bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategic Choices for Social Responsibility of Startups in China
Authors: Liu Bojing , Lu Lu , Zhang Hua , Liu Chanjuan
Published: September 2021

This study uses the structure–conduct–performance analytical framework in industrial organization theory to analyze Chinese startups’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) assuming normalization after the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we take the external impact of the pandemic on startups during the pandemic as a starting point for analyzing the changes in the structure of startups and their CSR performance. We find a positive correlation between the pandemic and the performance of startups. We propose that the CSR of startups is not simply altruism but must involve an “altruistic and self-interested” mechanism. Therefore, this study proposes that during the pandemic, startups need to rebuild their CSR model. Furthermore, the company’s “economic man” and “social man” are interdependent; economic, ethical, and legal responsibilities are parallel and charitable responsibilities remain the highest pursuit amid the pandemic. The social responsibility of startups as the COVID-19 pandemic normalizes is a strategic choice.
Peer Effects on Engagement and Disengagement: Differential Contributions From Friends, Popular Peers, and the Entire Class
Authors: Steenberghs Nina , Lavrijsen Jeroen , Soenens Bart , Verschueren Karine
Published: September 2021

School engagement and disengagement are important predictors of school success that are grounded in the social context of the classroom. This study used multilevel analysis to examine the contributions of the descriptive norms of friends, popular students and classmates regarding engagement and disengagement to the development of Students’ own behavioral and emotional engagement and disengagement among Flemish 7th-graders (N = 3,409). Moderating effects of Students’ self-esteem and cognitive ability were examined. The results showed effects from friends’ and classmates’ (dis)engagement on all dimensions of (dis)engagement. Popular Students’ engagement only affected individual Student’s behavioral disengagement and emotional engagement. Self-esteem and high cognitive ability did not make students more or less susceptible to peer effects.
Time Is Money: The Effect of Mode-of-Thought on Financial Decision-Making
Authors: Krava Lidor , Ayal Shahar , Hochman Guy
Published: September 2021

The dual-system approach holds that deliberative decisions and in-depth evaluation processes lead people to better financial decisions. However, research identifies situations where optimal economic decisions may stem from a more intuitive decision process. In the current work, we present three experimental studies that examined how these two modes-of-thought affect financial decisions. In Study 1, deliberative processes were indeed associated with better one-shot descriptive-based financial decisions. However, Study 2 showed that when participants were asked to make repeated decisions and were required to learn from their experience, the advantage of deliberative over intuitive processes was eliminated. In addition, when participants employed intuitive processes, the quality of their financial decisions improved significantly with experience. Finally, Study 3 showed that the deliberative processing style may lose its advantage when information is not fully available. Overall, these findings suggest that deliberation may contribute to financial decision-making in one-shot decisions. However, when information is lacking, and decisions are repetitive, intuitive processes might be just as good.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Suicidal Behavior Among Patients and Residents in Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Belete Habte , Misgan Eyaya , Belete Tilahun
Published: September 2021

There are a million suicide deaths in the world annually, and 75% of these occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there are limited resources to prevent suicidal deaths in those regions. The aim was to assess the prevalence of suicidal behavior and associated factors among patients visiting for medical care at a health center and residents in the community. A comparative study was employed by interviewing 2,625 residents in the community and 1,363 patients at the health center about suicidal behavior in northwest Ethiopia, from March 2017 to February 2018. Logistic analysis was employed with adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) and with p-value < 0.05. The total prevalence of suicidal behavior (ideation, plan, and attempt) was found to be 5.6% (with 95% CI range 5–6%). It was found to be 4.4% with 95% CI range 4–5% in residents and 7.9% with 95% CI range 6–9% in patients. Female sex, depressive symptoms, physical/verbal abuse, and feeling stigmatized were identified as a risk factors for suicidal behavior, whereas a healthy lifestyle, such as eating regular meals of fruits and vegetables, doing physical exercise regularly, and having public health insurance were identified as protective risk factors for suicidal behavior even after adjusting for being a patient or not. The proportion of suicidal behavior was double in patients compared with residents. Suicidal behavior should be assessed in patients who visit for medical help and integration of mental health service within the primary health care system is recommended, especially in low-income countries.
The Associations of Common Psychological Problems With Mental Disorders Among College Students
Authors: Cuijpers Pim , Smit Filip , Aalten Pauline , Batelaan Neeltje , Klein Anke , Salemink Elske , Spinhoven Philip , Struijs Sascha , Vonk Peter , Wiers Reinout W. , de Wit Leonore , Gentili Claudio , Ebert David Daniel , Bruffaerts Ronny , Kessler Ronald C. , Karyotaki Eirini
Published: September 2021

