bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social, economic and environmental implications of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Maqbool Imran , Riaz Muhammad , Siddiqi Umar Iqbal , Channa Jamil Ahmed , Shams Muhammad Shahid
Published: January 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic led to global lockdowns that severely curtailed economic activity. In this study, we set out to examine the social, economic, and environmental ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a rare project that will have far-reaching consequences for the field. There are five sets of issues: short-term effects on oil and economic and agricultural policies, including regulations and COP26; long-term implications of monetary and fiscal intervention and investment in green agreements on future generations; prospects for further de-globalization and its effect on climate change and nature; and intergenerational environmental consequences, including debt and polling.
The influence of physical exercise on college students’ life satisfaction: The chain mediating role of self-control and psychological distress
Authors: Zhou Guang-Yu , Yang Bin , Li Hao , Feng Quan-Sheng , Chen Wan-Yi
Published: January 2023

Objective

To explore the relationship between physical exercise and life satisfaction among college students and test the dual mediating role of self-control and psychological distress between them.

Methods

A sample of 526 Chinese college students completed questionnaires regarding physical exercise, life satisfaction, self-control and psychological distress, of which 38.4% were boys.

Results

Path analyzes indicated that physical exercise was positively correlated with life satisfaction, and this link could be mediated by self-control and psychological distress.

Conclusion

The present study identifies the potential underlying mechanism by which physical exercise is associated with the life satisfaction of college students, which has important implications for theory and prevention.
Joint effects of individual socioeconomic status and residential neighborhood context on vaginal microbiome composition
Authors: Dixon Meredith , Dunlop Anne L. , Corwin Elizabeth J. , Kramer Michael R.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The vaginal microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem that is important for women's health. Its composition has been associated with risk for menopausal symptoms, sexually transmitted infections, gynecologic cancer, and preterm birth. Conventional risk factors for a vaginal microbiome linked with these adverse health outcomes include sexual behaviors, hygiene practices, individual social factors, and stress levels. However, there has been limited research on socio-contextual determinants, and whether neighborhood context modifies the association with individual socioeconomic factors.

Methods

Socioeconomically diverse pregnant African American women in Atlanta, Georgia (n = 439) provided residential addresses and first trimester vaginal swab samples, which underwent sequencing, taxonomic classification, and assignment into mutually exclusive CST (community state types) via hierarchical clustering. Linear probability models were used to estimate prevalence differences (PD) for the associations of neighborhood factors with vaginal microbiome CST and to evaluate for additive interaction with maternal level of education, health insurance type, and recruitment hospital.

Results

Factors such as higher (vs. lower) maternal education, private (vs. public) insurance, and private (vs. public) hospital were associated with higher prevalence of Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiome CSTs typically associated with better health outcomes. When considering the joint effects of these individual socioeconomic status and residential neighborhood factors on vaginal microbiome CST, most combinations showed a greater than additive effect among the doubly exposed; however, in the case of local income homogeneity and local racial homogeneity, there was evidence of a crossover effect between those with less-advantaged individual socioeconomic status and those with more-advantaged individual socioeconomic status. Compared to women at the public hospital who lived in economically diverse neighborhoods, women at the private hospital who lived in economically diverse neighborhoods had a 21.9% higher prevalence of Lactobacillus-dominant CSTs, while women at the private hospital who lived in less economically diverse neighborhoods (the doubly exposed) had only an 11.7% higher prevalence of Lactobacillus-dominant CSTs, showing a crossover effect (interaction term p-value = 0.004).

Discussion

In this study, aspects of residential neighborhood context were experienced differently by women on the basis of their individual resources, and the joint effects of these exposures on vaginal microbiome CST showed a departure from simple additivity for some factors.
Risk of peripheral facial palsy following parenteral inactivated influenza vaccination in the elderly Chinese population
Authors: Yang Tianchi , Ma Rui , Ye Lixia , Mei Qiuhong , Wang Jianmei , Feng Yueyi , Zhou Shaoying , Pan Xingqiang , Hu Danbiao , Zhang Dandan
Published: January 2023

Background

Concern about the risk of peripheral facial palsy (PFP) following vaccination is one reason for hesitancy in influenza vaccination. However, the association between the flu vaccine and PFP is still controversial, and further evidence is urgently needed.

