bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Gastric Carcinogenesis
Authors: Palrasu Manikandan , Zaika Elena , El-Rifai Wael , Que Jianwen , Zaika Alexander I.
Published: April 2021

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. In contrast to many other tumor types, gastric carcinogenesis is tightly linked to infectious events. Infections with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterium and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) are the two most investigated risk factors for GC. These pathogens infect more than half of the world’s population. Fortunately, only a small fraction of infected individuals develops GC, suggesting high complexity of tumorigenic processes in the human stomach. Recent studies suggest that the multifaceted interplay between microbial, environmental, and host genetic factors underlies gastric tumorigenesis. Many aspects of these interactions still remain unclear. In this review, we update on recent discoveries, focusing on the roles of various gastric pathogens and gastric microbiome in tumorigenesis.
FLYWCH1, a Multi-Functional Zinc Finger Protein Contributes to the DNA Repair Pathway
Authors: Almozyan Sheema , Coulton James , Babaei-Jadidi Roya , Nateri Abdolrahman S.
Published: April 2021

Over recent years, several Cys2-His2 (C2H2) domain-containing proteins have emerged as critical players in repairing DNA-double strand breaks. Human FLYWCH1 is a newly characterised nuclear transcription factor with (C2H2)-type zinc-finger DNA-binding domains. Yet, our knowledge about FLYWCH1 is still in its infancy. This study explores the expression, role and regulation of FLYWCH1 in the context of DNA damage and repair. We provide evidence suggesting a potential contribution of FLYWCH1 in facilitating the recruitment of DNA-damage response proteins (DDRPs). We found that FLYWCH1 colocalises with γH2AX in normal fibroblasts and colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Importantly, our results showed that enforced expression of FLYWCH1 induces the expression of γH2AX, ATM and P53 proteins. Using an ATM-knockout (ATMKO) model, we indicated that FLYWCH1 mediates the phosphorylation of H2AX (Ser139) independently to ATM expression. On the other hand, the induction of DNA damage using UV-light induces the endogenous expression of FLYWCH1. Conversely, cisplatin treatment reduces the endogenous level of FLYWCH1 in CRC cell lines. Together, our findings uncover a novel FLYWCH1/H2AX phosphorylation axis in steady-state conditions and during the induction of the DNA-damage response (DDR). Although the role of FLYWCH1 within the DDR machinery remains largely uncharacterised and poorly understood, we here report for the first-time findings that implicate FLYWCH1 as a potential participant in the DNA damage response signaling pathways.
Understanding the Heterogeneity of Human Pericyte Subsets in Blood–Brain Barrier Homeostasis and Neurological Diseases
Authors: Bohannon Diana G. , Long Danielle , Kim Woong-Ki
Published: April 2021

Pericytes are increasingly recognized as being important in the control of blood–brain barrier permeability and vascular flow. Research on this important cell type has been hindered by widespread confusion regarding the phenotypic identity and nomenclature of pericytes and other perivascular cell types. In addition, pericyte heterogeneity and mouse–human species differences have contributed to confusion. Herein we summarize our present knowledge on the identification of pericytes and pericyte subsets in humans, primarily focusing on recent findings in humans and nonhuman primates. Precise identification and definition of pericytes and pericyte subsets in humans may help us to better understand pericyte biology and develop new therapeutic approaches specifically targeting disease-associated pericyte subsets.
Misshapen Disruption Cooperates with RasV12 to Drive Tumorigenesis
Authors: Kong Du , Lu Jin-Yu , Li Xiaoqin , Zhao Sihua , Xu Wenyan , Fang Jinan , Wang Xing , Ma Xianjue
Published: April 2021

Although RAS family genes play essential roles in tumorigenesis, effective treatments targeting RAS-related tumors are lacking, partly because of an incomplete understanding of the complex signaling crosstalk within RAS-related tumors. Here, we performed a large-scale genetic screen in Drosophila eye imaginal discs and identified Misshapen (Msn) as a tumor suppressor that synergizes with oncogenic Ras (RasV12) to induce c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and Hippo inactivation, then subsequently leads to tumor overgrowth and invasion. Moreover, ectopic Msn expression activates Hippo signaling pathway and suppresses Hippo signaling disruption-induced overgrowth. Importantly, we further found that Msn acts downstream of protocadherin Fat (Ft) to regulate Hippo signaling. Finally, we identified msn as a Yki/Sd target gene that regulates Hippo pathway in a negative feedback manner. Together, our findings identified Msn as a tumor suppressor and provide a novel insight into RAS-related tumorigenesis that may be relevant to human cancer biology.
Embryonic Origin and Subclonal Evolution of Tumor-Associated Macrophages Imply Preventive Care for Cancer
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Mei , Chen De-Gao , Li Shengwen Calvin , Zhu Bo , Li Zhong-Jun
Published: April 2021

