bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D Levels in Pregnant Women Do Not Affect Neonatal Bone Strength
Authors: Levkovitz Orly , Lagerev Elena , Bauer-Rusak Sofia , Litmanovitz Ita , Grinblatt Eynit , Sirota Gisela Laura , Shalit Shachar , Arnon Shmuel
Published: June 2022

Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism. However, whether maternal vitamin D levels affect fetal bone strength is unclear. This study assessed correlations between maternal 25(OH)D status and neonatal bone strength 25(OH)D levels, these were measured in the maternal and infant cord blood of 81 mother–infant dyads. Bone strength was measured using a quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of tibial bone speed of sound (SOS). Maternal vitamin D intake, medical history and lifestyle were evaluated from questionnaires. Maternal 25(OH)D levels were deficient (<25 nmol/L) in 24.7%, insufficient (25–50 nmol/L) in 37% and sufficient (>50 nmol/L) in 38.3%. The maternal and cord blood 25(OH)D levels correlated (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). Cord blood levels (57.9 ± 33.5 nmol/L) were higher than the maternal blood levels (46.3 ± 23.2: p < 0.001). The mean SOS was 3042 ± 130 m/s. The neonatal SOS and 25(OH)D levels were not correlated. The mean bone SOS levels were comparable in the three maternal and cord blood 25(OH)D groups. No correlation was found between the maternal 25(OH)D levels and the neonatal anthropometrics. Although the 25(OH)D levels were higher in Jewish mothers than they were in Muslim mothers (51.1 ± 22.6 nmol/L vs. 24 ± 14.7 nmol/L, respectively: p = 0.002) and in those who took supplemental vitamin D, the bone SOS levels were comparable. In conclusion, maternal vitamin D levels correlate with cord levels but do not affect bone strength or growth parameters.
Equivalence Checking of System-Level and SPICE-Level Models of Linear Circuits
Authors: Coşkun Kemal Çağlar , Hassan Muhammad , Drechsler Rolf
Published: June 2022

Due to the increasing complexity of analog circuits and their integration into System-on-Chips (SoC), the analog design and verification industry would greatly benefit from an expansion of system-level methodologies using SystemC AMS. These can provide a speed increase of over 100,000× in comparison to SPICE-level simulations and allow interoperability with digital tools at the system-level. However, a key barrier to the expansion of system-level tools for analog circuits is the lack of confidence in system-level models implemented in SystemC AMS. Functional equivalence of single Laplace Transfer Function (LTF) system-level models to respective SPICE-level models was successfully demonstrated recently. However, this is clearly not sufficient, as the complex systems comprise multiple LTF modules. In this article, we go beyond single LTF models, i.e., we develop a novel graph-based methodology to formally check equivalence between complex system-level and SPICE-level representations of Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) linear analog circuits, such as High-Pass Filters (HPF). To achieve this, first, we introduce a canonical representation in the form of a Signal-Flow Graph (SFG), which is used to functionally map the two representations from separate modeling levels. This canonical representation consists of the input and output nodes and a single edge between them with an LTF as its weight. Second, we create an SFG representation with linear graph modeling for SPICE-level models, whereas for system-level models we extract an SFG from the behavioral description. We then transform the SFG representations into the canonical representation by utilizing three graph manipulation techniques, namely node removal, parallel edge unification, and reflexive edge elimination. This allows us to establish functional equivalence between complex system-level models and SPICE-level models. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology by successfully applying it to complex circuits.
A Long Short-Term Memory Network-Based Radio Resource Management for 5G Network
Authors: Balmuri Kavitha Rani , Konda Srinivas , Lai Wen-Cheng , Divakarachari Parameshachari Bidare , Gowda Kavitha Malali Vishveshwarappa , Kivudujogappa Lingappa Hemalatha
Published: June 2022

Nowadays, the Long-Term Evolution-Advanced system is widely used to provide 5G communication due to its improved network capacity and less delay during communication. The main issues in the 5G network are insufficient user resources and burst errors, because it creates losses in data transmission. In order to overcome this, an effective Radio Resource Management (RRM) is required to be developed in the 5G network. In this paper, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network is proposed to develop the radio resource management in the 5G network. The proposed LSTM-RRM is used for assigning an adequate power and bandwidth to the desired user equipment of the network. Moreover, the Grid Search Optimization (GSO) is used for identifying the optimal hyperparameter values for LSTM. In radio resource management, a request queue is used to avoid the unwanted resource allocation in the network. Moreover, the losses during transmission are minimized by using frequency interleaving and guard level insertion. The performance of the LSTM-RRM method has been analyzed in terms of throughput, outage percentage, dual connectivity, User Sum Rate (USR), Threshold Sum Rate (TSR), Outdoor Sum Rate (OSR), threshold guaranteed rate, indoor guaranteed rate, and outdoor guaranteed rate. The indoor guaranteed rate of LSTM-RRM for 1400 m of building distance improved up to 75.38% compared to the existing QOC-RRM.
Molecular Cloning of Heat Shock Protein 60 (SpHSP60) from Schizothorax prenanti and the Gene Expressions of Four SpHSPs during Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Infection
Authors: Zhang Jianlu , Huang Jiqin , Fang Cheng , Li Wanchun , Zhao Hu , Kong Fei , Zhang Han , Zhang Hongxing , Wang Qijun
Published: June 2022

