bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prominent Striatum Amyloid Retention in Early-Onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease With PSEN1 Mutations: A Pilot PET/MR Study
Authors: Qin Qi , Fu Liping , Wang Ruimin , Lyu Jihui , Ma Huixuan , Zhan Minmin , Zhou Aihong , Wang Fen , Zuo Xiumei , Wei Cuibai
Published: September 2021

Background: With the advancements of amyloid imaging in recent years, this new imaging diagnostic method has aroused great interest from researchers. Till now, little is known regarding amyloid deposition specialty in patients with early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (EOFAD), and even less is known about its role in cognitive impairments.

Objectives: Our study aimed to evaluate the amyloid deposition in five patients with EOFAD, 15 patients with late-onset sporadic AD, and 12 healthy subjects utilizing 11C-labeled Pittsburgh compound-B (11C-PiB) amyloid PET imaging. Moreover, we figured out the correlation between striatal and cortical standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs). We also investigated the correlation between 11C-PiB retention and cognitive presentation.

Results: All patients with EOFAD showed high amyloid deposition in the striatum, a pattern that is not usually seen in patients with late-onset sporadic AD. The SUVR in the striatum, especially in the amygdala, showed significant correlations with cortex SUVR in EOFAD. However, neither striatal nor cortical 11C-PiB retention was related to cognitive decline.

Conclusions: The amyloid distribution in patients with EOFAD differs from late-onset sporadic AD, with higher amyloid deposits in the striatum. Our study also demonstrated positive correlations in 11C-PiB retention between the striatum and other cortical areas. We revealed that the distribution of amyloid in the brain is not random but diffuses following the functional and anatomical connections. However, the degree and pattern of amyloid deposition were not correlated with cognitive deficits.
Analysis of Brain Functional Connectivity Neural Circuits in Children With Autism Based on Persistent Homology
Authors: Liang Di , Xia Shengxiang , Zhang Xianfu , Zhang Weiwei
Published: September 2021

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder with a complex and unknown etiology. Statistics demonstrate that the number of people diagnosed with ASD is increasing in countries around the world. Currently, although many neuroimaging studies indicate that ASD is characterized by abnormal functional connectivity (FC) patterns within brain networks rather than local functional or structural abnormalities, the FC characteristics of ASD are still poorly understood. In this study, a Vietoris-Rips (VR) complex filtration model of the brain functional network was established by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of children aged 6–13 years old [including 54 ASD patients and 52 typical development (TD) controls] from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) public database. VR complex filtration barcodes are calculated by using persistent homology to describe the changes in the FC neural circuits of brain networks. The number of FC neural circuits with different length ranges at different threshold values is calculated by using the barcodes, the different brain regions participating in FC neural circuits are discussed, and the connectivity characteristics of brain FC neural circuits in the two groups are compared and analyzed. Our results show that the number of FC neural circuits with lengths of 8–12 is significantly decreased in the ASD group compared with the TD control group at threshold values of 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9, and there is no significant difference in the number of FC neural circuits with lengths of 4–7 and 13–16 and lengths 16. When the thresholds are 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9, the number of FC neural circuits in some brain regions, such as the right orbital part of the superior frontal gyrus, the left supplementary motor area, the left hippocampus, and the right caudate nucleus, involved in the study is significantly decreased in the ASD group compared with the TD control group. The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in the FC neural circuits of brain networks in the ASD group compared with the TD control group.
An Indirect Comparison Between Nivolumab + Ipilimumab + Two Cycles of Chemotherapy vs. Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Jiang Panpan , Mao Ziyang , Wang Qinyang , Jia Xiaohui , Geng Luying , Xu Hong , Jiang Lili , Yang Chengcheng , Jiao Min , Guo Hui
Published: September 2021

Background

Nivolumab + ipilimumab + two cycles chemotherapy (N-I + chemo, intensive immunotherapy but chemo-light) and pembrolizumab + chemotherapy (Pem + chemo) were both recommended as first-line treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. We conducted this indirect comparison to compare the efficacy of and safety between these two treatments for providing reference for decision making.

Methods

Relevant databases were searched for eligible trials. A well-accepted adjusted indirect treatment comparison (ITC) approach was selected to pool efficacy results and safety outcomes. Subgroup analyses were stratified according to PD-L1 expression and clinical characteristics.

Results

Four eligible randomized trials (CheckMate9LA, KEYNOTE-021G, KEYNOTE 189, KEYNOTE 407) involving 2017 patients were available to analyze. The ITC results suggested that N-I + chemo is comparable to Pem + chemo in OS (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.82-1.30) and ORR (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.62-1.06), but tended to yield inferior PFS (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.59) than did Pem + chemo. As for safety profiles, N-I + chemo showed no significant difference relative to Pem + chemo in any grade adverse events: (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.99-1.10), but demonstrated reduced toxicity in chemo-related adverse events, such as anemia (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.49-0.81), neutropenia (RR0.51, 95% CI 0.33-0.79), and thrombocytopenia (RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.21-0.69).