Macrophages are widely distributed in tissues and function in homeostasis. During cancer development, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) dominatingly support disease progression and resistance to therapy by promoting tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immunosuppression, thereby making TAMs a target for tumor immunotherapy. Here, we started with evidence that TAMs are highly plastic and heterogeneous in phenotype and function in response to microenvironmental cues. We pointed out that efforts to tear off the heterogeneous “camouflage” in TAMs conduce to target de facto protumoral TAMs efficiently. In particular, several fate-mapping models suggest that most tissue-resident macrophages (TRMs) are generated from embryonic progenitors, and new paradigms uncover the ontogeny of TAMs. First, TAMs from embryonic modeling of TRMs and circulating monocytes have distinct transcriptional profiling and function, suggesting that the ontogeny of TAMs is responsible for the functional heterogeneity of TAMs, in addition to microenvironmental cues. Second, metabolic remodeling helps determine the mechanism of phenotypic and functional characteristics in TAMs, including metabolic bias from macrophages’ ontogeny in macrophages’ functional plasticity under physiological and pathological conditions. Both models aim at dissecting the ontogeny-related metabolic regulation in the phenotypic and functional heterogeneity in TAMs. We argue that gleaning from the single-cell transcriptomics on subclonal TAMs’ origins may help understand the classification of TAMs’ population in subclonal evolution and their distinct roles in tumor development. We envision that TAM-subclone-specific metabolic reprogramming may round-up with future cancer therapies.
A Mechanism of Anti-Oxidation Coating Design Based on Inhibition Effect of Interface Layer on Ions Diffusion within Oxide Scale
Authors: Yu Bo , Liu Ya , Wei Lianqi , Zhang Xiaomeng , Du Yingchao , Wang Yanhua , Ye Shufeng
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a mechanism of anti-oxidation coating design based on the inhibition effect of the interface layer on the diffusion of ions within oxide scale was introduced. The Fe2+ ions diffusion behavior in Fe3O4, Cr2FeO4, and FeAl2O4 were studied by molecular dynamics method of Nudged elastic bond. As the result shown, Fe2+ ions tended to diffuse through the vacancy at tetrahedral site in Cr2FeO4 and FeAl2O4, but diffuse through the octahedral vacancy in Fe3O4. When temperature ranged from 1073 to 1325 K, the energy barrier of Fe2+ ions diffusion in Cr2FeO4 was higher than that of FeAl2O4, and both of that were still obvious higher than that in Fe3O4. A new anti-oxidation coating was prepared based on the inhibition of interface layer consisted of FeAl2O4 to protect the carbon steel S235JR at 1200 °C for 2 h. The FeAl2O4 region was formed and observed at the interface between coating and Fe element diffusion area, and the mullite phase was distributed outside of the FeAl2O4 region. Comparing to the bare sample, the prepared coating exhibited an excellent anti-oxidation effect.
Geometrical Scaling of Antiresonant Hollow-Core Fibers for Mid-Infrared Beam Delivery
Authors: Deng Ang , Chang Wonkeun
Published: April 2021

We numerically investigate the effect of scaling two key structural parameters in antiresonant hollow-core fibers—dielectric wall thickness of the cladding elements and core size—in view of low-loss mid-infrared beam delivery. We demonstrate that there exists an additional resonance-like loss peak in the long-wavelength limit of the first transmission band in antiresonant hollow-core fibers. We also find that the confinement loss in tubular-type hollow-core fibers depends strongly on the core size, where the degree of the dependence varies with the cladding tube size. The loss scales with the core diameter to the power of approximately −5.4 for commonly used tubular-type hollow-core fiber designs.
Effect of Argon Flow on Oxygen and Carbon Coupled Transport in an Industrial Directional Solidification Furnace for Crystalline Silicon Ingots
Authors: Qi Xiaofang , Xue Yiwen , Su Wenjia , Ma Wencheng , Liu Lijun
Published: April 2021

Transient global simulations were carried out to investigate the effect of argon flow on oxygen and carbon coupled transport in an industrial directional solidification furnace for quasi-single crystalline silicon ingots. Global calculation of impurity transport in the argon gas and silicon melt was based on a fully coupled calculation of the thermal and flow fields. Numerical results show that the argon flow rate affects the flow intensity along the melt–gas surface, but has no significant effect on the flow patterns of silicon melt and argon gas above the melt–gas surface. It was found that the evaporation flux of SiO along the melt–gas surface decreases with the increasing argon flow rate during the solidification process. However, the net flux of oxygen atoms (SiO evaporation flux minus CO dissolution flux) away from the melt–gas surface increases with the increasing argon flow rate, leading to a decrease in the oxygen concentration in the grown ingot. The carbon concentration in the grown ingot shows an exponential decrease with the increase of the argon flow rate, owing to the fact that the dissolution flux of CO significantly decreases with the increasing argon flow rate. The numerical results agree well with the experimental measurements.
Developing Corporate Sustainability Assessment Methods for Oil and Gas Companies
Authors: Ponomarenko Tatyana , Marinina Oksana , Nevskaya Marina , Kuryakova Kristina
Published: April 2021

