bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Very Low-Volume, High-Intensity Interval Training Mitigates Negative Health Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic-Induced Physical Inactivity
Authors: Reljic Dejan , Eichhorn Annalena , Herrmann Hans J. , Neurath Markus F. , Zopf Yurdagül
Published: September 2022

Initially, we aimed to investigate the impact of a one-year worksite low-volume, high-intensity interval training (LOW-HIIT) on cardiometabolic health in 114 sedentary office workers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, LOW-HIIT was discontinued after 6 months and participants were followed up for 6 months to analyze physical activity/exercise behavior and outcome changes during lockdown. Health examinations, including cardiopulmonary exercise testing and the assessment of cardiometabolic markers were performed baseline (T-1), after 6 months (T-2, termination of worksite LOW-HIIT) and 12 months (T-3, follow-up). Cycle ergometer LOW-HIIT (5 × 1 min at 85–95% HRmax) was performed 2×/week. For follow-up analyses, participants were classified into three groups: HIIT-group (continued home-based LOW-HIIT), EX-group (continued other home-based exercises), and NO-EX-group (discontinued LOW-HIIT/exercise). At T-2, VO2max (+1.5 mL/kg/min, p = 0.002), mean arterial blood pressure (MAB, −4 mmHg, p < 0.001), HbA1c (−0.2%, p = 0.005) and self-reported quality of life (QoL, +5 points, p < 0.001) were improved. At T-3, HIIT-group maintained VO2max and QoL and further improved MAB. EX-group maintained MAB and QoL but experienced a VO2max decrease. In NON-EX, VO2max, MAB and QoL deteriorated. We conclude that LOW-HIIT can be considered a promising option to improve cardiometabolic health in real-life conditions and to mitigate physical inactivity-related negative health impacts during lockdowns.
Nationwide Analysis on Intentional Indoor and Outdoor Tanning: Prevalence and Correlates
Authors: Diehl Katharina , Breitbart Eckhard W. , Greinert Rüdiger , Hillhouse Joel , Stapleton Jerod L. , Görig Tatiana
Published: September 2022

Outdoor and indoor tanning are considered as risk factors for the development of skin cancer. The aims of this nationwide representative study were to quantify both behaviors in a sample with a wide age range, to identify those showing both behaviors and to explore and compare determinants of both behaviors. We used data from the fifth wave (2019) of the National Cancer Aid Monitoring (NCAM). We surveyed the representative sample including 4000 individuals, aged 16–65 years, living in Germany. Data were collected through telephone interviews. In addition to descriptive statistics, we used logistic regression analyses to identify determinants. The one-year-prevalence of tanning bed use was 7.5%, while 31.9% tanned (very) often intentionally outdoors in at least one situation (weekdays, holidays, and weekends). A total of 3.2% reported both risk behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that tanning bed use is associated with employment, an increased number of naevi, and lack of risk awareness. Intentional outdoor tanning was associated with male sex, younger age, past tobacco use, and low risk awareness of UV radiation. Our findings suggest that only a minority of subjects showed both risk behaviors. This implies that individuals seem to perform either one behavior or the other. In addition, the associated determinants differed between both behaviors, implying that specific preventive measures tailored to address to each tanning behavior are needed.
Stressed at Work: Investigating the Relationship between Occupational Stress and Salivary Cortisol Fluctuations
Authors: Gerding Thomas , Wang Jun
Published: September 2022

Chronic stress has been associated with a range of health disparities, but examination of occupational stress, especially in the wake of COVID-19, has been minimal for many careers. A novel methodology involving work stress diaries and collection of salivary cortisol was employed to determine correlations between occupations, occupational stressors, and how well these are related to the physiological response to stress exposure, the release of cortisol. While cortisol levels tended to follow typical circadian rhythm based on sampling times, cortisol levels also followed the subjective stress levels listed in the work stress diaries following linear regression analysis using the pooled study population data (p = 0.042). When comparing the stressors between the studied careers, participants who worked in the healthcare industry accounted for one-third of the total participants, but reported nearly half (42%) of the more severe occupational stressors listed in the diaries. Finally, the most commonly listed emotional reactions to exposures listed included feelings of stress, frustration, anger, anxiety, or overwhelm. As the workplace progresses from the pandemic, the opportunity to reduce occupational stress exposures in the workplace is at hand. Companies that work towards minimizing the stress faced by their workforce would have a healthier and more relaxed workforce.
Psychosocial Outcomes of Age Integration Status: Do Age-Integrated Social Networks Benefit Older Adults?
Authors: Roman Carly , Beam Christopher R. , Zelinski Elizabeth
Published: September 2022

