bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medical Students' Perceptions of Patient-Doctor Relationship in South Korea: Concept Mapping Analysis
Authors: Yune So Jung , Kang Seung Hee , Park Kwihwa
Published: November 2021

Introduction: The patient-doctor relationship has evolved from early paternalism to a consumerism and partnership model that emphasizes cooperation. Patient-doctor relationships might vary with the socio-cultural environment, because the medical environment affects such relationships.

Method: We investigated the patient-doctor relationship among medical students through concept mapping analysis. Twenty-six fourth-grade Korean medical students wrote a reflection journal and participated in the concept classification and the importance evaluation of the derived concept. ALSCAL multidimensional scaling and Ward hierarchical cluster analysis were performed. Also, the 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the importance of the concept.

Results: Sixty-six statements about the patient-doctor relationship were extracted and grouped into six clusters. The x-axis is the dimension of “Information-Respect,” and the y-axis is “Changeability-Persistence.” Six patient-doctor concepts were derived and students evaluated “Patient-centered” as the most important.

Conclusions: Medical students express various concepts of the patient-doctor relationship. Considering that they may encounter various medical conditions and patients, it is necessary that they understand deeply the complex patient-doctor relationship.
A Family-Centered Intervention to Monitor Children's Development in a Pediatric Outpatient Setting: Design and Feasibility Testing
Authors: Rasheed Muneera A. , Mughis Waliyah , Elahi Kinza Naseem , Hasan Babar S.
Published: November 2021

The patient experience team at a private tertiary care hospital used the Theory of Change to design a family-centered developmental monitoring intervention, building on an ongoing initiative. The design entailed (i) a monitoring form: Survey of Well-Being of Young Children (SWYC) being an easy parent-report measure; (ii) family support intervention: the Care for Child Development module to enhance parent-child interactions; (iii) timing: utilizing wait time to also enhance families' experience; (iv) the service providers: psychology trainees as volunteers; and (v) reinforcement: by the pediatrician in the regular consultation health visit capitalizing on the established rapport with families. All families with children under 5 years 5 months 31 days of age in selected acute, complex, and developmental care clinics were eligible. Feedback from stakeholders indicated that the monitoring process was useful and imparted important information for parents and pediatricians, while the trainees felt the experience to be significant for their own learning. The authors conclude that the designed intervention model for a family-centric approach was acceptable and feasible. Key recommendations have been presented for further scale-up.
The CORE (Consensus on Relevant Elements) Approach to Determining Initial Core Components of an Innovation
Authors: Kalver Emily H. , McInnes D. Keith , Yakovchenko Vera , Hyde Justeen , Petrakis Beth Ann , Kim Bo
Published: November 2021

Identifying an intervention's core components is indispensable to gauging whether an intervention is implemented with fidelity and/or is modified; it is often a multi-stage process, starting with the first stage of identifying an initial set of core components that are gradually refined. This first stage of identifying initial core components has not been thoroughly examined. Without a clear set of steps to follow, interventions may vary in the rigor and thought applied to identifying their initial core components. We devised the CORE (Consensus on Relevant Elements) approach to synthesize opinions of intervention developers/implementers to identify an intervention's initial core components, particularly applicable to innovative interventions. We applied CORE to a peer-based intervention that aids military veterans with post-incarceration community reintegration. Our CORE application involved four intervention developers/implementers and two moderators to facilitate the seven CORE steps. Our CORE application had two iterations, moving through Steps 1 (individual core component suggestions) through 7 (group discussion for consensus), then repeating Steps 4 (consolidation of component definitions) through 7. This resulted in 18 consensus-reached initial core components of the peer-based intervention, down from the 60 that the developers/implementers individually suggested at Step 1. Removed components were deemed to not threaten the intervention's effectiveness even if absent. CORE contributes to filling a critical gap regarding identifying an intervention's initial core components (so that the identified components can be subsequently refined), by providing concrete steps for synthesizing the knowledge of an intervention's developers/implementers. Future research should examine CORE's utility across various interventions and implementation settings.
Applicability of Exercise and Education Programmes for Knee Osteoarthritis Management to Switzerland
Authors: Ettlin Lea , Rausch Osthoff Anne-Kathrin , Nast Irina , Niedermann Karin
Published: November 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of six OARSI (Osteoarthritis Research Society International) approved exercise and education programmes for the conservative management of knee osteoarthritis to the Swiss health care system.

Methods: The RE-AIM framework was used in this cross-sectional survey study to analyse the characteristics of the six exercise and education programmes. A survey was developed based on the RE-AIM dimensions, “Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance,” for rating the applicability of the programmes (on a scale of 1 = “least applicable” to 10 = “most applicable”). Programme scores of ≥7 indicated applicability to the Swiss health care system. Nine selected physiotherapy experts for knee OA management in Switzerland were invited for the rating.

