bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regional Suicide Rate Change Patterns in Korea
Authors: You Byung-sun , Jeong Kyu-hyoung , Cho Heeran J.
Published: September 2020

Background: Korea had the highest suicide rate among OECD countries for the 10 years leading up to 2016; however, the suicide rate in Korea has declined since 2010, after policy-driven interventions were implemented. Methods: Suicide rates from all of the 229 cities, counties, and districts in Korea were reliably estimated from the period 2010 to 2017, and data were examined by Stata 14.0 and M-plus to identify regional suicide rate change patterns by latent growth modeling. The dependent variable is the suicide rate, and independent variables as characteristics of the various districts are the region (cities, counties, and autonomous districts), proportion of elderly residents, financial independence rate, establishment of mental health and welfare centers, and number of social welfare facilities. Results: Three suicide rate change patterns were identified: ‘average’, ‘precipitous drop’, and ‘high level’. Two of the three patterns exhibit features that are markedly different to the national data as a whole, and the three patterns appear across the 229 cities, counties, and districts of Korea. Some of the determinant factors have been postulated here. While a high proportion of elderly residents in a given area is a significant indicator that the suicide rate will increase, having a large elderly population in combination with an increased number of social welfare facilities centers appeared to show a discrete pattern of suicide rate reduction when compared with average national data. Conclusions: Policy-driven interventions should be planned and implemented by central and local governments in conjunction, by considering regional characteristics to decrease local suicide rates more effectively.
Reorienting Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya: A Review
Authors: Shumba Constance , Maina Rose , Mbuthia Gladys , Kimani Rachel , Mbugua Stella , Shah Sweta , Abubakar Amina , Luchters Stanley , Shaibu Sheila , Ndirangu Eunice
Published: September 2020

In Kenya, millions of children have limited access to nurturing care. With the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is anticipated that vulnerable children will bear the biggest brunt of the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic. This review aimed to deepen understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on nurturing care from conception to four years of age, a period where the care of children is often delivered through caregivers or other informal platforms. The review has drawn upon the empirical evidence from previous pandemics and epidemics, and anecdotal and emerging evidence from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Multifactorial impacts fall into five key domains: direct health; health and nutrition systems; economic protection; social and child protection; and child development and early learning. The review proposes program and policy strategies to guide the reorientation of nurturing care, prevent the detrimental effects associated with deteriorating nurturing care environments, and support the optimal development of the youngest and most vulnerable children. These include the provision of cash transfers and essential supplies for vulnerable households and strengthening of community-based platforms for nurturing care. Further research on COVID-19 and the ability of children’s ecology to provide nurturing care is needed, as is further testing of new ideas.
Exercise and Quality of Life in Women with Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Nguyen Thi Mai , Do Thi Thanh Toan , Tran Tho Nhi , Kim Jin Hee
Published: September 2020

Menopausal symptoms are associated with deterioration in physical, mental, and sexual health, lowering women’s quality of life (QoL). Our study objective is to examine the effect of exercise on QoL in women with menopausal symptoms. After initially identifying 1306 studies published on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library before June 2020, two researchers independently selected nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which any type of exercise was compared with no active treatment. We assessed the risk of bias in the included studies using the Cochrane risk-of-bias 2.0 tool for RCTs and computed the converged standardized mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. We found evidences for the positive effects of exercise on physical and psychological QoL scores in women with menopausal symptoms. However, there was no evidence for the effects of exercise on general, social, and menopause-specific QoL scores. The most common interventions for women with menopausal and urinary symptoms were yoga and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), respectively. In our meta-analyses, while yoga significantly improved physical QoL, its effects on general, psychological, sexual, and vasomotor symptoms QoL scores as well as the effect of PFMT on general QoL were not significant. Our findings suggest that well-designed studies are needed to confirm the effect of exercise on QoL in women with menopausal symptoms.
Evaluation of Quality of Life of Adult Patients with Celiac Disease in Argentina: From Questionnaire Validation to Assessment
Authors: Selleski Nicole , Zandonadi Renata Puppin , Milde Laura B. , Gandolfi Lenora , Pratesi Riccardo , Häuser Winfred , Uenishi Rosa Harumi , Nakano Eduardo Yoshio , Pratesi Claudia B.
Published: September 2020