Increased longevity means that older adults have more opportunities to have age-integrated social networks, which include both same-aged peers and intergenerational social ties. Compared to those with peer-only, or intergenerational-only social networks, those with age-integrated networks may experience greater psychosocial benefits due to the age-diverse nature of their social networks. Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study was used to examine age integration status associations with well-being and social engagement in a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. We hypothesized that age-integrated older adults have greater well-being and social engagement than older adults with peer-only or intergenerational-only networks. Weighted ordinary least squares regression analyses were conducted to test associations of well-being and social engagement with age integration status, controlling for sociodemographic and health covariates. Older adults with age-integrated social networks did not differ in well-being from those with peer-only or intergenerational-only networks, although they had greater social engagement than those with intergenerational-only networks.
Children’s Access to Non-School Destinations by Active or Independent Travel: A Scoping Review
Authors: Desjardins Elise , Tavakoli Zahra , Páez Antonio , Waygood Edward Owen Douglas
Published: September 2022

Background: Children’s access to non-school destinations is important for their well-being, but this has been overlooked in transport planning. Research on children’s access to non-school destinations is growing, and there is a need for a comprehensive overview, examining both quantitative and qualitative studies, of the existing evidence on places that children access by active or independent travel. Objectives: Identify and summarize quantitative and qualitative research on the topic of active or independent travel to non-school destinations for elementary aged children (6 to 13 years old). Methods: Papers published in English between 1980 and July 2021 were sourced from: (i) Web of Science Core Collection; (ii) PubMed; and (iii) APA PsycInfo. Three relevant journals related to children and transport were hand searched: (i) Children’s Geographies; (ii) Journal of Transport & Health; and (iii) Journal of Transport Geography. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1980 and July 2021. Covidence, an online software platform for systematic reviews, was used to organize articles during the title and abstract screening stage. PRISMA-Scr is applied for reporting. Results: 27 papers were retained from an initial 1293 identified peer-reviewed articles. The results reveal that children in different geographies travel unsupervised or by active modes to places that support different domains of their well-being such as a friend or relative’s home, local parks or green spaces, recreational facilities, and different retail locations (e.g., restaurants). There is evidence that children’s ability to reach certain places is constrained, likely due to safety concerns or environmental barriers. Conclusions: Research on children’s diverse destinations is relatively limited as compared to trips to school. Various methodologies have been applied and can be combined to completement each other such as objective GPS tracking and subjective surveys on places children would go if they were available. Future research should clearly report and discuss the non-school destinations that children access to better inform transport planning and policy for all aspects of children’s lives.
Psycho-Social Factors Associated with Intimacy Needs in Divorced and Widowed Older Chinese Women
Authors: Ji Zhe , Yan Elsie
Published: September 2022

The rapidly ageing population, the growing rate of divorce, and the longer life expectancy of women compared with men have resulted in a large proportion of older Chinese women being alone. The sexual health and intimacy needs of this group of women are ignored due to traditional Chinese cultural values that undermine older adults’ needs for sex and intimacy, and the subordinate position of women in society. The present study used a quantitative survey method to investigate bio-psycho-social factors associated with divorced and widowed older Chinese women’s sexual health and intimacy needs in two cities in Shanghai and Wuhan. The conceptual framework of this study was guided by cognitive stress theory, attachment theory, gender theory, socioemotional selectivity theory, objectification theory, and activity theory. We adopted a model involving demographic, biological, psychological, and social factors to unearth the mechanism influencing divorced and widowed older Chinese women’s sexual health and intimacy needs. Data were collected between October 2020 and March 2021 via face-to-face surveys. A convenience sample of 278 (N = 278) divorced and widowed older Chinese women was recruited (166 in Shanghai and 112 in Wuhan). Sexual health and intimacy needs were associated with current relationship status, financial status, physical health, attachment style, neuroticism, mental health, social support, prior marital conflict, and gender norm attitude. Sexual behaviour was associated with age, number of children, financial status, physical health, attachment style, neuroticism, prior marital conflict, gender norm attitude, sexual knowledge, sexual attitude, and intimacy attitude as predictors. Most participants in this study seemed to have found new intimate partners with whom to continue participating in sexual activities after their divorce or widowhood. The present study is one of the first examples of empirical research to examine the sexual health and intimacy needs of older Chinese women who are divorced or widowed. The findings generated by this study will inform the design and implementation of appropriate social programs for this demographic, and provide invaluable insight for social workers, educators, sex therapists, healthcare professionals, community workers, and policymakers working with this population.
Ultraviolet Measurements and Photoclimatotherapy for Psoriasis at the Dead Sea: 25 Years of Experience
Authors: Kudish Avraham I. , Evseev Efim G. , Cohen Guy , Harari Marco
Published: September 2022

Background: The Dead Sea basin is the lowest terrestrial site on the globe and is internationally recognized as a photoclimatotherapy center. Since the last century, questions were raised regarding a possible presence of unique incident ultraviolet irradiation, allowing the successful treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and other dermatological diseases. Aim: This research study aims to determine the characteristics of solar ultraviolet irradiation and to understand the mechanism of action of photoclimatotherapy while applying results to clinical protocols of treatments. Methods: A meteorological station was established at the Dead Sea basin to continuously measure global, UVB and UVA irradiation. The same irradiation parameters are also monitored continuously by a set of identical ultraviolet irradiation instruments installed on the campus of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva. Results: This study details the results of these long-term measurements, as well as their correlation with the success obtained by clinicians treating psoriasis patients. Conclusions: A database of more than 25 years has enabled medical staff to establish tailor-made protocols for sun-exposure time intervals as a function of particular month and hour of day. The availability of such information significantly improved the results of photoclimatotherapy for psoriasis and simultaneously increased the safety of sun exposure at the Dead Sea.
Resilience and Coping with Stress and Marital Satisfaction of the Parents of Children with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gagat-Matuła Anna
Published: September 2022

