bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic Triage and Risk Assessment: How to Predict Emerging Phytoplasma Diseases
Authors: Janik Katrin , Panassiti Bernd , Kerschbamer Christine , Burmeister Johannes , Trivellone Valeria
Published: April 2023

Phytoplasma diseases pose a substantial threat to diverse crops of agricultural importance. Management measures are usually implemented only after the disease has already occurred. Early detection of such phytopathogens, prior to disease outbreak, has rarely been attempted but would be highly beneficial for phytosanitary risk assessment, disease prevention and mitigation. In this study we present the implementation of a recently proposed proactive disease management protocol (DAMA: Document, Assess, Monitor, Act) for a group of vector-borne phytopathogens. We used insect samples collected during a recent biomonitoring program in southern Germany to screen for the presence of phytoplasmas. Insects were collected with Malaise traps in different agricultural settings. DNA was extracted from these mass trap samples and subjected to PCR-based phytoplasma detection and COI sequence metabarcoding. In about 1% of the analyzed samples, phytoplasma DNA was detected. Phytoplasma group identification was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the detected phytoplasmas could be assigned to the 16SrI subgroups B and L. Insect species in the sample were identified by DNA metabarcoding. By using established databases, checklists, and archives, we documented historical associations and records of phytoplasmas and its hosts in the study region. For the assessment in the DAMA protocol, phylogenetic triage was performed in order to determine the risk for tri-trophic interactions (plant-insect-phytoplasma) and associated disease outbreaks in the study region. A phylogenetic heat map constitutes the basis for risk assessment and was used here to identify a minimum number of seven leafhopper species suggested to be monitored by stakeholders in this region. A proactive stance in monitoring changing patterns of association between hosts and pathogens can be a cornerstone in capabilities to prevent future phytoplasma disease outbreaks. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the DAMA protocol has been applied in the field of phytopathology and vector-borne plant diseases.
Spit Morphology at an Inlet in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
Authors: Duy Dinh Van , Ty Tran Van , Thanh Tran Nhat , Minh Huynh Vuong Thu , De Cao Van , Duong Vu Hoang Thai , Dan Trinh Cong , Viet Nguyen Trung , Tanaka Hitoshi
Published: April 2023

Tidal inlets with attached sand spits are a very common coastal morphology. Since the evolution of the sand spits along the coastline have greatly affected on the social-economic development of local coastal areas. However, previous studies mainly focused on the sand spits which are usually in the scales of hundred meters in width. Therefore, in this study, morphological change of a smaller and unexplored sand spit located in the west coast of Phu Quoc Island, will be investigated. It was found that there is a seasonal variation in the evolution of the sand spit at Song Tranh Inlet. The Longshore sediment transport rates (LSTR) along the spit are in the order from 104 to 105 m3/year. LSTRs of fourteen inlets in the literature were reviewed and the LSTRs at Song Tranh Inlet are higher than half of the LSTRs along the fourteen reviewed inlets. This study aims at contrib-uting to the growing literature on sand spit morphological changes as well as the sustainable coastal management for Phu Quoc Island which is well known as the Pearl Island of Vietnam.
Tobit analysis of canned fish consumption in Erzurum province, Turkey
Authors: Uzundumlu Ahmet Semih
Published: April 2023

This study aims to determine the attitudes and behaviors of consumers towards canned fish consumption and to analyze the factors affecting the consumption of canned fish in the Erzurum province, Turkey. Data were collected from 384 households through one-on-one interviews in Erzurum province. The proportional sampling method was used for sampling. In addition, the Tobit model was used to determine the factors affecting the consumption of canned fish. In the model, the demographic characteristics of the consumers and their consumption quantities were included as explanatory. The average household size was 4.46 individuals, and canned fish consumption was 161.69 g·year-1 per capita. Canned fish accounted for 11.50% of household fish consumption. The proportion of families consuming canned fish was 25.78%. As household fish consumption increases by 1 kg per year, canned fish consumption decreases by 1.29%. Moreover, when the price of canned fish increases by USD 1, canned fish consumption increases by 1.37%. When monthly fish expenditure increases by USD 1, consumption of canned fish increases by 0.48%. The fact that the head of the household is a civil servant increases the consumption of canned fish by 5.23%, and the consumption of canned fish is 11.8% higher in families who consider canned fish nutritious. As a result, canned fish enterprises shouldinfluence consumers to consume more canned fish, especially in the summer.
Special Issue on Navigation and Control Technologies for Autonomous Mobility
Authors: Minami Yuki , Okajima Hiroshi , Sawada Kenji , Sekiguchi Kazuma
Published: April 2023

Autonomous mobility, as exemplified by self-driving cars, autonomous mobile robots, drones, etc., is essential to the acceleration and practical application of transportation services and the automation of delivery, guidance, security, and inspection. Therefore, in recent years, expectations have been building for autonomous mobility to grow as a technology that not only improves the convenience and comfort of transportation and the efficiency of logistics but also leads to solutions to various social problems. Various technological elements are required to ensure the safety and quality of autonomous mobility. For example, technology is needed to create environmental maps and automatically determine obstacles based on data acquired by cameras and sensors such as LiDAR. Technologies for planning appropriate routes and controlling robots safely and comfortably are also essential.