Methods

This self-controlled case series study evaluated PFP risk following inactivated influenza vaccine in the elderly using a large linked database in Ningbo, China. Relative incidence ratios (RIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated using conditional Poisson regression were utilized to determine whether the risk of PFP was increased after vaccination.

Results

This study included 467 episodes, which occurred in 244 females and 220 males. One hundred twenty-four episodes happened within 1–91 days after vaccination, accounting for 26.7%. The adjusted RIRs within 1–30 days, 31–60 days, 61–91 days, and 1–91 days after influenza vaccination were 0.95 (95% CI 0.69–1.30), 1.08 (95% CI 0.78–1.49), 1.01 (95% CI 0.70–1.45), and 1.00 (95% CI 0.81–1.24), respectively. Similar results were found in subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Influenza vaccination does not increase PFP risk in the elderly population. This finding provides evidence to overcome concerns about facial paralysis after influenza vaccination.
Development and evaluation of an intervention to promote the use of eyeglasses among Romani families in Bulgaria
Authors: Kodjebacheva Gergana Damianova , Hristova Slavka Grigorova , Savov Ventsislav
Published: January 2023

Objective

Uncorrected refractive error (i.e., lack of eyeglasses for the treatment of refractive error) is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in Eastern Europe. Limited information is available on how to promote the use of eyeglasses among Romani families in Bulgaria. In step 1, the objective was to obtain suggestions by Romani mothers on how to promote the use of eyeglasses among children. In step 2, the objective was to evaluate an intervention to promote the use of eyeglasses based on suggestions received during step 1.

Methods

During step 1, 5 focus groups with Romani mothers took place in one neighborhood in Bulgaria. During step 2, the intervention used a one-group pre-test, post-test design. Families received eye examinations. Those who needed eyeglasses chose attractive eyeglasses. Parents received education on how to encourage their children to wear eyeglasses.

Results

During step 1, 54 mothers participated. Mothers suggested that the whole family should receive eye examinations and eyeglasses. During step 2, of 33 family members, 14 did not have refractive errors and 19 did. Of the 19 family members with refractive error, none had eyeglasses at pre-test. Approximately 6 months following the end of the intervention, 11 of the 19 family members (57.9%) wore eyeglasses and the remaining 8 (42.1%) did not.

Conclusion

Romani family members needed eyeglasses but did not have any at pre-test of the intervention. Future interventions that offer education on the importance of eye examinations may increase receipt of eye examinations and adherence to wearing eyeglasses.
Traumatic testicular injuries in appalachia: A ten-year review from a level 1 trauma center and comparison to the national trauma data bank®
Authors: Mitchell Katharina , Morley Chad , Barnard John
Published: January 2023

While only 20% of the nation’s population lives in rural areas, 40% of the Appalachian population resides in rural areas. Due to the rural nature of this region we hypothesized this may have implications regarding the outcomes of traumatic testicular injuries (TTI), such as increased rate of organ loss. Here in, we report the findings of our 10-year retrospective study analyzing patients presenting with TTI to our rural tertiary care facility in comparison to an 8-year review of 8,030 TTI from the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB®). Of the 34,000 trauma patients reviewed, 23 (0.07%) had TTI which concurs with the NTDB® value of 0.2%. Blunt trauma accounted for 91.3% of TTI contrasting with NTDB® data suggesting 50.5% attributable to penetrating mechanisms. Firearm related injuries comprised 4.3% of TTI, but 38.3% of NTDB®’s. Motor vehicle collision/motor cycle crash (MVC/MCC) accounted for 26.0%, similarly NTDB® data showed 26.6%. Median length of stay (LOS) was 1 day, and 3 for NTDB®. Scrotal exploration occurred in 90.4% of cases with 52.4% requiring orchiectomy, whereas NTDB® data suggested 48.3% and 23.4% respectively. In conclusion, compared to the NTDB® TTI data, Appalachia has a higher incidence of blunt mechanism, scrotal exploration rate, and testicular loss.
Efficacy of sewage sludge derived biochar on enhancing soil health and crop productivity in strongly acidic soil
Authors: Junior Antonio , Guo Mingxin
Published: January 2023

