , Schaefer Laura V.
Published: July 2023

Sensorimotor control can be impaired by slacked muscle spindles. This was shown for reflex responses and, recently, also for muscular stability in the sense of Adaptive Force (AF). The slack in muscle spindles was generated by contracting the lengthened muscle followed by passive shortening. AF was suggested to specifically reflect sensorimotor control since it requires tension-length control in adaptation to an increasing load. This study investigated AF parameters in reaction to another, manually performed slack procedure in a preselected sample (n = 13). The AF of 11 elbow and 12 hip flexors was assessed by an objectified manual muscle test (MMT) using a handheld device. Maximal isometric AF was significantly reduced after manual spindle technique vs. regular MMT. Muscle lengthening started at 64.93 ± 12.46% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). During regular MMT, muscle length could be maintained stable until 92.53 ± 10.12% of MVIC. Hence, muscular stability measured by AF was impaired after spindle manipulation. Force oscillations arose at a significantly lower level for regular vs. spindle. This supports the assumption that they are a prerequisite for stable adaptation. Reduced muscular stability in reaction to slack procedures is considered physiological since sensory information is misled. It is proposed to use slack procedures to test the functionality of the neuromuscular system, which is relevant for clinical practice.
Subject-Independent EEG Classification of Motor Imagery Based on Dual-Branch Feature Fusion
Authors: Dong Yanqing , Wen Xin , Gao Fang , Gao Chengxin , Cao Ruochen , Xiang Jie , Cao Rui
Published: July 2023

A brain computer interface (BCI) system helps people with motor dysfunction interact with the external environment. With the advancement of technology, BCI systems have been applied in practice, but their practicability and usability are still greatly challenged. A large amount of calibration time is often required before BCI systems are used, which can consume the patient’s energy and easily lead to anxiety. This paper proposes a novel motion-assisted method based on a novel dual-branch multiscale auto encoder network (MSAENet) to decode human brain motion imagery intentions, while introducing a central loss function to compensate for the shortcomings of traditional classifiers that only consider inter-class differences and ignore intra-class coupling. The effectiveness of the method is validated on three datasets, namely BCIIV2a, SMR-BCI and OpenBMI, to achieve zero calibration of the MI-BCI system. The results show that our proposed network displays good results on all three datasets. In the case of subject-independence, the MSAENet outperformed the other four comparison methods on the BCIIV2a and SMR-BCI datasets, while achieving F1_score values as high as 69.34% on the OpenBMI dataset. Our method maintains better classification accuracy with a small number of parameters and short prediction times, and the method achieves zero calibration of the MI-BCI system.
Depression Is Associated with the Aberration of Resting State Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Patients with Amyloid-Positive Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Wang Sheng-Min , Kang Dong Woo , Um Yoo Hyun , Kim Sunghwan , Lee Chang Uk , Lim Hyun Kook
Published: July 2023

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, and a significant number of individuals with MCI progress to develop dementia. Depression is prevalent in MCI patients and has been found to influence the disease progression of MCI. The default mode network (DMN), a brain network associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and its functional connectivity might be a neurological mechanism linking depression and AD. However, the relationship between depression, DMN functional connectivity, and cerebral beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate DMN functional connectivity differences in Aβ-positive MCI patients with depression compared to those without depression. A total of 126 Aβ-positive MCI patients were included, with 66 having depression and 60 without depression. The results revealed increased functional connectivity in the anterior DMN in the depression group compared to the non-depression group. The functional connectivity of the anterior DMN positively correlated with depression severity but not with Aβ deposition. Our findings suggest that depression influences DMN functional connectivity in Aβ-positive MCI patients, and the depression-associated DMN functional connectivity aberrance might be an important neural mechanism linking depression, Aβ pathology, and disease progression in the trajectory of AD.
Current Knowledge about Headaches Attributed to Ischemic Stroke: Changes from Structure to Function
Authors: Xie Xinxin , Zhang Yi , Kong Qianqian , Huang Hao , Yu Zhiyuan , Luo Xiang , Qu Wensheng
Published: July 2023

