bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptome Analyses Identify a Metabolic Gene Signature Indicative of Antitumor Immunosuppression of EGFR Wild Type Lung Cancers With Low PD-L1 Expression
Authors: Wang Min , Zhu Jie , Zhao Fang , Xiao Jiani
Published: September 2021

Purpose

With the development and application of targeted therapies like tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have achieved remarkable survival benefits in recent years. However, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type and low expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) NSCLCs remain unmanageable. Few treatments for these patients exist, and more side effects with combination therapies have been observed. We intended to generate a metabolic gene signature that could successfully identify high-risk patients and reveal its underlying molecular immunology characteristics.

Methods

By identifying the bottom 50% PD-L1 expression level as PD-L1 low expression and removing EGFR mutant samples, a total of 640 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) tumor samples and 93 adjacent non-tumor samples were finally extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We identified differentially expressed metabolic genes (DEMGs) by R package limma and the prognostic genes by Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. The intersect genes between DEMGs and prognostic genes were put into the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalty Cox regression analysis. The metabolic gene signature contained 18 metabolic genes generated and successfully stratified LUAD and LUSC patients into the high-risk and low-risk groups, which was also validated by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Its accuracy was proved by the time-dependent Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and nomogram. Furthermore, the Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) and diverse acknowledged methods include XCELL, TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPcounter, EPIC, CIBERSORT-ABS, and CIBERSORT revealed its underlying antitumor immunosuppressive status. Besides, its relationship with somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) was also discussed.

Results

It is noteworthy that metabolism reprogramming is associated with the survival of the double-negative LUAD and LUSC patients. The SCNAs and TMB of critical metabolic genes can inhibit the antitumor immune process, which might be a promising therapeutic target.
Developing Strategy to Predict the Results of Prostate Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Reduce Unnecessary Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan
Authors: Liu Junxiao , Yu Shuanbao , Dong Biao , Hong Guodong , Tao Jin , Fan Yafeng , Zhu Zhaowei , Wang Zhiyu , Zhang Xuepei
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The clinical utility of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for the detection and localization of prostate cancer (PCa) has been evaluated and validated. However, the implementation of mpMRI into the clinical practice remains some burden of cost and availability for patients and society. We aimed to predict the results of prostate mpMRI using the clinical parameters and multivariable model to reduce unnecessary mpMRI scans.

Methods

We retrospectively identified 784 men who underwent mpMRI scans and subsequent prostate biopsy between 2016 and 2020 according to the inclusion criterion. The cohort was split into a training cohort of 548 (70%) patients and a validation cohort of 236 (30%) patients. Clinical parameters including age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) derivates, and prostate volume (PV) were assessed as the predictors of mpMRI results. The mpMRI results were divided into groups according to the reports: “negative”, “equivocal”, and “suspicious” for the presence of PCa.

Results

Univariate analysis showed that the total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), PV, and PSA density (PSAD) were significant predictors for suspicious mpMRI (P < 0.05). The PSAD (AUC = 0.77) and tPSA (AUC = 0.74) outperformed fPSA (AUC = 0.68) and PV (AUC = 0.62) in the prediction of the mpMRI results. The multivariate model (AUC = 0.80) had a similar diagnostic accuracy with PSAD (P = 0.108), while higher than tPSA (P = 0.024) in predicting the mpMRI results. The multivariate model illustrated a better calibration and substantial improvement in the decision curve analysis (DCA) at a threshold above 20%. Using the PSAD with a 0.13 ng/ml2 cut-off could spare the number of mpMRI scans by 20%, keeping a 90% sensitivity in the prediction of suspicious MRI-PCa and missing three (3/73, 4%) clinically significant PCa cases. At the same sensitivity level, the multivariate model with a 32% cut-off could spare the number of mpMRI scans by 27%, missing only one (1/73, 1%) clinically significant PCa case.

Conclusion

Our multivariate model could reduce the number of unnecessary mpMRI scans without comprising the diagnostic ability of clinically significant PCa. Further prospective validation is required.
An Integrated Analysis of C5AR2 Related to Malignant Properties and Immune Infiltration of Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhu Yumeng , Wang Xiaochao , Xu Yanqing , Chen Lu , Ding Peipei , Chen Jianfeng , Hu Weiguo
Published: September 2021

Background

C5AR2 (GPR77, C5L2) is the second receptor for C5a that is a potent protein generated by complement activation. C5AR2 can mediate its own signaling events and exert significant immunomodulatory effects through those events. However, research of C5AR2 in cancer is limited, and its function remains unclear in breast cancer.

Methods

The expression of C5AR2 and its correlations with prognosis, immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI) in more than thirty types of cancers were described through GTEx, TCGA, PrognoScan, TIMER2.0, CCLE, HPA, and TISIDB database. C5AR2 showed strong relationships to those immune marker sets in breast cancer. Otherwise, CCK8 assay and Transwell assay were conducted to illustrate the role of C5AR2 in migration, invasion, and proliferation of breast cancer cells.