Converting sewage sludge to biochar to serve as soil amendment and nutrient supplement to cropland may be an environmental benign and value-added approach to recycle the waste. Potting experiments were conducted to examine the efficacy of sludge biochar amendments on enhancing soil health and crop productivity. Strongly acidic soil (pH=5.0) was amended with sludge biochar at three different concentrations: 0 (control), 1% and 2% of its dry weight, and packed into plastic buckets (9.45-L) to a bulk density of 1.1 g cm-3, and each treatment had three replicates. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and Mung bean (Vigna radiata) were sequentially grown for nine months under greenhouse and field conditions (each crop cycle lasted three months). The above-ground biomass was collected, and oven dried at 65°C for 72 hours to assess plant biomass yield. Soil health parameters such as aggregates stability, pH, electric conductivity (EC), soil respiration, and microbial biomass C were measured. Soils amended with 2% biochar demonstrated higher biomass yield in winter wheat and spinach crops compared to those amended with 1% biochar and unamended control, on the other hand, mung bean did not present significant difference in all treatments. Similarly, 2% biochar demonstrated high aggregates stability (19.85%) followed by control (9%) and 1% biochar (8.3%). Soil acidity was neutralized in soils amended with 2% biochar (pH: 6.5) compared to control (pH: 5.8) and 1% biochar (pH: 5.5). EC was in the ideal level (<2.7 dS m-1) for all treatments. Soil respiration was not significantly different in all treatments. Microbial biomass C was higher in control and 2% biochar with significant differences towards 1% biochar. These findings provide additional evidence that sludge biochar promote plant growth and improve certain soil health parameters. However, the effect of sludge biochar in soil biological properties was not observed. Therefore, long-term field experiments are needed to assess the amendment effect of sludge biochar on microbial biomass C and soil respiration to validate the persistent efficacy of sludge biochar amendments on facilitating crop production, crop productivity, and soil health.
Clinical outcomes of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage at different Couinaud's hepatic entry segments for treating obstructive jaundice
Authors: Hsu Ya-Chun , Lee Hsing-Yu , Chang Chia-Ming , Lin Chia-Ying , Liu Yi-Sheng , Huang Han-Sheng
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a common procedure for biliary obstructive jaundice caused by biliary tract obstruction. In clinical practice, PTBD can be carried out at right- or left-sided approach. However, different hepatic entry site may affect success rates and complications. Couinaud classification of liver anatomy further divides the liver into functionally independent segments (segment 2/3, segment 5/6, and segment 7/8). Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate whether different Couinaud hepatic segments as PTBD entry site are associated with high PTBD success and low complications.

Methods

A total of 617 patients who underwent PTBD were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify entry segments associated with PTBD success, bilirubin reduction, and complications.

