bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complement Activation by an Anti-Dengue/Zika Antibody with Impaired Fcγ Receptor Binding Provides Strong Efficacy and Abrogates Risk of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement
Authors: Sampei Zenjiro , Koo Christine Xing’er , Teo Frannie Jiuyi , Toh Ying Xiu , Fukuzawa Taku , Gan Siok Wan , Nambu Takeru , Ho Adrian , Honda Kiyofumi , Igawa Tomoyuki , Ahmed Fariyal , Wang Cheng-I , Fink Katja , Nezu Junichi
Published: May 2023

To combat infectious diseases, vaccines are considered the best prophylactic strategy for a wide range of the population, but even when vaccines are effective, the administration of therapeutic antibodies against viruses could provide further treatment options, particularly for vulnerable groups whose immunity against the viruses is compromised. Therapeutic antibodies against dengue are ideally engineered to abrogate binding to Fcγ receptors (FcγRs), which can induce antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). However, the Fc effector functions of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 have recently been reported to improve post-exposure therapy, while they are dispensable when administered as prophylaxis. Hence, in this report, we investigated the influence of Fc engineering on anti-virus efficacy using the anti-dengue/Zika human antibody SIgN-3C and found it affected the viremia clearance efficacy against dengue in a mouse model. Furthermore, we demonstrated that complement activation through antibody binding to C1q could play a role in anti-dengue efficacy. We also generated a novel Fc variant, which displayed the ability for complement activation but showed very low FcγR binding and an undetectable level of the risk of ADE in a cell-based assay. This Fc engineering approach could make effective and safe anti-virus antibodies against dengue, Zika and other viruses.
Human Sperm as an In Vitro Model to Assess the Efficacy of Antioxidant Supplements during Sperm Handling: A Narrative Review
Authors: Moretti Elena , Signorini Cinzia , Corsaro Roberta , Giamalidi Maria , Collodel Giulia
Published: May 2023

Spermatozoa are highly differentiated cells that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to aerobic metabolism. Below a certain threshold, ROS are important in signal transduction pathways and cellular physiological processes, whereas ROS overproduction damages spermatozoa. Sperm manipulation and preparation protocols during assisted reproductive procedures—for example, cryopreservation—can result in excessive ROS production, exposing these cells to oxidative damage. Thus, antioxidants are a relevant topic in sperm quality. This narrative review focuses on human spermatozoa as an in vitro model to study which antioxidants can be used to supplement media. The review comprises a brief presentation of the human sperm structure, a general overview of the main items of reduction–oxidation homeostasis and the ambivalent relationship between spermatozoa and ROS. The main body of the paper deals with studies in which human sperm have been used as an in vitro model to test antioxidant compounds, including natural extracts. The presence and the synergic effects of different antioxidant molecules could potentially lead to more effective products in vitro and, in the future, in vivo.
Antioxidant Effect Assessment and Trans Epithelial Analysis of New Hempseed Protein Hydrolysates
Authors: Santos-Sánchez Guillermo , Aiello Gilda , Rivardo Fabrizio , Bartolomei Martina , Bollati Carlotta , Arnoldi Anna , Cruz-Chamorro Ivan , Lammi Carmen
Published: May 2023

Hempseed (Cannabis sativa) is one of the most promising sources of plant proteins. It contains approximately 24% (w/w) protein, and edestin accounts for approximately 60–80% (w/w) of its total proteins. In a framework of research aimed at fostering the proteins recovered from the press cake by-products generated after the extraction of hempseed oil, two hempseed protein hydrolysates (HH1 and HH2) were produced at an industrial level using a mixture of different enzymes from Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, and Bacillus licheniformis for different times (5 h and 18 h). Using a combination of different direct antioxidant tests (DPPH, TEAC, FRAP, and ORAC assays, respectively), it has been demonstrated that HHs exert potent, direct antioxidant activity. A crucial feature of bioactive peptides is their intestinal bioavailability; for this reason, in order to solve this peculiar issue, the ability of HH peptides to be transported by differentiated human intestinal Caco-2 cells has been evaluated. Notably, by using mass spectrometry analysis (HPLC Chip ESI-MS/MS), the stable peptides transported by intestinal cells have been identified, and dedicated experiments confirmed that the trans-epithelial transported HH peptide mixtures retain their antioxidant activity, suggesting that these hempseed hydrolysates may be considered sustainable antioxidant ingredients to be exploited for further application, i.e., nutraceutical and/or food industries.
Audio–Visual Sound Source Localization and Tracking Based on Mobile Robot for The Cocktail Party Problem
Authors: Shi Zhanbo , Zhang Lin , Wang Dongqing
Published: May 2023