Results

Generally, C5AR2 expression differed across most cancerous and noncancerous tissues, and high C5AR2 expression significantly related to poor prognosis in BRCA, GBM, KICH, LAML, LGG, LIHC, PAAD, and STAD. Moreover, C5AR2 expression levels were dramatically correlated with recognized immune infiltration, especially the polarization of macrophages in breast cancer. Gene set enrichment analysis confirmed that C5AR2 participates in regulating multiple signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis as well as tumor immunity. C5AR2 overexpression facilitated the functions such as migration, invasion, and proliferation in breast cancer cells, which is consistent with bioinformatics analysis.

Conclusions

C5AR2 is involved in immune infiltration and malignant characteristics of breast cancer, which may be a prospective biomarker for breast cancer.
Comparison of Penile Appearance and Outcomes Between Prefabricated Urethra and Pre-implanted Urethral Plate for Treatment of Children With Severe Hypospadias: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Ding Yuan , Gu Shengli , Xia Xingrong , Yu Zhengbo
Published: September 2021

Objective: To compare the effect of prefabricated urethra and pre-implanted urethral plate in the treatment of severe hypospadias in children.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 53 patients who diagnosed as severe hypospadias underwent staging urethroplasty from January 2015 to January 2018 in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, First People's Hospital, Zunyi City. The patients were divided into two groups: group A (n = 25) were treated with prefabricated urethra and group B (n = 28) were treated with pre-implanted urethral plate. After the second stage surgery, the ratios of complications such as urethral fistula, urethral stenosis, urethrocele, and recurrence chordee were compared. The penis was scored from meatus, glans, shaft skin, general appearance by the parents, blinded urologists according to The Pediatric Penile Perception Score, and the scores were compared too.

Results: All patients were followed up after two stage operations for an average of 28 months. Glans dehiscence occurred in two patients (8%), urethral orifice stenosis occurred in one (4%) and urethral fistula occurred in three (12%) in group A. No urethral stenosis, urethrocele and recurrence chordee was observed. One patient presented urethral plate inactivation (3.6%), two patients presented urethral fistula (7.1%) and one patient presented urethral stenosis (3.6%) in group B. No urethrocele, glans dehiscence and recurrence chordee was observed. The total complication rate in group A was 24 and 14.3% in group B, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.582). The differences between two groups scored by parents in glans (P = 0.030) was statistically significant. The differences between two groups scored by operators in meatus (P = 0.041), shaft skin (P = 0.000), glans (P = 0.001), and general appearance (P = 0.007) were statistically significant. The differences between two groups scored by counterparts in meatus (P = 0.006), shaft skin (P = 0.003), glans (P = 0.010), and general appearance (P = 0.014) were statistically significant.

Conclusion: Both prefabricated urethra and pre-implanted urethral plate methods are suitable for correction of severe hypospadias as staging surgery in children. In general, pre-implanted urethral plate is more worthy of spread because it is much more applied in patients with small glans and achieve good appearance of penis.
Applying the Hubbard-Stratonovich Transformation to Solve Scheduling Problems Under Inequality Constraints With Quantum Annealing
Authors: Yu Sizhuo , Nabil Tahar
Published: September 2021

Quantum annealing is a global optimization algorithm that uses the quantum tunneling effect to speed-up the search for an optimal solution. Its current hardware implementation relies on D-Wave’s Quantum Processing Units, which are limited in terms of number of qubits and architecture while being restricted to solving quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems. Consequently, previous applications of quantum annealing to real-life use cases have focused on problems that are either native QUBO or close to native QUBO. By contrast, in this paper we propose to tackle inequality constraints and non-quadratic terms. We demonstrate how to handle them with a realistic use case-a bus charging scheduling problem. First, we reformulate the original integer programming problem into a QUBO with the penalty method and directly solve it on a D-Wave machine. In a second approach, we dualize the problem by performing the Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation. The dual problem is solved indirectly by combining quantum annealing and adaptive classical gradient-descent optimizer. Whereas the penalty method is severely limited by the connectivity of the realistic device, we show experimentally that the indirect approach is able to solve problems of a larger size, offering thus a better scaling. Hence, the implementation of the Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation carried out in this paper on a scheduling use case suggests that this approach could be investigated further and applied to a variety of real-life integer programming problems under multiple constraints to lower the cost of mapping to QUBO, a key step towards the near-term practical application of quantum computing.
Enzymology and Regulation of δ1-Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Synthetase 2 From Rice
Authors: Sabbioni Giuseppe , Funck Dietmar , Forlani Giuseppe
Published: September 2021