Psychological problems like procrastination, perfectionism, low self-esteem, test anxiety and stress are common among college students. There are evidence-based interventions available for these problems that not only have direct effects on these problems, but also indirect effects on mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. Targeting these psychological problems may offer new opportunities to prevent and treat mental disorders in a way that is less stigmatizing to students. In this study we examined the association of five psychological problems with five common mental disorders (panic, generalized anxiety, bipolar, major depressive, and substance use disorder) in a sample of 2,449 students from two Dutch universities. Psychological problems were measured with one item for each problem and mental disorders were measured with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales. Associations were examined with Poisson regression models as relative risks (RR) of the disorders as a function of the psychological problems. The population attributable fraction (PAF) indicates by what percentage the prevalence of the mental disorder would be reduced if the psychological problem was addressed successfully by an intervention. Especially generalized anxiety disorder was strongly associated with psychological problems (strong associations with stress and low self-esteem and moderately with test anxiety). The group with three or more psychological problems had a strongly increased risk for generalized anxiety (RR = 11.25; 95% CI: 7.51–16.85), and a moderately increase risk for major depression (RR = 3.22; 95% CI: 2.63–3.95), panic disorder (RR = 3.19; 95% CI: 1.96–5.20) and bipolar disorder (RR = 3.66; 95% CI: 2.40–5.58). The PAFs for having any of the psychological problems (one or more) were considerable, especially for generalized anxiety (60.8%), but also for panic disorder (35.1%), bipolar disorder (30.6%) and major depression (34.0%). We conclude that common psychological problems are associated with mental disorders and with each other. After adjustment, psychological problems are associated with different patterns of mental disorders. If the impact of the psychological problems could be taken away, the prevalence of several mental disorders would be reduced considerably. The psychological problems may provide a promising target to indirectly prevent and intervene in psychopathology in hard to reach college students with mental disorders.
Efficacy of Sertraline Plus Placebo or Add-On Celecoxib in Major Depressive Disorder: Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor as a Promising Biomarker for Remission After Sertraline—Results From a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Simon Maria S. , Burger Bianka , Weidinger Elif , Arteaga-Henríquez Gara , Zill Peter , Musil Richard , Drexhage Hemmo A. , Müller Norbert
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Previous research delivers strong indications that inflammatory activation leads to treatment resistance in a subgroup of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Thus, tailored interventions are needed. The present study aimed to find potential biomarkers that may enable patients to be stratified according to immune activation.

Methods: A phase IIa randomized placebo-controlled trial was performed to assess levels of inflammatory compounds in responders/remitters and non-responders/non-remitters to sertraline plus celecoxib (n = 20) and sertraline plus placebo (n = 23). Levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor, neopterin, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; response and remission were measured by reduction of the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score.

Results: Both treatment groups showed a significant decline in depression symptoms, but no difference was found between groups. A clear pattern emerged only for macrophage migration inhibitory factor: placebo remitters showed significantly lower baseline levels than non-remitters (a similar trend was seen in responders and non-responders) while celecoxib responders showed a trend for higher baseline levels than non-responders.

Conclusion: Small subsample sizes are a notable limitation, wherefore results are preliminary. However, the present study provides novel insights by suggesting macrophage migration inhibitory factor as a promising biomarker for treatment choice.

The trial was registered in EU Clinical Trials Register (EU-CTR): https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2009-011990-34/DE, EudraCT-No.: 2009-011990-34.
Individual Differences in Tendencies Toward Internet Use Disorder, Internet Literacy and Their Link to Autistic Traits in Both China and Germany
Authors: Zhang YingYing , Sindermann Cornelia , Kendrick Keith M. , Becker Benjamin , Montag Christian
Published: September 2021

Recent evidence demonstrates that Internet Use Disorder tendencies (IUD; formerly known as Internet Addiction) are associated with higher tendencies toward autistic traits. In the present study, we aimed to further explore this association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits in a large cohort of German and Chinese subjects (total N = 1,524; mostly student background) who completed the short Internet-Addiction-Test, the Autism-Spectrum-Quotient, and the Internet-Literacy-Questionnaire. Moreover, the present research also enabled us to study potential differences in the investigated variables between the Chinese and German cultures. First, the results indicated higher occurrence of IUD symptoms in China. Moreover, Chinese subjects scored significantly higher on all ILQ dimensions than German participants, with the exception of self-regulation where the reverse picture appeared. Second, results confirmed a positive association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits both in China and Germany, although effect sizes were low to medium (China: r = 0.19 vs. Germany: r = 0.36). Going beyond the literature, the present study also assessed individual differences in Internet Literacy and shows in how far variables such as technical expertise, production and interaction, reflection and critical analysis as well as self-regulation in the realm of the Internet usage influence the aforementioned association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits. Although the present study is limited by being of correlational nature it is discussed how the association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits might be explained.
Plasma Metabolomics Profiling of Metabolic Pathways Affected by Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Du Yue , Wei Jinxue , Zhang Zijian , Yang Xiao , Wang Min , Wang Yu , Qi Xiongwei , Zhao Liansheng , Tian Yang , Guo Wanjun , Wang Qiang , Deng Wei , Li Minli , Lin Dongtao , Li Tao , Ma Xiaohong
Published: September 2021

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common disease which is complicated by metabolic disorder. Although MDD has been studied relatively intensively, its metabolism is yet to be elucidated.

