bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ldl-c Levels In Secondary Prevention: The Lower The Better and The Sooner The Better
Authors: Vázquez Rafael
Published: November 2021

Ischemic heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide. Low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-c) is the main responsible factor in its pathophysiology. Despite the great farmacological advance in lipid-lowering treatments (estatins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors and those that remain to come bempedoic acid and inclisiran) most of our patients in secondary prevention present LDL-c levels over the recommended by the Clinical Practice Guidelines. For this reason, we developed a specific program in an attempt to achieve the goal of lowering LDL-c the lower and the sooner the better.
Experiencia docente con entornos virtuales en psicología del deporte, antes y durante la pandemia Covid-19
Authors: Barbosa-Granados Sergio , Castañeda-Lozano Waldino , Reyes-Bossio Mario
Published: November 2021

Introducción: El objetivo del estudio es presentar una experiencia docente en el campo de la psicología del deporte mediante entornos virtuales en una universidad colombiana, antes y durante la pandemia COVID-19. En tal sentido, se desarrolló el trabajo de intervención psicológica deportiva de evaluación e intervención que, durante la cuarentena, se realizaron en dos etapas, presencial y virtual. Se aplicaron instrumentos psicológicos, con la finalidad de evaluar los niveles de motivación y ansiedad precompetitiva; finalmente se realizaron charlas y conferencias virtuales para deportistas y entrenadores. Dentro de los principales resultados se obtuvo una elevada participación y adherencia a las conferencias y al trabajo de intervención virtual en los estudiantes atletas de la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira.
Advances in production and formulation of commercial microbial bioprotectant products
Authors:   Certis USA LLC, USA, Eyal Jacob , Dimock Michael ,   Certis USA LLC, USA, Carvalho José João ,   Certis USA LLC, USA
Published: November 2021

This chapter reviews the recent commercialization of microbial bioprotectant products containing bacteria, fungi, yeast and bacteriophages for the control of plant diseases. The chapter also summarizes recent development activities of new bioprotectant products based on microorganisms or their metabolites, including induced resistance products, single domain antibody proteins produced by microorganisms, and protozoans (amoebae). Production, mainly by submerged fermentation, and formulation processes of microbial bioprotectants will be discussed. Key factors influencing the fermentation, formulation and the scale up for industrial production of such microorganism as bioprotectant products are also addressed, including stability and viability of the active substances produced by liquid fermentation processes.
Development and scale-up of bioprotectants to keep staple foods safe from aflatoxin contamination in Africa
Authors:   International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Bandyopadhyay Ranajit , Ortega-Beltran Alejandro ,   International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Konlambigue Matieyedou ,   International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Kaptoge Lawrence ,   International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Falade Titilayo D. O. ,   International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, Cotty Peter J. ,   Ocean University of China, China
Published: November 2021

Aflatoxins pose a significant public health risk, decrease productivity and profitability and hamper trade. To minimize aflatoxin contamination a biocontrol technology based on atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus that do not produce aflatoxin is used widely in the United States. The technology, with the generic name Aflasafe, has been improved and adapted for use in Africa. Aflasafe products have been developed or are currently being developed in 20 African countries. Aflatoxin biocontrol is being scaled up for use in several African countries through a mix of public, private, and public-private interventions. Farmers in several countries have commercially treated nearly 400,000 ha of maize and groundnut achieving >90% reduction in aflatoxin contamination. This chapter summarizes the biology of aflatoxin-producing fungi and various factors affecting their occurence, including climate change. Various management practices for aflatoxin mitigation are then discussed. These include biological control, which is increasingly being adopted by farmers in several countries. We discuss biocontrol product development and commercialization in various African countries. Subsequently, we highlight some barriers to adoption and other challenges.
Bacteriophages to control plant diseases
Authors:   University of Florida, USA, Choudhary Manoj ,   North Florida Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, USA, Paret Mathews ,   University of Florida, USA,   North Florida Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, USA, Obradović Aleksa ,   University of Belgrade, Serbia, Gašić Katarina ,   Institute for Plant Protection and Environment, Serbia, Jones Jeffrey B. ,   University of Florida, USA
Published: November 2021

Crop yield loss due to bacterial plant pathogens need to be reduced to increase global food production demand. Currently available disease management strategies involving copper-based bactericides and antibiotics are losing efficacy due to development of resistance in bacteria. There is long familiar demand of environmentally friendly and sustainable strategies to control bacterial diseases. Bacteriophages are virus that kill target bacteria without affecting another microorganism and environment. Bacteriophage efficiency on phyllosphere is mainly affected by ultraviolet (UV) light. Use of combination of phage, mixture with phage carrier bacteria and optimizing time of application helps in persistence of bacteriophage. There are several bacteriophage products already available in the market to control destructive bacterial diseases. Unlike chemical based traditional control measure, bacteriophage mixture can be easily amended to reduce resistance development in bacteria. In this chapter, the authors discuss from phage isolation to interaction with bacteria and control mechanism of plant diseases.
FIRST RECORD OF THE GENUS SERANGIUM BLACKBURN, 1889 (COLEOPTERA COCCINELLIDAE) IN ITALY
Authors: BELLA SALVATORE , CATANIA ROBERTO , BAVIERA COSIMO
Published: November 2021