Conclusions

N-I + chemo is a promising treatment option for providing comparable OS related to Pem + chemo. However, for never smoker female patients, Pem + chemo is preferable to choose for demonstrating favorable OS benefit than N-I + chemo.
High EVI1 Expression Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Children With De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Zheng Yongzhi , Huang Yan , Le Shaohua , Zheng Hao , Hua Xueling , Chen Zaisheng , Feng Xiaoqin , Li Chunfu , Zheng Mincui , Xu Honggui , He Yingyi , He Xiangling , Li Jian , Hu Jianda
Published: September 2021

Background

A high ecotropic viral integration site 1 (EVI1) expression (EVI1high) is an independent prognostic factor in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, little is known of the prognostic value of EVI1high in pediatric AML. This study aimed to examine the biological and prognostic significance of EVI1high in uniformly treated pediatric patients with AML from a large cohort of seven centers in China.

Methods

A diagnostic assay was developed to determine the relative EVI1 expression using a single real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 421 newly diagnosed pediatric AML patients younger than 14 years from seven centers in southern China. All patients were treated with a uniform protocol, but only 383 patients were evaluated for their treatment response. The survival data were included in the subsequent analysis (n = 35 for EVI1high, n = 348 for EVI1low).

Results

EVI1high was found in 9.0% of all 421 pediatric patients with de novo AML. EVI1high was predominantly found in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (FAB M7), MLL rearrangements, and unfavorable cytogenetic aberrance, whereas it was mutually exclusive with t (8; 21), inv (16)/t (16; 16), CEBPA, NPM1, or C-KIT mutations. In the univariate Cox regression analysis, EVI1high had a significantly adverse 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.821 and 2.401, p = 0.036 and 0.005, respectively]. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, EVI1high was an independent prognostic factor for the OS (HR = 2.447, p = 0.015) but not EFS (HR = 1.556, p = 0.174). Furthermore, EVI1high was an independent adverse predictor of the OS and EFS of patients with MLL rearrangements (univariate analysis: HR = 9.921 and 7.253, both p < 0.001; multivariate analysis: HR = 7.186 and 7.315, p = 0.005 and 0.001, respectively). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in first complete remission (CR1) provided EVI1high patients with a tendential survival benefit when compared with chemotherapy as a consolidation (5-year EFS: 68.4% vs. 50.8%, p = 0.26; 5-year OS: 65.9% vs. 54.8%, p = 0.45).

Conclusion

It could be concluded that EVI1high can be detected in approximately 10% of pediatric AML cases. It is predominantly present in unfavorable cytogenetic subtypes and predicts adverse outcomes. Whether pediatric patients with EVI1high AML can benefit from HSCT in CR1 needs to be researched further.
Comprehensive Clinicopathologic and Molecular Analysis of Mast Cell Leukemia With Associated Hematologic Neoplasm: A Report and In-Depth Study of 5 Cases
Authors: Li Philippa , Biancon Giulia , Patel Timil , Pan Zenggang , Kothari Shalin , Halene Stephanie , Prebet Thomas , Xu Mina L.
Published: September 2021

Mast cell leukemia with associated hematologic neoplasm (MCL-AHN) is a rare and highly aggressive entity that remains understudied due to the paucity of cases. We present a case of a 45-year-old man who was concurrently diagnosed with mast cell leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. We identified four additional patients who had MCL-AHN in our institution and performed whole-exome sequencing of all available tumors. Our series revealed a novel and identical NR2F6 variant shared among two of the patients. This case series and sequencing results demonstrate the importance of fully characterizing rare tumors that are resistant to treatment.
Protective Effects of Sesamin on Cytoxan-Induced Spermatogenesis Dysfunction by Regulating RNF8-ubH2A/ubH2B Pathways in Male Mice
Authors: Hai Dong-Mei , Ren Jia-Wei , Chi Yan-Nan , Ye Rui-Juan , Liu Ning , Ma Lin , Lan Xiao-Bing , Wu Jing , Yu Jian-Qiang , Yang Jia-Mei
Published: September 2021

Most of the clinically infertile patients show spermatogenesis dysfunction. Cyclophosphamide, as an anticancer drug, can induce spermatogenesis dysfunction. Sesamin is the main bioactive component of natural lignans in sesame. It is abundant in sesame oil and has strong biological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and hypoglycemic properties. By establishing the model of spermatogenic dysfunction induced by cyclophosphamide in male mice and then feeding sesamin (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) for 2 weeks, we proved that sesamin can improve the reproductive organ damage induced by cyclophosphamide and increase the number and activity of sperms. Sesamin can resist cyclophosphamide-induced sperm nuclear maturity and DNA damage by increasing the expression levels of histones H2A and H2B in the testis. In addition, sesamin can improve the ubiquitination of histones regulated by RNF8 to protect the testis. In conclusion, these results suggest that sesamin can improve spermatogenic dysfunction induced by cyclophosphamide, which may be mediated by ubiquitination of histones.
Adaptive NK Cell Therapy Modulated by Anti-PD-1 Antibody in Gastric Cancer Model
Authors: Abdolahi Shahrokh , Ghazvinian Zeinab , Muhammadnejad Samad , Ahmadvand Mohammad , Aghdaei Hamid Asadzadeh , Ebrahimi-Barough Somayeh , Ai Jafar , Zali Mohammad Reza , Verdi Javad , Baghaei Kaveh
Published: September 2021