Methods: To profile the global pathophysiological processes of MDD patients, we used metabolomics to identify differential metabolites and applied a new database Metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) to discover dysfunctions of metabolic pathways of this disease. Hydrophilic metabolomics were applied to identify metabolites by profiling the plasma from 55 MDD patients and 100 sex-, gender-, BMI-matched healthy controls. The metabolites were then analyzed in MSEA in an attempt to discover different metabolic pathways. To investigate dysregulated pathways, we further divided MDD patients into two cohorts: (1) MDD patients with anxiety symptoms and (2) MDD patients without anxiety symptoms.

Results: Metabolites which were hit in those pathways correlated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Altogether, 17 metabolic pathways were enriched in MDD patients, and 23 metabolites were hit in those pathways. Three metabolic pathways were enriched in MDD patients without anxiety, including glycine and serine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism. In addition, L-glutamic acid was positively correlated with the severity of depression and retardation if hit in MDD patients without anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions: Different kinds of metabolic pathophysiological processes were found in MDD patients. Disorder of glycine and serine metabolism was observed in both MDD patients with anxiety and those without.
Impact of Users' Attitudes Toward Anonymous Internet Interventions for Cannabis vs. Alcohol Use: A Secondary Analysis of Data From Two Clinical Trials
Authors: Romero Danilo , Johansson Magnus , Hermansson Ulric , Lindner Philip
Published: September 2021

Background: Numerous trials have demonstrated the efficacy of internet interventions targeting alcohol or cannabis use, yet a substantial proportion of users do not benefit from the format, warranting further research to identify moderators of treatment effects. Users' initial attitudes toward treatment is a potential moderator, yet no previous study has investigated users' attitudes in the context of internet interventions for addictive disorders.

Method: In this secondary analysis on two internet-based trials targeting harmful alcohol use (n = 1,169) and regular cannabis use (n = 303), respectively, we compared user groups' attitudes at the item level; explored within-group heterogeneity by submitting attitude scores to a k-means cluster analysis; and investigated whether latent subgroups in each user group moderated the treatment effects. Outcome models were run using generalized linear models with 10,000 bias-corrected bootstraps accounting for subject-level clustering.

Results: While substance groups and latent subgroups converged in enjoying the anonymity provided by the format, their interest toward treatment differed. Outcome analyses revealed a significant and negative time by subgroup effect on grams of cannabis consumed and screening test score (CAST), favoring the subgroup with positive treatment attitudes. There were not any significant effects of subgroup on alcohol consumption. Despite initial treatment reluctance, participants in the neutral subgroup decreased their cannabis use (gram) significantly when receiving the intervention vs. control.

Conclusions: This first, exploratory study revealed key differences between substance groups' attitudes, but more importantly that within-group heterogeneity appear to affect cannabis outcomes. Assessing attitudes could be key in patient-treatment matching, yet more research is needed.
Framing Effects and Evidence Type: Influence on the Persuasive Effect of Myopia Prevention Messages Among Elementary School Students in China
Authors: Zhang Zuyue , Lv Yalan , Rao Qingmao , Ye Chunlv , Cheng Ting , Jiang Mengyao , Bai Li , Hou Xiaorong
Published: September 2021

Background: The myopia is a public health issue that attracts much attention. However, limited attention has been paid to the effect of primary school students' acceptance of health messages. Previous studies have found that framing effects and evidence types influence the persuasive effect of messages.

Purpose: This study explored whether framing effects and evidence type influence the persuasive effect of myopia prevention messages among elementary school students and the influence of children's myopia prevention cognition was considered.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,493 elementary school students aged 9 to 13 in China from May to July 2020 by convenience sampling. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multinomial logistic regression were used for data analysis.

Results: Significant differences were found in the persuasive effect between statistical and non-statistical evidence messages (p < 0.001). Among non-statistical evidence messages, gain-framed messages showed a greater persuasive effect than loss-framed messages (p < 0.001). Among statistical evidence messages, loss-framed messages performed better than gain-framed messages (p < 0.001). Children's myopia prevention cognition exerted no significant effect on the persuasive effect of the messages (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the influence of framing effect on the persuasive effect of myopia prevention messages among children aged 9 to 13 in China. Non-statistical evidence messages showed a better persuasive effect than statistical evidence messages. Different types of evidence influenced the persuasive effect of gain- and loss- framed messages. These findings have implications for strategies more or less likely to work in making myopia prevention messages for children.
Exploration of Fatalism and Religiosity by Gender and Varying Levels of Engagement Among Mexican-American Adults of a Type 2 Diabetes Management Program
Authors: Salazar-Collier Cindy Lynn , Reininger Belinda M. , Wilkinson Anna V. , Kelder Steven H.
Published: September 2021

Objectives: Purpose of study is to explore the roles religiosity and fatalistic beliefs play in diabetes management among newly, currently, and long-term enrolled Mexican-American participants in a Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) chronic care management program.

