bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exome Sequencing Reveals Novel Variants and Expands the Genetic Landscape for Congenital Microcephaly
Authors: Dawidziuk Mateusz , Gambin Tomasz , Bukowska-Olech Ewelina , Antczak-Marach Dorota , Badura-Stronka Magdalena , Buda Piotr , Budzynska Edyta , Castaneda Jennifer , Chilarska Tatiana , Czyzyk Elzbieta , Eckersdorf-Mastalerz Anna , Fijak-Moskal Jolanta , Gieruszczak-Bialek Dorota , Glodek-Brzozowska Ewelina , Goszczanska-Ciuchta Alicja , Grzeszykowska-Podymniak Malgorzata , Gurda Barbara , Jakubiuk-Tomaszuk Anna , Jamroz Ewa , Janeczko Magdalena , Jedlińska-Pijanowska Dominika , Jurek Marta , Karolewska Dagmara , Kazmierczak Adela , Kleist Teresa , Kochanowska Iwona , Krajewska-Walasek Malgorzata , Kufel Katarzyna , Kutkowska-Kaźmierczak Anna , Lipiec Agata , Maksym-Gasiorek Dorota , Materna-Kiryluk Anna , Mazurkiewicz Hanna , Milewski Michał , Pavina-Guglas Tatsiana , Pietrzyk Aleksandra , Posmyk Renata , Pyrkosz Antoni , Rudzka-Dybala Mariola , Slezak Ryszard , Wisniewska Marzena , Zalewska-Miszkurka Zofia , Szczepanik Elzbieta , Obersztyn Ewa , Bekiesinska-Figatowska Monika , Gawlinski Pawel , Wiszniewski Wojciech
Published: December 2021

Congenital microcephaly causes smaller than average head circumference relative to age, sex and ethnicity and is most usually associated with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. The underlying etiology is highly heterogeneous and can be either environmental or genetic. Disruption of any one of multiple biological processes, such as those underlying neurogenesis, cell cycle and division, DNA repair or transcription regulation, can result in microcephaly. This etiological heterogeneity manifests in a clinical variability and presents a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, leaving an unacceptably large proportion of over half of microcephaly patients without molecular diagnosis. To elucidate the clinical and genetic landscapes of congenital microcephaly, we sequenced the exomes of 191 clinically diagnosed patients with microcephaly as one of the features. We established a molecular basis for microcephaly in 71 patients (37%), and detected novel variants in five high confidence candidate genes previously unassociated with this condition. We report a large number of patients with mutations in tubulin-related genes in our cohort as well as higher incidence of pathogenic mutations in MCPH genes. Our study expands the phenotypic and genetic landscape of microcephaly, facilitating differential clinical diagnoses for disorders associated with most commonly disrupted genes in our cohort.
miR-143 Targeting CUX1 to Regulate Proliferation of Dermal Papilla Cells in Hu Sheep
Authors: Hu Tingyan , Huang Sainan , Lv Xiaoyang , Wang Shanhe , Getachew Tesfaye , Mwacharo Joram M. , Haile Aynalem , Sun Wei
Published: December 2021

Wool curvature is the determining factor for lambskin quality of Hu lambs. However, the molecular mechanism of wool curvature formation is not yet known. miRNA has been proved to play an important role in hair follicle development, and we have discovered a differentially expressed miRNA, miR-143, in hair follicles of different curl levels. In this study, we first examined the effects of miR-143 on the proliferation and cell cycle of dermal papilla cells using CCK8, EdU and flow cytometry and showed that miR-143 inhibited the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and slowed down the cell cycle. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the target genes KRT71 and CUX1 of miR-143, and both two genes were expressed at significantly higher levels in small waves than in straight lambskin wool (p < 0.05) as detected by qPCR and Western blot (WB). Then, the target relationships between miR-143 and KRT71 and CUX1 were verified through the dual-luciferase assay in 293T cells. Finally, after overexpression and suppression of miR-143 in dermal papilla cells, the expression trend of CUX1 was contrary to that of miR-143. Meanwhile, KRT71 was not detected because KRT71 was not expressed in dermal papilla cells. Therefore, we speculated that miR-143 can target CUX1 to inhibit the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, while miR-143 can target KRT71 to regulate the growth and development of hair follicles, so as to affect the development of hair follicles and ultimately affect the formation of wool curvature.
Attention-Based Deep Multiple-Instance Learning for Classifying Circular RNA and Other Long Non-Coding RNA
Authors: Liu Yunhe , Fu Qiqing , Peng Xueqing , Zhu Chaoyu , Liu Gang , Liu Lei
Published: December 2021

