bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photodynamic therapy in pediatric age: Current applications and future trends
Authors: Di Bartolomeo Luca , Altavilla Domenica , Vaccaro Mario , Vaccaro Federico , Squadrito Violetta , Squadrito Francesco , Borgia Francesco
Published: August 2022

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a photochemotherapy based on local application of a photosensitive compound and subsequent exposure to a light source of adequate wavelength. It is a non-invasive therapeutic procedure widely used in oncodermatology for treatment of numerous skin cancers, but in the last years its use has been gradually extended to an increasing list of skin diseases of both infectious and inflammatory nature. Although PDT is proven as a safe and effective therapeutic option in adults, its use is not well standardized in the pediatric population. In this review, we will focus on clinical applications, mechanisms of action, protocols, and adverse events in children and adolescents. Most of pediatric experiences concerned treatment of skin cancers in Gorlin syndrome and xeroderma pigmentosum, acne vulgaris, and viral warts, but other applications emerged, such as cutaneous lymphoma and pseudo-lymphomas, necrobiosis lipoidica, hidradenitis suppurativa, dissecting cellulitis, leishmaniasis, angiofibromas, verrucous epidermal nevus, and linear porokeratosis. In these pediatric diseases, PDT appeared as an effective therapeutic alternative. The results on vitiligo were limited and not fully encouraging. Although highly versatile, PDT is not a therapy for all skin diseases, and a deeper knowledge of its mechanisms of action is required to better define its spectrum of action and safety in pediatric patients.
Combined targeting of pathways regulating synaptic formation and autophagy attenuates Alzheimer’s disease pathology in mice
Authors: Bjorkli Christiana , Hemler Mary , Julian Joshua B. , Sandvig Axel , Sandvig Ioanna
Published: August 2022

All drug trials completed to date have fallen short of meeting the clinical endpoint of significantly slowing cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. In this study, we repurposed two FDA-approved drugs, Fasudil and Lonafarnib, targeting synaptic formation (i.e., Wnt signaling) and cellular clearance (i.e., autophagic) pathways respectively, to test their therapeutic potential for attenuating AD-related pathology. We characterized our 3xTg AD mouse colony to select timepoints for separate and combinatorial treatment of both drugs while collecting cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using an optimized microdialysis method. We found that treatment with Fasudil reduced Aβ at early and later stages of AD, whereas administration of Lonafarnib had no effect on Aβ, but did reduce tau, at early stages of the disease. Induction of autophagy led to increased size of amyloid plaques when administered at late phases of the disease. We show that combinatorial treatment with both drugs was effective at reducing intraneuronal Aβ and led to improved cognitive performance in mice. These findings lend support to regulating Wnt and autophagic pathways in order to attenuate AD-related pathology.
Solanum nigrum Linn.: An Insight into Current Research on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology
Authors: Chen Xufei , Dai Xufen , Liu Yinghai , Yang Yan , Yuan Libang , He Xirui , Gong Gu
Published: August 2022

Solanum nigrum Linn., is a common edible medicinal herb of the Solanaceae family which is native to Southeast Asia and is now widely distributed in temperate to tropical regions of Europe, Asia, and America. Traditionally, it has been used to treat various cancers, acute nephritis, urethritis, leucorrhea, sore throat, toothache, dermatitis, eczema, carbuncles, and furuncles. Up to now, 188 chemical constituents have been identified from S. nigrum. Among them, steroidal saponins, alkaloids, phenols, and polysaccharides are the major bioactive constituents. Investigations of pharmacological activities of S. nigrum revealed that this edible medicinal herb exhibits a wide range of therapeutic potential, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and neuroprotective activities both in vivo and in vitro. This article presents a comprehensive and systematic overview of the botanical, traditional uses, phytochemical compositions, pharmacological properties, clinical trials, and toxicity of S. nigrum to provide the latest information for further exploitation and applications of S. nigrum in functional foods and medicines.
Preclinical Pharmacokinetics and In Vitro Properties of GS-441524, a Potential Oral Drug Candidate for COVID-19 Treatment
Authors: Wang Amy Q. , Hagen Natalie R. , Padilha Elias C. , Yang Mengbi , Shah Pranav , Chen Catherine Z. , Huang Wenwei , Terse Pramod , Sanderson Philip , Zheng Wei , Xu Xin
Published: August 2022