Results

With higher hepatic segment of PTBD entry site (segment 2/3, 5/6, and 7/8), the trend of PTBD success rate (82.0%, 71.7% and 60.7%; P<0.001) and bilirubin reduction (93.2%, 89.5%, and 82.0%; P=0.012) decreased. Furthermore, PTBD entry at segment 7/8 (42.6%) had highest complication rate than segment 5/6 (6.4%) and 2/3 (9.4%). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that PTBD entry segment was an independent factor associated with PTBD success, bilirubin reduction, and complications. Compared to segment 7/8, segment 2/3 and 5/6 had higher odds of PTBD success (aOR=2.699 and aOR=1.454, respectively) and bilirubin reduction (aOR=3.472 and aOR=2.361, respectively) and associated with lower risk of complications (aOR=0.143 and aOR=0.098, respectively). No independent risk factor for PTBD success and bilirubin reduction were identified in intrahepatic tumors. Moreover, for extrahepatic tumors, PTBD entry at segment 2/3 and segment 5/6 was more likely achieve PTBD success (aOR=3.037 and aOR=1.929, respectively), bilirubin reduction (aOR=3.069 and aOR=3.515) and low complications (aOR=0.102 and aOR=0.126, respectively).

Discussion

Good clinical outcomes were observed for PTBD entry at segments 5/6 and 2/3. In contrast, segment 7/8 had the lowest success rate, smallest bilirubin reduction, and the highest complication rate. For patients with obstructive jaundice, PTBD entry in hepatic segments 2/3 and 5/6 is recommended to achieve high success rates and low complications.
Effects of Clostridium butyricum on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal health of broilers
Authors: Li Zhen , Long Lingbo , Jin Xu , Li Yang , Wu Qiong , Chen Xingyong , Geng Zhaoyu , Zhang Cheng
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the effects of Clostridium butyricum on the growth performance, meat quality and intestinal health of broilers. A total of 800 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to two groups with 16 replicates of 25 broilers per group and fed with a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 1.5 × 109 cfu/kg C. butyricum and 5 × 108 cfu/kg C. butyricum at 1–21 d and 22–42 d, respectively (CB). The results indicated that C. butyricum significantly increased the final body weight, average daily gain at 1–42 d in the growth performance of broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, C. butyricum significantly increased a24h* value and pH24h value of breast meat but reduced the drip loss and shear force (P < 0.05). Regarding serum antioxidant indices, C. butyricum significantly increased the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and total antioxidative capacity activities and reduced the malondialdehyde content (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the broilers in the CB demonstrated an increase in jejunal lipase and trypsin activities, villus height (VH) and VH-to-crypt depth ratio at 42 d compared with those in the CON (P < 0.05). C. butyricum also upregulated the intestinal mRNA levels of zonula occludens-1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), SOD1 and interleukin-10 in the jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), but it downregulated the mRNA levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (P < 0.05). These results indicate that C. butyricum can improve the growth performance and meat quality of broilers. In particular, C. butyricum can improve the intestinal health of broilers, which is likely to be related to the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
High prevalence of Wilms tumor 1 expression in multiple myeloma and plasmacytoma: A cohort of 142 Asian patients’ samples
Authors: Phikulsod Ployploen , Sukpanichnant Sanya , Kunacheewa Chutima , Chieochansin Thaweesak , Junking Mutita , Yenchitsomanus Pa-Thai
Published: January 2023

Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) is a promising target antigen for cancer immunotherapy. However, WT1 protein expression and its clinical correlation in multiple myeloma (MM) patients are still limited. We, therefore, investigated WT1 expression in 142 bone marrow and plasmacytoma samples of MM patients at different stages of the disease by immunohistochemistry. The correlations between WT1 expression and clinical parameters or treatment outcomes were evaluated. The overall positive rate of WT1 expression was 91.5%; this high prevalence was found in both bone marrow and plasmacytoma samples, regardless of the disease status. Cytoplasmic WT1 expression was correlated with high serum free light chain ratio at presentation. However, no significant association between WT1 expression and treatment outcome was observed. This study confirms the high prevalence of WT1 expression in an Asian cohort of MM, encouraging the development of immunotherapy targeting WT1 in MM patients, particularly in those with extramedullary plasmacytoma or relapsed disease.
Design and Test of a Crawler-Type Tiger-Nut Combine Harvester
Authors: Qu Zhe , Han Minghui , Lv Yanliu , Zhou Zheng , Lv Zhijun , Wang Wanzhang , He Xun
Published: January 2023