Locating the sound source is one of the most important capabilities of robot audition. In recent years, single-source localization techniques have increasingly matured. However, localizing and tracking specific sound sources in multi-source scenarios, which is known as the cocktail party problem, is still unresolved. In order to address this challenge, in this paper, we propose a system for dynamically localizing and tracking sound sources based on audio–visual information that can be deployed on a mobile robot. Our system first locates specific targets using pre-registered voiceprint and face features. Subsequently, the robot moves to track the target while keeping away from other sound sources in the surroundings instructed by the motion module, which helps the robot gather clearer audio data of the target to perform downstream tasks better. Its effectiveness has been verified via extensive real-world experiments with a 20% improvement in the success rate of specific speaker localization and a 14% reduction in word error rate in speech recognition compared to its counterparts.
A Computer Vision Milky Way Compass
Authors: Tao Yiting , Lucas Michael , Perera Asanka , Teague Samuel , Warrant Eric , Chahl Javaan
Published: May 2023

The Milky Way is used by nocturnal flying and walking insects for maintaining heading while navigating. In this study, we have explored the feasibility of the method for machine vision systems on autonomous vehicles by measuring the visual features and characteristics of the Milky Way. We also consider the conditions under which the Milky Way is used by insects and the sensory systems that support their detection of the Milky Way. Using a combination of simulated and real Milky Way imagery, we demonstrate that appropriate computer vision methods are capable of reliably and accurately extracting the orientation of the Milky Way under an unobstructed night sky. The technique presented achieves angular accuracy of better then ±2° under moderate light pollution conditions but also demonstrates that higher light pollution levels will adversely effect orientation estimates by systems depending on the Milky Way for navigation.
Visualisation of Information Using Patient Journey Maps for a Mobile Health Application
Authors: Lee Boram , Lee Juwan , Cho Yoonbin , Shin Yuan , Oh Chaesoo , Park Hayun , Kim Hyun K.
Published: May 2023

The demand for healthcare services using mobile devices has surged owing to the ageing population and increasing interest in personal healthcare. In particular, extensive efforts have been made to utilise mobile personal health records (PHRs) to provide personalised healthcare services to users (patients). Users must understand various types of health information that are included in PHRs to ensure successful and continued use of mobile PHRs. In this study, we developed and evaluated a user-friendly method for delivering health information from a PHR using mobile devices with small screens. We first constructed a patient journey map (PJM) for easy verification of disease treatment data from the perspective of the patient. Subsequently, we developed a mobile prototype that organises and visualises personal health information according to the patient-centred PJM and conducted user evaluations with 20 Korean participants. The results demonstrated that information delivery using the proposed prototype was easy to understand, user-friendly, and efficient. This paper highlights the importance of PJMs for patients in the understanding and use of different medical information. The proposed method is expected to promote the development of patient-centred mobile health applications in the future.
Offloading Strategy of Multi-Service and Multi-User Edge Computing in Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Zhao Hongwei , You Jingyue , Wang Yangyang , Zhao Xike
Published: May 2023

An edge computing offloading strategy was proposed with the goal of addressing the issue of low edge computing efficiency and service quality in the multi-service and multi-user intersections of networked vehicles. This strategy took into account all relevant factors, including the matching of users and service nodes, offloading ratio, bandwidth and computing power resource allocation, and system energy consumption. It is mainly divided into 2 tasks: (1) Service node selection: A fuzzy logic-based service node selection algorithm (SNFLC) is proposed. The linear equation for node performance value is determined through fuzzy reasoning by specifying three performance indexes as input. Gradient descent method is used to find the optimal value of the objective function, and the Lyapunov criterion coefficient is introduced to improve the stability of the algorithm. (2) Offload ratio and resource allocation are solved: The coupling between offload ratio and bandwidth resource allocation is confirmed by relaxing integer variables because the optimization goal problem is a NP problem, and the issue is divided into two sub-problems. At the same time, a low-complexity alternate iteration resource allocation algorithm (LC-IRA) is proposed to solve the bandwidth resource and computational power resource allocation. According to simulation results, the performance of genetic ant colony algorithm (G_ACA), non orthogonal multiple access technology (NOMA) and LC-IRA are improved by 26.5%, 31.37%, and 45.52%, respectively, compared with the random unloading allocation (RUA) and average distribution (AD).
Synthesis of MoS2 Using Chemical Vapor Deposition and Conventional Hydrothermal Methods: Applications to Respiration Sensing
Authors: Kim Eunjin , Kim Ja-Yeon , Kwon Min-Ki
Published: May 2023

A promising alternative to methods for the conventional medical diagnosis of many disorders is respiratory monitoring. Unfortunately, current respiratory monitoring methods can be expensive and require inconvenient equipment, significantly limiting their medical applicability. In this study, we fabricated a respiration sensor that uses MoS2-based resistance measurements and analyzed the cause of the slow response time previously reported for MoS2-based sensors. Our results confirm that the crystal phase change of MoS2 affects the absorption and desorption of H2O and the use of the 2H structure results in high sensitivity, a fast response time, and a linear response to water vapor absorption during breathing. This study demonstrates the potential of two-dimensional nanomaterials for humidity and respiration sensors that can be applied in various fields.
Study on the Extraction Method for Ecological Corridors under the Cumulative Effect of Road Traffic
Authors: Qiao Qinghua , Zhang Ying , Liu Jia , Gan Lin , Li Haiting
Published: May 2023