Raising and caring for a child with ASD is a challenge for the parents’ marriage relationship. Caring for a disabled child changes the functioning of the family and requires greater involvement in care and specialist therapy. The respondents’ answers show that such parents experience higher levels of stress related to the upbringing and future of the child. However, parenting challenges need not be a negative experience if the parents support each other. The process of bringing up children in the family are related, inter alia, to the quality of their parents ‘marriage, which is influenced by the partners’ personal resources. The resilience of the partners and coping with this situation contribute to marital satisfaction. The aim of the study is to find out about the relationship between spouses’ resilience and coping styles and their assessment of marriage satisfaction. In total, 50 married couples participated in the study—50 mothers of children with ASD and 50 fathers, the partners of these mothers (N = 100). The following tools were used: the Resilience Scale (SPP-25), the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and the Well-Matched Marriage Questionnaire (KDM-2), as well as a survey questionnaire (data on respondents). The results show that the gender of the parent of a child with ASD does not differentiate the overall assessment of the quality of marriage (the overall score on the scale indicates a low level of satisfaction with the relationship). When analyzing in detail the dimensions of individual scales of satisfaction with the relationship, one statistically significant difference was noted for the sex of the respondents in the disappointment dimension, showing that the level of disappointment in the quality of the relationship is higher in wives than in husbands. In the other dimensions of satisfaction with marriage: intimacy, personal fulfillment, similarity, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of gender of the respondents. The resilience of the spouses positively correlates with their assessment of marriage satisfaction, and in particular, openness, perseverance and determination to act increase the level of Task-oriented coping (SSZ) with difficult situations. All resilience factors negatively correlate with the emotional coping style (SSE). In both the studied groups, openness is a significant predictor of intimacy, and persistence is a predictor of self-fulfilment in a relationship. A predictor of disappointment in women is managing using substitute activities (ACZ), while in men it is the Emotion-oriented coping (SSE) style. The results indicate the need to support married couples raising a child with ASD during the pandemic.
The Influence of Physical Exercise Frequency and Intensity on Individual Entrepreneurial Behavior: Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Dewen , Han Shenghao , Zhou Chunyang
Published: September 2022

Physical exercise can benefit individuals’ physical and mental health and also influence individuals’ long-term behavioral choices. Doing exercise is particularly important given that physical exercise can impact individuals’ cognitive abilities and positive emotional states, which may further impact entrepreneurial behavior. Therefore, understanding the relationship between exercise and entrepreneurial behavior is essential, because it can provide policy suggestions for popularizing athletic activities and boosting entrepreneurship. Consequently, the present study examined whether physical exercise could predict entrepreneurial behavior and the possible psychological mechanisms within this relationship. Based on the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS2017), this study tested the hypotheses using the Probit and Tobit models. The results showed that individuals’ physical exercise intensity and frequency positively affected their entrepreneurial behavior. In addition, five variables moderated the relationships between physical exercise and individual entrepreneurial behavior: urban–rural differences, education level, marital status, the existence of minor children, and age. Moreover, positive emotions and physical/mental health mediated the influence of physical exercise (exercise frequency and exercise intensity) on individual entrepreneurial behavior. Endogeneity explanations were ruled out by including instrumental variable, copula terms and adopting coarsened exact matching.
Antiviral Peptides as Anti-Influenza Agents
Authors: Agamennone Mariangela , Fantacuzzi Marialuigia , Vivenzio Giovanni , Scala Maria Carmina , Campiglia Pietro , Superti Fabiana , Sala Marina
Published: September 2022

Influenza viruses represent a leading cause of high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Approaches for fighting flu are seasonal vaccines and some antiviral drugs. The development of the seasonal flu vaccine requires a great deal of effort, as careful studies are needed to select the strains to be included in each year’s vaccine. Antiviral drugs available against Influenza virus infections have certain limitations due to the increased resistance rate and negative side effects. The highly mutative nature of these viruses leads to the emergence of new antigenic variants, against which the urgent development of new approaches for antiviral therapy is needed. Among these approaches, one of the emerging new fields of “peptide-based therapies” against Influenza viruses is being explored and looks promising. This review describes the recent findings on the antiviral activity, mechanism of action and therapeutic capability of antiviral peptides that bind HA, NA, PB1, and M2 as a means of countering Influenza virus infection.
Selaginella tamariscina Inhibits Glutamate-Induced Autophagic Cell Death by Activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways
Authors: Jeong Yun Hee , Kim Tae In , Oh You-Chang , Ma Jin Yeul
Published: September 2022