As it is predicted that there will be a decrease in production at the oil and gas facilities that are currently operating, it becomes necessary to start developing new oil and gas fields. This results in changes to the state’s policy regarding the participation of private companies in the development and implementation of oil and gas offshore exploration and production new projects. Access to unique fields can be provided to the most socially responsible companies. The purpose of this study is to present the author’s methodology for assessing the dynamics of corporate sustainability. The methodology is based on the assessment of individual, well-founded indicators of sustainable development of companies. The proposed methodology takes into account factors in areas such as occupational health and safety, environmental protection and economic efficiency and identifies two performance indicators. The first indicator is an aggregated index for three groups of factors to assess company ratings relative to the performance of the best company. The second indicator is an assessment of the dynamics within the company relative to the previous values of indicators of corporate social responsibility. The research results obtained using the proposed methodology show that oil and gas companies differ significantly in terms of corporate sustainability. The developed methodology for assessing corporate sustainability is of practical importance and can be used by companies in the analysis and planning of operating and investment activities that ensure the achievement of goals of corporate social responsibility.
Self-Biased and Supply-Voltage Scalable Inverter-Based Operational Transconductance Amplifier with Improved Composite Transistors
Authors: Rodovalho Luis Henrique , Ramos Rodrigues Cesar , Aiello Orazio
Published: April 2021

This paper deals with a single-stage single-ended inverter-based Operational Transconductance Amplifiers (OTA) with improved composite transistors for ultra-low-voltage supplies, while maintaining a small-area, high power-efficiency and low output signal distortion. The improved composite transistor is a combination of the conventional composite transistor and forward-body-biasing to further increase voltage gain. The impact of the proposed technique on performance is demonstrated through post-layout simulations referring to the TSMC 180 nm technology process. The proposed OTA achieves 54 dB differential voltage gain, 210 Hz gain–bandwidth product for a 10 pF capacitive load, with a power consumption of 273 pW with a 0.3 V power supply, and occupies an area of 1026 μm2. For a 0.6 V voltage supply, the proposed OTA improves its voltage gain to 73 dB, and achieves a 15 kHz gain–bandwidth product with a power consumption of 41 nW.
Hierarchic Clustering-Based Face Enhancement for Images Captured in Dark Fields
Authors: Zheng Na , Liu Haoting , Zhang Zhiqiang
Published: April 2021

A hierarchic clustering-based enhancement is proposed to solve the luminance compensation of face recognition in the dark field. First, the face image is divided into five levels by a clustering method. Second, the results above are mapped into three hierarchies according to the histogram thresholds. A low, a middle, and a high-intensity block are found. Third, two kinds of linear transforms are performed to the high and the low-intensity blocks. Finally, a center wrap function-based enhancement is carried out. Experiment results show our method can improve both the face recognition accuracy and image quality.
Discrete Wavelet Transform for the Real-Time Smoothing of Wind Turbine Power Using Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Mannelli Andrea , Papi Francesco , Pechlivanoglou George , Ferrara Giovanni , Bianchini Alessandro
Published: April 2021

Energy Storage Systems (EES) are key to further increase the penetration in energy grids of intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind, by smoothing out power fluctuations. In order this to be economically feasible; however, the ESS need to be sized correctly and managed efficiently. In the study, the use of discrete wavelet transform (Daubechies Db4) to decompose the power output of utility-scale wind turbines into high and low-frequency components, with the objective of smoothing wind turbine power output, is discussed and applied to four-year Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) real data from multi-MW, on-shore wind turbines provided by the industrial partner. Two main research requests were tackled: first, the effectiveness of the discrete wavelet transform for the correct sizing and management of the battery (Li-Ion type) storage was assessed in comparison to more traditional approaches such as a simple moving average and a direct use of the battery in response to excessive power fluctuations. The performance of different storage designs was compared, in terms of abatement of ramp rate violations, depending on the power smoothing technique applied. Results show that the wavelet transform leads to a more efficient battery use, characterized by lower variation of the averaged state-of-charge, and in turn to the need for a lower battery capacity, which can be translated into a cost reduction (up to −28%). The second research objective was to prove that the wavelet-based power smoothing technique has superior performance for the real-time control of a wind park. To this end, a simple procedure is proposed to generate a suitable moving window centered on the actual sample in which the wavelet transform can be applied. The power-smoothing performance of the method was tested on the same time series data, showing again that the discrete wavelet transform represents a superior solution in comparison to conventional approaches.
Numerical Investigation of Gravity-Driven Granular Flow around the Vertical Plate: Effect of Pin-Fin and Oscillation on the Heat Transfer
Authors: Tian Xing , Yang Jian , Guo Zhigang , Wang Qiuwang
Published: April 2021