Results: The six programmes were rated by six of the nine invited research experts with mean scores of between 5.9 and 9.45. Four programmes scored 7 or more. These four programmes all included supervised exercise sessions and education with the goal that the participants understand the diagnosis and the management of OA. The two lower rated programmes focused on exercise counselling or weight reduction.

Conclusion: The programme with the highest scores consists of exercise and education and scored higher than 7 in all RE-AIM dimensions. Therefore, this programme is most applicable to the Swiss health care system as only a few adaptations would be needed for its successful implementation.
Reassessment of Relevance and Predictive Value of Parameters Indicating Early Graft Dysfunction in Liver Transplantation: AST Is a Weak, but Bilirubin and INR Strong Predictors of Mortality
Authors: Fodor Margot , Woerdehoff Adriana , Peter Wolfgang , Esser Hannah , Oberhuber Rupert , Margreiter Christian , Maglione Manuel , Cardini Benno , Resch Thomas , Weissenbacher Annemarie , Sucher Robert , Zoller Heinz , Tilg Herbert , Öfner Dietmar , Schneeberger Stefan
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Early graft dysfunction (EAD) complicates liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this analysis was to discriminate between the weight of each variable as for its predictive value toward patient and graft survival.

Methods: We reviewed all LT performed at the Medical University of Innsbruck between 2007 and 2018. EAD was recorded when one of the following criteria was present: (i) aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels >2,000 IU/L within the first 7 days, (ii) bilirubin levels ≥10mg/dL or (iii) international normalized ratio (INR) ≥1.6 on postoperative day 7.

Results: Of 616 LT, 30.7% developed EAD. Patient survival did not differ significantly (P = 0.092; log rank-test = 2.87), graft survival was significantly higher in non-EAD patients (P = 0.008; log rank-test = 7.13). Bilirubin and INR on postoperative day 7 were identified as strong mortality predictors (Bilirubin HR = 1.71 [1.34, 2.16]; INR HR = 2.69 [0.51, 14.31]), in contrast to AST (HR = 0.91 [0.75, 1.10]). Similar results were achieved for graft loss estimation. A comparison with the Model for Early Allograft Function (MEAF) and the Liver Graft Assessment Following Transplantation (L-GrAFT) score identified a superior discrimination potential but lower specificity.

Conclusion: Contrarily to AST, bilirubin and INR have strong predictive capacity for patient and graft survival. This fits well with the understanding, that bile duct injury and deprivation of synthetic function rather than hepatocyte injury are key factors in LT.
Postoperative MRI Findings Following Conventional and Extralevator Abdominoperineal Excision in Low Rectal Cancer
Authors: Oerskov Kim Morgenstjerne , Bondeven Peter , Laurberg Søren , Hagemann-Madsen Rikke H. , Christensen Henrik Kidmose , Lauridsen Henrik , Pedersen Bodil Ginnerup
Published: November 2021

Aim: The disparity in outcomes for low rectal cancer may reflect differences in operative approach and quality. The extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) was developed to reduce margin involvement in low rectal cancers by widening the excision of the conventional abdominoperineal excision (c-APE) to include the posterior pelvic diaphragm. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and localization of inadvertent residual pelvic diaphragm on postoperative MRI after intended ELAPE and c-APE.

Methods: A total of 147 patients treated with c-APE or ELAPE for rectal cancer were included. Postoperative MRI was performed on 51% of the cohort (n = 75) and evaluated with regard to the residual pelvic diaphragm by a radiologist trained in pelvic MRI. Patient records, histopathological reports, and standardized photographs were assessed. Pathology and MRI findings were evaluated independently in a blinded fashion. Additionally, preoperative MRIs were evaluated for possible risk factors for margin involvement.

Results: Magnetic resonance imaging-detected residual pelvic diaphragm was identified in 45 (75.4%) of 61 patients who underwent ELAPE and in 14 (100%) of 14 patients who underwent c-APE. An increased risk of margin involvement was observed in anteriorly oriented tumors with 16 (22%) of 73 anteriorly oriented tumors presenting with margin involvement vs. 7 (9%) of 74 non-anteriorly oriented tumors (p = 0.038).

Conclusion: Residual pelvic diaphragm following abdominoperineal excision can be depicted by postoperative MRI. Inadvertent residual pelvic diaphragm (RPD) was commonly found in the series of patients treated with the ELAPE technique. Anterior tumor orientation was a risk factor for circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement regardless of surgical approach.
Opinions on Youth Suicide Risk Screening from Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Their Therapists: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mournet Annabelle M. , Greenbaum Rachel , Thurm Audrey , Weinheimer Laura , Lowry Nathan J. , Bridge Jeffrey A. , Pao Maryland , Horowitz Lisa M.
Published: November 2021

