bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exosome derived from stem cell: A promising therapeutics for wound healing
Authors: Lv Hui , Liu Hanxiao , Sun Ting , Wang Han , Zhang Xiao , Xu Wei
Published: August 2022

A wound occurs when the epidermis and dermis of the skin are damaged internally and externally. The traditional wound healing method is unsatisfactory, which will prolong the treatment time and increase the treatment cost, which brings economic and psychological burdens to patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new method to accelerate wound healing. As a cell-free therapy, exosome derived from stem cell (EdSC) offers new possibilities for wound healing. EdSC is the smallest extracellular vesicle secreted by stem cells with diameters of 30–150 nm and a lipid bilayer structure. Previous studies have found that EdSC can participate in and promote almost all stages of wound healing, including regulating inflammatory cells; improving activation of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells; and adjusting the ratio of collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ. We reviewed the relevant knowledge of wounds; summarized the biogenesis, isolation, and identification of exosomes; and clarified the pharmacological role of exosomes in promoting wound healing. This review provides knowledge support for the pharmacological study of exosomes.
Bottlenecks Identification and Resilience Improvement of Power Networks in Extreme Events
Authors: Tu Haicheng , Zhang Xi , Xia Yongxiang , Gu Fengqiang , Xu Sheng
Published: August 2022

Extreme events are always accompanied with extensive failures and sharp performance degradation in the power network. This study aims to derive an effective scheme to identify the transmission bottlenecks and improve the power network’s resilience under extreme events. A greedy search scheme is designed for the quick and slow restoration stage to obtain the largest power supply (LPS), which is a significant engineering indicator of the power network. In the quick restoration stage, we use interior point optimization to adjust the operating parameters of undamaged components and maximize the LPS with limited resources. It is worth pointing out that the LPS cannot be further improved, even by increasing the capacities of most transmission links. This phenomenon is due to the existence of transmission bottlenecks, which operate at their capacity limits. Thus, in the slow restoration stage, we identify these transmission bottlenecks and further improve the LPS by expanding the capacities of these links. Case studies show that the proposed greedy search scheme can not only greatly improve the LPS available to the post-disaster network but can also accurately identify the transmission bottlenecks. This work provides practical insights for building resilient infrastructures, although the power network is the object of study.
Changes of thoracic duct flow and morphology in an animal model of elevated central venous pressure
Authors: Lu Xiao , Wang Mengjun , Han Ling , Krieger Joshua , Ivers Jillian , Chambers Sean , Itkin Max , Burkhoff Daniel , Kassab Ghassan S.
Published: August 2022

Objective: Investigation of lymph fluid dynamics in thoracic duct during central venous pressure elevation.

Background: Lymphatic flow is affected by elevated central venous pressure (CVP) in congestive heart failure. The changes of thoracic duct (TD) lymph flow have not been studied chronically in the setting of elevated CVP. This study is to investigate fluid dynamics and remodeling of the TD in the elevated CVP animal model.

Methods: A flow probe was implanted on the swine TD (n = 6) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was created by cutting tricuspid chordae percutaneously. Six swine were used as control group animals. The TD flow was measured for 2 weeks (baseline) before TR and 4 weeks postop-TR surgery. Arterial pressure and CVP were measured. The pressure and flow in the TD were measured percutaneously. Histological and morphological analyses were performed.

Results: TR resulted in an increase in CVP from 4.2 ± 2.6 to 10.1 ± 4.3 mmHg (p < 0.05). The lymph flow in the TD increased from 0.78 ± 1.06 before TR to 8.8 ± 4.8 ml/min (p < 0.05) 2 days post-TR and remained plateau for 4 weeks, i.e., the TD flow remained approximately 8–11 fold its baseline. Compared to the 8.1 ± 3.2 mmHg control group, the TD average pressures at the lymphovenous junction increased to 14.6 ± 5.7 mmHg in the TR group (p < 0.05). The TD diameter and wall thickness increased from 3.35 ± 0.37 mm and 0.06 ± 0.01 mm in control to 4.32 ± 0.57 mm and 0.26 ± 0.02 mm (p < 0.05) in the TR group, respectively.

Conclusion: The elevated CVP results in a significant increase in TD flow and pressure which causes the TD’s outward remodeling and thickening. Our study implicates that the outward remodeling may result in the TD valve incompetence due to failure coaptation of leaflets.
Treatment of wild-type mice with 2,3-butanediol, a urinary biomarker of Fmo5−/− mice, decreases plasma cholesterol and epididymal fat deposition
Authors: Veeravalli Sunil , Varshavi Dorsa , Scott Flora H. , Varshavi Dorna , Pullen Frank S. , Veselkov Kirill , Phillips Ian R. , Everett Jeremy R. , Shephard Elizabeth A.
Published: August 2022