Research on ecological corridor extraction methods has made some progress and has been gradually applied to the planning and construction of regional ecological corridors, which play a role in biodiversity conservation efforts. However, the factors affecting species migration in ecological environments are very complex, especially anthropogenic disturbances, typically including noise pollution. Their effects on species habitats, reproduction, predation, and other activities are currently underestimated. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for superposition analysis of multiple road impacts and construct an ecological corridor extraction method that considers landscape pattern, habitat quality, remote sensing ecology, and road traffic resistance to address the shortcomings of current ecological corridor extraction methods that underestimate the potential impacts of road traffic. An extraction of ecological corridors was completed in Wuhan, and a quantitative comparative analysis was conducted from multiple perspectives. The results show that the improved method was effective, with the proportion of ecological corridors not re-identified due to road traffic impacts being 0.45% and the proportion of ecological corridors with significant changes in spatial location, represented by regions far from roads or high road network density, being 22.15% in the whole of Wuhan.
A Systematic Review of Computational Fluid Dynamics Models in the Stomach and Small Intestine
Authors: Palmada Nadun , Hosseini Saeed , Avci Recep , Cater John E. , Suresh Vinod , Cheng Leo K.
Published: May 2023

The use of in silico models to improve our understanding of the fluid dynamics within the gastrointestinal tract has increased over the last few decades. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an in silico technique that can be used to characterize and model the fluid mechanics driving the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. This systematic review outlines the current methodologies used to develop CFD models of the stomach and small intestine, and summarizes the flow and mixing patterns predicted from these models. A literature search was conducted on Scopus, and 15 stomach CFD studies and 15 small intestine CFD studies were included in this review after the literature selection and exclusion process. Two primary flow patterns; retropulsive flow and recirculation regions, were identified within the stomach CFD models. The flow patterns within the small intestine were depended on the type of motility pattern present. The shortcomings of the current models are discussed, and considerations for future gastric and intestinal flow modeling are provided.
Matrix Representations for a Class of Eigenparameter Dependent Sturm–Liouville Problems with Discontinuity
Authors: Li Shuang , Cai Jinming , Li Kun
Published: May 2023

Matrix representations for a class of Sturm–Liouville problems with eigenparameters contained in the boundary and interface conditions were studied. Given any matrix eigenvalue problem of a certain type and an eigenparameter-dependent condition, a class of Sturm–Liouville problems with this specified condition was constructed. It has been proven that each Sturm–Liouville problem is equivalent to the given matrix eigenvalue problem.
The Current Role and Future Applications of Machine Perfusion in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Staubli Sebastian M. , Ceresa Carlo D. L. , Pollok Joerg M.
Published: May 2023

The relative paucity of donor livers suitable for transplantation has sparked innovations to preserve and recondition organs to expand the pool of transplantable organs. Currently, machine perfusion techniques have led to the improvement of the quality of marginal livers and to prolonged cold ischemia time and have allowed for the prediction of graft function through the analysis of the organ during perfusion, improving the rate of organ use. In the future, the implementation of organ modulation might expand the scope of machine perfusion beyond its current usage. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of the current clinical use of machine perfusion devices in liver transplantation and to provide a perspective for future clinical use, including therapeutic interventions in perfused donor liver grafts.
Prokaryotic Life Associated with Coal-Fire Gas Vents Revealed by Metagenomics
Authors: Kadnikov Vitaly V. , Mardanov Andrey V. , Beletsky Alexey V. , Karnachuk Olga V. , Ravin Nikolai V.
Published: May 2023

The natural combustion of underground coal seams leads to the formation of gas, which contains molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In places where hot coal gases are released to the surface, specific thermal ecosystems are formed. Here, 16S rRNA gene profiling and shotgun metagenome sequencing were employed to characterize the taxonomic diversity and genetic potential of prokaryotic communities of the near-surface ground layer near hot gas vents in an open quarry heated by a subsurface coal fire. The communities were dominated by only a few groups of spore-forming Firmicutes, namely the aerobic heterotroph Candidatus Carbobacillus altaicus, the aerobic chemolitoautotrophs Kyrpidia tusciae and Hydrogenibacillus schlegelii, and the anaerobic chemolithoautotroph Brockia lithotrophica. Genome analysis predicted that these species can obtain energy from the oxidation of hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide in coal gases. We assembled the first complete closed genome of a member of uncultured class-level division DTU015 in the phylum Firmicutes. This bacterium, ‘Candidatus Fermentithermobacillus carboniphilus’ Bu02, was predicted to be rod-shaped and capable of flagellar motility and sporulation. Genome analysis showed the absence of aerobic and anaerobic respiration and suggested chemoheterotrophic lifestyle with the ability to ferment peptides, amino acids, N-acetylglucosamine, and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Bu02 bacterium probably plays the role of a scavenger, performing the fermentation of organics formed by autotrophic Firmicutes supported by coal gases. A comparative genome analysis of the DTU015 division revealed that most of its members have a similar lifestyle.
Muscle Activity during Passive and Active Movements in Preterm and Full-Term Infants
Authors: Dolinskaya Irina Y. , Solopova Irina A. , Zhvansky Dmitry S. , Rubeca Damiana , Sylos-Labini Francesca , Lacquaniti Francesco , Ivanenko Yury
Published: May 2023