This cross-sectional study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, validate, and apply a Celiac Disease Quality of Life (CD-QoL) questionnaire to a representative sample of Argentina’s celiac population. A previously developed and validated questionnaire (Celiac Disease Questionnaire: CDQ) was chosen as a tool for assessing the health-related quality of Life (HRQoL) of adult celiac patients in Argentina. Therefore, the study was performed in four stages: (a) translation and re-translation of the CDQ to Argentinian-Spanish language; (b) cultural adaptation and semantic evaluation; based on the Delphi method (c) validation of the CDQ by applying it to a representative sample of Argentinian celiac patients; (d) statistical analysis of the data. The result of stages (a) and (b) was a translated and culturally adapted an Argentinian-Spanish version of the CDQ, which was generated after reaching consensus between the corresponding four (phase a) and 10 (phase b) professionals involved in the different phases of this process. Among them, we can cite bilingual healthcare professionals with extensive experience in research and celiac disease, celiac patients, gastroenterologists, general practitioners, dieticians, and psychologists. The resulting CDQ proved to be an appropriate measuring tool to assess the HRQoL of Argentinian celiac patients confirmed by a good fit in the confirmatory factor validity analysis (RMSEA < 0.001 and χ2 = 267.325, df = 313, p = 0.971) and high values of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.7). A total of 191 participants accessed the questionnaire, and 171 individuals from 20 out of 23 Argentinian states completed the questionnaire. There was no correlation between higher educational level nor marital status with QoL. Individuals on a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) and those who do not take antidepressants showed higher QoL. Male gender also presented better HRQoL. There was no correlation between differences in HRQoL and age of the respondent, age at diagnosis, symptoms at diagnosis, or having other chronic diseases. However, a significantly higher score of HRQoL was reported among those individuals who disclosed having knowledge of CD related national regulations and benefits. This study highlights the importance of maintaining current public health regulations that support chronic disease patients, such as celiac patients.
Preliminary Trajectories in Dietary Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Public Health Call to Action to Face Obesity
Authors: Zupo Roberta , Castellana Fabio , Sardone Rodolfo , Sila Annamaria , Giagulli Vito Angelo , Triggiani Vincenzo , Cincione Raffaele Ivan , Giannelli Gianluigi , De Pergola Giovanni
Published: September 2020

The world is currently struggling to face the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), and many countries have imposed lockdowns and recommended quarantine to limit both the spread of the virus and overwhelming demands for medical care. Direct implications include the disruption of work routines, boredom, depression, increased calorie consumption, and other similar harmful effects. The present narrative review article briefly analyzes the preliminary effects of the quarantine lifestyle from the standpoint of dietary habits. In six different databases, we searched for original articles up to 10 August 2020, assessing eating habits among populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recorded any change in the intake of major food categories, as well as changes in body weight. The research strategy yielded 364 articles, from which we selected 12 articles that fitted our goal. Our preliminary findings revealed a sharp rise of carbohydrates sources consumption, especially those with a high glycemic index (i.e., homemade pizza, bread, cake, and pastries), as well as more frequent snacks. A high consumption of fruits and vegetables, and protein sources, particularly pulses, was also recorded, although there was no clear peak of increase in the latter. Data concerning the consumption of junk foods lacked consistency, while there was a decreased alcohol intake and fresh fish/seafood consumption. As a possible connection, people gained body weight. Therefore, in the realistic perspective of a continuing global health emergency situation, timely preventive measures are needed to counteract obesity-related behaviors in the long-term, so as to prevent further health complications.
The Importance of Genuineness in Public Engagement—An Exploratory Study of Pediatric Communication on Social Media in China
Authors: Lu Wenze , Ngai Cindy Sing Bik , Yang Lu
Published: September 2020

There is a growing need for the public to interact with pediatricians through social media in China, and genuineness is a crucial factor contributing to effective communication, but few studies have examined the relationship between genuineness and its effect on public engagement. This study developed a four-dimension framework including self-disclosure, genuine response, functional interactivity, and genuineness in Chinese culture to investigate the effect of genuineness in the communication of Chinese social media influencers in pediatrics on public engagement. Content analysis was employed to examine these dimensions and the related public engagement in 300 social media posts on the largest microblogging site in China. The findings indicate that genuine response was positively associated with the number of comments and positive comments, while negatively related to the number of shares. Functional interactivity made the site more appealing, resulting in likes and shares. Genuineness in Chinese culture was reflected in engagement through sharing posts by the public. This study is the first to develop an integrated framework to measure genuineness in online health communication and contributes to the understanding of the effect of genuineness on Chinese public engagement in social media.
Gender Differences in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a South African Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Ferndale Lucien , Aldous Colleen , Hift Richard , Thomson Sandie
Published: September 2020

(1) Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma is common in Africa and has a male preponderance. The gender-based differences in clinical presentation and risk factor exposure are poorly studied in the African context. Our aim was to compare males and females with this disease. We analyzed the differences in clinical features and risk factor exposure between males and females with oesophageal cancer. (2) Data from patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in South Africa with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, pathology and risk factor exposure. (3) Three hundred and sixty three patients were included in the study. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1. The mean age was 66 years for females and 61 years for males (p < 0.0001). A significantly larger percentage of males were underweight compared to females (60% vs. 32%, p < 0.001). There were no differences between the genders with regards to performance status, dysphagia grade and duration and tumor length, location and degree of differentiation. There were significant differences between risk factor exposure between the two genders. Smoking and alcohol consumption was an association in more than 70% of males but in less than 10% of females There was no difference survival. (4) Female patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are older and have a higher body mass index (BMI) than their male counterparts. Traditionally purported risk factors of smoking and alcohol consumption are infrequent associations with OSCC in female patients and other environmental risk factors may be more relevant in this gender.
Ultimate Full Contact: Fight Outcome Characterization Concerning Their Methods, Occurrence Times and Technical–Tactical Developments
Authors: Pinto Fernando C. Loio , Neiva Henrique , Nunes Célia , Marques Mário C. , Sousa António C. , Marinho Daniel A. , Branquinho Luís , Ferraz Ricardo
Published: September 2020