Traditional harvesters of tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus) face problems including low harvesting efficiency, high loss rate, high impurity rate, and high labor intensity. To solve these problems and improve the harvesting efficiency and quality of tiger nuts, a crawler-type tiger-nut combine harvester that integrates digging, soil removal, picking, screening, and collection was designed. The machinery comprises crawler devices and working devices. The key devices were designed through theoretical analysis. Therein, the digging and hoisting devices consist of digger blades, combined soil-breaking blades, and vibrating hoisting chains. The tuber picking and screening device is composed of the tuber picking drum, double-deck heterodromous vibrating screens, impurity removal blowers, and soil-crushing guide rollers. The crawler devices include the track assemblies and the hydraulic driving systems. SolidWorks was used to establish the virtual prototype model. Combined with simulation using the discrete element software, the law of motion of tiger-nut tubers in the digging, elevation, and screening processes was studied, which verified the feasibility of the design. Finally, a prototype was manufactured and fabricated to conduct field harvesting tests on tiger nuts. Field test results indicate that the harvesting efficiency, harvest rate, and impurity rate of the tiger-nut harvester are separately 0.216 ha/h, 98.14%, and 3.24%, which meet the harvesting requirements for tiger-nut growers.
The Intriguing Biogeographic Pattern of the Italian Wall Lizard Podarcis siculus (Squamata: Lacertidae) in the Tuscan Archipelago Reveals the Existence of a New Ancient Insular Clade
Authors: Gallozzi Francesco , Corti Claudia , Castiglia Riccardo , Avramo Vasco , Senczuk Gabriele , Mattioni Claudia , Colangelo Paolo
Published: January 2023

The Tuscan Archipelago is one of the most ancient and ecologically heterogeneous island systems in the Mediterranean. The biodiversity of these islands was strongly shaped by the Pliocene and Pleistocene sea regressions and transgression, resulting in different waves of colonization and isolation of species coming from the mainland. The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis siculus, is present on the following islands of the Tuscan Archipelago: Elba, Giglio, Giannutri, Capraia, Montecristo and Cerboli. The species in the area displays a relatively high morphological variability that in the past led to the description of several subspecies. In this study, both the genetic and morphological diversity of P. siculus of the Tuscan Archipelago were investigated. Specifically, the meristic characters and the dorsal pattern were analyzed, while the genetic relationships among these populations were explored with mtDNA and microsatellite nuclear markers to reconstruct the colonization history of the Archipelago. Our results converge in the identification of at least two different waves of colonization in the Archipelago: Elba, and the populations of Cerboli and Montecristo probably originate from historical introductions from mainland Tuscany, while those of Giglio and Capraia are surviving populations of an ancient lineage which colonized the Tuscan Archipelago during the Pliocene and which shares a common ancestry with the P. siculus populations of south-eastern Italy. Giannutri perhaps represents an interesting case of hybridization between the populations from mainland Tuscany and the Giglio-Capraia clade. Based on the high phenotypic and molecular distinctiveness of this ancient clade, these populations should be treated as distinct units deserving conservation and management efforts as well as further investigation to assess their taxonomic status.
α-Synuclein Toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster Is Enhanced by the Presence of Iron: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Agostini Francesco , Bubacco Luigi , Chakrabarti Sasanka , Bisaglia Marco
Published: January 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the preferential loss of dopaminergic neurons and by the accumulation of intracellular inclusions mainly composed of α-synuclein (α-Syn). While the etiopathogenesis of the disorder is still elusive, recent experimental evidence supports the involvement of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death pathway, in the pathogenesis of PD. In the present work, using different ferroptosis inducers and inhibitors, we evaluated, in vivo, the involvement of iron in the α-Syn-mediated toxicity. Using a Drosophila melanogaster model of PD based on the selective over-expression of α-Syn within dopaminergic neurons, we demonstrated that the over-expression of α-Syn promotes the accumulation of protein aggregates, which is accompanied by dopaminergic neurodegeneration, locomotor impairment, and lifespan reduction. These pathological phenotypes were further exacerbated by reduced intracellular levels of glutathione or increased concentrations of iron. Coherently, both the use of an iron chelator and the presence of the antioxidant compound N-acetylcysteine exerted protective effects. Overall, our results support the involvement of ferroptosis in the α-Syn-mediated toxicity.
EYOLOX: An Efficient One-Stage Object Detection Network Based on YOLOX
Authors: Tang Rui , Sun Hui , Liu Di , Xu Hui , Qi Miao , Kong Jun
Published: January 2023