Recently, adaptive NK cell therapy has become a promising treatment but has limited efficacy as a monotherapy. The identification of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) molecules has opened a new horizon of immunotherapy. Herein, we aimed to demonstrate the cytotoxic effects of a polytherapy consisting of ex vivo expanded IL-2-activated NK cells combined with human anti-PD-1 antibody as an important checkpoint molecule in a xenograft gastric cancer mouse model. EBV-LCL cell is used as a feeder to promote NK cell proliferation with a purity of 93.4%. Mice (NOG, female, 6–8 weeks old) with xenograft gastric tumors were treated with PBS, ex vivo IL-2-activated NK cells, IL-2-activated NK cell along with human anti-PD-1 (Nivolumab), and IL-2-activated pretreated NK cells with anti-PD-1 antibody. The cytotoxicity of ex vivo expanded NK cells against MKN-45 cells was assessed by a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Tumor volume was evaluated for morphometric properties, and tumor-infiltrating NK cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantified by flow cytometry. Pathologic responses were considered by H and E staining. Ex vivo LDH evaluation showed the cytotoxic potential of treated NK cells against gastric cancer cell line. We indicated that the adoptive transfer of ex vivo IL-2-activated NK cells combined with anti-PD-1 resulted in tumor growth inhibition in a xenograft gastric cancer model. Mitotic count was significantly decreased (*p < 0.05), and the tumor was associated with improved infiltration of NK cells in the NK-anti-PD-1 pretreated group (*p < 0.05). In conclusion, the combination approach of activated NK cells and anti-PD-1 therapy results in tumor growth inhibition, accompanied by tumor immune cell infiltration in the gastric tumor model.
Strong Early Phase Parasympathetic Inhibition Followed by Sympathetic Withdrawal During Propofol Induction: Temporal Response Assessed by Wavelet-Based Spectral Analysis and Photoplethysmography
Authors: Wang Hsin-Yi , Lo Men-Tzung , Chen Kun-Hui , Mandell Susan , Chang Wen-Kuei , Lin Chen , Ting Chien-Kun
Published: September 2021

Background: Induction of anesthesia with propofol is associated with a disturbance in hemodynamics, in part due to its effects on parasympathetic and sympathetic tone. The impact of propofol on autonomic function is unclear. In this study, we investigated in detail the changes in the cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) and peripheral sympathetic outflow that occur during the induction of anesthesia.

Methods: Electrocardiography and pulse photoplethysmography (PPG) signals were recorded and analyzed from 30 s before to 120 s after propofol induction. The spectrogram was derived by continuous wavelet transform with the power of instantaneous high-frequency (HFi) and low-frequency (LFi) bands extracted at 1-s intervals. The wavelet-based parameters were then divided into the following segments: (1) baseline (30 s before administration of propofol), (2) early phase (first minute after administration of propofol), and (3) late phase (second minute after administration of propofol) and compared with the same time intervals of the Fourier-based spectrum [high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) bands]. Time-dependent effects were explored using fractional polynomials and repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: Administration of propofol resulted in reductions in HFi and LFi and increases in the LFi/HFi ratio and PPG amplitude, which had a significant non-linear relationship. Significant between-group differences were found in the HFi, LFi, and LFi/HFi ratio and Fourier-based HF and LF after dividing the segments into baseline and early/late phases. On post hoc analysis, changes in HFi, LFi, and the LFi/HFi ratio were significant starting from the early phase. The corresponding effect size (partial eta squared) was > 0.3, achieving power over 90%; however, significant decreases in HF and LF were observed only in the late phase. The PPG amplitude was increased significantly in both the early and late phases.

Conclusion: Propofol induction results in significant immediate changes in ANS activity that include temporally relative elevation of cardiac sympathovagal balance and reduced sympathetic activity.

Clinical Trial Registration: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Taipei Veterans General Hospital (No. 2017-07-009CC) and is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03613961).
Validity and Reliability of Hydraulic-Analogy Bioenergetic Models in Sprint Roller Skiing
Authors: Lidar Julius , Andersson Erik P. , Sundström David
Published: September 2021

Purpose: To develop a method for individual parameter estimation of four hydraulic-analogy bioenergetic models and to assess the validity and reliability of these models’ prediction of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic utilization during sprint roller-skiing.

Methods: Eleven elite cross-country skiers performed two treadmill roller-skiing time trials on a course consisting of three flat sections interspersed by two uphill sections. Aerobic and anaerobic metabolic rate contributions, external power output, and gross efficiency were determined. Two versions each (fixed or free maximal aerobic metabolic rate) of a two-tank hydraulic-analogy bioenergetic model (2TM-fixed and 2TM-free) and a more complex three-tank model (3TM-fixed and 3TM-free) were programmed into MATLAB. The aerobic metabolic rate (MRae) and the accumulated anaerobic energy expenditure (Ean,acc) from the first time trial (STT1) together with a gray-box model in MATLAB, were used to estimate the bioenergetic model parameters. Validity was assessed by simulation of each bioenergetic model using the estimated parameters from STT1 and the total metabolic rate (MRtot) in the second time trial (STT2).