Preclinical pharmacokinetics (PK) andIn VitroADME properties of GS-441524, a potential oral agent for the treatment of Covid-19, were studied. GS-441524 was stablein vitroin liver microsomes, cytosols, and hepatocytes of mice, rats, monkeys, dogs, and humans. The plasma free fractions of GS-441524 were 62–78% across all studied species. Thein vitrotransporter study results showed that GS-441524 was a substrate of MDR1, BCRP, CNT3, ENT1, and ENT2; but not a substrate of CNT1, CNT2, and ENT4. GS-441524 had a low to moderate plasma clearance (CLp), ranging from 4.1 mL/min/kg in dogs to 26 mL/min/kg in mice; the steady state volume distribution (Vdss) ranged from 0.9 L/kg in dogs to 2.4 L/kg in mice after IV administration. Urinary excretion appeared to be the major elimination process for GS-441524. Following oral administration, the oral bioavailability was 8.3% in monkeys, 33% in rats, 39% in mice, and 85% in dogs. The PK and ADME properties of GS-441524 support its further development as an oral drug candidate.
Sappanone a prevents diabetic kidney disease by inhibiting kidney inflammation and fibrosis via the NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Zhe , Chen Zhida , Wang Xinyi , Hu Yepeng , Kong Jing , Lai Jiabin , Li Tiekun , Hu Bibi , Zhang Yikai , Zheng Xianan , Liu Xiaoxian , Wang Shengyao , Ye Shu , Zhou Qiao , Zheng Chao
Published: August 2022

Background: Low grade of sterile inflammation plays detrimental roles in the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Sappanone A (SA), a kind of homoisoflavanone isolated from the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in acute kidney injury. However, whether SA has beneficial effects on diabetic kidney disease remains further exploration.

Methods and Results: In the present study, uninephrectomized male mice were treated with Streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg) for five consecutive days to induce diabetes. Next, the diabetic mice were administered orally with SA (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg) or vehicle once per day. Our results showed that STZ treatment significantly enhanced damage in the kidney, as indicated by an increased ratio of kidney weight/body weight, elevated serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), as well as increased 24-h urinary protein excretion, whereas SA-treated mice exhibited a markedly amelioration in these kidney damages. Furthermore, SA attenuated the pathological changes, alleviated fibrotic molecules transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and Collagen-IV (Col-IV) production, decreased inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in STZ-treated mice. Similarly, in glomerular mesangial cells, SA pretreatment decreased high glucose (HG)-induced proliferation, inflammatory cytokines excretion, and fibrotic molecules expression. Mechanistically, SA decreased the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and restored the expression of total NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα) both in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that SA may prevent diabetes-induced kidney inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. Hence, SA can be potential and specific therapeutic value in DKD.
Z1456467176 alleviates gouty arthritis by allosterically modulating P2X7R to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Authors: Li Xiaoling , Liu Yiming , Luo Chengyu , Tao Jinhui
Published: August 2022

NLRP3 inflammasome activation is a central process in initiating gout flares. The unique conformational rearrangement of the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) upon ATP binding is critical for the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. However, studies on allosteric modulation of P2X7R in gout treatment are limited. Here, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic implications of targeting P2X7R in gout by designing a P2X7R allosteric inhibitor and validating the inhibitory function on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Through virtual screening, we identified Z1456467176 (N-{3-[(2-aminoethyl) sulfamoyl] phenyl}-2-methyl-3-[3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl] propanamide hydrochloride) bound to the drug-binding pocket as a potential antagonist of P2X7R. In functional assays, ATP- or BzATP-induced P2X7R function was assessed in vitro in HEK-293T cells overexpressing hP2X7R (dye uptake assay) and macrophages (IL-1β release assay). Z1456467176 exhibited a stable and significant P2X7R inhibitory effect. Importantly, in MSU crystal-induced gout, the presence and involvement of ATP were confirmed. Z1456467176 blocked ATP-induced activation of the NLRP3-caspase-1-IL-1β pathway and exerted promising effects in reducing gouty joint inflammation in rats. In addition, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies showed that the P27XR protein conformation was remodeled by Z1456467176 binding. Collectively, our results provide a potent P2X7R allosteric inhibitor that facilitates the remission of MSU crystal-induced gout inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suggesting that allosteric inhibition of P2X7R represents a new direction in gout treatment.
The influence of blue light on sleep, performance and wellbeing in young adults: A systematic review
Authors: Silvani Marcia Ines , Werder Robert , Perret Claudio
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Blue light from electronic devices has a bad reputation. It has a wavelength which may influence our circadian rhythm and cause bad sleep. But there are other aspects of blue light exposure which are often overlooked, for example, it may influence performance and wellbeing. However, few resources summarize its effects systematically. Therefore, the goal of this systematic review was to distil the present evidence on blue light exposure and its influence on sleep, performance and wellbeing and discuss its significance for athletes.

Methods: The databases that were searched were Cochrane, Embase, Pubmed, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library. The studies included investigated the influence of blue light exposure on either sleep, performance, wellbeing or a combination of those parameters on healthy humans. Quality assessment was done based on the quantitative assessment tool “QualSyst.”

Results: Summarizing the influence of blue light exposure, the following results were found (expressed as proportion to the number of studies investigating the particular parameter): Fifty percent of studies found tiredness to be decreased. One fifth of studies found sleep quality to be decreased and one third found sleep duration to be decreased. Half of the studies found sleep efficacy to be decreased and slightly less than half found sleep latency to be increased. More than one half of the studies found cognitive performance to be increased. Slightly more than two thirds found alertness to be increased and reaction time to be decreased. Slightly less than half of the studies found wellbeing to be increased.