Object detection has drawn the attention of many researchers due to its wide application in computer vision-related applications. In this paper, a novel model is proposed for object detection. Firstly, a new neck is designed for the proposed detection model, including an efficient SPPNet (Spatial Pyramid Pooling Network), a modified NLNet (Non Local Network) and a lightweight adaptive feature fusion module. Secondly, the detection head with double residual branch structure is presented to reduce the delay of a decoupled head and improve the detection ability. Finally, these improvements are embedded in YOLOX as plug-and-play modules for forming a high-performance detector, EYOLOX (EfficientYOLOX). Extensive experiments demonstrate that the EYOLOX achieves significant improvements, which increases YOLOX-s from 40.5% to 42.2% AP on the MS COCO dataset with a single GPU. Moreover, the performance of the detection of EYOLOX also outperforms YOLOv6 and some SOTA methods with the same number of parameters and GFLOPs. In particular, EYOLOX has only been trained on the COCO-2017 dataset without using any other datasets, and only the pre-training weights of the backbone part are loaded.
Driving-Style Assessment from a Motion Sickness Perspective Based on Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Ruiz Colmenares Jon Ander , Asua Uriarte Estibaliz , del Campo Inés
Published: January 2023

Ride comfort improvement in driving scenarios is gaining traction as a research topic. This work presents a direct methodology that utilizes measured car signals and combines data processing techniques and machine learning algorithms in order to identify driver actions that negatively affect passenger motion sickness. The obtained clustering models identify distinct driving patterns and associate them with the motion sickness levels suffered by the passenger, allowing a comfort-based driving recommendation system that reduces it. The designed and validated methodology shows satisfactory results, achieving (from a real datasheet) trained models that identify diverse interpretable clusters, while also shedding light on driving pattern differences. Therefore, a recommendation system to improve passenger motion sickness is proposed.
Representations of Hulk Hogan in the 1980s: Christianity, Masculinity, Xenophobia
Authors: Heffernan Conor
Published: January 2023

In 1984, professional wrestler Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win the WWF Heavyweight Title. Thus marked the birth of ‘Hulkamania’, a near-decade-long period when Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) crossed over into American popular culture. In the following years, Hogan battled a series of proxies for America’s enemies, from the Soviet rival in Nikolai Volkoff, Iranian sympathizer Sergeant Slaughter, and the Japanese sumo wrestler Yokozuna, among other opponents. More importantly, Hogan appeared on American talk shows, the front of magazines, had his own children’s cartoons, and marketed workout devices, toys, food, and a host of other ephemera. Existing in a liminal space between sport and entertainment, professional wrestling allows athletes/performers far more opportunities to cultivate messages and meanings through their bodies. Using film, wrestling magazines, and wrestling broadcasts, this article argues that Hogan’s body and his use of his body were paramount to his success. More than that, the use of his body embodied ideals about American masculinity. It embodied all-American strength, an ability to succeed no matter the odds, and a fierce Christian patriotism. Hogan was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s, inside and outside of sport. His body and its representation are thus worthy of study.
Exfoliative Cytology and Genetic Analysis for a Non-Invasive Approach to the Diagnosis of White Sponge Nevus: Case Series
Authors: Lajolo Carlo , Cafiero Concetta , Stigliano Egidio , Grippaudo Francesca Romana , Chiurazzi Pietro , Grippaudo Cristina
Published: January 2023

