bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Translation and Validation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Active Commuting to and from School (BPNS-ACS) Scale in Young Portuguese Students
Authors: Marques Adilson , Santos Thiago , Gouveia Élvio , Demetriou Yolanda , Schönbach Dorothea , Ferrari Gerson , Kleszczewska Dorota , Dzielska Anna , Peralta Miguel
Published: December 2021

Active commuting to and from school (ACS) is a strategy to enhance physical activity levels in youths. To promote ACS, it is important to understand the factors that lead to this behaviour. With this in mind, an adaptation of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale for ACS was developed, named the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Active Commuting to and from School (BPNS-ACS) scale. This study aimed to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the BPNS-ACS scale in young Portuguese students. A cross-sectional study was designed. A total of 338 students (212 girls, 126 boys), aged between 11 and 19 years old from 31 Portuguese cities participated in this study. To provide validity evidence based on the questionnaire’s internal structure, confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test the three dimensions of the BNPS-ACS scale. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable fit to the data. The internal consistency of the measures was accepted as the composite reliability values ranged from 0.78 to 0.94. The evaluation of psychometric properties provided evidence of the adequacy of this questionnaire among Portuguese youth aged 11 to 19 years old.
Effects of Plyometric Jump Training in Sand or Rigid Surface on Jump-Related Biomechanical Variables and Physical Fitness in Female Volleyball Players
Authors: Ahmadi Mina , Nobari Hadi , Ramirez-Campillo Rodrigo , Pérez-Gómez Jorge , Ribeiro Alexandre Lima de Araújo , Martínez-Rodríguez Alejandro
Published: December 2021

Background: This study aims to assess the effects of 8 weeks of plyometric jump training (PJT) conducted on sand or a rigid court surface on jump-related biomechanical variables and physical fitness in female indoor volleyball players. Methods: Seventeen participants were randomly divided into a sand surface group (SsG, n = 8) and rigid surface group (RsG, n = 9). Both groups completed equal indoor volleyball training routines. Participants were assessed pre and post the 8-week PJT for jump-related biomechanical variables (countermovement jump (CMJ) RSI; drop jump (DJ) reactive strength index (RSI); spike jump (SJ) height; CMJ height; CMJ rate of force development (RFD); CMJ velocity at take-off; DJ height and CMJ peak force), 20 m linear sprint time, t test for change-of-direction sprint (CODs) time, Wingate test peak power (PP), cardiorespiratory endurance, and leg-press one-repetition maximum (1RM). Results: A two-way mixed analysis of variance (group × time) revealed that there was a significant group × time interaction between DJ height (p = 0.035) and CMJ peak force (p = 0.032) in favour of RsG and SsG, respectively. A significant interaction was also observed for cardiorespiratory endurance (p = 0.01) and 1RM (p = 0.002), both favouring the SsG. No other group × time interaction was observed. Conclusions: The type of surface used during PJT induced specific adaptations in terms of jump-related biomechanical variables and physical fitness in female indoor volleyball players. Based on the individual needs of the athletes, practitioners may prescribe one type of surface preferentially over another to maximize the benefits derived from PJT.
Parks and the Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Research on Green Infrastructure Use and Health Outcomes during COVID-19
Authors: Heckert Megan , Bristowe Amanda
Published: December 2021

Green infrastructure (GI) has long been known to impact human health, and many academics have used past research to argue for the potential importance of GI as a mechanism for maintaining or improving health within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review addresses the question: What evidence, if any, have researchers found of a relationship between green infrastructure use and health during the COVID-19 pandemic? Specifically, evaluating the (a) association of GI use with COVID-19 disease outcomes and (b) association of GI use with other health outcomes as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two studies were identified that measured GI use and studied it in relation to health outcomes during the pandemic. The studies were reviewed for the specific measures and types of GI use, level of analysis, specific types of health outcomes, and the conclusions reached with regard to GI use and health. Studies exploring COVID-19-specific health outcomes showed mixed results, while non-COVID health outcomes were more consistently improved through GI use, particularly with regard to improved mental health. While the evidence strongly suggests that GI use has played a protective role in non-COVID-19 physical and mental health during the pandemic, questions remain with regard to possible impacts on COVID transmission and mortality.
Ethical Attitudes toward COVID-19 Passports: Evidences from Spain
Authors: Arias-Oliva Mario , Pelegrín-Borondo Jorge , Almahameed Ala Ali , Andrés-Sánchez Jorge de
Published: December 2021