This special issue highlights 24 exciting papers, including 20 research papers, three letters, and one development report. They are related to “recognition,” “decision and planning,” and “control” technologies for autonomous mobile robots, such as self-driving cars and drones. The papers’ keywords are as follows:

• Collision avoidance, path planning, path tracking control

• Motion control, attitude control

• Measurement, position and posture estimation, modeling

• Point cloud processing

We would like to express our gratitude to all authors and reviewers, and we hope that this special issue contributes to future research and development in autonomous mobility.
Yaw-Rate Controller Tuning for Autonomous Driving: Virtual Internal Model Tuning Approach
Authors: Suzuki Motoya , Yahagi Shuichi
Published: April 2023

Vehicle yaw-rate control is important for realizing autonomous driving. If the desired yaw-rate response is realized, good autonomous driving can be realized. The gain-scheduled controller should be designed because vehicle has time-variant properties. However, it is difficult to design gain-scheduled controller in the case where vehicle parameters are unknown. To solve this problem, we expand virtual internal model tuning (VIMT) so as to realize desired yaw-rate responses. VIMT can tune the feedback controller by using one-shot experiment data. The processing cost is extremely low because the controller parameter can be obtained by using least square methods. In this study, we verify the validity of the proposed method through vehicle simulator of TruckMaker.
Horizontal Fixed Attitude Flight of Quad Rotor Helicopter with Tilting Rotor
Authors: Imamura Akitaka
Published: April 2023

A quad rotor helicopter (QRH), a type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), uses a tilted attitude to generate a horizontal thrust component in the flying direction. In the case of autonomous control, the attitude control system is used to tilt the airframe against disturbances such as crosswinds. Consequently, the flying attitude of a QRH is always inclined. In this study, a tilting mechanism for rotors (TMR) was mounted on a QRH to maintain a horizontal attitude. The TMRs were tilted to generate thrust against disturbances without inclining the airframe. The system was constructed using a QRH and TMRs tilted around only one axis and allocated every 90°. Because the airframe is always horizontal, this system can be used for the precise measurement of landforms and buildings. This paper reports the dynamic modeling of QRH equipped with TMRs and discusses the horizontal constant attitude flight using the proposed system.
Differential Flatness-Based Parameter Estimation for Suspended Load Drones
Authors: Eikyu Wataru , Sekiguchi Kazuma , Nonaka Kenichiro
Published: April 2023

The transportation of goods by drones using cable towing has recently attracted considerable attention. When flying a suspended load drone, any discrepancy between the mathematical model and the actual drone deteriorates control performance. However, because some physical parameters are difficult to measure, creating an accurate mathematical model is extremely difficult. Therefore, we propose a parameter estimation method using differential flatness that can be extended for application to suspended load drones. This method overcomes the problem of dealing with higher-order derivatives of flat outputs and enables the estimation of physical parameters. In this study, we experimentally show that the proposed method improves trajectory tracking performance.
Error Covariance Estimation of 3D Point Cloud Registration Considering Surrounding Environment
Authors: Aoki Koki , Sato Tomoya , Takeuchi Eijiro , Ninomiya Yoshiki , Meguro Junichi
Published: April 2023

To realize autonomous vehicle safety, it is important to accurately estimate the vehicle’s pose. As one of the localization techniques, 3D point cloud registration is commonly used. However, pose errors are likely to occur when there are few features in the surrounding environment. Although many studies have been conducted on estimating error distribution of 3D point cloud registration, the real environment is not reflected. This paper presents real-time error covariance estimation in 3D point cloud registration according to the surrounding environment. The proposed method provides multiple initial poses for iterative optimization in the registration method. Using converged poses in multiple searches, the error covariance reflecting the real environment is obtained. However, the initial poses were limited to directions in which the pose error was likely to occur. Hence, the limited search efficiently determined local optima of the registration. In addition, the process was conducted within 10 Hz, which is laser imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) period; however, the execution time exceeded 100 ms in some places. Therefore, further improvement is necessary.
A Map Creation for LiDAR Localization Based on the Design Drawings and Tablet Scan Data
Authors: Ito Satoshi , Kaneko Ryutaro , Saito Takumi , Nakamura Yuji
Published: April 2023