Manifestation of muscle reactions at an early developmental stage may reflect the processes underlying the generation of appropriate muscle tone, which is also an integral part of all movements. In preterm infants, some aspects of muscular development may occur differently than in infants born at term. Here we evaluated early manifestations of muscle tone by measuring muscle responses to passive stretching (StR) and shortening (ShR) in both upper and lower limbs in preterm infants (at the corrected age from 0 weeks to 12 months), and compared them to those reported in our previous study on full-term infants. In a subgroup of participants, we also assessed spontaneous muscle activity during episodes of relatively large limb movements. The results showed very frequent StR and ShR, and also responses in muscles not being primarily stretched/shortened, in both preterm and full-term infants. A reduction of sensorimotor responses to muscle lengthening and shortening with age suggests a reduction in excitability and/or the acquisition of functionally appropriate muscle tone during the first year of life. The alterations of responses during passive and active movements in preterm infants were primarily seen in the early months, perhaps reflecting temporal changes in the excitability of the sensorimotor networks.
Contrariety of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Functionality in Modulating Circulatory Myeloid and Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Subsets
Authors: Uwazie Crystal C. , Faircloth Tyler U. , Parr Rhett N. , Reddy Yenamala U. , Hematti Peiman , Rajan Devi , Chinnadurai Raghavan
Published: May 2023

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow are widely tested in clinical trials as a cellular therapy for potential inflammatory disorders. The mechanism of action of MSCs in mediating immune modulation is of wide interest. In the present study, we investigated the effect of human bone-marrow-derived MSCs in modulating the circulating peripheral blood dendritic cell responses through flow cytometry and multiplex secretome technology upon their coculture ex vivo. Our results demonstrated that MSCs do not significantly modulate the responses of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. However, MSCs dose-dependently promote the maturation of myeloid dendritic cells. Mechanistic analysis showed that dendritic cell licensing cues (Lipopolysaccharide and Interferon-gamma) stimulate MSCs to secret an array of dendritic cell maturation-associated secretory factors. We also identified that MSC-mediated upregulation of myeloid dendritic cell maturation is associated with the unique predictive secretome signature. Overall, the present study demonstrated the dichotomy of MSC functionality in modulating myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. This study provides clues that clinical trials need to investigate if circulating dendritic cell subsets in MSC therapy can serve as potency biomarkers.
Cellular Response to Bone Morphogenetic Proteins-2 and -7 Covalently Bound to Photocrosslinked Heparin–Diazoresin Multilayer
Authors: Wytrwal Magdalena , Sekuła-Stryjewska Małgorzata , Pomorska Agata , Oclon Ewa , Zuba-Surma Ewa , Zapotoczny Szczepan , Szczubiałka Krzysztof
Published: May 2023

Despite the plethora of research that exists on recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 and -7 (rhBMP-2 and rhBMP-7) and has been clinically approved, there is still a need to gain information that would allow for their more rational use in bone implantology. The clinical application of supra-physiological dosages of these superactive molecules causes many serious adverse effects. At the cellular level, they play a role in osteogenesis and cellular adhesion, migration, and proliferation around the implant. Therefore, in this work, we investigated the role of the covalent binding of rhBMP-2 and rhBMP-7 separately and in combination with ultrathin multilayers composed of heparin and diazoresin in stem cells. In the first step, we optimized the protein deposition conditions via quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Then, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to analyze protein–substrate interactions. The effect of the protein binding on the initial cell adhesion, migration, and short-term expression of osteogenesis markers was tested. In the presence of both proteins, cell flattening and adhesion became more prominent, resulting in limited motility. However, the early osteogenic marker expression significantly increased compared to the single protein systems. The presence of single proteins resulted in the elongation of cells, which promoted their migration activity.
Distribution of α2-Adrenergic Receptors in the Living Human Brain Using [11C]yohimbine PET
Authors: Laurencin Chloé , Lancelot Sophie , Merida Inès , Costes Nicolas , Redouté Jérôme , Le Bars Didier , Boulinguez Philippe , Ballanger Bénédicte
Published: May 2023

