bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Multifaceted Role of Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy in Head and Neck Surgery: Oncologic and Functional Insights
Authors: Wenda Nina , Fruth Kai , Fisseler-Eckhoff Annette , Gosepath Jan
Published: September 2023

(1) Background: Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) has emerged as a transformative tool in head and neck surgery, with applications spanning oncologic insights and functional evaluations. This study delves into CLE’s potential in these domains. (2) Methods: We performed CLE in head and neck oncologic surgery, focusing on tumor margin identification and precise resection. We also employed CLE for functional assessment in allergic rhinitis, observing real-time mucosal changes during nasal provocation testing. (3) Results: In oncologic surgery, CLE enabled real-time visualization of tumor margins and cellular patterns, aiding resection decisions. In allergic rhinitis assessment, CLE captured dynamic morphological alterations upon allergen exposure, enhancing understanding of mucosal reactions. (4) Conclusions: The integration of CLE with evolving technologies such as deep learning and AI holds promise for enhanced diagnostic accuracy. This study underscores CLE’s expansive potential, highlighting its role in guiding surgical choices and illuminating inflammatory processes in the head and neck.
FDG PET/CT and Endoscopic Ultrasound for Preoperative T-Staging of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Huang Yung-Cheng , Chiu Nan-Tsing , Lu Hung-I , Chiu Yi-Chun , Hsu Chien-Chin , Wang Yu-Ming , Li Shau-Hsuan
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performances of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and FDG PET/CT in the preoperative T-staging of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and determine whether their innovative coordination achieves better prediction. In total, 100 patients diagnosed with ESCC, 57 without (CRT[−]sub) and 43 with (CRT[+]sub) neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, undergoing EUS and FDG PET/CT, followed by surgical resection of the tumor, were included in this analysis. EUS classified T-stages based on the depth of primary tumor invasion, and FDG PET/CT used thresholded maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) classifications. By employing pathology results as the reference standard, we assessed the accuracy of EUS and FDG PET/CT, evaluated their concordance using the κ statistic, and conducted a comparative analysis between the two modalities through McNemar’s chi-square test. FDG PET/CT had higher overall accuracy than EUS (for CRT[−]sub: 71.9%, κ = 0.56 vs. 56.1%, κ = 0.31, p = 0.06; for CRT[+]sub: 65.1%, κ = 0.50 vs. 18.6%, κ = 0.05, p < 0.01) in predicting pT- and ypT-stage. Our proposed method of incorporating both FDG PET/CT and EUS information could achieve higher accuracies in differentiating between early and locally advanced disease in the CRT[−]sub group (82.5%) and determining residual viable tumor in the CRT[+]sub group (83.7%) than FDG PET/CT or EUS alone. FDG PET/CT had a better diagnostic ability than EUS to predict the (y)pT-stage of ESCC. Our complementary method, which combines the advantages of both imaging modalities, can deliver higher accuracy for clinical applications of ESCC.
Orthopaedic Simulation of a Morton’s Extension to Test the Effect on Plantar Pressures of Each Metatarsal Head in Patients without Deformity: A Pre-Post-Test Study
Authors: Sánchez-Serena Anna , Losa-Iglesias Marta Elena , Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo Ricardo , Morales-Ponce Ángel , Soriano-Medrano Alfredo , Pérez-Boal Eduardo , Grande-del-Arco Jessica , Casado-Hernández Israel , Martínez-Jiménez Eva María
Published: September 2023

Background: the area beneath the metatarsal heads is a common location of foot pain, which is often associated with high plantar pressures. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the application of a Morton’s extension on the pressure in the metatarsal bones of the foot using a pressure platform. Methods: twenty-five subjects without musculoskeletal pathology were selected for this study, and an experiment was conducted with them as the subjects, before and after application of a Morton’s extension. The foot regions were divided into the forefoot (transversely subdivided into six areas corresponding to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth metatarsal heads, and the hallux), midfoot, and rearfoot, and then the maximum and average pressures exerted at each region were measured before and after placing a Morton’s extension. Main findings: we found a pressure reduction, with a p-value less than (p < 0.05), in the head of the second and third metatarsals in statics and dynamics. Conclusions: we can conclude that the Morton’s extension produces a variation in plantar pressures on the lesser metatarsals. The application of a Morton’s extension may be beneficial for the management of forefoot pathology. This study will help clinicians consider various tools to treat forefoot disorders. NCT05879094 (ClinicalTrial.gov (accessed on 18 May 2023)).
Comparison of Arterial Stiffness and Strain Measured with Speckle Tracking Carotid Strain Ultrasonography after Radiation and Surgical Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer—A Clinical Trial
Authors: Depboylu Bengu , Eryilmaz Aylin , Basak Hatice Sema , Kirbac Veli , Basal Yesim , Omurlu Imran Kurt , Gok Mustafa
Published: September 2023