We previously showed that Fmo5−/− mice exhibit a lean phenotype and slower metabolic ageing. Their characteristics include lower plasma glucose and cholesterol, greater glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and a reduction in age-related weight gain and whole-body fat deposition. In this paper, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolite analyses of the urine of Fmo5−/− and wild-type mice identified two isomers of 2,3-butanediol as discriminating urinary biomarkers of Fmo5−/− mice. Antibiotic-treatment of Fmo5−/− mice increased plasma cholesterol concentration and substantially reduced urinary excretion of 2,3-butanediol isomers, indicating that the gut microbiome contributed to the lower plasma cholesterol of Fmo5−/− mice, and that 2,3-butanediol is microbially derived. Short- and long-term treatment of wild-type mice with a 2,3-butanediol isomer mix decreased plasma cholesterol and epididymal fat deposition but had no effect on plasma concentrations of glucose or insulin, or on body weight. In the case of long-term treatment, the effects were maintained after withdrawal of 2,3-butanediol. Short-, but not long-term treatment, also decreased plasma concentrations of triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids. Fecal transplant from Fmo5−/− to wild-type mice had no effect on plasma cholesterol, and 2,3-butanediol was not detected in the urine of recipient mice, suggesting that the microbiota of the large intestine was not the source of 2,3-butanediol. However, 2,3-butanediol was detected in the stomach of Fmo5−/− mice, which was enriched for Lactobacillus genera, known to produce 2,3-butanediol. Our results indicate a microbial contribution to the phenotypic characteristic of Fmo5−/− mice of decreased plasma cholesterol and identify 2,3-butanediol as a potential agent for lowering plasma cholesterol.
Downregulation of growth plate genes involved with the onset of femoral head separation in young broilers
Authors: Ibelli Adriana Mércia Guaratini , Peixoto Jane de Oliveira , Zanella Ricardo , Gouveia João José de Simoni , Cantão Maurício Egídio , Coutinho Luiz Lehmann , Marchesi Jorge Augusto Petroli , Pizzol Mariane Spudeit dal , Marcelino Débora Ester Petry , Ledur Mônica Corrêa
Published: August 2022

Femoral head separation (FHS) is characterized by the detachment of growth plate (GP) and articular cartilage, occurring in tibia and femur. However, the molecular mechanisms involved with this condition are not completely understood. Therefore, genes and biological processes (BP) involved with FHS were identified in 21-day-old broilers through RNA sequencing of the femoral GP. 13,487 genes were expressed in the chicken femoral head transcriptome of normal and FHS-affected broilers. From those, 34 were differentially expressed (DE; FDR ≤0.05) between groups, where all of them were downregulated in FHS-affected broilers. The main BP were enriched in receptor signaling pathways, ossification, bone mineralization and formation, skeletal morphogenesis, and vascularization. RNA-Seq datasets comparison of normal and FHS-affected broilers with 21, 35 and 42 days of age has shown three shared DE genes (FBN2, C1QTNF8, and XYLT1) in GP among ages. Twelve genes were exclusively DE at 21 days, where 10 have already been characterized (SHISA3, FNDC1, ANGPTL7, LEPR, ENSGALG00000049529, OXTR, ENSGALG00000045154, COL16A1, RASD2, BOC, GDF10, and THSD7B). Twelve SNPs were associated with FHS (p < 0.0001). Out of those, 5 were novel and 7 were existing variants located in 7 genes (RARS, TFPI2, TTI1, MAP4K3, LINK54, and AREL1). We have shown that genes related to chondrogenesis and bone differentiation were downregulated in the GP of FHS-affected young broilers. Therefore, these findings evince that candidate genes pointed out in our study are probably related to the onset of FHS in broilers.
A review of heat stress in chickens. Part II: Insights into protein and energy utilization and feeding
Authors: Teyssier Jean-Rémi , Brugaletta Giorgio , Sirri Federico , Dridi Sami , Rochell Samuel J.
Published: August 2022

With the growing global demand for animal protein and rising temperatures caused by climate change, heat stress (HS) is one of the main emerging environmental challenges for the poultry industry. Commercially-reared birds are particularly sensitive to hot temperatures, so adopting production systems that mitigate the adverse effects of HS on bird performance is essential and requires a holistic approach. Feeding and nutrition can play important roles in limiting the heat load on birds; therefore, this review aims to describe the effects of HS on feed intake (FI) and nutrient digestibility and to highlight feeding strategies and nutritional solutions to potentially mitigate some of the deleterious effects of HS on broiler chickens. The reduction of FI is one of the main behavioral changes induced by hot temperatures as birds attempt to limit heat production associated with the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients. Although the intensity and length of the heat period influences the type and magnitude of responses, reduced FI explains most of the performance degradation observed in HS broilers, while reduced nutrient digestibility appears to only explain a small proportion of impaired feed efficiency following HS. Targeted feeding strategies, including feed restriction and withdrawal, dual feeding, and wet feeding, have showed some promising results under hot temperatures, but these can be difficult to implement in intensive rearing systems. Concerning diet composition, feeding increased nutrient and energy diets can potentially compensate for decreased FI during HS. Indeed, high energy and high crude protein diets have both been shown to improve bird performance under HS conditions. Specifically, positive results may be obtained with increased added fat concentrations since lipids have a lower thermogenic effect compared to proteins and carbohydrates. Moreover, increased supplementation of some essential amino acids can help support increased amino acid requirements for maintenance functions caused by HS. Further research to better characterize and advance these nutritional strategies will help establish economically viable solutions to enhance productivity, health, welfare, and meat quality of broilers facing HS.
Ceramide metabolism associated with chronic dietary nutrient surplus and diminished insulin sensitivity in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue of cattle
Authors: Kenéz Ákos , Bäßler Sonja Christiane , Jorge-Smeding Ezequiel , Huber Korinna
Published: August 2022