Background: Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) are at increased risk for suicide, yet little work has been done to address the specific needs for this population. Specifically, there are no validated suicide risk screening instruments and processes for individuals with NDD; this study aimed to assess the opinions of individuals with NDD and their therapists on suicide risk screening in order to inform best practices for screening. Method: A pilot study was launched to qualitatively evaluate processes and instruments that may be used in future studies on suicide screening risk in NDDs. Participants and their therapists were surveyed after filling out suicide risk screening instruments and provided qualitative feedback on their opinions of screening for suicide risk. Results: Most participants (9/15) reported positive experiences of being screened for suicide risk. Additionally, almost all therapists (14/15) were in support of suicide risk screening. Several themes, such as interpersonal benefits, emerged as reasons for supporting screening. Conclusions: The findings from this pilot study provide initial qualitative evidence that many individuals with NDD and their therapists would be comfortable with and are in support of suicide risk screening for this population. Screening tools to guide clinicians on how to ask about suicide risk are needed and appear to be desired by clinicians on the frontlines of mental health treatment for people with NDD.
Buckling Knockdown Factors of Composite Cylinders under Both Compression and Internal Pressure
Authors: Kim Do-Young , Sim Chang-Hoon , Park Jae-Sang , Yoo Joon-Tae , Yoon Young-Ha , Lee Keejoo
Published: November 2021

The internal pressure of a thin-walled cylindrical structure under axial compression may improve the buckling stability by relieving loads and reducing initial imperfections. In this study, the effect of internal pressure on the buckling knockdown factor is investigated for axially compressed thin-walled composite cylinders with different shell thickness ratios and slenderness ratios. Various shell thickness ratios and slenderness ratios are considered when the buckling knockdown factor is derived for the thin-walled composite cylinders under both axial compression and internal pressure. Nonlinear post-buckling analyses are conducted using the nonlinear finite element analysis program, ABAQUS. The single perturbation load approach is used to represent the geometric initial imperfection of thin-walled composite cylinders. For cases with the axial compressive force only, the buckling knockdown factor decreases as the shell thickness ratio increases or as the slenderness ratio increases. When the internal pressure is considered simultaneously with the axial compressive force, the buckling knockdown factor decreases as the slenderness ratio increases but increases as the shell thickness ratio increases. The buckling knockdown factors considering the internal pressure and axial compressions are higher by 2.67% to 38.98% compared with the knockdown factors considering the axial compressive force only. The results show the significant effect of the internal pressure, particularly for thinner composite cylinders, and that the buckling knockdown factors may be enhanced for all the shell thickness ratios and slenderness ratios considered in this study when the internal pressure is applied to the cylinder.
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Troubleshooting Mode Selection Method Based on SIF-SVM with Fault Phenomena Text Record
Authors: Yang Linchao , Jia Guozhu , Zheng Ke , Wei Fajie , Pan Xing , Chang Wenbing , Zhou Shenghan
Published: November 2021

At present, the research on fault analysis based on text data focuses on fault diagnosis and classification, but it rarely suggests how to use that information to troubleshoot faults reported in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Selecting the exact troubleshooting procedure to address faults reported by UAVs generally requires experienced technicians with professional equipment. To improve the efficiency of UAV troubleshooting, this paper proposed a troubleshooting mode selection method based on SIF-SVM (Serial information fusion and support vector machine) using the text feature data from fault description records. First, Word2Vec was used in text data feature extraction. Second, in order to increase the amount of information in the modeling data, we used the information fusion method. SVM was then used to construct the classification model for troubleshooting mode selection. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed model was verified by using the fault record data of a new fixed-wing UAV.
Mutual Aerodynamic Interference Mechanism Analysis of an “X” Configuration Quadcopter
Authors: Ye Jianchuan , Wang Jiang , Lv Peijian
Published: November 2021

This paper studies the quadcopter’s mutual interference phenomenon. The flow field of the quadcopter at different flight speeds is simulated by solving the three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations with sliding mesh methods. “Virtual Modes” (VMs) are introduced to examine the mechanisms of aerodynamic interference among the quadcopter’s components (front rotors, rear rotors, and fuselage). By comparing the aerodynamic forces of different VMs, this work shows that mutual interference to the front rotors can be negligible, interference to the rear rotors is due to the wake of front rotors and fuselage, and mutual interference to fuselage is caused by front and rear rotors. Only the rear rotors’ thrust and pitch moment as well as the lift of the fuselage are significant. At the flight speed of 5–15 m/s, the mutual interference causes 11% loss of thrust and 35% loss of pitching moment to the rear rotors; In the cases of hovering and 25 m/s forward flight, the interference is negligible.
First Global Report of Plasmid-Mediated mcr-1 and Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli from Sheep in Portugal
Authors: Dantas Palmeira Josman , Haenni Marisa , Madec Jean-Yves , Ferreira Helena Maria Neto
Published: November 2021