Results: The validity and reliability of the parameter estimation method based on STT1 revealed valid and reliable overall results for all the four models vs. measurement data with the 2TM-free model being the most valid. Mean differences in model-vs.-measured MRae ranged between -0.005 and 0.016 kW with typical errors between 0.002 and 0.009 kW. Mean differences in Ean,acc at STT termination ranged between −4.3 and 0.5 kJ and typical errors were between 0.6 and 2.1 kJ. The root mean square error (RMSE) for 2TM-free on the instantaneous STT1 data was 0.05 kW for MRae and 0.61 kJ for Ean,acc, which was lower than the other three models (all P < 0.05). Compared to the results in STT1, the validity and reliability of each individually adapted bioenergetic model was worse during STT2 with models underpredicting MRae and overpredicting Ean,acc vs. measurement data (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the 2TM-free had the lowest RMSEs during STT2.

Conclusion: The 2TM-free provided the highest validity and reliability in MRae and Ean,acc for both the parameter estimation in STT1 and the model validity and reliability evaluation in the succeeding STT2.
Efficiency of Sucrose to Starch Metabolism Is Related to the Initiation of Inferior Grain Filling in Large Panicle Rice
Authors: Jiang Zhengrong , Chen Qiuli , Chen Lin , Yang Hongyi , Zhu Meichen , Ding Yanfeng , Li Weiwei , Liu Zhenghui , Jiang Yu , Li Ganghua
Published: September 2021

The poor grain-filling initiation often causes the poor development of inferior spikelets (IS) which limits the yield potential of large panicle rice (Oryza sativa L.). However, it remains unclear why IS often has poor grain-filling initiation. In addressing this problem, this study conducted a field experiment involving two large panicle rice varieties, namely CJ03 and W1844, in way of removing the superior spikelets (SS) during flowering to force enough photosynthate transport to the IS. The results of this study showed that the grain-filling initiation of SS was much earlier than the IS in CJ03 and W1844, whereas the grain-filling initiation of IS in W1844 was evidently more promoted compared with the IS of CJ03 by removing spikelets. The poor sucrose-unloading ability, i.e., carbohydrates contents, the expression patterns of OsSUTs, and activity of CWI, were highly improved in IS of CJ03 and W1844 by removing spikelets. However, there was a significantly higher rise in the efficiency of sucrose to starch metabolism, i.e., the expression patterns of OsSUS4 and OsAGPL1 and activities of SuSase and AGPase, for IS of W1844 than that of CJ03. Removing spikelets also led to the changes in sugar signaling of T6P and SnRK1 level. These changes might be related to the regulation of sucrose to starch metabolism. The findings of this study suggested that poor sucrose-unloading ability delays the grain-filling initiation of IS. Nonetheless, the efficiency of sucrose to starch metabolism is also strongly linked with the grain-filling initiation of IS.
A Plant-Produced Virus-Like Particle Displaying Envelope Protein Domain III Elicits an Immune Response Against West Nile Virus in Mice
Authors: Stander Jennifer , Chabeda Aleyo , Rybicki Edward P. , Meyers Ann E.
Published: September 2021

West Nile virus (WNV) is a globally disseminated Flavivirus that is associated with encephalitis outbreaks in humans and horses. The continuous global outbreaks of West Nile disease in the bird, human, and horse populations, with no preventative measures for humans, pose a major public health threat. The development of a vaccine that contributes to the “One Health” Initiative could be the answer to prevent the spread of the virus and control human and animal disease. The current commercially available veterinary vaccines are generally costly and most require high levels of biosafety for their manufacture. Consequently, we explored making a particulate vaccine candidate made transiently in plants as a more cost-effective and safer means of production. A WNV virus-like particle-display-based vaccine candidate was generated by the use of the SpyTag/SpyCatcher (ST/SC) conjugation system. The WNV envelope protein domain III (EDIII), which contains WNV-specific epitopes, was fused to and displayed on AP205 phage virus-like particles (VLPs) following the production of both separately in Nicotiana benthamiana. Co-purification of AP205 and EDIII genetically fused to ST and SC, respectively, resulted in the conjugated VLPs displaying EDIII with an average coupling efficiency of 51%. Subcutaneous immunisation of mice with 5 μg of purified AP205: EDIII VLPs elicited a potent IgG response to WNV EDIII. This study presents the potential plants being used as biofactories for making significant pharmaceutical products for the “One Health” Initiative and could be used to address the need for their local production in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Technology Acceptance Behavior and Feedback Loop: Exploring Reverse Causality of TAM in Post-COVID-19 Scenario
Authors: Ishaq Erum , Bashir Sajid , Zakariya Ramsha , Sarwar Aisha
Published: September 2021