Under several stress conditions, such as excess salt and drought, many plants accumulate proline inside the cell, which is believed to help counteracting the adverse effects of low water potential. This increase mainly relies upon transcriptional induction of δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), the enzyme that catalyzes the first two steps in proline biosynthesis from glutamate. P5CS mediates both the phosphorylation of glutamate and the reduction of γ-glutamylphosphate to glutamate-5-semialdehyde, which spontaneously cyclizes to δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C). In most higher plants, two isoforms of P5CS have been found, one constitutively expressed to satisfy proline demand for protein synthesis, the other stress-induced. Despite the number of papers to investigate the regulation of P5CS at the transcriptional level, to date, the properties of the enzyme have been only poorly studied. As a consequence, the descriptions of post-translational regulatory mechanisms have largely been limited to feedback-inhibition by proline. Here, we report cloning and heterologous expression of P5CS2 from Oryza sativa. The protein has been fully characterized from a functional point of view, using an assay method that allows following the physiological reaction of the enzyme. Kinetic analyses show that the activity is subjected to a wide array of regulatory mechanisms, ranging from product inhibition to feedback inhibition by proline and other amino acids. These findings confirm long-hypothesized influences of both, the redox status of the cell and nitrogen availability, on proline biosynthesis.
Running Performance of High-Level Soccer Player Positions Induces Significant Muscle Damage and Fatigue Up to 24 h Postgame
Authors: Freire Lucas Albuquerque , Brito Michele Andrade de , Esteves Natã Sant’anna , Tannure Márcio , Slimani Maamer , Znazen Hela , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Brito Ciro José , Soto Dany Alexis Sobarzo , Gonçalves Daniel , Miarka Bianca
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to determine the impact of a soccer game on the creatine kinase (Ck) response and recovery and the specific Global Positioning System (GPS)-accelerometry-derived performance analysis during matches and comparing playing positions. A sample composed of 118 observations of 24 professional soccer teams of the Brazil League Serie A was recruited and classified according to playing positions, i.e., Left/Right Defenders (D = 30, age: 25.2 ± 5.8 years, height: 187 ± 5.5 cm, weight: 80 ± 5.8 kg), Offensive Midfielders (OM = 44, age: 25.1 ± 0.2 years, height: 177 ± 0.3 cm, weight: 73 ± 1.2 kg), Forwards (F = 9, age: 25.1 ± 0.2 years, height: 176.9 ± 4.3 cm, weight: 74.5 ± 2.1 kg), Left/Right Wingers (M = 23, age: 24.5 ± 0.5 years, height: 175 ± 1.1 cm, weight: 74 ± 4.4 kg), and Strikers (S = 12, age: 28 ± 0.2 years, height: 184 ± 1.0 cm, weight: 80 ± 1.4 kg). Blood Ck concentration was measured pre-, immediately post-, and 24 h postgame, and the GPS-accelerometry parameters were assessed during games. Findings demonstrated that Ck concentrations were higher at all postgame moments when compared with pregame, with incomplete recovery markers being identified up to 24 h after the game (range: 402–835 U/L). Moreover, Midfielders (108.6 ± 5.6 m/min) and Forwards (109.1 ± 8.3 m/min) had a higher relative distance vs. other positions (100.9 ± 10.1 m/min). Strikers [8.2 (8.1, 9.05) load/min] and Defenders [8.45 (8, 8.8) load/min] demonstrated lower load/min than Wingers [9.5 (9.2, 9.8) load/min], Midfielders [10.6 (9.9, 11.67) load/min], and Forwards [11 (10.65, 11, 15) load/min]. These results could be used to adopt specific training programs and recovery strategies after match according to the playing positions.
Place Affect Interventions During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ramkissoon Haywantee
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 health and economic crisis has also brought a rise in people being unable to cope with their existing medical conditions and other issues such as domestic violence, drugs, and alcohol among others. Suicidal tendencies have been on the rise. Feelings of isolation causing emotional distress in place-confined settings have put additional pressure on the healthcare systems demanding that we find additional and complementary means of support for those in need. This is important not only in the current pandemic but also in the post-pandemic world. The goal is to collectively contribute and address the recurring calls for actions to maintain global well-being and public health. An important discussion to bring on the table is the need to promote interventions for people to cope with the pandemic and to adjust to the post-pandemic world. Promoting affective attitudes toward place can foster well-being outcomes. This has important benefits and is of relevance to governments, policymakers, and healthcare professionals in delivering better healthcare equipping people with coping mechanisms both throughout the pandemic and in the long run. However, the key challenge is how to foster these place affect attitudes meeting the changing demands in the post-pandemic world. It is in the middle of a crisis that the conversation needs to start about how to strategically plan for the recovery.
Does Emotional Labor Matter for University Teaching? Examining the Antecedents and Consequences of University Teachers' Emotional Labor Strategies
Authors: Han Jiying , Yin Hongbiao , Yang Xin , Wang Feifei
Published: September 2021

Following Grandey's integrative model of emotional labor and emotion regulation, this study examined the relationships between university teachers' reported use of various emotional labor strategies and some antecedents (i. e., perceived emotional job demands and teaching support) and teaching efficacy. A sample of 643 university teachers from 50 public higher education institutions in an East China province responded to a questionnaire survey. The data analysis based on descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling showed that surface acting impeded teaching efficacy in instructional strategy and learning assessment, while deep acting and expression of naturally felt emotions enhanced teaching efficacy in course design, instructional strategy, and learning assessment. For the antecedents of university teachers' emotional labor strategies, teachers perceived that the emotional job demands of teaching facilitated their use of surface and deep acting; in contrast, teachers' perceived teaching support decreased their use of surface acting and increased their use of expression of naturally felt emotions.
The Effect of Teacher Caring Behavior and Teacher Praise on Students’ Engagement in EFL Classrooms
Authors: Sun Yadi
Published: September 2021