This paper proposes a method for the point cloud data (PCD) map creation for the 3D LiDAR localization. The features of the method include the creation of a PCD map from a drawing of the buildings and partial scan of the not-existing object of the map by the tablet computer with the LiDAR. In the former, a map creation procedure, including the up- and down-sampling, as well as the processing, with voxel grid filter is established. In the latter, automatic position correction of the tablet scan data is introduced when they are placed to the current PCD map. Experiments are conducted to determine the size of the voxel grid filter and prove the effect of the tablet scan data in enhancing the matching level and the localization accuracy. Finally, the experiment with an autonomous mobile robot demonstrates that a map created using the proposed method is sufficient for autonomous driving without losing the localization.
Development of a Spherical Shell Robot with Rolling and Legged Locomotion
Authors: Abe Ryo , Kanamori Chisato
Published: April 2023

Herein, we propose a spherical shell robot that can roll and move on its legs, and develop a prototype of the robot. Recently, there has been a growing demand for robots that can move freely and gather information on rough terrains, such as disaster sites, which are not accessible to humans. The robot developed here has two types of mobilities: rolling movement using a spherical shape and walking movement using its legs. Because the morphological transformation does not require recombination of parts, it can be reversibly performed via remote control. Therefore, the robot can select the movement method according to the environment, and reach the target point reliably even on uneven terrains, such as a disaster site. We designed a mechanism that enabled the transformation of the form and devised an operation method. Accordingly, a prototype was developed and tested. A rolling test on flat ground confirmed that the robot can roll over 5.0 m and its speed could be controlled using a gyro sensor. The leg locomotion test confirmed that the robot can turn and move straight ahead without turning over. In addition, we also conducted experiments, such as sudden stops and remote morphological deformation, to confirm the operation of the robot during rolling.
Effects on perception of the police from media: Focusing on the type of media
Authors:   Korean Association of Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Park Ju ae , Kim Seung Hyun
Published: April 2023

Police are constantly being judged by the citizens. A series of images of the police are formed in repetitive evaluations, and it is very important to maintain a positive image of the police performing their duties through direct or indirect contact with citizens. In particular, the media has a great influence on the formation of a police image today. In this study, the effect of media on citizens' perceptions of the police was verified, and specific analysis was conducted by subdividing the types of media.
As a result of the study, it was found that the positive image of the police secured from TV news, Internet articles, and SNS services among media types has a positive (+) effect on citizens' perception of the police. On the other hand, the film has little effect on citizens' perception of the police. In other words, it was confirmed that the image of the police obtained through the media had a different effect on citizens' perception of the police depending on the type.
Even now, police organizations are implementing various policies to manage the police image depicted in the media. Regarding SNS services, the “principle of using SNS for police officials” was also enacted to inform members of the organization that posts posted privately can always be publicized by the media and affect the entire police organization. However, the image of the police through the media is ultimately a matter for all police officers to take responsibility together. Complying with police ethics at every moments will be the most fundamental solution to form a positive police image.
A Study on the Revision of Police Use of Force Regulations in Korea: A Focus on the Errors in Police Recruit and Promotion Tests and Comparative Analysis of State Laws in the United States
Authors:   Korean Association of Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Lee Hoon
Published: April 2023

Police use of force must be strictly guided and regulated by State Legislature because of its serious impact on citizens when erroneously used. Although prior research addressed several loopholes in the Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officer with respect to police use of deadly force, no amendment has been attempted to revise the Act in accordance with research suggestions. As police use of force takes up a great amount of police recruit tests as well as promotion tests, wrongful interpretation by the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) regarding police use of force regulations can lead to direct infringement of citizens’ constitutional rights. Nevertheless, few research studies in this field have examined potential errors in police recruit and promotion tests conducted by the KNPA. In this regard, the present study reviewed the tests for the last 10 years, finding five problematic questions regarding legal limits of police use of force based on the Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officer. The current study found that police officers can be misguided by a few sections in the Act regarding police use of deadly force, police use of non-deadly equipment, and chemical agents or irritants. In an effort to minimize the wrongful applications of the Act, the current study reviewed police use of force regulations in state laws of 43 states and Washing DC in the United States. Finally, the present study proposed several research implications with respect to revision of the Act.
​Weighted Rank Aggregation Based on Ranker Accuracies for Feature Selection
Authors: Abdolrazzagh-Nezahd Majid , Kherad Mahdi
Published: April 2023

