bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic educational robot enhancing social interactions in the management of obesity
Authors: Prosperi Enrico , Guidi Giada , Napoli Christian , Gnessi Lucio , Iocchi Luca
Published: August 2022

Obesity is a chronic multifactorial pathology determined by many factors, including incorrect eating habits and a low level of physical activity. There is an urgent need to promote a persistent change in lifestyle in obese subjects, but very few individuals maintain long-term results achieved after diet therapies. Therapeutic Education (TE) has taken over an important role as a multidisciplinary intervention aimed at improving lifestyle and at acquiring new skills for the management of the disease. However, only a small portion of patients can maintain participation in such programs and fully benefit from them. Assistive technologies, and in particular assistive social robots, are powerful tools to boost independence and improve participation in educational activities. The aim of the research work described in this article is to evaluate the effect of employing a social robot as a therapeutic educational robot helping the expert therapist in the education activity. This article describes the implementation, deployment, and evaluation of a social educational robot used as a TE assistant. Although we cannot provide statistically significant results due to the limited number of people involved in the experimental protocol, all experimental results show a positive trend, indicating that the robot can enhance the social interactions between the patients and the therapist and among the patients, thus bringing to better overall results of the TE sessions, measured with standard tests for obesity management.
RETRACTED: Engaging the citizen in the circular economy: Transcending the passive consumer role
Authors: Milios Leonidas
Published: August 2022

The transition to a resource-efficient and effective circular economy (CE) requires the active engagement of all societal and economic actors, including business, civic society, and political actors. Research, so far, has mainly focused on business solutions and policy approaches that enable these solutions. However, very little knowledge has been developed regarding the role of citizens in the CE (e.g., sharer, repairer, or buyer of quality products or second-hand products) and the transformations to everyday life that circularity may require. Therefore, there is an imperative to fill this knowledge gap and provide the insights needed to drive the adoption and upscale of circular practices in the everyday life of citizens. To go beyond existing approaches of consumer research, this contribution proposes the expansion of the methodological arena by integrating theories of socio-cultural (e.g., practice theory, consumption work) and psycho-social (e.g., peer-influence, social proof) nature to complement existing approaches of “behavioral” scope, which have been widely used in economics and policy studies. By identifying the way people relate to CE in their everyday life and the conscious and unconscious actions they are likely to take toward a CE transformation, it is possible to complement the existing knowledge on CE business model innovation and policy interventions so that the “consumer” aspect is better incorporated and not taken simply for granted, as a CE adopter.
Touch-Move-Release: Studies of Surface and Motion Gestures for Mobile Augmented Reality
Authors: Dong Ze , Zhang Jingjing , Bai Xiaoliang , Clark Adrian , Lindeman Robert W. , He Weiping , Piumsomboon Thammathip
Published: August 2022

Despite a broad range of mobile AR applications available to date, the majority still primarily use surface gestures, i.e., gesturing on the touch screen surface of the device and do not utilise the affordance of three-dimensional user interaction that AR interfaces support. In this research, we compared two methods of gesture interaction for mobile AR applications: Surface Gestures and Motion Gestures, which take advantage of the spatial information of the mobile device. We have conducted two user studies: an elicitation study (n = 21) and a validation study (n = 10). The first study elicited two sets of 504 gestures, surface and motion gestures, for 12 everyday mobile AR tasks. The two sets of gestures were classified and compared in terms of goodness, ease of use, and engagement. As expected, the participants’ elicited surface gestures are familiar and easy to use, while motion gestures were found more engaging. Using design patterns derived from the elicited motion gestures, we proposed a novel interaction technique called “TMR” (Touch-Move-Release). Through validation study we found that the TMR motion gesture enhanced engagement and provided a better game experience. In contrast, the surface gesture provided higher precision resulting in higher accuracy and was easier to use. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings and give our design recommendations for using the elicited gestures.
Inter-limb asymmetries and kicking limb preference in English premier league soccer players
Authors: Nicholson Gareth , Bennett Tim , Thomas Aaron , Pollitt Lysander , Hopkinson Mike , Crespo Rubén , Robinson Tom , Price Rob J.
Published: August 2022

The aims of this study were: (1) to quantify interlimb asymmetries in EPL soccer players in the context of kicking limb preference and (2) to establish the relationship between interlimb asymmetries and measures of physical performance. Twenty-two players (age: 21.8 ± 4.4 years) from an EPL club performed a running gait assessment (20 km/h) and unilateral countermovement jumps, a CoD assessment (modified 505 test), and an isokinetic knee extension/flexion protocol using each leg. Asymmetries were quantified using the percentage difference method and Pearson's correlations were used to quantify the association between variables. Players displayed the greatest level of asymmetry in isokinetic strength measures (5.9–12.7%) and lower levels of asymmetry in gait (1.6–7.7%), jump (0.9–7.0%) and CoD (1.9–3.5%) assessments. The influence of the preferred kicking limb was most evident in the isokinetic assessment with the players showing dominance in the preferred limb for knee flexor strength and in the non-preferred limb for knee extensor strength. These manifested in the asymmetry values calculated for the hamstring:quadricep (H:Q) ratios at 60°/s (8.80 ± 7.82%) and 240°/s (11.22 ± 7.04%) and in the functional H:Q ratio (12.67 ± 8.25%). The asymmetry values for peak extensor moment at 240°/s showed a significant correlation (ρ = −0.55, p = 0.034) with 10 m time in the CoD assessment. These findings provide benchmark asymmetry data for soccer practitioners and reveal that kicking limb preferences may bring about interlimb differences in the H:Q ratio which raises important considerations in the design of testing batteries and injury reduction interventions.
An intensive and collective style of farm work that enables the agroecological transition: A case study of six French farm machinery cooperatives
Authors: Lucas Véronique , Gasselin Pierre
Published: August 2022