Glutamate-induced neural toxicity in autophagic neuron death is partially mediated by increased oxidative stress. Therefore, reducing oxidative stress in the brain is critical for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Selaginella tamariscina is a traditional medicinal plant for treating gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria, leucorrhea, inflammation, chronic hepatitis, gout, and hyperuricemia. We investigate the inhibitory effects of Selaginella tamariscina ethanol extract (STE) on neurotoxicity and autophagic cell death in glutamate-exposed HT22 mouse hippocampal cells. STE significantly increased cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased the expression of reactive oxygen species, lactate dehydrogenase release, and cell apoptosis in glutamate-exposed HT22 cells. In addition, while glutamate induced the excessive activation of mitophagy, STE attenuated glutamate-induced light chain (LC) 3 II and Beclin-1 expression and increased p62 expression. Furthermore, STE strongly enhanced the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation activation. STE strongly inhibited glutamate-induced autophagy by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In contrast, the addition of LY294002, a PI3K/Akt inhibitor, remarkably suppressed cell viability and p-Akt and p62 expression, while markedly increasing the expression of LC3 II and Beclin-1. Our findings indicate that autophagy inhibition by activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR phosphorylation levels could be responsible for the neuroprotective effects of STE on glutamate neuronal damage.
Platelet Redox Imbalance in Hypercholesterolemia: A Big Problem for a Small Cell
Authors: Morotti Alessandro , Barale Cristina , Melchionda Elena , Russo Isabella
Published: September 2022

The imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis and their scavenging by anti-oxidant defences is the common soil of many disorders, including hypercholesterolemia. Platelets, the smallest blood cells, are deeply involved in the pathophysiology of occlusive arterial thrombi associated with myocardial infarction and stroke. A great deal of evidence shows that both increased intraplatelet ROS synthesis and impaired ROS neutralization are implicated in the thrombotic process. Hypercholesterolemia is recognized as cause of atherosclerosis, cerebro- and cardiovascular disease, and, closely related to this, is the widespread acceptance that it strongly contributes to platelet hyperreactivity via direct oxidized LDL (oxLDL)-platelet membrane interaction via scavenger receptors such as CD36 and signaling pathways including Src family kinases (SFK), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. In turn, activated platelets contribute to oxLDL generation, which ends up propagating platelet activation and thrombus formation through a mechanism mediated by oxidative stress. When evaluating the effect of lipid-lowering therapies on thrombogenesis, a large body of evidence shows that the effects of statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors are not limited to the reduction of LDL-C but also to the down-regulation of platelet reactivity mainly by mechanisms sensitive to intracellular redox balance. In this review, we will focus on the role of oxidative stress-related mechanisms as a cause of platelet hyperreactivity and the pathophysiological link of the pleiotropism of lipid-lowering agents to the beneficial effects on platelet function.
Esketamine and Psilocybin—The Comparison of Two Mind-Altering Agents in Depression Treatment: Systematic Review
Authors: Psiuk Dominika , Nowak Emilia Magdalena , Dycha Natalia , Łopuszańska Urszula , Kurzepa Jacek , Samardakiewicz Marzena
Published: September 2022

This publication discusses two compounds belonging to the psychoactive substances group which are studied in the context of depression treatment—psilocybin and esketamine. The former is a naturally occurring psychedelic. The latter was invented in the laboratory exactly 60 years ago. Although the substances were controversial in the past, recent studies indicate the potential of those substances as novel antidepressant agents. The PubMed/MEDLINE database was used to identify articles for systematic review, using the following search terms: (depression) AND (psilocybin) OR (ketamine). From 617 items, only 12 articles were obtained in the final analyses. Three articles were devoted to psilocybin in depression treatment and nine to esketamine. In most studies, esketamine showed a significant reduction in both depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation shortly after intake and after a month of treatment compared to baseline and to standard-of-care antidepressant agents. Psilocybin’s antidepressive effects occurred one day after intake and after 6–7 weeks of treatment and were maintained for up to 6 or 8 months of follow-up. One study indicated that psilocybin’s effects are comparable with and may be superior to escitalopram treatment. Both esketamine and psilocybin demonstrated rapid and long-term effects in reducing depression symptoms and, after overcoming some limitations, may be considered as novel antidepressant agents in future.
Highly Branched Betulin Based Polyanhydrides for Self-Assembled Micellar Nanoparticles Formulation
Authors: Niewolik Daria , Bednarczyk-Cwynar Barbara , Ruszkowski Piotr , Dzido Grzegorz , Jaszcz Katarzyna
Published: September 2022