The neurofunctional basis of the noradrenergic (NA) system and its associated disorders is still very incomplete because in vivo imaging tools in humans have been missing up to now. Here, for the first time, we use [11C]yohimbine in a large sample of subjects (46 healthy volunteers, 23 females, 23 males; aged 20–50) to perform direct quantification of regional alpha 2 adrenergic receptors’ (α2-ARs) availability in the living human brain. The global map shows the highest [11C]yohimbine binding in the hippocampus, the occipital lobe, the cingulate gyrus, and the frontal lobe. Moderate binding was found in the parietal lobe, thalamus, parahippocampus, insula, and temporal lobe. Low levels of binding were found in the basal ganglia, the amygdala, the cerebellum, and the raphe nucleus. Parcellation of the brain into anatomical subregions revealed important variations in [11C]yohimbine binding within most structures. Strong heterogeneity was found in the occipital lobe, the frontal lobe, and the basal ganglia, with substantial gender effects. Mapping the distribution of α2-ARs in the living human brain may prove useful not only for understanding the role of the NA system in many brain functions, but also for understanding neurodegenerative diseases in which altered NA transmission with specific loss of α2-ARs is suspected.
Neuroimaging Correlates of Treatment Response to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Bipolar Depression: A Systematic Review
Authors: Shamabadi Ahmad , Karimi Hanie , Cattarinussi Giulia , Moghaddam Hossein Sanjari , Akhondzadeh Shahin , Sambataro Fabio , Schiena Giandomenico , Delvecchio Giuseppe
Published: May 2023

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has become a promising strategy for bipolar disorder (BD). This study reviews neuroimaging findings, indicating functional, structural, and metabolic brain changes associated with TMS in BD. Web of Science, Embase, Medline, and Google Scholar were searched without any restrictions for studies investigating neuroimaging biomarkers, through structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in association with response to TMS in patients with BD. Eleven studies were included (fMRI = 4, MRI = 1, PET = 3, SPECT = 2, and MRS = 1). Important fMRI predictors of response to repetitive TMS (rTMS) included higher connectivity of emotion regulation and executive control regions. Prominent MRI predictors included lower ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity and lower superior frontal and caudal middle frontal volumes. SPECT studies found hypoconnectivity of the uncus/parahippocampal cortex and right thalamus in non-responders. The post-rTMS changes using fMRI mostly showed increased connectivity among the areas neighboring the coil. Increased blood perfusion was reported post-rTMS in PET and SPECT studies. Treatment response comparison between unipolar depression and BD revealed almost equal responses. Neuroimaging evidence suggests various correlates of response to rTMS in BD, which needs to be further replicated in future studies.
Aberrant Multimodal Connectivity Pattern Involved in Default Mode Network and Limbic Network in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Chen Haifeng , Hu Zheqi , Ke Zhihong , Xu Yun , Bai Feng , Liu Zhuo
Published: May 2023

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that progressively affects bulbar and limb function. Despite increasing recognition of the disease as a multinetwork disorder characterized by aberrant structural and functional connectivity, its integrity agreement and its predictive value for disease diagnosis remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we recruited 37 ALS patients and 25 healthy controls (HCs). High-resolution 3D T1-weighted imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were, respectively, applied to construct multimodal connectomes. Following strict neuroimaging selection criteria, 18 ALS and 25 HC patients were included. Network-based statistic (NBS) and the coupling of grey matter structural–functional connectivity (SC–FC coupling) were performed. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) method was used to distinguish the ALS patients from HCs. Results showed that, compared with HCs, ALS individuals exhibited a significantly increased functional network, predominantly encompassing the connections between the default mode network (DMN) and the frontoparietal network (FPN). The increased structural connections predominantly involved the inter-regional connections between the limbic network (LN) and the DMN, the salience/ventral attention network (SVAN) and FPN, while the decreased structural connections mainly involved connections between the LN and the subcortical network (SN). We also found increased SC–FC coupling in DMN-related brain regions and decoupling in LN-related brain regions in ALS, which could differentiate ALS from HCs with promising capacity based on SVM. Our findings highlight that DMN and LN may play a vital role in the pathophysiological mechanism of ALS. Additionally, SC–FC coupling could be regarded as a promising neuroimaging biomarker for ALS and shows important clinical potential for early recognition of ALS individuals.
Psychoeducation for Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Emotional, Clinical and Functional Related-Outcomes
Authors: Galvez-Sánchez Carmen M. , Montoro Casandra I.
Published: May 2023