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a key role in anti-stress and immune processes and are associated with autoimmune diseases. In order to explore the immunological role of HSPs from Schizothorax prenanti (S. prenanti), SpHSP60 was cloned for the first time in this study, and the gene expressions of SpHSP27, SpHSP60, SpHSP70 and SpHSP90 in the hepatopancreas, head kidney, hindgut and spleen were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The open reading frame of the SpHSP60 gene (GenBank accession number ON245159) is 1728 bp. It encodes a protein of 575 amino acids. Its C-terminus is a highly conserved and repeated glycine sequence, which is an important cofactor in ATP binding. Compared with the control group, most of the SpHSPs were significantly upregulated in the tissues examined at 12 or 24 h after LPS challenge. The most abundant expression of SpHSP70 was found in the head kidney at 24 h after LPS injection, followed by SpHSP27 in the spleen at 24 h; both of these SpHSPs displayed strong expression under the LPS stresses, about 20–70 fold more than that of SpHSP60 and SpHSP90. The temporal expression patterns of the four SpHSP genes were different in the four tissues examined. Taken together, the results suggest that SpHSP27, SpHSP60, SpHSP70 and SpHSP90 participate in innate immunity stimulated by LPS, and the response intensity of the SpHSPs was organ-specific, indicating they could provide early warning information against bacterial infection. The findings in our study will contribute to better understanding the biological processes and important roles of SpHSPs involved in defending against pathogenic bacterial challenge.
Gender-Specific Risk Factors and Prevalence for Sarcopenia among Community-Dwelling Young-Old Adults
Authors: Hwang Jongseok , Park Soonjee
Published: June 2022

Sarcopenia in the elderly is a serious global public health problem. Numerous sarcopenia studies classified their subjects into a single group, but health conditions and body composition vary according to age. This study examined the prevalence of sarcopenia according to gender and assessed the gender-specific risk factors in young-old adults. In this study, 2697 participants in Korea aged from 65 to 74 years were analyzed from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The prevalence of sarcopenia in males and females was 19.2% (CI 95%: 16.4–22.3) and 26.4% (23.7–29.4), respectively. The risk factors in men were age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), skeletal muscle index (SMI), fasting glucose (FG), triglyceride, and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Their odd ratios were 1.447, 0.102, 1.494, 0.211, 0.877, 1.012, and 1.347. The risk factors in women were age, height, weight, BMI, WC, SMI, and fasting glucose with values of 1.489, 0.096, 0.079, 0.158, 0.042, and 1.071, respectively. The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher in females than in males. Overall, the clinical risk factors in males were age, height, BMI, WC, SMI, FG, triglyceride, and SBP. Age, height, weight, BMI, WC, SMI, and FG were the risk factors for women.
Sociodemographic Characteristics and Inadequate Usual Sources of Healthcare in a National Sample of US Refugees
Authors: Baumann Kyle J. , Adera Tilahun
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Refugees resettled into the United States (US) face challenges in accessing adequate healthcare. Knowledge of demographic and social characteristics related to healthcare access among refugees is scarce. This study examines potential sociodemographic predictors of inadequate usual sources of care (USCs)—one key component of healthcare access—within the US refugee population. Methods: The 2016 Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR) involving 4037 refugees resettled into the US served as the data source for this study. Inadequate USC was defined as a USC that was neither a private healthcare provider nor a health clinic. We used multiple binary logistic regression methods to identify sociodemographic predictors of inadequate USCs. In addition, we used multinomial logistic regression to further assess predictors of inadequate USCs with a particular focus on severely deficit USCs (i.e., emergency department dependence and USC absence). Results: Refugees with interrupted healthcare coverage were more likely to have an inadequate USC. Refugees who were young (age 10–19), resettled into the western region of the US, and highly educated were less likely to have an inadequate USC. Refugees with an education level higher than secondary had a significantly lower likelihood of having a severely deficient USC, while refugees with interrupted healthcare were more than twice as likely to have a severely deficient USC. Conclusions: Considering these results alongside our previous healthcare coverage findings provides a more comprehensive understanding of sociodemographic predictors of poor healthcare access among refugees resettled into the US. This improved understanding has the potential to assist early refugee contacts toward more effective healthcare resource allocation and aid policymakers attempting to improve programs linked to refugee healthcare access.
Field Investigation of Effect of Plants on Cracks of Compacted Clay Covers at a Contaminated Site
Authors: Bi Yu-Zhang , Fu Xian-Lei , Zhou Shi-Ji , Ni Jin , Du Yan-Jun
Published: June 2022