Rank aggregation is the combination of several ranked lists from a set of candidates to achieve a better ranking by combining information from different sources. In feature selection problem, due to the heterogeneity of methods, there are some base rankers (Filter-based methods) that are of diverse quality and usually the ground truth of ratings is not available. Existing rank aggregation methods that take the diverse quality of base rankers into account do not have any explicit approach for appropriate weighting, require prior assumptions, and suffers from high computational complexity. In this paper, to overcome these challenges, an efficient unsupervised method is introduced for estimating the base rankers’ qualities and aggregating the rankers based on the estimated weights. We first compute the ratio of disagreement between base rankers in ordering different element pairs and then estimate the accuracies in a way that to minimize the discrepancy between these computed ratios and their analytical counterparts. We use the weighted majority voting method for obtaining the aggregated results. To resolve the probable inconsistencies in the final aggregation, the result is formed as a graph, and a greedy algorithm is used to find an acyclic subgraph with the highest weigh. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed method, nine standard UCI datasets are used. The experiments show the superiority of the proposed method compared to the existing baseline FS methods and rank aggregation-based multi-filter FS methods.
Faster functional performance recovery after individualized nutrition therapy combined with a patient-tailored physical rehabilitation program versus standard physiotherapy in patients with long COVID: a pilot study for a randomized, controlled single-center trial.
Authors: Roggeman Stijn , Garcia Berenice Jimenez , Leemans Lynn , Demol Joy , Geers Janne , De Smedt Ann , Putman Koen , Schiltz Marc , Beckwée David , De Waele Elisabeth
Published: April 2023

Background
Long COVID is suggested to be present in 14 to 43% of COVID 19-survivors. Literature on this new condition states a need for a multidisciplinary approach including physical exercise and nutrition. The aim of the current UNLOCK study is to investigate the feasibility of the proposed protocol to prepare for a randomized controlled study that addresses the effectiveness of a personalized multimodal treatment compared to standard physiotherapy.
Methods
This is a protocol of a pragmatic, single-center, randomized controlled pilot trial with two groups. Patients with persisting symptoms related to a proven SARS-CoV-2 infection will be recruited from the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Belgium. Patients will receive either standard physiotherapy or an individualized physical exercise program combined with nutritional counseling. They will be followed-up at 6, 12 and 18 weeks after randomization.
Discussion
a multidisciplinary approach for dealing with long COVID is needed. Because of the lack of clear data and the fact that this is a very heterogenic group, we aim to prepare and optimize a randomized controlled study that addresses the effectiveness of a personalized multimodal treatment.
Protocol version number and date
Version number: 2.0
Version date: 10 June 2022
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05254301 (since February 24, 2022)
High-Frequency Quantitative Trading of Digital Currencies Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning Models with Fusion Evolutionary Strategies
Authors: 贺 一峻 , Xu Bo , Su Xinpu
Published: April 2023

To address the emerging market of digital currencies where researchers have less applied deep reinforcement learning, this paper proposed deep evolutionary reinforcement learning (DERL) model, which is a deep reinforcement learning model based on an evolutionary strategy to extract trading information between users using Bitcoin K-line data as base data. Reinforcement learning is applied to data cleaning and factor extraction from a high-frequency, microscopic viewpoint to quantitatively explain the supply and demand imbalance and to create trading strategies. In order to determine whether the algorithm can successfully extract the significant hidden features in the factors when faced with large and complex high-frequency factors, this paper trains the agent in reinforcement learning using three different learning algorithms, including Q-learning, evolution strategy, and Policy Gradient. The experimental dataset, which contains data on sharp up, sharp down, and continuous oscillation situations, was chosen to test Bitcoin in January-February, September, and November 2022. According to the experimental results, the evolution strategy algorithm achieved returns of 59.18%, 25.14%, and 22.72%, respectively. The results also demonstrate that deep reinforcement learning based on the evolution strategy outperforms Q-learning and Policy Gradient concerning risk resistance and return capability.
Evolutionary relationship between DOF multigene transcription factors and the regulation of lipid biosynthesis in oilseeds
Authors: Zakavi Maryam , Farrokhi Naser
Published: April 2023