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition of widespread pain accompanied by several symptoms such as stiffness, fatigue, sleep problems, depression, anxiety, and cognitive deficits. To date, there is no specific treatment for FMS. The European League Against Rheumatism, and the majority of the international recommendations for managing FMS, has claimed psychoeducational intervention as the first step in FMS treatment for adequate symptoms management. However, scientific studies in this regard are scarce, diverse, and with contradictory findings. Results integration from analogous studies could provide a clear presentation of the real clinical value of psychoeducation in FMS. Therefore, the current systematic review aims at exploring the effect of psychoeducation on emotional, clinical, and functional symptoms of FMS patients and encourages researchers towards psychoeducation’s procedure optimization and systematization. The systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration and PRISMA statements. The selected articles were evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) assessment tool. The selected articles were extracted from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The literature search identified 11 studies eligible for the systematic review. The ROB evaluation revealed that 2 of the 11 studies showed a low quality, the other 2 had a moderate quality, and the remaining 7 studies exhibited a high quality. Results showed that psychoeducation is generally included as an important first therapeutic step in multicomponent treatments for FMS. Moreover, psychoeducation generally seems to be quite beneficial in reducing emotional (i.e., number of days feeling emotionally well, general anxiety, depression levels, etc.) and clinical symptoms (levels of fatigue, morning stiffness, pain intensity, etc.), as well as increasing functional status (i.e., general physical function, morning fatigue, stiffness, etc.). Despite that psychoeducation´s clinical benefits are highlighted, there is scarce amount of research on psychoeducation beyond its usefulness as part of multicomponent treatments.
Response Monitoring and Analysis in Deep Foundation Pit Excavation: A Case Study in Soft Soil at Subway Tunnel Intersections
Authors: Chen Gang , Zhang Xiaohui , Zhang Shujian , Huang Feng , Xiao Han , Ma Huaizhang , Luo Linna , Bao Han
Published: May 2023

With the rapid development of urban rail transit and underground space development, the occurrence of excavation near existing tunnels is becoming more common. This excavation and unloading will inevitably cause soil deformation outside the pit and the tunnel buried therein. This paper presents an investigation into the entire excavation process and the deformation effects on the adjacent subway structure under complex construction environments, including soft soil foundations and adjacent subway intersections, based on measured data of pit construction. The horizontal and vertical displacements of deep soils in two pits were analyzed along with safety management measures to determine the horizontal displacement curve pattern and the lateral displacement development distribution law of deep soils. The analysis of subway deformation data shows that after excavation, the subway tunnel undergoes “lateral expansion” and “vertical compression” type deformation, accompanied by “in-pit” horizontal displacement and “settlement” vertical displacement. Furthermore, a correlation analysis reveals a clear linear relationship between pit deformation and subway structure deformation, which can be used as a prediction method for adjacent structure deformation. Finally, a comparative analysis of existing relevant influence zone models and tunnel deformation prediction formulas is carried out based on the monitoring. The results of this study have significant guiding implications for the excavation construction of soft soil foundations in the vicinity of subway crossings.
Research Progress on the Applications of Seashell Adsorption Behaviors in Cement-Based Materials
Authors: Li Tong , Xin Rui , Wang Dongli , Yuan Lili , Wu Donghui , Wu Ximeng
Published: May 2023

The use of seashells to replace traditional cement-based materials and study their adsorption capacity for pollutants can expand the functional engineering application range of cement-based materials. A large amount of seashell waste is produced in coastal areas every year. How to deal with and utilize this seashell waste is a common problem faced by coastal countries and regions. This paper first reviews the principles of adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms to demonstrate the adsorption mechanism of shell materials. Then the effects of pH, contact time, temperature, pollutant concentration and other factors on the adsorption of heavy metal ions and basic dyes to seashells are discussed. Finally, the relevant applications of seashells in the construction field are reviewed. The results showed that the optimal pH value in the process of seashell adsorption was 5–7, the active site on the surface of the seashell particles was limited, and that it would reach saturation at a certain concentration, but would not further increase with the increase of time. The active site area of the seashell would increase with the decrease of particle size, so the selection of seashell powder with small particle size was conducive to enhancing the absorption capacity and removal efficiency. The experimental use of seashells instead of cementitious materials or natural aggregates in cement-based materials showed good adsorption capacity and would have a wide range of application prospects in permeable concrete and architectural coatings. By analyzing the research progress on factors influencing seashell adsorption performance and the applications of seashell adsorption behaviors in cement-based materials, this paper could provide ideas and methods for the design of functional cement-based adsorption materials from multiple angles.
Study on the Eccentric Compressive Performance of Steel Fibre Reinforced Coal Gangue Concrete Columns
Authors: Cai Bin , Bai Bingyang , Duan Wenfeng , Wang Lin , Wang Shengda
Published: May 2023