The higher intensity of labor observed in many agroecological farming systems has been little studied by the scientific community, especially in terms of work organization. Narrative interview research concerning 34 farmers in six French farm machinery cooperatives, on the basis of the farming styles framework, allows us to highlight a specific style of farm work conducive to the agroecological transition. Farmers members of these cooperatives have developed a long-standing reliance on peer-to-peer cooperation, gradually shaping a labor-intensive and collective style of farm work to make their conventional farming systems viable. They have then remobilized with relative ease the structuring basis of their initial organization of work, i.e., labor intensity and peer-to-peer cooperation, to develop agroecological practices.
Characteristics of Ozone Pollution in Tai’an and Topographic Effects of Mount Tai
Authors: Ge Yanzhen , Chen Chunqiang , Jiang Yaping , Yang Tongsuo , Kang Hongyang , Li Jingzhong , Zhao Xinran , Zhang Yibo , Li Mengying , Hou Tangyan , Chen Jianmin , Yu Shaocai
Published: August 2022

Through the analyses of the observed concentrations of ozone (O3) in Tai’an from 2016 to 2021, the results show that O3 pollution was relatively serious, with the mean concentrations of the 90th percentile of daily maximum 8-h O3 (O3-8h-90per) above 180 μg/m3. O3 pollution in Tai’an mainly occurred from May to September, accounting for 69%~100% of the total O3 pollution days, of which the most serious pollution occurred in June. Combined with the analyses of temperature, humidity, and wind speeds, the probability of O3 exceedances in Tai’an increased significantly under the conditions with the temperatures higher than 30 °C, the relative humidity of 20%~40%, and the wind speeds of 1~3 m/s. The dominant wind directions on O3 pollution days in Tai’an were southerly winds, based on the analyses of wind directions and their clustering trajectories. Based on the results at three monitoring stations at different distances from Mount Tai from May to September in 2021, the average O3 concentrations at the Renkou School station near the mountain was about 13~15 μg/m3 higher than those at the other two stations (Dianli College and Shandong First Medical University) which are far away from the mountain, indicating that the Renkou School site was more affected by the obstruction of the mountain. In addition, the WRF-CMAQ model was used to simulate ten O3 pollution events in 2021, showing that the average O3 concentrations in Tai’an were reduced by 1.7~7.5 μg/m3 after changing the topographic height of Mount Tai.
Evaluation of CORDEX-SEA Models on Wind Simulation during the Southwest Monsoon in the Southwestern Part of the South China Sea
Authors: Ali Fariz Syafiq Mohamad , Chung Jing Xiang , Kok Poh Heng , Mansor Ku Nor Afiza Asnida Ku , Akhir Mohd Fadzil Mohd
Published: August 2022

This paper assesses the reliability of regional climate downscaling products from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment-Southeast Asia (CORDEX-SEA) in reproducing the present-day wind at the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (ECPM). A total of five CORDEX-SEA products, namely CNRM-CM5(RegCM4), CSIRO-Mk3-6-0(RegCM4), EC-EARTH(RegCM4), HadGEM2-ES(RegCM4) and MPI-ESM-MR(RegCM4), with a resolution of 25 km, were compared to reference data from the European Centre Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth generation atmospheric reanalysis ERA5 spanning 1980–2005. This study focused on the period of the southwest monsoon, specifically the months of June, July and August (JJA), as wind during this season is known to play an important role in generating upwelling at the ECPM. The results obtained show that only three of the CORDEX-SEA products, CSIRO-Mk3-6-0(RegCM4), HadGEM2-ES(RegCM4) and MPI-ESM-MR(RegCM4), were able to reproduce the wind in terms of wind speed, wind stress curl and wind pattern as effectively as ERA5. An ensemble was made from these three CORDEX-SEA products, and it was found that the ensemble was able to reproduce a value of the Upwelling Index (UI) that was similar to the reference data, albeit with some bias. Hence, only the three stated CORDEX-SEA products and their ensemble are suitable to be used for future climate change studies within the region.
Testing a Lithium-Oxygen (Air) Battery: Catalytic Properties of Positive Electrode Materials
Authors: Bogdanovskaya Vera , Korchagin Oleg
Published: August 2022