In this study, we considered the reverse causality of the technology acceptance model, specifically in the post-COVID-19 scenario. We propose a theoretical model that considers the impact of technology acceptance behaviors after COVID-19 over the beliefs of a user in terms of perceived ease of using technology and its usefulness. More specifically, we suggested that acceptance of technology post-COVID-19 may have influenced many technology-related individual factors such as computer efficacy, mastery experience, and self-regulated learning of users, while using technology that in turn may have affected beliefs of users about ease of using technology. Such an effect is ultimately reflected in the belief of technology usefulness and favorable post-COVID-19 attitude of users toward using technology. We further extend our model to identify mastery orientation of individuals that may moderate the relationship between technology acceptance behaviors and favorable attitude toward using technology in the post-COVID-19 scenario. Both practical and theoretical implications of this perspective are discussed.
Loneliness in Bereavement: Measurement Matters
Authors: Vedder Anneke , Stroebe Margeret S. , Schut Henk A.W. , Boerner Kathrin , Stokes Jeffrey E. , Boelen Paul A.
Published: September 2021

The role of loneliness in the bereavement experience has been reported as substantial, with the death of a close person leaving a considerable void in the life of the bereaved. Yet, there is lack of agreement about its precise role and, notably, whether loneliness should be included as a core symptom for diagnosis of grief complications. The ongoing threat of heightened social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic underlines the need to understand the impact of loneliness, and to accurately chart its prevalence, intensity, duration, and associated difficulties in the context of bereavement. Assessment issues are central to this endeavor. In this article, we review the scientific literature to examine how loneliness after bereavement has been operationalized and measured. Sixty-three articles analyzing 51 independent datasets were reviewed. Results show major disparities: approximately half of the projects assessed loneliness by means of one of two validated scales (spanning different versions); the remainder included only single- or few-item measures. Diverse instructions, content and answer categories were used. While one size does not fit all, awareness of assessment options and dis/advantages may aid selection of the most appropriate measure, to suit the goals of a particular study and the specific groups under investigation. Our conclusion is that, in selecting a loneliness measure, health care professionals should come to their own well-informed decision, aided by the information provided in our review.
Toward the Impact of EFL Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Collective Efficacy on Students' Engagement
Authors: Lu Qiaoqiao , Mustafa Zarina
Published: September 2021

Given the centrality of students' engagement in their academic success, considerable attention has been paid to this construct and its potential predictors. Notwithstanding, a limited number of studies have focused on the role of teacher self- and collective efficacy as antecedents of student engagement. Further, no review study has been carried out to illustrate the impact of EFL teacher' efficacy on learning engagement. Hence, the current study intends to review the previous studies conducted on this topic to probe into the beneficial effects of EFL teachers' sense of efficacy on students' academic engagement. The predictability power of EFL teachers' self- and collective efficacy was confirmed through empirical and theoretical evidence. The conclusion and pedagogical implications of the finding are also discussed.
Urgency in Improving Child Health Care Workers' Awareness and Knowledge of ASD: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Study in Southwest China
Authors: Ma Yu , Zhou Yan , Liu Ye , Ping Yue , Wang Yaozhou , Hu Xiao , Zhang Chenxi , Wang Tianqi , Zhou Hao
Published: September 2021

Objective: To evaluate the levels of awareness and knowledge of ASD among child health care workers in China, we conducted a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study to assess the participants' awareness and knowledge of ASD.

Methods: A total of 159 child health care workers from Southwest China participated in the survey and filled out the questionnaire.Descriptive analysis was conducted on the five parts of the questionnaire, including general knowledge, symptomology, screening and diagnosis, and intervention and treatment. Univariate analysis was used to assess impacts of the participants' basic demographic characteristics on the questionnaire scores. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze association of the participants' basic demographic characteristics and the questionnaire scores.

Results: Less than 15% of the participants knew that ASD is a developmental, congenital and genetic disorder. Few participants knew that the symptoms include language disorder (38.4%) and social dysfunction (29.6%). A minority of the participants knew the diagnostic criteria (22.6%) and the age for early screening (14.5%). A total of 23.9% of the participants agreed that there are no effective drugs to treat ASD, and 6.3% agreed that ASD is incurable. A number of years in practice of ≥10 (OR = 0.3249, 95% CI: 0.1080–0.9189) was the main factor related to a high questionnaire score.