Background: White Sponge Nevus (WSN) is a rare benign disorder associated with mutations in genes coding for cytokeratin 4 (KRT4) and 13 (KRT13) characterized by dyskeratotic hyperplasia of mucous membranes. This study was aimed at examining different approaches (cytology, pathology and genetic analysis) to WSN diagnosis. Methods: A series of four patients with asymptomatic white diffuse oral lesions were evaluated and, before performing an incisional biopsy for pathology, an oral brush Thin Prep was collected for exfoliative liquid-based cytology (LBC). DNA for genetic analysis was also obtained from patients and both their parents, using buccal swabs. Results: Pathology and cytology showed similar results, leading to the same diagnosis of hyperkeratotic epithelium with acanthosis and spongiosis, without atypia, demonstrating the efficiency of LBC for the differential diagnosis. Sequencing analysis revealed at least 6 rare variants in the KRT4 and KRT13 genes in each patient, contributed in part by both unaffected parents. Conclusions: Thin Prep for oral exfoliative cytology and genetic analysis are sufficient for an accurate diagnosis of WSN. The combination of cytological and genetic analyses could substitute the histologic exam, providing a non-invasive alternative for incisional biopsy.
Hazard Assessment of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cells, Focusing on the Autophagic Effects
Authors: Annangi Balasubramanyam , Villacorta Aliro , López-Mesas Montserrat , Fuentes-Cebrian Victor , Marcos Ricard , Hernández Alba
Published: January 2023

The human health risks posed by micro/nanoplastics (MNPLs), as emerging pollutants of environmental/health concern, need to be urgently addressed as part of a needed hazard assessment. The routes of MNPL exposure in humans could mainly come from oral, inhalation, or dermal means. Among them, inhalation exposure to MNPLs is the least studied area, even though their widespread presence in the air is dramatically increasing. In this context, this study focused on the potential hazard of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPLs with sizes 50 and 500 nm) in human primary nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs), with the first line of cells acting as a physical and immune barrier in the respiratory system. Primarily, cellular internalization was evaluated by utilizing laboratory-labeled fluorescence PSNPLs with iDye, a commercial, pink-colored dye, using confocal microscopy, and found PSNPLs to be significantly internalized by HNEpCs. After, various cellular effects, such as the induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS), the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the modulation of the autophagy pathway in the form of the accumulation of autophagosomes (LC3-II) and p62 markers (a ubiquitin involved in the clearance of cell debris), were evaluated after cell exposure. The data demonstrated significant increases in iROS, a decrease in MMP, as well as a greater accumulation of LC3-II and p62 in the presence of PSNPLs. Notably, the autophagic effects did indicate the implications of PSNPLs in defective or insufficient autophagy. This is the first study showing the autophagy pathway as a possible target for PSNPL-induced adverse effects in HNEpCs. When taken together, this study proved the cellular effects of PSNPLs in HNEpCs and adds value to the existing studies as a part of the respiratory risk assessment of MNPLs.
Spatial Frequency Tuning of Body Inversion Effects
Authors: D’Argenio Giulia , Finisguerra Alessandra , Urgesi Cosimo
Published: January 2023

Body inversion effects (BIEs) reflect the deployment of the configural processing of body stimuli. BIE modulates the activity of body-selective areas within both the dorsal and the ventral streams, which are tuned to low (LSF) or high spatial frequencies (HSF), respectively. The specific contribution of different bands to the configural processing of bodies along gender and posture dimensions, however, is still unclear. Seventy-two participants performed a delayed matching-to-sample paradigm in which upright and inverted bodies, differing for gender or posture, could be presented in their original intact form or in the LSF- or HSF-filtered version. In the gender discrimination task, participants’ performance was enhanced by the presentation of HSF images. Conversely, for the posture discrimination task, a better performance was shown for either HSF or LSF images. Importantly, comparing the amount of BIE across spatial-frequency conditions, we found greater BIEs for HSF than LSF images in both tasks, indicating that configural body processing may be better supported by HSF information, which will bias processing in the ventral stream areas. Finally, the exploitation of HSF information for the configural processing of body postures was lower in individuals with higher autistic traits, likely reflecting a stronger reliance on the local processing of body-part details.
Epilepsy: A Multifaced Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Vetri Luigi , Roccella Michele , Parisi Lucia , Smirni Daniela , Costanza Carola , Carotenuto Marco , Elia Maurizio
Published: January 2023