Although research in the field of lithium-oxygen (air) batteries (LOB) is rapidly developing, few comprehensive studies on the dependence of the catalytic properties of positive electrode materials on LOB test conditions are present. In this paper, the influence of the current density, the type of oxidizer (pure oxygen or air), and a solvent in the electrolyte (DMSO or tetraglyme) on the electrocatalytic properties of PtM/CNT systems (M = Ru, Co, Cr) used as a positive electrode is investigated. It is shown that at a current density of 500 mA/g, more pronounced catalytic effects are observed during the LOB operation than that at 200 mA/g. The obtained results may be explained by the reduced adverse impact of surface passivation with lithium peroxide in the presence of catalysts compared to a similar effect when using unmodified carbon nanotubes (CNT). It is established that the influence of the current density on the catalytic properties continues upon the transition from oxygen to air as an oxidizer. When studying the effect of electrolytes on the catalytic properties of materials subjected to long-term LOB cycling, it is shown that the catalytic effects are most prominent when charged in a tetraglyme medium. Although using a catalyst has practically no effect on the number of cycles for both electrolytes, LOB having tetraglyme exceeds the cyclability of LOB having DMSO.
Brain Stimulation and Neuroplasticity—Series II
Authors: Palm Ulrich , Ayache Samar S. , Chalah Moussa A.
Published: August 2022

Following the great success of the first series of the Special Issue “Brain Stimulation and Neuroplasticity” [...]
Challenges and Perspectives of Mapping Locus Coeruleus Activity in the Rodent with High-Resolution fMRI
Authors: Zhou Xiaoqing Alice , Jiang Yuanyuan , Napadow Vitaly , Yu Xin
Published: August 2022

The locus coeruleus (LC) is one of the most commonly studied brainstem nuclei when investigating brain–behavior associations. The LC serves as a major brainstem relay for both ascending bottom-up and descending top-down projections. Specifically, noradrenergic (NA) LC neurons not only connect globally to higher-order subcortical nuclei and cortex to mediate arousal and attention but also directly project to other brainstem nuclei and to the spinal cord to control autonomic function. Despite the extensive investigation of LC function using electrophysiological recordings and cellular/molecular imaging for both cognitive research and the contribution of LC to different pathological states, the role of neuroimaging to investigate LC function has been restricted. For instance, it remains challenging to identify LC-specific activation with functional MRI (fMRI) in animal models, due to the small size of this nucleus. Here, we discuss the complexity of fMRI applications toward LC activity mapping in mouse brains by highlighting the technological challenges. Further, we introduce a single-vessel fMRI mapping approach to elucidate the vascular specificity of high-resolution fMRI signals coupled to LC activation in the mouse brainstem.
Continuous Repetition Motor Imagery Training and Physical Practice Training Exert the Growth of Fatigue and Its Effect on Performance
Authors: Nakashima Akira , Moriuchi Takefumi , Matsuda Daiki , Nakamura Jirou , Fujiwara Kengo , Ikio Yuta , Hasegawa Takashi , Mitunaga Wataru , Higashi Toshio
Published: August 2022

Continuous repetition of motor imagery leads to mental fatigue. This study aimed to examine whether fatigue caused by motor imagery training affects improvement in performance and the change in corticospinal excitability. The participants were divided into “physical practice training” and “motor imagery training” groups, and a visuomotor task (set at 50% of maximal voluntary contraction in participants) was performed to assess the training effect on fatigue. The measurements were recorded before and after training. Corticospinal excitability at rest was measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation according to the Neurophysiological Index. Subjective mental fatigue and muscle fatigue were assessed by using the visual analog scale and by measuring the pinch force, respectively. Additionally, the error area was evaluated and calculated at pre-, mid-, and post-terms after training, using a visuomotor task. After training, muscle fatigue, subjective mental fatigue, and decreased corticospinal excitability were noted in both of the groups. Moreover, the visuomotor task decreased the error area by training; however, there was no difference in the error area between the mid- and post-terms. In conclusion, motor imagery training resulted in central fatigue by continuous repetition, which influenced the improvement in performance in the same manner as physical practice training.
EGFR Inhibition Strongly Modulates the Tumour Immune Microenvironment in EGFR-Driven Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Selenz Carolin , Compes Anik , Nill Marieke , Borchmann Sven , Odenthal Margarete , Florin Alexandra , Brägelmann Johannes , Büttner Reinhard , Meder Lydia , Ullrich Roland T.
Published: August 2022

EGFR-driven non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are currently treated with TKIs targeting EGFR, such as erlotinib or osimertinib. Despite a promising initial response to TKI treatment, most patients gain resistance to oncogene-targeted therapy, and tumours progress. With the development of inhibitors against immune checkpoints, such as PD-1, that mediate an immunosuppressive microenvironment, immunotherapy approaches attempt to restore a proinflammatory immune response in tumours. However, this strategy has shown only limited benefits in EGFR-driven NSCLC. Approaches combining EGFR inhibition with immunotherapy to stimulate the immune response and overcome resistance to therapy have been limited due to insufficient understanding about the effect of EGFR-targeting treatment on the immune cells in the TME. Here, we investigate the impact of EGFR inhibition by erlotinib on the TME and its effect on the antitumour response of the immune cell infiltrate. For this purpose, we used a transgenic conditional mouse model to study the immunological profile in EGFR-driven NSCLC tumours. We found that EGFR inhibition mediated a higher infiltration of immune cells and increased local proliferation of T-cells in the tumours. Moreover, inhibiting EGFR signalling led to increased activation of immune cells in the TME. Most strikingly, combined simultaneous blockade of EGFR and anti-PD-1 (aPD-1) enhanced tumour treatment response in a transgenic mouse model of EGFR-driven NSCLC. Thus, our findings show that EGFR inhibition promotes an active and proinflammatory immune cell infiltrate in the TME while improving response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in EGFR-driven NSCLC.
Targeting MDM4 as a Novel Therapeutic Approach in Prostate Cancer Independent of p53 Status
Authors: Mejía-Hernández Javier Octavio , Raghu Dinesh , Caramia Franco , Clemons Nicholas , Fujihara Kenji , Riseborough Thomas , Teunisse Amina , Jochemsen Aart G. , Abrahmsén Lars , Blandino Giovanni , Russo Andrea , Gamell Cristina , Fox Stephen B. , Mitchell Catherine , Takano Elena A. , Byrne David , Miranda Panimaya Jeffreena , Saleh Reem , Thorne Heather , Sandhu Shahneen , Williams Scott G. , Keam Simon P. , Haupt Ygal , Haupt Sue
Published: August 2022