The Dofs (DNA binding with One Finger; a plant transcription factor family) encode single zinc finger proteins with essential roles in several biological processes. Although the lipid biosynthesis routes have been known for a while, the information about the corresponding regulatory elements including transcription factors have only recently started to emerge. Previous studies have shown that Dof transcription factors could regulate oil production. To test this subject matter, 162 unique exonic regions of Dof genes from oilseed plants including peanut, canola, soybean, cotton, sesame, corn, and oil palm were checked via phylogenic analyses that resulted in seven clads. A purifying selection was evident for the Dof family of genes in oil-producing plants. To compare the selection pattern of Dof in oilseed and non-oily plants, selection pressures acting on the Dof genes in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and citrus (Citrus sinensis) were analyzed and showed to be different. Signatures of balancing selection were evident for the representatives of non-oily plants. Here and for the first time, the evolution of plant Dof members that are involved in oil production were put under scrutiny in order to elucidate their regulatory roles in oil biosynthesis.
Prevalence of The Risk Factors Associated with Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia Disorders in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Lahore, a cross sectional study
Authors: Iqbal Sana , Ali Sibgha , Naeem Mah noor , Fida Tooba , abiddin Zain ul
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a multi-system hypertensive condition characterized by a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg recorded on two separate readings at least 4 hours apart and associated with proteinuria or end organ dysfunction. It is called Eclampsia when a patient with pre-eclampsia develops tonic-clonic seizures as well. It is thought to occur due to disordered trophoblastic invasion that causes uteroplacental hypoperfusion, leading to widespread endothelial dysfunction. Risk factors include PE in a previous pregnancy, Chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension or autoimmune diseases. Increased maternal age, high BMI and family history also play a role in its pathology. Pakistan has the third highest maternal mortality according to a recent global health analysis, 29% of this is contributed by hypertensive disorders. This study aims to study the predisposing risk factors in pre-eclampsia patients at a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: 82 selected cases of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia were included in this cross-sectional study. Informed consent was taken from all the patients and a pre-tested questionnaire was filled out by interviewing them during their antenatal visits.
Results: Most (61%) of the patients were in the third decade (20-29) of their life. The mean of the blood pressure checked at the time of interviewing was 153/95 mmHg. The majority (54.90%) of the patients were overweight (BMI=26-34.9). The most commonly identified risk factors include; raised diastolic BP at the booking visit (60%), history of pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy (41%), nulliparity (37%), obesity (37%) family history of pre-eclampsia (28%), GDM (21%) and chronic HTN (13%). Other less common risk factors include severe anemia (9%), a gap of more than 10 years (7%), multiple gestations (5%) and maternal age of more than 35 years (4%).
Conclusion: Pre-eclampsia is a significant threat to maternal as well as fetal life. And it has a higher incidence in the developing part of the world. Various risk factors are attributed to its pathophysiology. Prompt diagnosis and proper management and monitoring can reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with pre-eclampsia.
Machining error compensation based on a compliance error model reconstructed surface method
Authors: Chen Yueping , Yu Shifang , Tang Qingchun , Zeng Linan
Published: April 2023

To reduce the errors caused by the overall compliance of the system and the machine tool wear during the machining process for curved workpieces, and to improve the machining accuracies of curved workpieces, a machining error compensation method using a compliance error model to reconstruct the surface was adopted. During a process involving multiple cuts, on-machine measurement (OMM) was achieved by replacing the cutting tool with a touch probe. After the last semi-finishing cut, the error values were measured and compensated for using a compliance error model that predicted the change in the overall compliance of the system and estimated the error at the finishing cut depth based on the measured machining error at the previous cut depth. Finally, the machining errors before and after compensation of formula and free-form surface workpieces were verified experimentally. For the formula surface workpiece, the maximum value of the machining error was reduced from 0.057 mm to 0.0163 mm, and the average absolute value of the machining error was reduced from 0.047 mm to 0.0032 mm after compensation when using the method based on a compliance error model reconstructed surface. For the free-form surface workpiece, the maximum value of the machining error was reduced from 0.0586 mm to 0.0166 mm, and the average absolute value of the machining error was reduced from 0.0483 mm to 0.0057 mm after compensation using the compliance error model reconstructed surface method. It was verified that this method could effectively reduce machining errors and improve the machining accuracy of machine tools. This method can be used to predict and compensate for machining errors at different cut depths, which is of great research significance for machining various types of curved workpieces.
Single-cell analysis of white adipose tissue reveals the tumor-promoting adipocyte subtypes
Authors: Liu Si-Qing , Chen Ding-Yuan , Li Bei , Gao Zhi-Jie , Feng Hong-Fang , Yu Xin , Liu Zhou , Sun Si , Sun Sheng-Rong , Wu Qi
Published: April 2023

Background: The tumor-adipose microenvironment (TAME) is characterized by the enrichment of adipocytes, and is considered a special ecosystem that supports cancer progression. However, the heterogeneity and diversity of adipocytes in TAME remains poorly understood.
Methods: We conducted a single-cell RNA-seq analysis of adipocytes in mouse and human white adipose tissue (WAT). We analyzed several adipocyte subtypes to evaluate their relationship and potential as prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). The potential drugs are screened by using bioinformatics methods. The tumor-promoting effects of a typical adipocyte subtype in breast cancer are validated by performing in vitro functional assays and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in clinical samples.
Results: We profiled a comprehensive single-cell atlas of adipocyte in mouse and human WAT and described their characteristics, origins, development, functions and interactions with immune cells. Several cancer-associated adipocyte subtypes, namely DPP4+ adipose stem cells in visceral adipose and ADIPOQ+ adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose, are identified. We found that high levels of these subtypes are associated with unfavorable outcomes in four typical adipose-associated cancers. Some potential drugs including Trametinib, Selumetinib and Ulixertinib are discovered. Emphatically, knockdown of adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and AdipoR2 impaired the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells. Patients with AdipoR2-high breast cancer display significantly shorter relapse-free survival (RFS) than those with AdipoR2-low breast cancer.
Conclusion: Our results provide a novel understanding of TAME at the single-cell level. Based on our findings, several adipocyte subtypes have negative impact on prognosis. These cancer-associated adipocytes may serve as key prognostic predictor and potential targets for treatment in the future.
Pre-operative psychological factors influence analgesic consumption and self-report of pain intensity following breast cancer surgery
Authors: Masaud Khaled , Galvin Audrey Dunn , Deloughry Gillian , Meachair Aisling O , Galea Sarah , Shorten George
Published: April 2023