During a recent survey of ladybirds in a citrus orchard in Sicily, a specimen of the genus Serangium (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) was found. This genus is recorded here for the first time from Italy. Species of this genus was used as an agent of biological control against aleyrodids, and stable populations were previously reported from Europe (France and Corsica) and in the Caucasian area. Literature of this genus recorded for Europe two species: Serangium montazerii Fürsch, 1995 and S. parcesetosum Sicard, 1929. The single specimen collected un- able us to a specific attribution.
DISTRIBUTION AND GENETIC ANALYSIS OF WILD-LIVING EURASIAN BEAVERS IN CENTRAL ITALY
Authors: MORI EMILIANO , VIVIANO ANDREA , BRUSTENGA LEONARDO , OLIVETTI FRANCESCO , PEPPUCCI LUCA , PUCCI CHIARA , SENSERINI DAVIDE , SERGIACOMI UMBERTO , SPILINGA CRISTIANO , ROVERSI PIO FEDERICO , MAZZA GIUSEPPE
Published: November 2021

The presence of the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber L. has been recently confirmed with two separated populations in Tuscany (Central Italy) and probably represents the result of an unofficial release. In late spring and summer 2021, seven reliable records of Eurasian beaver have been collected in Umbria and other neighbouring regions, implying that the distribution of this large rodent is even wider than previously reported. In this short work, we updated the distribution of this protected species in Central Italy, by collecting and mapping all the confirmed occurrences. Beavers were proved to be present throughout the Tiber (Tevere) river basin in both provinces of Umbria, and another individual has been road-killed in the Marche region, near the border with Tuscany. Other single signs of presence occurred in Emilia Romagna and Latium. The only hair sample we were able to collect confirmed it as the Eurasian beaver species. No reliable evidence is available on the number of free-ranging beavers in Central Italy, and systematic monitoring is needed. Before any management and conservation action, further data are required concerning distribution range, potential origin, social perception, and the effects on the ecosystems.
A Review of Issues Concerning the Support for Fathers During Pregnancy: Research Trends in Japan
Authors: Ueda Izumi , Aoki Asako , Hirano Michiyo , Okada Naomi , Saeki Kazuko
Published: November 2021

Objective: To identify future issues in the development and implementation of support programs for fathers with the aim of preventing child abuse, we reviewed the domestic literature to determine the characteristics of support for fathers during pregnancy and identify research trends.Methods: The domestic literature was searched on January 31, 2021, using the Central Journal of Medicine ver. 5.0. The search yielded 110 original articles and nursing literature using the keywords “pregnancy & father” and “pregnancy & husband,” wherein 100 articles with abstracts were found, excluding conference proceedings. The abstracts were then checked, and finally, 27 were included in this analysis.Results: In the articles collected, the following themes were extracted: “satisfaction from the experience of child-rearing skills from pregnancy,” “relationship between marital intimacy and relationship to mother and child from pregnancy,” “role adjustment between work and home from pregnancy,” and “vague imagination and anxiety from pregnancy.”Conclusion: During pregnancy, the deepening of the relationship between the mother and father, who is still adjusting to become a father, can affect the quality of the relationship between the mother and the child. Thus, the challenge is to develop support programs that will further strengthen the relationship between the husband and wife.
Kandungan Logam Berat dalam Sungai dan Tanah di Beberapa Wilayah Desa Hila, Kepulauan Romang – Kabupaten Maluku Barat Daya
Authors:   Puslitbang Kualitas dan Laboratorium Lingkungan Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Kawasan Puspiptek Serpong Gd. 210, Jalan Raya Puspiptek Serpong, Muncul, Serpong, Muncul, Tangerang Selatan, Kota Tangerang Selatan, Banten 15314, Indonesia, Hindratmo Bambang , Masitoh Siti , Puji Lestari Retno , Kusumawardhani Maulana
Published: November 2021

Kecamatan Kepulauan Romang terletak di Kabupaten Maluku Barat Daya dengan luas wilayah 280,94 km2 dan terdiri dari tiga wilayah yaitu Desa Jerusu, Desa Hila, dan Desa Solath. Topografi Kepulauan Romang terdiri dari pegunungan yang dikelilingi lautan, dengan sumber daya alam yang melimpah dari sektor kehutanan, pertanian, kelautan, dan potensi penambangan mineral. Area Desa Hila memiliki sumber daya alam mineral yang berharga, sehingga terjadi potensi eksplorasi dan pertambangan. Kegiatan ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kandungan logam berat pada air dan tanah di beberapa wilayah pertambangan Desa Hila, Kepulauan Romang. Pengambilan contoh uji dilakukan pada 6-12 April 2017 menggunakan metode grab sampling dan komposit di 2 (dua) titik pengambilan air Sungai Hilmat dan Drill Camp, serta 9 (sembilan) titik contoh uji tanah. Hasil analisis air sungai menunjukkan bahwa parameter logam berat (Hg, Fe, Mn, Cu, As, Cd, Co, Ni, Au, dan Zn) berada di bawah baku mutu sesuai Peraturan Pemerintah PP No 82/2001 tentang pengelolaan kualitas air dan pengendalian pencemaran air pada lampiran untuk Kelas 1. Baku mutu masih mengacu pada peraturan yang lama karena kegiatan dilakukan sebelum dikeluarkannya PP No 22/2021. Logam dominan yang ditemukan dalam matriks tanah adalah Fe dengan konsentrasi berkisar antara 600-63900 mg/Kg. Fe merupakan mineral alamiah yang banyak terkandung di dalam tanah, kemudian disusul logam Mn, As, dan Cu dengan kisaran konsentrasi masing-masing yaitu 15-9491 mg/Kg, 10-1998 mg/Kg, dan 2,9-2978 mg/Kg.
Interpreting and Comparing Convolutional Neural Networks: A Quantitative Approach
Authors: Islam Mohammad Mohaiminul , Tushar Zahid Hassan
Published: November 2021