The emergent respect for the prominence of engagement in the present education has made it one of the most widespread inquiry issues that it has been regarded as the ultimate target of learning. In the language teaching field, the idea of student activities for learning is intensely rooted in the prevailing standards of effective language learning, which considers language communication and interaction as analytical for language improvement. Moreover, teachers as center of learning process is the most prominent research attention, and teachers play a key role in regulating the education process as well as students’ learning achievement. However, there is an absence of research which have considered teachers’ care and praise among all positive interpersonal behavior and its significant effect on students’ engagement. So, the present review attempts to focus on teacher care and praise, and their effects on student engagement in EFL classrooms. Subsequently, some implications are presented to clarify the practice of teachers, students, teacher educators, and materials developers.
Case Report: Oxytocin and Its Association With Psychotherapy Process and Outcome
Authors: Grossman-Giron Ariella , Tzur Bitan Dana , Zilcha-Mano Sigal , Nitzan Uri , Mendlovic Shlomo , Maoz Hagai
Published: September 2021

The potential of Oxytocin (OT) as a facilitator of psychotherapy has been previously acknowledged, nonetheless, randomized controlled trials thus far have not yielded conclusive results. One approach suggested to clarify empirical inconsistencies is to refine the study hypotheses and data collection process by utilizing an in-depth idiographic exploration of the investigated phenomena. In this case illustration we provide an in-depth analysis comparing two patients hospitalized in a closed psychiatric ward with depression and undergoing psychotherapy twice a week. These two patients were randomly allocated to receive either OT or placebo, twice a day for a period of 4 weeks. Both patients completed longitudinal assessments of process and outcome measures, and therapists' clinical notes were extracted and reviewed. Reliable clinical change was calculated for all outcome and process measures. The results indicated that the patient receiving OT showed significant improvement in interpersonal distress, as well as in anxiety and depression symptoms, while the placebo patient showed no significant change during the study period. Furthermore, while both patients showed no significant changes in the therapeutic alliance ratings, the therapist of the OT patient regularly reported positive changes in alliance in the medical notes, while no such report was observed in the placebo patient. These results suggest that changes produced by OT administration may be more noticeable by the therapist. Implications for future studies aimed at assessing the effect of OT on psychotherapy process and outcome are discussed.
Case Report: Usefulness of Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease in Two Cases With Very-Late-Onset Schizophrenia-Like Psychosis
Authors: Satake Yuto , Kanemoto Hideki , Yoshiyama Kenji , Nakahama Ryoko , Matsunaga Keiko , Shimosegawa Eku , Morihara Takashi , Hashimoto Mamoru , Ikeda Manabu
Published: September 2021

The association between primary psychotic disorders emerging in later life and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is controversial. We present two female non-demented cases of psychosis with onset above the age of 60 years. Cases 1 and 2 were aged was 68 and 81 years, respectively. They suffered from persecutory delusions and scored 28 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at the first examination. Although detailed neuropsychological tests detected amnesia, they had preserved daily life function. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, N-isopropyl-p-[123I] iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) single-photon emission computed tomography, and cardiac [123I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy showed no specific abnormalities in either case. We diagnosed them with very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis (VLOSLP) because there was no evidence that their psychoses were derived from organic diseases or affective disorders. Upon close inspection, the AD biomarkers, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing and Florbetapir F 18 positron emission tomography (PET), were positive in Case 1 and negative in Case 2. Case 1 scored 25 1 year later and 23 2 years later on the MMSE and was finally diagnosed as AD dementia. These two cases suggest that some clinically diagnosed VLOSLPs may be a prodromal AD. Although VLOSLP is a disease entity supposed to be a primary psychotic disorder, some are probably secondary psychosis with insidious neurodegeneration. Advanced biomarkers such as amyloid PET and CSF may contribute to the detection of secondary psychosis from clinically diagnosed VLOSLP.
Finding Consensus About the Level of Medication Safety in a Hospital Setting: Development and an Example of Application of a Modified Delphi Method
Authors: Böhmdorfer-McNair Birgit , Huf Wolfgang , Strametz Reinhard , Nebosis Michael , Pichler Florian , Janowitz Susanne Melitta , Ettl Brigitte
Published: September 2021