Headaches are common after ischemic stroke (IS). Unlike primary headaches, headaches attributed to IS have specific clinical features. This review describes the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and influence of IS headaches. Previous reports were summarized to show the correlations between headaches and structural lesions in the cerebral cortex, subcortical white matter, deep gray matter nuclei, brainstem, and cerebellum. However, the substantial heterogeneity of IS, subjective evaluations of headaches, and inadequate cohort studies make it difficult to explore the pathophysiology of headaches attributed to IS. In our recommendation, favorable imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, may provide new insights into mechanical studies of IS headaches from structure to function. It may also be helpful to extend the research field by targeting several shared signal transducers between headaches and IS. These markers might be neuropeptides, vasoactive substances, ion channels, or electrophysiologic changes.
Mental Health Literacy about Personality Disorders: A Multicultural Study
Authors: Altuncu Kerim Alp , Lomoriello Arianna Schiano , Lo Buglio Gabriele , Martino Ludovica , Yenihayat Asrin , Belfiore Maria Teresa , Boldrini Tommaso
Published: July 2023

Mental health literacy (MHL) refers to lay people’s knowledge and beliefs about the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. The current study aimed at investigating MHL regarding personality disorders (PDs) multiculturally, comparing Turkish and Italian populations. In total, 262 participants responded to an online vignette identification task that required them to label the PDs of seven hypothetical subjects and rate various dimensions of their disorders. Narcissistic (25%), obsessive-compulsive (13%), and paranoid (12%) PDs were the most correctly labeled, while the average accuracy values for other PDs were below 0.04%. Compared to Turkish participants, Italian participants were more accurate in labeling narcissistic PD. Additionally, of the seven PDs, narcissistic PD was associated with the most happiness and success at work. Subjects with borderline and avoidant PDs were the most recognized as having psychological problems (>90%), yet their PDs were among the least correctly identified. Overall, participants from both cultures were generally successful at recognizing the presence of a mental illness, but they rarely labeled it correctly. Only limited cultural differences emerged. The present findings may inform the design of outreach programs to promote MHL regarding PDs, thereby facilitating early recognition of PDs and help-seeking behaviors for affected individuals.
Open Book Exams and Flexible Grading Systems: Post-COVID University Policies from a Student Perspective
Authors: Kang Dongsuk
Published: July 2023

Due to COVID-19, many universities have started offering real time video or recorded courses. This situation raises concerns about a decline in students’ learning outcomes and issues of unfairness regarding students’ exams and grade evaluations. Korean universities have introduced online open book testing in courses and a flexible pass grading system that allows students to select their final grades to improve fairness. This research investigates students’ thoughts and reasons for the test and the system through a questionnaire with 109 respondents and statistical methods such as nonparametric tests, multinomial regression and text-mining. Many students supported both the testing and the grading system, presenting balanced viewpoints by comparing their cons and pros. This finding suggests that these policies could be helpful in enhancing fairness in grade evaluation, relieving students of the learning burden and increasing their satisfaction. This study offers the implications that universities must develop standardized exam formats as well as various learning options in a rapidly changing situation with educational innovation (e.g., hyperscale and generative artificial intelligence).
Insight Discovery of the Roman Amphitheater of Durres: Reconstruction of the Acoustic Features to Its Original Shape
Authors: Bevilacqua Antonella , Sukaj Silvana , Iannace Gino , Trematerra Amelia
Published: July 2023

The discovery of Roman amphitheaters continues to excite the minds of archaeologists. Within the framework of various excavation campaigns, the architectural requalification of the amphitheater of Durres has been investigated, but no acoustic analyses have yet been carried out. This paper deals with the acoustic reconstruction of the Roman amphitheater of Durres in its original form. A campaign of acoustic measurements was carried out in accordance with ISO 3382 in order to understand the existing conditions, which are very detrimental to any type of live performance. After an accurate analysis of the geometric composition of the building, acoustic simulations were performed to determine the original acoustic response of the building. A comparison of the measured and simulated results, with and without an audience, was made in terms of the main acoustic parameters, while the acoustic map showing the spatial distribution of speech clarity at 1 kHz was added as an alternative way of representing the data. The outcomes show that the results related to the original shape are closer to the optimal values than the existing conditions.
Environmentally Sustainable Green Roof Design for Energy Demand Reduction
Authors: Azkorra-Larrinaga Zaloa , Romero-Antón Naiara , Martin-Escudero Koldobika , Lopez-Ruiz Gontzal
Published: July 2023