A convolutional neural network (CNN) is sometimes understood as a black box in the sense that while it can approximate any function, studying its structure will not give us any insights into the nature of the function being approximated. In other terms, the discriminative ability does not reveal much about the latent representation of a network. This research aims to establish a framework for interpreting the CNNs by profiling them in terms of interpretable visual concepts and verifying them by means of Integrated Gradient. We also ask the question, "Do different input classes have a relationship or are they unrelated?" For instance, could there be an overlapping set of highly active neurons to identify different classes? Could there be a set of neurons that are useful for one input class whereas misleading for a different one? Intuition answers these questions positively, implying the existence of a structured set of neurons inclined to a particular class. Knowing this structure has significant values; it provides a principled way for identifying redundancies across the classes. Here the interpretability profiling has been done by evaluating the correspondence between individual hidden neurons and a set of human-understandable visual semantic concepts. We also propose an integrated gradient-based class-specific relevance mapping approach that takes the spatial position of the region of interest in the input image. Our relevance score verifies the interpretability scores in terms of neurons tuned to a particular concept/class. Further, we perform network ablation and measure the performance of the network based on our approach.
Similarity Approximation of Twitter Profiles
Authors: Shoeibi Niloufar , Shoeibi Nastaran , Chamoso Pablo , AlizadehSani Zakie , Corchado Juan M.
Published: November 2021

Social media platforms have been entirely an undeniable part of the lifestyle for the past decade. Analyzing the information being shared is a crucial step to understanding human behavior. Social media analysis aims to guarantee a better experience for the user and risen user satisfaction. However, first, it is necessary to know how and from which aspects to compare users. In this paper, an intelligent system has been proposed to measure the similarity of Twitter profiles. For this, firstly, the timeline of each profile has been extracted using the official TwitterAPI. Then, all information is given to the proposed system. Next, in parallel, three aspects of a profile are derived. Behavioral ratios are time-series-related information showing the consistency and habits of the user. Dynamic time warping has been utilized for the comparison of the behavioral ratios of two profiles. Next, the audience network is extracted for each user, and for estimating the similarity of two sets, Jaccard similarity is used. Finally, for the Content similarity measurement, the tweets are preprocessed respecting the feature extraction method; TF-IDF and DistilBERT for feature extraction are employed and then compared using the cosine similarity method. Results have shown that TF-IDF has slightly better performance; therefore, the more straightforward solution is selected for the model. Similarity level of different profiles. As in the case study, a Random Forest classification model was trained on almost 20000 users revealed a 97.24% accuracy. This comparison enables us to find duplicate profiles with nearly the same behavior and content.
Modelling the Heating Process at Transient and Steady State of an In Situ Tape Laying Machine Head
Authors: Rodrigues Jhonny , Gonçalves Paulo Reinier , Pina Luís Miguel , Gomes de Almeida Fernando
Published: November 2021

As use of composite materials increases, the search for suitable automated processes gains relevance to guarantee production quality by ensuring uniformity of the process, minimizing the amount of generated scrap and reducing time and energy consumption. Limitations on production by traditional means such as hand lay-up, vacuum bagging and in-autoclave methods, tend not to be as efficient when the size and shape complexity of the part being produced increases, motivating the search for alternative processes such as the Automated Tape Laying (ATL). This work aims to describe the process of modelling and simulating a composite ATL with in situ consolidation by characterizing the machine elements, using the finite differences method in conjunction with energy balances, in order to create a digital twin of the process for further control design. The modelling approach implemented is able to follow the process dynamics when changes to the heating element are imposed as well as to predict the composite material temperature response, making it suitable to work as a digital twin of a production process using an ATL machine.
Black Holes as Markers of Dimensionality
Authors: Łukaszyk Szymon
Published: November 2021