Methods: In 2017, study participants (n = 15) completed a semi-structured interview in their preferred language (English or Spanish). Sample was stratified by amount of time individual had been enrolled as a participant of the Salud y Vida program: newly, currently, or long-term. Interviews assessed religious beliefs, beliefs concerning the cause(s) of diabetes, perceived relationship between religiosity and fatalistic beliefs with T2DM management, and the appropriateness of discussing such topics with a health professional. Interview responses were analyzed using ATLAS.ti 8.

Results: Themes identified included: perceived autonomy over diabetes prognosis, motivators for self-care, discussions of personal beliefs in the healthcare setting, and the church's role in diabetes management.

Conclusions: Among this sample, religiosity and religious fatalism played a complex role in coping with and managing diabetes. Long-term enrolled and male participants expressed beliefs of divine control over health, and a connection between religiosity and health behavior. Long-term enrolled participants felt religious and fatalistic beliefs may be suitable and beneficial to discuss in the healthcare setting.
Formulating and Deploying Strength Amplification Controllers for Lower-Body Walking Exoskeletons
Authors: Thomas Gray C. , Campbell Orion , Nichols Nick , Brissonneau Nicolas , He Binghan , James Joshua , Paine Nicholas , Sentis Luis
Published: September 2021

Augmenting the physical strength of a human operator during unpredictable human-directed (volitional) movements is a relevant capability for several proposed exoskeleton applications, including mobility augmentation, manual material handling, and tool operation. Unlike controllers and augmentation systems designed for repetitive tasks (e.g., walking), we approach physical strength augmentation by a task-agnostic method of force amplification—using force/torque sensors at the human–machine interface to estimate the human task force, and then amplifying it with the exoskeleton. We deploy an amplification controller that is integrated into a complete whole-body control framework for controlling exoskeletons that includes human-led foot transitions, inequality constraints, and a computationally efficient prioritization. A powered lower-body exoskeleton is used to demonstrate behavior of the control framework in a lab environment. This exoskeleton can assist the operator in lifting an unknown backpack payload while remaining fully backdrivable.
Coping With Crisis: Green Space Use in Helsinki Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Korpilo Silviya , Kajosaari Anna , Rinne Tiina , Hasanzadeh Kamyar , Raymond Christopher M. , Kyttä Marketta
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged a deeper exploration about how people deal with crisis. This paper presents one of the first pre- and during-pandemic assessments of urban green infrastructure (UGI) use across the same individuals with the aim of better understanding how people's use of different types of urban green and blue spaces changed during the pandemic. A baseline Public Participation GIS survey (N= 1,583 respondents) conducted in August 2018 was followed up in May 2020 (N= 418 identical respondents) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Helsinki, Finland. We found that residents were more likely to visit UGI closer to their home during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic. Patterns of use of UGI were associated with the quality of residential green areas, for example, people sought out forests nearby one's domicile and tended to avoid parks and recreation areas in order to escape the pressures of lockdown, socially distance and avoid overcrowding. However, spatial cluster analyses also revealed that the places mapped by intensive users of natural recreational areas and more outdoor oriented users became more dispersed during the pandemic, suggesting their active search for new types of UGI, including use of agricultural land and residential areas with high tree density cover. Our results further highlighted that some types of UGI such as more distant natural and semi-natural areas and blue spaces serve as critical infrastructure both before and during the pandemic. Natural and semi-natural areas experienced very little change in use. The presented results have implications for how planners design and manage green spaces to enable residents to cope with crises like pandemics into the future.
Application of Waste Plastic Films in Road Infrastructure and Construction
Authors: Ki Dongwon , Kang Shin Young , Ma Gyeonghoon , Oh Han Jin
Published: September 2021

Recycling waste synthetic resins, including rigid and film plastics, is a pressing issue worldwide due to the issues associated with waste treatment. Using products originating only from plastic wastes could be a promising way to improve the waste recycling rate and address plastic consumption. This study presents the applications of waste plastic films (WPFs) in urban infrastructure and construction materials, especially bearing loads. WPF-recycled products (WPF-RPs) were evaluated for mechanical properties, including strength (compressive and tensile), thermal expansion coefficient, accelerated weathering, dynamic stability, and environmental aspects, such as the presence of hazardous substances. Subsequent tests confirmed moderate strength, good weathering stability against solar irradiation, and superior road pavement vehicle load through wheel-tracking tests compared with the standards for asphalt. Additionally, hazardous substances were mostly not detected or were under permissible limits in the composition and leachate contents of WPF-RPs. After using temporary pavement blocks (TPBs) from WPFs at a field site for one month, we conducted slip resistance tests which gave a result of ~33 British pendulum number, indicating the possible application of WPF-RPs in low-speed driving sections, according to the Korean standards of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Moreover, it was confirmed that fastening structures installed between the TPBs can improve backfilling and compaction defects. This practical research highlights the possible applications of products produced from WPFs for infrastructure development, such as filling materials for burial pipes or tubes; however, these potential aspects should be tested further.
Despite Appearances: Comparing Emotion Recognition in Abstract and Humanoid Avatars Using Nonverbal Behavior in Social Virtual Reality
Authors: Sun Yilu , Won Andrea Stevenson
Published: September 2021