A version of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) questionnaire adapted to the Austrian inpatient setting was used to sample the estimates of a group of experts regarding the level of medication safety in a level II hospital. To synthesize expert opinions on a group level reproducibly, classical Delphi method elements were combined with an item weight and performance weight decision-maker. This newly developed information synthesis method was applied to the sample dataset to examine method applicability. Method descriptions and flow diagrams were generated. Applicability was then tested by creating a synthesis of individual questionnaires. An estimate of the level of medication safety in an Austrian level II hospital was, thus, generated. Over the past two decades, initiatives regarding patient safety, in general, and medication safety, in particular, have been gaining momentum. Questionnaires are state of the art for assessing medication practice in healthcare facilities. Acquiring consistent data about medication in the complex setting of a hospital, however, has not been standardized. There are no publicly available benchmark datasets and, in particular, there is no published method to reliably synthesize expertise regarding medication safety on an expert group level. The group-level information synthesis method developed in this study has the potential to synthesize information about the level of medication safety in a hospital setting more reliably than unstructured approaches. A medication safety level estimate for a representative Austrian level II hospital was generated. Further studies are needed to establish convergence characteristics and benchmarks for medication safety on a larger scale.
From the Approach to the Concept: One Health in Latin America-Experiences and Perspectives in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia
Authors: Pettan-Brewer Christina , Martins Andreza Francisco , Abreu Daniel Paiva Barros de , Brandão Ana Pérola Drulla , Barbosa David Soeiro , Figueroa Daniela P. , Cediel Natalia , Kahn Laura H. , Brandespim Daniel Friguglietti , Velásquez Juan Carlos Carrascal , Carvalho Adolorata Aparecida Bianco , Takayanagui Angela Maria Magosso , Galhardo Juliana Arena , Maia-Filho Luiz Flávio Arreguy , Pimpão Cláudia Turra , Vicente Creuza Rachel , Biondo Alexander Welker
Published: September 2021

Professionals throughout the world have been working to assess the interdisciplinary interaction and interdependence between health and wellbeing in a constantly changing environment. The One Health concept was developed to encourage sustainable collaborative partnerships and to promote optimal health for people, animals, plants, the environment, and the whole planet. The dissemination of scientific discoveries and policies, by working directly with diverse communities, has been one of the main goals for Global One Health. The One Health concept has also been referred or related to as “One Medicine, One Medicine-One Health, One World-One Health, EcoHealth,” and Planetary Health,” depending on each fundamental view and approach. In Latin America, despite the concept still being discussed among health professionals and educators, several One Health initiatives have been used daily for more than decades. One Health action has been applied especially in rural and underserved urban areas where low socioeconomic status, lack of health professionals, and scarcity of medical resources may require professionals to work together. Local communities from diverse social and economic statuses, including indigenous populations have been working with institutions and social organizations for many years, accomplishing results through grassroots movements. These “bottom-up” socio-community approaches have also been tools for the prevention and control of diseases, such practice has preceded the One Health concepts in Latin American countries. It is strongly believed that collaborative, multidisciplinary, political, and economic initiatives with prosocial focus may become investments toward obtaining significant results in the face of global, economic and health challenges; working for a healthier world with inclusivity, equity, and equality. In this study, it is briefly presented how the One Health approach has been initiated and developed in Latin America, highlighting the events and actions taken in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.
Creepy, but Persuasive: In a Virtual Consultation, Physician Bedside Manner, Rather than the Uncanny Valley, Predicts Adherence
Authors: Dai Zhengyan , MacDorman Karl F.
Published: September 2021

Care for chronic disease requires patient adherence to treatment advice. Nonadherence worsens health outcomes and increases healthcare costs. When healthcare professionals are in short supply, a virtual physician could serve as a persuasive technology to promote adherence. However, acceptance of advice may be hampered by the uncanny valley effect—a feeling of eeriness elicited by human simulations. In a hypothetical virtual doctor consultation, 441 participants assumed the patient’s role. Variables from the stereotype content model and the heuristic–systematic model were used to predict adherence intention and behavior change. This 2 × 5 between-groups experiment manipulated the doctor’s bedside manner—either good or poor—and virtual depiction at five levels of realism. These independent variables were designed to manipulate the doctor’s level of warmth and eeriness. In hypothesis testing, depiction had a nonsignificant effect on adherence intention and diet and exercise change, even though the 3-D computer-animated versions of the doctor (i.e., animation, swapped, and bigeye) were perceived as eerier than the others (i.e., real and cartoon). The low-warmth, high-eeriness doctor prompted heuristic processing of information, while the high-warmth doctor prompted systematic processing. This pattern contradicts evidence reported in the persuasion literature. For the stereotype content model, a path analysis found that good bedside manner increased the doctor’s perceived warmth significantly, which indirectly increased physical activity. For the heuristic–systematic model, the doctor’s eeriness, measured in a pretest, had no significant effect on adherence intention and physical activity, while good bedside manner increased both significantly. Surprisingly, cognitive perspective-taking was a stronger predictor of change in physical activity than adherence intention. Although virtual characters can elicit the uncanny valley effect, their effect on adherence intention and physical activity was comparable to a video of a real person. This finding supports the development of virtual consultations.
Significant Regional Differences in Lung Cancer Incidence in Hungary: Epidemiological Study Between 2011 and 2016
Authors: Gálffy Gabriella , Vastag Aladár , Bogos Krisztina , Kiss Zoltán , Ostoros Gyula , Müller Veronika , Urbán László , Bittner Nóra , Sárosi Veronika , Polányi Zoltán , Nagy-Erdei Zsófia , Daniel Andrea , Knollmajer Kata , Várnai Máté , Szegner Péter , Vokó Zoltán , Nagy Balázs , Horváth Krisztián , Rokszin György , Abonyi-Tóth Zsolt , Pozsgai Éva , Barcza Zsófia , Moldvay Judit , Tamási Lilla
Published: September 2021

Objective:Hungary has one of the highest incidences and mortality rates of lung cancer (LC), therefore the objective of this study was to analyse and compare LC incidence and mortality rates between the main Hungarian regions.