Conclusion: Blue light exposure can positively affect cognitive performance, alertness, and reaction time. This might benefit sports reliant on team-work and decision-making and may help prevent injury. Blue light might also have negative effects such as the decrease in sleep quality and sleep duration, which might worsen an athlete’s physical and cognitive performance and recovery. Further research should explore if blue light can improve sleep, performance and wellbeing to significantly benefit athletic performance.
Differences in fear response strategy and stress susceptibility amongst four different commercial layer strains reared cage free
Authors: Brown Austin A. , Sobotik Eric B. , House Gabrielle M. , Nelson Jill R. , Archer Gregory S.
Published: August 2022

Different commercial lines of laying hens may show varying levels of fearfulness in response to stressful events or situations. It is important to understand the differences in fear response and stress susceptibility. In this study, four commercial laying hen lines reared from hatch to 32 weeks of age in a cage free system Strains consisted of a brown egg laying line (Hyline Brown; HB) and three white egg laying lines (W36, W80, and LSL). Sixty hens from each strain were used. Each hen was assessed for fearfulness using the following tests: isolation (ISO), emergence (EMG), inversion (INV), and tonic immobility (TI). Stress was assessed based on physical asymmetry (ASYM), corticosterone (CORT) concentrations, and heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (HL). At 3 weeks of age, the W80 birds exhibited more vocalizations during ISO and a shorter duration to emerge than other lines except the HB birds during EMG. Conversely the W36 birds had fewer vocalizations during ISO and emerged quicker than other birds except the LSL during EMG. At 16 weeks of age, the LSL and the W36 bird demonstrated greater fear in TI than the HB. At 30 weeks of age, the observed fear response strategies of each strain changed from previous age and differences were observed between lines (p< 0.05). At both 16 and 30 weeks of age the HB birds had the highest (p< 0.05) stress indicators (CORT, HL, and ASYM). Furthermore, they had a higher CORT after acute stressor (p< 0.05). Commercial lines of laying hens show clear variation in their stress response strategy and stress susceptibility. Brown egg laying hens tend to actively avoid perceived threats whereas white egg laying hens use passive avoidance. Brown egg laying hens also have higher levels in the measures of stress susceptibility than white egg laying hens. Understanding of individual strain response to fearful stimuli and other stressors is important knowledge to appropriately determine welfare differences between strains of layers as the baseline measures are often different.
Cellulose-based functional hydrogels derived from bamboo for product design
Authors: Cao Xiaobing , Li Fei , Zheng Tingting , Li Guohui , Wang Wenqian , Li Yanjun , Chen Siyu , Li Xin , Lu Yi
Published: August 2022

Hydrogels have outstanding research and application prospects in the field of product design. Among them, the design and preparation of cellulose-based functional hydrogels derived from bamboo have attracted increasing research interest. Cellulose-based hydrogels not only have the skeleton function of hydrogels, but also retain excellent specificity, smart structural design, precise molecular recognition ability, and superior biocompatibility. Cellulose-based hydrogels show important application prospects in various fields, such as environmental protection, biomedicine, and energy. What’s more, they are potentially viable for application in food packaging and plant agriculture, such as fertilizers release and crop production. Recently, researchers have extracted cellulose from bamboo and generated a variety of cellulose-based functional hydrogels with excellent properties by various cross-linking methods. In addition, a variety of multifunctional hybrid cellulose-based hydrogels have been constructed by introducing functional components or combining them with other functional materials, thus expanding the breadth and depth of their applications. Herein, we elaborate on advances in the field of cellulose-based hydrogels and highlight their applications in food packaging and plant agriculture. Meanwhile, the existing problems and prospects are summarized. The review provides a reference for the further development of cellulose-based hydrogels.
Trauma and Trust: How War Exposure Shapes Social and Institutional Trust Among Refugees
Authors: Hall Jonathan , Werner Katharina
Published: August 2022

The brutal wars in Iraq, Syria and now Ukraine have caused a massive influx of refugees to Europe. Turkey alone has received more than 4.8 million refugees. An important precondition for their economic and social incorporation is trust: refugees need to trust the citizens as well as the state and the justice system to find their place in the host country. Yet refugees’ propensity to trust may be affected by cultural differences between their home and host countries, their personal conflict exposure and the experiences they had on the run. This study investigates how individual differences in exposure to armed conflict and institutional breakdown shape two types of trust among refugees: Generalized social trust and trust in the institutions of the settlement country. We survey a large and diverse sample of refugees from Syria and Iraq living in Turkish communities and deploy well-established measures of conflict exposure, posttraumatic stress, and posttraumatic growth. We find that higher degrees of conflict exposure are positively related to social trust, and to trust in courts and the police. These positive findings are largely driven by refugees who had very personal and emotionally powerful experiences. The psychological mechanism of posttraumatic growth cannot explain these findings, however, suggesting positive experiences of cooperation in the midst of war and displacement are potentially a better explanation for this finding than positive psychological changes resulting from trauma. At the same time, conflict exposure is negatively related to trust in political institutions. Posttraumatic stress may be the mechanism behind this result. We discuss the implications of these findings for the integration of war refugees—a topic that is tragically of great relevance today.
Genetically Modified Rice: Do Chinese Consumers Support or Go Against It? Based on the Perspectives of Perceived Risk and Trust
Authors: Huo Lingyu , Liu Yan
Published: August 2022