Fight analysis produces relevant technical–tactical information. However, this knowledge is limited in hybrid full-contact combat sports. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the results of the fights’ outcomes through the winners at the World Ultimate Full Contact (WUFC) Championships between 2008 and 2017. Methods: 170 combats between senior male fighters (master class) from 38 countries were observed; all fight outcome methods, their occurrence times, inherent skills and their development forms were analyzed through frequencies, percentages, crosstabs and chi-square test, considering a Fisher’s exact value of p < 0.05. The fight outcome methods were, in decreasing order, as follows: submission; decision and technical knockout (TKO); knockout (KO); and doctor stoppage. Only 19.4% fights completed the regular time 10 min (600 s), and 68.8% fight outcomes occurred in the first 5 min (300 s). Chokes were more used than joint locks, primarily developed in single actions. Head punches and kicks were the skills most responsible for KO, developed more in combinations and counter-attacks, while TKO was always through combination attacks and mostly by ground and pound. Ground fighting is most effective. In stand-up fighting, combination attacks and counter-attack are most effective. It is important to increase the technical–tactical capacities and adjustable decision-making to perform the regular fight time.
Exploring Influential Factors Including COVID-19 on Green Food Purchase Intentions and the Intention–Behaviour Gap: A Qualitative Study among Consumers in a Chinese Context
Authors: Qi Xin , Yu Huaming , Ploeger Angelika
Published: September 2020

This study applied a qualitative approach to investigate the underlying influences on consumers’ green food consumption from the intention generation phase to intention execution phase in the perspectives of purchase intention and the intention–behaviour gap (IBG). Additionally, the impact of the “Coronavirus Disease 2019” (COVID-19) pandemic on consumers’ green food purchases was explored. Research data were derived from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 28 consumers and analyzed using grounded theory. The findings identified factors that influenced intentions and the IBG in the process of consumers’ green food purchases. Specifically, these findings reported that health consciousness, perceived attributes, environmental consciousness, social influence, family structure, and enjoyable shopping experiences were identified as major drivers for generating consumers’ green food purchase intentions. High prices of green food, unavailability issues, mistrust issues, and limited knowledge were factors triggering the gap between green food purchase intentions and behaviours. In addition, the results revealed that the COVID-19 crisis increased consumers’ green food purchase intentions, whereas the IBG widens as a result of issues of unavailability, price, and panic. These findings will help stakeholders build future policy and suitable strategies to better promote green food consumption in the Chinese context.
Barriers to Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening among Middle-Aged Chinese
Authors: Jia Qike , Chen Hongliang , Chen Xuewei , Tang Qichuan
Published: September 2020

Purpose: The current study aims to explore the barriers for middle-aged Chinese to learn about and uptake low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening. Methods: Data were collected via an online survey in December 2019. Final valid sample included 640 respondents, aged 40–60 years old, from 21 provinces of China. We performed multiple linear regressions to test the potential barriers to LDCT scan. Findings: Cost concerns, distrust in doctors, fears of disease, lack of knowledge, and optimistic bias are negatively associated with the intention to learn about and uptake LDCT scan. Implications: Our study contributes to understanding the negative predictors of middle-aged Chinese to get LDCT lung cancer scans. Future campaign programs should help audiences to build comprehensive understandings about lung cancer and LDCT scan. To better promote LDCT scan in China, the government should fund more trial programs continuously and public efforts should be made to rebuild the patient–doctor trust.
Injectable Thermo-Sensitive Chitosan Hydrogel Containing CPT-11-Loaded EGFR-Targeted Graphene Oxide and SLP2 shRNA for Localized Drug/Gene Delivery in Glioblastoma Therapy
Authors: Lu Yu-Jen , Lan Yu-Hsiang , Chuang Chi-Cheng , Lu Wan-Ting , Chan Li-Yang , Hsu Peng-Wei , Chen Jyh-Ping
Published: September 2020