Polyanhydrides based on betulin are promising materials for use in controlled drug delivery systems. Due to the broad biological activity of betulin derivatives and lack of toxicity in vitro and in vivo, these polymers can be used both as polymeric prodrug and as carriers of other biologically active compounds. In this study, we develop a novel amphiphilic branched polyanhydrides synthesized by the two-step melt polycondensation of betulin disuccinate (DBB) and a tricarboxylic derivative of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG_COOH). DBB and PEG_COOH were used as the hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments, respectively. The content of DBB in copolymers was from 10 to 95 wt%. Copolymers were assessed for their cytostatic activity against various cancer cell lines. Compared to linear DBB and PEG-based polyanhydrides, the branched polyanhydrides exhibited higher anticancer activity. The obtained polymers were able to self-assemble in water to form micelles with hydrodynamic diameters from 144.8 to 561.8 nm. and are stable over a concentration range from 12.5 µg/mL to 6.8 mg/mL. The formed micelles were found to be spherical in shape using a scanning electron microscope. It was found that the structure and composition of polyanhydrides affected the hydrodynamic diameter of the micelles. The branched betulin-based polyanhydrides have the potential to serve as biodegradable polymer prodrugs or carriers for other bioactive compounds.
LACpG10-HL Functions Effectively in Antibiotic-Free and Healthy Husbandry by Improving the Innate Immunity
Authors: Pan Weixiong , Zhao Zengjue , Wu Jiahui , Fan Qin , Huang Haobin , He Rongxiao , Shen Haokun , Zhao Zitong , Feng Saixiang , Gan Guanhua , Chen Zhiyang , Ma Miaopeng , Sun Chongjun , Zhang Linghua
Published: September 2022

Antibiotics are broadly restricted in modern husbandry farming, necessitating the need for efficient and low-cost immunomodulatory preparations in antibiotic-free and healthful farming. As is known to all, CpG oligonucleotides (CpG-ODNs, an effective innate immunostimulatory agent) recognized by TLR9 in mammals (while TLR21 in avians) could collaborate with some united agent to induce stronger immune responses, but the cost is prohibitively expensive for farmers. Here, considering the coordination between TLR2 and TLR9/TLR21, we firstly proposed the idea that the well-fermented Lactococcus lactis could be utilized as a CpG-plasmid carrier (LACpG10) to enhance the host’s innate immunity against pathogenic invasion. In the present study, after obtaining LACpG10-HL from homogenized and lyophilized recombinant strain LACpG10, we treated primary chicken lymphocytes, two cell lines (HD11 and IPEC-J2), and chickens with LACpG10-HL, CpG plasmids (pNZ8148-CpG10), and other stimulants, and respectively confirmed the effects by conducting qRT-PCR, bacterial infection assays, and a zoological experiment. Our data showed that LACpG10-HL could induce excellent innate immunity by regulating autophagy reactions, cytokine expression, and motivating PRRs. Interestingly, despite having no direct antiseptic effect, LACpG10-HL improved the antibacterial capacities of lymphocytes and enterocytes at the first line of defense. Most importantly, water-supplied LACpG10-HL treatment reduced the average adverse event rates, demonstrating that LACpG10-HL maintained its excellent immunostimulatory and protective properties under farming conditions. Our research not only contributes to revealing the satisfactory effects of LACpG10-HL but also sheds new light on a cost-effective solution with optimal immune effects in green, antibiotic-free, and healthful husbandry farming.
AR Expression Correlates with Distinctive Clinicopathological and Genomic Features in Breast Cancer Regardless of ESR1 Expression Status
Authors: Long Mengping , You Chong , Song Qianqian , Hu Lina X. J. , Guo Zhaorong , Yao Qian , Hou Wei , Sun Wei , Liang Baosheng , Zhou Xiaohua , Liu Yiqiang , Hu Taobo
Published: September 2022

Androgen receptor (AR) expression is frequently observed in breast cancer, but its association with estrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast cancer remains unclear. This study analyzed the clinicopathological and molecular features associated with AR negativity in both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer, trying to elucidate the molecular correlation between AR and ER. Our results showed that AR negativity was associated with different clinicopathological characteristics and molecular features in ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer. Moreover, AR-positive breast cancer has better clinicopathological features than AR-negative breast cancer, especially in the ER-negative subtype. These results suggest that the role of AR in ER-negative breast cancer is distinctive from that in ER-positive breast cancer.
A Tissue Engineering Acoustophoretic (TEA) Set-up for the Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation of Murine Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (mMSCs)
Authors: Zhang Hui , Beilfuss Nirina , Zabarylo Urszula , Raum Kay , Puts Regina
Published: September 2022