Black hole temperature TBH = TP/2πd as a function of its Planck length real diameter multiplier d is derived from black hole surface gravity and Hawking temperature w.l.o.g. It is conjectured d = 1/2π describes primordial Big Bang singularity as in this case TBH = TP. A black hole interacts with the environment and observable black holes have uniquely defined Delaunay triangulations with a natural number of spherical triangles having Planck areas (bits), where a Planck triangle is active and has gravitational potential of -c2 if all its vertices have black hole gravitational potential of -c2/2 and is inactive otherwise. As temporary distribution of active triangles on an event horizon tends to maximize Shannon entropy a black hole is a fundamental, one-sided thermodynamic equilibrium limit for a dissipative structure. Black hole blackbody radiation, informational capacity fluctuations, and quantum statistics are discussed. On the basis of the latter, wavelength bounds for BE, MB, and FD statistics are derived as a function of the diameter multiplier d. It is shown that black holes feature wave-particle duality only if d ≤ 8π, which also sets the maximum diameter of a totally collapsible black hole. This outlines the program for research of other nature phenomena that emit perfect blackbody radiation, such as neutron stars and white dwarfs.
Carbon-Based Materials in Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapies Applied to Tumor Destruction
Authors: Lagos Karina Janeri , Buzza Hilde Harb , Bagnato Vanderlei Salvador , Romero María Paulina
Published: November 2021

Within phototherapy, a grand challenge in clinical cancer treatments is to develop a simple, cost-effective, and biocompatible approach to treat this disease using ultra-low doses of light. Carbon-based materials (CBM), such as graphene oxide (GO), reduced GO (r-GO), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and carbon dots (C-DOTs), are rapidly emerging as a new class of thera-peutic materials against cancer. This mini-review summarizes the progress in lasts years re-garding the applications of CBM in photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal (PTT) therapies for tumor destruction. The current understanding of the performance of modified CBM, hybrids and composites, is also addressed. This approach seeks to achieve an enhanced healing action by im-proving and modulating the properties of CBM to treat various types of cancer. Metal oxides, organic molecules, biopolymers, therapeutic drugs, among others, have been combined with CBM to treat cancer by PDT, PTT, or synergistic therapies.
Metric Dimension in fuzzy(neutrosophic) Graphs-VI
Authors: Garrett Henry
Published: November 2021

New notion of dimension as set, as two optimal numbers including metric number, dimension number and as optimal set are introduced in individual framework and in formation of family. Behaviors of twin and antipodal are explored in fuzzy(neutrosophic) graphs. Fuzzy(neutrosophic) graphs, under conditions, fixed-edges, fixed-vertex and strong fixed-vertex are studied. Some classes as path, cycle, complete, strong, t-partite, bipartite, star and wheel in the formation of individual case and in the case, they form a family are studied in the term of dimension. Fuzzification(neutrosofication) of twin vertices but using crisp concept of antipodal vertices are another approaches of this study. Thus defining two notions concerning vertices which one of them is fuzzy(neutrosophic) titled twin and another is crisp titled antipodal to study the behaviors of cycles which are partitioned into even and odd, are concluded. Classes of cycles according to antipodal vertices are divided into two classes as even and odd. Parity of the number of edges in cycle causes to have two subsections under the section is entitled to antipodal vertices. In this study, the term dimension is introduced on fuzzy(neutrosophic) graphs. The locations of objects by a set of some junctions which have distinct distance from any couple of objects out of the set, are determined. Thus it’s possible to have the locations of objects outside of this set by assigning partial number to any objects. The classes of these specific graphs are chosen to obtain some results based on dimension. The types of crisp notions and fuzzy(neutrosophic) notions are used to make sense about the material of this study and the outline of this study uses some new notions which are crisp and fuzzy(neutrosophic).
Optimized Protocols for in Vitro T Cell-Dependent and T Cell-Independent Activation for B Cell Differentiation Studies Using Limited Cells
Authors: Marsman Casper , Verhoeven Dorit , Koers Jana , Rispens Theo , ten Brinke Anja , van Ham S. Marieke , W. Kuijpers Taco
Published: November 2021

Background/methods: For mechanistic studies, in vitro human B cell differentiation and generation of plasma cells are invaluable techniques. However, the heterogeneity of both T cell-dependent (TD) and T cell-independent (TI) stimuli and the disparity of culture conditions used in existing protocols makes interpretation of results challenging. The aim of the present study was to achieve the most optimal B cell differentiation conditions using isolated CD19+ B cells and PBMC cultures. We addressed multiple seeding densities, different durations of culturing and various combinations of TD stimuli and TI stimuli including B cell receptor (BCR) triggering. B cell expansion, proliferation and differentiation was analyzed after 6 and 9 days by measuring B cell proliferation and expansion, plasmablast and plasma cell formation and immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion. In addition, these conditions were extrapolated using cryopreserved cells and differentiation potential was compared. Results: This study demonstrates improved differentiation efficiency after 9 days of culturing for both B cell and PBMC cultures using CD40L and IL-21 as TD stimuli and 6 days for CpG and IL-2 as TI stimuli. We arrived at optimized protocols requiring 2500 and 25.000 B cells per culture well for TD and TI assays, respectively. The results of the PBMC cultures were highly comparable to the B cell cultures, which allows dismissal of additional B cell isolation steps prior to culturing. In these optimized TD conditions, the addition of anti-BCR showed little effect on phenotypic B cell differentiation, however it interferes with Ig secretion measurements. Addition of IL-4 to the TD stimuli showed significantly lower Ig secretion. The addition of BAFF to optimized TI conditions showed enhanced B cell differentiation and Ig secretion in B cell but not in PBMC cultures. With this approach, efficient B cell differentiation and Ig secretion was accomplished when starting from fresh or cryopreserved samples. Conclusion: Our methodology demonstrates optimized TD and TI stimulation protocols for more indepth analysis of B cell differentiation in primary human B cell and PBMC cultures while requiring low amounts of B cells, making them ideally suited for future clinical and research studies on B cell differentiation of patient samples from different cohorts of B cell-mediated diseases.
Quantum Core Affect. Process-Semantic Theory of Emotions
Authors: Surov Ilya
Published: November 2021