In this study, we aimed to develop a multifunctional drug/gene delivery system for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme by combining the ligand-mediated active targeting and the pH-triggered drug release features of graphene oxide (GO). Toward this end, we load irinotecan (CPT-11) to cetuximab (CET)-conjugated GO (GO-CET/CPT11) for pH-responsive drug release after endocytosis by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expressed U87 human glioblastoma cells. The ultimate injectable drug/gene delivery system was designed by co-entrapping stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP2) short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and GO-CET/CPT11 in thermosensitive chitosan-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CPN) polymer solution, which offers a hydrogel depot for localized, sustained delivery of the therapeutics after the in situ formation of CPN@GO-CET/CPT11@shRNA hydrogel. An optimal drug formulation was achieved by considering both the loading efficiency and loading content of CPT-11 on GO-CET. A sustained and controlled release behavior was found for CPT-11 and shRNA from CPN hydrogel. Confocal microscopy analysis confirmed the intracellular trafficking for the targeted delivery of CPT-11 through interactions of CET with EGFR on the U87 cell surface. The efficient transfection of U87 using SLP2 shRNA was achieved using CPN as a delivery milieu, possibly by the formation of shRNA/CPN polyplex after hydrogel degradation. In vitro cell culture experiments confirmed cell apoptosis induced by CPT-11 released from acid organelles in the cytoplasm by flow cytometry, as well as reduced SLP2 protein expression and inhibited cell migration due to gene silencing. Finally, in vivo therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated using the xenograft of U87 tumor-bearing nude mice through non-invasive intratumoral delivery of CPN@GO-CET/CPT11@shRNA by injection. Overall, we have demonstrated the novelty of this thermosensitive hydrogel to be an excellent depot for the co-delivery of anticancer drugs and siRNA. The in situ forming hydrogel will not only provide extended drug release but also combine the advantages offered by the chitosan-based copolymer structure for siRNA delivery to broaden treatment modalities in cancer therapy.
Gross Chromosomal Rearrangements in Kluyveromyces marxianus Revealed by Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Sequencing
Authors: Ding Lin , Macdonald Harrison D. , Smith Hamilton O , Hutchison III Clyde A. , Merryman Chuck , Michael Todd P. , Abramson Bradley W. , Kannan Krishna , Liang Joe , Gill John , Gibson Daniel G. , Glass John I.
Published: September 2020

Kluyveromyces marxianus (K. marxianus) is an increasingly popular industrially relevant yeast. It is known to possess a highly efficient non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway that promotes random integration of non-homologous DNA fragments into its genome. The nature of the integration events was traditionally analyzed by Southern blot hybridization. However, the precise DNA sequence at the insertion sites were not fully explored. We transformed a PCR product of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA3 gene (ScURA3) into an uracil auxotroph K. marxianus otherwise wildtype strain and picked 24 stable Ura+ transformants for sequencing analysis. We took advantage of rapid advances in DNA sequencing technologies and developed a method using a combination of Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore sequencing. This approach enables us to uncover the gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) that are associated with the ScURA3 random integration. Moreover, it will shine a light on understanding DNA repair mechanisms in eukaryotes, which could potentially provide insights for cancer research.
Factors That Affect the Enlargement of Bacterial Protoplasts and Spheroplasts
Authors: Nishida Hiromi
Published: September 2020

Cell enlargement is essential for the microinjection of various substances into bacterial cells. The cell wall (peptidoglycan) inhibits cell enlargement. Thus, bacterial protoplasts/spheroplasts are used for enlargement because they lack cell wall. Though bacterial species that are capable of gene manipulation are limited, procedure for bacterial cell enlargement does not involve any gene manipulation technique. In order to prevent cell wall resynthesis during enlargement of protoplasts/spheroplasts, incubation media are supplemented with inhibitors of peptidoglycan biosynthesis such as penicillin. Moreover, metal ion composition in the incubation medium affects the properties of the plasma membrane. Therefore, in order to generate enlarged cells that are suitable for microinjection, metal ion composition in the medium should be considered. Experiment of bacterial protoplast or spheroplast enlargement is useful for studies on bacterial plasma membrane biosynthesis. In this paper, we have summarized the factors that influence bacterial cell enlargement.
Spatial and Temporal Changes in PD-L1 Expression in Cancer: The Role of Genetic Drivers, Tumor Microenvironment and Resistance to Therapy
Authors: Shklovskaya Elena , Rizos Helen
Published: September 2020

Immunotherapies blocking immune inhibitory receptors programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4) on T-cells have dramatically improved patient outcomes in a range of advanced cancers. However, the lack of response, and the development of resistance remain major obstacles to long-term improvements in patient outcomes. There is significant interest in the clinical use of biomarkers to improve patient selection, and the expression of PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is often reported as a potential biomarker of response. However, accumulating evidence suggests that the predictive value of PD-L1 expression in tumor biopsies is relatively low due, in part, to its complex biology. In this review, we discuss the biological consequences of PD-L1 expression by various cell types within the tumor microenvironment, and the complex mechanisms that regulate PD-L1 expression at the genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic levels.
The Hirudo Medicinalis Microbiome Is a Source of New Antimicrobial Peptides
Authors: Grafskaia Ekaterina , Pavlova Elizaveta , Babenko Vladislav V. , Latsis Ivan , Malakhova Maja , Lavrenova Victoria , Bashkirov Pavel , Belousov Dmitrii , Klinov Dmitry , Lazarev Vassili
Published: September 2020