Green roofs are artificial ecosystems that provide a nature-based solution to environmental problems such as climate change and the urban heat island effect by absorbing solar radiation and helping to alleviate urban environmental, economic, and social problems. Green roofs offer many benefits in terms of heat and water conservation as well as in terms of energy costs. This work proposes the design of an extensive and environmentally sustainable green roof for the Faculty of Engineering building in Bilbao. The green roof will be made from the composting of food waste generated in the building’s own canteen. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to calculate the solar efficiency of a sustainable green roof, evaluate its thermal performance, and quantify the impact that its implementation would have on energy consumption and the thermal comfort of its users. The results obtained confirm that an environmentally sustainable green roof has a positive effect on summer energy consumption and that this effect is much greater when there is water on the roof, as shown by the difference in energy savings between the dry (−53.7%) and wet (−84.2%) scenarios. The data show that in winter the differences between a green roof and a non-vegetated roof are not significant. In this case, the estimated energy consumption penalty (0.015 kWh/m2) would be 10% of the summer gain.
HVAC Systems Evaluation and Selection for Sustainable Office Buildings: An Integrated MCDM Approach
Authors: Hamza Mohannad , Bafail Omer , Alidrisi Hisham
Published: July 2023

Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems are critical components of maintaining an indoor air quality that ensures the thermal comfort of occupants in diverse building types. However, HVAC systems are also responsible for a substantial portion of the total energy consumption of commercial and industrial office buildings. This paper presents an integrated approach of two powerful MCDM techniques: the Best-Worst-Method (BWM) and The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) in order to evaluate and rank HVAC systems to ensure the best selection toward designing a sustainable office building. A set of conflicting criteria reported by international sustainable assessment centers were employed along with various HVAC systems to develop what is called herein a BWM-based TOPSIS model in order to conduct such a novel research attempt. Within the context of the investigated office building herein, the mini-package ductless system appears to be the best choice. This study could be further enhanced by including additional criteria and a larger sample size in future studies.
Influence of Buried Pipeline Leakage on the Development of Cavities in the Subgrade
Authors: Chen Xianghua , Chen Wenxin , Zhao Liyuan , Chen Yekai
Published: July 2023

The rapid pace of urbanization has led to an increasing frequency of road collapses, posing a significant threat to urban traffic safety. Underground pipeline leakage stands out as the primary cause of such collapses. This paper presents a macroscopic analysis of the subgrade seepage erosion process caused by pipeline leakage. Model tests were conducted to investigate the formation mechanism and explore the influence of water level, water flow rate, and soil type. The study revealed that the subgrade seepage erosion caused by pipeline leakage undergoes four distinct stages: infiltration, slow erosion, rapid erosion, and erosion convergence. Soil erosion shares similarities with sand erosion in its developmental process. The water level plays a pivotal role in determining the shape and size of the eroded area caused by sand seepage erosion. The size of the erosion cavities formed during the soil seepage erosion increased along with the increase in the water flow rate. The size of the erosion cavity increased by up to 55.7% when the flow rate was increased by three times. In addition, clay soils do not undergo significant erosional damage but do produce significant settlement. The soil erosion process caused by underground leakages in pipelines was investigated using model tests in this study, which provided valuable information for researchers performing an in-depth analysis of the mechanism of roadbed cavities generated by urban underground pipeline leakage, which is critical for safeguarding people’s travel safety and decreasing social and economic losses.
A Machine Learning-Based Approach to Evaluate the Spatial Performance of Courtyards—A Case Study of Beijing’s Old Town
Authors: Yu Tianqi , Zhan Xiaoqi , Tian Zichu , Wang Daoru
Published: July 2023

The quality of residential buildings in old urban areas of Beijing is known to be inconsistent, prompting numerous urban renewal projects in the city. This research investigates how building space impacts energy usage and daylighting in courtyard areas of old urban regions in northern China. It also proposes a quick evaluation method for building performance in courtyard spaces, utilizing multi-objective optimization and machine learning classification prediction as a theoretical framework. A study was conducted to gather and organize building space parameters and their corresponding performances using a genetic algorithm. The dataset was then pre-processed and trained using the LightGBM algorithm. The model validation results revealed a recall of 0.9 and an F1-score of 0.8. These scores indicate that the design scheme’s performance level can be accurately identified in practical use. The goal of this study is to propose a set of rapid assessment methods for building performance levels in courtyard spaces. These methods can significantly improve the feedback efficiency between design decision and performance assessment, reduce the time wasted in building performance simulation during the architectural design process, and avoid unreasonable renovation and addition in urban renewal. Furthermore, the research method has universality and can be applied to courtyard-shaped buildings in other regions.