A so-called COVID-19 passport or Immunity passport (IP) has been proposed to facilitate the mobility of individuals while the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic persists. A COVID-19 passport can play a key role in the control of the pandemic, specifically in areas with a high density of population, and the help of smart city technology could be very useful to successfully implement IPs. This research studies the impact of ethical judgments on user attitudes toward using vaccine passports based on a Multidimensional Ethics Scale (MES) that contains five ethical constructs: moral equity, relativism, egoism, utilitarianism, and contractualism. Regression analysis shows that MES satisfactorily explains attitude (R2 = 87.82%, p < 0.001) and that a positive evaluation in moral equity, egoism and utilitarianism is significant (p < 0.001). The objective of the passport (variable leisure) shows a significant negative moderating effect on moral equity (coefficient = −0.147, p = 0.0302) and a positive one on relativism (coefficient = 0.158, p = 0.0287). Adjustment by means of fsQCA shows that five ethical constructs satisfactorily explain both favorable and unfavorable attitudes toward IPs. Solutions explaining acceptance attain an overall consistency (cons) = 0.871 and coverage (cov) = 0.980. In the case of resistance, we found that cons = 0.979 and cov = 0.775. However, that influence is asymmetrical. To have a positive attitude toward the passport, it is a sufficient condition to attain a positive evaluation on a single ethical factor. On the other hand, when explaining resistance, and with the exception of the recipe ~utilitarianism (cons = 0.911 and cov = 0.859), explanatory prime implications require the interaction of at least two variables. Likewise, the context in which the passport is required is significant to explain rejection.
Adequacy of Existing Surveillance Systems to Monitor Racism, Social Stigma and COVID Inequities: A Detailed Assessment and Recommendations
Authors: Ford Chandra L. , Amani Bita , Harawa Nina T. , Akee Randall , Gee Gilbert C. , Sarrafzadeh Majid , Abotsi-Kowu Consuela , Fazeli Shayan , Le Cindy , Nwankwo Ezinne , Zamanzadeh Davina , Ovalle Anaelia , Ponder Monica L.
Published: December 2021

The populations impacted most by COVID are also impacted by racism and related social stigma; however, traditional surveillance tools may not capture the intersectionality of these relationships. We conducted a detailed assessment of diverse surveillance systems and databases to identify characteristics, constraints and best practices that might inform the development of a novel COVID surveillance system that achieves these aims. We used subject area expertise, an expert panel and CDC guidance to generate an initial list of N > 50 existing surveillance systems as of 29 October 2020, and systematically excluded those not advancing the project aims. This yielded a final reduced group (n = 10) of COVID surveillance systems (n = 3), other public health systems (4) and systems tracking racism and/or social stigma (n = 3, which we evaluated by using CDC evaluation criteria and Critical Race Theory. Overall, the most important contribution of COVID-19 surveillance systems is their real-time (e.g., daily) or near-real-time (e.g., weekly) reporting; however, they are severely constrained by the lack of complete data on race/ethnicity, making it difficult to monitor racial/ethnic inequities. Other public health systems have validated measures of psychosocial and behavioral factors and some racism or stigma-related factors but lack the timeliness needed in a pandemic. Systems that monitor racism report historical data on, for instance, hate crimes, but do not capture current patterns, and it is unclear how representativeness the findings are. Though existing surveillance systems offer important strengths for monitoring health conditions or racism and related stigma, new surveillance strategies are needed to monitor their intersecting relationships more rigorously.
They Are Just Light Bulbs, Right? The Personality Antecedents of Household Energy-Saving Behavioral Intentions among Young Millennials and Gen Z
Authors: Dai Minhao , Chen Tianen
Published: December 2021

Small individual behaviors such as household energy-saving behaviors may have major environmental impacts. Individuals may combat global warming by replacing traditional light bulbs with more energy-efficient light bulbs such as LED bulbs, which save electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Guided by the integrative model of behavioral prediction, the current study explored the effects of five individual personality differences (i.e., consideration of future consequences, environmental value orientation, individualism and collectivism, regulatory focus, and self-monitoring) on young Millennials’ and Gen Z’s attitudes, perceived norms, perceived control, and intention to switch light bulbs. The results of a survey indicated that environmental value orientation, individualism and collectivism, regulatory focus, and self-monitoring all significantly predicted attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived control, which predicted behavioral intention. The findings suggested the complex psychological nuance of environmental protection behaviors, even among the “greenest” generations. Implications and directions for future studies were discussed.
Identification of Research Priorities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Its Management
Authors: Luo Jianhong , Chai Minjuan , Pan Xuwei
Published: December 2021

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great impact on global production and life in the past period. Countless researchers devoted themselves to rescuing patients and reducing its impact. Analyzing the literature published during the pandemic and identifying the research priorities is of great significance to quickly discover research gaps, rationally allocate scientific research resources, and promote the development of the global research platform. To understand the swing of research priorities during the pandemic, this paper proposed a research priorities identification framework for pandemic based on scientific literature text analysis. Moreover, a research priority metric model was proposed to measure the characteristics of research priorities, and the empirical analysis from COVID-19 scientific literature was conducted to identify the research priorities during the pandemic. As a result, the research priorities identified by the method proposed in this paper discovered the fine-grained dynamic characteristics along with the process in the pandemic outbreak, and based on this, the emergency scientific research response strategies were discussed to give implications for the public health emergency scientific research and management.
Effect of Sampietrini Pavers on Urban Heat Islands
Authors: Moretti Laura , Cantisani Giuseppe , Carpiceci Marco , D’Andrea Antonio , Del Serrone Giulia , Di Mascio Paola , Loprencipe Giuseppe
Published: December 2021

