bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the Relationship Between College Students’ Participation in Sports Activities and Self-Harmony Assessment Based on the Moderating and Mediating Effects of Mental Toughness
Authors: Xu Haixiao
Published: June 2022

College students are the future of the motherland, the hope of the nation, and the reserve force to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The period of college students is an important period for the formation of ideals, beliefs, and world views. However, due to the contradictions between physiological maturity and psychological maturity and the contradictions between independent consciousness and cognitive ability in the growth process of college students, it is easy to cause internal psychological problems of inconsistency and disharmony. Correct sports lifestyle is conducive to promoting individual self-harmony. In the daily life and learning process of college students, the role of self-harmony is often ignored and not paid enough attention to. This indicates that it is necessary to further study the effect of physical activity on adolescents’ self-harmony. Mental toughness is one of the important factors affecting self-harmony. Therefore, the variable of mental toughness is introduced to analyze the correlation between physical activity and self-harmony. This study investigate the relationship between physical activity, mental toughness, and self-harmony in college students. Also this study can promote the re-recognition of college students of sports activities, explore the relationship between physical activity and self-harmony. Its purpose is to directly or indirectly promotes the college students’ mental health, and further enriches health psychology, exercise psychology, and development psychology-related theory and method. By analyzing the correlation among sports activities, mental toughness, and self-harmony, this study provides a theoretical reference for improving and enhancing the self-harmony degree of college students and providing beneficial suggestions for relevant management departments when making plans.
Disturbance of Ecological Self and Impairment of Affordance Perception
Authors: Kim Nam-Gyoon , Effken Judith A.
Published: June 2022

Affordance, a radical concept James Gibson introduced in the 1970s, remains controversial today. Defined as environmental properties taken with reference to an animal’s anatomy and action capabilities, affordances are opportunities for action the environment offers. By perceiving affordances, organisms hold meaningful relationships with their surroundings. Affordance is not just a theoretical concept but, as the embodiment of meanings and values, has serious psychological implications. We contend that the lack of these meanings and values underlies the irrational behavior seen in patients with self disorders such as schizophrenia. We reason that it is by perceiving affordances that individuals keep in touch with their surroundings and stay mentally healthy. Using contrapositive reasoning, the reverse could also be true. That is, when individuals experience difficulty maintaining meaningful relations with their surroundings and suffer from mental health problems, we might anticipate that their affordance detection systems are impaired. In two studies conducted in our laboratory, patients with schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease were shown to have impaired capacity to perceive affordances, a result qualifying as contra-positive evidence corroborating the affordance concept. In addition, our results provide support for accepting contra-positive evidence as a complementary tool to positive evidence for empirically validating concepts such as affordance and meaning.
Subjective and Cardiovascular Responses to an Acute Laboratory Gambling Task in Men and Women
Authors: Miller Louise , Söderpalm Gordh Anna
Published: June 2022

Men have previously been overrepresented in gambling for money but in recent years there has been an increase in recognition that women who gamble are “catching up” with their male counterparts. There have been few experimental studies investigating the subjective effects of gambling, and even less have explored the gender differences. As gender differences previously have been reported in the subjective effects of several drugs of abuse such as opioids, amphetamines and alcohol, we sought to investigate if the subjective effects of gambling also differed by gender. The present article analyzes if gender modulates the subjective and physiological effects of an acute laboratory gambling task in healthy men and women. Eighty-two men and women (n = 35 men, n = 47 women) were tested with an online slot machine gambling session and self-report questionnaires of mood and blood pressure were taken before and after gambling. Both men and women showed stimulatory effects of gambling i.e., feelings of high and euphoria and but no differences were found between genders. Findings suggest that both men and women equally experience a pattern of stimulatory effects of gambling from the gambling situation. Gambling therefore seems to have the same abuse potential in both men and women. Although the gap between men and women is narrowing, immediate subjective and physiologic responses do not explain gender differences in the epidemiology of pathological gambling. The contexts and factors that foster or hinder the evolution of gambling addiction in males and females should be further explored. This conclusion is interesting in light of that men are over three times more at risk to experience gambling related problems than women and this risk may depend on other factors involved in the development of addiction.
“You Want Them Pretty, but Not Too Intelligent!”: Everyday Talk and the Continuum of Men's Violence Against Women in Forensic Institutional Care
Authors: Joyes Emma C. , Jordan Mel
Published: June 2022