Compacted clay covers (CCCs) are effective in restricting the upward migration of volatile organic compound (VOC) and semi-volatile organic compound (SVOC) vapors released mainly from unsaturated contaminated soils and hence mitigate the risks to human health. Desiccation cracking of CCCs would result in numerous preferential channels. VOC or SVOC vapors can prefereially migrate through the cracks and emit into the atmosphere, exposing threats to human health and surrounding environmental acceptors. This study presented results of comprehensive field investigation of desiccation crack distribution in CCCs, where four herbaceous plants were covered at the industrial contaminated site in. The plants included Trefoil, Bermuda grass, Conyza Canadensis, and Paspalum, and the corresponding planting areas were labeled as S1, S2, S3, and S4, respectively. The quantity and geometry parameters of the cracks including crack width, depth, and length, were investigated. The results showed that the cracks of the CCCs were mainly distributed in the areas of S3 (Conyza Canadensis) and S4 (Paspalum), where more cracks were formed when the degree of compaction (DOC) of the CCCs was less than 87%. In addition, the results revealed that: (1) no cracks were found in the area S1 (Trefoil); (2) the quantity, average width, average depth, average length, and maximal length of the cracks in the investigated areas followed S4 (Paspalum) > S3 (Conyza Canadensis) > S2 (Bermuda grass); (3) the maximal crack length in the area S2 (Bermuda grass) was the shortest, which was approximately one-seventh and one-eighth of those in the areas S3 (Conyza Canadensis) and S4 (Paspalum), respectively; and (4) the maximal width and depth of the cracks followed S3 (Conyza Canadensis) > S4 (Paspalum) > S2 (Bermuda grass).
“Providing Sex Education Is Challenging”: Malay Mothers’ Experience in Implementing Sex Education to Their Children with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Kamaludin Nawal Nabilah , Muhamad Rosediani , Mat Yudin Zainab , Zakaria Rosnani
Published: June 2022

Sex education (SE) is still a controversial and sensitive topic in Malaysia. Thus, individuals with intellectual disability receive less information about SE formally as Malaysian culture believes that students with disabilities should be shielded from everything connected to sexuality owing to their paucity of maturity and intellectual comprehension of the topic. Due to that reason, non-formal education by the parent is very important to fill that needful gap. This study aimed to explore the experience of mothers on the meanings of sexuality, and implementing sex education for their children with ID. We adopted a phenomenological framework and social cognitive theory to increase understanding of the phenomenon and conducted it using in-depth interviews. Twenty mothers with children aged 10–19 who were diagnosed with mild to moderate ID and/or other cognitive disabilities were involved. Almost all mothers acknowledged the influence of socio-cultural factors and religion on meanings of sexuality and practicing SE. They realized their children’s emerging sexual behavior as they go through the adolescence period. However, how they confronted sexuality and sex education with their vulnerable children was different. Three themes emerged: (1) Sexuality as an erotic experience in life, which enlightens mothers’ views on sexuality, relying mainly on sexual intimacy and sexual being; (2) Perceived their children’s sexual maturity is different, which reflects the mothers’ attitude toward their children’s sexual development; (3) Caution/hesitance in providing sexuality education, which summarizes mothers’ ways of delivering SE, either following physicality or through sociocultural ways. Our findings exemplify the need for strategies to increase parents’ understanding and awareness regarding sexuality and appropriate delivery of SE. To ensure its success, it should be a shared responsibility among all relevant stakeholders.
Evaluation of an Oral Care Program to Improve the Oral Health of Home-Dwelling Older People
Authors: Weening-Verbree Lina F. , Schuller Annemarie A. , Zuidema Sytse U. , Hobbelen Johannes S. M.
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the implementation of an Oral Care Program on home care nurses’ attitudes and knowledge about oral health (care) and the impact on older people’s oral health. A pre–post study, without a control group, was conducted. A preventive Oral Care Program (OCP) was designed, focusing on home care nurses and older people, in collaboration with dental hygienists. Implementation was measured with questionnaires at baseline and after 6 months for home care nurses; for older people, implementation was measured at baseline and after 3 months with the Oral Health Assessment Tool and a questionnaire about oral (self) care between January 2018 and September 2019. Although the study design has limitations, the oral health of older people improved significantly after 3 months and the OCP was most beneficial for people with full dentures. The OCP improved knowledge and attitude of home care nurses. The program fitted well with the daily work routines of home care nurses. Individual-centered care plans for older people, education of home care nurses and the expertise of the dental hygienists have added value in home care nursing. Future implementations should focus on older people with natural teeth.
Occupational Branch and Labor Market Marginalization among Young Employees with Adult Onset of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—A Population-Based Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Gémes Katalin , Björkenstam Emma , Rahman Syed , Gustafsson Klas , Taipale Heidi , Tanskanen Antti , Ekselius Lisa , Mittendorfer-Rutz Ellenor , Helgesson Magnus
Published: June 2022