Cool pavements are reflective and/or permeable pavements that improve microclimate of urban areas where heat islands cause discomfort to citizens. Stone pavements lower surface temperatures and reduce the amount of heat absorbed. This study assessed, using ENVI-met 4.3 LITE software, how air temperature and predicted mean vote depend on physical properties of the road pavement. A comparative microclimatic analysis was implemented on a rectangular square in Rome (Italy) in the summer, paved in three different ways: asphalt, traditional sampietrini, and permeable sampietrini. The model considered local weather parameters, surrounding fabric, and vegetation to give reliable results in terms of numerical and graphical output using the application tool Leonardo. The tested pavement types affected air temperature during the day, but did not influence this variable in the early morning. Permeable sampietrini pavement was more effective than traditional sampietrini pavement in reducing air temperature compared to the current asphalt surface. The road pavement did not, however, affect human comfort in terms of predicted mean vote. The obtained results are useful for further investigation of parameters that could modify the microclimatic conditions of urban areas.
Investigating Young Employee Stressors in Contemporary Society Based on User-Generated Contents
Authors: Wang Ning , Wang Can , Hou Limin , Fang Bing
Published: December 2021

Understanding stressors is an effective measure to decrease employee stress and improve employee mental health. The extant literature mainly focuses on a singular stressor among various aspects of their work or life. In addition, the extant literature generally uses questionnaires or interviews to obtain data. Data obtained in such ways are often subjective and lack authenticity. We propose a novel machine–human hybrid approach to conduct qualitative content analysis of user-generated online content to explore the stressors of young employees in contemporary society. The user-generated online contents were collected from a famous Q&A platform in China and we adopted natural language processing and deep learning technology to discover knowledge. Our results identified three kinds of new stressors, that is, affection from leaders, affection from the social circle, and the gap between dream and reality. These new identified stressors were due to the lack of social security and regulation, frequent occurrences of social media fearmongering, and subjective cognitive bias, respectively. In light of our findings, we offer valuable practical insights and policy recommendations to relieve stress and improve mental health of young employees. The primary contributions of our work are two-fold, as follows. First, we propose a novel approach to explore the stressors of young employees in contemporary society, which is applicable not only in China, but also in other countries and regions. Second, we expand the scope of job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, which is an important framework for the classification of employee stressors.
Post-activation Performance Enhancement after a Bout of Accentuated Eccentric Loading in Collegiate Male Volleyball Players
Authors: Tseng Kuo-Wei , Chen Jyun-Ru , Chow Jun-Jie , Tseng Wei-Chin , Condello Giancarlo , Tai Hsia-Ling , Fu Szu-Kai
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefit of post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) after accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) compared to traditional resistance loading (TR). Sixteen male volleyball athletes were divided in AEL and TR group. AEL group performed 3 sets of 4 repetitions (eccentric: 105% of concentric 1RM, concentric: 80% of concentric 1RM) of half squat, and TR group performed 3 sets of 5 repetitions (eccentric & concentric: 85% of 1RM). Countermovement jump (CMJ), spike jump (SPJ), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and muscle soreness test were administered before (Pre) exercise, and 10 min (10-min), 24 h (24-h), and 48 h (48-h) after exercise. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Peak force and rate of development (RFD) of IMTP in AEL group were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than TR group. The height, peak velocity, and RFD of CMJ, height of SPJ, and muscle soreness showed no interaction effects (p > 0.05) groups x time. AEL seemed capable to maintain force production in IMTP, but not in CMJ and SPJ. It is recommended the use of accentuated eccentric loading protocols to overcome the fatigue.
Validity and Reliability of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale in the Czech Republic (CRBS-CZE): Determination of Key Barriers in East-Central Europe
Authors: Winnige Petr , Filakova Katerina , Hnatiak Jakub , Dosbaba Filip , Bocek Otakar , Pepera Garyfallia , Papathanasiou Jannis , Batalik Ladislav , Grace Sherry L.
Published: December 2021

Cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) is an effective secondary preventive model of care. However, the use of CR is insufficient, and the reasons for this are not well-characterized in East-Central Europe. This prospective observational study psychometrically validated the recently translated Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale for the Czech language (CRBS-CZE) and identified the main CR barriers. Consecutive cardiac in/out-patients were approached from January 2020 for 18 months, of whom 186 (89.9%) consented. In addition to sociodemographic characteristics, participants completed the 21-item CRBS-CZE (response options 1–5, with higher scores representing greater barriers), and their CR utilization was tracked. Forty-five (24.2%) participants enrolled in CR, of whom 42 completed the CRBS a second time thereafter. Factor analysis revealed four factors, consistent with other CRBS translations. Internal reliability was acceptable for all but one factor (Cronbach’s alpha range = 0.44–0.77). Mean total barrier scores were significantly higher in non-enrollers (p < 0.001), decreased from first and second administration in these enrollers (p < 0.001), and were lower in CR completers (p < 0.001), supporting criterion validity. There were also significant differences in barrier scores by education, geography, tobacco use, among other variables, further supporting validity. The biggest barriers to enrolment were distance, work responsibilities, lack of time, transportation problems, and comorbidities; and the greatest barriers to adherence were distance and travel. Several items were considered irrelevant at first and second administration. Other barriers included wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study demonstrated sufficient validity and reliability of CRBS-CZE, which supports its use in future research.
Exoskeletons and Exosuits Could Benefit from Mode-Switching Body Interfaces That Loosen/Tighten to Improve Thermal Comfort
Authors: Elstub Laura J. , Fine Shimra J. , Zelik Karl E.
Published: December 2021