Quickly developing precision medicine and patient-oriented treatment strategies urgently require novel technological solutions. The randomly cell-populated scaffolds usually used for tissue engineering often fail to mimic the highly anisotropic characteristics of native tissue. In this work, an ultrasound standing-wave-based tissue engineering acoustophoretic (TEA) set-up was developed to organize murine mesenchymal stromal cells (mMSCs) in an in situ polymerizing 3-D fibrin hydrogel. The resultant constructs, consisting of 17 cell layers spaced at 300 µm, were obtained by continuous wave ultrasound applied at a 2.5 MHz frequency. The patterned mMSCs preserved the structured behavior within 10 days of culturing in osteogenic conditions. Cell viability was moderately increased 1 day after the patterning; it subdued and evened out, with the cells randomly encapsulated in hydrogels, within 21 days of culturing. Cells in the structured hydrogels exhibited enhanced expression of certain osteogenic markers, i.e., Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix (Osx) transcription factor, collagen-1 alpha1 (COL1A1), osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN), and osteonectin (ON), as well as of certain cell-cycle-progression-associated genes, i.e., Cyclin D1, cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61), and anillin (ANLN), when cultured with osteogenic supplements and, for ANLN, also in the expansion media. Additionally, OPN expression was also augmented on day 5 in the patterned gels cultured without the osteoinductive media, suggesting the pro-osteogenic influence of the patterned cell organization. The TEA set-up proposes a novel method for non-invasively organizing cells in a 3-D environment, potentially enhancing the regenerative properties of the designed anisotropic constructs for bone healing.
Knowledge Graphs and Explainable AI in Healthcare
Authors: Rajabi Enayat , Kafaie Somayeh
Published: September 2022

Building trust and transparency in healthcare can be achieved using eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), as it facilitates the decision-making process for healthcare professionals. Knowledge graphs can be used in XAI for explainability by structuring information, extracting features and relations, and performing reasoning. This paper highlights the role of knowledge graphs in XAI models in healthcare, considering a state-of-the-art review. Based on our review, knowledge graphs have been used for explainability to detect healthcare misinformation, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions and to reduce the knowledge gap between healthcare experts and AI-based models. We also discuss how to leverage knowledge graphs in pre-model, in-model, and post-model XAI models in healthcare to make them more explainable.
Mechanism of Platform Interaction on Social Media Users’ Intention to Disclose Privacy: A Case Study of Tiktok APP
Authors: Zhu Xiaogang , Cao Qianqian , Liu Chunnian
Published: September 2022

Interaction is the main feature of social media, while in recent years, frequent privacy disclosure events of the social media user affect users’ privacy disclosure behavior. In this paper, we explore the mechanism of interaction characteristics by social media apps on users’ privacy disclosure behavior. Using SOR theoretical models and the privacy calculus theory, the effects of privacy disclosures on TikTok are examined. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data from 326 questionnaires. We concluded that human–computer interaction (perceived personalization, perceived control) and interpersonal interaction (perceived similarity) positively and negatively affected perceived benefits and perceived risks, respectively, and had positive effects on intention to disclose privacy through perceived benefits and perceived risks, respectively, except that perceived personalization had no effect on perceived risk and intention to disclose privacy. In addition, perceived benefits and perceived risks played an intermediary role in interactivity and privacy disclosure intention. Finally, we provided countermeasures and suggestions for social media operators and policy makers.
Constructing Explainable Classifiers from the Start—Enabling Human-in-the Loop Machine Learning
Authors: Estivill-Castro Vladimir , Gilmore Eugene , Hexel René
Published: September 2022

Interactive machine learning (IML) enables the incorporation of human expertise because the human participates in the construction of the learned model. Moreover, with human-in-the-loop machine learning (HITL-ML), the human experts drive the learning, and they can steer the learning objective not only for accuracy but perhaps for characterisation and discrimination rules, where separating one class from others is the primary objective. Moreover, this interaction enables humans to explore and gain insights into the dataset as well as validate the learned models. Validation requires transparency and interpretable classifiers. The huge relevance of understandable classification has been recently emphasised for many applications under the banner of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). We use parallel coordinates to deploy an IML system that enables the visualisation of decision tree classifiers but also the generation of interpretable splits beyond parallel axis splits. Moreover, we show that characterisation and discrimination rules are also well communicated using parallel coordinates. In particular, we report results from the largest usability study of a IML system, confirming the merits of our approach.
New Aspects of Ruthenium-Mediated Polyhedral Contraction of Monocarbollides
Authors: Loginov Dmitry A. , Dolgushin Fedor M. , Konoplev Vitalii E. , Tachaev Maxim V.
Published: September 2022

It has been shown that the interaction of tris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium dichloride RuCl2(PPh3)3 (1) with 10-vertex monocarborane [6-Ph-nido-6-CB9H11]−[Et4N]+ (2) under mild thermolysis conditions is not selective due to the undesired coordination of ruthenium to a phenyl substituent in the carborane and phosphine ligands, giving the series of new classical and non-classical metallacarborane complexes. In contrast, the reaction of 1 and monocarborane [arachno-6-CB9H14]−[Et4N]+ (3) proceeds more selectively with the formation of the only one product, a isocloso-structured metallacarborane. The structures of two ruthenacarboranes were resolved by X-ray diffraction.
Population Genetics of the Blueberry Gall Midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), on Blueberry and Cranberry and Testing Invasion Scenarios
Authors: Kim Hyojoong , Rodriguez-Saona Cesar , Lee Heung-Sik
Published: September 2022