We compared labor market marginalization (LMM), conceptualized as days of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension, across occupational branches (manufacturing, construction, trade, finance, health and social care, and education), among young employees with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examined whether sociodemographic and health-related factors explain these associations. All Swedish residents aged 19–29 years and employed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2011 were eligible. Individuals with a first ADHD diagnosis (n = 6030) were matched with ten controls and followed for five years. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to model days of LMM with adjustments for sociodemographic and health-related factors. In total, 20% of those with ADHD and 59% of those without had no days of LMM during the follow-up. The median of those with LMM days with and without ADHD was 312 and 98 days. Having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with a higher incidence of LMM days (incident rate ratios (IRRs) 2.7–3.1) with no differences across occupational branches. Adjustments for sociodemographic and health-related factors explained most of the differences (IRRs: 1.4–1.7). In conclusion, young, employed adults with ADHD had a higher incidence of LMM days than those without, but there were no substantial differences between branches, even after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors.
Synthesis, In Vitro and In Silico Analysis of New Oleanolic Acid and Lupeol Derivatives against Leukemia Cell Lines: Involvement of the NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Fontana Gianfranco , Badalamenti Natale , Bruno Maurizio , Castiglione Davide , Notarbartolo Monica , Poma Paola , Spinella Alberto , Tutone Marco , Labbozzetta Manuela
Published: June 2022

Oleanolic acid (OA) and Lupeol (LU) belong to the class of natural triterpenes and are endowed with a wide range of biological activities, including cytotoxicity toward several cancer cell lines. In this context, we investigated a set of compounds obtained from the two natural precursors for the cytotoxicity against leukemia HL60 cells and the multidrug-resistant (MDR) variant HL60R. Six new semi-synthetic triterpenes have been synthetized, fully characterized, and were investigated together with other triterpenes compounds for their pharmacological mechanism of action. The interaction of the more cytotoxic compounds with the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway has been also evaluated with the aid of docking. The lupane-like compounds were more active than the precursor, while the oleane-like compounds showed more complex behavior. Both OA and LU derivatives possess a similar interaction pattern with the p65 subunit of NF-κB, justifying the similar trend in their ability to inhibit the binding of p65 to DNA. Further, some of the derivatives tested were able to increase IκB-α levels preventing the translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus. In conclusion, this study offers a deeper insight on the pharmacological action of triterpenes toward leukemia cells, and it improves the background useful for the development of new anti-cancer drugs.
A Review on the Out-of-Autoclave Process for Composite Manufacturing
Authors: Ekuase Okunzuwa Austine , Anjum Nafiza , Eze Vincent Obiozo , Okoli Okenwa I.
Published: June 2022

Composite materials have gained increased usage due to their unique characteristic of a high-stiffness-to-weight ratio. High-performing composite materials are produced in the autoclave by applying elevated pressure and temperature. However, the process is characterized by numerous disadvantages, such as long cycle time, massive investment, costly tooling, and excessive energy consumption. As a result, composite manufacturers seek a cheap alternative to reduce cost and increase productivity. The out-of-autoclave (OoA) process manufactures composites by applying vacuum, pressure, and heat outside of the autoclave. This review discusses the common out-of-autoclave processes for various applications. The theoretical and practical merits and demerits are presented, and areas for future research are discussed.
Accuracy of Digital Impression Taking with Intraoral Scanners and Fabrication of CAD/CAM Posts and Cores in a Fully Digital Workflow
Authors: Leven Robert , Schmidt Alexander , Binder Roland , Kampschulte Marian , Vogler Jonas , Wöstmann Bernd , Schlenz Maximiliane Amelie
Published: June 2022

Current intraoral scanners (IOS) enable direct impression taking for computer-aided de-sign/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) posts and cores (P+C) with subsequent milling out of monolithic materials. The aim of this in vitro study was to systematically investigate the accuracy of CAD/CAM-P+C in a fully digital workflow, considering different IOS impression methods (Primescan (PRI), Trios4 without (TRI) and with scanpost (TRI+SP)) (Part A), and CAD/CAM milling of zirconium dioxid (ZIR) and resin composite (COM)-P+C (Part B). Five human models were developed in this study. Micro-CT imaging was used as a reference (REF). For Part A, the models were scanned 12 times for each impression method. Then, IOS datasets (n = 180) were superimposed with REF, and scan accuracy was determined using 3D software (GOMInspect). For Part B, one CAD/CAM-P+C (n = 30) was milled for each model, impression method, and material. The triple-scan method was applied using an industrial scanner (ATOS) to determine the accuracy of the fit. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Part A showed for PRI significantly lower accuracy than TRI and TRI+SP (p < 0.05). The data of Part B revealed significantly higher accuracy for ZIR than for COM (p < 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, CAD/CAM-P+C of the ZIR can be recommended for fabrication in a fully digital workflow regarding the accuracy of fit.
Dynamical Behavior of Disordered Regions in Disease-Related Proteins Revealed by Quasielastic Neutron Scattering
Authors: Fujiwara Satoru
Published: June 2022