This study assessed arterial stiffness in head and neck cancer patients using speckle tracking carotid strain ultrasonography (STCS-US). It investigated the impacts of neck irradiation and neck dissection on the arterial stiffness of these patients by comparing their stiffness parameters with those of healthy controls. A total of 101 participants (67 patients and 34 healthy controls) were enrolled in this study. Fifty-two patients received definitive radiation therapy (TD: 60–72 Gy in 30 days) at least two years ago. Participants were grouped into four according to their states of neck irradiation (IR) and neck dissection (ND): Group (IR+/ND−) had 28 patients, Group (IR+/ND+) had 24 patients, Group (IR−/ND+) had 15 patients, and Group (IR−/ND−) had 34 healthy controls. All the participants underwent STCS-US. Arterial stiffness parameters relating to arterial compliance (AC) and elastic modulus (EM) were significantly changed in Group (IR+/ND−) and Group (IR+/ND+) in the transverse plane (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and in the longitudinal plane (p < 0.001, p < 0.001); the change in β-stiffness index (β-SI) was more significant in the transverse plane (p = 0.002). Group (IR+/ND+) had significant transverse circumferential (p = 0.001) and radial strain parameters (p = 0.001). The carotid intimal medial thickness (CIMT) significantly changed in Group (IR+/ND+) compared to controls (p = 0.001). Our findings indicate that neck irradiation and neck dissection increase arterial stiffness as single treatments; however, double treatment is associated with a higher increase. Neck irradiation affects strain parameters more than neck dissection alone. The study demonstrated the feasibility and clinical value of the STCS method in assessing arterial stiffness and its potential use in cardiovascular risk assessment for patients with head and neck cancer.
Identifying Effective Biomarkers for Accurate Pancreatic Cancer Prognosis Using Statistical Machine Learning
Authors: Abu-Khudir Rasha , Hafsa Noor , Badr Badr E.
Published: September 2023

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has one of the lowest survival rates among all major types of cancer. Consequently, it is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Serum biomarkers historically correlate well with the early prognosis of post-surgical complications of PC. However, attempts to identify an effective biomarker panel for the successful prognosis of PC were almost non-existent in the current literature. The current study investigated the roles of various serum biomarkers including carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8 (CXCL-8), procalcitonin (PCT), and other relevant clinical data for identifying PC progression, classified into sepsis, recurrence, and other post-surgical complications, among PC patients. The most relevant biochemical and clinical markers for PC prognosis were identified using a random-forest-powered feature elimination method. Using this informative biomarker panel, the selected machine-learning (ML) classification models demonstrated highly accurate results for classifying PC patients into three complication groups on independent test data. The superiority of the combined biomarker panel (Max AUC-ROC = 100%) was further established over using CA19-9 features exclusively (Max AUC-ROC = 75%) for the task of classifying PC progression. This novel study demonstrates the effectiveness of the combined biomarker panel in successfully diagnosing PC progression and other relevant complications among Egyptian PC survivors.
Characterization of Cancer/Testis Antigens as Prognostic Markers of Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Vlasenkova Ramilia , Konysheva Daliya , Nurgalieva Alsina , Kiyamova Ramziya
Published: September 2023

The main goal of this study was to characterize cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) as potential molecular markers of ovarian cancer. First, we gathered and analyzed a significantly large dataset of 21 selected CTAs that are encoded by 32 genes; the dataset consisted of the mutation data, expression data, and survival data of patients with ovarian cancer (n = 15,665). The 19 functionally significant missense mutations were identified in 9 CTA genes: ACRBP, CCT4, KDM5B, MAGEA1, MAGEA4, PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PRAME, and SPA17. The analysis of the mRNA expression levels of 21 CTAs in healthy and tumor ovarian tissue showed an up-regulation in the expression level of AKAP3, MAGEA4, PIWIL1, and PRAME in tumor samples and a down-regulation in the expression level of CTAG1A, CTAG1B, MAGEC1, and PIWIL2. The CCT4 up-regulation and PRAME mutations were correlated with a good prognosis for ovarian cancer, while higher levels of GAGE2A and CT45A1 mRNAs were correlated with a poor prognosis for ovarian cancer patients. Thus, GAGE2, CT45, CCT4, and PRAME cancer/testis antigens can be considered as potential prognostic markers for ovarian tumors, and GAGE2, CCT4, and PRAME were revealed to be correlated with the prognosis for ovarian cancer patients for the first time.
Clinical and Forensic Investigation Protocols for Diagnosing Abusive Head Trauma: A Literature Review
Authors: Sacco Matteo Antonio , Gualtieri Saverio , Tarda Lucia , Ricci Pietrantonio , Aquila Isabella
Published: September 2023

Abusive head trauma (AHT) represents a very serious global public health problem. Prevention of these episodes is essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality of this phenomenon. All healthcare professionals should be able to recognize the signs of abuse. However, diagnosis is very complex as the signs are often blurred and cannot be recognized with certainty without carrying out adequate instrumental investigations. It has been calculated that approximately one-third of AHT cases remain undetected and require more than one medical visit to be correctly interpreted and diagnosed. On the other hand, the literature has recently also emphasized the problems related to possible false diagnoses of abuse and the numerous family and personal repercussions that follow from this issue. For these reasons, correct and timely recognition is essential to avoid the risk of recurrence of AHT and to start proper forensic investigations, in order to identify the offender or exonerate a suspect. The present work explores the most recent evidence of recent years in the field of AHT diagnostics through a literature review. The purpose of this article is to provide forensic pathologists with clear tools for diagnosis based on the literature. To this end, the review suggests clinical and forensic protocols aimed at the timely diagnosis of AHT in order to prevent abuse from remaining undetected.
Rare Case of Raoultella planticola Infective Endocarditis after Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery
Authors: Opriș Diana Roxana , Vacariu Victor , Ion Alexandru Petru , Szigyarto Timea , Arbănași Emil Marian , Russu Eliza , Opriș Maria Mihaela
Published: September 2023