Coal gangue is the waste created in the coal mining process and can be utilised as a coarse aggregate in construction projects to solve the environmental problems it causes. To study the mechanical properties of steel fibre reinforced coal gangue concrete (SFCGC) columns under eccentric compression, two natural aggregate concrete (NAC) columns and eight SFCGC columns were designed and fabricated for eccentric compression loading tests. The variables involved in the tests include gangue substitution rate (0%, 30%, 50%, 70%), steel fibre volume content (SFVC) (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%), and eccentricity (0.25, 0.5). The experimental work and theoretical analysis were used to investigate the failure mode, cracking, and ultimate bearing capacity of SFCGC columns. The effects of various variation parameters on the longitudinal strain, concrete strain, transverse displacement, crack width, and bearing capacity were analysed in detail. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to compare with the conventional observation and to analyse the cracking trend of the specimens. The testing results revealed that the damage pattern of SFCGC columns under eccentric compression was similar to that of NAC columns. The eccentricity significantly affected the damage pattern (or bearing capacity) of SFCGC columns. The effect of the coal gangue replacement rate on the lateral displacement corresponding to the ultimate load can be neglected under the same eccentricity. The incorporation of steel fibres effectively inhibited the development of cracks in the columns, with an average increase in crack load and ultimate load of 7.36% and 17.1%. The equations were also established to determine the crack width and bearing capacity of the studied SFCGC columns, and the theoretical predictions agreed with the experimental results.
Unveiling the Power of Anticancer Drug Screening: A Clinical Case Study Comparing the Effectiveness of Hollow Fiber Assay Microtube Array Membrane (MTAM-HFA) in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Tu Shih-Hsin , Huang Wan-Ting , Chew Chee Ho , Chen Amanda Lin , Chen Shou-Tung , Chen Jin-Hua , Hsieh Yi-Chen , Chen Chien-Chung
Published: May 2023

Breast cancer is a severe public health problem, and early treatment with powerful anticancer drugs is critical for success. The researchers investigated the clinical results of a novel screening tool termed Microtube Array Membrane Hollow Fiber Assay (MTAM-HFA) in breast cancer patients in this clinical investigation. In all trial participants, the MTAM-HFA was utilized to identify active medicines for the treatment of breast cancer. The MTAM-HFA was shown to be extremely useful in predicting patient response to anticancer medication therapy in this study. Furthermore, the substantial association between the MTAM-HFA screening outcome and the clinical outcome of the respective patients emphasizes the promise of this unique screening technology in discovering effective anticancer medication combinations for the treatment of breast cancer. These findings indicate that the MTAM-HFA has clinical significance and might be a valuable tool in the development of tailored therapy for cancer care. This study provides helpful information for physicians and scientists working on breast cancer therapy research. The potential benefits of employing MTAM-HFA to find accurate therapies for breast cancer patients might lead to enhanced personalized medicine approaches to cancer care, resulting in better patient outcomes. Overall, the MTAM-HFA screening approach has the potential to revolutionize customized cancer therapy, providing hope to both patients and physicians.
Development of Trading Strategies Using Time Series Based on Robust Interval Forecasts
Authors: Nikulchev Evgeny , Chervyakov Alexander
Published: May 2023

The task of time series forecasting is to estimate future values based on available observational data. Prediction Intervals methods are aimed at finding not the next point, but the interval that the future value or several values on the forecast horizon can fall into given current and historical data. This article proposes an approach for modeling a robust interval forecast for a stock portfolio. Here, a trading strategy was developed to profit from trading stocks in the market. The study used real trading data of real stocks. Forty securities were used to calculate the IMOEX. The securities with the highest weight were the following: GAZP, LKOH, SBER. This definition of the strategy allows operating with large portfolios. Increasing the accuracy of the forecast was carried out by estimating the interval of the forecast. Here, a range of values was considered to be a result of forecasting without considering specific moments, which guarantees the reliability of the forecast. The use of a predictive interval approach for the price of shares allows increasing their profitability.
Norwegian Physical Education Teacher Education Students’ Perceptions of the Subject Physical Education: A Qualitative Study of Students’ Reflections before Starting Their Studies
Authors: Østerlie Ove , Kristensen Geir Olav
Published: May 2023

Studies show that students’ view of the subject of physical education (PE) is often dominated by sports discourse, and that the profession of higher education often fails to balance this view, which, in many contexts, does not align with the aims of governing documents in PE. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how future students in physical education teacher education (PETE) perceive the subject. Written responses from 112 students at the start of their PETE study were analysed within the framework of reflexive thematic analysis. Based on questions about activity habits, we found that most students were active individuals who engaged in traditional physical activities such as ball games and basic training in their leisure time. Analysis of the students’ answers generated four themes: (1) Activity and bodily learning, (2) Motivation and joy of movement, (3) Health for life, and (4) “Bildung”. We argue through these four themes that the students’ perception of the subject with a focus on much physical activity through a variety of activities—physical learning, motivation, and joy of movement—are in line with governing documents and physical literacy. It is also clear that health discourse is strongly represented in the students’ perception of the subject and that physical education is an important contributor in the students’ formation process. However, some aspects of the curriculum seemed to be of lesser interest to the students. In conclusion, the students’ perceptions and experiences can serve as a starting point for change, learning, and development in physical education teacher education.
Dose Images Reconstruction Based on X-ray-Induced Acoustic Computed Tomography
Authors: Liu Yanhua , Liu Mingzhe , Jiang Xin , Liu Xianghe , Liu Min
Published: May 2023