Metastatic prostate cancer is a lethal disease in patients incapable of responding to therapeutic interventions. Invasive prostate cancer spread is caused by failure of the normal anti-cancer defense systems that are controlled by the tumour suppressor protein, p53. Upon mutation, p53 malfunctions. Therapeutic strategies to directly re-empower the growth-restrictive capacities of p53 in cancers have largely been unsuccessful, frequently because of a failure to discriminate responses in diseased and healthy tissues. Our studies sought alternative prostate cancer drivers, intending to uncover new treatment targets. We discovered the oncogenic potency of MDM4 in prostate cancer cells, both in the presence and absence of p53 and also its mutation. We uncovered that sustained depletion of MDM4 is growth inhibitory in prostate cancer cells, involving either apoptosis or senescence, depending on the cell and genetic context. We identified that the potency of MDM4 targeting could be potentiated in prostate cancers with mutant p53 through the addition of a first-in-class small molecule drug that was selected as a p53 reactivator and has the capacity to elevate oxidative stress in cancer cells to drive their death.
Metabolism-Related Gene Pairs to Predict the Clinical Outcome and Molecular Characteristics of Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wu Junling , Lin Zeman , Ji Daihan , Li Zhenli , Zhang Huarong , Lu Shuting , Wang Shenglin , Liu Xiaolong , Ao Lu
Published: August 2022

Recurrence is the main factor affecting the prognosis of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is not accurately evaluated by clinical indicators. The metabolic heterogeneity of HCC hints at the possibility of constructing a stratification model to predict the clinical outcome. On the basis of the relative expression orderings of 2939 metabolism-related genes, an individualized signature with 10 metabolism-related gene pairs (10-GPS) was developed from 250 early HCC samples in the discovery datasets, which stratified HCC patients into the high- and low-risk subgroups with significantly different survival rates. The 10-GPS was validated in 311 public transcriptomic samples from two independent validation datasets. A nomogram that included the 10-GPS, age, gender, and stage was constructed for eventual clinical evaluation. The low-risk group was characterized by lower proliferation, higher metabolism, increased activated immune microenvironment, and lower TIDE scores, suggesting a better response to immunotherapy. The high-risk group displayed hypomethylation, higher copy number alterations, mutations, and more overexpression of immune-checkpoint genes, which might jointly lead to poor outcomes. The prognostic accuracy of the 10-GPS was further validated in 47 institutional transcriptomic samples and 101 public proteomic samples. In conclusion, the 10-GPS is a robust predictor of the clinical outcome for early HCC patients and could help evaluate prognosis and characterize molecular heterogeneity.
Targets for Renal Carcinoma Growth Control Identified by Screening FOXD1 Cell Proliferation Pathways
Authors: Bond Kyle H. , Sims-Lucas Sunder , Oxburgh Leif
Published: August 2022

Clinical association studies suggest that FOXD1 is a determinant of patient outcome in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and laboratory investigations have defined a role for this transcription factor in controlling the growth of tumors through regulation of the G2/M cell cycle transition. We hypothesized that the identification of pathways downstream of FOXD1 may define candidates for pharmacological modulation to suppress the G2/M transition in ccRCC. We developed an analysis pipeline that utilizes RNA sequencing, transcription factor binding site analysis, and phenotype validation to identify candidate effectors downstream from FOXD1. Compounds that modulate candidate pathways were tested for their ability to cause growth delay at G2/M. Three targets were identified: FOXM1, PME1, and TMEM167A, which were targeted by compounds FDI-6, AMZ-30, and silibinin, respectively. A 3D ccRCC tumor replica model was used to investigate the effects of these compounds on the growth of primary cells from five patients. While silibinin reduced 3D growth in a subset of tumor replicas, FDI-6 reduced growth in all. This study identifies tractable pathways to target G2/M transition and inhibit ccRCC growth, demonstrates the applicability of these strategies across patient tumor replicas, and provides a platform for individualized patient testing of compounds that inhibit tumor growth.
A Forest Fire Identification System Based on Weighted Fusion Algorithm
Authors: Qian Jingjing , Lin Haifeng
Published: August 2022