Infective endocarditis remains a condition associated with high morbidity and mortality, regardless of advances in diagnosis and therapeutics. The etiology, microbiology, and epidemiology of infective endocarditis have changed in the last years, with healthcare-associated infective endocarditis being responsible for a myriad of cases. Raoultella planticola is rarely the cause of infective endocarditis. We present a 72-year-old Caucasian female with a history of mitral valve replacement for rheumatic valve disease two months before the current presentation, without any immunosuppressive pathologies, diagnosed with Raoultella planticola infective endocarditis. Long-drawn antibiotic treatment led to a full recovery with no evidence of recurrence or relapse. This report highlights the importance of a multimodal approach for the diagnosis of bacterial etiology, the importance of selection and duration of an appropriate antibiotic regimen, and the presence of a rare opportunistic bacteria that has proven pathogenicity in a wide range of organ systems, usually in patients with several risk factors.
Homework’s Implications for the Well-Being of Primary School Pupils—Perceptions of Children, Parents, and Teachers
Authors: Negru Iasmina , Sava Simona
Published: September 2023

Teachers and educational researchers explore various approaches to make homework more engaging and enjoyable, intending to improve the well-being and academic performance of primary school students. The study aimed to identify practices with positive and negative effects on students’ well-being when doing homework. The views of those involved in giving, doing, and assessing homework were captured from three perspectives, namely, teachers, students, and parents. In May–June 2022, six online focus groups were conducted with the participation of 13 teachers, 11 parents, and 16 primary school students from a Romanian school. The thematic analysis identified the homework that the children (do not) like; their reactions when they receive, do, and are assessed for such homework; and suggestions on how to improve the homework. The results revealed that homework assignments that make young schoolchildren feel capable, effective, appreciated, and rewarded; homework done in teams in the form of competitions or games; parental involvement in collaborative homework; and homework with creative elements are effective ways that contribute to the well-being of primary school pupils when doing homework. Repetitive, lengthy, tedious, overloaded homework generates frustration, discouragement, and emotional reactions such as crying, abandonment, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
Graph Attention Networks and Track Management for Multiple Object Tracking
Authors: Zhang Yajuan , Liang Yongquan , Elazab Ahmed , Wang Zhihui , Wang Changmiao
Published: September 2023

Multiple object tracking (MOT) constitutes a critical research area within the field of computer vision. The creation of robust and efficient systems, which can approximate the mechanisms of human vision, is essential to enhance the efficacy of multiple object-tracking techniques. However, obstacles such as repetitive target appearances and frequent occlusions cause considerable inaccuracies or omissions in detection. Following the updating of these inaccurate observations into the tracklet, the effectiveness of the tracking model, employing appearance features, declines significantly. This paper introduces a novel method of multiple object tracking, employing graph attention networks and track management (GATM). Utilizing a graph attention network, an attention mechanism is employed to capture the relationships of nodes within the graph as well as node-to-node correlations across graphs. This mechanism allows selective focus on the features of advantageous nodes and enhances discriminability between node features, subsequently improving the performance and robustness of multiple object tracking. Simultaneously, we categorize distinct tracklet states and introduce an efficient track management method, which employs varying processing techniques for tracklets in diverse states. This method can manage occluded tracks in crowded scenes and improves tracking accuracy. Experiments conducted on three challenging public datasets (MOT16, MOT17, and MOT20) demonstrate that our method could deliver competitive performance.
Energy Efficiency of Connected Autonomous Vehicles: A Review
Authors: Faghihian Hamed , Sargolzaei Arman
Published: September 2023

Connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) have emerged as a promising solution for enhancing transportation efficiency. However, the increased adoption of CAVs is expected to lead to a rise in transportation demand and, subsequently, higher energy consumption. In this context, electric CAVs (E-CAVs) present a significant opportunity to shape the future of efficient transportation systems. While conventional CAVs possess the potential to reduce fuel consumption, E-CAVs offer similar prospects but through distinct approaches. Notably, the control of acceleration and regenerative brakes in E-CAVs stands out as an area of immense potential for increasing efficiency, leveraging various control methods in conjunction with the cooperative and perception capabilities inherent in CAVs. To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper conducts a comprehensive survey of energy efficiency methods employed in conventional CAVs while also exploring energy efficiency strategies specifically tailored for E-CAVs.
AI-Enabled Framework for Mobile Network Experimentation Leveraging ChatGPT: Case Study of Channel Capacity Calculation for η-µ Fading and Co-Channel Interference
Authors: Krstic Dragana , Petrovic Nenad , Suljovic Suad , Al-Azzoni Issam
Published: September 2023