Conclusions: Most participants had relatively low levels of awareness and knowledge of ASD, especially in terms of general knowledge as well as knowledge of intervention and treatment. Working for more than 10 years was a significant predictor of higher levels of awareness and knowledge of ASD. ASD-related training and knowledge dissemination are crucial for the early diagnosis and intervention of ASD. Child health care workers' awareness and knowledge of ASD needs to be improved to help build public awareness about ASD.
Characteristics of Adaptation in Undergraduate University Students Suddenly Exposed to Fully Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ishimaru Daiki , Adachi Hiroyoshi , Nagahara Hajime , Shirai Shizuka , Takemura Haruo , Takemura Noriko , Mehrasa Alizadeh , Higashino Teruo , Yagi Yasushi , Ikeda Manabu
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to clarify the adaptation features of University students exposed to fully online education during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to identify accompanying mental health problems and predictors of school adaptation. The pandemic has forced many universities to transition rapidly to delivering online education. However, little is known about the impact of this drastic change on students' school adaptation. This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire, including assessments of impressions of online education, study engagement, mental health, and lifestyle habits. In total, 1,259 students were assessed. The characteristics of school adaptation were analyzed by a two-step cluster analysis. The proportion of mental health problems was compared among different groups based on a cluster analysis. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of cluster membership. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The two-step cluster analysis determined three clusters: school adaptation group, school maladaptation group, and school over-adaptation group. The last group significantly exhibited the most mental health problems. Membership of this group was significantly associated with being female (OR = 1.42; 95% CI 1.06–1.91), being older (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.01–1.44), those who considered online education to be less beneficial (OR = 2.17; 95% CI 1.64–2.88), shorter sleep time on weekdays (OR = 0.826; 95% CI 0.683–.998), longer sleep time on holidays (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.03–1.43), and worse restorative sleep (OR = 2.27; 95% CI 1.81–2.86). The results suggest that academic staff should understand distinctive features of school adaptation owing to the rapid transition of the educational system and should develop support systems to improve students' mental health. They should consider ways to incorporate online classes with their lectures to improve students' perceived benefits of online education. Additionally, educational guidance on lifestyle, such as sleep hygiene, may be necessary.
Strategies to Advance Women: Career Insights From Senior Leadership Women in Professional Sport in Canada
Authors: Cosentino Amanda , Weese W. James , Wells Janelle E.
Published: September 2021

Women remain minimally represented in senior leadership roles in sport, despite increased female participation in both sport, sport management education programs, and in entry levels positions in the industry. Many women prematurely exit mid-level leadership positions in sport, or are often overlooked for senior leadership positions. To uncover the experiences and strategies of women who made it through the process, we interviewed all the women (N= 7) who now hold senior leadership positions with professional sport properties in Canada. Participants revealed they overcame real and perceived barriers, and they suggested women seeking senior leadership roles in the industry: (a) find, and later become role models, mentors, and sponsors; (b) create access to networks and opportunities; (c) strategically self-promote, and; (d) purposefully build a varied career portfolio. Recommendations for the industry and all those who work in the industry are presented with a goal to break the cycle and help ensure more equitable and inclusive leaders in the senior leadership ranks.
Adjunctive Use of Intravenous Antibiotic Regional Limb Perfusion in Three Cranes with Distal Limb Infections
Authors: Huckins Gail L. , Sim Richard R. , Hartup Barry
Published: September 2021

Pododermatitis and wing lesions are commonly reported issues in captive crane species. Regional limb perfusion has been used as a treatment for distal limb infections in several avian species, as systemic antibiotic therapy is often prolonged and unrewarding. A black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), and wattled crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) were treated with amikacin (5–10 mg/kg IV infusion) regional limb perfusion for cellulitis and osteomyelitis of hind limb digits and alular osteomyelitis and septic arthritis of the carpus, respectively, with a range of 1–3 treatments per case. Clinical signs of infection resolved within 10–40 days following regional limb perfusion combined with oral or parental antibiotic therapy. No side effects were observed following regional limb perfusion. This is the first report of regional limb perfusion in cranes and the first report of intravenous regional limb perfusion in a wing of an avian species.
Fatty Acids as Biomarkers of the Production Season of Caciocavallo Palermitano Cheese
Authors: Maniaci Giuseppe , Di Grigoli Antonino , Bonanno Adriana , Giosuè Cristina , Ilardi Vincenzo , Alabiso Marco
Published: September 2021

This experiment aims to evaluate the potential of fatty acids (FA) of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese as biomarkers of production season and pasture-based diet. A total of 48 cheeses were made in the four seasons with milk from two farms that raised cows of Cinisara breed. The animals were fed on pasture with supplementation of wheat bran and wheat straw in the barn, and in summer also with Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes. The chemical composition and FA profile of cheese were influenced by the season and not by the farm. In particular, cheeses produced in spring were characterized by higher protein and lower fat, and showed higher contents in trans-vaccenic acid, α-linolenic acid, rumenic acid, n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), and total PUFA. In winter, the lower availability of grazing forage, requiring a higher level of feeding integration, was responsible for an increase of saturated FA (SFA). The multivariate analysis distinguished clearly the cheeses made in winter and spring, while those produced in autumn and summer showed some overlapping points. Further investigations should be carried out to evaluate the effects of type and level of feeding integration on the presence of FA more suitable to be used as biomarkers of period and diet.
The Prevalence and Characterization of Fecal Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Pigs on Farms of Different Sizes in Latvia
Authors: Gāliņa Daiga , Balins Andris , Valdovska Anda
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of fecal ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) in pigs on large and small farms in Latvia, to characterize beta-lactamase genes and establish an antimicrobial resistance profile. Fecal samples (n = 615) were collected from 4-week, 5-week, 6-week, 8-week, 12-week and 20-week-old piglets, pigs and sows on four large farms (L1, L2, L3, L4) and three small farms (S1, S2, S3) in Latvia. ChromArt ESBL agar and combination disc tests were used for the screening and confirmation of ESBL-producing E. coli. The antimicrobial resistance was determined by the disc diffusion method and ESBL genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Subsequently, ESBL-producing E. coli was confirmed on three large farms, L1 (64.3%), L2 (29.9%), L3 (10.7%) and one small farm, S1 (47.5%); n = 144 (23.4%). The prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli differed considerably between the large and small farm groups (26.9% vs. 12.7%). Of ESBL E. coli isolates, 96% were multidrug-resistant (MDR), demonstrating there were more extensive MDR phenotypes on large farms. The distribution of ESBL genes was blaTEM (94%), blaCTX-M (86%) and blaSHV (48%). On the small farm, blaSHV dominated, thus demonstrating a positive association with resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ceftazidime and cefixime, while on the large farms, blaCTX-M with a positive association to cephalexin and several non-beta lactam antibiotics dominated. The results indicated the prevalence of a broad variety of ESBL-producing E. coli among the small and large farms, putting the larger farms at a higher risk. Individual monitoring of ESBL and their antimicrobial resistance could be an important step in revealing hazardous MDR ESBL-producing E. coli strains and reviewing the management of antibiotic use.
Mitochondrial Oxidation of the Cytoplasmic Reducing Equivalents at the Onset of Oxidant Stress in the Isoproterenol-Induced Rat Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Vázquez-Martínez Olivia , Díaz-Muñoz Mauricio , López-Barrera Fernando , Hernández-Muñoz Rolando
Published: September 2021