We compared the population genetic structure between populations of the blueberry gall midge—Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)—from blueberry and cranberry and determined the genetic relationships among geographical subgroups by genotyping 632 individuals from 31 different populations from their native USA regions (New Jersey, Michigan, and Georgia) and from invaded Korean regions using 12 microsatellite loci. Our population genetic analyses showed a clear separation between the two host-associated D. oxycoccana populations from blueberry and cranberry. Using data from only the blueberry-associated D. oxycoccana populations, we identified five genetically isolated subgroups. An analysis of the approximate Bayesian computation suggests that the invasive D. oxycoccana population from Korea appears to have been introduced from an unsampled source population rather than directly from its native range. Our findings will allow for an easier identification of the source of D. oxycoccana into newly invaded regions, as well as to determine their association with blueberry and cranberry, which based on our results can be considered as two distinct species.
Evaluation of Isolation Area, Myocardial Injury and Left Atrial Function Following High-Power Short-Duration Radiofrequency or Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Kassa Krisztian Istvan , Nagy Zsofia , Simkovits Daniel , Kis Zsuzsanna , Ferenci Tamas , Som Zoltan , Foldesi Csaba , Kardos Attila
Published: September 2022

This randomized study aims to compare the left atrial (LA) lesion size, function, and tissue damage following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by high-power short-duration (HPSD) radiofrequency (RF) and second-generation cryoballoon (CB2) ablation. We enrolled 40 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent PVI by HPSD RF (n = 21) or CB2 (n = 19). Every patient underwent LA CT angiography and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to assess the LA anatomy and function. Biomarker levels (hs-cTnT, hs-CRP, LDH) were compared pre- and post-procedurally. Pre- and post-ablation high-density mapping (HDM) was performed. The isolation area was defined under 0.2 mV bipolar voltage (low voltage area, LVA). We calculated the post-PVI LVA/LA surface ratio using LA CT-HDM merge images. At 3-month follow-up, TTE was performed to assess the changes in LA function. Post-ablation hs-cTnT level was significantly higher in the RF group (RF: 1249 ± 469 ng/L, CB2: 995 ± 280 ng/L, p = 0.024). Post-PVI hs-CRP (RF: 9.53 ± 10.30 mg/L, CB2: 12.36 ± 5.76 mg/L, p = 0.034) and LDH levels (RF: 349.9 ± 65.6 U/L, CB2: 451.6 ± 91.3 U/L, p < 0.001) were significantly higher following CB2 ablation. Post-PVI LVA/LA surface ratios were 8.37 ± 6.42% in the RF group and 13.58 ± 8.92% in the CB2 group (p = 0.022). LA function did not change significantly after the PVI procedure. Our data indicate that second-generation cryoballoon ablation produces a significantly larger LA lesion size compared to “point-by-point” HPSD radiofrequency. Both techniques preserve LA function. The myocardial component of tissue loss appears to be higher using HPSD radiofrequency ablation, with less collateral damage.
The Association of Triglyceride to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio with High-Risk Coronary Plaque Characteristics Determined by CT Angiography and Its Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Koide Yuji , Miyoshi Toru , Nishihara Takahiro , Nakashima Mitsutaka , Ichikawa Keishi , Miki Takashi , Osawa Kazuhiro , Ito Hiroshi
Published: September 2022

The triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio is an independent risk index for cardiovascular events. This study aimed to evaluate the association between TG/HDL-C ratio and coronary plaque characteristics as seen on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and the corresponding increase in the likelihood of cardiovascular events. A total of 935 patients who underwent CCTA for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were included. High-risk plaques (HRP) were defined based on three characteristics: positive remodeling, low-density plaques, and spotty calcification. Significant stenosis was defined as luminal narrowing of >70%. Patients with a higher TG/HDL-C ratio showed significantly greater prevalence of HRP and significant stenosis than patients with low TG/HDL-C ratios (p < 0.01). Multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that the TG/HDL-C ratio was significantly associated with the presence of HRP (p < 0.01) but not with significant coronary stenosis (p = 0.24). During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, 26 cardiovascular events including cardiovascular death and acute coronary syndrome occurred. The highest TG/HDL-C tertile was associated with cardiovascular events, with the lowest TG/HDL-C tertile as the reference (hazard ratio, 3.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–13.50). A high TG/HDL-C ratio is associated with the presence of CCTA-verified HRP, which can lead to cardiovascular events in patients with suspected CAD.
Surgical Management of Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Literature Review
Authors: Rossi Leonardo , Becucci Chiara , Ambrosini Carlo Enrico , Puccini Marco , Vasquez Malince Chicas , Gjeloshi Benard , Materazzi Gabriele
Published: September 2022

Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Radical surgical resection with negative margins represents the only opportunity for a potential cure. This review provides a critical assessment of the existing studies regarding the surgical approaches for the treatment of ACC. Methods: This review was performed according to criteria reported in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The research was carried out using the PubMed electronic library. This review is limited to comparative studies evaluating minimally invasive adrenalectomy (MIA) and open adrenalectomy (OA) in adult patients affected by ACC. Results: A total of 14 studies were selected for the review, reporting that 2574 patients underwent adrenal surgery for ACC: 1779 (69.1%) by means of OA and 795 (30.8%) by means of MIA. Six studies considered OA to be superior to MIA, whereas eight studies reported that MIA is as effective as OA in highly selected cases. All studies were retrospective with a heterogenous selection of patients. Conclusions: Data regarding the management of MIA are scarce, heterogenous, and mainly based on retrospective studies. OA remains the gold standard approach for the management of ACC; however, MIA may play a role in selected cases treated in high volume institutions with experienced surgeons.
Introduction to the Journal of Clinical & Translational Ophthalmology
Authors: Greiner Jack V.
Published: September 2022