The accurate reconstruction of the in vivo dose is a critical step in radiation therapy. X-ray-induced acoustic imaging is a promising technology for in vivo dose reconstruction, as it enables the nonradiative and noninvasive monitoring of radiation dose. However, current X-ray acoustic imaging methods suffer from several limitations, including high signal-to-noise ratio, poor imaging quality and massive loss of structural information. To address these limitations, we propose a dose image reconstruction method based on tensor sparse dictionary learning. Specifically, we combine tensor coding with compressed sensing data, extend two-dimensional dictionary learning to three-dimensional by using tensor product, and then utilize the spatial information of X-ray acoustic signal more efficiently. To reduce the artifacts of reconstruction images caused by spare sampling, we design the alternate iterative solution of the tensor sparse coefficient and tensor dictionary. In addition, we build the X-ray-induced acoustic dose images reconstruction system, simulate the X-ray acoustic signals based on patients’ information from Sichuan Cancer Hospital, and then create the simulated datasets. Compared to some typical state-of-the art imaging methods, the experimental results demonstrate that our method can significantly improve the quality of reconstructed images and the accuracy of dose distribution.
Formalizing the Semantics of DDS QoS Policies for Improved Communications in Distributed Smart Grid Applications
Authors: Alaerjan Alaa
Published: May 2023

Quality communication is a major challenges in large-scale and distributed smart grid applications. Several protocols and middleware have been proposed to address communication quality issues in those applications. DDS is a standard data-centric middleware for publish/subscribe communication. It has been proposed for smart grid to address both connectivity and communication quality issues. DDS provides multiple quality of service (QoS) policies to address reliability, latency, and data availability. One of the main challenges in adopting the standard in smart grids is the complexity of adopting and tailoring its QoS policies. This is because those policies are described informally introducing ambiguities, which hinders the precise implementation of DDS. To address this, we formalize the descriptions of DDS QoS policies using the object constraint language (OCL). We also clearly defined the design structural relations among DDS entities and QoS policies. In the process, we analyzed the dependencies among QoS policies and we built clear and concise structural relations. We then proposed feature modeling and a management layer to facilitate QoS tuning and to reduce development and configuration complexity. We implemented the proposed approach in a simulated power consumption domain. The results show that the approach improves the development process. They also show that the approach significantly improves the performance of DDS-enabled applications.
Vertical Patterns of Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities along a Soil Depth Gradient in a Natural Picea crassifolia Forest in Qinghai Province, China
Authors: Hu Lei , Wang Xin , Song Xiaoyan , Dai Di , Ding Luming , Degen Abraham Allan , Wang Changting
Published: May 2023

Soil bacterial and fungal communities play different roles in maintaining the ecosystem structure and functions. However, these differences, which are related to soil depths, remain unclear and are the subject of this study. We selected six sample plots (20 m × 50 m) in a natural Picea crassifolia forest in an alpine meadow to determine the vertical patterns (0~10 cm, 10~20 cm, 20~30 cm, and 30~50 cm) of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and to predict their potential functions. The phyla Verrucomicrobia, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria dominated the soil bacteria, with more than 50% of the relative abundance, while the fungi Basidiomycota and Ascomycota dominated the soil fungi. The potential functions of bacteria, including metabolism and transcription, increased with soil depth, and corresponded to specific bacterial taxa. The functional guilds of fungi, including endophytes, arbuscular mycorrhiza, and ectomycorrhiza, did not change with soil depth. The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH were the key drivers shaping the soil bacterial communities and potential functions in the 0–50 cm soil layer. SOC was also a key driver of soil fungal α diversity. The sample plot, namely, its geographic locations, was another key driver shaping soil fungal β diversity and potential functions, but soil depth was not. Our results differentiate the importance of SOC and geographic location in shaping soil bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, and indicate that examining soil microbial composition and corresponding functions concomitantly is important for the maintenance and management of forest ecosystem functions.
Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Zanthoxylum armatum Leaves in Response to Plant Age, Shoot Type and Leaf Position
Authors: Hu Yun-Yi , Qian Wen-Zhang , Yi Lu , Mao Yi-Dong , Ye Yu-Lin , Ren Hong-Yu , Gu Tao , Zhang Dan-Ju , Cao Guo-Xing , Gao Shun
Published: May 2023

Zanthoxylum armatum (Z. armatum) leaves represent more than 50% of by-products with promising potential applications, and there are still largely unknown variations in chemical composition and antioxidant activity in its leaves. In the present study, the changes in carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), soluble protein (SP), amino acid (AA), soluble sugar (SS), total phenol (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) content as well as antioxidant capacity in Z. armatum leaves from two plant ages between two shoot types and three leaf positions were investigated. Our results showed that there are significant effects of plant age, shoot type and leaf position and their interactions on almost all the tested parameters. Shoot types were the main factor affecting the accumulation of chemical compositions and antioxidant capacity, followed by leaf positions and plant ages. Shoot type and leaf position had stronger effects than plant age. Statistical analysis revealed a series of correlations between antioxidant capacity, TP and chemical elements. Z. armatum leaves, an agricultural by-product, showed significant differences in chemical composition and antioxidant activity in response to plant age, shoot type and leaf position, which can be valuable to incentive its cultivation management strategy and its better utilization for economic and environmental benefits.