The occurrence of forest fires causes serious damage to ecological diversity and the safety of people’s property and life. However, due to the complex forest environment, the changeable shape of forest fires, and the uncertainty of flame color and texture, forest fire detection becomes very difficult. Traditional image processing methods rely heavily on artificial features and are not generally applicable to different forest fire scenes. In order to solve the problem of inaccurate forest fire recognition caused by the manual extraction of features, some scholars use deep learning technology to adaptively learn and extract forest fire features, but they often use a single target detection model, and their lack of learning and perception makes it difficult for them to accurately identify forest fires in a complex forest fire environment. Therefore, in order to overcome the shortcomings of the manual extraction of features and achieve a higher accuracy of forest fire recognition, this paper proposes an algorithm based on weighted fusion to identify forest fire sources in different scenarios, fuses two independent weakly supervised models Yolov5 and EfficientDet, completes the training and prediction of data sets in parallel, and uses the weighted boxes fusion algorithm (WBF) to process the prediction results to obtain the fusion frame. Finally, the model is evaluated by Microsoft COCO standard. Experimental results show that compared with Yolov5 and EfficientDet, the proposed Y4SED improves the detection performance by 2.5% to 4.5%. The fused algorithm proposed in this paper has better feature extraction ability, can extract more forest fire feature information, and better balances the recognition accuracy and complexity of the model, which provides a reference for forest fire target detection in the real environment.
Picea wilsonii Transcription Factor PwNAC38 Promotes Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis and Apple Calli
Authors: Yu Mingxin , Liu Junling , Hu Jing , Zhou Jing , Zhang Mengjuan , Cao Yibo , Zhang Lingyun
Published: August 2022

The mechanism of Picea wilsonii adapting to abiotic stress remains largely unknown. NAC (NAM, ATAF and CUC) transcription factors play significant roles in plant response to adverse environments. In this study, based on our previous RNA-seq, we analyzed the expression patterns of PwNAC38, and revealed its functions in the process of PwNAC38-mediated stress responses. An open-reading frame, encoding PwNAC38 protein with 330 amino acids, was isolated from the cDNA library, a process which can be induced by drought, salt and ABA treatment. Subcellular localization and yeast experiments showed that PwNAC38 was a nuclear-localized transcription factor, and could form homodimers. The full length of PwNAC38 showed transcriptional activity, while the truncated segments, C-PwNAC38 (156–330 aa) and N-PwNAC38 (1–156 aa), did not. The constitutive expression of PwNAC38 (OE lines) in Arabidopsis did not exert influence on the growth of transgenic plants under normal conditions, whereas transgenic seedlings showed higher survival rates, and the seeds had stronger vigor and a higher germination rate under drought and salt stress. The seed germination and root growth of PwNAC38 OE lines were significantly inhibited in the presence of ABA, suggesting the hypersensitivity of PwNAC38 to ABA treatment. Physiological assays showed that the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD and POD, increased, and that the accumulation of superoxide anion decreased, in OE lines under stress conditions. Moreover, overexpression of PwNAC38 significantly improved drought and salt tolerance in apple calli. A qRT-PCR assay showed that overexpression of PwNAC38 in Arabidopsis promoted the expression of drought or ABA-responsive genes ATHB-7, ANAC019, ERD1, DREB2A, RD29A, ABI5 and NCED3. Taken together, our results revealed that PwNAC38 is positively involved in plants’ response to drought and salt stress by enhancing ROS scavenging efficiency, and is partially dependent on the ABA signaling pathway.
Porewater Sulfide: The Most Critical Regulator in the Degradation of Mangroves Dominated by Tides
Authors: Pérez-Ceballos Rosela , Zaldívar-Jiménez Arturo , Melgarejo-Salas Sveidy , Canales-Delgadillo Julio , López-Portillo Jorge , Merino-Ibarra Martín , Celis-Hernandez Omar , Lara-Domínguez Ana Laura , Ochoa-Gómez Jonathan
Published: August 2022

The hydroperiod determines the biogeochemical conditions and processes developing in the mangrove soil. Floods control the input of nutrients and the presence of regulators such as salinity and sulfides that, in high concentrations, degrade mangrove vegetation. This work aimed to determine biogeochemical and hydroperiod characteristics in natural and degraded mangrove conditions. Three sampling sites were placed along a spatial gradient, including fringe and basin mangroves with different conditions. Tree characteristics and biogeochemical variables (temperature, salinity, pH, redox potential, sulfides) were measured. The structural analysis indicated two conditions: undisturbed (Rhizophora mangle fringe and Avicennia germinans basin under natural conditions) and disturbed (degraded basin, with standing A. germinans tree trunks). The soil porewater salinity, concentration of sulfides, and temperature were significantly higher, and redox potential lower in the disturbed site. The fringe mangrove was permanently waterlogged with higher tides than the basin mangrove. There were more extended flooding periods on the degraded mangrove due to the loss of hydrological connection with the adjacent water body. Waterlogging in basin mangroves increased soil porewater salinity to 87.8 and sulfides to 153 mg L−1, causing stress and death in A. germinans mangroves. Our results show that the loss of hydraulic connectivity causes the chronic accumulation of salinity and sulfides, with consequences on tree metabolism, ultimately causing its death. It probably also involves the succession in microbial communities.
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Additive and Non-Additive Effects on Growth Traits in Duroc Pigs
Authors: Xue Yahui , Liu Shen , Li Weining , Mao Ruihan , Zhuo Yue , Xing Wenkai , Liu Jian , Wang Chuang , Zhou Lei , Lei Minggang , Liu Jianfeng
Published: August 2022