The ability to perceive emotional states is a critical part of social interactions, shaping how people understand and respond to each other. In face-to-face communication, people perceive others’ emotions through observing their appearance and behavior. In virtual reality, how appearance and behavior are rendered must be designed. In this study, we asked whether people conversing in immersive virtual reality (VR) would perceive emotion more accurately depending on whether they and their partner were represented by realistic or abstract avatars. In both cases, participants got similar information about the tracked movement of their partners’ heads and hands, though how this information was expressed varied. We collected participants’ self-reported emotional state ratings of themselves and their ratings of their conversational partners’ emotional states after a conversation in VR. Participants’ ratings of their partners’ emotional states correlated to their partners’ self-reported ratings regardless of which of the avatar conditions they experienced. We then explored how these states were reflected in their nonverbal behavior, using a dyadic measure of nonverbal behavior (proximity between conversational partners) and an individual measure (expansiveness of gesture). We discuss how this relates to measures of social presence and social closeness.
Fifty Years of 3He-Rich Events
Authors: Reames Donald V.
Published: September 2021

The early 1970s saw a new and surprising feature in the composition of solar energetic particles (SEPs), resonant enhancements up to 10,000-fold in the ratio 3He/4He that could even make 3He dominant over H in rare events. It was soon learned that these events also had enhancements in the abundances of heavier elements, such as a factor of ∼10 enhancements in Fe/O, which was later seen to be part of a smooth increase in enhancements vs. mass-to-charge ratio A/Q from H to Pb, rising by a factor of ∼1000. These events were also associated with streaming 10–100 keV electrons that produce type III radio bursts. In recent years we have found these “impulsive” SEP events to be accelerated in islands of magnetic reconnection from plasma temperatures of 2–3 MK on open field lines in solar jets. Similar reconnection on closed loops traps the energy of the particles to produce hot (>10 MK), bright flares. Sometimes impulsive SEP intensities are boosted by shock waves when the jets launch fast coronal mass ejections. No single theory yet explains both the sharp resonance in 3He and the smooth increase up to heavier elements; two processes seem to occur. Sometimes the efficient acceleration even exhausts the rare 3He in the source region, limiting its fluence.
Criterion Validity of an Automated Method of Detecting Live Play Periods in Basketball
Authors: Palmer Jodie , Bini Rodrigo , Wundersitz Daniel , Kingsley Michael
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to develop an automated method to detect live play periods from accelerometry-derived relative exercise intensity in basketball, and to assess the criterion validity of this method. Relative exercise intensity (% oxygen uptake reserve) was quantified for two men's semi-professional basketball matches. Live play period durations were automatically determined using a moving average sample window and relative exercise intensity threshold, and manually determined using annotation of video footage. The sample window duration and intensity threshold were optimised to determine the input parameters for the automated method that would result in the most similarity to the manual method. These input parameters were used to compare the automated and manual active play period durations in another men's semi-professional match and a women's professional match to assess the criterion validity of the automated method. The optimal input parameters were a 9-s sample window and relative exercise intensity threshold of 31% oxygen uptake reserve. The automated method showed good relative (ρ = 0.95–0.96 and ICC = 0.96–0.98, p < 0.01) and absolute (median bias = 0 s) agreement with the manual method. These findings support the use of an automated method using accelerometry-derived relative exercise intensity and a moving average sample window to detect live play periods in basketball.
Intravascular Fasciitis of the Jugular Vein Mimicking Thrombosis and Sarcoma: A Case Report
Authors: Chen Guo Xin , Chen Chu Wen , Wen Xiao Rong , Huang Bin
Published: September 2021

Background: Intravascular fasciitis is a rare disease that is a reactive proliferative lesion of myofibroblasts. There are rare reports that intravascular fasciitis has invaded the jugular vein as seen in this case.

Case Presentation: A 41-year-old female presented with right neck dull pain for 20 days. The appearance of the subcutaneous mass was oval, pink hyaline, well-demarcated, and measuring ~5 mm in diameter. Microscopically, the mass was composed of spindle cells arranged in intersecting fascicles. Immunohistochemical stains showed that the spindle cells were positive for smooth muscle actin and negative for S-100, Desmin, MyoD1, and elastin stains. The nuclei of the spindle cells were relatively uniform, and mitotic activity was observed. The overall morphological and immunohistochemical features are consistent with intravascular fasciitis.