Exoskeletons and exosuits (exos) are wearable devices that physically assist movement. User comfort is critically important for societal adoption of exos. Thermal comfort (a person’s satisfaction with their thermal environment) represents a key design challenge. Exos must physically attach/interface to the body to apply forces, and these interfaces inevitably trap some heat. It is envisioned that thermal comfort could be improved by designing mode-switching exo interfaces that temporarily loosen around a body segment when assistive forces are not being applied. To inform exo design, a case series study (N = 4) based on single-subject design principles was performed. Our objective was to assess individual responses to skin temperature and thermal comfort during physical activity with a Loose leg-sleeve interface compared with a Form-Fitting one, and immediately after a Form-Fitting sleeve switched to Loose. Skin under the Loose sleeve was 2–3 °C (4–6 °F) cooler after 25 min of physical activity, and two of four participants reported the Loose sleeve improved their thermal comfort. After completion of the physical activity, the Form-Fitting sleeve was loosened, causing a 2–4 °C (3–8 °F) drop in skin temperature underneath for all participants, and two participants to report slightly improved thermal comfort. These findings confirmed that an exo that can quickly loosen its interface when assistance is not required—and re-tighten when it is— has the potential to enhance thermal comfort for some individuals and environments. More broadly, this study demonstrates that mode-switching mechanisms in exos can do more than adjust physical assistance: they can also exploit thermodynamics and facilitate thermoregulation in a way that enhances comfort for exo users.
Women Aged over 40 with Twin Pregnancies Have a Higher Risk of Adverse Obstetrical Outcomes
Authors: De la Calle María , Bartha Jose L. , García Laura , Cuerva Marcos J. , Ramiro-Cortijo David
Published: December 2021

Maternal age is related to a higher risk of adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes in twin pregnancies. However, whether this increase in adverse outcomes is due solely to age or due to risk factors that are more common in women over 40 remains unknown. The aim of this study is to assess if maternal age over 40 years old is an independent risk factor for obstetric adverse outcomes in dichorionic diamniotic twin gestations. In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we compared the obstetric outcomes of women with dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies below and over 40 years of age. A twin pregnancy cohort enrolled between 2013 and 2019 was included in the study. Maternal, fetal, and labor complications were recorded. A total of 510 women were analyzed in two groups: 266 women below 40 years old and 244 women over 40 years old. Maternal age over 40 increased the odds of maternal (aOR = 1.9 (1.3; 2.9); p-value = 0.002), fetal (aOR = 1.8 (1.0; 3.0); p-value = 0.037), and labor complications (aOR = 2.5 (1.3; 4.6); p-value = 0.004). Maternal age over 40 years was the most important factor increasing the odds of having a caesarean section (C-section). Over 40 years old was an independent risk factor for complications in dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies.
The Role of Local Leaders in the Implementation of Adult-Initiated Motor Skill Development and Physical Activity in Preschool—A Case Study
Authors: Klein-Wengel Trine Top , Nielsen Jonas Vestergaard , Smedegaard Søren , Skovgaard Thomas
Published: December 2021

Good motor skills (MS) and physical activity (PA) are considered important for children’s physical, social, and psychological development. The Motor skills in PreSchool (MiPS) study-Denmark aimed to optimize children’s MS through weekly PA sessions. The aim of this paper is to explore the role of local preschool leaders and their strategies in influencing the implementation of MiPS into daily practice. Leaders from all seven preschools in the project were interviewed. The results show that preschool leaders used communication (setting an agenda and dedicating speaking time to address the program at staff meetings) and reflective questioning about the pedagogic staff’s current practice in relation to the program (adding focus on MS and PA) as their main course of action. Through this form of communication and reflective questioning, the preschool leaders aimed to involve the staff and heighten their sensemaking in the existing practice while also ensuring that the implementation of the program was kept in progress. In sum, future implementation of an MS and PA initiative in preschools should put emphasis on a shared responsibility between leaders and staff combined with an adaptive approach in which the existing practice is reshaped rather than just increasing the workload of the pedagogic staff.
Regional Differential Decomposition and Formation Mechanism of Dynamic Carbon Emission Efficiency of China’s Logistics Industry
Authors: Yi Jingwen , Zhang Yuchen , Liao Kaicheng
Published: December 2021