Artificial intelligence has been identified as one of the main driving forces of innovation in state-of-the-art mobile and wireless networks. It has enabled many novel usage scenarios, relying on predictive models for increasing network management efficiency. However, its adoption requires additional efforts, such as mastering the terminology, tools, and newly required steps of data importing and preparation, all of which increase the time required for experimentation. Therefore, we aimed to automate the manual steps as much as possible while reducing the overall cognitive load. In this paper, we explore the potential use of a novel Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) conversational agent together with a model-driven approach relying on the Neo4j graph database in order to aid experimentation and analytics in the case of wireless network planning. As a case study, we present a derivation of the expression for the channel capacity (CC) metric in the case of η-µ multipath fading and η-µ co-channel interference. Moreover, the derived expression is leveraged for quality of service (QoS) estimation within the software simulation environment. ChatGPT, in synergy with a model-driven approach, is used to automate several steps: data importing, generation of graph construction, and machine learning-related Neo4j queries. According to the achieved outcomes, the proposed QoS estimation method, based on the derived CC expression (with precision up to the fifth significant digit), demonstrates satisfactory accuracy (up to 98%) and faster training than the deep neural network-based solution. On the other hand, compared to the manual approach based on our previous work, ChatGPT-based code generation reduces the time required for experimentation by more than 4 times.
Smith-Predictor-Based Design of Analytical PI-PD Control for Series Cascade Processes with Time Delay
Authors: Li Mingjie , Xin Minyuan , Zhao Zhicheng , Wang Jianan , Hu Xiao
Published: September 2023

For series cascade processes with a time delay, such as the first-order with time-delay (FOTD) process, the integral with time-delay (ITD) process, second-order integral with time-delay (SOITD) process, and unstable first-order with time-delay (UFOTD) process, this paper proposes a Smith-predictor-based design of analytical PI-PD control for these series cascade processes with a time delay. Firstly, targeting the common FOTD model in the secondary loop, a controller with a PID structure is designed using the direct synthesis method. Additionally, a Smith-predictor-based PI-PD control structure is adopted for the prevalent process model in the primary loop. Then, expressions representing the relationship between the corresponding controller parameters and the maximum sensitivity (Ms) index are established to facilitate the analytical design of the controllers. Finally, based on simulation experiments, the effectiveness and superiority are validated by using the proposed method.
Study on Regional Differences of Carbon Emission Efficiency: Evidence from Chinese Construction Industry
Authors: Hu Senchang , Li Shaoyi , Meng Xiangxin , Peng Yingzheng , Tang Wenzhe
Published: September 2023

The escalating issue of global climate change necessitates urgent measures to reduce carbon emissions globally. Within this context, the construction industry emerges as a critical sector to address given its high energy consumption, substantial CO2 emissions, and low utilization rate. Therefore, it is pivotal to foster energy conservation and reduce emissions in this sector. To this end, this paper delineates two primary objectives: (1) identifying optimal research methodologies and index parameters for evaluating carbon emission efficiency in the construction industry, and (2) assessing the variance in carbon emission efficiency at disparate stages and regions. Leveraging the Malmquist index, we scrutinize the carbon emission data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning from 2010 to 2019. Our findings indicate a geographical dichotomy in China’s construction industry’s carbon emission efficiency—lower in the west and higher in the east. Additionally, this study delves into the distinguishing features of emission efficiency alterations across regions, the main influencing factors, and avenues for enhancement. Subsequently, it proposes policy recommendations tailored to the unique attributes of various regions and the overarching framework.
Sensing Linked Cues for Ecosystem Risk and Decisions
Authors: Convertino Matteo
Published: September 2023

Ecological indicators of ecosystem anomalies are fundamentally important to sensing how close we are to slow or catastrophic ecosystem shifts and to targeting systemic controls for preservation, restoration and eco-based development [...]
Fine Flow Structure at the Miscible Fluids Contact Domain Boundary in the Impact Mode of Free-Falling Drop Coalescence
Authors: Chashechkin Yuli D. , Ilinykh Andrey Yu.
Published: September 2023

Registration of the flow pattern and the matter distribution of a free falling liquid drop in a target fluid at rest in the impact mode of coalescence when the kinetic energy (KEn) of the drop exceeds its available surface potential energy (ASPe) was carried out by photo and video recording. We studied the evolution of the fine flow structure at the initial stage of the cavity formation. To carry out color registration, the observation field was illuminated by several matrix LED and fiber-optic sources of constant light. The planning of experiments and interpretation of the results were based on the properties of the complete solutions of the fundamental equations of a fluid mechanics system, including the transfer and conversion of energy processes. Complete solutions of the system of equations describe large-scale flow components that are waves or vortices as well as thin jets (ligaments, filaments, fibers, trickles). In experiments, the jets are accelerated by the converted available surface potential energy (ASPe) when the free surfaces of merging fluids were eliminated. The experiments were performed with the coalescence of water, solutions of alizarin ink, potassium permanganate, and copper sulfate or iron sulfate drops in deep water. In all cases, at the initial contact, the drop begins to lose its continuity and breaks up into a thin veil and jets, the velocity of which exceeds the drop contact velocity. Small droplets, the size of which grows with time, are thrown into the air from spikes at the jet tops. On the surface of the liquid, the fine jets leave colored traces that form linear and reticular structures. Part of the jets penetrating through the bottom and wall of the cavity forms an intermediate covering layer. The jets forming the inside layer are separated by interfaces of the target fluid. The processes of molecular diffusion equalize the density differences and form an intermediate layer with sharp boundaries in the target fluid. All noted structural features of the flow are also visualized when a fresh water drop isothermally spreads in the same tap water. Molecular diffusion processes gradually smooth out the fast-changing boundary of merging fluids, which at the initial stage has a complex and irregular shape. Similar flow patterns were observed in all performed experiments; however, the geometric features of the flow depend on the individual thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the contacting fluids.
Chitosan Hydrogels Crosslinked with Oxidized Sucrose for Antimicrobial Applications
Authors: Fujita Sayaka , Takeda Hijiri , Noda Junki , Wakamori Haruki , Kono Hiroyuki
Published: September 2023