Conclusion: Due to the rapid growth and vascular invasion, intravascular fasciitis created a high risk of misdiagnosing it as a sarcoma or thrombosis. Reporting this uncommon case, we raise awareness of this non-neoplastic lesion, and careful, light microscopic examination combined with immunohistochemical staining aids in the diagnosis of intravascular fasciitis.
Does Vaterite Otolith Deformation Affect Post-Release Survival and Predation Susceptibility of Hatchery-Reared Juvenile Atlantic Salmon?
Authors: Delaval Aurélien , Solås Martine Røysted , Skoglund Helge , Salvanes Anne Gro Vea
Published: September 2021

Sagittal otoliths are calcareous structures in the inner ear of fishes involved in hearing and balance. They are usually composed of aragonite; however, aragonite can be replaced by vaterite, a deformity which is more common in hatchery-reared than in wild fish. Vaterite growth may impair hearing and balance and affect important fitness-related behaviours such as predator avoidance. Captive rearing techniques that prevent hearing loss may have the potential to improve fish welfare and the success of restocking programmes. The aim of this study was to test the effect of structural tank enrichment on vaterite development in the otoliths of hatchery-reared juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, and to assess the effects of vaterite on immediate predation mortality and long-term survival after release into the wild. Fry were reared in a structurally enriched or in a conventional rearing environment and given otolith marks using alizarin during the egg stage to distinguish between the treatment groups. Otoliths were scrutinised for the presence and coverage of vaterite at 6, 13, and 16 weeks after start feeding, and the growth traits were measured for enriched and control fry when housed in tanks. In a subsequent field experiment, juveniles were released in the Rasdalen river (western Norway), and otoliths of enriched reared and control reared fry were scrutinised from samples collected immediately prior to release, from predator (trout Salmo trutta) stomachs 48 h after release and from recaptures from the river 2–3 months after release. Vaterite otoliths occurred as early as 6 weeks after start feeding in hatchery-reared S. salar. Vaterite occurrence and coverage increased with fish length. Enriched rearing had no direct effect on vaterite formation, but enriched reared fry grew slower than control fry. After release into the wild, fewer salmon fry with vaterite otoliths had been eaten by predators, and a higher proportion of fry with vaterite otoliths than those lacking vaterite were recaptured in the river 2–3 months after release. Contrary to expectations, this suggests that vaterite does not increase predation mortality nor reduce survival rates in the wild during the early life stages.
Analysis of the Expression and Prognostic Potential of a Novel Metabolic Regulator ANGPTL8/Betatrophin in Human Cancers
Authors: Xu Fangfang , Tian Dandan , Shi Xiaoyang , Sun Kai , Chen Yuqing
Published: September 2021

The angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) family members, except for the novel atypical member ANGPTL8/betatrophin, have been reported to participate in angiogenesis, inflammation and cancer. ANGPTL8/betatrophin is a metabolic regulator that is involved in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. However, little is known about the expression and prognostic value of ANGPTL8/betatrophin in human cancers. In this study, we first conducted detailed analyses of ANGPTL8/betatrophin expression in cancer/normal samples via the Human Protein Atlas (HPA), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), DriverDBv3, ENCORI and UALCAN databases. ANGPTL8/betatrophin showed high tissue specificity (enriched in the liver) and cell-type specificity (enriched in HepG2 and MCF7 cell lines). More than one databases demonstrated that the gene expression of ANGPTL8/betatrophin was significantly lower in cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), and significantly higher in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) compared with that in normal samples. However, the protein expression of ANGPTL8/betatrophin displayed opposite results in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)/KIRC. Based on the expression profiles, the prognostic value was evaluated with the GEPIA, DriverDBv3, Kaplan Meier plotter and ENCORI databases. Two or more databases demonstrated that ANGPTL8/betatrophin significantly affected the survival of KIRC, uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PCPG) and sarcoma (SARC); patients with PCPG and SARC may benifit from high ANGPTL8/betatrophin expression while high ANGPTL8/betatrophin expression was associated with poor prognosis in KIRC and UCEC. Functional analyses with the GeneMANIA, Metascape and STRING databases suggested that ANGPTL8/betatrophin was mainly involved in lipid homeostasis, especially triglyceride and cholesterol metabolism; glucose homeostasis, especially insulin resistance; AMPK signaling pathway; PI3K/Akt signaling pathway; PPAR signaling pathway; mTOR signaling pathway; HIF-1 signaling pathway; autophagy; regulation of inflammatory response. ANGPTL8/betatrophin may be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, thus providing evidence to support further exploration of its role in defined human cancers.
Identification of Novel Diagnosis Biomarkers for Therapy-Related Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zhang Cuijian , Qian Jinqin , Wu Yucai , Zhu Zhenpeng , Yu Wei , Gong Yanqing , Li Xuesong , He Zhisong , Zhou Liqun
Published: September 2021