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a distinguishable circular formed long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), which has specific roles in transcriptional regulation, multiple biological processes. The identification of circRNA from other lncRNA is necessary for relevant research. In this study, we designed attention-based multi-instance learning (MIL) network architecture fed with a raw sequence, to learn the sparse features of RNA sequences and to accomplish the circRNAs identification task. The model outperformed the state-of-art models. Moreover, following the validation of the attention mechanism effectiveness by the handwritten digit dataset, the key sequence loci underlying circRNA’s recognition were obtained based on the corresponding attention score. Then, motif enrichment analysis identified some of the key motifs for circRNA formation. In conclusion, we designed deep learning network architecture suitable for learning gene sequences with sparse features and implemented it for the circRNA identification task, and the model has strong representation capability in the indication of some key loci.
Effects of Genetic Polymorphisms of Cathepsin A on Metabolism of Tenofovir Alafenamide
Authors: Ito Soichiro , Hirota Takeshi , Yanai Miyu , Muto Mai , Watanabe Eri , Taya Yuki , Ieiri Ichiro
Published: December 2021

Cathepsin A (CatA) is important as a drug-metabolizing enzyme responsible for the activation of prodrugs, such as the anti-human immunodeficiency virus drug Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF). The present study was undertaken to clarify the presence of polymorphisms of the CatA gene in healthy Japanese subjects and the influence of gene polymorphism on the expression level of CatA protein and the drug-metabolizing activity. Single-strand conformation polymorphism method was used to analyze genetic polymorphisms in healthy Japanese subjects. Nine genetic polymorphisms were identified in the CatA gene. The polymorphism (85_87CTG>-) in exon 2 was a mutation causing a deletion of leucine, resulting in the change of the leucine 9-repeat (Leu9) to 8-repeat (Leu8) in the signal peptide region of CatA protein. The effect of Leu8 on the expression level of CatA protein was evaluated in Flp-In-293 cells with a stably expressed CatA, resulting in the expression of CatA protein being significantly elevated in variant 2 with Leu8 compared with Leu9. Higher concentrations of tenofovir alanine (TFV-Ala), a metabolite of TAF, were observed in the Leu8-expressing cells than in the Leu9-expressing cells using LC/MS/MS. Our findings suggest that the drug metabolic activity of CatA is altered by the genetic polymorphism.
A Hydraulic Analysis of Shock Wave Generation Mechanism on Flat Spillway Chutes through Physical Modeling
Authors: Sarwar Muhammad Kaleem , Tariq Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman , Farooq Rashid , Abbasi Hafiz Kamran Jaleel , Haq Faraz Ul , Ahmad Ijaz , Shah Muhammad Izhar , Ng Anne. W. M. , Muttil Nitin
Published: December 2021

Shock waves are generated downstream of spillways during flood operations, which have adverse effects on spillway operations. This paper presents the physical model study of shock waves at the Mohmand Dam Spillway project, Pakistan. In this study, hydraulic analysis of shock waves was carried out to investigate its generation mechanism. Different experiments were performed to analyze the rooster tail on a flat spillway chute and to examine the factors affecting the characteristics of the rooster tail. The study results show that shock wave height is influenced by spillway chute slope, pier shape, and flow depth. Moreover, the height of the shock wave can be minimized by installing a semi-elliptical pier on the tail part of the main pier. Further modifications in the geometry of the extended tail part of the pier are recommended for the elimination of the shock wave. Based on observed data collected from the model study, an empirical equation was developed to estimate the shock wave height generated on the flat slope spillway chutes (5° to 10°).
Exploring Consumer Emotions in Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Times. A Sentiment Analysis of Perceptions in the Fine-Dining Restaurant Industry in Bucharest, Romania
Authors: Harba Jacqueline-Nathalie , Tigu Gabriela , Davidescu Adriana AnaMaria
Published: December 2021

This research paper aims to analyse how consumer emotions have evolved during the pandemic period in comparison with the pre-pandemic period in relation to restaurant demand in the Romanian fine-dining industry and uses valuable information based on social-media sentiment analysis and content analysis. Focusing on theories of consumer behaviour, the study aims to emphasize how, under the influence of an epidemic crisis caused by an infectious disease, individual behaviour adapts to the “new normal”, embracing a series of changes in the preferences, attitudes, and cognitive choice-making processes. The article takes into account a comparative analysis of the consumer emotions between the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (2010–2019) and the pandemic period (2020–present), based on the online reviews provided by customers for five fine-dining restaurants from Bucharest, the capital city of Romania: The Artist, Relais & Chateaux Le Bistrot Francais, Casa di David, Kaiamo, and L’Atelier. The research was based on two mining analyses—content analysis and sentiment analysis—and explored the emotional intent of words, with the data being collected from TripAdvisor through web-scrapping. The empirical results defined the fine-dining experience during the pandemic as being associated with the quality of the dishes and also with the quality of the service. The overall consumer sentiment in the direction of the restaurants analyzed is positive. The sentiment research found that throughout the epidemic, the consumers’ attitudes about restaurants deteriorated. In this sense, consumers seem to be less satisfied with the restaurants’ services than before the pandemic. This is another thing that the restaurants had difficulties in when adapting their operations for the pandemic.
Enhanced Polonium Concentrations in Aerosols from the Gulf Oil Producing Region and the Role of Microorganisms
Authors: Behbehani Montaha , Carvalho Fernando Piedade , Uddin Saif , Habibi Nazima
Published: December 2021