Background and Objectives: Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and proteins containing intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are known to be involved in various human diseases. Since the IDPs/IDRs are fluctuating between many structural substrates, the dynamical behavior of the disease-related IDPs/IDRs needs to be characterized to elucidate the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of the diseases. As protein motions have a hierarchy ranging from local side-chain motions, through segmental motions of loops or disordered regions, to diffusive motions of entire molecules, segmental motions, as well as local motions, need to be characterized. Materials and Methods: Combined analysis of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) spectra with the structural data provides information on both the segmental motions and the local motions of the IDPs/IDRs. Here, this method is applied to re-analyze the QENS spectra of the troponin core domain (Tn-CD), various mutants of which cause the pathogenesis of familial cardiomyopathy (FCM), and α-synuclein (αSyn), amyloid fibril formation of which is closely related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, collected in the previous studies. The dynamical behavior of wild-type Tn-CD, FCM-related mutant Tn-CD, and αSyn in the different propensity states for fibril formation is characterized. Results: In the Tn-CD, the behavior of the segmental motions is shown to be different between the wild type and the mutant. This difference is likely to arise from changes in the intramolecular interactions, which are suggested to be related to the functional aberration of the mutant Tn-CD. In αSyn, concerted enhancement of the segmental motions and the local motions is observed with an increased propensity for fibril formation, suggesting the importance of these motions in fibril formation. Conclusions: Characterization of the segmental motions as well as the local motions is thus useful for discussing how the changes in dynamical behavior caused by the disease-related mutations and/or environmental changes could be related to the functional and/or behavioral aberrations of these proteins.
Mucormycosis in COVID-19 Patients: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Pandit Awadh Kishor , Tangri Poorvi , Misra Shubham , Srivastava Madakasira Vasantha Padma , Bhatnagar Sushma , Thakar Alok , Sikka Kapil , Panda Smriti , Vishnu Venugopalan Y. , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Das Animesh , Radhakrishnan Divya M. , Srivastava Achal Kumar , Subramaniam Rajeshwari , Trikha Anjan , Agarwal Ayush , Rajan Roopa , Upadhyay Vibhor , Parikipandla Sathish , Singh Anup , Kairo Arvind
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: During the second wave of COVID-19, India faced a rapid and sudden surge of not only COVID19-delta variant cases but also mucormycosis, making the infection even more fatal. We conducted a study to determine factors associated with the occurrence of mucormycosis in patients with COVID-19. (2) Methods: This case–control study comprised 121 patients; 61 cases (mucormycosis with COVID-19) and 60 controls. Patients were included from April 10, 2021 onwards. Follow-up was conducted after about 90 days and health status was recorded based on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). (3) Results: Mucormycosis with COVID-19 cases had a median (IQR) age of 49 (43–59) years with 65.6% males and were older (95% CI 1.015–1.075; p = 0.002) than in the control group with median (IQR) 38 (29–55.5) years and 66.6% males. Baseline raised serum creatinine (OR = 4.963; 95% CI 1.456–16.911; p = 0.010) and D-dimer (OR = 1.000; 95% CI 1.000–1.001; p = 0.028) were independently associated with the occurrence of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients. Additionally, diabetes mellitus (OR = 26.919; 95% CI 1.666–434.892; p = 0.020) was associated with poor outcomes and increased mortality in patients with mucormycosis with COVID-19 as per the multivariable analysis. A total of 30/61 mucormycosis patients had intracranial involvement. (4) Conclusions: The study observed elevated levels of baseline raised creatinine and D-dimer in mucormycosis pa-tients with COVID-19 as compared to the control group. However, future studies may be conducted to establish this cause–effect relationship.
The Frequency of Occurrence of Resistance and Genes Involved in the Process of Adhesion and Accumulation of Biofilm in Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Tracheostomy Tubes
Authors: Drożdż Kamil , Ochońska Dorota , Ścibik Łukasz , Gołda-Cępa Monika , Biegun Katarzyna , Brzychczy-Włoch Monika
Published: June 2022

Background: Bacterial biofilm on the surface of tracheostomy tubes (TTs) is a potential reservoir of potentially pathogenic bacteria, including S. aureus. For this reason, our study aimed to investigate biofilm production in vitro and the presence of icaAD and MSCRAMM genes in clinical S. aureus strains derived from TTs, with respect to antibiotic resistance and genetic variability. Methods: The clonality of the S. aureus strains was analyzed by the PFGE method. The assessment of drug resistance was based on the EUCAST recommendations. The isolates were evaluated for biofilm production by the microtiter plate method and the slime-forming ability was tested on Congo red agar (CRA). The presence of icaAD genes was investigated by PCR and MSCRAMM genes were detected by multiplex PCR. Results: A total of 60 patients were enrolled in the study. One TT was obtained from each patient (n = 60). Twenty-one TTs (35%) were colonized with S. aureus. A total of 24 strains were isolated as 3 patients showed colonization with 2 SA clones (as confirmed by PFGE). PFGE showed twenty-two unique molecular profiles. Two isolates (8%) turned out to be MRSA, but 50% were resistant to chloramphenicol, 25% to erythromycin and 8% to clindamycin (two cMLSB and four iMLSB phenotypes were detected). The microtiter plate method with crystal violet confirmed that 96% of the strains were biofilm formers. Representative strains were visualized by SEM. All isolates had clfAB, fnbA, ebpS and icaAD. Different MSCRAMM gene combinations were observed. Conclusions: the present study showed that the S. aureus isolated from the TTs has a high diversity of genotypes, a high level of antibiotic resistance and ability to produce biofilm.
Longitudinal Consumption of Ergothioneine Reduces Oxidative Stress and Amyloid Plaques and Restores Glucose Metabolism in the 5XFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Whitmore Clayton A. , Haynes Justin R. , Behof William J. , Rosenberg Adam J. , Tantawy Mohammed N. , Hachey Brian C. , Wadzinski Brian E. , Spiller Benjamin W. , Peterson Todd E. , Paffenroth Krista C. , Harrison Fiona E. , Beelman Robert B. , Wijesinghe Printha , Matsubara Joanne A. , Pham Wellington
Published: June 2022