In this paper, the heat transfer of pin-fin plate unit (PFPU) under static and oscillating conditions are numerically studied using the discrete element method (DEM). The flow and heat transfer characteristics of the PFPU with sinusoidal oscillation are investigated under the conditions of oscillating frequency of 0–10 Hz, amplitude of 0–5 mm and oscillating direction of Y and Z. The contact number, contact time, porosity and heat transfer coefficient under the above conditions are analyzed and compared with the smooth plate. The results show that the particle far away from the plate can transfer heat with the pin-fin of PFPU, and the oscillating PFPU can significantly increase the contact number and enhance the temperature diffusion and heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient of PFPU increases with the increase of oscillating frequency and amplitude. When the PFPU oscillates along the Y direction with the amplitude of 1 mm and the frequency of 10 Hz, the heat transfer coefficient of PFPU is increased by 28% compared with that of the smooth plate. Compared with the oscillation along the Z direction, the oscillation along the Y direction has a significant enhancement on the heat transfer of PFPU.
A Framework for Design and Operation Optimization for Utilizing Low-Grade Industrial Waste Heat in District Heating and Cooling
Authors: Zhang Lingwei , Wang Yufei , Feng Xiao
Published: April 2021

In the process industry, a large amount of low-grade waste heat is discharged into the environment. Furthermore, district heating and cooling systems require considerable low-grade energy. The integration of the two systems has great significance for energy saving. Because the energy demand of consumers varies in periods, the design and operation of an industrial waste heat recovery system need to match with the fluctuations of district energy demand. However, the impact of the periodic changes on the integration schemes are not considered enough in existing research. In this study, a framework method for solving above problem is proposed. Industrial waste heat was integrated with a district heating and cooling system through a heat recovery loop. A three-step mathematical programming method was used in design and operation optimization for multiperiod integration. A case study was conducted, and the results show that the multiperiod optimization method can bring significant benefits to the system. By solving the mixed integer nonlinear programming model, the optimal operation plans of the integration in different periods can be obtained.
Performance Assessment of a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal System in a Mediterranean Climate—An Experimental Analysis Approach
Authors: Bot Karol , Aelenei Laura , Gonçalves Hélder , Gomes Maria da Glória , Silva Carlos Santos
Published: April 2021

The experimental investigation of building-integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) solar systems is essential to characterise the operation of these elements under real conditions of use according to the climate and building type they pertain. BIPVT systems can increase and ensure energy performance and readiness without jeopardising the occupant comfort if correctly operated. The present work presents a case study’s experimental analysis composed of a BIPVT system for heat recovery located in a controlled test room. This work contribution focuses on the presentation of the obtained measured value results that correspond to the BIPVT main boundary conditions (weather and room characteristics) and the thermal behaviour and performance of the BIPVT system, located in the Solar XXI Building, a nZEB exposed to the mild Mediterranean climate conditions of Portugal.
Life Cycle Assessment of Dynamic Water Flow Glazing Envelopes: A Case Study with Real Test Facilities
Authors: Santamaria Belen Moreno , Gonzalo Fernando del Ama , Griffin Matthew , Aguirregabiria Benito Lauret , Hernandez Ramos Juan A.
Published: April 2021

High initial costs hinder innovative technologies for building envelopes. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) should consider energy savings to show relevant economic benefits and potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Life Cycle Energy (LCE) should focus on investment, operation, maintenance, dismantling, disposal, and/or recycling for the building. This study compares the LCC and LCE analysis of Water Flow Glazing (WFG) envelopes with traditional double and triple glazing facades. The assessment considers initial, operational, and disposal costs and energy consumption as well as different energy systems for heating and cooling. Real prototypes have been built in two different locations to record real-world data of yearly operational energy. WFG systems consistently showed a higher initial investment than traditional glazing. The final Life Cycle Cost analysis demonstrates that WFG systems are better over the operation phase only when it is compared with a traditional double-glazing. However, a Life Cycle Energy assessment over 50 years concluded that energy savings between 36% and 66% and CO2 emissions reduction between 30% and 70% could be achieved.
Ecosystem Services: The Key to Human Well-Being
Authors: Paletto Alessandro , Favargiotti Sara
Published: April 2021

Since the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), the global interest for “ecosystem services” has rapidly grown in scientific studies and policy makers’ agenda [...]
Linking Phubbing Behavior to Self-Reported Attentional Failures and Media Multitasking
Authors: Sansevere Kayla S. , Ward Nathan
Published: April 2021

Phubbing, or using a phone to snub another person, has been investigated through social and personality frameworks. Phubbing involves attending to and performing competing tasks, implying the involvement of attentional abilities. Yet, past research has not yet used a cognitive framework to establish a link between phubbing and attention. Using self-report data from a large online sample, we explored the associations between phubbing and everyday attentional failures. Phubbing was associated with difficulties in attentional shifting and distractibility, frequent attentional lapses, spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering, and attention-related cognitive errors. When examining these attention variables alongside several psychosocial and personality variables, attention-related cognitive errors acted as the biggest predictor of phubbing behavior. Phubbing was also positively correlated with media multitasking, which is a conceptually similar yet distinct technology use behavior. The results suggest that perceived everyday attentional failures are strongly associated with, and to an extent can predict, phubbing behavior, even more so than some social and personality variables. Technology has incorporated itself as a necessity, or at the very least a favored convenience, in most people’s lives. Characterizing technology multitasking behaviors from a variety of frameworks can help us better understand who is engaging in these behaviors and why.
Transient Hyperthyrotropinemia in Outpatient Children with Acute Infections of the Respiratory System
Authors: Adamczewska Katarzyna , Adamczewski Zbigniew , Stasiak Magdalena , Lewiński Andrzej , Stawerska Renata
Published: April 2021