This study provides the first data set of 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations in the organic and inorganic components of several particle size classes of aerosols collected at two sampling stations in Kuwait. The 210Po concentrations in the aerosols (Bq/g) were similar in all of the particle size classes, but as most (91%) of the aerosol load was made of fine fraction particles of PM0.39–2.5 µm, most of the 210Po activity was carried by this aerosol fraction. At the two sampling stations, the 210Po/210Pb activity concentration ratios in the aerosols were similar, stable around the year, and averaged 1.5 (range 1.2–1.9), much higher than the typical activity concentration ratios of these radionuclides in unmodified (background) aerosols, with Po/Pb < 0.1. The aerosol enrichment in 210Po was likely originated from the oil industry, specifically by gas flaring and oil refining in the Gulf region. Radionuclide analysis in the organic and inorganic components of aerosols showed that the 210Po concentration in the organic component was one order of magnitude higher than the 210Po concentration in the inorganic component, in contrast with 210Pb, which displayed similar concentrations in both organic and inorganic aerosol components. The 210Po carrying organic component of aerosols was investigated and it was found to be largely composed of microorganisms with high microbial and fungi diversity, with the phyla Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota being dominant among the bacteria and with Zygomycota being dominant among the fungi. Therefore, we are facing an active concentration process of the atmospheric 210Po carried out by microorganisms, which underlies the 210Po enrichment process in the organic component of aerosols. This bioconcentration of polonium in bioaerosols was unknown.
The Impact of ERASMUS Exchanges on the Professional and Personal Development of Medical Students
Authors: Żebryk Paweł , Przymuszała Piotr , Nowak Jan Krzysztof , Cerbin-Koczorowska Magdalena , Marciniak Ryszard , Cameron Helen
Published: December 2021

The ERASMUS program is one of the most popular student exchange projects, particularly among the students of Central and Eastern European countries. However, limited research is available with regard to its influence on the professional and personal development of its participants. The study aimed at investigating the experiences and impact of the ERASMUS program on different domains of the personal and professional life of medical students. A questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions was distributed among 269 former participants of the ERASMUS program from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences to collect qualitative and quantitative data regarding the topic. The response rate was 41%. Mastering professional foreign language skills was the most frequently reported benefit of ERASMUS (94%), followed by a change of approach towards learning by exposure to innovative teaching techniques, character, professionalism and cultural competency development, impact on the migration decisions of the students, as well as the opportunity to compare healthcare and educational systems across countries. Additionally, 57% of respondents stated that ERASMUS impacted their career plans, and few indicated that it had affected their specialty choice. Approximately 28% of respondents have worked abroad in healthcare or research since graduating. Participation in the ERASMUS program proved to be a unique opportunity for professional and personal development.
Towards an Efficient Generalization of the Online Dosage of Hydrogen Peroxide in Photo-Fenton Process to Treat Industrial Wastewater
Authors: Yu Xiangwei , Cabrera-Reina Alejandro , Graells Moisès , Miralles-Cuevas Sara , Pérez-Moya Montserrat
Published: December 2021

This work addresses the dosage of H2O2 in photo-Fenton processes and the monitoring of Dissolved oxygen (DO) that can be used to drive the dosage of H2O2. The objective of this work is to show that a smarter monitoring of a process variable such as DO (for which on-line measurement can be inexpensively obtained) enables the proposal and implementation of efficient dosage strategies. The work explores the application of a recent proposed strategy consisting of: (i) initial H2O2 addition, (ii) continuous H2O2 addition until a DO set up is reached, and (iii) automatic H2O2 addition by an on-off control system based on DO slope monitoring, and applies it to the treatment of different individual contaminants and their mixtures (paracetamol and sulfamethazine). The assays performed following this dosage strategy showed improved values of TOC removed per H2O2 consumed. For the case of sulfamethazine, this improvement increased up to 25–35% with respect to the efficiency obtained without dosage. Furthermore, a deeper analysis of the results allowed detecting and assessing the opportunity to redesign the dosage scheme and reduce its complexity and the number of control parameters. The promising results obtained are discussed in regard of future research into further increasing the simplicity and robustness of this generalized control strategy that improves the applicability of the photo-Fenton process by reducing its operating costs and increasing automation.
Effects of Substituting Sedentary Behavior with Light-Intensity or Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity on Obesity Indices in Adults: A Prospective Short-Term Follow-Up Study
Authors: Gonze Bárbara , Lopes Valentim Di Paschoale Ostolin Thatiane , Sperandio Evandro , Arantes Rodolfo , Romiti Marcello , Dourado Victor
Published: December 2021