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered a promising new class of anti-infectious agents. This study reports new antimicrobial peptides derived from the Hirudo medicinalis microbiome identified by a computational analysis method applied to the H. medicinalis metagenome. The identified AMPs possess a strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC range: 5.3 to 22.4 μM), including Staphylococcus haemolyticus, an opportunistic coagulase–negative pathogen. The secondary structure analysis of peptides via CD spectroscopy showed that all the AMPs except pept_352 have mostly disordered structures that do not change under different conditions. For peptide pept_352, the α–helical content increases in the membrane environment. The examination of the mechanism of action of peptides suggests that peptide pept_352 exhibits a direct membranolytic activity. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the nontoxic peptide pept_1545 is a promising candidate for drug development. Overall, the analysis method implemented in the study may serve as an effective tool for the identification of new AMPs.
Regenerative Response of Degenerate Human Nucleus Pulposus Cells to GDF6 Stimulation
Authors: Hodgkinson Tom , Gilbert Hamish T. J. , Pandya Tej , Diwan Ashish D. , Hoyland Judith A. , Richardson Stephen M.
Published: September 2020

Growth differentiation factor (GDF) family members have been implicated in the development and maintenance of healthy nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue, making them promising therapeutic candidates for treatment of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and associated back pain. GDF6 has been shown to promote discogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, but its effect on NP cells remains largely unknown. Our aim was to investigate GDF6 signalling in adult human NP cells derived from degenerate tissue and determine the signal transduction pathways critical for GDF6-mediated phenotypic changes and tissue homeostatic mechanisms. This study demonstrates maintained expression of GDF6 receptors in human NP and annulus fibrosus (AF) cells across a range of degeneration grades at gene and protein level. We observed an anabolic response in NP cells treated with recombinant GDF6 (increased expression of matrix and NP-phenotypic markers; increased glycosaminoglycan production; no change in catabolic enzyme expression), and identified the signalling pathways involved in these responses (SMAD1/5/8 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, validated by blocking studies). These findings suggest that GDF6 promotes a healthy disc tissue phenotype in degenerate NP cells through SMAD-dependent and -independent (ERK1/2) mechanisms, which is important for development of GDF6 therapeutic strategies for treatment of degenerate discs.
Update on Genetic Basis of Brugada Syndrome: Monogenic, Polygenic or Oligogenic?
Authors: Campuzano Oscar , Sarquella-Brugada Georgia , Cesar Sergi , Arbelo Elena , Brugada Josep , Brugada Ramon
Published: September 2020

Brugada syndrome is a rare inherited arrhythmogenic disease leading to ventricular fibrillation and high risk of sudden death. In 1998, this syndrome was linked with a genetic variant with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. To date, rare variants identified in more than 40 genes have been potentially associated with this disease. Variants in regulatory regions, combinations of common variants and other genetic alterations are also proposed as potential origins of Brugada syndrome, suggesting a polygenic or oligogenic inheritance pattern. However, most of these genetic alterations remain of questionable causality; indeed, rare pathogenic variants in the SCN5A gene are the only established cause of Brugada syndrome. Comprehensive analysis of all reported genetic alterations identified the origin of disease in no more than 40% of diagnosed cases. Therefore, identifying the cause of this rare arrhythmogenic disease in the many families without a genetic diagnosis is a major current challenge in Brugada syndrome. Additional challenges are interpretation/classification of variants and translation of genetic data into clinical practice. Further studies focused on unraveling the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the disease are needed. Here we provide an update on the genetic basis of Brugada syndrome.
Gene Organization, Expression, and Localization of Ribotoxin-Like Protein Ageritin in Fruiting Body and Mycelium of Agrocybe aegerita
Authors: Baglivo Ilaria , Ragucci Sara , D’Incecco Paolo , Landi Nicola , Russo Rosita , Faoro Franco , Pedone Paolo V. , Di Maro Antimo
Published: September 2020