High dietary energy and protein supply is common practice in livestock nutrition, aiming to maximize growth and production performance. However, a chronic nutritional surplus induces obesity, promotes insulin insensitivity, and triggers low-grade inflammation. Thirty Holstein bulls were randomly assigned to two groups, low energy and protein (LEP), and high energy and protein (HEP) intake, provided from the 13th to the 20th month of life. Body weight, carcass composition, laminitis score, and circulating insulin and glucose concentrations were assessed. The expression and extent of phosphorylation of insulin signaling proteins were measured in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. The sphingolipid metabolome was quantified by a targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based metabolomics approach. The HEP bulls were obese, had hyperinsulinemia with euglycemia, and expressed clinical signs of chronic laminitis. In the liver, protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation was decreased and this was associated with a higher tissue concentration of ceramide 16:0, a sphingolipid that diminishes insulin action by dephosphorylating PKB. In the adipose tissue, insulin receptor expression was lower in HEP bulls, associated with higher concentration of hexosylceramide, which reduces the abundance of functional insulin receptors. Our findings confirm that diet-induced metabolic inflammation triggers ceramide accumulation and disturbs insulin signaling. As insulin insensitivity exacerbates metabolic inflammation, this self-reinforcing cycle could explain the deterioration of metabolic health apparent as chronic laminitis. By demonstrating molecular relationships between insulin signaling and sphingolipid metabolism in three major tissues, our data extend our mechanistic understanding of the role of ceramides in diet-induced metabolic inflammation.
Enrichment characteristics and dietary evaluation of selenium in navel orange fruit from the largest navel orange-producing area in China (southern Jiangxi)
Authors: Yao Fengxian , Wen Li , Chen Rong , Du Chao , Su Shiming , Yan Mengmeng , Yang Zhonglan
Published: August 2022

Diet is the main intake source of selenium (Se) in the body. Southern Jiangxi is the largest navel orange-producing area in China, and 25.98% of its arable land is Se-rich. However, studies on the Se-rich characteristics and Se dietary evaluation of navel orange fruits in the natural environment of southern Jiangxi have not been reported. This study was large-scale and in situ samplings (n = 492) of navel oranges in southern Jiangxi with the goal of investigating the coupling relationships among Se, nutritional elements, and quality indicators in fruits and systematically evaluating Se dietary nutrition to the body. The results indicated that the average content of total Se in the flesh was 4.92 μg⋅kg–1, and the percentage of Se-rich navel oranges (total Se ≥ 10 μg⋅kg–1 in the flesh) was 7.93%, of which 66.74% of the total Se was distributed in the pericarp and 33.26% in the flesh. The average content of total Se in the flesh of Yudu County was the highest at 5.71 μg⋅kg–1. There was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) between Se, Cu, and Zn in the Se-rich flesh. According to the Se content in the flesh, the Se dietary nutrition evaluation was carried out, and it was found that the Se-enriched navel orange provided a stronger Se nutritional potential for the human body. These findings will help to identify Se enrichment in navel orange fruit in China’s largest navel orange-producing area and guide the selection of Se-rich soils for navel orange production in the future.
Adjusting sowing date improves the photosynthetic capacity and grain yield by optimizing temperature condition around flowering of summer maize in the North China Plain
Authors: Guo Dong , Chen Chuanyong , Li Xiangling , Wang Rui , Ding Zaisong , Ma Wei , Wang Xinbing , Li Congfeng , Zhao Ming , Li Ming , Zhou Baoyuan
Published: August 2022