Among China’s five major industries, the logistics industry is the only one in which carbon emission intensity is continuing to increase, so it is of great importance in developing a low-carbon economy for China. Thus, some scholars have learned about carbon emission efficiency (CEE) in logistic industry recently; however, few of them have considered the inner structure, regional differentiation, or dynamic items of CEE. To fill this gap, we first calculate the dynamic carbon emission efficiency of China’s logistics industry (CEELI) (2001–2017) using the three-stage DEA-Malmquist model, and then using the Dagum Gini coefficient method, the Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), and the panel vector auto-regression (PVAR) model to analyze regional differential decomposition and their formation mechanism. The results indicate that the dynamic CEELI is ‘inefficient’ overall; it shows a decreasing trend, and the decline of dynamic efficiency mainly comes from technical backwardness rather than efficiency decline. Moreover, the domestic differences are gradually narrowing; the Gini inequality between regions and the density of trans-variation between regions are the main reasons for the gap between different regions and different periods.
The Impact of Negative Affectivity on Teacher Burnout
Authors: Genoud Philippe A. , Waroux Elisabeth L.
Published: December 2021

Teachers’ well-being, including burnout, impacts the stress and well-being of students. Understanding the development of burnout requires not only an examination of stressors, but also a consideration of personality factors. While teachers are subject to many pressures in their profession, they have personalities that make them more or less vulnerable. Our research with 470 secondary school teachers reveals four distinct negative affectivity profiles. Our results show that negative affectivity (tendency to feel depression, anxiety, or stress) plays a role in the development of burnout. However, while teachers with a more anxious profile experience greater emotional exhaustion, those with a depressive profile have more difficulty developing a strong sense of personal accomplishment. The findings highlight the need to take into account the various facets of negative affectivity, particularly in order to be able to propose prevention and intervention approaches adapted to these specific profiles.
Accuracy of Algorithm to Non-Invasively Predict Core Body Temperature Using the Kenzen Wearable Device
Authors: Moyen Nicole E. , Bapat Rohit C. , Tan Beverly , Hunt Lindsey A. , Jay Ollie , Mündel Toby
Published: December 2021

With climate change increasing global temperatures, more workers are exposed to hotter ambient temperatures that exacerbate risk for heat injury and illness. Continuously monitoring core body temperature (TC) can help workers avoid reaching unsafe TC. However, continuous TC measurements are currently cost-prohibitive or invasive for daily use. Here, we show that Kenzen’s wearable device can accurately predict TC compared to gold standard TC measurements (rectal probe or gastrointestinal pill). Data from four different studies (n = 52 trials; 27 unique subjects; >4000 min data) were used to develop and validate Kenzen’s machine learning TC algorithm, which uses subject’s real-time physiological data combined with baseline anthropometric data. We show Kenzen’s TC algorithm meets pre-established accuracy criteria compared to gold standard TC: mean absolute error = 0.25 °C, root mean squared error = 0.30 °C, Pearson r correlation = 0.94, standard error of the measurement = 0.18 °C, and mean bias = 0.07 °C. Overall, the Kenzen TC algorithm is accurate for a wide range of TC, environmental temperatures (13–43 °C), light to vigorous heart rate zones, and both biological sexes. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating a wearable device can accurately predict TC in real-time, thus offering workers protection from heat injuries and illnesses.
Opportunities and Barriers of Telemedicine in Rheumatology: A Participatory, Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Muehlensiepen Felix , Knitza Johannes , Marquardt Wenke , May Susann , Krusche Martin , Hueber Axel , Schwarz Julian , Vuillerme Nicolas , Heinze Martin , Welcker Martin
Published: December 2021

Despite all its promises, telemedicine is still not widely implemented in the care of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The aim of this study is to investigate opportunities, barriers, acceptance, and preferences concerning telemedicine among RMD patients and professional stakeholders. From November 2017 to December 2019, a participatory, mixed-methods study was conducted, consisting of (1) expert interviews (n = 27) with RMD patients and professional stakeholders, (2) a national paper-based patient survey (n = 766), and (3) focus groups (n = 2) with patient representatives and rheumatologists. The qualitative findings indicate that patients equate personal contact with physical face-to-face contact, which could be reduced by implementing telemedicine, thus negatively influencing the patient–doctor relationship. Correspondingly “no personal contact with the doctor” is the main reason (64%) why 38% of the surveyed patients refuse to try telemedicine. Professional stakeholders expect telemedicine to contribute to the effective allocation of scarce resources in rheumatology care. The main barriers reported by stakeholders were the scarcity of time resources in RMD care, the absence of physical examinations, and organizational challenges associated with the implementation of telemedicine in RMD care. While the exact integration of telemedicine into routine care has yet to be found, the consequences on the patient-physician relationship must be permanently considered.
Alcohol Contribution to Total Energy Intake and Its Association with Nutritional Status and Diet Quality in Eight Latina American Countries
Authors: Brenes Juan Carlos , Gómez Georgina , Quesada Dayana , Kovalskys Irina , Rigotti Attilio , Cortés Lilia Yadira , Yépez García Martha Cecilia , Liria-Domínguez Reyna , Herrera-Cuenca Marianella , Guajardo Viviana , Fisberg Regina Mara , Leme Ana Carolina B. , Ferrari Gerson , Fisberg Mauro ,   on behalf of the ELANS Study Group
Published: December 2021