The edible mushroom Agrocybe aegerita produces a ribotoxin-like protein known as Ageritin. In this work, the gene encoding Ageritin was characterized by sequence analysis. It contains several typical features of fungal genes such as three short introns (60, 55 and 69 bp) located at the 5′ region of the coding sequence and typical splice junctions. This sequence codes for a precursor of 156 amino acids (~17-kDa) containing an additional N-terminal peptide of 21 amino acid residues, absent in the purified toxin (135 amino acid residues; ~15-kDa). The presence of 17-kDa and 15-kDa forms was investigated by Western blot in specific parts of fruiting body and in mycelia of A. aegerita. Data show that the 15-kDa Ageritin is the only form retrieved in the fruiting body and the principal form in mycelium. The immunolocalization by confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy proves that Ageritin has vacuolar localization in hyphae. Coupling these data with a bioinformatics approach, we suggest that the N-terminal peptide of Ageritin (not found in the purified toxin) is a new signal peptide in fungi involved in intracellular routing from endoplasmic reticulum to vacuole, necessary for self-defense of A. aegerita ribosomes from Ageritin toxicity.
Early Stimulation of TREK Channel Transcription and Activity Induced by Oxaliplatin-Dependent Cytosolic Acidification
Authors: Dionisi Marianna , Ruffinatti Federico Alessandro , Riva Beatrice , Lim Dmitry , Canta Annalisa , Meregalli Cristina , Fumagalli Giulia , Monza Laura , Ferrer-Montiel Antonio , Fernandez-Carvajal Asia , Cavaletti Guido , Genazzani Armando A. , Distasi Carla
Published: September 2020

Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy is characterized by an acute hyperexcitability syndrome triggered/exacerbated by cold. The mechanisms underlying oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy are unclear, but the alteration of ion channel expression and activity plays a well-recognized central role. Recently, we found that oxaliplatin leads to cytosolic acidification in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Here, we investigated the early impact of oxaliplatin on the proton-sensitive TREK potassium channels. Following a 6-h oxaliplatin treatment, both channels underwent a transcription upregulation that returned to control levels after 42 h. The overexpression of TREK channels was also observed after in vivo treatment in DRG cells from mice exposed to acute treatment with oxaliplatin. Moreover, both intracellular pH and TREK channel transcription were similarly regulated after incubation with amiloride, an inhibitor of the Na+/H+ exchanger. In addition, we studied the role of oxaliplatin-induced acidification on channel behavior, and, as expected, we observed a robust positive modulation of TREK channel activity. Finally, we focused on the impact of this complex modulation on capsaicin-evoked neuronal activity finding a transient decrease in the average firing rate following 6 h of oxaliplatin treatment. In conclusion, the early activation of TREK genes may represent a mechanism of protection against the oxaliplatin-related perturbation of neuronal excitability.
Bots as Active News Promoters: A Digital Analysis of COVID-19 Tweets
Authors: Al-Rawi Ahmed , Shukla Vishal
Published: September 2020

In this study, we examined the activities of automated social media accounts or bots that tweet or retweet referencing #COVID-19 and #COVID19. From a total sample of over 50 million tweets, we used a mixed method to extract more than 185,000 messages posted by 127 bots. Our findings show that the majority of these bots tweet, retweet and mention mainstream media outlets, promote health protection and telemedicine, and disseminate breaking news on the number of casualties and deaths caused by COVID-19. We argue that some of these bots are motivated by financial incentives, while other bots actively support the survivalist movement by emphasizing the need to prepare for the pandemic and learn survival skills. We only found a few bots that showed some suspicious activity probably due to the fact that our dataset was limited to two hashtags often used by official health bodies and academic communities.
Tree-Based Algorithm for Stable and Efficient Data Clustering
Authors: Aljabbouli Hasan , Albizri Abdullah , Harfouche Antoine
Published: September 2020

The K-means algorithm is a well-known and widely used clustering algorithm due to its simplicity and convergence properties. However, one of the drawbacks of the algorithm is its instability. This paper presents improvements to the K-means algorithm using a K-dimensional tree (Kd-tree) data structure. The proposed Kd-tree is utilized as a data structure to enhance the choice of initial centers of the clusters and to reduce the number of the nearest neighbor searches required by the algorithm. The developed framework also includes an efficient center insertion technique leading to an incremental operation that overcomes the instability problem of the K-means algorithm. The results of the proposed algorithm were compared with those obtained from the K-means algorithm, K-medoids, and K-means++ in an experiment using six different datasets. The results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm provides superior and more stable clustering solutions.
Evaluation of Rearing Parameters of a Self-Limiting Strain of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Elaini Rachid , Asadi Romisa , Naish Neil , Koukidou Martha , Ahmed Mazih
Published: September 2020

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, is a significant pest of stone and pome fruit that causes considerable economic losses worldwide. Current control is primarily based on insecticides, which are often mixed with protein baits. Oxitec has developed a self-limiting medfly strain (OX3864A) that demonstrates conditional female-specific mortality in the early life stages. Sustained release of OX3864A males offers medfly control, which should lead to substantial economic benefits in area-wide programmes. In the current study, the optimum quantities of mature and immature stages of the strain are assessed under semi-mass production. Moreover, the rearing and quality control limitations related to the production of this strain are provided. The data here demonstrate that the egg hatch rate can reach >85% under optimum rearing conditions. However, this depends on the number of pupae loaded in a cage and their ages. The suggested pupal density ranges between 14,000 and 18,000 pupae per cage to provide optimum egg production. In parallel, the embryo densities of 1.25–1.5 mL/kg larval Tet+ diet are recommended for strain propagation, while embryo densities of 1.25–2.0 mL/kg larval Tet− diet are suggested for male-only pupal production.
Immersion Freezing of a Scots Pine Single Seed in a Water-Saturated Dispersion Medium: Mathematical Modelling
Authors: Dornyak Olga , Novikov Arthur
Published: September 2020