Adjusting the sowing date to optimize temperature conditions is a helpful strategy for mitigating the adverse impact of high temperature on summer maize growth in the North China Plain (NCP). However, the physiological processes of variation in summer maize yield with sowing date-associated changes in temperature conditions around flowering remain to be poorly understood. In this study, field experiments with two maize varieties and three sowing dates (early sowing date, SD1, 21 May; conventional sowing date, SD2, 10 June; delay sowing date, SD3, 30 June) were conducted at Xinxiang of Henan Province in 2019 and 2020. Early sowing markedly decreased the daily mean temperature (Tmean), maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin) during pre-silking, while delay sowing markedly decreased those temperatures during post-silking. Under these temperature conditions, both varieties under SD1 at 12-leaf stage (V12) and silking stage (R1) while under SD3 at R1 and milking stage (R3) possessed significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content in leaf due to higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) compared to SD2. Therefore, SD1 at V12 and R1 stages and SD3 at R1 and R3 stages for both varieties showed significantly higher photosynthetic capacity, including higher SPAD,Fv/Fm,Pn,Tr, andGs, which promoted greater pre-silking dry matter (DM) accumulation for SD1 to increase the kernel number, and promoted greater post-silking DM accumulation for SD3 to increase the kernel weight, eventually increased the grain yield of SD1 and SD3 compared to SD2. Results of regression analysis demonstrated thatTmean,Tmax, andTminvalues from V12 to R1 stages lower than 26.6, 32.5, and 20.3°C are necessary for improving the kernel number, whileTmean,Tmax,Tmin, and accumulated temperature (AT) values from R1 to R3 stages lower than 23.2, 28.9, 17.3, and 288.6°C are necessary for improving the kernel weight. Overall, optimal temperature conditions around flowering can be obtained by early (21 May) or delay (30 June) sowing to improve the kernel number or kernel weight due to improved photosynthetic capacity, eventually increasing the grain yield of summer maize in the NCP.
Biostimulants induce positive changes in the radish morpho-physiology and yield
Authors: Raza Qurat-Ul-Ain , Bashir Muhammad Amjad , Rehim Abdur , Ejaz Rafia , Raza Hafiz Muhammad Ali , Shahzad Umbreen , Ahmed Faraz , Geng Yucong
Published: August 2022

An ever-increasing population has issued an open challenge to the agricultural sector to provide enough food in a sustainable manner. The upsurge in chemical fertilizers to enhance food production had resulted in environmental problems. The objective of the current study is to assess the utilization of biostimulants for sustainable agricultural production as an alternative to chemical fertilization. For this purpose, two pot experiments were conducted to examine the response of radish against individual and combined applications of biostimulants. In the first experiment, the effects of chemical fertilizer (CK), glycine (G), lysine (L), aspartic acid (A), and vitamin B complex (V) were studied. The results demonstrated that V significantly improved the transpiration rate (81.79%), stomatal conductance (179.17%), fresh weight (478.31%), and moisture content (2.50%). In the second experiment, tested treatments included chemical fertilizer (CK), Isabion® (I), glycine + lysine + aspartic acid (GLA), moringa leaf extract + GLA (M1), 25% NPK + M1 (M2). The doses of biostimulants were 5g L−1 glycine, 1g L−1 lysine, 2g L−1 aspartic acid, and 10 ml L−1 moringa leaf extract. The photosynthetic rate improved significantly with GLA (327.01%), M1 (219.60%), and M2 (22.16%), while the transpiration rate was enhanced with GLA (53.14%) and M2 (17.86%) compared to the Ck. In addition, M1 increased the stomatal conductance (54.84%), internal CO2 concentration (0.83%), plant fresh weight (201.81%), and dry weight (101.46%) as compared to CK. This study concludes that biostimulants can effectively contribute to the sustainable cultivation of radish with better growth and yield.
The combination of RNA-seq transcriptomics and data-independent acquisition proteomics reveals the mechanisms underlying enhanced salt tolerance by the ZmPDI gene in Zoysia matrella [L.] Merr.
Authors: Ming Qiang , Wang Kai , Wang Jingjing , Liu Jianxiu , Li Xiaohui , Wei Peipei , Guo Hailin , Chen Jingbo , Zong Junqin
Published: August 2022

Zoysia matrella [L.] Merr. is one of the three most economically important Zoysia species due to its strong salt tolerance and wide application. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating salt tolerance in Z. matrella remain unknown. The protein disulfide isomerase ZmPDI of Z. matrella was obtained by salt stress screening with yeast cells, and its expression was significantly upregulated after salt stress. Based on the obtained ZmPDI overexpression transgenic Z. matrella plants, we carried out salt tolerance identification and found that ZmPDI can significantly enhance the salt tolerance of Z. matrella. Root samples of OX-ZmPDI transgenic and wild-type plants were collected at 0 and 24 h after salt treatments for RNA-seq and data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteome sequencing. Combined analysis of the transcriptome and proteome revealed that ZmPDI may enhance the salt tolerance of Z. matrella by regulating TUBB2, PXG4, PLDα2, PFK4, and 4CL1. This research presents the molecular regulatory mechanism of the ZmPDI gene in Z. matrella for resistance to salt stress and facilitates the use of molecular breeding to improve the salt tolerance of grasses.
Learning from mistakes climate scale: Development and validation
Authors: Lee Michelle Chin Chin , Wo Su Woan
Published: August 2022