Alcohol consumption is a modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to characterize alcohol consumers at the nutritional, anthropometric, and sociodemographic levels. Data from 9218 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela participating in “Latin American Health and Nutrition Study (ELANS)”, a multi-country, population-based study, were used. Dietary intake was collected through two, 24 h recalls. Participants were classified into consumers (n = 1073) and non-alcohol consumers (n = 8145) using a cut-off criterium of ≥15 g/day of alcohol consumption calculated from the estimation of their usual daily intake. Among alcohol consumers, the mean alcohol consumption was 69.22 ± 2.18 grams (4.6. beverages/day), contributing to 484.62 kcal, which corresponded to 16.86% of the total energy intake. We found that the risk of alcohol consumption was higher in young and middle-aged men from low and middle socioeconomic status. Argentine, Brazil, and Chile had the highest percentage of consumers, while Ecuador showed the highest alcohol consumption. Alcohol drinkers were characterized by having higher body weight and wider neck, waist, hips circumferences. Alcohol drinkers had a higher energy intake, with macronutrients providing relatively less energy at the expense of the energy derived from alcohol. Alcohol drinkers showed lower and higher consumptions of healthy and unhealthy food groups, respectively. In addition, adequacy ratios for all micronutrients assessed were lower in alcohol consumers. All these deleterious effects of alcohol on nutritional and anthropometric parameters increased with the number of alcoholic beverages consumed daily. Altogether, these findings suggest that limiting alcohol consumption can contribute to reducing the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diet-related diseases.
An Automatic Extraction Method for Hatched Residential Areas in Raster Maps Based on Multi-Scale Feature Fusion
Authors: Wu Jianhua , Xiong Jiaqi , Zhao Yu , Hu Xiang
Published: December 2021

Extracting the residential areas from digital raster maps is beneficial for research on land use change analysis and land quality assessment. In traditional methods for extracting residential areas in raster maps, parameters must be set manually; these methods also suffer from low extraction accuracy and inefficiency. Therefore, we have proposed an automatic method for extracting the hatched residential areas from raster maps based on a multi-scale U-Net and fully connected conditional random fields. The experimental results showed that the model that was based on a multi-scale U-Net with fully connected conditional random fields achieved scores of 97.05% in Dice, 94.26% in Intersection over Union, 94.92% in recall, 93.52% in precision and 99.52% in accuracy. Compared to the FCN-8s, the five metrics increased by 1.47%, 2.72%, 1.07%, 4.56% and 0.26%, respectively and compared to the U-Net, they increased by 0.84%, 1.56%, 3.00%, 0.65% and 0.13%, respectively. Our method also outperformed the Gabor filter-based algorithm in the number of identified objects and the accuracy of object contour locations. Furthermore, we were able to extract all of the hatched residential areas from a sheet of raster map. These results demonstrate that our method has high accuracy in object recognition and contour position, thereby providing a new method with strong potential for the extraction of hatched residential areas.
Spatiotemporal RDF Data Query Based on Subgraph Matching
Authors: Meng Xiangfu , Zhu Lin , Li Qing , Zhang Xiaoyan
Published: December 2021

Resource Description Framework (RDF), as a standard metadata description framework proposed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), is suitable for modeling and querying Web data. With the growing importance of RDF data in Web data management, there is an increasing need for modeling and querying RDF data. Previous approaches mainly focus on querying RDF. However, a large amount of RDF data have spatial and temporal features. Therefore, it is important to study spatiotemporal RDF data query approaches. In this paper, firstly, we formally define spatiotemporal RDF data, and construct a spatiotemporal RDF model st-RDF that is used to represent and manipulate spatiotemporal RDF data. Secondly, we present a spatiotemporal RDF query algorithm stQuery based on subgraph matching. This algorithm can quickly determine whether the query result is empty for queries whose temporal or spatial range exceeds a specific range by adopting a preliminary query filtering mechanism in the query process. Thirdly, we propose a sorting strategy that calculates the matching order of query nodes to speed up the subgraph matching. Finally, we conduct experiments in terms of effect and query efficiency. The experimental results show the performance advantages of our approach.
Zinc Exposure Promotes Commensal-to-Pathogen Transition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Leading to Mucosal Inflammation and Illness in Mice
Authors: Wu Tong , Gagnon Annie , McGourty Katherine , DosSantos Rebecca , Chanetsa Lucia , Zhang Boce , Bello Dhimiter , Kelleher Shannon L.
Published: December 2021