Resistances to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) and colistin are One Health issues since genes encoding these resistances can be transmitted between all sectors of the One Health concept, i.e., human, animal, and the environment. Among food-producing animals, sheep farming has long been overlooked. To fill in this knowledge gap, we looked for ESC- and colistin resistance in 21 faecal samples collected from sheep in one farm in the south of Portugal. ESC-resistant isolates were selected on MacConkey agar plates supplemented with cefotaxime. Susceptibility testing was performed by the disk-diffusion method according to CLSI, while colistin MIC was determined by broth microdilution. ESC- and colistin-resistance genes were identified by PCR, and the clonality of all isolates was assessed by XbaI-PFGE. The replicon content was determined by PCR according to the PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) scheme. Sixty-two non-duplicate ESC-resistant E. coli isolates were identified, which all presented an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotype, mostly due to the presence of CTX-M genes. One CTX-M-1-producing E. coli was concomitantly colistin-resistant and presented the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 gene. Nearly all isolates showed associated resistances to non-beta-lactam antibiotics, which could act as co-selectors, even in the absence of beta-lactam use. The results showed a high proportion of ESBL-producing E. coli in sheep faeces. Their dissemination was very dynamic, with the spread of successful clones between animals, but also a large diversity of clones and plasmids, sometimes residing in the same animal. This study highlights the need for global surveillance in all food-producing sectors, in order to avoid the dissemination of genes conferring resistance to last-resort antibiotics in human medicine.
The Impact of the SARS-Cov2 Pandemic on a Persuasive Educational Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a University Hospital in Southern Italy: A Pre-Post Study
Authors: Macera Margherita , Onorato Lorenzo , Calò Federica , Monari Caterina , Annibale Rosa , Signoriello Giuseppe , Donnarumma Giovanna , Montemurro Maria Vittoria , Galdiero Massimiliano , Coppola Nicola
Published: November 2021

Objectives: We evaluated the effect of the pandemic on the disruption of a persuasive educational antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) conducted in a university hospital in southern Italy. Methods: In March 2020, the ASP, which began in January 2017 and was carried out at different times in 10 wards, was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an observational study with interrupted time series analysis to compare the antibiotic consumption and costs, average length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality between 12 months before and 9 months after the interruption. Results: Four medical, four surgical wards and two ICUs were included in the study, for a total of 35,921 patient days. Among the medical wards we observed after the interruption a significant increase in fluoroquinolone use, with a change in trend (CT) of 0.996, p = 0.027. In the surgical wards, we observed a significant increase in the overall consumption, with a change in level (CL) of 24.4, p = 0.005, and in the use of third and fourth generation cephalosporins (CL 4.7, p = 0.003). In two ICUs, we observed a significant increase in piperacillin/tazobactam and fluoroquinolone consumption (CT 9.28, p = 0.019, and 2.4, p = 0.047). In the wards with a duration of ASP less than 30 months, we observed a significant increase in antibiotic consumption in the use of piperacillin/tazobactam and fluoroquinolones (CT 12.9, p = 0.022: 4.12, p = 0.029; 1.004, p = 0.011). Conclusions: The interruption of ASP during COVID-19 led to an increase in the consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics, particularly in surgical wards and in those with a duration of ASP less than 30 months.
Strigolactones Modulate Cellular Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms to Mitigate Arsenate Toxicity in Rice Shoots
Authors: Mostofa Mohammad Golam , Ha Chien Van , Rahman Md. Mezanur , Nguyen Kien Huu , Keya Sanjida Sultana , Watanabe Yasuko , Itouga Misao , Hashem Abeer , Abd_Allah Elsayed Fathi , Fujita Masayuki , Tran Lam-Son Phan
Published: November 2021

Metalloid contamination, such as arsenic poisoning, poses a significant environmental problem, reducing plant productivity and putting human health at risk. Phytohormones are known to regulate arsenic stress; however, the function of strigolactones (SLs) in arsenic stress tolerance in rice is rarely investigated. Here, we investigated shoot responses of wild-type (WT) and SL-deficient d10 and d17 rice mutants under arsenate stress to elucidate SLs’ roles in rice adaptation to arsenic. Under arsenate stress, the d10 and d17 mutants displayed severe growth abnormalities, including phenotypic aberrations, chlorosis and biomass loss, relative to WT. Arsenate stress activated the SL-biosynthetic pathway by enhancing the expression of SL-biosynthetic genes D10 and D17 in WT shoots. No differences in arsenic levels between WT and SL-biosynthetic mutants were found from Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry analysis, demonstrating that the greater growth defects of mutant plants did not result from accumulated arsenic in shoots. The d10 and d17 plants had higher levels of reactive oxygen species, water loss, electrolyte leakage and membrane damage but lower activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase than did the WT, implying that arsenate caused substantial oxidative stress in the SL mutants. Furthermore, WT plants had higher glutathione (GSH) contents and transcript levels of OsGSH1, OsGSH2, OsPCS1 and OsABCC1 in their shoots, indicating an upregulation of GSH-assisted arsenic sequestration into vacuoles. We conclude that arsenate stress activated SL biosynthesis, which led to enhanced arsenate tolerance through the stimulation of cellular antioxidant defense systems and vacuolar sequestration of arsenic, suggesting a novel role for SLs in rice adaptation to arsenic stress. Our findings have significant implications in the development of arsenic-resistant rice varieties for safe and sustainable rice production in arsenic-polluted soils.
Microbiological-Chemical Sourced Chondroitin Sulfates Protect Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells against Oxidative Stress and Are Suitable for Hydrogel-Based Controlled Release
Authors: Bedini Emiliano , Iadonisi Alfonso , Schiraldi Chiara , Colombo Laura , Albani Diego , Petrini Paola , Giordano Carmen , Tunesi Marta
Published: November 2021