Background: Psychological factors such as anxiety and mood appear to influence acute post-operative pain; however, the evidence on the relationship between pre-operative psychological parameters and the severity of post-operative pain is conflicting. Given the particularly stressful setting of initial surgery for breast cancer we conducted a prospective observational study of patients who were scheduled to undergo initial breast cancer surgery.Methods: The objectives were to examine the potential associations between pre-defined pre-operative psychological parameters with i. Self-reported pain scores at discharge from the post-operative acute care unit, ii. Cumulative perioperative opioid consumption at four hours post-operatively and iii. Measures of self-reported pain during the first seven days after surgery. Patients completed the following questionnaires during the three hours prior to surgery: Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI State and Trait), Pain Catastrophizing Score (PCS), Cohen Stress Questionnaire (CSQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS A and D), and the short form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Post-operative pain experience was assessed using patient self-report of pain (SF Magill Pain questionnaire on discharge from the post-anaesthesia care unit, and a pain diary for seven days postoperatively) and record of analgesic consumption.Results: A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between pre-operative state anxiety (STAI) and the most severe pain reported during the first seven days post-operatively. Patients who were categorized pre-operatively as “high value” for each of the psychological parameters studied (HADS A and D, STAI State and Trait and PCS), tended to have greater perioperative opioid consumption (up to four hours post-operatively ); this trend was statistically significant for HADS D and HADS A only. Using a linear regression model, state anxiety was found to be a significant predictor of post-operative pain based on self-report during the first seven post-operative days (standardized β = 0.271, t = 2.286, p = 0.025).Conclusion: Our findings that pre-operative state anxiety, in particular, is associated with the severity of the post-operative pain experience in women undergoing initial breast cancer surgery. Formal pre-operative assessment of anxiety may be warranted in this setting with a view to optimizing perioperative analgesia and wellbeing.
Correlation between the Fasciola hepatica infestation rate (number of parasites in the liver parenchyma) and the antibody titration, detected by ELISA assay
Authors: Samir Djemai , Ayadi Ouarda , Boubezari Mohammed Tahar , Djafar Zehaira Romeissa , Mekroud Abdeslam
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to demonstrate the existence of a possible correlation between the level of liver fluke infection in cattle caused by Fasciola hepatica and the titers of anti-parasite antibodies in the blood. 113 blood samples were taken from non-dewormed pasture cattle in the communal slaughterhouse of the Jijel city in order to determine the serological titration of anti-fluke antibodies by the ELISA method. After slaughtering the animals studied, a count of parasites present in the inspected livers was carried out in order to assess the level of parasitic infection. The prevalence of bovine fasciolosis (due to Fasciola hepatica) based on counting the number of flukes in the inspected livers was around 61.06%, while the seroprevalence obtained is 55.75%. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test used in this study were, respectively, 91.3% and 100%. A very strong correlation (r = 0.93 to p < 0.0001) was statistically demonstrated between the antibody titers and the number of flukes in the inspected livers. According to the results of this study, there is a strong statistical correlation between serum antibody titers and the number of flukes present in the liver (the higher the number of parasites in the liver, the higher the level of anti-flukes antibodies in the blood).
Characterization of the bioactive compounds with efficacy against epilepsy from the herb pairs Polygala tenuifolia - Zizyphus jujuba by modulating CHRNA4/CaMKII signaling pathway: LC-MS/MS combined with network pharmacology analysis and experimental evidence
Authors: Nian Meng , Zhao Zefeng , Wang Yongqi , Chen Jingxuan , Qian Mingcheng , Li Guangning , Li Xiaoan , Qiao Haifa , Yang Xiaohang
Published: April 2023