Rice is a staple food in China, and, thus, its security has drawn much attention. The Chinese government proactively fuels the application of biotechnology in agriculture and food to cope with increasingly severe food security issues. However, most consumers resist the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) rice. One of the important reasons is the consumer perception of its various risks. Conversely, trust in the government, scientists, and media can stimulate consumer purchase. On the basis of the dual perspectives of perceived risks and trust, this study establishes a model of purchase intention for GM rice to explore the structural relationship between variables. Perceived risks explore how exclusion can weaken the purchase intention from the consumer perspective; trust examines the benefits that support can provide. Based on the structural equation model, online survey results of 564 consumers in eight provinces and cities are analyzed. The following observations are offered: health risks, moral risks, and purchase intention are negatively correlated; environmental, functional, and economic risks have no significant correlation with purchase intention; and trust and purchase intention have a significant positive correlation.
Childhood adversity and cognitive impairment in later life
Authors: Xiang Xiaoling , Cho Joonyoung , Sun Yihang , Wang Xiafei
Published: August 2022

Objectives

This study examined the association between childhood adversity and cognitive impairment in later life and explored the potential moderation effect of gender and race.

Methods

The study sample included 15,133 participants of the Health and Retirement Study (1998–2016 surveys) who had complete data on key study measures and were more than 50. The outcome variable is a dichotomous indicator of cognitive impairment as assessed by the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status for self-respondents and the 16-item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly for proxies. A total of six childhood adversity indicators included grade retention, parental substance abuse, physical abuse, trouble with the police, moving due to financial hardship, and receipt of help due to financial hardship in early life. The estimation of the association between childhood adversity and cognitive impairment involved Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Grade retention had the largest effect on incident cognitive impairment (HR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.23–1.38, p < 0.001), followed by physical abuse by a parent (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.00–1.20, p = 0.001). The impact of grade retention was more detrimental to women than men (interaction term HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80–1.00, p = 0.048, female as the reference). Parental substance abuse was associated with a lower risk of incident cognitive impairment for most racial groups (HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.83–0.95, p = 0.001), but this association was reversed in “non-Hispanic other” race, consisting mainly of Asians (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.05–2.26, p = 0.025).

Discussion

Some aspects of childhood adversity continue to harm cognitive functioning in later life, while some events may have the opposite effect, with evidence of heterogeneity across gender and race.
Online impulse buying behavior and marketing optimization guided by entrepreneurial psychology under COVID-19
Authors: Wang Pei , Chapa Sindy
Published: August 2022

This work aims to promote the development of the online shopping market and improve the online marketing effect of goods. First, entrepreneurial psychology and online shopping are discussed. Then, impulse buying behavior (IBB) is analyzed, and the IBB model and hypotheses of consumers are proposed under the psychological model. Finally, consumers’ IBB during COVID-19 is assessed under the psychological models. Hedonic shopping value (HSV) is a psychological factor directly affecting consumers’ IBB during COVID-19. The results indicate that COVID-19 has a specific stimulating effect on IBB. Meanwhile, the types of goods consumers buy during COVID-19 vary widely across age groups and regions. Overall, clothing is the most purchased item by consumers. This work provides the main reference for the improvement of the online commodity marketing effect and makes a crucial contribution to the development of the online shopping market.
Cross-validation and modifications of the perceived mattering questionnaire—Physical education in Chinese inservice physical education teachers
Authors: Zhang Xin , Liu Jingwen , Liu Xiaolu , Shangguan Rulan , Hamilton Xiaofen D. , Guan Jianmin , Bridges Dwan
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to provide evidence of validity and reliability for the Perceived Mattering Questionnaire-Physical Education (PMQ-PE) developed by Richards et al. (2017) for the Chinese physical education (PE) teachers. The PMQ-PE consisted of two factors (i.e., PE matters and PE teacher matters) with four items in each, measuring four dimensions (attention, importance, dependence, and ego-extension). PMQ-PE in Chinese (PMQ-PEC) was validated among 1,278 elementary and secondary school PE teachers in China, of whom 59.0% were secondary PE teachers and 70.2% were males. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with the entire sample found a poor model fit. Then exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using half of the sample indicated there was only one factor in PMQ-PEC. CFA of the other half of the sample suggested a one-factor model with the elimination of three unfitted items showed a better fitness to the data. Cronbach's alpha value was also acceptable. The final version of PMQ-PEC included five items with one factor that demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability and was deemed acceptable among Chinese PE teachers after the above modifications were made.
A study on psychological determinants of users' autonomous vehicles adoption from anthropomorphism and UTAUT perspectives
Authors: Tian Yuqi , Wang Xiaowen
Published: August 2022