Forest owners will be able to solve the problem of protecting small forest seeds from mechanical and atmospheric influences during aerial sowing, as well as the problem of manufacturing capsules in the field, saving financial, time and material resources. The process of creating a capsule by freezing the seed in a water-saturated dispersed system—immersion freezing—allows you to organize the technological properties of forest seeds depending on the initial requirements. In most cases, the quality of the seed capsule is determined by the thermophysical and mechanical properties of the components. The technological process of obtaining seed capsules for aerial seeding and the choice of freezing modes is based on a priori mathematical modeling of heat-and-mass transfer processes. The main purpose of the study is to predict the duration of the seed freezing process in a capsule with a water-saturated dispersed medium, depending on the external temperature conditions, the geometric parameters of the capsule and the seed. The cooling agent is carbon dioxide. The research is based on the use of numerical modeling methods on the platform COMSOL Multiphysics. A mathematical model is proposed that allows us to obtain the dynamics of the distribution of temperature and moisture content fields in the dispersed system and seed depending on a complex of geometric and thermophysical factors. The time of immersion freezing of the capsule with the common pine seed for the conditions considered should be in the range of 150 to 250 s.
Evidence-Based Practice in Rehabilitation of Myasthenia Gravis. A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Corrado Bruno , Giardulli Benedetto , Costa Massimo
Published: September 2020

Myasthenia gravis is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. This review analyzes the most recent evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of different rehabilitative approaches to the disease. The review was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 365 articles were found in the main scientific databases. Applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 11 studies were admitted to the final phase of the review. Three different rehabilitative approaches were identified: physical training, respiratory training, and balance training. All rehabilitative modalities contributed to enhancing functional outcomes, reducing fatigue, and improving quality of life, but currently none can be recommended over another for the lack of cross-comparative studies. The included studies showed methodological quality from low to fair. Despite the range of rehabilitative interventions available, there is a lack of high-quality evidence. However, this review suggests that a multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach should be recommended to people with myasthenia gravis, and above all, for those with mild to moderate symptomatology.
Body Composition Changes over Multiple Academic Years in Female Collegiate Soccer Players
Authors: Katona Austin , Riewe Caroline , Bruzina Angela , Ollberding Nicholas J , Ankrom Mary , Divine Jon , Mangine Robert , Peairs Abigail
Published: September 2020

Body composition plays a key role in overall health and sports performance and its assessment is an important part of many athletic programs. The purpose of this study was to describe longitudinal changes in body composition for collegiate female soccer players in order to provide data to inform future training and nutrition interventions for this population. A linear mixed-model (LMM) approach was used to analyze four years of pre- and post-season body composition data, including total mass, fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass, and body fat percentage (%BF) for 49 athletes. Athletes gained an average of 0.5 kg FFM during the season (p < 0.05) and increased total mass, FFM, fat mass, and %BF (2.5 kg, 1.1 kg, 1.7 kg, and 1.7%, respectively; p < 0.05) over four years. Freshmen experienced a 1.5 kg gain in total mass pre- to post-season (p < 0.05), while no changes in total mass or body composition were seen in other grade levels. Gains in %BF during the off season between Freshman and Sophomore years represented negative changes in body composition that should be addressed further. These results can help interdisciplinary athlete care teams optimize training programs in this population by understanding what changes are expected over multiple years. Normalizing these changes may also help the promotion of realistic body composition goals and the development of positive training and dietary habits.
Morphological Estimation of Cellularity on Neo-Adjuvant Treated Breast Cancer Histological Images
Authors: Ortega-Ruiz Mauricio Alberto , Karabağ Cefa , Garduño Victor García , Reyes-Aldasoro Constantino Carlos
Published: September 2020

This paper describes a methodology that extracts key morphological features from histological breast cancer images in order to automatically assess Tumour Cellularity (TC) in Neo-Adjuvant treatment (NAT) patients. The response to NAT gives information on therapy efficacy and it is measured by the residual cancer burden index, which is composed of two metrics: TC and the assessment of lymph nodes. The data consist of whole slide images (WSIs) of breast tissue stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) released in the 2019 SPIE Breast Challenge. The methodology proposed is based on traditional computer vision methods (K-means, watershed segmentation, Otsu’s binarisation, and morphological operations), implementing colour separation, segmentation, and feature extraction. Correlation between morphological features and the residual TC after a NAT treatment was examined. Linear regression and statistical methods were used and twenty-two key morphological parameters from the nuclei, epithelial region, and the full image were extracted. Subsequently, an automated TC assessment that was based on Machine Learning (ML) algorithms was implemented and trained with only selected key parameters. The methodology was validated with the score assigned by two pathologists through the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The selection of key morphological parameters improved the results reported over other ML methodologies and it was very close to deep learning methodologies. These results are encouraging, as a traditionally-trained ML algorithm can be useful when limited training data are available preventing the use of deep learning approaches.
Analysis of Longshore Drift Patterns on the Littoral System of Nusa Dua Beach in Bali, Indonesia
Authors: Putro Anthony Harlly Sasono , Lee Jung Lyul
Published: September 2020