Background: Ergothioneine (ERGO) is a unique antioxidant and a rare amino acid available in fungi and various bacteria but not in higher plants or animals. Substantial research data indicate that ERGO is a physiological antioxidant cytoprotectant. Different from other antioxidants that need to breach the blood–brain barrier to enter the brain parenchyma, a specialized transporter called OCTN1 has been identified for transporting ERGO to the brain. Purpose: To assess whether consumption of ERGO can prevent the progress of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on young (4-month-old) 5XFAD mice. Methods and materials: Three cohorts of mice were tested in this study, including ERGO-treated 5XFAD, non-treated 5XFAD, and WT mice. After the therapy, the animals went through various behavioral experiments to assess cognition. Then, mice were scanned with PET imaging to evaluate the biomarkers associated with AD using [11C]PIB, [11C]ERGO, and [18F]FDG radioligands. At the end of imaging, the animals went through cardiac perfusion, and the brains were isolated for immunohistology. Results: Young (4-month-old) 5XFAD mice did not show a cognitive deficit, and thus, we observed modest improvement in the treated counterparts. In contrast, the response to therapy was clearly detected at the molecular level. Treating 5XFAD mice with ERGO resulted in reduced amyloid plaques, oxidative stress, and rescued glucose metabolism. Conclusions: Consumption of high amounts of ERGO benefits the brain. ERGO has the potential to prevent AD. This work also demonstrates the power of imaging technology to assess response during therapy.
Pre-Clinical In-Vitro Studies on Parameters Governing Immune Complex Formation
Authors: Fichter Marie , Richter Gesa , Bepperling Alexander , Wassmann Paul
Published: June 2022

The success of biotherapeutics is often challenged by the undesirable events of immunogenicity in patients, characterized by the formation of anti-drug antibodies (ADA). Under specific conditions, the ADAs recognizing the biotherapeutic can trigger the formation of immune complexes (ICs), followed by cascades of subsequent effects on various cell types. Hereby, the connection between the characteristics of ICs and their downstream impact is still not well understood. Factors governing the formation of ICs and the characteristics of these IC species were assessed systematically in vitro. Classic analytical methodologies such as SEC-MALS and SV-AUC, and the state-of-the-art technology mass photometry were applied for the characterization. The study demonstrates a clear interplay between (1) the absolute concentration of the involved components, (2) their molar ratios, (3) structural features of the biologic, (4) and of its endogenous target. This surrogate study design and the associated analytical tool-box is readily applicable to most biotherapeutics and provides valuable insights into mechanisms of IC formation prior to FIH studies. The applicability is versatile—from the detection of candidates with immunogenicity risks during developability assessment to evaluation of the impact of degraded or post-translationally modified biotherapeutics on the formation of ICs.
Two-Layer Sustained-Release Microneedles Encapsulating Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Authors: Liu Han , Zhang Suohui , Zhou Zequan , Xing Mengzhen , Gao Yunhua
Published: June 2022

Daily administration of multiple injections can cause inconvenience and reduce compliance in diabetic patients; thus, microneedle (MN) administration is favored due to its various advantages. Accordingly, the two-layer sustained-release MNs (TS-MNs) were fabricated by encapsulating exenatide (EXT) in calcium alginate (CA) gel in this work. The TS-MNs were composed of a sodium alginate (SA) tip and a water-soluble matrix-containing calcium chloride (CaCl2). Subsequently, the calcium ion (Ca2+) contained in the matrix layer penetrated the tip layer for cross-linking, leaving the drug in the cross-linked network. The patches have adequate mechanical strength to pierce the skin; then, the matrix layer is dissolved, leaving the tip layer to achieve sustained release. Additionally, the TS-MNs encapsulating EXT retained high activity during long-term storage at room temperature. The pharmacokinetic results indicated that the plasma concentrations of EXT were sustained for 48 h in the EXT MN group, which agreed with the in vitro release test. Furthermore, they had high relative bioavailability (83.04%). Moreover, the hypoglycemic effect was observed to last for approximately 24 h after a single administration and remained effective after multiple administrations without drug resistance. These results suggest that the TS-MNs are a promising depot for the sustained delivery of encapsulated EXT.
Sparse Approximation of the Precision Matrices for the Wide-Swath Altimeters
Authors: Yaremchuk Max
Published: June 2022