Learning from mistakes plays an important role in employee development; however, such a learning scale has not yet been developed. The objective of this study was to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Learning from Mistakes Climate Scale (LMCS) in Malaysia. A pool of items was first developed based on the literature, with an expert panel then convened to select items that met the definition of learning from mistake climate in the workplace, specifically in Malaysia. The experts agreed on 23 items to be rated. In total, 554 working adults with a mean age of 32.28 were then recruited for this study. The LMCS was administered at baseline and 10–14 days later as a retest: 468 participants took part in the retest study, a dropout rate of 15.52%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the LMCS is a 17-item one-factor model. Validity, in its various forms, was supported, namely convergent validity, criterion validity, and predictive validity. Analysis also showed significant reliability, that is, test–retest reliability and in all intra-class correlations. The LMCS was found to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess the learning from mistake climate in Malaysia. This is the first scale in the organizational learning climate literature to integrate the mistake tolerance aspect. This instrument can assist in creating a psychologically safe work environment that helps to facilitate learning, especially in a highly hierarchical, collectivistic culture that is high in power distance.
The effectiveness of a school-based, universal mental health programme in six European countries
Authors: Cefai Carmel , Camilleri Liberato , Bartolo Paul , Grazzani Ilaria , Cavioni Valeria , Conte Elisabetta , Ornaghi Veronica , Agliati Alessia , Gandellini Sabina , Tatalovic Vorkapic Sanja , Poulou Maria , Martinsone Baiba , Stokenberga Ieva , Simões Celeste , Santos Margarida , Colomeischi Aurora Adina
Published: August 2022

As children and young people today face ever increasing social, emotional and mental health challenges, schools, as one of the primary systems in children’s lives, are called to broaden their agenda and help to address these challenges. This paper discusses the evaluation of a school-based, universal mental health promotion programme developed recently for the European context. The programme provides a universal curriculum from early years to high school, aiming to promote social and emotional learning and resilience and prevent social, emotional, and behavioural problems in children and adolescents. A total of 7,789 students (and their teachers and parents) from kindergarten to high school across 6 countries in Europe were recruited from 434 classrooms in 124 schools, making use of cluster sampling. A quasi-experimental longitudinal design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme on students’ outcomes by comparing the groups’ outcomes within times (pre-test vs. post-test) and between groups (experimental vs. control group). A total of 779 classroom teachers completed pre-and-post scales measuring students’ social and emotional learning, mental health and academic achievement. Results indicate that the experimental group had significantly larger increase in social and emotional competence and prosocial behaviour, and a decrease in mental health issues (externalising and internalising problems). No significant impact was found for academic outcomes. The findings are discussed in view of the limitations of the study and areas for further research.
The Relationship Between Exercise Intention and Exercise Behavior of Junior School Students: An Analysis of Chain Mediating Effect
Authors: Chen Yue , Yao Shu-Jun , Ma Qi-Shuai , Shao Wei , Liu Chao , Guo Ke-Lei
Published: August 2022

Objective

This study explores the relationship between exercise intention and exercise behavior and constructs a chain mediating model through the mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity.

Method

Through the stratified cluster sampling method, 1,573 junior school students (with an average age of 13.71 ± 0.891 years) were evaluated by the exercise intention scale, the implementation intention scale, the self-identity scale, and the physical exercise grade scale. For data analysis, the common method deviation test, Pearson correlation analysis, and Model 6 in the SPSS macro program compiled by Hayes for the chain mediating test were conducted.

Results

(1) There is a marked correlation between positive exercise intention and exercise behavior (r = 0.345, p < 0.01), and exercise intention has a significant effect on the direct path of exercise behavior (β = 0.162, t = 12.355, p < 0.01). (2) Exercise intention can positively predict implementation intention (β = 0.219, t = 10.006, p < 0.01) and self-identity (β = 0.160, t = 16.159, p < 0.01); implementation intention can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior (β = 0.230, t = 12.742, p < 0.01),and self-identity can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior (β = 0.273, t = 7.911, p < 0.01). (3) Implementation intention and self-identity play a significant mediating role between exercise intention and exercise behavior. The mediating effect consists of three indirect effects: exercise intention → implementation intention → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.050), exercise intention → self-identity → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.044), and exercise intention →implementation intention → self-identity → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.017).

Conclusion

(1) Exercise intention can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior. (2) Implementation intention and self-identity exert a significant mediating effect between exercise intention and exercise behavior, including the separate mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity, as well as the chain mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity.
Effects of music training in executive function performance in children: A systematic review
Authors: Rodriguez-Gomez Diego Alejandro , Talero-Gutiérrez Claudia
Published: August 2022

Music training has traditionally been a fundamental component of children's education across several cultures. Moreover, music training has been hypothesized to enhance the development of executive functions and improve executive performance in children. In this systematic review, we analyze the available evidence of the effects of music training on executive function performance, evaluated using validated neuropsychologic batteries and classic tasks. To achieve this objective, we performed a systematic search in three databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Scopus) and selected case-control or intervention studies conducted on children with neurotypical development. We analyzed 29 studies that met the inclusion criteria and observed significant heterogeneity among the music interventions and methods for assessing executive functions. The review of the available literature suggests a beneficial effect of music training in core executive function performance, primarily in inhibitory control, and to a lesser extent, in working memory and cognitive flexibility.
E-mail-based health care in patients with dementia during the pandemic
Authors: Altunkalem Seydi Kubra , Ates Bulut Esra , Yavuz Idil , Kavak Hemrin , Kaya Derya , Isik Ahmet Turan
Published: August 2022

Introduction/aim

Frail and cognitively impaired older patients are particularly vulnerable groups during the pandemic. Lockdowns, social isolation, and physical inactivity considerably affect physical and mental wellbeing. During the pandemic process, routine medical checks and acute medical care services may be disrupted. The study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of telemedicine in the delivery of healthcare services to elderly patients during the pandemic.