The paper describes model of human affect based on quantum theory of semantics. The model considers emotion as subjective representation of behavioral context relative to a basis binary choice, organized by cyclical process structure and an orthogonal evaluation axis. The resulting spherical space, generalizing well-known circumplex models, accommodates basic emotions in specific angular domains. Predicted process-semantic structure of affect is observed in the word2vec data, as well as in the previously obtained spaces of emotion concepts. The established quantum-theoretic structure of affective space connects emotion science with quantum models of cognition and behavior, opening perspective for synergetic progress in these fields.
An Introduction to PVDF Nanofibers Properties, and Ways to Improve Them, and Reviewing Output Enhancing Methods for PVDF Nanofibers Nanogenerators
Authors: Aghayari Sedigheh
Published: November 2021

PVDF has special piezo/pyro/ferroelectric, flexibility, low weight, biocompatibility, economical, good chemical/thermal, and high mechanical properties such as excellent nontoxic fiber/film formation. It has polar and nonpolar phases of α, β, γ, ε, and δ that the nonpolar α phase is the most stable one, but the β phase is the best of all because it has good piezo/pyro/ferroelectric properties. Copolymers are attractive because of their low weight, nontoxic, chemical acid resistance, flexibility, and ease of processing. These aspects result in their applications in many fields. They are used for piezoelectric nanogenerators, cooling/heating sensors, electronic devices (fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries (as separators), dye sensitive solar cells), filtration, oil/water separation, and photoelectric nanodevices. This review highlights the main aspects of the last decade's articles, and the focus is on the synthesis methods of PVDF nanofibers and their properties which results in their application in different fields of industry and especially focuses on finding ways to increase the output of PVDF nanofibers nanogenerators (weight/acoustic pressure nanogenerators
Dietary Behavior and Risk of Orthorexia in Patients with Celiac Disease
Authors: Kujawowicz Karolina , Mirończuk-Chodakowska Iwona , Witkowska Anna Maria
Published: November 2021

Evidence points to a link between gluten-free diet or celiac disease and eating disorders, but not with orthorexia. This study is the first to examine adults with celiac disease in terms of the prevalence of risk of orthorexia. The study included 130 adults diagnosed with celiac disease. The standardized ORTHO-15 questionnaire was used to assess the risk of orthorexia. Cronbach's alpha test was used to determine the reliability of the ORTHO-15 questionnaire. Eating habits of the subjects were assessed using a questionnaire. The effect of celiac disease on diet was assessed on a 5-point scale. A risk of orthorexia was found in 69% of subjects with celiac disease. A statistically significant (p<0.005) positive correlation was observed between age and ORTHO-15 test scores (rho=0.37). In the group with orthorexia risk, meals were more often self-prepared (93.3%) compared to those without orthorexia (80%) (p=0.023). For 80% of those at risk for orthorexia versus 20% without risk, mood was a factor influencing dietary choices (p=0.001). The study observed a strong association between celiac disease and the presence of orthorexia risk. The numerous risk factors for orthorexia suggest the need for holistic care, including nutritional and psychological support among individuals with celiac disease.
RTP801/REDD1 is Involved in Neuroinflammation and Modulates Cognitive Dysfunction in Huntington’s Disease
Authors: Pérez-Sisqués Leticia , Solana-Balaguer Júlia , Campoy-Campos Genís , Martín-Flores Núria , Sancho-Balsells Anna , Vives-Isern Marcel , Soler-Palazón Ferran , Garcia-Forn Marta , Masana Mercè , Alberch Jordi , Navarro Esther Pérez , Giralt Albert , Malagelada Cristina
Published: November 2021

RTP801/REDD1 is a stress-regulated protein whose levels are increased in several neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s diseases (HD). RTP801 downregulation ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in several mouse models of these disorders. In HD, RTP801 mediates mutant huntingtin (mhtt) toxicity in in vitro models and its levels are increased in human iPSCs, human postmortem putamen samples and in striatal synaptosomes from mouse models of the disease. Here, we investigated the role of RTP801 in the hippocampal pathophysiology of HD. We found that RTP801 levels are increased in the hippocampus of HD patients in correlation with gliosis markers. Although RTP801 expression is not altered in the hippocampus of the R6/1 mouse model of HD, neuronal RTP801 silencing in the dorsal hippocampus with shRNA-containing AAV particles ameliorates cognitive alterations. This recovery is associated with a partial rescue of synaptic markers and with a reduction of inflammatory events, especially microgliosis. Altogether, our results indicate that RTP801 could be a marker of hippocampal neuroinflammation in HD patients and a promising therapeutic target of the disease.
Divergent Evolution of Progesterone and Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Terrestrial Vertebrates and Fish Influences Endocrine Disruption
Authors: Baker Michael
Published: November 2021