The forensic setting houses persons with offence convictions who are also in receipt of ongoing mental healthcare–a criminal justice system and healthcare meeting-point. Extant literature highlights how this context is laden with interpersonal and institutional difficulties unique to a secure context that must provide care and custody concurrently. Our central argument is that the intertwining and interdependent cultural and custodial elements of forensic healthcare environments are integral and influential to care, culture, and conduct within such institutions–including concerning misogynistic everyday talk and the continuum of men's violence against women therein. We argue that the institution is a continuation of contemporary social issues experienced within community life (e.g., misogyny), as the boundaries of such institutions are porous–polis values traverse physical brickwork. This paper analyses ethnographic data from two male wards that are situated within a UK inpatient forensic mental health hospital. Ethnographic fieldwork occurred over 300 hours–overtly participating in, exploring, and recording the daily life of the community. Five excerpts of ethnographic data are presented, which evidence the gendered ward environment and highlight a series of encounters pertaining to problematic social life, which are the upholding of heteronormative gender roles, hegemonic masculinity, and misogyny. These views are problematised within the sexual offending rehabilitative context by considering the clinical risk associated. Further, we argue that to only focus on the end of the continuum often viewed as most serious (e.g., rape) ignores a pervasive cultural landscape of the polis in wider community, beyond the institution, that facilitates the more commonly experienced end of the continuum related to misogynistic values, encounters, and talk. We evidence how social norms and habitualised gendered actions permeate the institution, which bring into question the rehabilitative efficacy of the hospital. This paper embraces a feminist lens to explore everyday social interactions and the embodied experience of the female ethnographer within a male-dominated forensic setting. We contribute to the literature by newly theorising the influences of hierarchical heterosexual gender roles, violent language in forensic settings, and misogynistic attitudes and practice, on the care for, and rehabilitation of, patients.
Semantics–Prosody Stroop Effect on English Emotion Word Processing in Chinese College Students With Trait Depression
Authors: Chen Fei , Lian Jing , Zhang Gaode , Guo Chengyu
Published: June 2022

This study explored the performance of Chinese college students with different severity of trait depression to process English emotional speech under a complete semantics–prosody Stroop effect paradigm in quiet and noisy conditions. A total of 24 college students with high-trait depression and 24 students with low-trait depression participated in this study. They were required to selectively attend to either the prosodic emotion (happy, sad) or semantic valence (positive and negative) of the English words they heard and then respond quickly. Both prosody task and semantic task were performed in quiet and noisy listening conditions. Results showed that the high-trait group reacted slower than the low-trait group in the prosody task due to their bluntness and insensitivity toward emotional processing. Besides, both groups reacted faster under the consistent situation, showing a clear congruency-induced facilitation effect and the wide existence of the Stroop effect in both tasks. Only the Stroop effect played a bigger role during emotional prosody identification in quiet condition, and the noise eliminated such an effect. For the sake of experimental design, both groups spent less time on the prosody task than the semantic task regardless of consistency in all listening conditions, indicating the friendliness of basic emotion identification and the difficulty for second language learners in face of semantic judgment. These findings suggest the unneglectable effects of college students’ mood conditions and noise outside on emotion word processing.
Acupuncture Ameliorates Depressive Behaviors by Modulating the Expression of Hippocampal Iba-1 and HMGB1 in Rats Exposed to Chronic Restraint Stress
Authors: Chen Lu , Jiang Huili , Bao Tuya , Wang Yu , Meng Hong , Sun Yang , Liu Pengfei , Quan Songxiao , Li Wenshan , Qi Simin , Ren Xiujun
Published: June 2022

The antidepressant mechanism of acupuncture has not been fully elucidated recently. Thus, the objective of the present study is to investigate the antidepressant mechanism of acupuncture of modulating the neuroinflammation induced by high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS). Forty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, escitalopram, and acupuncture group. Except for rats in the control group, all rats were exposed to CRS for 21 days continuously. Rats in the escitalopram group were subjected to a suspension of escitalopram and saline. One hour before CRS procedures, acupuncture was performed at Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) for rats in the acupuncture group, 20 min per day for 21 days. All rats in each group were conducted to detect the body weight, sucrose preference test at 0, 7, 14, 21 days to evaluate the depression-like behaviors. The expression of microglial activation and HMGB1 in the hippocampus was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of hippocampal interleukin-10 (IL-10) was detected by western blot. And the content of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. CRS-exposed rats showed obviously decreased body weight and sucrose preference when compared with the control group, which was reversed by acupuncture. The results have also shown that acupuncture ameliorated the CRS-induced activation of microglia and HMGB1 in the hippocampus CA1 region. Furthermore, acupuncture reduced the stress-induced upregulation of TNF-α in serum. Collectively, the current study highlights the role of acupuncture in alleviating depressive behavior associated with stress-induced neuroinflammation mediated by HMGB1 in the CRS model of depression.
Perspectives of Refugee Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Qualitative Study of Factors Impacting Mental Health and Resilience
Authors: Khan Bushra M. , Waserman Jordana , Patel Mitesh
Published: June 2022