As the autonomous vehicles technology gradually enters the public eye, understanding consumers' psychological motivations for accepting autonomous vehicles is critical for the development of autonomous vehicles and society. Previously, researchers have explored the determinants of fully autonomous vehicles but the relevant research is far from enough. Moreover, the relationship between anthropomorphism and users' behavior has been ignored to a large extent. Therefore, this study aim to fill the gap by using anthropomorphism and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explore how system attributes (i.e., perceived anthropomorphism, perceived intelligence) and UTAUT attributes influence consumers' acceptance behavior. The data were collected via questionnaire survey conducted in Beijing, China, which can be a promising early adopter of AVs. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results reveal that perceived anthropomorphism and perceived intelligence have a direct positive influence on the adoption of AVs; performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions have an indirect positive influence on intention to adopt AVs. Also, this research contributes to the literature by enriching studies on psychological determinants of autonomous vehicles' adoption by taking an initial step to highlight anthropomorphism perceptions. This can provide managerial implications for policy-makers and businesses on how to effectively allocate resources to enhance autonomous vehicle adoption.
The efficacy and safety of exercise and physical activity on psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ziebart Christina , Bobos Pavlos , MacDermid Joy C. , Furtado Rochelle , Sobczak Daniel J. , Doering Michele
Published: August 2022

Background

Treatment of psychosis typically focuses on medication, but some of these medications can have unintended side effects, exercise has global health benefits, with minimal side effects. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness and safety of exercise and physical activity on psychotic symptoms, in people with psychosis when compared to usual care, in a hospital setting.

Methods

A systematic electronic search of the literature was performed in June 2022, in PubMed, Scopus, and PsychINFO with no date restrictions. We included randomized trials (RCTs) with patients with psychosis that received an exercise intervention within a hospital setting. The primary outcome of interest was Positive and Negative Symptom Severity Scale (PANSS) overall score. Secondary outcomes were adverse or serious adverse events.

Results

A total of 24 trials were included in this systematic review, with 9 included in the meta-analysis, including 1,426 participants. Aerobic had more pronounced effects when compared to usual care in PANSS positive (−0.23, 95% CI −0.53 to 0.07), negative (−0.38, 95% CI −0.65 to −0.10), general (−0.42, 95% CI −0.71 to −0.13) and overall scores (−0.25, 95% CI −0.52 to 0.03). Yoga when compared to usual care had no difference in PANSS subscale and overall scores. We found no difference on relapsing of psychiatric symptoms or somatic hospitalization when we compared aerobic or yoga to usual care (Risk Ratio, 1.12 95% CI 0.44–2.81).

Conclusion

Aerobic activity as an exercise modality in a hospital setting can be effective in decreasing negative and general psychosis symptom severity scores compared to usual care, however, it was uncertain if the effects were clinically important. More trials are needed to confirm the clinically benefit of aerobic exercise.

Systematic Review Registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42021224997].
Pseudo-doppler aided cancellation of self-interference in full-duplex communications
Authors: Zheng Dongsheng , Yang Yuli
Published: August 2022

In this work, a novel scheme is proposed to enhance the self-interference (SI) cancellation in full-duplex communications. Beyond conventional SI cancellation schemes that rely on the SI suppression, our proposed scheme exploits periodic antenna switching to generate the pseudo-Doppler effect, thus completely removing the SI at the fundamental frequency. In this way, the desired signal is readily obtained through a low-pass filter. For the purpose of performance evaluation, the SI cancellation capability is defined as the difference between the output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and the input SINR. Theoretical formulations and numerical results validate that our pseudo-Doppler aided scheme has higher SI cancellation capability than the conventional SI suppression schemes. Moreover, the impact of the SI suppression achieved by conventional schemes and the influence of antenna switching timing difference on the practical implementation of the proposed scheme are investigated, to further substantiate the validity of our pseudo-Doppler aided SI cancellation.
How does navigating with Augmented Reality information affect drivers’ glance behaviour in terms of attention allocation?
Authors: Bauerfeind Kassandra , Drüke Julia , Bendewald Lennart , Baumann Martin
Published: August 2022