The primary objective of the Journal of Clinical & Translational Ophthalmology (JCTO) (ISSN: 2813-1053) [...]
The Effect of a Dodecahedron-Shaped Structure on the Properties of an Enzyme
Authors: Ivanov Yuri D. , Tatur Vadim Y. , Shumov Ivan D. , Kozlov Andrey F. , Valueva Anastasia A. , Ivanova Irina A. , Ershova Maria O. , Ivanova Nina D. , Stepanov Igor N. , Lukyanitsa Andrei A. , Ziborov Vadim S.
Published: September 2022

In this research, the influence of a dodecahedron-shaped structure on the adsorption behavior of a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme glycoprotein onto mica substrates was studied. In the experiments, samples of an aqueous HRP solution were incubated at various distances (0.03 m, 2 m, 5 m, and control at 20 m) from the dodecahedron surface. After the incubation, the direct adsorption of HRP onto mica substrates immersed in the solutions was performed, and the mica-adsorbed HRP particles were visualized via atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effect of the increased HRP aggregation was only observed after the incubation of the enzyme solution at the 2 m distance from the dodecahedron. In addition, with respect to the control sample, spectrophotometric measurements revealed no change in the HRP enzymatic activity after the incubation at any of the distances studied. The results reported herein can be of use in the modeling of the possible influences of various spatial structures on biological objects in the development of biosensors and other electronic equipment.
On-Demand Release of Fucoidan from a Multilayered Nanofiber Patch for the Killing of Oral Squamous Cancer Cells and Promotion of Epithelial Regeneration
Authors: Liu Yingnan , Xu Yingjie , Zhang Xiaopei , Liu Na , Cong Beibei , Sun Yu , Guo Mingxia , Liu Zeyu , Jiang Le , Wang Wanchun , Wu Tong , Wang Yuanfei
Published: September 2022

Oral squamous cell carcinoma represents 90% of all oral cancers. Recurrence prevention remains an important prognostic factor in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma, and the recovery of the oral epithelium post-surgery is still a challenge. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a smart carrier material to realize the spatiotemporally controlled release of anticancer drugs, instead of multiple oral administrations, for recurrence prevention and promoting the reconstruction of injured epithelial tissues. Here, we developed a multi-layered nanofiber patch capable of the photothermal-triggered release of low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMWF) from the sandwiched layer, together with electrospun fibers as the backing and top layers. The sandwiched layer was made of phase-change materials loaded with indocyanine green, a photosensitive dye, for the localized release of LMWF in response to near-infrared irradiation. We showed that the on-demand release of LMWF was able to kill oral cancer cells effectively. Furthermore, adding acellular dermal matrix to the top nanofiber layer improved the proliferation of human oral keratinocytes, while the hydrophobic back layer served as a barrier to prevent loss of the drug. Taken together, this study provides a feasible and smart material system for killing oral squamous cancer cells together with the recovery of oral epithelium.
Advanced Embedded System Modeling and Simulation in an Open Source RISC-V Virtual Prototype
Authors: Pieper Pascal , Herdt Vladimir , Drechsler Rolf
Published: September 2022

RISC-V is a modern Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) that, by its open nature in combination with a clean and modular design, has enormous potential to become a game changer in the Internet of Things (IoT) era. Recently, SystemC-based Virtual Prototypes (VPs) have been introduced into the RISC-V ecosystem to lay the foundation for advanced industry-proven system-level use-cases. However, VP-driven environment modeling and interaction have mostly been neglected in the RISC-V context. In this paper, we propose such an extension to broaden the application domain for virtual prototyping in the RISC-V context. As a foundation, we built upon the open source RISC-V VP available at GitHub. For a visualization of the environment purposes, we designed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and designed appropriate libraries to offer hardware communication interfaces such as GPIO and SPI from the VP to an interactive environment model. Our approach is designed to be integrated with SystemC-based VPs that leverage a Transaction-Level Modeling (TLM) communication system to prefer a speed-optimized simulation. To show the practicability of an environment model, we provide a set of building blocks such as buttons, LEDs and an OLED display and configured them in two demonstration environments. Moreover, for rapid prototyping purposes, we provide a modeling layer that leverages the dynamic Lua scripting language to design components and integrate them with the VP-based simulation. Our evaluation with two different case-studies demonstrates the applicability of our approach in building virtual environments effectively and correctly when matching the real physical systems. To advance the RISC-V community and stimulate further research, we provide our extended VP platform with the environment configuration and visualization toolbox, as well as both case-studies as open source on GitHub.