The upcoming technology of wide-swath altimetry from space will deliver a large volume of data on the ocean surface at unprecedentedly high spatial resolution. These data are contaminated by errors caused by the uncertainties in the geometry and orientation of the on-board interferometer and environmental conditions, such as sea surface roughness and atmospheric state. Being highly correlated along and across the swath, these errors present a certain challenge for accurate processing in operational data assimilation centers. In particular, the error covariance matrix R of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission may contain trillions of elements for a transoceanic swath segment at kilometer resolution, and this makes its handling a computationally prohibitive task. Analysis presented here shows, however, that the SWOT precision matrix R−1 and its symmetric square root can be efficiently approximated by a sparse block-diagonal matrix within an accuracy of a few per cent. A series of observational system experiments with simulated data shows that such approximation comes at the expense of a relatively minor reduction in the assimilation accuracy, and, therefore, could be useful in operational systems targeted at the retrieval of submesoscale variability of the ocean surface.
Comparison of Pond Depth and Ice Thickness Retrieval Algorithms for Summer Arctic Sea Ice
Authors: Zhang Hang , Lu Peng , Yu Miao , Zhou Jiaru , Wang Qingkai , Li Zhijun , Zhang Limin
Published: June 2022

In order to satisfy the demand of key sea ice parameters, including melt pond depth Hp and underlying ice thickness Hi, in studies of Arctic sea ice change in summer, four algorithms of retrieving Hp and Hi were compared and validated by using optical data of melt ponds from field observations. The Malinka18 algorithm stood out as the most accurate algorithm for the retrieval of Hp. For the retrieval of Hi, Malinka18 and Zhang21 algorithms could also provide reasonable results and both can be applied under clear and overcast sky conditions, while retrievals under clear sky conditions are more accurate. The retrieval results of Hi for Lu18 agreed better with field measurements for thin ice (Hi < 1 m) than that for thick ice, but those results of Hp were not satisfactory. The König20 algorithm was only suitable for clear sky conditions, and underestimated Hp, while showing a good agreement with Hp < 0.15 m. For Arctic applications, Malinka18 and Zhang21 algorithms provided a basis and reference for the satellite optical data such as WoeldView2 to retrieve Hp and Hi. Malimka18 also showed the ability to retrieve Hi, except for the Lu18 algorithm if pond color captured by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles were available. This study identifies the optimal algorithm for retrieval of Hp and Hi under different conditions, which have the potential to provide necessary data for numerical simulations of Arctic sea ice changes in summer.
Food Markets and Free Fairs as Contributors for Designing Climate Resilient Cities: A Study Case in Southern Ecuador
Authors: Iñiguez-Gallardo Verónica , Loján Córdova Julia , Ordoñez-León Andrea , Reyes-Bueno Fabián
Published: June 2022

Climate change will have far-reaching impacts on food systems, which require strengthening social, economic, and political structures that allow farmers to offer their produce and consumers to have access to the food they eat. This research focuses on food access and stability. Specifically, through the analysis of a system of urban markets and free fairs, the (a) public satisfaction with these spaces, (b) the distribution and access to the same spaces, and (c) potential scenarios envisaging a food system that contributes to the designing of a climate resilient city are evaluated. The results indicate a high public satisfaction with markets and free fairs, while providing evidence on the importance of designing cities that include a network of markets and free fairs in urban planning for climate adaptation and resilience, shifting the paradigm from centralised urban systems towards an urbanism of services’ proximity within walking distances.
Empirical Study on Human Capital, Economic Growth and Sustainable Development: Taking Shandong Province as an Example
Authors: Wang Sujuan , Lin Xiaonan , Xiao Honggen , Bu Naipeng , Li Yanan
Published: June 2022

This study aims to explore the sustainable development of the regional economy from the perspective of human capital. Based on the panel data from 2005 to 2019 in Shandong Province, China, this study first analyzes the interactive coupling mechanism between human capital and sustainable economic growth, and then constructs the evaluation model of coupling coordination degree. Results reveal that Shandong Province’s human capital and sustainable economic growth gradually increased; the coupling coordination degree of human capital and sustainable economic growth changed from a state of mild imbalance to slight coordination; sustainable economic growth lagged human capital development; education scale, innovation capacity, growth level, economic openness, and investment and consumption level are the key factors affecting sustainable economic development. Through the above research, the study puts forward policy suggestions conducive to sustainable development in China.
Imitation or Innovation? Research on the Path Selection of Enterprise Performance Improvement from the Perspective of Organizational Ecology
Authors: Liu Xuefeng , Yu Hanzhi , Lai Guowei , Wang Shuxiao , Xie Yuying
Published: June 2022