Chondroitin sulfates (CS) are a class of sulfated glycosaminoglycans involved in many biological processes. Several studies reported their protective effect against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. CS are commonly derived from animal sources, but ethical concerns, the risk of contamination with animal proteins, and the difficulty in controlling the sulfation pattern have prompted research towards non-animal sources. Here we exploited two microbiological-chemical sourced CS (i.e., CS-A,C and CS-A,C,K,L) and Carbopol 974P NF/agarose semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (i.e., P.NaOH.0 and P.Ethanol.0) to set up a release system, and tested the neuroprotective role of released CS against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. After assessing that our CS (1–100 µM) require a 3 h pre-treatment for neuroprotection with SH-SY5Y cells, we evaluated whether the autoclave type (i.e., N- or B-type) affects hydrogel viscoelastic properties. We selected B-type autoclaves and repeated the study after loading CS (1 or 0.1 mg CS/0.5 mL gel). After loading 1 mg CS/0.5 mL gel, we evaluated CS release up to 7 days by 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay and verified the neuroprotective role of CS-A,C (1 µM) in the supernatants. We observed that CS-A,C exhibits a broader neuroprotective effect than CS-A,C,K,L. Moreover, sulfation pattern affects not only neuroprotection, but also drug release.
VRChem: A Virtual Reality Molecular Builder
Authors: Pietikäinen Otso , Hämäläinen Perttu , Lehtinen Jaakko , Karttunen Antti J.
Published: November 2021

Virtual reality provides a powerful way to visualize the three-dimensional, atomic-level structures of molecules and materials. We present new virtual reality software for molecular modeling and for testing the use of virtual reality in organic chemistry education. The open-source software, named VRChem, was developed primarily for building, visualizing and manipulating organic molecules using a head-mounted virtual reality system. The design goal of the VRChem software was to create an easy-to-use and entertaining user experience for molecular modeling in virtual reality. We discuss the design and implementation of VRChem, together with real-life user experiences collected from students and academic research staff.
Data Mining of Students’ Consumption Behaviour Pattern Based on Self-Attention Graph Neural Network
Authors: Xu Fangyao , Qu Shaojie
Published: November 2021

Performance prediction is of significant importance. Previous mining of behaviour data was limited to machine learning models. Corresponding research has not made good use of the information of spatial location changes over time, in addition to discriminative students’ behavioural patterns and tendentious behaviour. Thus, we establish students’ behaviour networks, combine temporal and spatial information to mine behavioural patterns of academic performance discrimination, and predict student’s performance. Firstly, we put forward some principles to build graphs with a topological structure based on consumption data; secondly, we propose an improved self-attention mechanism model; thirdly, we perform classification tasks related to academic performance, and determine discriminative learning and life behaviour sequence patterns. Results showed that the accuracy of the two-category classification reached 84.86% and that of the three-category classification reached 79.43%. In addition, students with good academic performance were observed to study in the classroom or library after dinner and lunch. Apart from returning to the dormitory in the evening, they tended to stay focused in the library and other learning venues during the day. Lastly, different nodes have different contributions to the prediction, thereby providing an approach for feature selection. Our research findings provide a method to grasp students’ campus traces.
Molecular Profile Study of Extracellular Vesicles for the Identification of Useful Small “Hit” in Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Alberti Giusi , Sánchez-López Christian M. , Andres Alexia , Santonocito Radha , Campanella Claudia , Cappello Francesco , Marcilla Antonio
Published: November 2021

Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the main mediators of cell-cell communication, permitting cells to exchange proteins, lipids, and metabolites in varying physiological and pathological conditions. They contain signature tumor-derived molecules that reflect the intracellular status of their cell of origin. Recent studies have shown that tumor cell-derived EVs can aid in cancer metastasis through the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, suppression of the immune system, pre-metastatic niche formation, and subsequent metastasis. EVs can easily be isolated from a variety of biological fluids, and their content makes them useful biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, monitorization of cancer progression, and response to treatment. This review aims to explore the biomarkers of cancer cell-derived EVs obtained from liquid biopsies, in order to understand cancer progression and metastatic evolution for early diagnosis and precision therapy.
Holistic Impact and Environmental Efficiency of Retrofitting Interventions on Buildings in the Mediterranean Area: A Directional Distance Function Approach
Authors: Cariola Monica , Falavigna Greta , Picenni Francesca
Published: November 2021