Methods:This nationwide, retrospective study used data from the National Health Insurance Fund and included patients aged ≥20 years who were diagnosed with lung cancer (ICD-10 C34) between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec 31, 2016. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated and compared for the main regions.

Results:The highest incidence rate in males was recorded in Northern Hungary (146.8/100,000 person-years [PY]), while the lowest rate was found in Western Transdanubia (94.7/100,000 PY in 2011). All rates showed a declining trend between 2011 and 2016, with the largest decrease in the Northern Great Plain (−20.0%;p= 0.008). LC incidence and mortality rates in women both showed a rising tendency in all regions of Hungary, reaching the highest in Central Hungary (59.86/100,000 PY in 2016). Lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in males correlated with the level of education and smoking prevalence (p= 0.006 andp= 0.01, respectively) in the regions. A correlation with GDP per capita and Health Development Index (HDI) index could also be observed in the Hungarian regions, although these associations were not statistically significant. No correlations could be detected between these parameters among females.

Conclusion:This analysis revealed considerable differences in the epidemiology of LC between the 7 main Hungarian regions. LC incidence and mortality rates significantly correlated with smoking and certain socioeconomic factors in men, but not in women. Further research is needed to explain the regional differences.
Port-Hamiltonian Modeling and IDA-PBC Control of an IPMC-Actuated Flexible Beam
Authors: Zhou Weijun , Wu Yongxin , Hu Haiqiang , Li Yanjun , Wang Yu
Published: September 2021

In this paper, the infinite-dimensional port-Hamiltonian modelling and control problem of a flexible beam actuated using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators is investigated. The port-Hamiltonian framework is used to propose an interconnected control model of the mechanical flexible beam and the IPMC actuator. The mechanical flexible dynamic is modelled as a Timoshenko beam, and the electric dynamics of the IPMCs are considered in the model. Furthermore, a passivity-based control-strategy is used to obtain the desired configuration of the proposed interconnected system, and the closed-loop stability is analyzed using the early lumped approach. Lastly, numerical simulations and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed model and the effectiveness of the proposed control law.
Development and Application of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for the Detection of Pseudomonas syringae Pathovars pisi and syringae
Authors: Kant Pragya , Fruzangohar Mario , Mann Rachel , Rodoni Brendan , Hollaway Grant , Rosewarne Garry
Published: September 2021

Pseudomonas syringae causes bacterial blight (BB) disease worldwide on economically important fruit and vegetable crops including field pea (Pisum sativum L.). The two pathovars responsible for BB in field pea are Pseudomonas syringae pathovar pisi (Psp) and syringae (Pss). In the field, both pathovars cause indistinguishable symptoms on field pea and require laboratory diagnosis to determine the causal pathovar. To aid in-field and laboratory diagnosis, accurate, and robust loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for Psp and Pss were developed. The assays were able to detect Psp or Pss on live or heat-killed bacterial cells, plant exudates, seeds, and DNA extracts with no inhibitory effects. The two specific LAMP assays developed detected Psp and Pss accurately in less than 20 min and no cross-reaction was observed with 18 strains of closely related species of Pseudomonas syringae. Compared to the conventional PCR assays, the two LAMP assays were equally specific but have advantages of producing quicker and visual live results, enabling early detection and differentiation of Psp and Pss. Our results suggested a potential use of LAMP assays for laboratory testing and can be applied for in-field surveys.
Determinants and Mechanisms of Digital Financial Inclusion Development: Based on Urban-Rural Differences
Authors: Liu Guang , Huang Yunying , Huang Zhehao
Published: September 2021

The combination of digital finance and financial inclusion can better meet the needs of those who have little access to financial services. This paper investigated the differences in the determinants and mechanisms of digital financial inclusion development between urban and rural areas. The sample consists of 1607 counties in China from 2014 to 2019, and uses the fixed-effect model and panel threshold technique. The empirical results indicate that: (1) The industrial economy and governmental intervention are the common determinants of urban and rural digital financial inclusion development, in which the degree is different. At the same time, secondary education is only a determinant in rural areas. (2) Industrial upgrading and indirect finance play a mediating role in the determinants of digital financial inclusion, but indirect finance is only significant for urban areas. (3) There is a threshold effect in the financial development-digital financial inclusion relationship. Under different financial development levels, the determinants of urban and rural digital financial inclusion show the discrepancy. With the development of digital financial inclusion under the trend of promoting innovative digital finance in China, these findings are expected to enhance access to financial services in urban and rural areas for more inclusive and sustainable futures.
Ficus carica Fruits, By-Products and Based Products as Potential Sources of Bioactive Compounds: A Review
Authors: Teruel-Andreu Candela , Andreu-Coll Lucía , López-Lluch David , Sendra Esther , Hernández Francisca , Cano-Lamadrid Marina
Published: September 2021