Growth rate plays a critical role in the pig industry and is related to quantitative traits controlled by many genes. Here, we aimed to identify causative mutations and candidate genes responsible for pig growth traits. In this study, 2360 Duroc pigs were used to detect significant additive, dominance, and epistatic effects associated with growth traits. As a result, a total number of 32 significant SNPs for additive or dominance effects were found to be associated with various factors, including adjusted age at a specified weight (AGE), average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BF), and loin muscle depth (LMD). In addition, the detected additive significant SNPs explained 2.49%, 3.02%, 3.18%, and 1.96% of the deregressed estimated breeding value (DEBV) variance for AGE, ADG, BF, and LMD, respectively, while significant dominance SNPs could explain 2.24%, 13.26%, and 4.08% of AGE, BF, and LMD, respectively. Meanwhile, a total of 805 significant epistatic effects SNPs were associated with one of ADG, AGE, and LMD, from which 11 sub-networks were constructed. In total, 46 potential genes involved in muscle development, fat deposition, and regulation of cell growth were considered as candidates for growth traits, including CD55 and NRIP1 for AGE and ADG, TRIP11 and MIS2 for BF, and VRTN and ZEB2 for LMD, respectively. Generally, in this study, we detected both new and reported variants and potential candidate genes for growth traits of Duroc pigs, which might to be taken into account in future molecular breeding programs to improve the growth performance of pigs.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Porcine Gut in Response to Heat Stress and Dietary Soluble Fiber from Beet Pulp
Authors: Kim Minju , Roura Eugeni , Choi Yohan , Kim Joeun
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat stress (HS) and the effects of dietary soluble fiber from beet pulp (BP) on gene expression (differentially expressed genes, DEGs) of the porcine jejunum. Out of the 82 DEGs, 47 genes were up-regulated, and 35 genes were downregulated between treatments. The gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were related mainly to the actin cytoskeleton organization and muscle structure development in biological processes, cytoplasm, stress fibers, Z disc, cytoskeleton, and the extracellular regions in cellular composition, and actin binding, calcium ion binding, actin filament binding, and pyridoxal phosphate binding in the molecular function. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were involved in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, vascular smooth muscle contraction, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis, and African trypanosomiasis. Several of the genes (HSPB6, HSP70, TPM1, TAGLN, CCL4) in the HS group were involved in cellular oxidative stress, immune responses, and cellular differentiation. In contrast, the DEGs in the dietary BP group were related to intestinal epithelium integrity and immune response to pathogens, including S100A2, GCNT3, LYZ, SCGB1A1, SAA3, and ST3GAL1. These findings might help understand the HS response and the effect of dietary fiber (DF) regarding HS and be a valuable reference for future studies.
Evaluating the Sensitivity of Heat Wave Definitions among North Carolina Physiographic Regions
Authors: Puvvula Jagadeesh , Abadi Azar M. , Conlon Kathryn C. , Rennie Jared J. , Jones Hunter , Bell Jesse E.
Published: August 2022

Exposure to extreme heat is a known risk factor that is associated with increased heat-related illness (HRI) outcomes. The relevance of heat wave definitions (HWDs) could change across health conditions and geographies due to the heterogenous climate profile. This study compared the sensitivity of 28 HWDs associated with HRI emergency department visits over five summer seasons (2011–2016), stratified by two physiographic regions (Coastal and Piedmont) in North Carolina. The HRI rate ratios associated with heat waves were estimated using the generalized linear regression framework assuming a negative binomial distribution. We compared the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values across the HWDs to identify an optimal HWD. In the Coastal region, HWDs based on daily maximum temperature with a threshold > 90th percentile for two or more consecutive days had the optimal model fit. In the Piedmont region, HWD based on the daily minimum temperature with a threshold value > 90th percentile for two or more consecutive days was optimal. The HWDs with optimal model performance included in this study captured moderate and frequent heat episodes compared to the National Weather Service (NWS) heat products. This study compared the HRI morbidity risk associated with epidemiologic-based HWDs and with NWS heat products. Our findings could be used for public health education and suggest recalibrating NWS heat products.
Air Pollution in Kosovo: Short Term Effects on Hospital Visits of Children Due to Respiratory Health Diagnoses
Authors: Shabani Isenaj Zana , Berisha Merita , Gjorgjev Dragan , Dimovska Mirjana , Moshammer Hanns , Ukëhaxhaj Antigona
Published: August 2022