Homeless refugee youth experience high rates of traumatic and adverse experiences, a significant burden of mental health needs, and compounded barriers in accessing support services. Despite this, there is a paucity of literature exploring the unique intersections and vulnerabilities faced by this subgroup. This study of Youth Without Shelter (YWS), an emergency residence and referral agency serving homeless youth in Toronto, Canada was a qualitative study of homeless refugee youth. Research goals were to describe the mental health needs and identify the factors contributing to the resiliency of refugee youth experiencing homelessness. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews with YWS youth (n = 6) and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis with a realist lens. Results highlighted that the mental health of refugee youth experiencing homelessness was subject to system-level factors such as the immigration process (n = 6), housing insecurity (n = 5), finances (n = 5), education (n = 6), employment (n = 6) and sense of safety (n = 4), with acculturative stress, including culture shock (n = 3) and language (n = 4), also have negative effects. Goal directedness (n = 5), independence or responsibility (n = 4), and nurturing social connectedness with family (n = 5), peers (n = 6), and community (n = 4) contributed to participants' resilience. A model for planning future interventions was proposed and was informed by the lived experience of participants. This model focuses on initially on immediate and basic needs and reflected evidence gathered through this work to attend to long-term needs once individuals have integrated into society. Future efforts will be directed toward translating the lived experience of this population and developing practice guidelines to optimize care.
Economic-Environmental Law Guarantee of the Green and Sustainable Development: Role of Health Expenditure and Innovation
Authors: Yang Lin
Published: June 2022

Environmental regulation is a tool for teaching social and fiscal development that is carbon neutral. The highly polluting food industry in China is a threat to the country's long-term environmental stability and affects public health in a significant way. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of environmental parameters on environmental quality in China's food industry using the cross-sectionally augmented ARDL (CS-ARDL) model over the period of 2010 to 2019. We find that environmental regulations negatively and significantly impact environmental quality. The U-shape relationship exists between environmental regulation and environmental quality. Moreover, government expenditure on health and technological innovation reduces carbon emissions. The study's findings suggest new policy implications supporting the Porter Hypothesis. Finally, this paper offers policy suggestions for China's food industry to enhance its environmental performance.
Analysis on the Cognitive Impact of Social Mobile Games on Left-Behind Children in the Era of Big Data
Authors: Li Mengyu , Li Jinglei , Yasin Megat Al Imran , Osman Mohd Nizam , Hashim Norliana Binti , Ang Lay Hoon , Xue Yitian
Published: June 2022

The popularity of mobile gaming has become a common sight in rural areas, and the problem of left-behind children's mobile gaming has become the biggest challenge faced by rural education, and has become a hot topic in the education sector and society. The stage of left-behind children is the golden period of learning and growth. However, this stage is also the period when they have the greatest fluctuations in their ideology due to various factors such as guardians and youths. With the development of big data, it has been applied to various aspects of people's life. This article is mainly based on qualitative research, with the interview and observation as the main methods, supplemented by a questionnaire survey method. In the empirical analysis part, this article has a certain degree of expansion in data selection and research methods. Compared with previous studies, we increased the scale of the research data, making the research results more meaningful. In the research method, the ordinary least squares method (OLS), the propensity score matching method (PSM) and the two-stage least square method (2SLS) are used, and multiple control variables are selected. The factor analysis of the original scores of the historical knowledge test and the original scores of the two-dimensional cultural value evaluation are carried out to obtain the factor scores of cognitive ability. The emotion of the child is expressed by the depression score, and factor analysis is also performed on the depression score. Cognitive abilities refer to reasoning or thinking, processing speeds, and one's ability to solve problems in novel situations, independent of acquired knowledge. OLS regression results show that left-behind children are inferior to non-left-behind ones in cognitive ability. Moreover, left-behind children are more likely to be emotionally depressed. And whether the children are accompanied by migrant or rural parents, there is no significant difference in their cognitive ability and emotions. Because there are unobservable factors that affect whether children are left-behind and children's cognitive abilities and emotions, the sample may have a self-selection bias. This research focuses on the phenomenon of left-behind children's mobile gaming, revealing the compromised cognitive abilities of these marginalized children groups. Our study might put a wake-up for authorities on the education in rural areas.
Prognosis for Young Females with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei of Appendiceal Origin and Unilateral or Bilateral Ovaries Preserved During Cytoreductive Surgery
Authors: Fu Fengxian , Tang Huangdong , Lu Yiyan , Lu Dongmei , Ma Ruiqing
Published: June 2022

Objective

To determine prognosis for young female patients with peritoneal pseudomyxoma (PMP) of appendiceal origin and unilateral or bilateral ovaries preserved during cytoreductive surgery (CRS).