In this review, studies (n = 41) were searched in which the compounds and contents were determined for whole fig fruit, peel, leaves and pulp, the types of fig-based products were identified and their total phenols and antioxidant capacity as well as the potential uses of different extracts of fig parts were analyzed. There is a need to reduce the fruit’s environmental impacts (zero waste), and bioactive compounds from fig fruits present a high added value as functional ingredients. Focusing on fig by-products (peel, seeds, no-optimal fruits and leaves), individual compounds and/or extracts can increase the functional, nutritional and techno-functional properties of food products such as additives. A high number of phenolic compounds was found in whole fruit (n = 19), peel (n = 26), pulp (n = 24) and leaves (n = 42). Quercetin-3-O-rutioside was reported as the major individual phenolic compound in whole figs, while cyanidin-3-rutinoside, epicatechin and caftaric acid were the highest compounds in peel, pulp and leaves, respectively. A potential strategy could be the development of novel additives and/or ingredients for food industry from fig by-products. Therefore, the use and valorization of the waste material produced during fig processing should be further investigated.
Meat Quality of Nellore Young Bulls—Effects of Different Days on Feed and Zilpaterol Hydrochloride Supplementation
Authors: Caetano Mariana , Goulart Rodrigo Silva , Silva Saulo Luz , Pflanzer Sergio Bertelli , Leme Paulo Roberto , dos Santos Antonio Carlos Ramos , Lanna Dante Pazzanese Duarte
Published: September 2021

Ninety-six Nellore young bulls were fed (90 or 117 day) diets containing ZH (8.33 mg/kg) for 0, 20, 30, or 40 days to evaluate the effects of days on feed (DOF) and length of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) supplementation on meat quality. At the end of feeding period, animals were slaughtered, and samples of the Longissimus muscle were collected to evaluate the chemical composition, fatty acid profile, color stability, shear force, and sensory profile. DOF did not affect chemical composition, shear force, sensory tenderness, and most of fatty acids; however, animals fed for 90 d had lower redness (p < 0.01), sustained juiciness (p < 0.01), and more flavor (p = 0.03) than those fed for 117 d. The ZH supplementation decreased lipid content and redness (p < 0.01), initial and sustained tenderness (p < 0.01), initial and sustained juiciness (p < 0.01), but increased protein (p < 0.01) and shear force (p < 0.01) as compared to non-supplemented animals. The ZH supplementation increased total PUFA, c9,c12-18:2, and 20:4-n6, and decreased c9-20:1 (p < 0.05). Feeding ZH impairs meat quality attributes of Nellore young bulls, regardless of duration of supplementation, while DOF has a small effect on meat quality properties.
Iso-Partricin, an Aromatic Analogue of Amphotericin B: How Shining Light on Old Drugs Might Help Create New Ones
Authors: Szczeblewski Paweł , Górska Justyna , Andrałojć Witold , Janke Patryk , Wąsik Karolina , Laskowski Tomasz
Published: September 2021

Partricin is a heptaene macrolide antibiotic complex that exhibits exceptional antifungal activity, yet poor selective toxicity, in the pathogen/host system. It consists of two compounds, namely partricin A and B, and both of these molecules incorporate two cis-type bonds within their heptaenic chromophores: 28Z and 30Z. In this contribution, we have proven that partricins are susceptible to a chromophore-straightening photoisomerization process. The occurring 28Z→28E and 30Z→30E switches are irreversible in given conditions, and they are the only structural changes observed during the experiment. The obtained all-trans partricin’s derivatives, namely iso-partricins A and B, exhibit very promising features, potentially resulting in the improvement of their selective toxicity.
Public Health Literacy, Knowledge, and Awareness Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Muflih Suhaib M. , Al-Azzam Sayer , Karasneh Reema A. , Conway Barbara R. , Aldeyab Mamoon A.
Published: September 2021

Multi-drug-resistant (MDR) organisms pose a global threat to modern medicine, which has grown as a result of irrational antibiotic use and misuse. This study aimed to assess general public knowledge in Jordan and awareness of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out utilizing the WHO multicountry public awareness survey. The study population was composed mainly of social media users, and a total of 1213 participants completed the online survey. According to the findings, more than half of the participants were well versed in antibiotic use and resistance. Those with adequate health literacy were found to better understand antibiotics (OR = 1.37, p = 0.017) and antibiotic resistance (OR = 1.46, p = 0.003). The vast majority (88.5%) recognized at least one antibiotic resistance term; however, 53.2% believed that antibiotic resistance is a problem in other nations. The participants in this study reported using antibiotics incorrectly, believing that they were treating sore throats, colds, and flu. The participants were well aware of antibiotic resistance solutions and their consequences on health. Age, education, health literacy, and antibiotic knowledge were found to be substantially (p < 0.05) associated with greater awareness of antibiotic resistance. The findings highlight the need for antimicrobial resistance education campaigns, health literacy, and antibiotic stewardship initiatives.
Co-Fermentation by Lactobacillus brevis B7 Improves the Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Activities of Hydroponic Ginseng-Fortified Yogurt
Authors: Song Myung-Wook , Park Ji-Young , Lee Hyun-Sook , Kim Kee-Tae , Paik Hyun-Dong
Published: September 2021