Materials and methods

E-mails sent to the e-mail address of the department of geriatrics, which has been actively used for 4 years, between April 2020 and June 2021, were retrospectively evaluated. The time and reason for each application, referral to the patients, demographic data of the patients, and chronic diseases were recorded. E-mail frequencies were considered monthly time series, and time series charts for e-mail frequencies from patients were produced.

Results

A total of 374 e-mails that 213 patients sent were assessed. A vast majority, 97.6% of the e-mails, were sent by proxies. The mean age of patients was 78.7 ± 8.1 years, and 59.2% were women. Hypertension and dementia were the most common comorbidities. The applications mostly occurred in April-May and October-November 2020. The most common complaint in dementia was behavioral disturbances (13.6%). Geriatric outpatient appointments were arranged for 29.9% of the applicants, 14.2% were referred to the emergency department, and 23.0% were offered medical treatment. Outpatient examination and treatment were completed in 15% of the patients and 10.4% of them were hospitalized. The time series charts showed that e-mails were sent more frequently by patients with dementia than the others (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Telemedicine, which enables many problems of patients to be solved in geriatric practice without face-to-face appointments, can also prevent infections and unnecessary hospitalizations, especially during these unusual pandemic days.
Leave Me Alone With Your Symptoms! Social Exclusion at the Workplace Mediates the Relationship of Employee's Mental Illness and Sick Leave
Authors: Frank Benjamin Pascal , Theil Clara Magdalena , Brill Nathalie , Christiansen Hanna , Schwenck Christina , Kieser Meinhard , Reck Corinna , Steinmayr Ricarda , Wirthwein Linda , Otto Kathleen ,   The COMPARE-family Research Group
Published: August 2022

Although a substantial part of employees suffers from a mental illness, the work situation of this population still is understudied. Previous research suggests that people with a mental illness experience discrimination in the workplace, which is known to have detrimental effects on health. Building on the stereotype content model and allostatic load theory, the present study investigated whether employees with a mental illness become socially excluded at the workplace and therefore show more days of sick leave. Overall, 86 employees diagnosed with a mental disorder were interviewed and completed online-surveys. Path analyses supported the hypotheses, yielding a serial mediation: The interview-rated severity of the mental disorder had an indirect effect on the days of sick leave, mediated by the symptomatic burden and the social exclusion at the workplace. In the light of the costs associated with absenteeism the present paper highlights the harmfulness of discrimination. Organizations and especially supervisors need to be attentive for signs of exclusion within their teams and try to counteract as early as possible.
Global status of research on radiotherapy for rectal cancer: A bibliometric and visual analysis
Authors: Xiao Yafei , Qiu Mengyuan , Huang Wanting , Hu Shaowen , Tan Cong , Nan Fangmei , Jiang Xiaowei , Wu Dapeng , Li Mengmeng , Li Quanying , Qin Changjiang
Published: August 2022

Radiotherapy for rectal cancer has received increasing research attention in recent years; however, no bibliometric assessment has been conducted on the progress of research in this field. This study aimed to visualize the research evolution and emerging research hotspots in the field of rectal cancer radiotherapy using bibliometric methods. Data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database, including countries, institutions, authors, keywords, and co-citations of references, and the CiteSpace software was used for bibliometric analysis. A total of 5,372 publications on radiotherapy for rectal cancer, published between January 2000 and January 2022, were included. An increasing trend in the number of published articles was observed. There is an overall upward trend in the number of publications published, with the US publishing the most in this field, followed by China and the Netherlands. Italian writer Vincenzo Valentini and German writer R. Sauer ranked first in terms of published articles and co-cited authors, respectively. Literature co-citation and keyword co-occurrence analyses showed that early studies focused on topics such as preoperative radiotherapy, combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and total mesorectal excision. In recent years, gradually increasing attention has been paid to short-course radiotherapy, x-ray brachytherapy, and stereotactic systemic radiotherapy. Burst analysis suggested that magnetic resonance (MR)-guided neoadjuvant radiotherapy studies, mechanistic studies, and clinical trials may emerge as new research hotspots. Rectal cancer radiotherapy has been widely studied and the research hotspots have considerably changed in recent years. Future research hotspots may include MR-guided neoadjuvant radiotherapy studies, mechanistic studies, and clinical trials.
Requirements and challenges for hybrid intelligence: A case-study in education
Authors: Bredeweg Bert , Kragten Marco
Published: August 2022