Drivers can benefit from Augmented Reality (AR) information especially in ambiguous navigation situations compared to conventional Head-up displays (HUD). AR information is correctly superimposed on the relevant objects in the environment and therefore directly related to the driving situation. Hence, it is assumed, that drivers no longer have to switch glances between the AR information and the environment (Kim & Dey, 2009). It has to be investigated whether switching glances between the presented navigation information and the environment can be reduced with AR information compared to HUD information. Furthermore, the question arises whether AR information might capture drivers’ attention and therefore distract from the traffic situation compared to a HUD as AR information is presented on the driver’s primary visual axis. The aim of the driving simulator study was to examine glance behaviour in terms of attention allocation while participants navigated in an ambiguous left turn situation with an oncoming car in an urban area (N = 58). Hence, drivers were faced with the decision to turn in front of it or let it pass. A conventional HUD and an AR display presented the navigation information to the driver. The drives differed in traffic complexity (low vs. high) to provide indications whether drivers adapt glance behaviour to altered environmental conditions. Besides the navigation task, drivers performed a non-driving-related task to raise drivers’ mental load while navigating. Results showed that with the AR display participants payed more attention to an oncoming car in the ambiguous left turn situation than with the HUD, which indicates that AR information was not distracting. Furthermore, participants switched glances significantly less between the AR navigation information and the environment, which indicates that with the AR display the driver did not have to map the virtual information onto the real driving situation. Independently of the display type 88% of the participants let the oncoming car pass the first time in this situation. Moreover, subjective data showed that drivers benefitted from AR information. The results of this study contribute to the investigation and development of AR user interfaces.
Functional Relationship between Inhibitory Control, Cognitive Flexibility, Psychomotor Speed and Obesity
Authors: La Marra Marco , Ilardi Ciro Rosario , Villano Ines , Carosella Mario , Staiano Maria , Iavarone Alessandro , Chieffi Sergio , Messina Giovanni , Polito Rita , Scarinci Alessia , Monda Vincenzo , Di Maio Girolamo , Messina Antonietta
Published: August 2022

In the last decades, it has been proposed that executive functions may be particularly vulnerable to weight-related issues. However, evidence on the matter is mixed, especially when the effects of sociodemographic variables are weighted. Thus, the current study aimed at further examining the relationship between executive functions and obesity. To this aim, we compared treatment-seeking overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients with normal-weight control participants. We examined general executive functioning (Frontal Assessment Battery–15) and different executive subdomains (e.g., inhibitory control, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed) in a clinical sample including 208 outpatients with different degrees of BMI (52 overweight, BMI 25–30, M age = 34.38; 76 obese, BMI 30–40, M age = 38.00; 80 morbidly obese, BMI > 40, M age = 36.20). Ninety-six normal-weight subjects served as controls. No difference on executive scores was detected when obese patients were compared with over- or normal-weight subjects. Morbidly obese patients reported lower performance on executive scores than obese, overweight, and normal-weight subjects. Between-group difference emerged also when relevant covariates were taken into account. Our results support the view that morbid obesity is associated with lower executive performance, also considering the critical role exerted by sociodemographic (i.e., sex, age, and education) variables. Our results support the view that executive functioning should be accounted into the management of the obese patient because of non-negligible clinical relevance in diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic terms.
A Moderate Duration of Stress Promotes Behavioral Adaptation and Spatial Memory in Young C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Lin Lanyan , Zhang Jing , Dai Xiaoman , Xiao Nai’an , Ye Qinyong , Chen Xiaochun
Published: August 2022

Stress may serve multiple roles in cerebral functioning, ranging from a highly appropriate behavioral adaptation to a critical risk factor for susceptibility to mood disorder and cognitive impairment. It is well known that E/I (excitation/inhibition) balance is essential for maintaining brain homeostasis. However, it remains largely unknown how GABAergic and Glutamatergic neurons respond to different stressful stimuli and whether the GABAergic-Glutamatergic neuron balance is related to the transition between adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. Here, we subjected 3-month-old mice to chronic mild stress (CMS) for a period of one, two, and four weeks, respectively. The results showed that the two-week CMS procedure produced adaptive effects on behaviors and cognitive performance, with a higher number of GABAergic neuron and VGluT1-positive neurons, increasing the expressions of p-GluN2B, Reelin, and syn-PSD-95 protein in the hippocampus. In contrast, the prolonged behavioral challenge (4 week) imposes a passive coping behavioral strategy and cognitive impairment, decreased the number of GABAergic neuron, hyperactivity of VGluT1-positive neuron, increased the ratio of p-GluN2B, and decreased the expression of Reelin, syn-PSD-95 in the hippocampus. These findings suggest that a moderate duration of stress probably promotes behavioral adaptation and spatial memory by maintaining a GABAergic-Glutamatergic neuron balance and promoting the expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the brain.
Experimental Evaluation of Thermal and Lighting Performance Using Double Dynamic Insulated Glazing
Authors: Qahtan Abdultawab M. , Almawgani Abdulkarem H. M.
Published: August 2022