Background Epilepsy is a typical nervous system disorders identified by the spontaneous recurrence of seizures which injure periods of electroencephalographic activity and behavior. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb pairs Polygala tenuifolia and Zizyphus jujuba have been used in treatment of epilepsy in China, while the mechanism of action still remains unclear. This article aims to disclose the substances and potential mechanisms of the anti-epilepsy activity of P. tenuifolia and Z. jujuba extract (PZE) using LC-MS/MS, network pharmacology, ethology and molecular biology methods.Methods With the help of the self-built components database, identification of the chemical parameters of PZE was possessed through LC-MS/MS method, and the “ingredient-target-pathway” network of PZE was established through online databeses. Molecular docking was performed using Discovery Studio Visualizer. In the setting of the epilepsy model, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, 10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally injected for a period of 21 days. Mice were assessed for anxiety-like behavior by Elevated plus maze test, open field test, forced swimming test and tail suspension test. HE staining, western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect morphological changes and signal pathway.Results Through network analysis, 37 active ingredients were obtained from PZE, SLC6A4, CHRNA4 and MAOA and were found to play a major role in the PPI network. GO and KEGG analyses that display their anti-epilepsy activity. The"Ingredient-target-pathway"network diagram consists of 99 targets, 24 kinds of constituents, and 20 signaling pathways. The values of M15 and M17 show the largest degree. Molecular docking analysis shows the key components screened by network pharmacology have a good interaction with the predicted targets. Animal experiments results showed that: 1) PZE effectively lengthened the latent time of PTZ-induced epilepsy in mice model. 2) PTZ-induced depression-like behavior was strikingly ameliorated by PZE. 3) Hippocampal neurons are significantly shielded by PZE. 4) PZE was shown to play a key role in modulating the CHRNA4/CaMK II signaling pathway in to show anti-epilepsy potency.Conclusion This study has successfully identified constituents of PZE through LC-MS/MS methods and predicted the potential targets and CHRNA4/CaMK II as potential signaling pathways of anti-epilepsy effects for PZE, which was proved by animal experiments. The results of this paper are conducive to the systematic elucidating of its mechanism of action and the development of TCM-based anti-epilepsy agents.
Investigation on dynamic plastic deformation behaviors of laser-driving metal sheet impacted by forming die
Authors: Zhang Xingquan , Wang Yinkai , Duan Shiwei , Zhang Yan , Fang Jinxiu , Zuo Lisheng , Hu Wenfeng , Zhang Zhao
Published: April 2023

Laser shock forming (LSF) is an advanced sheet forming technology which has extensive application prospects in micro electronics industry. A two-dimensional axial symmetric numerical model of SUS304 stainless steel is established. Finite element method is used to explore the dynamic deformation behaviors of the sheet driven by intense laser. The results show that the node velocity of metal sheet increases in an oscillatory manner in initial stage and then it starts to bulge. After collision with die cavity bottom, the central region of metal sheet jumps up reversely. Experiencing repeated damped vibration, the mental sheet gradually exhausts the obtained kinetic energy from the shock wave, and the metal sheet acquires the geometrical shape of die cavity. Increasing laser shock pressure can enhance the forming precision of metal sheet. The corresponding experiments are also carried out to verify the predicted results. The applied method and gained results can provide a reference for theoretical research and parameters optimization in LSF.
Kidney-related manifestations or syndromes associated with drugs: a protocol for a database study
Authors: Baptista Alexandre , Marreiros Ana Maria , Macedo Ana , Coelho André
Published: April 2023

Rationale and Background: Drug-related problems are an underdiagnosed and frequently forgotten diagnosis that accounts for a significant cut of medical expenses, morbidity, and mortality. Drug-induced kidney disease is a subsection of such problem and a major contributor to kidney disease which lacks major worldwide investigation.
Objectives: Our main objective is to identify the predominant drugs associated with the main renal manifestations that clinicians deal with daily, allowing clinicians to identify and correctly approach drug-induced kidney disease.
Methods: The authors will collect data from a major worldwide database that collects spontaneous drug-adverse reaction notifications. The statistical analysis will consider four different steps: 1) Univariable descriptive analysis, 2) Inferential analysis for two variables, 3) Classification analysis either with clustering techniques or with models in the format of decision trees, and 4) Interdependence analysis. To perform such statistical tests, IBM SPSS Statistics, version 28.0 and R language will be used.
Discussion: Kidney-related manifestations or syndromes associated with drugs are extremely underdiagnosed but responsible for considerable iatrogenic consequences, either clinically or in costs. The majority of such manifestations are recoverable, and patients can recover with few or no consequences if the diagnosis is made in a timely manner, making the diagnosis of drug-induced kidney disease a highly impactable action. With this study, the authors aim to bring into light new data and information that will increase the recognition and improve the diagnosis of such conditions.
Comprehensive Influence of Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Technology on Material Removal Mechanism under the Excitation of Regenerative Vibration in Precision Grinding Process
Authors: chen yong , Chen Xun , Hu Zhongwei , Duan Nian
Published: April 2023