The potential for Artificial Intelligence is widely proclaimed. Yet, in everyday educational settings the use of this technology is limited. Particularly, if we consider smart systems that actually interact with learners in a knowledgeable way and as such support the learning process. It illustrates the fact that teaching professionally is a complex challenge that is beyond the capabilities of current autonomous robots. On the other hand, dedicated forms of Artificial Intelligence can be very good at certain things. For example, computers are excellent chess players and automated route planners easily outperform humans. To deploy this potential, experts argue for a hybrid approach in which humans and smart systems collaboratively accomplish goals. How to realize this for education? What does it entail in practice? In this contribution, we investigate the idea of a hybrid approach in secondary education. As a case-study, we focus on learners acquiring systems thinking skills and our recently for this purpose developed pedagogical approach. Particularly, we discuss the kind of Artificial Intelligence that is needed in this situation, as well as which tasks the software can perform well and which tasks are better, or necessarily, left with the teacher.
Engaging frontline workers in policy development to support the implementation of measurement-based care: Lessons learned from a field-based workgroup
Authors: Singh Rajinder Sonia , Landes Sara J. , Resnick Sandra G. , Abraham Traci H. , Maieritsch Kelly P. , Pollack Stacey J. , Kirchner JoAnn E.
Published: August 2022

Measurement-Based Care (MBC) is the use of patient-reported outcome measures repeatedly over the course of treatment to track progress and empower both providers and patients to collaboratively set goals and plan treatment. The Measurement-Based Care in Mental Health Initiative within the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention partnered with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Mentoring Program to create an interdisciplinary field-based workgroup. The workgroup included psychologists, clinical social workers, and mental health counselors from PTSD Clinical Teams. The task of the workgroup was to create guidelines for best practice in delivery of MBC in PTSD Clinical Teams given anticipated policy requiring MBC to be used in PTSD Clinical Teams. Framed in the Strategic Action Field Framework for Policy Implementation Research, the current paper evaluates this hybrid top-down and bottom-up process of policy development. Major barriers included difficulty with the workgroup as an authentic bottom-up process, inability to reach the entire field (e.g., focus groups not widely attended by providers), and limited diversity in the workgroup. Facilitators included using consensus to make decisions, support provided to workgroup members by national operations partners, and collaboration and mutual respect among workgroup members. Workgroup members noted an equal, respectful partnership between operations partners and the workgroup; they reported feeling empowered and believed the viewpoints of the field were included in the guidelines. Further, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the workgroup included more guidelines specific to telehealth into the guidelines. This hybrid model provides a process through which frontline workers can inform policy development and implementation.
Mathematical Model of the Immunopathological Progression of Tuberculosis
Authors: Flores-Garza Eliezer , Zetter Mario A , Hernández-Pando Rogelio , Domínguez-Hüttinger Elisa
Published: August 2022

Tuberculosis is a worldwide persistent infectious disease. It is caused by bacteria from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that mainly affects the lungs and can be fatal. Using an integrative systems biology approach, we study the immunopathological progression of this disease, analyzing the key interactions between the cells involved in the different phases of the infectious process. We integrated multiple in vivo and in vitro data from immunohistochemical, serological, molecular biology, and cell count assays into a mechanistic mathematical model. The ordinary differential equation (ODE) model captures the regulatory interplay between the phenotypic variation of the main cells involved in the disease progression and the inflammatory microenvironment. The model reproduces in vivo time course data of an experimental model of progressive pulmonary TB in mouse, accurately reflecting the functional adaptations of the host–pathogen interactions as the disease progresses through three phenotypically different phases. We used the model to assess the effect of genotypic variations (encoded as changes in parameters) on disease outcomes. For all genotypes, we found an all-or-nothing response, where the virtual mouse either completely clears the infection or suffers uncontrolled Tb growth. Results show that it is 84% probable that a mouse submitted to a progressive pulmonary TB assay will end up with an uncontrolled infection. The simulations also showed how the genotypic variations shape the transitions across phases, showing that 100% of the genotypes evaluated eventually progress to phase two of the disease, suggesting that adaptive immune response activation was unavoidable. All the genotypes of the network that avoided progressing to phase 3 cleared the infection. Later, by analyzing the three different phases separately, we saw that the anti-inflammatory genotype of phase 3 was the one with the highest probability of leading to uncontrolled bacterial growth, and the proinflammatory genotype associated with phase 2 had the highest probability of bacterial clearance. Forty-two percent of the genotypes evaluated showed a bistable response, with one stable steady state corresponding to infection clearance and the other one to bacteria reaching its carrying capacity. Our mechanistic model can be used to predict the outcomes of different experimental conditions through in silico assays.
Small non-coding RNA landscape of extracellular vesicles from a post-traumatic model of equine osteoarthritis
Authors: Anderson James R. , Jacobsen Stine , Walters Marie , Bundgaard Louise , Diendorfer Andreas , Hackl Matthias , Clarke Emily J. , James Victoria , Peffers Mandy J.
Published: August 2022