Background: Sedentary behavior (SB) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that there may be benefits of replacing SB with light-intensity (LIPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity. Substituting SB with LIPA and MVPA might be associated with body composition changes. Methods: We assessed body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat body mass (FBM), and physical activity level, as well as one-year changes, in 780 adults (EPIMOV Study). Results: We analyzed into 10-min blocks SB, LIPA, MVPA, and total wear time. After 14 ± 3 months of follow-up, there were 242 completed procedures. We reallocated time spent in SB to LIPA or MVPA and assessed cross-sectional and prospective associations with the outcomes using isotemporal substitution models. In cross-sectional analysis, substituting 10-min blocks of SB with MVPA led to significant decreases of 1.23 kg in body weight, 0.30 kg/m² in BMI, and 0.38% in FBM. 10-min blocks substituting SB with LIPA produced significantly lower body weight (1 kg) and BMI (0.1 kg/m²) values. In longitudinal analysis, reallocating SB to MVPA was only associated with FBM decline (−0.31%). Conclusions: Substituting SB with MVPA is associated with significant improvement in obesity indices in both cross-sectional and follow-up. Replacing SB with LIPA produced a less consistent impact.
Positive Psychology in Times of Pandemic—Time Perspective as a Moderator of the Relationship between Resilience and Meaning in Life
Authors: Lasota Agnieszka , Mróz Justyna
Published: December 2021

Resilience and meaning in life are significant indicators of psychological well-being and health, which are particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, they have been explored by a growing number of scientists. There has been a research gap, however, that fails to show that time perspectives also have a significant impact on the perception and building of different life aspects. The current study investigated the associations between resilience, time perspectives and meaning in life and examined the moderating role of time perspective in the relationship between resilience and meaning in life. Methods: Participants of this cross-sectional study were 363 adults aged 18-70. Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25), the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), and the Purpose in Life Questionnaire (PIL) were used. Results: The findings confirmed a positive relationship between resilience, meaning in life, and positive time perspectives (Present Hedonistic and Future) and a negative link with Past Negative and Present Fatalistic perspectives. The linear regression analyses showed that Past Negative and Past Positive perspectives significantly moderated the relationship between resilience and meaning in life. The moderating effect was also confirmed in the case of past time perspectives only. Conclusions: The findings indicate the relevance of positive resources, such as resilience and positive perception of the past, in keeping the meaning in life. Understanding the effect of psychological strengths in the context of the pandemic time can be a key to providing intervention and therapeutic services fostering mental health and well-being.
Sleep Quality, Insomnia Symptoms, and Depressive Symptomatology among Italian University Students before and during the Covid-19 Lockdown
Authors: Viselli Lorenzo , Salfi Federico , D’Atri Aurora , Amicucci Giulia , Ferrara Michele
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic led world authorities to adopt extraordinary measures to counteract the spread of the virus. The Italian government established a national lockdown from 9 March to 3 May 2020, forcing people in their homes and imposing social distancing. During the pandemic emergency, university students emerged as a vulnerable category. Indeed, higher rates of sleep problems and mental disorders were reported in this population. However, these outcomes were derived from cross-sectional investigations adopting retrospective assessments. Retrospective evaluations suffer from different biases, putatively leading to erroneous outcomes. To overcome this limitation, we adopted a between-subject approach comparing a sample of 240 Italian undergraduate university students assessed in 2016 (mean age ± standard deviation, 20.39 ± 1.42, range 18–25; 80.42% females), with an age/gender-matched sample of university students assessed during the third week of lockdown in Spring 2020. We evaluated sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, and depressive symptomatology using validated questionnaires. We found worse sleep quality, a delayed bedtime, and more severe insomnia and depression symptoms in the students sampled under COVID-19 restrictive measures. We suggest paying special attention to this at-risk population during the current pandemic emergency and applying preventive and supportive interventions to limit the exacerbation of sleep and psychological problems.
Spatial and Temporal Variations in PM10 Concentrations between 2010–2017 in South Africa
Authors: Arowosegbe Oluwaseyi Olalekan , Röösli Martin , Adebayo-Ojo Temitope Christina , Dalvie Mohammed Aqiel , de Hoogh Kees
Published: December 2021

Particulate matter less than or equal to 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10 µg/m3) is a priority air pollutant and one of the most widely monitored ambient air pollutants in South Africa. This study analyzed PM10 from monitoring 44 sites across four provinces of South Africa (Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal) and aimed to present spatial and temporal variation in the PM10 concentration across the provinces. In addition, potential influencing factors of PM10 variations around the three site categories (Residential, Industrial and Traffic) were explored. The spatial trend in daily PM10 concentration variation shows PM10 concentration can be 5.7 times higher than the revised 2021 World Health Organization annual PM10 air quality guideline of 15 µg/m3 in Gauteng province during the winter season. Temporally, the highest weekly PM10 concentrations of 51.4 µg/m3, 46.8 µg/m3, 29.1 µg/m3 and 25.1 µg/m3 at Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape Province were recorded during the weekdays. The study results suggest a decrease in the change of annual PM10 levels at sites in Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces. An increased change in annual PM10 levels was reported at most sites in Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Exercise-Based Training Strategies to Reduce the Incidence or Mitigate the Risk Factors of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Adult Football (Soccer) Players: A Systematic Review
Authors: Olivares-Jabalera Jesús , Fílter-Ruger Alberto , Dos’Santos Thomas , Afonso Jose , Della Villa Francesco , Morente-Sánchez Jaime , Soto-Hermoso Víctor Manuel , Requena Bernardo
Published: December 2021