There is much concern about disruption of endocrine physiology regulated by steroid hormones in humans, other terrestrial vertebrates and fish by industrial chemicals, such as bisphenol A, and pesticides, such as DDT. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals influence steroid-mediated physiology in humans and other vertebrates by competing with steroids for receptor binding sites, disrupting diverse responses involved in reproduction, development and differentiation. Here I discuss that due to evolution of the progesterone receptor (PR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) after ray-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates diverged from a common ancestor, each receptor evolved to respond to different steroids in ray-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates. In elephant shark, a cartilaginous fish, ancestral to ray-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates, both progesterone and 17,20-beta-dihydroxy-progesterone activate the PR. During the evolution of ray-finned fish and terrestrial vertebrates, the PR in terrestrial vertebrates continued responding to progesterone and evolved to weakly respond to 17,20-beta-dihydroxy-progesterone. In contrast, the physiological progestin for the PR in zebrafish and other ray-finned fish is 17,20-beta-dihydroxy-progesterone, and ray-finned fish PR responds weakly to progesterone. The MR in fish and terrestrial vertebrates also diverged to have different responses to progesterone. Progesterone is a potent agonist for elephant shark MR, zebrafish MR and other fish MRs, in contrast to progesterone’s opposite activity as an antagonist for aldosterone, the physiological mineralocorticoid for human MR. These different physiological ligands for fish and terrestrial vertebrate PR and MR need to be considered in applying data for their disruption by chemicals in fish and terrestrial vertebrates to each other.
Implementation of Clinical Assistants in a Pediatric Oncology Department: an Activity and Clinical Time Release Analysis
Authors: Adroher Cristina , Calvo Celia , Pavon Laura , Casadevall Ricard , Alvarez Esther , Marsal Mariona , Lopez Francesc , Morales La Madrid Andres
Published: November 2021

Background: There is a high bureaucratic and administrative burden associated with health care tasks (test requesting, visits scheduling, supporting documents provision) that has historically largely fallen on health care professionals, which is one among the factors contributing to low job satisfaction and lower productivity. Incorporating new professional roles that help to better respond to the needs of both patients and professionals can increase the quality and efficiency of service provision. Objective: To evaluate the impact of the clinical assistant’s introduction in the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital’s pediatric oncology department, in terms of displacement of activity loads carried out by this new professional role and the consequent time freed up for physicians. Methodology: Observational and retrospective study using administrative data based on the analysis of the type of activity performed by clinical assistants and the measurement of the time freed up in favor of the physicians, based on in situ timekeeping, to approximate the potential skill mix productivity increase. Results: Since its implementation in the pediatric oncology department, clinical assistants have performed 13,553 requests (69.93% of the total), representing a total saving of 266.83 hours or 6.67 workweeks of 40 hours. They performed 74.25% of outpatient surgical requests in the oncology department, 87.5% of day hospital requests and 54.13% of total requests in the outpatient consultations area. Conclusion: The introduction of clinical assistants in the oncology department could be efficient to the extent that it displaces a good part of the bureaucratic and administrative tasks previously performed by health care professionals. This delegation allows them to work more closely to the maximum of their competences and the physicians to have more time for higher added value clinical tasks. In terms of efficiency, this role change enables to optimize the clinical process, reducing the cost by 56% compared to the conventional model.
Study on Dynamics and Cluster Analysis between Carbon-based Nanoparticles and Amino Acids
Authors: Huang Wanying , Jia Haihong , Luo JunYan
Published: November 2021

We research the interaction between six representative carbon-based nanoparticles (CBNs) and 20 standard amino acids through all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The six carbon-based nanoparticles are fullerene(C60), CNT55L3, CNT1010L3, CNT1515L3, CNT2020L3, and two-dimensional-graphene(Graphene33). Their curvatures decrease sequentially, and all of CNT are single-walled carbon nanotubes. We have observed that as the curvature of CBNs decreases, the adsorption effect of 20 amino acids with them has an increasing trend. In addition, we also used multi-dimensional clustering to analyze the adsorption effects of 20 amino acids on six carbon-based nanoparticles. We observed that the π-π interaction still plays an extremely important role in the adsorption of amino acids on carbon-based nanoparticles. Individual long-chain amino acids and “Benzene-like” Pro also have a strong adsorption effect with carbon-based nanoparticles.
Preparation and Physicochemical Properties of Modified Corn Starch – Chitosan Biodegradable Films
Authors: Jiménez-Regalado Enrique Javier , Caicedo Carolina , Fonseca-García Abril , Rivera-Vallejo Claudia Cecilia , Aguirre-Loredo Rocio Yaneli
Published: November 2021