Oxidized sucrose (OS) reacts with amino-group-containing polysaccharides, including chitosan, without catalyst, resulting in hydrogels entirely composed of carbohydrates. The presence of imine bonds with low structural stabilities and unreacted aldehydes in the structures of these hydrogels hinder their application as biomaterials. Therefore, herein, the chitosan hydrogels (CTSGs) obtained after the crosslinking of chitosan with OS were reduced using sodium borohydride to convert imine bonds to secondary amines and aldehydes to alcohols. The structures of CTSGs were comprehensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, and the results implied that the degree of crosslinking (CR) depended on the OS feed amount used during CTSG preparation. The properties of CTSGs were significantly dependent on CR; with an increase in CR, the thermal stabilities and dynamic moduli of CTSGs increased, whereas their swelling properties decreased. CTSGs exhibited antimicrobial properties against the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, and their performances were also dependent on CR. The results indicated the potentials of CTSGs completely based on carbohydrates as antimicrobial hydrogels for various medical and pharmaceutical applications. We believe that this study will contribute to the development of hydrogels for application in the food, medical, and pharmaceutical fields.
Neurofilament Light Chain Protein in Plasma and Extracellular Vesicles Is Associated with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy and Responses to Rifaximin Treatment in Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Fiorillo Alessandra , Gallego Juan José , Casanova-Ferrer Franc , Urios Amparo , Ballester María-Pilar , San Miguel Teresa , Megías Javier , Kosenko Elena , Tosca Joan , Rios Maria-Pilar , Escudero-García Desamparados , Montoliu Carmina
Published: September 2023

Neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) levels reflect neuronal damage in several neurological diseases and have been proposed as a possible biomarker. Plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) could play an important role as mediators of the inflammatory changes associated with inducing minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in cirrhotic patients. This study investigated the association of NfL levels in plasma and EVs with the presence of MHE in cirrhotic patients, and with responses to rifaximin treatment. The NfL levels in plasma and EVs were assessed in 71 patients with liver cirrhosis (40 with MHE and 31 without MHE) and 26 controls. A total of 31 patients with MHE received rifaximin treatment. We examined changes in NfL levels in plasma and EVs before and after 6 months of rifaximin treatment. The NfL measures were correlated with cognitive alterations and plasma inflammatory cytokines. MHE patients showed increased plasma levels of NfL, which were reverted after rifaximin treatment in patients who responded to treatment. The NfL content in EVs also showed a reversal pattern in MHE patients treated with rifaximin. In multivariable analyses, NfL levels were independently associated with the presence of MHE. We also showed that patients with high levels of both ammonia and fractalkine had significantly higher NfL levels than patients with low levels of least one of these parameters. Rifaximin treatment in MHE patients showed promising results in improving axonal damage, suggesting that rifaximin may have therapeutic benefits against disease progression in MHE.
Application of Iron Nanoparticles Synthesized from a Bioflocculant Produced by Yeast Strain Pichia kudriavzevii Obtained from Kombucha Tea SCOBY in the Treatment of Wastewater
Authors: Tsilo Phakamani H. , Basson Albertus K. , Ntombela Zuzingcebo G. , Dlamini Nkosinathi G. , Pullabhotla Rajasekhar V. S. R.
Published: September 2023