The study focuses on the application of a nonparametric methodology for evaluating the sustainability of retrofitting interventions to be applied on different typologies of buildings and different climate zones of the Mediterranean area. The paper starts from the analysis of data collected through the HAPPEN project, that is a H2020 European project which proposes a holistic approach for a deep and sustainable renovation of the Mediterranean residential Building stock. Even if the European Commission allocated considerable funds for retrofitting interventions, the choice of the optimal solution is not always that easy because several variables have to be considered. The present manuscript proposes a methodology to compare different retrofitting solutions combining Life-Cycle Cost (i.e., LCC) estimations with the nonparametric Directional Distance Function approach (i.e., DDF). In detail, the literature suggests that the DDF can be effectively used for comparing different observations through efficiency scores. The main result of the paper is the definition of a hybrid methodology that, starting from estimates of LCC and applying a DDF technique, represents a simple method for evaluating the best retrofitting intervention. Results are represented by two scores where the former represents a holistic efficiency measure, while the latter shows an environmental efficiency score.
Semantic Description of Explainable Machine Learning Workflows for Improving Trust
Authors: Nakagawa Patricia Inoue , Pires Luís Ferreira , Moreira João Luiz Rebelo , Bonino da Silva Santos Luiz Olavo , Bukhsh Faiza
Published: November 2021

Explainable Machine Learning comprises methods and techniques that enable users to better understand the machine learning functioning and results. This work proposes an ontology that represents explainable machine learning experiments, allowing data scientists and developers to have a holistic view, a better understanding of the explainable machine learning process, and to build trust. We developed the ontology by reusing an existing domain-specific ontology (ML-SCHEMA) and grounding it in the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO), aiming at achieving interoperability. The proposed ontology is structured in three modules: (1) the general module, (2) the specific module, and (3) the explanation module. The ontology was evaluated using a case study in the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic using healthcare data from patients, which are sensitive data. In the case study, we trained a Support Vector Machine to predict mortality of patients infected with COVID-19 and applied existing explanation methods to generate explanations from the trained model. Based on the case study, we populated the ontology and queried it to ensure that it fulfills its intended purpose and to demonstrate its suitability.
A Conceptual Design Methodology for e-VTOL Aircraft for Urban Air Mobility
Authors: Palaia Giuseppe , Abu Salem Karim , Cipolla Vittorio , Binante Vincenzo , Zanetti Davide
Published: November 2021

Recent progress of electric systems has raised attention towards hybrid-electric and full-electric aircraft. Nevertheless, the current low battery energy density limits the application of these propulsive architectures to large transport aircraft. In the context of the general aviation category, full-electric aircraft for the so-called Urban Air Mobility scenario are gaining increasing interest. These air taxis, also called e-VTOL, are conceived to exploit vertical take-off and landing capabilities, to carry people from one point to another, typically within the same city. In this paper, a new conceptual design methodology for urban air vehicles is presented and applied to an innovative convertiplane, called TiltOne, based on a box-wing architecture coupled with tilt-wing mechanisms. Several TiltOne configurations have been designed according to the current regulations imposed by European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and sensitivity analyses have been carried out on the varying main design parameters, such as wing loading and propellers’ disk loading, as well as main top-level aircraft requirements. The results provide an overview for today’s operational capabilities of such aircraft and, in addition, depict possible scenarios for a near-future horizon, based on the assumption of increased performance levels for the electric powertrain components. In such scenario, two different concepts of operations are analysed and discussed: the first is based on a given design range, long enough to cover the urban distances; the second is conceived to exploit the capability of flying multiple shorter missions with a single battery charge. The designed TiltOne configurations derived from these different approaches are presented, highlighting their potential capabilities and possible drawbacks.
Plant Extracts for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Meat Products
Authors: de Niederhäusern Simona , Bondi Moreno , Camellini Stefania , Sabia Carla , Messi Patrizia , Iseppi Ramona
Published: November 2021

The antimicrobial activity of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) plant active extracts was determined against Listeria monocytogenes in two meat products. Samples of sausages “cacciatore” and cooked ham in vacuum-packaged slices were artificially contaminated, and the presence of Listeria was evaluated during the sausages ripening and throughout the shelf-life of the cooked ham. The test carried out on sausages did not show differences among treated and untreated samples. The antagonistic activity of the plant extracts against the pathogen was probably hidden by the competition from the sausages microbial flora and the pH and the water activity (aw) decrease. On the other hand, the plant extracts determined an initial reduction of about 1.00 log cfu/g of the L. monocytogenes viable count in the cooked ham slices contaminated with 103 cfu/g, but the best result was obtained with the contamination of 102 cfu/g of L. monocytogenes. In addition to the pathogen’s initial decrease, we observed an extension of the lag phase and a reduction of the Listeria growth rate. Considering that the presence of L. monocytogenes during the slicing phase of the cooked ham does not exceed 10 cfu/g, the use of plant extracts can lead to complete pathogen elimination.
A Generative Adversarial Network Structure for Learning with Small Numerical Data Sets
Authors: Li Der-Chiang , Chen Szu-Chou , Lin Yao-San , Huang Kuan-Cheng
Published: November 2021