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most concerning injuries for football players. The aim of this review is to investigate the effects of exercise-based interventions targeting at reducing ACL injury rate or mitigating risk factors of ACL injury in adult football players. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science. Studies assessing the effect of exercise-based interventions in ACL injury incidence or modifiable risk factors in adult football players were included. 29 studies evaluating 4502 male and 1589 female players were included (15 RCT, 8 NRCT, 6 single-arm): 14 included warm-up, 7 resistance training, 4 mixed training, 3 balance, 1 core stability and 1 technique modification interventions. 6 out of 29 studies investigated the effect of interventions on ACL injury incidence, while the remaining 23 investigated their effect on risk factors. Only 21% and 13% studies evaluating risk of injury variables reported reliability measures and/or smallest worthwhile change data. Warm-up, core stability, balance and technique modification appear effective and feasible interventions to be included in football teams. However, the use of more ecologically valid tests and individually tailored interventions targeting specific ACL injury mechanisms are required.
Co-Creation of a Multi-Component Health Literacy Intervention Targeting Both Patients with Mild to Severe Chronic Kidney Disease and Health Care Professionals
Authors: Boonstra Marco D. , Reijneveld Sijmen A. , Navis Gerjan , Westerhuis Ralf , de Winter Andrea F.
Published: December 2021

Limited health literacy (LHL) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and frequently associated with worse self-management. Multi-component interventions targeted at patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) are recommended, but evidence is limited. Therefore, this study aims to determine the objectives and strategies of such an intervention, and to develop, produce and evaluate it. For this purpose, we included CKD patients with LHL (n = 19), HCPs (n = 15), educators (n = 3) and students (n = 4) from general practices, nephrology clinics and universities in an Intervention Mapping (IM) process. The determined intervention objectives especially address the patients’ competences in maintaining self-management in the long term, and communication competences of patients and HCPs. Patients preferred visual strategies and strategies supporting discussion of needs and barriers during consultations to written and digital strategies. Moreover, they preferred an individual approach to group meetings. We produced a four-component intervention, consisting of a visually attractive website and topic-based brochures, consultation cards for patients, and training on LHL for HCPs. Evaluation revealed that the intervention was useful, comprehensible and fitting for patients’ needs. Healthcare organizations need to use visual strategies more in patient education, be careful with digitalization and group meetings, and train HCPs to improve care for patients with LHL. Large-scale research on the effectiveness of similar HL interventions is needed.
Weight Change Is Associated with Osteoporosis: A Cross Sectional Study Using the Korean Community Health Survey
Authors: Choi Hyo-Geun , Kwon Bong-Cheol , Yim Soo-Hwan , Youk Hyun , Lee Jung-Woo
Published: December 2021

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the associations between weight change and osteoporosis in Korean adults. Methods: Data from the 2016 Korean Community Health Survey were analyzed. A total of 159,741 participants who were ≥40 years of age were included. The histories of osteoporosis were surveyed in two ways: ‘osteoporosis for entire life’ and ‘current osteoporosis’. The participants were grouped into three categories for simplification as follows: ‘Weight L&M’ (Tried to lose weight or Tried to maintain weight), ‘Weight gain’ (Tried to gain weight), and ‘Never tried’. Additionally, we analyzed their relationship with obesity using the BMI. Results: The adjusted ORs for ‘osteoporosis for entire life’ were 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–1.27) in the Weight L&M group and 1.83 (95% CI 1.64–2.05) in the Weight gain group. The adjusted ORs for ‘current osteoporosis’ were 1.16 (95% CI 1.08–1.25) in the Weight L&M group and 1.77 (95% CI 1.54–2.02) in the Weight gain group. Conclusions: Compared to the Never tried group, being in either the Weight L&M or Weight gain groups showed a significant impact on the possibility of osteoporosis.
Potential Human Health Hazard of Post-Hurricane Harvey Sediments in Galveston Bay and Houston Ship Channel: A Case Study of Using In Vitro Bioactivity Data to Inform Risk Management Decisions
Authors: Chen Zunwei , Jang Suji , Kaihatu James M. , Zhou Yi-Hui , Wright Fred A. , Chiu Weihsueh A. , Rusyn Ivan
Published: December 2021