Studying the production of Iron (Fe) nanoparticles using natural substances is an intriguing area of research in nanotechnology, as these nanoparticles possess biocompatibility and natural stability, which make them useful for a variety of industrial applications. The study utilized Fe nanoparticles that were synthesized using a bioflocculant and applied to eliminate different kinds of pollutants and dyes found in wastewater and solutions. The study involved the generation of Fe nanoparticles through a bioflocculant obtained from Pichia kudriavzevii, which were evaluated for their flocculation and antimicrobial capabilities. The impact of the Fe nanoparticles on human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cell lines was studied to assess their potential cytotoxicity effects. An array of spectroscopic and microscopic methods was employed to characterize the biosynthesized Fe nanoparticles, including SEM-EDX, FT-IR, TEM, XRD, UV-vis, and TGA. A highly efficient flocculating activity of 85% was achieved with 0.6 mg/mL dosage of Fe nanoparticles. The biosynthesized Fe nanoparticles demonstrated a noteworthy concentration-dependent cytotoxicity effect on HEK 293 cell lines with the highest concentration used resulting in 34% cell survival. The Fe nanoparticles exhibited strong antimicrobial properties against a variety of evaluated Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. The efficiency of removing dyes by the nanoparticles was found to be higher than 65% for the tested dyes, with the highest being 93% for safranine. The Fe nanoparticles demonstrated remarkable efficiency in removing various pollutants from wastewater. In comparison to traditional flocculants and the bioflocculant, biosynthesized Fe nanoparticles possess significant potential for eliminating both biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater samples treated. Hence, the Fe nanoparticles synthesized in this way have the potential to substitute chemical flocculants in the treatment of wastewater.
Functional TRPA1 Channels Regulate CD56dimCD16+ NK Cell Cytotoxicity against Tumor Cells
Authors: Scopelliti Fernanda , Dimartino Valentina , Cattani Caterina , Cavani Andrea
Published: September 2023

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels are expressed on the surface of different cell types, including immune cells. However, TRPA1’s role in the context of innate and adaptive immune responses has not been fully elucidated so far. In this study, we aimed at investigating the expression and function of TRPA1 channels on NK cells. Among NK cells, TRPA1 was highly expressed by the CD56dimCD16+ subpopulation, but not by CD56brightCD16− cells, as detected by FACS. TRPA1 activation with the potent ligand allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) induces intracellular calcium flux in CD56dimCD16+ cells, which was prevented by the TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031. AITC treatment increased the membrane around NKp44 and strongly decreased CD16 and CD8 expression, while CD158a, CD159a, NKG2d, NKp46 were substantially unaffected. Importantly, AITC increased the granzyme production and CD107 expression and increased NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity towards the K562 cell line and two different melanoma cell lines. In parallel, TRPA1 activation also plays regulatory roles by affecting the survival of NK cells to limit uncontrolled and prolonged NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that the activation of TRPA1 is an important regulatory signal for NK cells, and agonists of TRPA1 could be used to strengthen the tumor response of the immune system.
Base Excision DNA Repair in Plants: Arabidopsis and Beyond
Authors: Grin Inga R. , Petrova Daria V. , Endutkin Anton V. , Ma Chunquan , Yu Bing , Li Haiying , Zharkov Dmitry O.
Published: September 2023

Base excision DNA repair (BER) is a key pathway safeguarding the genome of all living organisms from damage caused by both intrinsic and environmental factors. Most present knowledge about BER comes from studies of human cells, E. coli, and yeast. Plants may be under an even heavier DNA damage threat from abiotic stress, reactive oxygen species leaking from the photosynthetic system, and reactive secondary metabolites. In general, BER in plant species is similar to that in humans and model organisms, but several important details are specific to plants. Here, we review the current state of knowledge about BER in plants, with special attention paid to its unique features, such as the existence of active epigenetic demethylation based on the BER machinery, the unexplained diversity of alkylation damage repair enzymes, and the differences in the processing of abasic sites that appear either spontaneously or are generated as BER intermediates. Understanding the biochemistry of plant DNA repair, especially in species other than the Arabidopsis model, is important for future efforts to develop new crop varieties.
A Literature Review and a Proposed Classification of the Relationships between Ovulatory Infertility and Lifestyle Factors Based on the Three Groups of Ovulation Disorders Classified by WHO
Authors: Skowrońska Magdalena , Pawłowski Michał , Milewski Robert
Published: September 2023

Ovulatory infertility is a serious clinical problem whose direct causes are still largely unknown. In addition to pathologies that make it impossible for a couple to establish a pregnancy, there are a number of other factors that have a bearing on fertility, including lifestyle factors, and particularly diet. Although numerous studies have been performed linking such factors to ovulatory infertility, most of them lack the necessary clinical significance, instead focusing on observational data and suggesting or establishing associative relationships. This article consists of a literature review focusing on connections between lifestyle factors such as diet, physical exercise, oxidative stress, sleep, and supplementation, and ovulatory infertility. Special emphasis was given to issues such as obesity and insulin resistance and their mutual relationship with other factors linked to ovulatory infertility. In addition, based on the conclusions of the literature review, the authors have proposed a classification of relationships between ovulation disorders and lifestyle factors in ovulatory infertility within the framework of the WHO classification of ovulation disorders. Furthermore, areas that merit further research have been indicated as well as those that do not. WHO Group II disorders gained prominence in the results of the study as the number of links with lifestyle factors and ovulatory infertility found in the course of the review greatly exceeded those for Groups I and III. The data presented in the article show that the issues of proper diet and physical exercise are those that could benefit from robust clinical studies focused specifically on ovulation infertility, while studies concerning the relationship between oxidative stress, sleep, and supplementation and ovulatory infertility do not seem to be promising directions as far as clinical significance is concerned.
Intracardiac Echocardiography Guidance Improves Procedural Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cavotricuspidal Isthmus Ablation for Typical Atrial Flutter
Authors: Turcsan Marton , Janosi Kristof-Ferenc , Debreceni Dorottya , Toth Daniel , Bocz Botond , Simor Tamas , Kupo Peter
Published: September 2023