Methods

Clinical data of female patients treated with CRS with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) at the Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing between January, 2009 and December, 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients had no changes in the bilateral ovaries on gross pathological observations or biopsy during CRS, and normal ovarian function. The demographic and clinical characteristics and prognosis of women with ovaries preserved (ovarian preservation group) or resected (ovarian resection group) during CRS were compared. Independent prognostic factors for survival were identified using univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

40 patients were included in the final analysis. 19 patients chose ovarian preservation while 21 patients underwent ovarian resection. Completeness of cytoreduction (CCR) scores were CCR-0/1. There were significant differences in age (<40 vs. ≥40), symptoms, intraoperative HIPEC (Y vs. N), and histopathologic subtype of PMP (low-grade vs. high-grade) (p < 0.001) between patients in the ovarian preservation and ovarian resection groups. In the ovarian preservation group, median overall survival (OS) was 59 months (range, 53–65 months), and the 5-year survival rate was 37.9%. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 13 months (range, 9–17 months), and the 5-year recurrence rate was 87.4%. In the ovarian resection group, the 5-year survival rate was 87.7%, and the 5-year recurrence rate was 18.3%. Median OS and median DFS were not reached. In patients with low-grade PMP, median DFS was significantly longer in patients with ovarian resection compared to ovarian preservation (p < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed histopathologic subtype of PMP (low-grade vs. high-grade, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with OS and DFS. On multivariate analysis, high-grade histopathologic subtype of PMP was an independent predictor of poor prognosis (OS and DFS).

Conclusion

Histopathologic subtype of PMP represents an independent predictor of prognosis in female patients with PMP of appendiceal origin and unilateral or bilateral ovaries preserved during CRS. These findings imply that ovarian preservation is a more suitable option for young females with low-grade PMP compared to high-grade PMP. Further prospective studies should be done investigating the role of resection of uninvolved ovaries in PMP.
Putting Entrepreneurial Process Competence into the Focus in Entrepreneurship Education: Experience from Estonian Universities
Authors: Mets Tõnis , Raudsaar Mervi , Vahejõe Kaire , Kaseorg Merike , Vettik-Leemet Piia
Published: June 2022

Although entrepreneurship at the university level has constantly been evolving, little research has been done on what competencies should be developed in entrepreneurship education (EE) and how EE relates to the core of entrepreneurship—the entrepreneurial process competence. This article seeks to develop and empirically measure the entrepreneurial process competence in the context of EE. A self-assessment questionnaire based on the ‘generic’ entrepreneurship competence model, improved with the section on entrepreneurial process competence, was used to assess the impact of EE intervention in major Estonian universities. The survey took place in two stages: the same questions were repeated at the beginning and end of the course in the 2019 autumn semester. It gave the responses of 355 students and showed the varied and small positive individual-level impact of entrepreneurship courses on minor aspects of ‘generic’ competences in different universities, depending on training methodology, study volume and contact hours. At the same time, all the competencies of the entrepreneurial process grew significantly. Readiness to start own business did not change. The article recommends focusing on entrepreneurial process competencies and their acquisition for development and metrics of entrepreneurship learning progression.
The Role of Salicylic Acid in Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Chilling Stress on “Seddik” Mango Transplants
Authors: Hmmam Ibrahim , Ali Amr E. M. , Saleh Samir M. , Khedr Nagwa , Abdellatif Abdou
Published: June 2022

Salicylic acid (SA) was sprayed on “Seddik” mango transplants at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM. Then, the mango transplants were subjected to 72 h of chilling stress at 4 ± 1 °C, followed by a six-day recovery under greenhouse conditions. Untreated transplants exposed to chilling stress represented the positive control, while those not exposed were the negative control. SA-pretreated mango transplants were compared to the positive and negative controls, evaluating physiological and biochemical changes. The SA concentration of 1.5 mM L−1 was the most efficient in mitigating chilling injury (CI) in mango transplants by maintaining the integrity of the leaves’ cell membrane and minimizing electrolyte leakage (EL), specifically after six days of recovery. SA increased photosynthetic pigment content, total sugar content, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and decreased proline and total phenolic content in the “Seddik” mango transplants’ leaves. After exposure to chilling stress, the antioxidant enzymes’ internal activities in SA-pretreated chilled mango transplants improved, especially on the sixth day of recovery, compared to the negative control; the transplants nearly attained normal growth levels. Thus, SA can protect plants against the adverse effects of chilling stress.
Towards Ecological Management and Sustainable Urban Planning in Seoul, South Korea: Mapping Wild Pollinator Habitat Preferences and Corridors Using Citizen Science Data
Authors: Serret Hortense , Andersen Desiree , Deguines Nicolas , Clauzel Céline , Park Wan-Hyeok , Jang Yikweon
Published: June 2022