Natural and anthropogenic disasters may be associated with redistribution of chemical contaminants in the environment; however, current methods for assessing hazards and risks of complex mixtures are not suitable for disaster response. This study investigated the suitability of in vitro toxicity testing methods as a rapid means of identifying areas of potential human health concern. We used sediment samples (n = 46) from Galveston Bay and the Houston Ship Channel (GB/HSC) areas after hurricane Harvey, a disaster event that led to broad redistribution of chemically-contaminated sediments, including deposition of the sediment on shore due to flooding. Samples were extracted with cyclohexane and dimethyl sulfoxide and screened in a compendium of human primary or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell lines from different tissues (hepatocytes, neuronal, cardiomyocytes, and endothelial) to test for concentration-dependent effects on various functional and cytotoxicity phenotypes (n = 34). Bioactivity data were used to map areas of potential concern and the results compared to the data on concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the same samples. We found that setting remediation goals based on reducing bioactivity is protective of both “known” risks associated with PAHs and “unknown” risks associated with bioactivity, but the converse was not true for remediation based on PAH risks alone. Overall, we found that in vitro bioactivity can be used as a comprehensive indicator of potential hazards and is an example of a new approach method (NAM) to inform risk management decisions on site cleanup.
Does a Person-Environment-Fit Promote the Academic Achievement of Hearing-Impaired Students in Malaysian Polytechnics? The Mediating Effects of Satisfaction and Adjustment
Authors: Azizan Che’ Rozaniza , Roslan Samsilah , Abdullah Maria Chong , Asimiran Soaib , Zaremohzzabieh Zeinab , Ahrari Seyedali
Published: December 2021

(1) This study investigates the influence of a person-environment-fit on academic achievement and examines mediating effects of adjustment and satisfaction on this relationship; (2) Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 195 hearing-impaired students from five polytechnics in Malaysia that offered the Special Skills Certificate program; (3) Results: Results revealed that the two constructs of the person-environment approach: personality-major fit and needs-supplies fit were positively associated with academic achievement. The adjustment was found to mediate this relationship. Taken together, these results signal that the person-environment constructs contribute to the academic achievement of hearing-impaired students and that adjustment is instrumental in elucidating this relationship; (4) Conclusions: The finding adds to the data, indicating that the person-environment-fit is a possible model of inclusion for hearing-impaired students and also provides initial data about the functioning of hearing-impaired students in Malaysian polytechnics.
Configurations of Adult Attachment, Indicators of Mental Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Méndez-Méndez María Dolores , Fontanil Yolanda , Martín-Higarza Yolanda , Fernández-Álvarez Natalia , Ezama Esteban
Published: December 2021

The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, attachment and adult mental health has been pointed out in a large amount of studies. In a sample of 339 women receiving support from mental health and social services, this research analyzed the association between three adult attachment variables (fear of rejection or abandonment—FRA; desire for closeness—DC; preference for independence—PI) and four mental health indicators. After dichotomizing these variables, we constructed eight configurations of attachment and examined their association with mental health indicators. BAB people (those below the median in FRA, above in DC and below in PI) obtained the most favorable scores in mental health, whereas the ABA configuration (above the median in FRA, below in DC and above in PI) was the least favorable. The association between attachment configurations and mental health indicators was different to what might be expected, aggregating the effects of individual attachment variables. When analyzing the relationship between configurations and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), women with an ABA configuration reported the highest number of ACEs and eight ACE types had a higher-than-expected contingency coefficient. In conclusion, these findings suggest that certain adult attachment configurations are associated with a greater number of ACEs and poorer mental health indicators in adult women.
Development and Initial Validation of the Korean Effort and Reward Scale (ERS-K) for Use in Sport Contexts
Authors: Park InKyoung , Kim YoungHo
Published: December 2021

Background: Applying Siegrist’s (1996) effort-reward imbalance model to athletes, the current study aimed to develop a measure that can evaluate athletes’ effort and reward, and verify its reliability and validity. Methods: The survey was conducted on 530 athletes from universities in Seoul, South Korea. Among the collected data, 276 datasets were used for exploratory factor analysis, 200 for confirmatory factor analysis, and 30 for test-retest reliability analysis; data from surveys that were incomplete or incorrectly answered were excluded. The initial questionnaire was completed based on prior research, expert meetings, and evaluation by the evaluation group. The collected data were subjected to question analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and criterion-related validity analysis. Result: Four factors of the construct of effort were extracted: training strengthening efforts, interpersonal efforts, nutrition management efforts, and cognitive psychology strengthening efforts. Additionally, three factors of the construct of reward were extracted: future stability, social support, and positive growth. Thus. the effort measurement tool was finalized with 14 questions from four factors, and the reward measurement tool was finalized with 14 questions from three factors, with all items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Conclusions: Siegrist’s efforts to measure job stress and athletes perceived efforts differed somewhat, but were found to be consistent with those reported for Australian occupational jockeys. In addition, athletes’ perceived rewards had similar results to those for Siegrist and Kathleen et al. studies. Based on this study, subsequent studies can more effectively determine whether the effort-reward imbalance model is applicable to athletes.
Correction: Lamy et al. Monitoring Solar Radiation UV Exposure in the Comoros. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 10475
Authors: Lamy Kévin , Ranaivombola Marion , Bencherif Hassan , Portafaix Thierry , Toihir Mohamed Abdoulwahab , Lakkala Kaisa , Arola Antti , Kujanpää Jukka , Pitkänen Mikko R. A. , Cadet Jean-Maurice
Published: December 2021

Text Correction [...]
High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Improves Fitness in Recruit Firefighters
Authors: Chizewski Annmarie , Box Allyson , Kesler Richard M. , Petruzzello Steven J.
Published: December 2021