Atrial flutter (AFL) represents a prevalent variant of supraventricular tachycardia, distinguished by a macro-reentrant pathway encompassing the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI). Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation stands as the favored therapeutic modality for managing recurring CTI-dependent AFL. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) has been proposed as a method to reduce radiation exposure during CTI ablation. This study aims to comprehensively compare procedural parameters between ICE-guided CTI ablation and fluoroscopy-only procedures. A total of 370 consecutive patients were enrolled in our single-center retrospective study. In 151 patients, procedures were performed using fluoroscopy guidance only, while 219 patients underwent ICE-guided CTI ablation. ICE guidance significantly reduced fluoroscopy time (73 (36; 175) s vs. 900 (566; 1179) s; p < 0.001), fluoroscopy dose (2.45 (0.6; 5.1) mGy vs. 40.5 (25.7; 62.9) mGy; p < 0.001), and total procedure time (70 (52; 90) min vs. 87.5 (60; 102.5) min; p < 0.001). Total ablation time (657 (412; 981) s vs. 910 (616; 1367) s; p < 0.001) and the time from the first to last ablation (20 (11; 36) min vs. 40 (25; 55) min; p < 0.01) were also significantly shorter in the ICE-guided group. Acute success rate was 100% in both groups, and no major complications occurred in either group. ICE-guided CTI ablation in patients with AFL resulted in shorter procedure times, reduced fluoroscopy exposure, and decreased ablation times, compared to the standard fluoroscopy-only approach.
Erythrocytapheresis in Children and Young Adults with Hemoglobinopathies and Iron Overload in Need of Iron Chelation Therapy
Authors: van Hattem Jessica , Maes Philip , Esterhuizen Tonya Marianne , Devos Ann , Ruppert Martin , van Heerden Jaques
Published: September 2023

Limited data regarding erythrocytapheresis in children, adolescents, and young adults have been published. The aim of this study was to evaluate erythrocytapheresis, either as a standalone therapy or in combination with iron chelation therapy, in children and young adults with hemoglobinopathies in whom current iron chelation therapy is not sufficient in decreasing the iron overload during management. We retrospectively analysed erythrocytapheresis in 19 patients with hemoglobinopathies in need of iron chelation therapy diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) or β-thalassemia major. Patients were divided into (1) a case cohort who received erythrocytapheresis alone or in combination with iron chelation therapy and (2) a control cohort who received oral iron chelation therapy alone. Serum ferritin and haemoglobin levels were compared at five different time points over a one-year period. In the erythrocytapheresis cohort, there was a significant decrease in serum ferritin (p < 0.001). In the iron chelation therapy alone cohort, there was no significant decrease in serum ferritin over time (p = 0.156). Comparing the evolution of median serum ferritin between therapy with erythrocytapheresis and iron chelation therapy showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.008). Patients with β-thalassemia major receiving erythrocytapheresis showed a greater reduction in serum ferritin compared to patients without (p = 0.036). A difference could not be shown between the erythrocytapheresis and iron chelation single therapies (p = 0.100). This study showed an overall significant reduction in serum ferritin in patients with hemoglobinopathies treated with erythrocytapheresis in addition to iron chelation. A clinical, although not statistical, trend of higher haemoglobin levels was maintained. Erythrocytapheresis in paediatric patients with β-thalassemia major was as effective in decreasing ferritin levels as in previously reported studies with SCD. Erythrocytapheresis is a promising therapy for treating and preventing transfusion-related iron overload.
Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) Levels in Post-COVID Follow-Up: Differences According to the Severity of COVID-19
Authors: Carpio Carlos , Qasem Ana , Buño Antonio , Borobia Alberto M. , Arnalich Francisco , Rey Vega , Lázaro Teresa , Mariscal Pablo , Laorden Daniel , Salgueiro Giorgina , Moreno Alberto , Peiró Concepción , Lorenzo Óscar , Álvarez-Sala Rodolfo ,   on behalf of COVID@HULP Working Group,   on behalf of POSTCOVID@HULP Working Group
Published: September 2023