The Republic of Kosovo is a small country in the Balkans. The capital city of Pristina hosts most of its population and is situated in a mountain basin with poor air exchange, especially during winter. Domestic heating, road transport, industry and coal-fired power plants contribute to high levels of air pollution. We performed a time-series analysis on effects of particulate air pollution (PM2.5) on respiratory health of children and adolescents, using hospital admission and ambulatory visit numbers from the pediatric university clinic. From 2018 until 2020, daily mean concentrations of PM2.5 ranged between 2.41 and 161.03 µg/m³. On average, there were 6.7 ambulatory visits per day with lower numbers on weekends and during the first COVID-19 wave in 2020. An increase in PM2.5 led to an immediate increase in visit numbers that lasted over several days. Averaged over a full week, this amounted to about a 1% increase per 10 µg/m³. There were, on average, 1.7 hospital admissions per day. Two and three days after a rise in air pollution, there was also a rise in admission numbers, followed by a decline during the consecutive days. This might indicate that the wards were overstressed because of high admission numbers and restricted additional admissions.
The Impact of Three Communication Channels on the Dissemination of a Serious Game Designed to Enhance COVID-19 Prevention
Authors: Suppan Mélanie , Stuby Loric , Fehlmann Christophe Alain , Abbas Mohamed , Achab Sophia , Harbarth Stephan , Suppan Laurent
Published: August 2022

Infection prevention interventions can only be effective if they are both well known and easily accessible. A randomized controlled trial showed that a serious game, “Escape COVID-19”, was significantly more effective at improving the intention of adopting adequate infection prevention behavior than regular guidelines among long-term care facility employees. However, less than a fifth of all potential participants were finally recruited in this study. To determine whether a specific communication intervention was more effective than another, we carried out a retrospective analysis of account creation data over a six-month period. During the first period (53 days), information about the serious game was disseminated by a part-time worker. The second period (15 days) corresponded to a press release, while the third period (15 days) reflected an official communication from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. A total of 3995 accounts were created during the study period. Most accounts were created by health care workers (2699/3995, 67.6%). Median daily account creation was highest during the press release period (25; Q1:Q3 9:172) and lowest during the official communication period (6; Q1:Q3 4:20). The association between communication intervention and account creation was statistically significant both when considering the overall population (p = 0.013) and when only analyzing health care workers (p = 0.036).
Modeling for Insights: Does Fiscal Decentralization Impede Ecological Footprint?
Authors: Qiao Guitao , Yang Dan , Ahmad Mahmood , Ahmed Zahoor
Published: August 2022

In recent years, the debate on environmental issues has become a hot topic. Fiscal decentralization is believed to be a crucial driver of environmental sustainability. However, the discussion on the effect of fiscal decentralization (FD) on environmental sustainability has not reached a unanimous conclusion. In this study, we inspect the effect of fiscal decentralization, economic development, technological innovation, economic globalization, and energy use on environmental quality in eight Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries. In addition, we analyze the mechanisms through which fiscal decentralization influences the ecological footprint (EF) through the channels of technological innovation and economic growth. Using the STIRPAT framework, this study employed the CS-ARDL method for short-run and long-run analyses that deal with slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. The empirical results show that fiscal decentralization and technological innovation mitigate ecological footprint, while economic development, energy consumption, and urbanization negatively affect environmental quality. However, economic globalization is not related to the EF in the sample economies. The results further reveal that FD enhances environmental quality through the channel of technological innovation, while it does not affect the EF through the channel of economic growth. Finally, it is recommended to make a reasoned division between the rights and responsibilities of local government and central government in environmental pollution management, and optimize the environmental system. At the same time, policymakers should encourage technological innovation to reduce the adverse impacts of economic development and energy consumption on the environment.
Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Emergency Department Utilization in an Adult Medicaid Population
Authors: Lyon-Scott Kristin , Cohen-Cline Hannah
Published: August 2022

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are widely prevalent but unevenly distributed in the United States, with disadvantaged groups, especially those with low socioeconomic status, being more likely to experience them. ACEs have been linked to poor health outcomes in adulthood. In this study, we examined the association between ACEs and emergency department (ED) utilization using a cross-sectional life-course survey of low-income adults matched to Medicaid enrollment and claims data. Surveys were obtained from 2348 Medicaid-enrolled adults in the Portland, OR metropolitan area; 1133 were used in this analysis. We used a two-part regression model to estimate the association between ACE score and both ever using the ED and frequency of ED use in the year after survey completion. We also evaluated a set of potentially protective factors to see if they impacted the relationship between ED use and ACE score. We found that participants with a higher ACE score were more likely to obtain any emergency services care (odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, p = 0.011), but ACE score did not predict how frequently they would utilize those services. Close social relationships were found to be protective against high ED utilization for those with high ACE scores. Upstream prevention efforts that identify places to intervene in childhood and incorporate trauma-informed strategies into ED care in adulthood have the potential to decrease ED use.
Evaluating Effects of Dynamic Interventions to Control COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Guangdong, China
Authors: Liu Yuan , Liao Chuyao , Zhuo Li , Tao Haiyan
Published: August 2022