Starch is a biopolymer with wide potential for the generation of new biodegradable packages due to its high availability and low price. However, due to its weak functional properties, it is necessary to limit the interaction of some hydroxyl, and to evaluate blends with other polymers to improve their performance. Glycerol plasticized acetylated corn starch films were developed by the casting method, and the impact of incorporating chitosan (TPS:CH) at various proportions (75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 v/v) was studied. The effect of the chitosan ratios on the films' physical, mechanical, water vapor barrier, and thermal properties was evaluated. Chitosan protonated amino groups promote the formation of intermolecular bonds, improving the tensile strength, the thermal stability, the water adsorption capacity, and the gas barrier of starch films. Where the film composed of TPS25-CH75 was the one that presented the best barrier to water vapor. These composite films are a good option for development of biodegradable packaging.
Improvement of Position Repeatability of a Linear Stage with Yaw Minimization
Authors: Cho Doo Hyun , Kwon Hyo Chan , Kim Kwon Hee
Published: November 2021

Recently, due to the miniaturization of electronic products, printed circuit boards (PCBs) have also become smaller. This trend has led to the need for high-precision electrical test equipment to check PCBs for disconnections and short circuits. The purpose of this study is to improve the position repeatability of the platform unit up to ±2.5 μm in a linear stage type test equipment. For this purpose, the causes of position errors of the platform unit are analyzed. The platform unit holding the PCB is driven by a single-axis linear ball screw drive system offset from its geometric center due to design constraints. The yaw rotation of the platform is found to have a dominant effect on position repeatability. To address this problem, the methods of adding balancing weights to the platform unit and adjusting the stiffness of LM Guides are proposed. This reduces the yaw rotation by moving the centers of mass and stiffness closer to the linear ball screw actuator. In the verification tests, the position repeatability was decreased to less than ±1.0 μm.
Martensitic Phase Transition in Yttrium-Stabilized ZrO2 Nanopowders by Adsorption of Water
Authors: Asgerov E. B. , Beskrovnyy A. I. , Doroshkevich N. V. , Mita C. , Mardare D. M. , Chicea D. , Lazar D. , Tatarinova A. A. , Alexandrov V. A. , Lyubchyk S. I. , Lyubchyk S. B. , Lyubchyk A. I. , Doroshkevich A. S.
Published: November 2021

The present study was aimed at revealing the influence of the mechanical stress induced by water molecules adsorption on the composition of crystalline phases in the ZrO2–3mol%Y2O3-nanoparticles. Three basic methods have been used to determine the phase transition: neutron diffraction, Raman microspectroscopic scanning, and X-ray diffraction. The fact of phase-structural β → α transformation and the simultaneous presence of two polymorphic structural modifications (β is the phase of the tetragonal syngony and α of monoclinic syngony in nanosized particles (9nm)) under normal physical conditions was established by these methods. Satisfactory consistency was achieved between the results obtained using different techniques.
Facing the Harsh Reality of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Legislation
Authors: Michiels Frank , Feiter Ulrich , Paquin-Jaloux Stéphanie , Jungmann Diana , Braun Axel , Sayoc Mary Ann P. , Armengol Ricard , Wyss Markus , David Bruno
Published: November 2021

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a framework which refers to a relatively recent type of legal requirements for access to and/or use of “genetic resources”. They are based on diverse national and regional laws and regulations, which mostly result from the implementation of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its supplementary agreement, the Nagoya Protocol. Their ambition is to achieve fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources as an incentive to conserve and sustainably use them. This paper describes the experiences, practical constraints and complexities encountered by users of genetic resources when dealing with ABS legislation, with a focus on users from the private sector. We provide insights on how ABS laws have fundamentally changed the way of working with genetic resources in the hope that it inspires re-thinking of the ABS framework, to better support the overall objectives of the CBD.
Differential Effects of Exercise on fMRI of the Midbrain Ascending Arousal Network Nuclei in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War Illness (GWI) in a Model of Postexertional Malaise (PEM)
Authors: Baraniuk James N , Amar Alison , Pepermintwala Haris , Washington Stuart D
Published: November 2021

Background: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Gulf War Ill-ness (GWI) and control subjects had fMRI during difficult cognitive tests performed before and after submaximal exercise provocation (Washington 2020). Exercise caused increased activation in ME/CFS but decreased activation for GWI in the dorsal midbrain, left Rolandic operculum and right middle insula. Midbrain and isthmus nuclei participate in threat assessment, attention, cognition, mood, pain, sleep, and autonomic dysfunction Methods: Activated midbrain nuclei were inferred by re-analysis of data from 31 control, 36 ME/CFS and 78 GWI subjects using a seed region approach and the Harvard Ascending Arousal Network. Results: Before exercise, control and GWI had greater activation during cognition than ME/CFS in left pedunculotegmental nucleus. Postexercise ME/CFS had greater activation than GWI for midline periaqueductal gray, dorsal and median raphe, and right midbrain reticular formation, parabrachial complex and locus coeruleus. The change between days (delta) was positive for ME/CFS but negative for GWI indicating reciprocal patterns of activation. Controls had no changes. Conclusions: Exercise caused opposite effects with increased activation in ME/CFS but decreased activation in GWI indicating different pathophysiological responses to exertion and mechanisms of disease. Midbrain and isthmus nuclei contribute to postexertional malaise in ME/CFS and GWI.
CBM: An IoT Enabled LiDAR Sensor for In-field Crop Height and Biomass Measurements
Authors: Banerjee Bikram Pratap , Spangenberg German , Kant Surya
Published: November 2021