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is associated gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation and illness; however, factors motivating commensal-to-pathogen transition are unclear. Excessive zinc intake from supplements is common in humans. Due to the fact that zinc exposure enhances P. aeruginosa colonization in vitro, we hypothesized zinc exposure broadly activates virulence mechanisms, leading to inflammation and illness. P. aeruginosa was treated with excess zinc and growth, expression and secretion of key virulence factors, and biofilm production were determined. Effects on invasion, barrier function, and cytotoxicity were evaluated in Caco-2 cells co-cultured with P. aeruginosa pre-treated with zinc. Effects on colonization, mucosal pathology, inflammation, and illness were evaluated in mice infected with P. aeruginosa pre-treated with zinc. We found the expression and secretion of key virulence factors involved in quorum sensing (QS), motility (type IV pili, flagella), biosurfactants (rhamnolipids), toxins (exotoxin A), zinc homeostasis (CzcR), and biofilm production, were all significantly increased. Zinc exposure significantly increased P. aeruginosa invasion, permeability and cytotoxicity in Caco-2 cells, and enhanced colonization, inflammation, mucosal damage, and illness in mice. Excess zinc exposure has broad effects on key virulence mechanisms promoting commensal-to-pathogen transition of P. aeruginosa and illness in mice, suggesting excess zinc intake may have adverse effects on GI health in humans.
New Synthetic Lethality Re-Sensitizing Platinum-Refractory Cancer Cells to Cisplatin In Vitro: The Rationale to Co-Use PARP and ATM Inhibitors
Authors: Folk Watson P. , Kumari Alpana , Iwasaki Tetsushi , Cassimere Erica K. , Pyndiah Slovénie , Martin Elizabeth , Homlar Kelly , Sakamuro Daitoku
Published: December 2021

The pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor BIN1 inhibits the activities of the neoplastic transcription factor MYC, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1), and ATM Ser/Thr kinase (ATM) by separate mechanisms. Although BIN1 deficits increase cancer-cell resistance to DNA-damaging chemotherapeutics, such as cisplatin, it is not fully understood when BIN1 deficiency occurs and how it provokes cisplatin resistance. Here, we report that the coordinated actions of MYC, PARP1, and ATM assist cancer cells in acquiring cisplatin resistance by BIN1 deficits. Forced BIN1 depletion compromised cisplatin sensitivity irrespective of Ser15-phosphorylated, pro-apoptotic TP53 tumor suppressor. The BIN1 deficit facilitated ATM to phosphorylate the DNA-damage-response (DDR) effectors, including MDC1. Consequently, another DDR protein, RNF8, bound to ATM-phosphorylated MDC1 and protected MDC1 from caspase-3-dependent proteolytic cleavage to hinder cisplatin sensitivity. Of note, long-term and repeated exposure to cisplatin naturally recapitulated the BIN1 loss and accompanying RNF8-dependent cisplatin resistance. Simultaneously, endogenous MYC was remarkably activated by PARP1, thereby repressing the BIN1 promoter, whereas PARP inhibition abolished the hyperactivated MYC-dependent BIN1 suppression and restored cisplatin sensitivity. Since the BIN1 gene rarely mutates in human cancers, our results suggest that simultaneous inhibition of PARP1 and ATM provokes a new BRCAness-independent synthetic lethal effect and ultimately re-establishes cisplatin sensitivity even in platinum-refractory cancer cells.
Increased Susceptibility of the CD57− NK Cells Expressing KIR2DL2/3 and NKG2C to iCasp9 Gene Retroviral Transduction and the Relationships with Proliferative Potential, Activation Degree, and Death Induction Response
Authors: Palamarchuk Anastasia I. , Alekseeva Nadezhda A. , Streltsova Maria A. , Ustiuzhanina Maria O. , Kobyzeva Polina A. , Kust Sofya A. , Grechikhina Maria V. , Boyko Anna A. , Shustova Olga A. , Sapozhnikov Alexander M. , Kovalenko Elena I.
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, the use of genetically modified NK cells is a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. The additional insertion of genes capable of inducing cell suicide allows for the timely elimination of the modified NK cells. Different subsets of the heterogenic NK cell population may differ in proliferative potential, in susceptibility to genetic viral transduction, and to the subsequent induction of cell death. The CD57−NKG2C+ NK cells are of special interest as potential candidates for therapeutic usage due to their high proliferative potential and certain features of adaptive NK cells. In this study, CD57− NK cell subsets differing in KIR2DL2/3 and NKG2C expression were transduced with the iCasp9 suicide gene. The highest transduction efficacy was observed in the KIR2DL2/3+NKG2C+ NK cell subset, which demonstrated an increased proliferative potential with prolonged cultivation. The increased transduction efficiency of the cell cultures was associated with the higher expression level of the HLA-DR activation marker. Among the iCasp9-transduced subsets, KIR2DL2/3+ cells had the weakest response to the apoptosis induction by the chemical inductor of dimerization (CID). Thus, KIR2DL2/3+NKG2C+ NK cells showed an increased susceptibility to the iCasp9 retroviral transduction, which was associated with higher proliferative potential and activation status. However, the complete elimination of these cells with CID is impeded.
Regulation of Hedgehog Signal Transduction by Ubiquitination and Deubiquitination
Authors: Zhang Qing , Jiang Jin
Published: December 2021

The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins governs embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis in species ranging from insects to mammals. Deregulation of Hh pathway activity has been implicated in a wide range of human disorders, including congenital diseases and cancer. Hh exerts its biological influence through a conserved signaling pathway. Binding of Hh to its receptor Patched (Ptc), a twelve-span transmembrane protein, leads to activation of an atypical GPCR family protein and Hh signal transducer Smoothened (Smo), which then signals downstream to activate the latent Cubitus interruptus (Ci)/Gli family of transcription factors. Hh signal transduction is regulated by ubiquitination and deubiquitination at multiple steps along the pathway including regulation of Ptc, Smo and Ci/Gli proteins. Here we review the effect of ubiquitination and deubiquitination on the function of individual Hh pathway components, the E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases involved, how ubiquitination and deubiquitination are regulated, and whether the underlying mechanisms are conserved from Drosophila to mammals.
Effects of Obesity on Bone Healing in Rats
Authors: Damanaki Anna , Memmert Svenja , Nokhbehsaim Marjan , Abedi Ali , Rath-Deschner Birgit , Nogueira Andressa , Deschner James
Published: December 2021