Background: Diagnostics of thyroid disorders (TD) are frequently based on the measurements of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration only. If TSH is outside the reference range, the diagnostic procedure used in patients with TD isintroduced. Observations indicate that in a considerable number of these patients, TD is not confirmed. The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of transient hyperthyrotropinemia in healthy children during acute infections of the respiratory system. Patients and Methods: The study included consecutive children (49 boys and 45 girls), aged 2.2–17.3 years, who visited one General Practitioner (GP) due to respiratory tract infections. The tests: complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), TSH and FT4 were run on the next day after the visit at the physician’s (initial visit) and ≥2 weeks after recovery. Results: Among these children, elevated TSH values were found in about 10% of patients, and they went back to normal values after recovery. A prospective analysis showed a reduction of TSH values in approx. 65% of all groups and TSH at the follow-up visit was significantly lower. Conclusions: Transient hyperthyrotropinemia was observed in about 10% of children with acute respiratory tract infection. This preliminary finding remains unexplained.
Numerical Model to Analyze the Physicochemical Mechanisms Involved in CO2 Absorption by an Aqueous Ammonia Droplet
Authors: Lamas Galdo M. I. , Rodriguez García J. D. , Rebollido Lorenzo J. M.
Published: April 2021

CO2 is the main anthropogenic greenhouse gas and its reduction plays a decisive role in reducing global climate change. As a CO2 elimination method, the present work is based on chemical absorption using aqueous ammonia as solvent. A CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model was developed to study CO2 capture in a single droplet. The objective was to identify the main mechanisms responsible for CO2 absorption, such as diffusion, solubility, convection, chemical dissociation, and evaporation. The proposed CFD model takes into consideration the fluid motion inside and outside the droplet. It was found that diffusion prevails over convection, especially for small droplets. Chemical reactions increase the absorption by up to 472.7% in comparison with physical absorption alone, and evaporation reduces the absorption up to 41.9% for the parameters studied in the present work.
Comparison of Cost-Effectiveness between Inpatient and Home-Based Post-Acute Care Models for Stroke Rehabilitation in Taiwan
Authors: Tung Yu-Ju , Lin Wen-Chih , Lee Lin-Fu , Lin Hong-Min , Ho Chung-Han , Chou Willy
Published: April 2021

Stroke rehabilitation focuses on alleviating post-stroke disability. Post-acute care (PAC) offers an intensive rehabilitative program as transitional care following acute stroke. A novel home-based PAC program has been initiated in Taiwan since 2019. Our study aimed to compare the current inpatient PAC model with a novel home-based PAC model in cost-effectiveness and functional recovery for stroke patients in Taiwan. One hundred ninety-seven stroke patients eligible for the PAC program were divided into two different health interventional groups. One received rehabilitation during hospitalization, and the other received rehabilitation by therapists at home. To evaluate the health economics, we assessed the total medical expenditure on rehabilitation using the health system of Taiwan national health insurance and performed cost-effectiveness analyses using improvements of daily activity in stroke patients based on the Barthel index (BI). Total rehabilitative duration and functional recovery were also documented. The total rehabilitative cost was cheaper in the home-based PAC group (p < 0.001), and the cost-effectiveness is USD 152.474 ± USD 164.661 in the inpatient group, and USD 48.184 ± USD 35.018 in the home group (p < 0.001). Lesser rehabilitative hours per 1-point increase of BI score was noted in the home-PAC group with similar improvements in daily activities, life quality and nutrition in both groups. Home-based PAC is more cost-effective than inpatient PAC for stroke rehabilitation.
Parental Ethnic Identity and Its Influence on Children’s Oral Health in American Indian Families
Authors: Wilson Anne R. , Johnson Rachel L. , Albino Judith , Jiang Luohua , Schmiege Sarah J. , Brega Angela G.
Published: April 2021

Objectives: To examine the relationship between ethnic identity and oral health knowledge, beliefs, behavior, and outcomes in American Indian families. Methods: Secondary data were analyzed for 579 parent–child dyads in a randomized controlled trial aimed at reducing early childhood caries in a Northern Plains tribal community. Data included demographic characteristics; parental ethnic identity; oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behavior; and parental/pediatric oral health outcomes. Ethnic identity was assessed using two measures: perceived importance of tribal identity and tribal language proficiency. We examined the association of baseline ethnic identity with baseline and longitudinal oral health measures. Results: At baseline, importance of tribal identity was significantly associated with several oral health beliefs, and one’s locus of control measure (external-chance). Baseline scores on importance of tribal identity were also associated with one’s oral heath belief (perceived severity), the same locus of control measure, and oral health knowledge and behavior over the three years of study follow up. Tribal language proficiency was not associated with any study measures at baseline, although it was associated with parental oral health status over the three years. Conclusions: Ethnic identity was associated with a range of oral health constructs expected to influence American Indian children’s oral health.
The Acute Effect of Diesel Exhaust Particles and Different Fractions Exposure on Blood Coagulation Function in Mice
Authors: Lei Jian , Li Zhouzhou , Huang Xingke , Li Xin , Zhang Guangzheng , Kan Haidong , Chen Renjie , Zhang Yuhao
Published: April 2021