The preservation and restoration of habitats and ecological connectivity inside cities is crucial to ensure wildlife can find suitable areas to forage, rest and reproduce, as well as to disperse, thereby allowing metapopulation functioning. In this study, we used data collected by a citizen science program between 2016 and 2018 to determine which families of pollinators were the most frequently observed in Seoul and with which habitats pollinators had the highest affinities. Using species distribution modeling and landscape graph approaches, we located the main habitats and corridors to reinforce connectivity for six pollinator families. Finally, we identified habitats and corridors where conservation actions should be prioritized. In total, 178 species belonging to 128 genera and 60 families were observed. Hymenopterans were the most recorded, followed by dipterans and lepidopterans. The most suitable habitats for pollinators were constituted of public parks, university campuses, and Cultural Heritage sites. In a dense city like Seoul, most of the conservation corridors are located in built-up areas. Innovative urban planning and architecture are therefore required as well as the setting-up of ecological management practices to lead to a more sustainable urbanism for pollinators and wildlife in general.
Focus on the Contribution of Oxidative Stress in Skin Aging
Authors: Papaccio Federica , D′Arino Andrea , Caputo Silvia , Bellei Barbara
Published: June 2022

Skin aging is one of the most evident signs of human aging. Modification of the skin during the life span is characterized by fine lines and wrinkling, loss of elasticity and volume, laxity, rough-textured appearance, and pallor. In contrast, photoaged skin is associated with uneven pigmentation (age spot) and is markedly wrinkled. At the cellular and molecular level, it consists of multiple interconnected processes based on biochemical reactions, genetic programs, and occurrence of external stimulation. The principal cellular perturbation in the skin driving senescence is the alteration of oxidative balance. In chronological aging, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced mainly through cellular oxidative metabolism during adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation from glucose and mitochondrial dysfunction, whereas in extrinsic aging, loss of redox equilibrium is caused by environmental factors, such as ultraviolet radiation, pollution, cigarette smoking, and inadequate nutrition. During the aging process, oxidative stress is attributed to both augmented ROS production and reduced levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic protectors. Apart from the evident appearance of structural change, throughout aging, the skin gradually loses its natural functional characteristics and regenerative potential. With aging, the skin immune system also undergoes functional senescence manifested as a reduced ability to counteract infections and augmented frequency of autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. This review proposes an update on the role of oxidative stress in the appearance of the clinical manifestation of skin aging, as well as of the molecular mechanisms that underline this natural phenomenon sometimes accelerated by external factors.
A Novel Brain Tumor Detection and Coloring Technique from 2D MRI Images
Authors: Haq Inayatul , Ullah Najib , Mazhar Tehsen , Malik Muhammad Amir , Bano Iqra
Published: June 2022

The early automated identification of brain tumors is a difficult task in MRI images. For a long time, continuous research efforts have floated a new idea of replacing different grayscale anatomic regions of diagnostic images with appropriate colors that could overcome the problems being faced by radiologists. The colorization of grayscale images is challenging for enhancing various regions’ contrasts by transforming grayscale images into high-contrast color images. This study investigates standard solutions in discriminating between normal and abnormal regions by assigning colors to grayscale human brain MR images to differentiate different kinds of tissues. The proposed approach is influenced by connected component and index-based colorization methods for applying colors to different regions and abnormal areas. It is an automated approach that varies its inputs using luminance and pixel matrix values and provides the possible outcome. After segmentation, a specific algorithm is devised to colorize the region-of-interest (ROI) areas, which distinguishes and applies colors to differentiate the regions. Results show that implementing the watershed-based area segmentation method and ROI selection method based on the morphological operation helps identify tissues during processing. Moreover, the colorization approach based on luminance and pixel matrix after segmentation and ROI selection is beneficial due to better PSNR and SSIM values and visible contrast improvement. Our proposed algorithm works with less processing overhead and uses less time than those of the industry’s previously used color transfer method.
Computational-Model-Based Biopharmaceutics for p53 Pathway Using Modern Control Techniques for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Yasin Amina , Yasin Abdul Rehman , Azam Muhammad Rizwan , Raza Ali , Nazir Robina , Elamin Abdalla Ridab Adlan
Published: June 2022