Background: Firefighting is a strenuous profession requiring adequate levels of fitness for effective job performance. Providing firefighters with a safe and effective fitness program is essential for optimal performance. The purpose of this project was to examine changes in various parameters of physical fitness and firefighter ability following a 7-week high intensity functional training (HIFT) program. Methods: Participants were male firefighter recruits (N = 89; age = 27.1 ± 4.2 years, height = 1.78 ± 0.1 m, BMI = 28.1 ± 4.2) enrolled in a Basic Operations Firefighter Academy. Fitness and firefighting ability (via the Academy Firefighter Challenge) were assessed at Weeks 1 and 7 of the Academy. Results: Significant improvements in both fitness and firefighter ability were seen following the HIFT program. Specifically, fitness (BMI, cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance) improved significantly [Hotelling’s T2 = 8.98, F(5, 84) = 150.92, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.90]. Firefighter ability also improved significantly [Hotelling’s T2 = 3.95, F(7, 88) = 46.26, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.80]. Conclusions: Following a 7-week Basic Operations Firefighter Academy that included daily HIFT, significant increases in fitness and firefighting ability were observed. These findings suggest that HIFT appears to be an effective means of improving fitness and firefighting ability in recruit firefighters.
Association between Children’s Engagement in Community Cultural Activities and Their Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from A-CHILD Study
Authors: Yamaoka Yui , Isumi Aya , Doi Satomi , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: December 2021

Social learning experiences developed through engagement in community cultural activities can affect a child’s development. Few studies have examined how children’s engagement in community activities is related to their mental health. This study aimed to examine associations between children’s participation in community cultural activities and their mental health. We targeted all sixth-grade children in all 69 primary schools in Adachi City, Tokyo, using the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study (n = 4391). Parents answered the validated Japanese version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess child mental health, the child’s engagement in community cultural activities. The community activity in which children most frequently participated was local festivals. Participating in local festivals was significantly associated with lower behavioral difficulties (β = −0.49, SE = 0.17, p = 0.005) and higher prosocial behaviors (β = 0.25, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001) after adjusting for demographic variables, family social capital, and parent-child interactions. These results highlight the importance of children’s engagement in community cultural activities for their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Response of Saudi Population to Strict Preventive Measures against COVID-19
Authors: Bin Abdulrahman Amro K. , Bin Abdulrahman Khalid A. , Nouh Randa M.
Published: December 2021

The Saudi ministry of health (MOH) started the preventive measures very early on before having a single case of COVID-19. There were very few studies regarding the awareness and adherence to the preventive measures against COVID-19 among the Saudi population in the literature. Objectives: The study aims to examine the awareness and commitment to the strict Saudi government preventive measures against COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey targeted Saudi and non-Saudi populations aged 18+ in March–April 2020. The online questionnaire was designed to explore the participant’s sociodemographic data, washing hygiene habits, the general level of awareness regarding COVID-19, and the extent to which they adhere to the government’s strict instructions. Results: Out of the 2958 participants in the survey, 23% washed their hands for between 20 and 30 s, 59.6% washed their hands after shaking hands with other people, 67.9% washed their hands after use of other’s utilities, 65.9% had appropriately followed the MOH recommended guidelines for home quarantine and social distancing. People in different age groups differed significantly on their practiced hygienic practices score p < 0.001. Respondents’ educational level had converged considerably and positively on their clean proper prevention practices score, f(2838.3) = 15.70. Conclusion: The majority of the participants adhere to the strict government instructions regarding COVID-19 as they have to obey the law. Health sector employees measured significantly greater hygienic preventive measures and precautions in comparison to other sectors. More public health efforts should increase hygienic best practice scores to achieve the best outcome.
Ubiquitous Control of a CNC Machine: Proof of Concept for Industrial IoT Applications
Authors: Aebersold Stefan A. , Akinsolu Mobayode O. , Monir Shafiul , Jones Martyn L.
Published: December 2021

In this paper, an integrated system to control and manage a state-of-the-art industrial computer numerical control (CNC) machine (Studer S33) using a commercially available tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tablet S2) is presented as a proof of concept (PoC) for the ubiquitous control of industrial machines. As a PoC, the proposed system provides useful insights to support the further development of full-fledged systems for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications. The proposed system allows for the quasi-decentralisation of the control architecture of conventional programmable logic controller (PLC)-based industrial control systems (ICSs) through data and information exchange over the transmission control protocol and the internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite using multiple agents. Based on the TCP/IP suite, a network device (Samsung Galaxy Tablet S2) and a process field net (PROFINET) device (Siemens Simatic S7-1200) are interfaced using a single-board computer (Raspberry Pi 4). An override system mainly comprising emergency stop and acknowledge buttons is also configured using the single-board computer. The input signals from the override system are transmitted to the PROFINET device (i.e., the industrial control unit (ICU)) over TCP/IP. A fully functional working prototype is realised as a PoC for an integrated system designated for the wireless and ubiquitous control of the CNC machine. The working prototype as an entity mainly comprises a mobile (handheld) touch-sensitive human-machine interface (HMI), a shielded single-board computer, and an override system, all fitted into a compact case with physical dimensions of 300 mm by 180 mm by 175 mm. To avert potential cyber attacks or threats to a reasonable extent and to guarantee the security of the PoC, a multi-factor authentication (MFA) including an administrative password and an IP address is implemented to control the access to the web-based ubiquitous HMI proffered by the PoC.
Middle-School Student Engagement in a Tick Testing Community Science Project
Authors: Prunuske Amy , Fisher Cole , Molden Jhomary , Brar Amarpreet , Ragland Ryan , vanWestrienen Jesse
Published: December 2021