In recent years, generative adversarial networks (GANs) have been proposed to generate simulated images, and some works of literature have applied GAN to the analysis of numerical data in many fields, such as the prediction of building energy consumption and the prediction and identification of liver cancer stages. However, these studies are based on sufficient data volume. In the current era of globalization, the demand for rapid decision-making is increasing, but the data available in a short period of time is scarce. As a result, machine learning may not provide precise results. Obtaining more information from a small number of samples has become an important issue. Therefore, this study aimed to modify the generative adversarial network structure for learning with small numerical datasets, starting with the Wasserstein GAN (WGAN) as the GAN architecture, and using mega-trend-diffusion (MTD) to limit the bound of virtual samples that the GAN generates. The model verification of our proposed structure was conducted with two datasets in the UC Irvine Machine Learning Repository, and the performance was evaluated using three criteria: accuracy, standard deviation, and p-value. The experiment result shows that, using this improved GAN architecture (WGAN_MTD), small sample data can also be used to generate virtual samples that are similar to real samples through GAN.
Characterization of an Immune-Enhancing Polysaccharide Fraction Isolated from Heat-Processed Ginseng Derived from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
Authors: Kim Sung Jin , Shin Myoung-Sook , Kim Minyeong , Baek Seung-Hoon , Kang Ki Sung
Published: November 2021

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (ginseng) has shown immune-enhancing activity in many studies. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the chemical properties of a polysaccharide fraction (SGP) purified from heat- processed ginseng and to evaluate its immune-enhancing activity using RAW264.7 macrophages. The results showed that SGP increased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, SGP increased mRNA expression and secretion of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Immunoblotting results showed that SGP increased the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and NF-κB subunit p65 at 500 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL. Taken together, SGP can activate macrophages through the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways, and it may help maintain homeostasis during viral and bacterial infections.
A Design for Wayfinding: Developing a Mobile Application to Enhance Spatial Orientation at Taipei Metro
Authors: Huang Kuang-Ting , Zhou Meng-Yan
Published: November 2021

Taipei Metro, since its inception in 1996, has become the most important public transport option for commuters and travelers in the metropolitan Taipei area, delivering over two million daily rides. Nevertheless, the interior environment of Taipei Metro has a reputation for being disorienting, especially to the infrequent passengers. By incorporating the methods of behavioral mapping and visibility analysis, this study argues that the occurrence of disorientation is highly dependent on visual properties of Taipei Metro’s interior layout. Specifically, the number of decision-making stops and the visibility conditions of stairs and escalators are found to be particularly influential. To enhance the passengers’ wayfinding experience, a mobile application comprised of two components is proposed. The Route Planner is to advise the passengers to avoid the areas that cause disorientation, while the Navigator, by providing the panoramic views of certain locations, can help the passengers reach their destinations more easily.
Share of Discontinuities in the Ozone Concentration Data from Three Reanalyses
Authors: Krizan Peter , Kozubek Michal , Lastovicka Jan , Lan Radek
Published: November 2021

Ozone is a very important trace gas in the stratosphere and, thus, we need to know its time evolution over the globe. However, ground-based measurements are rare, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, and while satellite observations provide broader spatial coverage generally, they are not available everywhere. On the other hand, reanalysis data have regular spatial and temporal structure, which is beneficial for trend analysis, but temporal discontinuities might exist in the data. These discontinuities may influence the results of trend studies. The aim of this paper is to detect discontinuities in ozone data of the following reanalyses: MERRA-2, ERA-5 and JRA-55 with the help of the Pettitt, the Buishand, and the Standard Normal Homogeneity tests above the 500 hPa level. The share of discontinuities varies from 30% to 70% and they are strongly layer dependent. The share of discontinuities is the lowest for JRA-55. Differences between reanalyses were found to be larger than differences between homogeneity tests within one reanalysis. Another aim of this paper is to test the ability of homogeneity tests to detect the discontinuities in 2004 and 2015, when changes in versions of satellite data took place. We showed the discontinuities in 2004 are better detected than those in 2015.
Bioengineered System for High Throughput Screening of Kv1 Ion Channel Blockers
Authors: Sharonov George V. , Nekrasova Oksana V. , Kudryashova Ksenia S. , Kirpichnikov Mikhail P. , Feofanov Alexey V.
Published: November 2021