Extracellular vesicles comprise an as yet inadequately investigated intercellular communication pathway in the field of early osteoarthritis. We hypothesised that the small non-coding RNA expression pattern in synovial fluid and plasma would change during progression of experimental osteoarthritis. In this study, we conducted small RNA sequencing to provide a comprehensive overview of the temporal expression profiles of small non-coding transcripts carried by extracellular vesicles derived from plasma and synovial fluid for the first time in a posttraumatic model of equine osteoarthritis. Additionally, we characterised synovial fluid and plasma-derived extracellular vesicles with respect to quantity, size, and surface markers. The different temporal expressions of seven microRNAs in plasma and synovial fluid-derived extracellular vesicles, eca-miR-451, eca-miR-25, eca-miR-215, eca-miR-92a, eca-miR-let-7c, eca-miR-486-5p, and eca-miR-23a, and four snoRNAs, U3, snord15, snord46, and snord58, represent potential biomarkers for early osteoarthritis. Bioinformatics analysis of the differentially expressed microRNAs in synovial fluid highlighted that in early osteoarthritis these related to the inhibition of cell cycle, cell cycle progression, DNA damage and cell proliferation as well as increased cell viability and differentiation of stem cells. Plasma and synovial fluid-derived extracellular vesicle small non-coding signatures have been established for the first time in a temporal model of osteoarthritis. These could serve as novel biomarkers for evaluation of osteoarthritis progression or act as potential therapeutic targets.
Algorithms for Reliable Estimation, Identification and Control
Authors: Rauh Andreas , Jaulin Luc , Alexandre dit Sandretto Julien
Published: August 2022

The two-part Special Issue “Algorithms for Reliable Estimation, Identification and Control” deals with the optimization of feedforward and feedback controllers with respect to predefined performance criteria as well as the state and parameter estimation for systems with uncertainty [...]
Simulation of Low-Speed Buoyant Flows with a Stabilized Compressible/Incompressible Formulation: The Full Navier–Stokes Approach versus the Boussinesq Model
Authors: Hauke Guillermo , Lanzarote Jorge
Published: August 2022

This paper compares two strategies to compute buoyancy-driven flows using stabilized methods. Both formulations are based on a unified approach for solving compressible and incompressible flows, which solves the continuity, momentum, and total energy equations in a coupled entropy-consistent way. The first approach introduces the variable density thermodynamics of the liquid or gas without any artificial buoyancy terms, i.e., without applying any approximate models into the Navier–Stokes equations. Furthermore, this formulation holds for flows driven by high temperature differences. Further advantages of this formulation are seen in the fact that it conserves the total energy and it lacks the incompressibility inconsistencies due to volume changes induced by temperature variations. The second strategy uses the Boussinesq approximation to account for temperature-driven forces. This method models the thermal terms in the momentum equation through a temperature-dependent nonlinear source term. Computer examples show that the thermodynamic approach, which does not introduce any artificial terms into the Navier–Stokes equations, is conceptually simpler and, with the incompressible stabilization matrix, attains similar residual convergence with iteration count to methods based on the Boussinesq approximation. For the Boussinesq model, the SUPG and SGS methods are compared, displaying very similar computational behavior. Finally, the VMS a posteriori error estimator is applied to adapt the mesh, helping to achieve better accuracy for the same number of degrees of freedom.
Development and Validation of a Novel Control-Volume Model for the Injection Flow in a Variable Cycle Engine
Authors: Wang Ruoyu , Yu Xianjun , Zhao Ke , Liu Baojie , An Guangfeng
Published: August 2022

The variable area bypass injector (VABI) plays a crucial role in variable cycle engines by regulating the flow mixing process in complex bypass ducts, and low-dimensional theoretical models are the key to revealing its working mechanism while estimating its aerodynamic performance. An improved VABI model using the control volume method is established, through which the feature parameters that determine the VABI aerodynamic performance are summarized. To acquire an accurate prediction of the injection ratio, a calibration item is introduced to the governing equations to consider the static pressure discrepancy on the mixing plane, and a numerical database is developed to obtain the calibration item. Results show that the aerodynamic parameters that determine the VABI performance include the bypass total pressure ratio, bypass backpressure, and the injection ratio, while the injection angle and the VABI opening area also influence the injection flow characteristics. The injection ratio is increased by reducing the bypass total pressure ratio, decreasing the bypass backpressure, and closing the VABI. Numerical validation shows that the calculation error of the improved model is generally below 3%. The improved VABI model is then validated by a well-arranged experiment, for which the annular flow is simplified into a rectangular duct flow with an error of less than 5%. The experimental validation also proves the accuracy of the model.
Numerical Simulation of the Flow in Two-Phase Supersonic Underexpanded Gas–Particle Jets Exhausting into a Slotted Submerged Space
Authors: Kiselev Sergey , Kiselev Vladimir , Zaikovskii Viktor
Published: August 2022

A simplified 2D model for calculating two-phase gas–particle flows in a slot space has been developed. The model can be used for fast calculation and estimation of supersonic-flow parameters in the slot space. Using this model, a numerical simulation of the flow in two-phase gas–particle supersonic jets exhausting into a submerged slot space bounded by two parallel disks was performed. The presence of particles led to the splitting of the gas jet into an internal two-phase jet and an external gas jet. In the present study, we investigated the structure of a two-phase jet as dependent on the spacing between the disks for conditions of cold spraying. A new effect was found in the flow at a small spacing between the disks (of the order of 0.2 mm) and a high-velocity internal two-phase gas–particle jet was formed. The distribution of the concentration of particles in the particle jet proved to be essentially non-uniform, with a caustic formed at the upper jet boundary.