Bali is one of the most popular tourist areas in Indonesia. With its coastline stretching 633 km, Bali has many beautiful beaches that have become world tourism attractions, thus making tourism the economic engine of Bali. The biggest priority of major tourism sites is maintaining sufficient beach width. However, based on a survey from Balai Wilayah Sungai (BWS) Bali Penida, Bali has suffered from a series of erosions along 215 km of its coastline, including Nusa Dua, in 2015. The location of the study area for this report is a 2.8 km stretch of coastline at Nusa Dua Beach. The erosion problem at Nusa Dua Beach was assessed by analyzing the longshore drift patterns. Simulations are required to assess this erosion problem, combined with the erosion rate and the simulated equilibrium shoreline for each sublittoral cell. To estimate the erosion rate, this study employed profile monitoring data of the beach obtained from 2003 to 2016. This advanced study was based on the mass conservation principle as a governing equation used to predict longshore drifts between sublittoral cells. The satellite image for every sublittoral cell was also used to check the equilibrium condition and estimate the predominant wave direction as the shoreline orientation. Nusa Dua Beach was found to suffer from the change of wave direction and the consequent generation of littoral drift after the reclamation project of Serangan Island located north of the Benoa strait. The correlation between the transportation of longshore sediments and the predominant wave direction indicates the effect of longshore drift in the system. The groin system also created a unique longshore transport pattern in the coastal area. The results obtained in this study can help manage the longshore drift system of Nusa Dua Beach and can be used to predict the beach area subject to erosion and deposition after every beach conservation project. Hence, a strategic plan for managing the shore target lines can be formulated.
Ship-Collision Avoidance Decision-Making Learning of Unmanned Surface Vehicles with Automatic Identification System Data Based on Encoder—Decoder Automatic-Response Neural Networks
Authors: Gao Miao , Shi Guo-You
Published: September 2020

Intelligent unmanned surface vehicle (USV) collision avoidance is a complex inference problem based on current navigation status. This requires simultaneous processing of the input sequences and generation of the response sequences. The automatic identification system (AIS) encounter data mainly include the time-series data of two AIS sets, which exhibit a one-to-one mapping relation. Herein, an encoder–decoder automatic-response neural network is designed and implemented based on the sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) structure to simultaneously process the two AIS encounter trajectory sequences. Furthermore, this model is combined with the bidirectional long short-term memory recurrent neural networks (Bi-LSTM RNN) to obtain a network framework for processing the time-series data to obtain ship-collision avoidance decisions based on big data. The encoder–decoder neural networks were trained based on the AIS data obtained in 2018 from Zhoushan Port to achieve ship collision avoidance decision-making learning. The results indicated that the encoder–decoder neural networks can be used to effectively formulate the sequence of the collision avoidance decision of the USV. Thus, this study significantly contributes to the increased efficiency and safety of maritime transportation. The proposed method can potentially be applied to the USV technology and intelligent collision-avoidance systems.
An Inland Shore Control Centre for Monitoring or Controlling Unmanned Inland Cargo Vessels
Authors: Peeters Gerben , Yayla Gökay , Catoor Tim , Van Baelen Senne , Afzal Muhammad Raheel , Christofakis Christos , Storms Stijn , Boonen René , Slaets Peter
Published: September 2020

Augmenting the automation level of the inland waterway cargo transport sector, coupled with mechatronic innovation in this sector, could increase its competitiveness. This increase might potentially induce a sustainable paradigm shift in the road-dominated inland cargo transport sector. A key enabler of this envisaged shift may be an inland shore control centre (I-SCC) capable of remotely monitoring and controlling inland vessels. Accordingly, this study investigated the concept and design requirements to achieve an inland I-SCC that provides interaction services when supervising an unmanned surface vessel (USV). This I-SCC can help its operator to develop situational awareness and sensemaking. The conducted experiments offered insights into the performance of both the I-SCC system and its operator, and unlock research on the impact on ship sense and harmony when remotely controlling a USV. The Hull-To-Hull project extends the current I-SCC by providing enhanced motion control. This enhancement enables further performance insights and might improve the future monitoring of USVs. The successful I-SCC construction, the preliminary experiments, and the design-extension demonstrate that the I-SCC can serve as an experimental platform for both mechatronic innovation and human-automation integration research in the inland waterway sector, whilst additionally providing fruitful knowledge for adjacent research domains.