The p53 pathway has been the focus of many researchers in the last few decades owing to its pivotal role as a frontline cancer suppressant protein. It plays a vital role in maintaining cell cycle checkpoints and cell apoptosis in response to a broken DNA strand. This is why it is found in the mutated form in more than 50% of malignant tumors. To overcome this, various drugs have been proposed to revive the p53 pathway in cancer patients. Small-molecule-based drugs, such as Nutlin 3a, which are capable of performing this stimulation, are at the fore of advanced clinical trials. However, the calculation of their dosage is a challenge. In this work, a method to determine the dosage of Nutlin 3a is investigated. A control-systems-based model is developed to study the response of the wild-type p53 protein to this drug. The proposed strategy regulates the p53 protein along with negative and positive feedback loops mediated by the MDM2 and MDM2 mRNA, respectively, along with the reversible repression of MDM2 caused by Nutlin 3a. For a broader perspective, the reported PBK dynamics of Nutlin 3a are also incorporated. It has been reported that p53 responds to stresses in two ways in terms of concentration to this drug: either it is a sustained (constant) or an oscillatory response. The claimed dosage strategy turned out to be appropriate for sustained p53 response. However, for the induction of oscillations, inhibition of MDM2 is not enough; rather, anti-repression of the p53–MDM2 complex is also needed, which opens new horizons for a new drug design paradigm.
Maxillary and Mandibular Third Molars Impaction with Associated Pathologies in a North Cyprus Population: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Genç Bedriye Gizem Çelebioğlu , Orhan Kaan , Hıncal Evren
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to find out the incidence of impacted third molars and associated pathologies in people who live in the North Cyprus population. Dr. Burhan Nalbantoglu State Hospital is the only hospital that has an oral and maxillofacial surgery department among the state hospitals in North Cyprus. Patients who were referred to this department during a one-year period due to the complaints regarding their third molar were included in our study. This retrospective study involved 550 patients aged 16 to 65 years (1752 third molars). Chi-square tests were done for bilateral comparison between age, gender, and third molar (p < 0.05). Among the groups included in the study, the highest number of third molars originated from the 20–29 age group (n = 1050). Among all 1752 third molars, 716 (40%) of them erupted, while 1036 (60%) were impacted molar teeth, with significant differences between genders (p > 0.05). The most often impacted position in the mandible was the mesioangular type (42%) and in the maxilla was the vertical type (62%). Partially and completely impacted mandibular third molars showed a significant difference between the left and right sides (p < 0.05). A huge proportion of third molars are impacted in the North Cyprus population. The degree of impaction of wisdom teeth and the problems they cause should be well evaluated, and the surgical approach should be considered according to the baseline of this data.
Implementation Details for Controlling Contactless 3D Virtual Endoscopy
Authors: Zagar Martin , Klapan Ivica , Mutka Alan , Majhen Zlatko
Published: June 2022

In the medical world, with the innovative application of medical informatics, it is possible to enable many aspects of surgeries that were not able to be addressed before. One of these is contactless surgery planning and controlling the visualization of medical data. In our approach to contactless surgery, we adopted a new framework for hand and motion detection based on augmented reality. We developed a contactless interface for a surgeon to control the visualization options in our DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) viewer platform that uses a stereo camera as a sensor device input that controls hand/finger motions, in contactless mode, and applied it to 3D virtual endoscopy. In this paper, we will present our proposal for defining motion parameters in contactless, incisionless surgeries. We enabled better surgeon’s experience, more precise surgery, real-time feedback, depth motion tracking, and contactless control of visualization, which gives freedom to the surgeon during the surgery. We implemented motion tracking using stereo cameras with depth resolution and precise shutter sensors for depth streaming. Our solution provides contactless control with a range up to 2–3 m that enables the application in the operating room.
International Symposium on New Frontiers in Reef Coral Biotechnology (5 May 2022, Taiwan)
Authors: Lin Chiahsin
Published: June 2022

Given the global threats towards coral reefs, this conference’s central theme, “Reef coral biotechnology”, is particularly timely. Our goal is to promote communication and dialogue in this field among marine researchers within and outside of Taiwan, and we have invited experts in the fields of coral reef ecology, physiology, conservation, and biotechnology to discuss their recent findings with a cadre of both local and foreign scientists, as well as students (undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. students). We envision that these presentations will segue into discussions and collaborations that stimulate innovation in reef coral biotechnology, and particularly in the development of tools and approaches that improve the odds of conserving coral reefs and biopreserving reef corals.
Latitude Dependence of the Total Ozone Trends for the Period 2005–2020: TOC for Bulgaria in the Period 1996–2020
Authors: Bojilova Rumiana , Mukhtarov Plamen , Miloshev Nikolay
Published: June 2022

The present study examines a long-term statistical trend analysis of Total Ozone Content (TOC) data from the AURA satellite for latitudes 60° and 60° S. A methodology for eliminating the strong dependence on the season has been applied by introducing the relative deviation of the average monthly TOC from the climatological average. The analysis presents comparisons of the trends of the zonal average values of TOC and its relative values. In addition, the standard error of both parameters is calculated. The course of the obtained mass of Ozone (O3) and its trend for the period 2005–2020 is presented, and a division is made into three areas: (i) from 30° S to 30° N, (ii) from 30° S to 60° S, and (iii) from 30° N to 60° N. The last part of this study demonstrates the trends of TOC and relative TOC for Bulgaria in the period 1996–2020. The main results of this study show that (a) in the considered latitude range, a slow but steady increase in O3 prevails, (b) the main part of the O3 mass is in low and mid-latitudes, and (c) the general trend in O3 mass for both hemispheres is determined by the positive trend in the southern hemisphere.
Aerosol Distributions and Transport over Southern Morocco from Ground-Based and Satellite Observations (2004–2020)
Authors: Millet Tristan , Bencherif Hassan , Bounhir Aziza , Bègue Nelson , Lamy Kévin , Ranaivombola Marion , Benkhaldoun Zouhair , Portafaix Thierry , Duflot Valentin
Published: June 2022