Self-excited regenerative vibration, a well-known endogenous excitation mechanism, has a critical influence on material removal behavior and ground surface generation in a precision grinding process. During ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG), one-dimensional or two-dimensional ultrasonic vibration exerted to abrasive wheel or workpiece in axial and feed directions will influence material removing process significantly. Focusing on the study on the coupling relationship between ultrasonic vibration (as an external forced vibration) and regenerative vibration (as an internal vibration) excited by adjacent active abrasive grits, the improved theoretical models of cutting depth of abrasive grits and phase difference of grinding trajectory paths between adjacent active abrasive grits were presented in the paper with the consideration of the relationships between the ultrasonic vibration frequency, active abrasive grit number in contact zone and abrasive wheel speed. An optimization control strategy was further put forward by means of adjusting ultrasonic vibration frequency and the corresponding ratio to obtain proper phase difference of grinding trajectory paths of abrasive grits, which resulted to the improvement of cutting depth distribution and high surface finish of workpiece. The experiments of UVAG were conducted to verify the reliability of the influential mechanism and the validity of theorical model of cutting depth. Compared with the morphological characteristics of scratch section on the workpiece surface in axial cross-section before and after adjustment of ultrasonic vibration frequency, the results indicated that the numbers of active abrasive grits in contact zone increased with the increase of ultrasonic vibration frequency. When the vibration phase difference between grinding trajectory paths of adjacent abrasive grits was optimized to be an odd multiple of π/2 by stipulating proper ultrasonic vibration frequency, the vibratory amplitude of active abrasive grits decreases. As a result, the cutting depth of abrasive grits and the distribution of workpiece surface waviness were comparatively uniform, and the average surface roughness measured in five groups of experiments decrease by up to 27% in comparing with those without UVAG. In contrast, when the vibration phase difference was an even multiple of π/2, the amplitude of workpiece surface waviness reached to its maximum due to the double excitation effects of regenerative vibration and ultrasonic vibration, the surface roughness worsened by 23%. The finding provides a clear guidance to the preparation of structured abrasive tools and matching strategy of process parameters in UVAG.
ARRB1 Protects Intestinal Tight Junction through Promoting Mitofusin 2 Transcription to Drive Parkin-dependent Mitophagy in Colitis
Authors: Wu Bin , Wu Shuyun , Liu Huiling , Yi Jiazhi , Xu MinYi , Jie Jiang , Tao Jin
Published: April 2023

Intestinal barrier defect is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Mitochondrial dysfunction results in energy deficiency and oxidative stress, which contribute to the pathogenesis of IBD. Arrestin beta 1 (ARRB1) is a negative regulator that promotes G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)desensitization, endocytosis, and degradation. Our previous study indicated that ARRB1 was involved in mucosal protection in colitis; however, its role in maintaining the intestinal barrier is still unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that ARRB1 protected the intestinal tight junction barrier against experimental colitis in vivo. ARRB1 deficiency was accompanied by abnormal mitochondrial morphology, lower ATP production, and severe oxidative stress. In vitro, the knockdown of ARRB1 reduced ATP levels and mitochondrial membrane potential while increasing reactive oxygen species levels and oxidative stress. Upon ARRB1 ablation, mitophagy was inhibited, accompanied by decreased LC3BII, phosphatase and tension homologue induced protein kinase1 (PINK1) and parkin, but increased p62 expression. Mitophagy inhibition via PINK1 siRNA or mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1) impaired ARRB1-mediated tight junction protection. Mitofusin2 is a critical ubiquitinated substrate for parkin accumulation in mitochondria. Co-immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays indicated that the interaction of ARRB1 with E2F1 activated mitophagy by enhancing the transcription of mitofusin2. Thus, our results suggest that ARRB1 is critical to maintaining the intestinal tight junction barrier by modulating mitophagy. This finding indicates that ARRB1 might be a potential therapeutic target to prevent IBD progression by maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis.
New Clinical Application of Indocyanine Green in Fluorescence- Guided Laparoscopic Lymph-node Biopsy in Case of Lymphoma. Preliminary Results on a Case Series
Authors: Casaccia Marco , Ibatici Adalberto , Ballerini Filippo , Barabino Nicolò Maria , Santoliquido Matteo , Cian Franco
Published: April 2023

Background Indocyanine Green (ICG) fluorescence-guided surgery is widely used for intraoperative visualization of lymphatic structures. To date, there are no reports indicating this dye being used in lymph node biopsies for suspected or relapsed lymphoma.Methods Between October 2021 and June 2022, 12 patients underwent a fluorescence-guided laparoscopic lymph node biopsy (FGLLB) using ICG. The following was retrospectively evaluated: the dosage of ICG, the injection site, the number of patients where fluorescence was obtained after ICG administration, and additionally, the parameters indicating the outcome of the surgical procedure.Results The median duration of the surgery was 90 minutes. A laparotomy conversion was required in one case due to bleeding. Fluorescence was obtained in 10/12 (83.3%) patients by means of subcutaneous/perilesional injection in six of the patients, and intravenously in the other four. Hospitalization had a mean duration of three days. There were no major postoperative complications. FGLLB was used in seven patients to follow lymphoproliferative disease progression, and in five patients to establish a diagnosis. In all cases, FGLLB provided the information necessary for the correct diagnosis.Conclusions Fluorescence with ICG offers a simple and safe method for detecting pathological lymph nodes. FGLLB in suspected intra-abdominal lymphoma can largely benefit from this new opportunity which has not yet been tested to date. Further studies with large case series are needed to confirm its efficacy.