This paper analyzes how imitation and innovation strategies of high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) impact their sustainable performances and also the whole business ecosystem with the NK-model that mimics the fitness landscape and simulates enterprises’ choice of technological strategy in response to causal ambiguity and environmental complexity. Our study yielded three findings: (1) When the imitation barriers are low, the imitation strategy of high-tech SMEs has a better effect on the performance improvement in the early stage of the operation than the innovation strategy. In the long run, high-tech SMEs exhibit innovation, which plays a greater and more lasting role in enhancing sustainable performance. On the contrary, it is always difficult for imitators to realize significant performance improvement, (2) In a simple environment, imitation strategy plays a more effective role in improving high-tech SMEs’ performance, whereas in a complex environment, innovation strategy is more conducive to discovering opportunities, and it issues from high levels of competition, and (3) more importantly, the simulation finds that the innovation of high-tech SMEs contributes more to the performance of the business ecosystem as a whole. The introduction of the NK-model simulation method in the research of technological strategies and the new scope of looking at the strategies in the business ecosystem provide new research venues for the literature.
Dynamic Evolution Analysis of Complex Topology and Node Importance in Shenzhen Metro Network from 2004 to 2021
Authors: Meng Yangyang , Qi Qingjie , Liu Jianzhong , Zhou Wei
Published: June 2022

With the prosperous development of the urban metro network, the characteristics of the topological structure and node importance are changing dynamically. Most studies focus on static comparisons, and dynamic evolution research is rarely conducted. It is necessary to track the dynamic evolution mechanism of the metro network from the perspective of development. In this paper, the Shenzhen Metro Network (SZMN) topology from 2004 to 2021 was first modeled in Space L. Five kinds of node centralities in eight periods were measured. Then, the dynamic evolution characteristics of the SZMN network topology and node centralities were compared. Finally, an improved multi-attribute decision-making method (MADM) was used to evaluate the node importance, and the spatiotemporal-evolution mechanism of the node importance was discussed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that, with the spatiotemporal evolution of the SZMN, the nodes became more and more intensive, and the network tended to be assortative. The different kinds of node centralities changed variously over time. Moreover, the node importance of the SZMN gradually dispersed from the core area of Chegongmiao–Futian to the direction of the Airport and Shenzhen North. The node importance evolves dynamically over time, and it is closely related to the changes in the node type, surrounding nodes and whole network environment. This study reveals the dynamic evolution mechanism of the complex topology and node importance in the SZMN, which can provide scientific suggestions and decision support for the planning, construction, operation management and resilient sustainable development of the urban metro.
Do Qualitative and Quantitative Job Insecurity Influence Hotel Employees’ Green Work Outcomes?
Authors: Karatepe Tuna
Published: June 2022

The extant literature lacks evidence concerning the effects of qualitative and quantitative job insecurity (JIS) on service workers’ performance outcomes. This is also true for their effects on green work outcomes. To fill in this void, drawing on social information processing, threat-rigidity, and the reformulation of attitude theories as well as the model of attitude–behavior relation, this paper proposes and tests a research model that investigates the effects of both qualitative and quantitative JIS simultaneously on green work outcomes. Data gathered from hotel employees during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey were utilized to gauge the hypothesized associations through structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that quantitative JIS weakens harmonious environmental passion, green recovery performance, and proactive pro-environmental behavior. In addition, harmonious environmental passion mediates the impact of quantitative JIS on the aforementioned green work consequences. Contrary to the predictions, the findings lend no credence to the negative impact of qualitative JIS on harmonious environmental passion, green recovery performance, and proactive pro-environmental behavior.
Ownership Characteristics and Financial Performance: Evidence from Chinese Split-Share Structure Reform
Authors: Aboud Ahmed , Diab Ahmed
Published: June 2022

This paper investigates the relationship between two characteristics of corporate governance (concentrated and state ownership) and firm financial performance by bringing new and extensive evidence from an emerging market. Further, this study examines the impact of the recent stock split reform in China on the corporate ownership characteristics–firm performance relationship. The final sample of this study is comprised of 234 firms with 2340 annual observation values. The study hypotheses are examined using regression analysis of panel data. We found that concentrated ownership is positively and significantly related to firm performance. However, state ownership has a significant negative impact on firm performance. Further, we observed that the stock split reform has a substantial and positive effect on the ownership–corporate financial performance relationship. In particular, the positive relationship between ownership concentration and firm performance has increased following the split-share structure reform. The negative relationship between state ownership and corporate financial performance has been mitigated following the split-share structure reform. We contribute to the existing literature on corporate governance by investigating the ownership–corporate financial performance relationship in a unique research setting based on the impact of an exogenous regulatory change, namely, the split-share structure reform in China. The study presents implications for regulators, investors, and researchers interested in examining developing markets such as China. Our results imply that the institutional reform of the Chinese stock market has benefitted investors through enhancing corporate financial performance. The findings suggest that the reform of the Chinese stock market has significantly shaped the impact of ownership structure on corporate financial performance in a valuable way for effective capital allocation. Thus, collectively, the split-share structure reform enhances the quality of corporate governance, which is pivotal to the growth of the country’s economy. This, in turn, has policy implications for other emerging economies.