The present study investigates the optical properties of aerosols on daily and seasonal scales with the use of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Angström exponent (AE) data retrieved from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and collected at four stations in Southern Morocco—Saada (31.63° N; 8.16° W), Ouarzazate (30.93° N; 6.91° W), Oukaïmeden (31.21° N; 7.86° W) and Ras-El-Aïn (31.67° N; 7.60° W). An evaluation of the aerosol volumetric size distribution (AVSD) is also obtained for Saada and Ouarzazate. An AOD inter-comparison is performed between AERONET data and satellite sensors (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer—MODIS), as well as assimilation products (Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)), by the means of a linear regression. Regardless of site location and elevation, the results show the prevalence of the annual cycle of AOD, with a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter. In association with this seasonal variation, the variations in AE and AVSD showed an increase in coarse mode over Ouarzazate and Saada during summer (July to August), underlining that Southern Morocco is prone to the regular transport of desert dust on a seasonal basis. The inter-comparison reveals that the MERRA-2 dataset is slightly more appropriate for the study region, since it shows correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.758 to 0.844 and intercepts ranging from 0.021 to 0.070, depending on the study site. The statistical analysis of the back-trajectories simulated by the HYbrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model were consistent with the observations and confirmed the dominance of desert dust aerosols during the summer over the study region. On the other hand, the winter season reveals a predominance of anthropogenic and oceanic aerosols originating from the north and the west of the study site.
Correlation of SVINT and Sensory Organization Test in Children with Hearing Loss
Authors: Sinno Solara , Najem Fadi , Dumas Georges , Abouchacra Kim Smith , Mallinson Art , Perrin Philippe
Published: June 2022

Objective: The skull vibration-induced-nystagmus test (SVINT) is a noninvasive and effective screening tool for the function of the otolith and canal structures in children. It can instantaneously assess vestibular asymmetry. This study aimed to analyze the SVINT results of healthy children vs. children with hearing loss (HL) and to correlate it with sensory organization test (SOT) results as a functional balance evaluation tool. Design: This case-controlled study compared the results of SVINT to the results of the SOT of the computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) in a control group of 120 healthy normal-hearing children (i.e., NH group) vs. hearing loss (HL) group of 60 children, including 30 children with hearing aids (HAs) and 30 children with a unilateral cochlear implant (CI). The SVINT results were compared to the caloric test (CaT) and video head impulse test (vHIT) and associated with SOT scores. Results: Thirty-one children in the HL group had normal SVINT and normal SOT results. A total of 21 children in the HL group had SVINT-negative and abnormal results in the SOT (possibly due to bilateral vestibular loss (BVL)). Eight children in the HL group had positive SVINT and abnormal SOT results. However, none of the children had only positive SVINT with normal SOT findings. Moreover, 52% of children had a normal result on both the SOT and CaT, whereas 27% had abnormal results on both tests (17% bilateral weakness and 10% unilateral), and 22% had the only result of the SOT suggesting a functional abnormality. Similarly, when associating the result to vHIT, 51% had normal results on both tests, and 25% had abnormal results (13% bilateral and 12% unilateral weakness). Conclusions: SVINT findings can be correlated with SOT findings in the case of the unilateral vestibular lesion (UVL), which adds a diagnostic value in these pediatric cases but may differ in the case of the bilateral vestibular lesion (BVL). However, SVINT findings need to be cautiously interpreted in light of other test findings such as the SOT, CaT, and vHIT.
Topological and Geometrical Properties of k-Symplectic Structures
Authors: Said Essabab , El Mokhtar Fanich , Azzouz Awane
Published: June 2022

We study new geometrical and topological aspects of polarized k-symplectic manifolds. In addition, we study the De Rham cohomology groups of the k-symplectic group. In this work, we pay particular attention to the problem of the orientation of polarized k-symplectic manifolds in a way analogous to symplectic manifolds which are all orientable.
Phylogenetic Analysis Reveals Four New Species of Otidea from China
Authors: Xu Yu-Yan , Zhu Ming-Qi , Mao Ning , Fan Li , Shen Xiao-Ye
Published: June 2022