The toxicity and widespread exposure opportunity of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) has aroused public health concerns. This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of DEP and different fractions exposure on blood coagulation function in mice. In this study, nine- week-old C57BL/6J male mice were divided into four exposure groups (with 15 mice in each group). The water-soluble (WS) and water-insoluble (WIS) fractions of DEP were isolated, and intratracheal instillation was used for DEP, WS and WIS exposure. The phosphate buffer saline (PBS) exposure group was set as the control group. After 24 h exposure, the mice were sacrificed for blood routine, coagulation function and bleeding time examinations to estimate the acute effect of DEP, WS and WIS exposure on the blood coagulation function. In our results, no statistically significant difference in weight of body, brain and lung was observed in different exposure groups. While several core indexes in blood coagulation like bleeding time (BT), fibrinogen (FIB), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) altered or showed a lower tendency after DEP, WS and WIS exposure. For example, BT was lower In WIS exposure group (211.00 s) compared with PBS exposure group (238.50 s) (p < 0.01), and FIB was lower in WS exposure group (233.00 g/L) compared with PBS exposure group (249.50 g/L) (p < 0.05). Additionally, systemic inflammation-related indexes like white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEUT), lymphocyte count (LYMPH) altered after DEP, WS and WIS exposure. In conclusion, DEP, WS and WIS fractions exposure could result in the hypercoagulable state of blood in mice. The noteworthy effects of WS and WIS fractions exposure on blood coagulation function deserve further investigation of the potential mechanism.
Social-Ecological Barriers to Access to Healthcare for Adolescents: A Scoping Review
Authors: Garney Whitney , Wilson Kelly , Ajayi Kobi V. , Panjwani Sonya , Love Skylar M. , Flores Sara , Garcia Kristen , Esquivel Christi
Published: April 2021

Access to healthcare for adolescents is often overlooked in the United States due to federal and state-sponsored insurance programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. While these types of programs provide some relief, the issue of healthcare access goes beyond insurance coverage and includes an array of ecological factors that hinder youths from receiving services. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify social-ecological barriers to adolescents’ healthcare access and utilization in the United States. We followed the PRISMA and scoping review methodological framework to conduct a comprehensive literature search in eight electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2020. An inductive content analysis was performed to thematize the categories identified in the data extraction based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM). Fifty studies were identified. Barriers across the five SEM levels emerged as primary themes within the literature, including intrapersonal-limited knowledge of and poor previous experiences with healthcare services, interpersonal-cultural and linguistic barriers, organizational-structural barriers in healthcare systems, community-social stigma, and policy-inadequate insurance coverage. Healthcare access for adolescents is a systems-level problem requiring a multifaceted approach that considers complex and adaptive behaviors.
Patterns of Psychological Responses among the Public during the Early Phase of COVID-19: A Cross-Regional Analysis
Authors: Chong Yuen Yu , Chien Wai Tong , Cheng Ho Yu , Lamnisos Demetris , Ļubenko Jeļena , Presti Giovambattista , Squatrito Valeria , Constantinou Marios , Nicolaou Christiana , Papacostas Savvas , Aydin Gökçen , Ruiz Francisco J. , Garcia-Martin Maria B. , Obando-Posada Diana P. , Segura-Vargas Miguel A. , Vasiliou Vasilis S. , McHugh Louise , Höfer Stefan , Baban Adriana , Neto David Dias , Silva Ana Nunes da , Monestès Jean-Louis , Alvarez-Galvez Javier , Blarrina Marisa Paez , Montesinos Francisco , Salas Sonsoles Valdivia , Őri Dorottya , Kleszcz Bartosz , Lappalainen Raimo , Ivanović Iva , Gosar David , Dionne Frederick , Merwin Rhonda M. , Gloster Andrew T. , Karekla Maria , Kassianos Angelos P.
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to compare the mediation of psychological flexibility, prosociality and coping in the impacts of illness perceptions toward COVID-19 on mental health among seven regions. Convenience sampled online survey was conducted between April and June 2020 from 9130 citizens in 21 countries. Illness perceptions toward COVID-19, psychological flexibility, prosociality, coping and mental health, socio-demographics, lockdown-related variables and COVID-19 status were assessed. Results showed that psychological flexibility was the only significant mediator in the relationship between illness perceptions toward COVID-19 and mental health across all regions (all ps = 0.001–0.021). Seeking social support was the significant mediator across subgroups (all ps range = <0.001–0.005) except from the Hong Kong sample (p = 0.06) and the North and South American sample (p = 0.53). No mediation was found for problem-solving (except from the Northern European sample, p = 0.009). Prosociality was the significant mediator in the Hong Kong sample (p = 0.016) and the Eastern European sample (p = 0.008). These findings indicate that fostering psychological flexibility may help to mitigate the adverse mental impacts of COVID-19 across regions. Roles of seeking social support, problem-solving and prosociality vary across regions.
The Influence of Playing Formation on Physical Demands and Technical-Tactical Actions According to Playing Positions in an Elite Soccer Team
Authors: Arjol-Serrano José Luis , Lampre Miguel , Díez Adrián , Castillo Daniel , Sanz-López Fernando , Lozano Demetrio
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to examine the differences in the physical demands and technical-tactical actions encountered by soccer players between two playing formations (1-4-2-3-1 and 1-4-4-2) for each playing position. Twenty-three professional male soccer players who played 31 official matches participated in this study. Players were classified according to their playing position: central defenders (CD), wide defenders (WD), central midfielders (CM), wide midfielders (WM), offensive midfielders (OM) and forwards (FW). The physical demands were collected as total distance (TD), distance covered in different speed thresholds, and number of accelerations and decelerations. Also, the technical-tactical variables were recorded. The results showed that the 1-4-2-3-1 playing formation demanded decelerations between 2–4 m·s2 (p = 0.027; ES = 0.26) in comparison with 1-4-4-2 for all players. Likewise, forwards (FW) and central midfielders (CM) registered higher physical demands playing with the 1-4-2-3-1 compared to the 1-4-4-2 formation. Regarding the technical-tactical actions, they showed differences between the playing positions of the two playing formations. The findings suggest coaches prescribe specific training programs based on the influence of the playing formation and playing position on the physical demands and technical-tactical actions encountered by players during official match-play.
Investigation of the Association between Smoking Behavior and Metabolic Syndrome Using Lipid Accumulation Product Index among South Korean Adults
Authors: Jeong Sung Hoon , Jang Bich Na , Kim Seung Hoon , Jang Sung-In , Park Eun-Cheol
Published: April 2021