Phenotypic characterization of crop genotypes is an essential yet challenging aspect of crop management and agriculture research. Digital sensing technologies are rapidly advancing plant phenotyping and speeding-up crop breeding outcomes. However, off-the-shelf sensors might not be fully applicable and suitable for agriculture research due to diversity in crop species and specific needs during plant breeding selections. Customized sensing systems with specialized sensor hardware and software architecture provide a powerful and low-cost solution. This study designed and developed a fully integrated Raspberry Pi-based LiDAR sensor named CropBioMass (CBM), enabled by internet of things to provide a complete end-to-end pipeline. The CBM is a low-cost sensor, provides high-throughput seamless data collection in field, small data footprint, injection of data onto the remote server, and automated data processing. Phenotypic traits of crop fresh biomass, dry biomass, and plant height estimated by CBM data had high correlation with ground truth manual measurements in wheat field trial. The CBM is readily applicable for high-throughput plant phenotyping, crop monitoring, and management for precision agricultural applications.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccination in Catalonia
Authors: López Francesc , Català Martí , Prats Clara , Estrada Oriol , Oliva Irene , Prat Núria , Isnard Mar , Vallès Roser , Vilar Marc , Clotet Bonaventura , Ara Jordi
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: in epidemiological terms, it has been possible to calculate the savings in health resources and the reduction in health effects of COVID vaccines. From the point of view of economic evaluation, some studies have estimated its cost-effectiveness with the vaccination showing highly favorable results, which in some cases is cost-saving; (2) Methods: a cost-benefit analysis of the vaccination campaign in the North Metropolitan Health Region (Catalonia). An epidemiological model based on observational data and before and after comparison is used. The information on the doses used and the resources assigned (conventional hospital beds, ICU, number of tests) has been extracted from administrative data from the largest Primary Care provider in the region (Catalan Institute of Health). A distinction is made between the social perspective and the health system; (3) Results: the costs of vaccination are estimated at 137 million euros (€48.05/dose administered). This figure is significantly lower than the positive impacts of the vaccination campaign, which are estimated at 470 million euros (€164/dose administered). Of these, 18% corresponds to the reduction of ICU discharges, 16% to the reduction in conventional hospital discharges, 5% to the reduction in PCR tests and 1% to the reduction of RAT tests. Monetization of deaths and cases with sequelae avoided account for 53% and 5% of total savings, respectively. The benefit/cost ratio is estimated at 3.4 from a social perspective and 1.2 from a health system perspective. The social benefits of vaccination are estimated at €116.67 per dose of vaccine given (€19.93 from the point of view of the health system); (4) Conclusions: the mass vaccination campaign against COVID is cost-saving. From a social perspective, most of these savings come from the monetization of the reduction in mortality and cases with sequelae, although the intervention is equally widely cost-effective from the point of view of the health system thanks to the reduction in the use of resources. It is concluded that, from an economic perspective, the vaccination campaign has high social returns.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccination in Catalonia
Authors: López Francesc , Català Martí , Prats Clara , Estrada Oriol , Oliva Irene , Prat Núria , Isnard Mar , Vallès Roser , Vilar Marc , Clotet Bonaventura , Ara Jordi
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: in epidemiological terms, it has been possible to calculate the savings in health resources and the reduction in health effects of COVID vaccines. From the point of view of economic evaluation, some studies have estimated its cost-effectiveness with the vaccination showing highly favorable results, which in some cases is cost-saving; (2) Methods: a cost-benefit analysis of the vaccination campaign in the North Metropolitan Health Region (Catalonia). An epidemiological model based on observational data and before and after comparison is used. The information on the doses used and the resources assigned (conventional hospital beds, ICU, number of tests) has been extracted from administrative data from the largest Primary Care provider in the region (Catalan Institute of Health). A distinction is made between the social perspective and the health system; (3) Results: the costs of vaccination are estimated at 137 million euros (€48.05/dose administered). This figure is significantly lower than the positive impacts of the vaccination campaign, which are estimated at 470 million euros (€164/dose administered). Of these, 18% corresponds to the reduction of ICU discharges, 16% to the reduction in conventional hospital discharges, 5% to the reduction in PCR tests and 1% to the reduction of RAT tests. Monetization of deaths and cases with sequelae avoided account for 53% and 5% of total savings, respectively. The benefit/cost ratio is estimated at 3.4 from a social perspective and 1.41 from a health system perspective. The social benefits of vaccination are estimated at €116.67 per dose of vaccine given (€19.93 from the point of view of the health system); (4) Conclusions: the mass vaccination campaign against COVID is cost-saving. From a social perspective, most of these savings come from the monetization of the reduction in mortality and cases with sequelae, although the intervention is equally widely cost-effective from the point of view of the health system thanks to the reduction in the use of resources. It is concluded that, from an economic perspective, the vaccination campaign has high social returns.