The emergence of molecular systematics has greatly helped researchers to identify fungal species. China has abundant Otidea species resources, and a number of new species of Otidea have been recently proposed. However, many old specimens in herbaria are mainly identified by morphology rather than molecular methods. In this study, 11 specimens deposited in Chinese herbaria and one newly collected Otidea species from northern China were identified based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Four gene fragments (ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tef1-α) were used to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of species within Otidea. A total of nine phylogenetic species are recognized, of which four are described as new species, namely O. bomiensis, O. gongnaisiensis, O. hanzhongensis, and O. shennongjiana. Among the known species were O. aspera and O. sinensis.
Match Running Performance in UEFA Champions League: Is There a Worthwhile Association with Team Achievement?
Authors: Modric Toni , Versic Sime , Chmura Paweł , Konefał Marek , Andrzejewski Marcin , Jukic Igor , Drid Patrik , Pocek Suncica , Sekulic Damir
Published: June 2022

Although running performance (RP) is considered an important factor of success in soccer, there is a lack of studies to examine this issue in highest-level soccer competition, such as UEFA Champions League (UCL). Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyse players’ RP according to the achievement of their teams in UCL. In addition, position specific RP of the players who competed in the UCL was evaluated. The players’ RPs (n = 244) were collected during UCL group stage matches (n = 20) in the 2020/21 season using semiautomatic optical system InStat Fitness. A team’s achievement was defined by qualification of the team from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and by total group points earned at the end of the UCL group stage. Linear mixed models and Pearson’s correlation were used to examine differences in players’ RP according to the achievement of their teams. Results indicated (i) similar values of RP irrespective of whether the teams qualified from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and (ii) trivial-to-small correlations between RP and total group points. Such findings show that players’ RP was poorly related to the achievement of their teams in the UCL group stage, indicating trivial influence of RP on success in elite-level soccer.
Plant Diversity and Fungal Richness Regulate the Changes in Soil Multifunctionality in a Semi-Arid Grassland
Authors: Li Zhuo , Liu Xiaowei , Zhang Minghui , Xing Fu
Published: June 2022

Loss in plant diversity is expected to impact biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microbes play essential roles in regulating ecosystem functions. However, the important roles and differences in bacterial and fungal diversity and rare microbial taxa in driving soil multifunctionality based on plant diversity remain poorly understood in grassland ecosystems. Here, we carried out an experiment in six study sites with varied plant diversity levels to evaluate the relationships between soil bacterial and fungal diversity, rare taxa, and soil multifunctionality in a semi-arid grassland. We used Illumina HiSeq sequencing to determine soil bacterial and fungal diversity and evaluated soil functions associated with the nutrient cycle. We found that high diversity plant assemblages had a higher ratio of below-ground biomass to above-ground biomass, soil multifunctionality, and lower microbial carbon limitation than those with low diversity. Moreover, the fungal richness was negatively and significantly associated with microbial carbon limitations. The fungal richness was positively related to soil multifunctionality, but the bacterial richness was not. We also found that the relative abundance of saprotrophs was positively correlated with soil multifunctionality, and the relative abundance of pathogens was negatively correlated with soil multifunctionality. In addition, the rare fungal taxa played a disproportionate role in regulating soil multifunctionality. Structural equation modeling showed that the shift of plant biomass allocation patterns increased plant below-ground biomass in the highly diverse plant plots, which can alleviate soil microbial carbon limitations and enhance the fungal richness, thus promoting soil multifunctionality. Overall, these findings expand our comprehensive understanding of the critical role of soil fungal diversity and rare taxa in regulating soil multifunctionality under global plant diversity loss scenarios.
An Update on CFTR Drug Discovery: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: D’Ursi Pasqualina , Fossa Paola
Published: June 2022

The Biomolecules Special issue on “An Update on CFTR Drug Discovery: Opportunities and Challenges” includes three original research articles and a webinar session focusing on some recent findings concerning CFTR drug discovery [...]
Impact of Endoluminal Radiofrequency Ablation on Immunity in Pancreatic Cancer and Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Jarosova Jana , Macinga Peter , Krupickova Lenka , Fialova Martina , Hujova Alzbeta , Mares Jan , Urban Ondrej , Hajer Jan , Spicak Julius , Striz Ilja , Hucl Tomas
Published: June 2022

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a mini-invasive loco-regional ablation technique that is increasingly being used as a palliative treatment for pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Ablation-triggered immune system stimulation has been proposed as a mechanism behind the systemic effects of RFA. The aim of our study was to investigate the immune response to endoluminal biliary RFA. Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma randomised to receive endoluminal biliary radiofrequency ablation + stent (19 patients) or stent only (21 patients). We observed an early increase in IL-6 levels and a delayed increase in CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL11 levels as well as an increase in CD8+ and NK cells. However, these changes were not specific to RFA treatment. Explicitly in response to RFA, we observed a delayed increase in serum CXCL1 levels and an early decrease in the number of anti-inflammatory CD206+ blood monocytes. Our study provides the first evidence of endoluminal biliary RFA-based regulation of the systemic immune response in patients with pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. These changes were characterised by a general inflammatory response. RFA-specific activation of the adaptive immune system was not confirmed.