Designing windows in hot climates that allow occupants to easily control their preferences in a smart home is of considerable importance. This paper aims to contribute to this topic by examining the potential of a smart window system that has double dynamic insulated glazing (DDIG) in preventing heat gain and maximising daylight indoors, considering smart privacy protection during both the day and the night. A small-scale model was developed to examine the proposed window system. Test cell temperature, glass surface temperature and indoor illumination lux were investigated. The results showed that the DDIG had high solar heat control inside the test cell, with a significant reduction of 2.5 °C compared with the common glazing of translucent glass used in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. At high solar irradiation intensities, no significant differences in controlling the heat gain to the test cell were found between coloured DDIG (DDIG-colo) and transparent DDIG (DDIG-trans). A graded reduction between DDIG-trans and DDIG-colo was found with decreasing solar intensity, which was found to be 15%, 10% and 8.7% at irradiation intensities of 200, 400 and 600 W/m2, respectively. The DDIG transparencies maintained the illumination lux with higher reduction under low solar irradiation. The DDIG also provided privacy protection and granted user preferences for outdoor connections.
Different Prognostic Values of Tumour and Nodal Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Depending on Subtypes of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, a 317 Patient-Study
Authors: Rogé Maximilien , Salleron Julia , Kirova Youlia , Guigo Marin , Cailleteau Axel , Levy Christelle , Leheurteur Marianne , Nebbache Rafik , Rivin Del Campo Eleonor , Lazarescu Ioana , Servagi Stéphanie , Aumont Maud , Thariat Juliette , Thureau Sébastien
Published: August 2022

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare entity with a poor prognosis. We analysed the survival outcomes of patients with nonmetastatic IBC and the prognostic value of tumour or nodal responses to assess their individual prognostic impact across IBC subtypes. This retrospective multicentre study included patients diagnosed with IBC between 2010 and 2017 to account for advances in neoadjuvant systemic therapies and modern radiotherapy at seven oncology centres in France. Three hundred and seventeen patients were included and analysed. After a median follow-up of 52 months, the 5-year DFS was lower for triple-negative (TN) (50.1% vs. 63.6%; p < 0.0001). After multivariate analyses, incomplete nodal response was the only significant prognostic factor in the triple-negative group (HR:6.06). The poor prognosis of TN-IBC was reversed in the case of nodal response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Breast response does not appear to be a decisive prognostic factor in patients with TN-IBC compared to lymph node response. Despite improvements in neoadjuvant treatments, IBC remains associated with a poor prognosis. In TN-IBC patients, lack of pathological complete node response was associated with poorer survival than any other group. Treatment intensification strategies are worth investigating.
Penalty Virtual Element Method for the 3D Incompressible Flow on Polyhedron Mesh
Authors: Li Lulu , Su Haiyan , He Yinnian
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a penalty virtual element method (VEM) on polyhedral mesh for solving the 3D incompressible flow is proposed and analyzed. The remarkable feature of VEM is that it does not require an explicit computation of the trial and test space, thereby bypassing the obstacle of standard finite element discretizations on arbitrary mesh. The velocity and pressure are approximated by the practical significative lowest equal-order virtual element space pair (Xh,Qh) which does not satisfy the discrete inf-sup condition. Combined with the penalty method, the error estimation is proved rigorously. Numerical results on the 3D polygonal mesh illustrate the theoretical results and effectiveness of the proposed method.
T’amar Bagrationi (1184–1210)
Authors: Tezelashvili Irakli
Published: August 2022

T’amar Bagrationi, Queen of Georgia (1184–1210). T’amar Bagrationi was the ninth monarch from the royal house of Bagrationis who ruled over the united Georgian Kingdom. She reigned as a co-monarch alongside her father, Giorgi III, from 1178, assuming full authority in 1184. During her reign, dynastic legitimacy necessitated the appearance of the monumental royal portraits displaying the monarch with immediate predecessors and heirs. T’amar’s gender required introduction of meticulous visual language that would re-gender her with all signs of a male ruler and justify her status and sole right to rule. This notion was embodied in her portraits that were carefully incorporated in the overall programmes of the churches. T’amar’s five monumental depictions survive where she is identified in inscriptions; two other monumental images are presumed to depict her. Of all the depictions, only one can be determined to have been commissioned directly by her. T’amar’s imagery relies on Byzantine elements and adheres to established Georgian models for the local royal portraiture; however, it also adopted sophisticated visual means that was aptly used for manifesting royal power and manipulating authority over the nobility.
Response of Moso Bamboo Growth and Soil Nutrient Content to Strip Cutting
Authors: Zhou Xiao , Guan Fengying , Zhang Xuan , Li Chengji , Zhou Yang
Published: August 2022