We have developed and characterized a model of isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial necrosis, identifying three stages of cardiac damage: a pre-infarction (0–12 h), infarction (24 h), and post-infarction period (48–96 h). Using this model, we have previously found alterations in calcium homeostasis and their relationship with oxidant stress in mitochondria, which showed deficient oxygen consumption and coupled ATP synthesis. Therefore, the present study was aimed at assessing the mitochondrial ability to transport and oxidize cytoplasmic reducing equivalents (NADH), correlating the kinetic parameters of the malate-aspartate shuttle, oxidant stress, and mitochondrial functionality. Our results showed only discreet effects during the cardiotoxic ISO action on the endogenous malate-aspartate shuttle activity, suggesting that endogenous mitochondrial NADH oxidation capacity (Nohl dehydrogenase) was not affected by the cellular stress. On the contrary, the reconstituted system showed significant enhancement in maximal capacity of the malate-aspartate shuttle activity only at later times (post-infarction period), probably as a compensatory part of cardiomyocytes’ response to the metabolic and functional consequences of the infarcted tissue. Therefore, these findings support the notion that heart damage associated with myocardial infarction suffers a set of sequential biochemical and metabolic modifications within cardiomyocytes, where mitochondrial activity, controlling the redox state, could play a relevant role.
Agaricales Mushroom Lignin Peroxidase: From Structure–Function to Degradative Capabilities
Authors: Sánchez-Ruiz María Isabel , Ayuso-Fernández Iván , Rencoret Jorge , González-Ramírez Andrés Manuel , Linde Dolores , Davó-Siguero Irene , Romero Antonio , Gutiérrez Ana , Martínez Angel T. , Ruiz-Dueñas Francisco Javier
Published: September 2021

Lignin biodegradation has been extensively studied in white-rot fungi, which largely belong to order Polyporales. Among the enzymes that wood-rotting polypores secrete, lignin peroxidases (LiPs) have been labeled as the most efficient. Here, we characterize a similar enzyme (ApeLiP) from a fungus of the order Agaricales (with ~13,000 described species), the soil-inhabiting mushroom Agrocybe pediades. X-ray crystallography revealed that ApeLiP is structurally related to Polyporales LiPs, with a conserved heme-pocket and a solvent-exposed tryptophan. Its biochemical characterization shows that ApeLiP can oxidize both phenolic and non-phenolic lignin model-compounds, as well as different dyes. Moreover, using stopped-flow rapid spectrophotometry and 2D-NMR, we demonstrate that ApeLiP can also act on real lignin. Characterization of a variant lacking the above tryptophan residue shows that this is the oxidation site for lignin and other high redox-potential substrates, and also plays a role in phenolic substrate oxidation. The reduction potentials of the catalytic-cycle intermediates were estimated by stopped-flow in equilibrium reactions, showing similar activation by H2O2, but a lower potential for the rate-limiting step (compound-II reduction) compared to other LiPs. Unexpectedly, ApeLiP was stable from acidic to basic pH, a relevant feature for application considering its different optima for oxidation of phenolic and nonphenolic compounds.
Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Radio Frequency Dielectric Barrier Glow Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure
Authors: Li Sen , Sun Jiazhen , Sun Rui , Pan Jie , Wang Lin , Chen Chen , Chen Qiang , Liu Zhongwei
Published: September 2021

In this paper, argon was used in radio frequency (13.56 MHz) dielectric barrier discharge (rf-DBD) at atmospheric pressure. The IV curve was recorded after gas breakdown, and discharge photos were captured by ICCD camera. Discharges of α mode and γ mode were observed based on IV curve and ICCD photos. As the existence of negative glow in γ mode, the luminescence intensity of different position of the discharge gap was analyzed. It was found that in the α mode, the electron avalanche occurs from negative to positive and negative glow appeared after the discharge changed into γ mode. In every half cycle, the peak position of negative glow is 13 ± 1 ns later than that of electron avalanche on cathode surface.
Verification Measurement of Laboratory Test Equipment for Evaluation of Technical Properties of Automotive Oil Filters
Authors: Hujo Ľubomír , Jablonický Juraj , Tulík Juraj , Kosiba Ján , Kaszkowiak Jerzy , Michalides Matej
Published: September 2021