Although the association between periodontitis and obesity is well explored, it is unclear whether obesity is associated with a worse therapeutic outcome after periodontal treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of obesity on bone healing with and without the application of regeneration-promoting molecules. A standardized bone fenestration-type defect was created over the root of the mandibular first molar in 15 Wistar rats. Ten animals received a high-fat, high-sucrose diet (HFSD), while the remaining five animals were fed a standard diet. During surgery, the fenestration defects from half of the HFSD-fed, i.e., obese animals, were treated with regeneration-promoting molecules (enamel matrix derivative; EMD). After four weeks, bone healing was evaluated by histomorphometry, TRAP staining and immunohistochemistry for RUNX2 and osteopontin. The analyses revealed that the spontaneous healing of the periodontal defects was compromised by obesity. Application of EMD partially compensated for the negative effect of obesity. Nevertheless, EMD-stimulated bone healing in obese animals was not better than the spontaneous healing in the obesity-free control group, indicating that obesity may also inhibit the stimulatory effects of regeneration-promoting molecules. Our results show that obesity can negatively influence bone healing and suggest that bone healing may be compromised in humans.
The Lrp/AsnC-Type Regulator PA2577 Controls the EamA-like Transporter Gene PA2576 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Modrzejewska Magdalena , Kawalek Adam , Bartosik Aneta Agnieszka
Published: December 2021

The regulatory network of gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic human pathogen, is very complex. In the PAO1 reference strain, about 10% of genes encode transcriptional regulators, many of which have undefined regulons and unknown functions. The aim of this study is the characterization of PA2577 protein, a representative of the Lrp/AsnC family of transcriptional regulators. This family encompasses proteins involved in the amino acid metabolism, regulation of transport processes or cell morphogenesis. The transcriptome profiling of P. aeruginosa cells with mild PA2577 overproduction revealed a decreased expression of the PA2576 gene oriented divergently to PA2577 and encoding an EamA-like transporter. A gene expression analysis showed a higher mRNA level of PA2576 in P. aeruginosa ΔPA2577, indicating that PA2577 acts as a repressor. Concomitantly, ChIP-seq and EMSA assays confirmed strong interactions of PA2577 with the PA2577/PA2576 intergenic region. Additionally, phenotype microarray analyses indicated an impaired metabolism of ΔPA2576 and ΔPA2577 mutants in the presence of polymyxin B, which suggests disturbances of membrane functions in these mutants. We show that PA2576 interacts with two proteins, PA5006 and PA3694, with a predicted role in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and membrane biogenesis. Overall, our results indicate that PA2577 acts as a repressor of the PA2576 gene coding for the EamA-like transporter and may play a role in the modulation of the cellular response to stress conditions, including antimicrobial peptides, e.g., polymyxin B.
The SlHB8 Acts as a Negative Regulator in Stem Development and Lignin Biosynthesis
Authors: Liu Xiaojuan , Wu Caiyu , Su Deding , Yang Yang , Xian Zhiqiang , Yu Canye , Li Zhengguo , Hao Yanwei , Chen Riyuan
Published: December 2021

The stem is an important organ in supporting plant body, transporting nutrients and communicating signals for plant growing. However, studies on the regulation of stem development in tomato are rather limited. In our study, we demonstrated that SlHB8 negatively regulated tomato stem development. SlHB8 belongs to homeo domain-leucine zipper Class III gene family transcription factors and expressed in all the organs examined including root, stem, leaves, flower, and fruit. Among these tissues, SlHB8 showed stable high expression level during tomato stem development. Overexpression of SlHB8 gene decreased stem diameter with inhibited xylem width and xylem cell layers, while loss of function of SlHB8gene increased the stem diameter and xylem width. The contents of lignin were decreased both in leaves and stems of SlHB8 overexpression plants. RNA-seq analysis on the stems of wild type and SlHB8 transgenic plants showed that the 116 DEGs (differential expressed genes) with reversible expression profiles in SlHB8-ox and SlHB8-cr plants were significantly enriched in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and plant-pathogen pathway which were related to lignin biosynthesis and disease resistance. Meanwhile, the key genes involved in the lignin biosynthesis pathway such as SlCCR (cinnamoyl-CoA reductase), SlCYP73A14/C4H (cinnamate 4-hydroxylase), SlC3H (coumarate 3-hydroxylase) and SlCAD (cinnamoyl alcohol dehydrogenase) were down-regulated in both stem and leaves of SlHB8 overexpression plants, indicating a negative regulatory role of SlHB8 in the lignin biosynthesis and stem development.