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is a critical forest resource in subtropical China, and reasonable cutting management of moso bamboo forests is essential for improving the productivity of bamboo forests, increasing the income of farmers, and improving the ecological environment. Therefore, we set up sample plots with different cutting widths at the Yixing Forest Farm in Jiangsu Province in December 2017. Moso bamboo growth surveys and soil sampling were conducted in May 2018 to study the effects of different cutting widths on the growth and nutrient content of moso bamboo forests. Our results indicate that strip cutting had significant effects on degraded bamboo shoots, the number of new bamboos, and their ratios. Soil elements showed surface aggregation, and cutting increased the soil nutrient content. Principal component analysis showed that stand characteristics (diameter at breast height and number of new bamboo shoots) were positively associated with total phosphorus and available phosphorus but negatively correlated with available potassium, total potassium, and soil organic carbon. A cutting width of 8 m resulted in rich nutrient content, which is suitable for bamboo cultivation. These results will provide theoretical guidance for the formulation of scientific and reasonable strip cutting methods for moso bamboo forests.
Productivity and Fuel Consumption in Skidding Roundwood on Flat Terrains by a Zetor Farm Tractor in Group Shelterwood Cutting of Mixed Oak Forests
Authors: Borz Stelian Alexandru , Mititelu Victor-Bogdan
Published: August 2022

Productivity assessment studies are essential in forest operations, mainly because their results enable operational planning and rate setting, the development of equitable payment systems, the assessment of environmental performance, the assessment of improvements brought by technology development, and the optimization of larger forest-based systems. This study examines productive performance and fuel consumption in farm-tractor based skidding operations implemented in flat terrain oak harvesting by developing detailed statistics and predictive models on skidding performance. Two felling areas were selected to monitor the operations, and detailed statistics and predictive models were developed at two resolutions by an end-to-end assessment. Based on 56 observed work cycles, and for average values of the number of logs, payload volume, winching distance and extraction distance of 4.96, 1.81 m3, 14.43 m, 177.3 m, respectively, the net efficiency and productivity rates of skidding operations were estimated at 0.125 h/m3 and 8.03 m3/h, respectively. At the resolution of piece-by-piece winching, winching time depended only on the winching distance. At the resolution of overall skidding operations, the skidding time depended on the number of logs in a payload and average winching and extraction distances. The same predictors were relevant in explaining the fuel consumption in skidding operations, which accounted for 3.72 L/h or 0.46 L/m3, while there was a variation in fuel consumption induced by the type of operation. Both efficiency and productivity were found to be highly sensitive to the operational distances, as the main factors affecting them. Nevertheless, significant improvements in efficiency, productivity, and fuel consumption may be achieved when dealing with fewer logs per turn and higher volumes per piece, since the models indicated no effects brought in fuel and time consumption by the log size, and the technical limits of the used winched reached 8.5 tons.
Machine Learning: Crown Diameter Predictive Modeling for Open-Grown Trees in the Cerrado Biome, Brazil
Authors: Bueno Gabriel Fernandes , Costa Emanuel Arnoni , Finger César Augusto Guimarães , Liesenberg Veraldo , Bispo Polyanna da Conceição
Published: August 2022

The Brazilian Cerrado biome is a hotspot due to its ecological importance and high diversity of fauna and flora. We aimed to develop statistical models to predict the crown diameter of open-growing trees using several forest attributes. Potential crown diameter trends in the measured trees were determined by quantile regression. Crown diameter models were developed by regression analyses, artificial neural networks, support vector machine, and random forest techniques. We evaluated 200 trees characterized into 60 species belonging to 30 botanical families. Our equation for potential crown diameter predicts the derived basal area, number of trees, and the necessary growth space of crown diameter at breast height. Artificial neural networks (with the following validation statistics: R2 = 0.90, RMSE = 1.21, MAE = 0.93, and MAPE = 16.25) predicted crown diameter more accurately than the other evaluated techniques. Modeling crown diameter via machine learning represents an important step toward the assessment of crown dynamics by species and can support the decision making of silvicultural practices and other related activities in several rural properties within the Cerrado biome.
δ15N in Birch and Pine Leaves in the Vicinity of a Large Copper Smelter Indicating a Change in the Conditions of Their Soil Nutrition
Authors: Veselkin Denis , Kuyantseva Nadezhda , Mumber Aleksandr , Molchanova Darya , Kiseleva Daria
Published: August 2022

δ13C and δ15N were analyzed in the leaves of Pinus sylvestris L. and Betula spp. under the conditions of severe heavy metal (Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb) contamination. Twenty-seven plots located near the Karabash copper smelter (Russia) were studied. No reliable correlation of 13C in tree leaves with the level of pollution was observed. δ15N, both in Pinus sylvestris and Betula spp., increased similarly in polluted areas. δ15N was increased by 2.3‰ in the needles of Pinus sylvestris and by 1.6‰ in the leaves of Betula spp. in polluted plots compared to the background ones. The probable reasons for the increase in δ15N were estimated using multiple regression. The regression model, which includes two predictors: δ15N in the humus horizon and the occurrence of roots in the litter, explains 33% of the total variability of δ15N in leaves. Thus, in ecosystems polluted with heavy metals, the state of trees is determined not only by the direct toxic effects of heavy metals but also by indirect ones associated with the features of plant mineral nutrition. This fact opens the way to the search for opportunities to control the state of plants in disturbed ecosystems by regulating the content of mineral nutrition elements.