Electronic cigarette vaping has recently been chosen as a smoking alternative for those who want to quit smoking, but some of the electronic cigarette users use both traditional and electronic cigarettes (dual smoking) without stopping smoking. This study investigated the association between smoking behavior and metabolic syndrome among Korean adults. Data from 14,607 participants (6142 males and 8465 females) were examined. They were divided into four categories: dual smoking (both conventional and e-cigarettes), single smoking (only conventional cigarettes), previously smoking, and non-smoking. Metabolic syndrome risk was calculated as a continuous variable using the lipid accumulation product (LAP) index. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the association of log-transformed LAP with smoking behavior. Among the total participants, 187 males and 35 females were dual smokers and 1850 males and 372 females were single smokers. LAP was significantly higher in male who practiced dual and single smoking than LAP of non-smokers—dual: β = 0.27, standard error (SE) = 0.06, p < 0.0001; single: β = 0.18, SE = 0.03, p < 0.0001. In female, LAP was significantly higher among those who practiced only single smoking than LAP of non-smokers (β = 0.21, SE = 0.04, p < 0.0001). Dual and single smoking were significantly associated with higher LAP, a strong predictor of metabolic syndrome. Further studies and awareness regarding the adverse effects of dual smoking are required.
Landscape Pattern Theoretical Optimization of Urban Green Space Based on Ecosystem Service Supply and Demand
Authors: Liu Qinqin , Tian Yichen , Yin Kai , Zhang Feifei , Huang Huiping , Chen Fangmiao
Published: April 2021

Assessing the supply and demand of urban green space (UGS) ecosystem services (ESs) can provide relevant insights for urban planning. This study presents an analysis method for the spatial distribution of UGS ES supply and demand at administrative unit and 1-m grid scales and directly compares the matches of ES supply and demand in spatially explicit maps at two scales. Based on the analysis results at administrative unit scale, administrative units with an unbalanced UGS ES supply and demand were divided into three types: (Ⅰ) lack of green space; (Ⅱ) unreasonable green space structure; (Ⅲ) comprehensive, and different optimization schemes were put forward. According to the analysis results at 1-m scale, the regions with an unbalanced ES supply and demand of an administrative unit were divided into the following: (1) severe ES shortage area; (2) moderate ES shortage area; (3) mild ES shortage area, and the severe ES shortage area was taken as the UGS optimization area. We take the UGS within the 5th Ring Road of Beijing as an example and propose suggestions for optimizing the UGS pattern based on the evaluation of the supply and demand of UGS carbon sequestration services and purification services for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5). This study provides an easy-to-use evaluation method for the spatial distribution of UGS ES supply and demand and proposes different optimization suggestions for the unbalanced area, thus playing a role in UGS construction activities and green space structure optimization.
Role of Oral Antioxidant Supplementation in the Current Management of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Alfonso-Muñoz Enrique Antonio , Burggraaf-Sánchez de las Matas Raquel , Mataix Boronat Jorge , Molina Martín Julio César , Desco Carmen
Published: April 2021