The development of convenient and accessible health-functional foods has become an area of increased interest in recent years. Probiotics, ginseng, and yogurts have been recognized as representative nutraceutical products. To improve the functionality of yogurts, co-fermentation was performed during yogurt preparation. Four kinds of yogurt were prepared using a combination of probiotic Lactobacillus brevis B7 and hydroponic ginseng based on plain yogurt. The fundamental characteristics of yogurts, including pH, titratable acidity, microbial counts, color, and physicochemical properties, were determined. To assess functionality, four different antioxidant assays and real-time PCR analysis using RAW 264.7 cells were performed. Finally, sensory evaluation was conducted to evaluate customer preference. Hydroponic ginseng supplementation influenced pH, solid content, lightness, and yellowness. However, probiotic supplementation did not affect most factors except pH. In functionality analysis, the yogurt co-fermented with probiotics and ginseng showed the highest antioxidant activity and gene expression levels of the immune-related factors TNF-α and iNOS in RAW 264.7 cells. Although ginseng supplementation received poor acceptance because of its color and flavor, these attempts were considered beneficial despite the risk. Overall, co-fermentation within a short yogurt preparation time presented the potential for improvement of functionality. These findings suggest a range of feasibility for the development of attractive nutraceutical products.
Ascorbic Acid Regulates the Immunity, Anti-Oxidation and Apoptosis in Abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino
Authors: Luo Kai , Li Xinxin , Wang Liu , Rao Wanxiu , Wu Yang , Liu Yue , Pan Mingzhu , Huang Dong , Zhang Wenbing , Mai Kangsen
Published: September 2021

The present study was conducted to investigate the roles of ascorbic acid (AA) in immune response, anti-oxidation and apoptosis in abalone (Haliotis discus hannai Ino). Seven semi-purified diets with graded levels of AA (0, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 mg/kg) were fed to abalone (initial weight: 12.01 ± 0.001 g, initial shell length: 48.44 ± 0.069 mm) for 100 days. The survival, weight gain rate and daily increment in shell length were not affected by dietary AA. The AA content in the gill, muscle and digestive glands of abalone was significantly increased by dietary AA. In terms of immunity, dietary AA significantly improved the total hemocyte count, respiratory burst and phagocytic activity in hemolymph, and lysozyme activity in cell-free hemolymph (CFH). In the digestive gland, the TLR-MyD88-dependent and TLR-MyD88-independent signaling pathways were suppressed by dietary AA supplementation. The mRNA levels of β-defensin and arginase-I in the digestive gland were significantly increased by dietary AA. In the gill, only the TLR-MyD88-dependent signaling pathway was depressed by dietary AA to reduce inflammation in abalone. The level of mytimacin 6 in the gill was significantly upregulated by dietary AA. After Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, the TLR signaling pathway in the digestive gland was suppressed by dietary AA, which reduced inflammation in the abalone. In terms of anti-oxidation, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities, as well as total anti-oxidative capacity and reduced glutathione content in CFH, were all significantly upregulated. The malondialdehyde content was significantly downregulated by dietary AA. The anti-oxidative capacity was improved by triggering the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in abalone. In terms of apoptosis, dietary AA could enhance the anti-apoptosis ability via the JNK-Bcl-2/Bax signaling cascade in abalone. To conclude, dietary AA was involved in regulating immunity, anti-oxidation and apoptosis in abalone.
Preparation, Antioxidant Properties and Ability to Increase Intracellular NO of a New Pyridoxine Derivative B6NO
Authors: Balakina Anastasia , Prikhodchenko Tatyana , Amozova Vera , Stupina Tatyana , Mumyatova Victoria , Neganova Margarita , Yakushev Ilya , Kornev Alexey , Gadomsky Svyatoslav , Fedorov Boris , Mishchenko Denis
Published: September 2021

In the case of various pathologies, an imbalance between ROS generation and the endogenous AOS can be observed, which leads to excessive ROS accumulation, intensification of LPO processes, and oxidative stress. For the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress, drugs with antioxidant activity can be used. The cytotoxic, antioxidant, and NO-donor properties of the new hybrid compound B6NO (di(3-hydroxy-4,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpyridinium) salt of 2-(nitrooxy)butanedioic acid) were studied. It was determined that B6NO chelates iron ions by 94%, which indicates B6NO’s ability to block the Fenton reaction. The hybrid compound B6NO inhibits the process of initiated lipid peroxidation more effectively than pyridoxine. It was shown that B6NO exhibits antioxidant properties by decreasing ROS concentration in normal cells during the oxidative stress induction by tert-Butyl peroxide. At the same time, the B6NO antioxidant activity on tumor cells was significantly lower. B6NO significantly increases the intracellular nitrogen monoxide accumulation and showed low cytotoxicity for normal cells (IC50 > 4 mM). Thus, the results indicate a high potential of the B6NO as an antioxidant compound.