To evaluate KL-6 levels in medium-term post-COVID and to compare them in three groups categorised by the severity of COVID-19, we conducted a real-world, retrospective, cohort study. Data from the COVID-19 episode and follow-up during the post-COVID phase were extracted from the COVID@HULP and POSTCOVID@HULP databases, respectively. For the post-COVID period we included demographics, medical history, symptoms, quality of life, physical activity, anxiety and depression status and laboratory results. Patients were categorised into three groups based on the severity of COVID-19: Group 1 (inpatient critical), Group 2 (inpatient non-critical) and Group 3 (hospitalised at home). KL-6 was measured during the follow-up of the three groups. In all, 802 patients were included (Group 1 = 59; Group 2 = 296; Group 3 = 447 patients). The median age was 59 years (48–70), and 362 (45.2%) were males. At admission, fibrinogen and ferritin levels were lower in Group 3 than in the other groups (p < 0.001). Follow-up data were obtained 124 days (97–149) after the diagnosis of COVID-19. The median levels of fibrinogen, ferritin and KL-6 at follow-up were 336 mg/dL (276–413), 80.5 ng/mL (36–174.3) and 326 U/mL (240.3–440.3), respectively. KL-6 levels were lower in Group 3 than in the other groups (298 U/mL (231.5–398) vs. 381.5 U/mL (304–511.8) (Group 1) and 372 U/mL (249–483) (Group 2) (p < 0.001)). KL-6 was associated with ferritin (p < 0.001), fibrinogen (p < 0.001), D-dimer (p < 0.001) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (p < 0.001). KL-6 levels are less elevated at medium-term post-COVID follow-up in patients with mild COVID-19 than in those with moderate or severe disease. KL-6 is associated with systemic inflammatory, hepatic enzyme and thrombosis biomarkers.
The Predictors of Long COVID in Southeastern Italy
Authors: Quaranta Vitaliano Nicola , Portacci Andrea , Dragonieri Silvano , Locorotondo Cristian , Buonamico Enrico , Diaferia Fabrizio , Iorillo Ilaria , Quaranta Sara , Carpagnano Giovanna Elisiana
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Long COVID is now recognized as a common consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, but we are still far from fully understanding its pathogenesis and predictive factors. Many pathophysiological factors have been studied, including ethnicity. To our knowledge, the risk factors for Long COVID have not been studied in Southeastern Italy. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive factors of Long COVID in a cohort of patients from Southeastern Italy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study, enrolling inpatients and outpatients diagnosed with COVID-19 from June 2021 to March 2022. A total of 436 subjects were evaluated in an outpatient setting 12 weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, recording comorbidities, symptoms, therapy, and clinical information. Univariate and multivariate binomial logistic regression analyses were performed on different risk factors to define the probability of developing Long COVID. Results: A total of 71.8% of patients (313) developed Long COVID, while the remaining 123 (28.3%) had a complete remission of symptoms 3 months after acute infection. During the acute phase of COVID-19, 68.3% of patients experienced respiratory failure and 81.4% received corticosteroid therapy. In a multivariate analysis, the female sex (SEX M ODD 0.513) and corticosteroids (ODD 2.25) were maintained as predictive values. Conclusions: From our data and in line with other studies, the female sex emerges as a risk factor for Long COVID in the population of Southeastern Italy. Corticosteroid therapy administered in the acute phase also appears to be associated with an increased risk of Long COVID. Although indications for the prescription of corticosteroid therapy in the acute phase were indicated by the presence of pneumonia complicated by respiratory insufficiency, there was an over-prescription of corticosteroid therapy in the real life of our cohort, with 64% of patients having respiratory insufficiency and 81% having corticosteroid therapy. We hypothesize that a synergistic link between viral infection and the side effects of corticosteroid therapy may arise in selected cases.
Synthesizing Human Activity for Data Generation
Authors: Romero Ana , Carvalho Pedro , Côrte-Real Luís , Pereira Américo
Published: September 2023

The problem of gathering sufficiently representative data, such as those about human actions, shapes, and facial expressions, is costly and time-consuming and also requires training robust models. This has led to the creation of techniques such as transfer learning or data augmentation. However, these are often insufficient. To address this, we propose a semi-automated mechanism that allows the generation and editing of visual scenes with synthetic humans performing various actions, with features such as background modification and manual adjustments of the 3D avatars to allow users to create data with greater variability. We also propose an evaluation methodology for assessing the results obtained using our method, which is two-fold: (i) the usage of an action classifier on the output data resulting from the mechanism and (ii) the generation of masks of the avatars and the actors to compare them through segmentation. The avatars were robust to occlusion, and their actions were recognizable and accurate to their respective input actors. The results also showed that even though the action classifier concentrates on the pose and movement of the synthetic humans, it strongly depends on contextual information to precisely recognize the actions. Generating the avatars for complex activities also proved problematic for action recognition and the clean and precise formation of the masks.
A New CNN-Based Single-Ingredient Classification Model and Its Application in Food Image Segmentation
Authors: Zhu Ziyi , Dai Ying
Published: September 2023

It is important for food recognition to separate each ingredient within a food image at the pixel level. Most existing research has trained a segmentation network on datasets with pixel-level annotations to achieve food ingredient segmentation. However, preparing such datasets is exceedingly hard and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a new framework for ingredient segmentation utilizing feature maps of the CNN-based Single-Ingredient Classification Model that is trained on the dataset with image-level annotation. To train this model, we first introduce a standardized biological-based hierarchical ingredient structure and construct a single-ingredient image dataset based on this structure. Then, we build a single-ingredient classification model on this dataset as the backbone of the proposed framework. In this framework, we extract feature maps from the single-ingredient classification model and propose two methods for processing these feature maps for segmenting ingredients in the food images. We introduce five evaluation metrics (IoU, Dice, Purity, Entirety, and Loss of GTs) to assess the performance of ingredient segmentation in terms of ingredient classification. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, achieving a mIoU of 0.65, mDice of 0.77, mPurity of 0.83, mEntirety of 0.80, and mLoGTs of 0.06 for the optimal model on the FoodSeg103 dataset. We believe that our approach lays the foundation for subsequent ingredient recognition.