Screening drug candidates for their affinity and selectivity for a certain binding site is a crucial step in developing targeted therapy. Here, we created a screening assay for receptor binding that can be easily scaled up and automated for the high throughput screening of Kv channel blockers. It is based on the expression of the KcsA-Kv1 hybrid channel tagged with a fluorescent protein in the E. coli membrane. In order to make this channel accessible for the soluble compounds, E. coli were transformed into spheroplasts by disruption of the cellular peptidoglycan envelope. The assay was evaluated using a hybrid KcsA-Kv1.3 potassium channel tagged with a red fluorescent protein (TagRFP). The binding of Kv1.3 channel blockers was measured by flow cytometry either by using their fluorescent conjugates or by determining the ability of unconjugated compounds to displace fluorescently labeled blockers with a known affinity. A fraction of the occupied receptor was calculated with a dedicated pipeline available as a Jupyter notebook. Measured binding constants for agitoxin-2, charybdotoxin and kaliotoxin were in firm agreement with the earlier published data. By using a mid-range flow cytometer with manual sample handling, we measured and analyzed up to ten titration curves (eight data points each) in one day. Finally, we considered possibilities for multiplexing, scaling and automation of the assay.
Krüppel-homologue 1 Mediates Hormonally Regulated Dominance Rank in a Social Bee
Authors: Pandey Atul , Bloch Guy
Published: November 2021

Dominance hierarchies are ubiquitous in invertebrates and vertebrates, but little is known on how genes influence dominance rank. Our gaps in knowledge are specifically significant concerning female hierarchies, particularly in insects. To start filling these gaps, we studied the social bumble bee Bombus terrestris, in which social hierarchies among females are common and functionally significant. Dominance rank in this bee is influenced by multiple factors, including juvenile hormone (JH) that is a major gonadotropin in this species. We tested the hypothesis that the JH responsive transcription factor Krüppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1) mediates hormonal influences on dominance behavior. We first developed and validated a perfluorocarbon nanoparticles-based RNA interference protocol for knocking down Kr-h1 expression. We then used this procedure to show that Kr-h1 mediates the influence of JH, not only on oogenesis and wax production, but also on aggression and dominance rank. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study causally linking a gene to dominance rank in social insects, and one of only a few such studies on insects or on female hierarchies. These findings are important for determining whether there are general molecular principles governing dominance rank across gender and taxa.
Nitrogen and Sulfur Additions Improved the Diversity of nirK- and nirS-Type Denitrifying Bacterial Communities of Farmland Soil
Authors: Chen Xuan , Wei Hui , Zhang Jiaen
Published: November 2021

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposition can change above- and belowground biodiversity, including soil microbial diversity. The diversity of denitrifying microorganisms is of great significance to the calculation of the global nitrogen cycle and nitrogen flux. For a long time, nirK and nirS have been used as the functional genes to study denitrifying microorganisms, and have gradually become molecular markers for studying the composition and diversity of denitrifying bacteria. Here, three-time exposures to N and S applications (7, 30, and 60 days), were independently established. Additionally, the abundance, diversity, and structure of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying communities were examined by sequencing analyses in response to three treatments, namely, N and S (TN/S), sodium chloride (TNaCl) and deionized water (pH = 7.0) (CK). Our results suggest that TN/S led to higher electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), total organic carbon (TOC), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), and lower pH compared with TNaCl and CK, which affected the diversity of nirK- and nirS-type denitrifying bacterial communities. We also observed that the nirK-type denitrifying community demonstrated a higher sensitivity to N and S additions. Overall, our results are important for the understanding of nitrogen in soil and N2O emissions.
Multi-Aspect Optoacoustic Imaging of Breast Tumors under Chemotherapy with Exogenous and Endogenous Contrasts: Focus on Apoptosis and Hypoxia
Authors: Karlas Angelos , Nunes Antonio , Driessen Wouter , Liapis Evangelos , Reber Josefine
Published: November 2021

Breast cancer is a complex tumor type involving many biological processes. Most chemotherapeutic agents exert their antitumoral effects by rapid induction of apoptosis. Another main feature of breast cancer is hypoxia, which may drive malignant progression and confer resistance to various forms of therapy. Thus, multi-aspect imaging of both tumor apoptosis and oxygenation in vivo would be of enormous value for the effective evaluation of therapy response. Herein, we demonstrate the capability of a hybrid imaging modality known as multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) to provide high-resolution, simultaneous imaging of tumor apoptosis and oxygenation, based on both the exogenous contrast of an apoptosis-targeting dye and the endogenous contrast of hemoglobin. MSOT imaging was applied on mice bearing orthotopic 4T1 breast tumors before and following treatment with doxorubicin. Apoptosis was monitored over time by imaging the distribution of xPLORE-APOFL750©, a highly sensitive poly-caspase binding apoptotic probe, within the tumors. Oxygenation was monitored by tracking the distribution of oxy- and deoxygenated hemoglobin within the same tumor areas. Doxorubicin treatment induced an increase in apoptosis-depending optoacoustic signal of xPLORE-APOFL750© at 24 h after treatment. Furthermore, our results showed spatial correspondence between xPLORE-APO750© and deoxygenated hemoglobin. In vivo apoptotic status of the tumor tissue was independently verified by ex vivo fluorescence analysis. Overall, our results provide a rationale for the use of MSOT as an effective tool for simultaneously investigating various aspects of tumor pathophysiology and potential effects of therapeutic regimes based on both endogenous and exogenous molecular contrasts.