Studies of tickborne illness have benefited from interactions between scientists and community members. Most participants in community science projects are well-educated adults, but there are anticipated benefits from engaging younger students in research. We evaluated whether an outreach experience for rural middle-school students promoted student interest in science and resulted in the generation of samples that could be used for tick testing to assess disease risk. Middle-school students from 78 Wisconsin communities developed interdisciplinary hypotheses about the spread of Lyme disease, identified ticks, and extracted DNA from ticks to assess the prevalence of pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophillium, and Babesia microti. As a result of this intervention, students were able to successfully complete the research protocol and explain the rationale for completing the experiment. Of student participants, 84.7% reported no difficulty completing the protocol, 66% of the student samples gave reliable PCR results, and 76% of students reported interest in participating in similar experiments. Our study shows that tick outreach programs that incorporate community-based science promote knowledge about Lyme disease, facilitate engagement between students and scientists, and generate samples that can be successfully utilized for pathogen testing.
Local Shielding Gas Supply in Remote Laser Beam Welding
Authors: Schricker Klaus , Baumann Andreas , Bergmann Jean Pierre
Published: December 2021

The use of shielding gases in laser beam welding is of particular interest for materials interacting with ambient oxygen, e.g., copper, titanium or high-alloy steels. These materials are often processed by remote laser beam welding where short welds (e.g., up to 40 mm seam length) are commonly used. Such setups prevent gas nozzles from being carried along on the optics due to the scanner application and a small area needs to be served locally with inert gas. The article provides systematic investigations into the interaction of laser beam processes and parameters of inert gas supply based on a modular flat jet nozzle. Based on the characterization of the developed nozzle by means of high-speed Schlieren imaging and constant temperature anemometry, investigations with heat conduction welding and deep penetration welding were performed. Bead-on-plate welds were carried out on stainless steel AISI 304 for this purpose using a disc laser and a remote welding system. Argon was used as shielding gas. The interaction between Reynolds number, geometrical parameters and welding/flow direction was considered. The findings were proved by transferring the results to a complex weld seam geometry (C-shape).
Engineering Aspergillus oryzae for the Heterologous Expression of a Bacterial Modular Polyketide Synthase
Authors: Feng Jin , Hauser Maurice , Cox Russell J. , Skellam Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

Microbial natural products have had phenomenal success in drug discovery and development yet form distinct classes based on the origin of their native producer. Methods that enable metabolic engineers to combine the most useful features of the different classes of natural products may lead to molecules with enhanced biological activities. In this study, we modified the metabolism of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae to enable the synthesis of triketide lactone (TKL), the product of the modular polyketide synthase DEBS1-TE engineered from bacteria. We established (2S)-methylmalonyl-CoA biosynthesis via introducing a propionyl-CoA carboxylase complex (PCC); reassembled the 11.2 kb DEBS1-TE coding region from synthetic codon-optimized gene fragments using yeast recombination; introduced bacterial phosphopantetheinyltransferase SePptII; investigated propionyl-CoA synthesis and degradation pathways; and developed improved delivery of exogenous propionate. Depending on the conditions used titers of TKL ranged from <0.01–7.4 mg/L. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that A. oryzae can be used as an alternative host for the synthesis of polyketides from bacteria, even those that require toxic or non-native substrates. Our metabolically engineered A. oryzae may offer advantages over current heterologous platforms for producing valuable and complex natural products.
Asproinocybaceae fam. nov. (Agaricales, Agaricomycetes) for Accommodating the Genera Asproinocybe and Tricholosporum, and Description of Asproinocybe sinensis and Tricholosporum guangxiense sp. nov.
Authors: Mou Guang-Fu , Bau Tolgor
Published: December 2021

Asproinocybe and Tricholosporum are not well known, and their placement at the family level remains undetermined. In this study, we conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and nuc 28S rDNA (nrLSU), and a dataset with six molecular markers (ITS, LSU, RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), 18S nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (nrSSU), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α)) using Bayesian (BA) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods, we found that the species of Asproinocybe and Tricholosporum formed an independent family-level clade (0.98/72). Asproinocybaceae fam. nov., a new family, is established here for accommodating this clade. Two new species, Asproinocybe sinensis and Tricholosporum guangxiense, from subtropical and tropical karst areas of China, are also described here.