The emergence of different virus variants, the rapidly changing epidemic, and demands for economic recovery all require continual adjustment and optimization of COVID-19 intervention policies. For the purpose, it is both important and necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of different policies already in-place, which is the basis for optimization. Although some scholars have used epidemiological models, such as susceptible-exposed-infected-removed (SEIR), to perform evaluation, they might be inaccurate because those models often ignore the time-varying nature of transmission rate. This study proposes a new scheme to evaluate the efficiency of dynamic COVID-19 interventions using a new model named as iLSEIR-DRAM. First, we improved the traditional LSEIR model by adopting a five-parameter logistic function β(t) to depict the key parameter of transmission rate. Then, we estimated the parameters by using an adaptive Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, which combines delayed rejection and adaptive metropolis samplers (DRAM). Finally, we developed a new quantitative indicator to evaluate the efficiency of COVID-19 interventions, which is based on parameters in β(t) and considers both the decreasing degree of the transmission rate and the emerging time of the epidemic inflection point. This scheme was applied to seven cities in Guangdong Province. We found that the iLSEIR-DRAM model can retrace the COVID-19 transmission quite well, with the simulation accuracy being over 95% in all cities. The proposed indicator succeeds in evaluating the historical intervention efficiency and makes the efficiency comparable among different cities. The comparison results showed that the intervention policies implemented in Guangzhou is the most efficient, which is consistent with public awareness. The proposed scheme for efficiency evaluation in this study is easy to implement and may promote precise prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Evaluating the Impact of Modic Changes on Operative Treatment in the Cervical and Lumbar Spine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lambrechts Mark J. , Brush Parker , Issa Tariq Z. , Toci Gregory R. , Heard Jeremy C. , Syal Amit , Schilken Meghan M. , Canseco Jose A. , Kepler Christopher K. , Vaccaro Alexander R.
Published: August 2022

Modic changes (MCs) are believed to be potential pain generators in the lumbar and cervical spine, but it is currently unclear if their presence affects postsurgical outcomes. We performed a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. All studies evaluating cervical or lumbar spine postsurgical outcomes in patients with documented preoperative MCs were included. A total of 29 studies and 6013 patients with 2688 of those patients having preoperative MCs were included. Eight included studies evaluated cervical spine surgery, eleven evaluated lumbar discectomies, nine studied lumbar fusion surgery, and three assessed lumbar disc replacements. The presence of cervical MCs did not impact the clinical outcomes in the cervical spine procedures. Moreover, most studies found that MCs did not significantly impact the clinical outcomes following lumbar fusion, lumbar discectomy, or lumbar disc replacement. A meta-analysis of the relevant data found no significant association between MCs and VAS back pain or ODI following lumbar discectomy. Similarly, there was no association between MCs and JOA or neck pain following ACDF procedures. Patients with MC experienced statistically significant improvements following lumbar or cervical spine surgery. The postoperative improvements were similar to patients without MCs in the cervical and lumbar spine.
Drosophila Glue: A Promising Model for Bioadhesion
Authors: Monier Manon , Courtier-Orgogozo Virginie
Published: August 2022

The glue produced by Drosophila larvae to attach themselves to a substrate for several days and resist predation until the end of metamorphosis represents an attractive model to develop new adhesives for dry environments. The adhesive properties of this interesting material have been investigated recently, and it was found that it binds as well as strongly adhesive commercial tapes to various types of substrates. This glue hardens rapidly after excretion and is made of several proteins. In D. melanogaster, eight glue proteins have been identified: four are long glycosylated mucoproteins containing repeats rich in prolines, serines and threonines, and four others are shorter proteins rich in cysteines. This protein mix is produced by the salivary glands through a complex packaging process that is starting to be elucidated. Drosophila species have adapted to stick to various substrates in diverse environmental conditions and glue genes appear to evolve rapidly in terms of gene number, number of repeats and sequence of the repeat motifs. Interestingly, besides its adhesive properties, the glue may also have antimicrobial activities. We discuss future perspectives and avenues of research for the development of new bioadhesives mimicking Drosophila fly glue.
Pharmacological Properties and Function of the PxOctβ3 Octopamine Receptor in Plutella xylostella (L.)
Authors: Zhu Hang , Liu Zheming , Ma Haihao , Zheng Wei , Liu Jia , Zhou Yong , Man Yilong , Zhou Xiaomao , Zeng Aiping
Published: August 2022

The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is one of the most destructive lepidopteran pests of cruciferous vegetables, and insights into regulation of its physiological processes contribute towards the development of new pesticides against it. Thus, we investigated the regulatory functions of its β-adrenergic-like octopamine receptor (PxOctβ3). The open reading frame (ORF) of PxOctβ3 was phylogenetically analyzed, and the levels of expression of the receptor mRNA were determined. This ORF was also cloned and expressed in HEK-293 cells. A series of octopamine receptor agonists and antagonists were tested against PxOctβ3. We showed that the receptor is a member of the Octβ3 protein family, and an analysis using quantitative PCR showed that it was expressed at all developmental stages of P. xylostella. Octopamine activated PxOctβ3, resulting in increased levels of intracellular cAMP. Furthermore, the agonists naphazoline, clonidine, 2-phenethylamine, and amitraz activated the PxOctβ3 receptor, and naphazoline was the most effective. Only metoclopramide and mianserin had significant antagonistic effects on PxOctβ3, whereas yohimbine, phentolamine, and chlorpromazine lacked obvious antagonistic effects. The injection of double-stranded RNA in an RNA interference assay indicated that PxOctβ3 regulates development in P. xylostella. This study demonstrated the pharmacological properties and functions of PxOctβ3 in P. xylostella, thus, providing a theoretical basis for the design of pesticides that target octopamine receptors.