Background: Therapy-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) subtype that, at present, lacks well-characterized molecular biomarkers. The clinical diagnosis of this disease is dependent on biopsy and histological assessment: methods that are experience-based and easily misdiagnosed due to tumor heterogeneity. The development of robust diagnostic tools for NEPC may assist clinicians in making medical decisions on the choice of continuing anti-androgen receptor therapy or switching to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Methods: Gene expression profiles and clinical characteristics data of 208 samples of metastatic CRPC, including castration-resistant prostate adenocarcinoma (CRPC-adeno) and castration-resistant neuroendocrine prostate adenocarcinoma (CRPC-NE), were obtained from the prad_su2c_2019 dataset. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was subsequently used to construct a free-scale gene co-expression network to study the interrelationship between the potential modules and clinical features of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma and to identify hub genes in the modules. Furthermore, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to build a model to predict the clinical characteristics of CRPC-NE. The findings were then verified in the nepc_wcm_2016 dataset.

Results: A total of 51 co-expression modules were successfully constructed using WGCNA, of which three co-expression modules were found to be significantly associated with the neuroendocrine features and the NEPC score. In total, four novel genes, including NPTX1, PCSK1, ASXL3, and TRIM9, were all significantly upregulated in NEPC compared with the adenocarcinoma samples, and these genes were all associated with the neuroactive ligand receptor interaction pathway. Next, the expression levels of these four genes were used to construct an NEPC diagnosis model, which was successfully able to distinguish CRPC-NE from CRPC-adeno samples in both the training and the validation cohorts. Moreover, the values of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) were 0.995 and 0.833 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study identified four specific novel biomarkers for therapy-related NEPC, and these biomarkers may serve as an effective tool for the diagnosis of NEPC, thereby meriting further study.
Algorithms for Optimal Power Flow Extended to Controllable Renewable Systems and Loads
Authors: Reyes Elkin D. , Rivera Sergio
Published: September 2021

In an effort to quantify and manage uncertainties inside power systems with penetration of renewable energy, uncertainty costs have been defined and different uncertainty cost functions have been calculated for different types of generators and electric vehicles. This article seeks to use the uncertainty cost formulation to propose algorithms and solve the problem of optimal power flow extended to controllable renewable systems and controllable loads. In a previous study, the first and second derivatives of the uncertainty cost functions were calculated and now an analytical and heuristic algorithm of optimal power flow are used. To corroborate the analytical solution, the optimal power flow was solved by means of metaheuristic algorithms. Finally, it was found that analytical algorithms have a much higher performance than metaheuristic methods, especially as the number of decision variables in an optimization problem grows.
Ensembling EfficientNets for the Classification and Interpretation of Histopathology Images
Authors: Kallipolitis Athanasios , Revelos Kyriakos , Maglogiannis Ilias
Published: September 2021

The extended utilization of digitized Whole Slide Images is transforming the workflow of traditional clinical histopathology to the digital era. The ongoing transformation has demonstrated major potentials towards the exploitation of Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques as assistive tools for specialized medical personnel. While the performance of the implemented algorithms is continually boosted by the mass production of generated Whole Slide Images and the development of state-of the-art deep convolutional architectures, ensemble models provide an additional methodology towards the improvement of the prediction accuracy. Despite the earlier belief related to deep convolutional networks being treated as black boxes, important steps for the interpretation of such predictive models have also been proposed recently. However, this trend is not fully unveiled for the ensemble models. The paper investigates the application of an explanation scheme for ensemble classifiers, while providing satisfactory classification results of histopathology breast and colon cancer images in terms of accuracy. The results can be interpreted by the hidden layers’ activation of the included subnetworks and provide more accurate results than single network implementations.
New Thermal Design Strategy to Achieve an 80-kg-Class Lightweight X-Band Active SAR Small Satellite S-STEP
Authors: Park Tae-Yong , Chae Bong-Geon , Kim Hongrae , Koo Kyung-Rae , Song Sung-Chan , Oh Hyun-Ung
Published: September 2021

The main objective of the S-STEP (the Small Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Technology Experimental Project (S-STEP)) mission is developing an 80-kg-class active X-band SAR observation small satellite. For lighter, smaller, better, and cheaper development of the S-STEP system, a new thermal design strategy is essential. Therefore, we proposed a new thermal design strategy in this study. The main features of the proposed thermal design involve the minimization of heater power consumption by optimizing environmental heat fluxes on the satellite, the provision of long-term SAR imaging duration in both right- and left-looking modes, and the use of a lightweight flexible graphite sheet as a thermal interface for some high-power instruments. These features contribute to minimizing the satellite’s mass budget through heater power minimization and achieving on-orbit system performance of S-STEP. The effectiveness of the proposed thermal design was numerically verified by on-orbit thermal analysis of the S-STEP system. In addition, the thermal design on a key payload component and the multifunctional transmit/receive module structure were verified through a space-simulated thermal vacuum test.
Energy Absorption Characteristics of a CFRP-Al Hybrid Thin-Walled Circular Tube under Axial Crushing
Authors: Jiang Rongchao , Gu Zongyang , Zhang Tao , Liu Dawei , Sun Haixia , Pan Zhenkuan , Peng Dengzhi
Published: September 2021