By simulating the operating conditions, it is possible to verify and evaluate the technical properties of motor vehicle oil filters and the functionality of the designed equipment. Contaminated engine oil from operation was used with MANN W950/26 oil filter and a CNH Industrial 2992242 oil filter in the test circuit. Before use, the level of engine oil contamination in the test circuit was determined by evaluating the physicochemical properties. The laboratory test equipment also allows monitoring the technical life of oil filters, with variously contaminated engine oil, with the possibility of extending engine oil change service intervals depending on changes in the physicochemical properties of engine oil and filter efficiency. These laboratory tests can be performed in parallel in two hydraulic circuits, which can significantly reduce the testing time of the filter capabilities of oil filters, without the risk of engine damage, provided that the tests were performed under operating conditions. The results of the evaluation of the filtration capacity of oil filters can be used in the design of new filter materials, but also with a suitably determined methodology of oil filter replacement and engine oil change interval, it is possible to extend replacement intervals, which has a significant benefit not only from an economic but also ecological point of view. The result of the measurements is the confirmation of the functionality of the device with the possibility of simulating the operating conditions, at different degrees of oil contamination, at different operating temperatures and using different oil filters.
Sentiment Analysis and Topic Modeling on Tweets about Online Education during COVID-19
Authors: Mujahid Muhammad , Lee Ernesto , Rustam Furqan , Washington Patrick Bernard , Ullah Saleem , Reshi Aijaz Ahmad , Ashraf Imran
Published: September 2021

Amid the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, the closure of educational institutes leads to an unprecedented rise in online learning. For limiting the impact of COVID-19 and obstructing its widespread, educational institutions closed their campuses immediately and academic activities are moved to e-learning platforms. The effectiveness of e-learning is a critical concern for both students and parents, specifically in terms of its suitability to students and teachers and its technical feasibility with respect to different social scenarios. Such concerns must be reviewed from several aspects before e-learning can be adopted at such a larger scale. This study endeavors to investigate the effectiveness of e-learning by analyzing the sentiments of people about e-learning. Due to the rise of social media as an important mode of communication recently, people’s views can be found on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. This study uses a Twitter dataset containing 17,155 tweets about e-learning. Machine learning and deep learning approaches have shown their suitability, capability, and potential for image processing, object detection, and natural language processing tasks and text analysis is no exception. Machine learning approaches have been largely used both for annotation and text and sentiment analysis. Keeping in view the adequacy and efficacy of machine learning models, this study adopts TextBlob, VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning), and SentiWordNet to analyze the polarity and subjectivity score of tweets’ text. Furthermore, bearing in mind the fact that machine learning models display high classification accuracy, various machine learning models have been used for sentiment classification. Two feature extraction techniques, TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) and BoW (Bag of Words) have been used to effectively build and evaluate the models. All the models have been evaluated in terms of various important performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The results reveal that the random forest and support vector machine classifier achieve the highest accuracy of 0.95 when used with Bow features. Performance comparison is carried out for results of TextBlob, VADER, and SentiWordNet, as well as classification results of machine learning models and deep learning models such as CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), LSTM (Long Short Term Memory), CNN-LSTM, and Bi-LSTM (Bidirectional-LSTM). Additionally, topic modeling is performed to find the problems associated with e-learning which indicates that uncertainty of campus opening date, children’s disabilities to grasp online education, and lagging efficient networks for online education are the top three problems.
An Efficient Approach for Detecting Driver Drowsiness Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Phan Anh-Cang , Nguyen Ngoc-Hoang-Quyen , Trieu Thanh-Ngoan , Phan Thuong-Cang
Published: September 2021

Drowsy driving is one of the common causes of road accidents resulting in injuries, even death, and significant economic losses to drivers, road users, families, and society. There have been many studies carried out in an attempt to detect drowsiness for alert systems. However, a majority of the studies focused on determining eyelid and mouth movements, which have revealed many limitations for drowsiness detection. Besides, physiological measures-based studies may not be feasible in practice because the measuring devices are often not available on vehicles and often uncomfortable for drivers. In this research, we therefore propose two efficient methods with three scenarios for doze alert systems. The former applies facial landmarks to detect blinks and yawns based on appropriate thresholds for each driver. The latter uses deep learning techniques with two adaptive deep neural networks based on MobileNet-V2 and ResNet-50V2. The second method analyzes the videos and detects driver’s activities in every frame to learn all features automatically. We leverage the advantage of the transfer learning technique to train the proposed networks on our training dataset. This solves the problem of limited training datasets, provides fast training time, and keeps the advantage of the deep neural networks. Experiments were conducted to test the effectiveness of our methods compared with other methods. Empirical results demonstrate that the proposed method using deep learning techniques can achieve a high accuracy of 97%. This study provides meaningful solutions in practice to prevent unfortunate automobile accidents caused by drowsiness.