Oxidative stress has been postulated as an underlying pathophysiologic mechanism of diabetic retinopathy (DR), the main cause of avoidable blindness in working-aged people. This review addressed the current daily clinical practice of DR and the role of antioxidants in this practice. A systematic review of the studies on antioxidant supplementation in DR patients was presented. Fifteen studies accomplished the inclusion criteria. The analysis of these studies concluded that antioxidant supplementation has a IIB level of recommendation in adult Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects without retinopathy or mild-to-moderate nonproliferative DR without diabetic macular oedema as a complementary therapy together with standard medical care.
Metabolic, Organoleptic and Transcriptomic Impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Genes Involved in the Biosynthesis of Linear and Substituted Esters
Authors: Marullo Philippe , Trujillo Marine , Viannais Rémy , Hercman Lucas , Guillaumie Sabine , Colonna-Ceccaldi Benoit , Albertin Warren , Barbe Jean-Christophe
Published: April 2021

Esters constitute a broad family of volatile compounds impacting the organoleptic properties of many beverages, including wine and beer. They can be classified according to their chemical structure. Higher alcohol acetates differ from fatty acid ethyl esters, whereas a third group, substituted ethyl esters, contributes to the fruitiness of red wines. Derived from yeast metabolism, the biosynthesis of higher alcohol acetates and fatty acid ethyl esters has been widely investigated at the enzymatic and genetic levels. As previously reported, two pairs of esterases, respectively encoded by the paralogue genes ATF1 and ATF2, and EEB1 and EHT1, are mostly involved in the biosynthesis of higher alcohol acetates and fatty acid ethyl esters. These esterases have a moderate effect on the biosynthesis of substituted ethyl esters, which depend on mono-acyl lipases encoded by MGL2 and YJU3. The functional characterization of such genes helps to improve our understanding of substituted ester metabolism in the context of wine alcohol fermentation. In order to evaluate the overall sensorial impact of esters, we attempted to produce young red wines without esters by generating a multiple esterase-free strain (Δatf1, Δatf2, Δeeb1, and Δeht1). Surprisingly, it was not possible to obtain the deletion of MGL2 in the Δatf1/Δatf2/Δeeb1/Δeht1 background, highlighting unsuspected genetic incompatibilities between ATF1 and MGL2. A preliminary RNA-seq analysis depicted the overall effect of the Δatf1/Δatf2/Δeeb1/Δeht1 genotype that triggers the expression shift of 1124 genes involved in nitrogen and lipid metabolism, but also chromatin organization and histone acetylation. These findings reveal unsuspected regulatory roles of ester metabolism in genome expression for the first time.
CgEnd3 Regulates Endocytosis, Appressorium Formation, and Virulence in the Poplar Anthracnose Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Authors: Wang Xiaolian , Lu Dongxiao , Tian Chengming
Published: April 2021

The hemibiotrophic ascomycete fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is the causal agent of anthracnose on numerous plants, and it causes considerable economic losses worldwide. Endocytosis is an essential cellular process in eukaryotic cells, but its roles in C. gloeosporioides remain unknown. In our study, we identified an endocytosis-related protein, CgEnd3, and knocked it out via polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation. The lack of CgEnd3 resulted in severe defects in endocytosis. C. gloeosporioides infects its host through a specialized structure called appressorium, and ΔCgEnd3 showed deficient appressorium formation, melanization, turgor pressure accumulation, penetration ability of appressorium, cellophane membrane penetration, and pathogenicity. CgEnd3 also affected oxidant adaptation and the expression of core effectors during the early stage of infection. CgEnd3 contains one EF hand domain and four calcium ion-binding sites, and it is involved in calcium signaling. A lack of CgEnd3 changed the responses to cell-wall integrity agents and fungicide fludioxonil. However, CgEnd3 regulated appressorium formation and endocytosis in a calcium signaling-independent manner. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CgEnd3 plays pleiotropic roles in endocytosis, calcium signaling, cell-wall integrity, appressorium formation, penetration, and pathogenicity in C. gloeosporioides, and it suggests that CgEnd3 or endocytosis-related genes function as promising antifungal targets.
The Unique Phenotype of Lipid-Laden Macrophages
Authors: van Eijk Marco , Aerts Johannes M. F. G.
Published: April 2021

Macrophages are key multi-talented cells of the innate immune system and are equipped with receptors involved in damage and pathogen recognition with connected immune response guiding signaling systems. In addition, macrophages have various systems that are involved in the uptake of extracellular and intracellular cargo. The lysosomes in macrophages play a central role in the digestion of all sorts of macromolecules and the entry of nutrients to the cytosol, and, thus, the regulation of endocytic processes and autophagy. Simplistically viewed, two macrophage phenotype extremes exist. On one end of the spectrum, the classically activated pro-inflammatory M1 cells are present, and, on the other end, alternatively activated anti-inflammatory M2 cells. A unique macrophage population arises when lipid accumulation occurs, either caused by flaws in the catabolic machinery, which is observed in lysosomal storage disorders, or as a result of an acquired condition, which is found in multiple sclerosis, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The accompanying overload causes a unique metabolic activation phenotype, which is discussed here, and, consequently, a unifying phenotype is proposed.