Thin-walled tubes have gained wide applications in aerospace, automobile and other engineering fields due to their excellent energy absorption and lightweight properties. In this study, a novel method of entropy-weighted TOPSIS was adopted to study the energy absorption characteristics of a thin-walled circular tube under axial crushing. Three types of thin-walled circular tubes, namely, aluminum (Al) tubes, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) tubes and CFRP-Al hybrid thin-walled tubes, were fabricated. Quasi-static axial crushing tests were then carried out for these specimens, and their failure modes and energy absorption performance were analyzed. The CFRP material parameters were obtained through tensile, compression and in-plane shear tests of CFRP laminates. The finite element models for the quasi-static axial crushing of these three types of circular tubes were established. The accuracy of the finite element models was verified by comparing the simulation results with the test results. On this basis, the effects of the geometric dimension and ply parameters of a CFRP-Al hybrid thin-walled circular tube on the axial crushing energy absorption characteristics were studied based on an orthogonal design and entropy-weighted TOPSIS method. The results showed that Al tube thickness, CFRP ply thickness and orientation have great effect on the energy absorption performance of a CFRP-Al hybrid thin-walled circular tube, whereas the tube diameter and length have little effect. The energy absorption capability of a CFRP-Al hybrid tube can be improved by increasing the thickness of the Al tube and the CFRP tube as well as the number of ±45° plies.
Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Broiler Production Systems: Effects of Low-Protein Diet and Litter Incineration
Authors: Ogino Akifumi , Oishi Kazato , Setoguchi Akira , Osada Takashi
Published: September 2021

We conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare environmental impacts of conventional (CNV) broiler chicken production in Japan with those of three mitigation options: a low-protein diet supplemented with more crystalline amino acids (LP), incineration of broiler litter (IC), and their combination (LP + IC). Feed production, feed transport, broiler housing, and manure management were included in the LCA, with 1 kg of liveweight of broiler chicken as the functional unit. The CNV environmental impacts were: climate change, 1.86 kg CO2e; acidification, 52.6 g SO2e; eutrophication, 18.3 g PO4e; energy consumption, 18.8 MJ. Since broiler manure management has a lower N2O emission factor, the LP diet’s effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were limited. Because a large amount of ammonia is emitted from broiler-litter composting and the LP diet reduced nitrogen excretion and consequent NH3 emission, the LP showed lower acidification and eutrophication potentials than CNV. The IC system reduced fuel consumption by utilizing the generated heat for broiler-house heating and thus had lower GHG emissions and energy consumption; it reduced ammonia emission from the manure-management process by incineration and thus had lower acidification and eutrophication potentials even when including NOX generation by litter incineration. The LP + IC system had lower environmental impacts than CNV: for climate change (by 16%), acidification (48%), eutrophication (24%), and energy consumption (15%). Mitigation opportunities for broiler chickens remain, and broiler production systems with mitigation options help produce chickens more sustainably.
Influence of Copra Meal in the Lambs Diet on In Vitro Ruminal Kinetics and Greenhouse Gases Production
Authors: Lee-Rangel Héctor Aarón , Vázquez Valladolid Anayeli , Mendez-Cortes Heriberto , Garcia-Lopez Juan Carlos , Álvarez-Fuentes Gregorio , Roque-Jimenez Jose Alejandro , Mejia-Delgadillo Mario Alejandro , Negrete-Sánchez Luis Octavio , Cifuentes-López Oswaldo , Ramírez-Tobías Hugo Magdaleno
Published: September 2021

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of copra meal (the waste coconut of the oil industry) on in vitro ruminal kinetic and greenhouse gases production and on in vivo lamb performance. Twenty-eight male Rambouillet sheep (initial body weight 24.5 ± 3.9 kg) were randomly assigned to one of the four treatments: 0, 50, 100, and 150 g of copra meal/kg in their diet (dry matter basis). Final weight, weight gain, and feed intake were not affected (p > 0.05) by the copra meal addition. The gas production volume (V) decreased, and the gas production rate increased, in a linear trend (p < 0.05) as copra meal was added to the diet. In contrast, methane and CO2 production showed an opposite quadratic trend (p < 0.05), with the highest and lowest values reported at 100 g/kg DM of copra meal, respectively. The addition of copra meal in the lambs’ diet decreases the volume of gas production and is a strategy to decrease methane and carbon dioxide production in feeding without affecting animal performance.