Epilepsy is one of the most widespread chronic conditions, affecting about 50 million people worldwide [...]
Cell-Type-Specific Signalling Networks Impacted by Prostate Epithelial-Stromal Intercellular Communication
Authors: Clark Kimberley C. , Nguyen Elizabeth V. , Niranjan Birunthi , Wu Yunjian , Lim Kam Sian Terry C. C. , Horvath Lisa G. , Taylor Renea A. , Daly Roger J.
Published: January 2023

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in males. A greater understanding of cell signalling events that occur within the prostate cancer tumour microenvironment (TME), for example, between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and prostate epithelial or cancer cells, may identify novel biomarkers and more effective therapeutic strategies for this disease. To address this, we used cell-type-specific labelling with amino acid precursors (CTAP) to define cell-type-specific (phospho)proteomic changes that occur when prostate epithelial cells are co-cultured with normal patient-derived prostate fibroblasts (NPFs) versus matched CAFs. We report significant differences in the response of BPH-1 benign prostate epithelial cells to CAF versus NPF co-culture. Pathway analysis of proteomic changes identified significant upregulation of focal adhesion and cytoskeleton networks, and downregulation of metabolism pathways, in BPH-1 cells cultured with CAFs. In addition, co-cultured CAFs exhibited alterations in stress, DNA damage, and cytoskeletal networks. Functional validation of one of the top differentially-regulated proteins in BPH-1 cells upon CAF co-culture, transglutaminase-2 (TGM2), demonstrated that knockdown of this protein significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of prostate epithelial cells. Overall, this study provides novel insights into intercellular communication in the prostate cancer TME that may be exploited to improve patient management.
Mechanism-Driven and Clinically Focused Development of Botanical Foods as Multitarget Anticancer Medicine: Collective Perspectives and Insights from Preclinical Studies, IND Applications and Early-Phase Clinical Trials
Authors: Wang Xiaoqiang , Chan Yin S. , Wong Kelly , Yoshitake Ryohei , Sadava David , Synold Timothy W. , Frankel Paul , Twardowski Przemyslaw W. , Lau Clayton , Chen Shiuan
Published: January 2023

Cancer progression and mortality remain challenging because of current obstacles and limitations in cancer treatment. Continuous efforts are being made to explore complementary and alternative approaches to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients. Epidemiological and nutritional studies have indicated that consuming botanical foods is linked to a lower risk of cancer incidence and/or improved cancer prognosis after diagnosis. From these observations, a variety of preclinical and clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the potential of botanical food products as anticancer medicines. Unfortunately, many investigations have been poorly designed, and encouraging preclinical results have not been translated into clinical success. Botanical products contain a wide variety of chemicals, making them more difficult to study than traditional drugs. In this review, with the consideration of the regulatory framework of the USFDA, we share our collective experiences and lessons learned from 20 years of defining anticancer foods, focusing on the critical aspects of preclinical studies that are required for an IND application, as well as the checkpoints needed for early-phase clinical trials. We recommend a developmental pipeline that is based on mechanisms and clinical considerations.
C-Reactive Protein and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio Predict Recurrence in Stage III Melanoma Patients with Microscopic Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis
Authors: Schildbach Viktoria Anna Sophie , Horn Susanne , Hidalgo-Gadea Guillermo , Johannis Wibke , Mauch Cornelia , Franklin Cindy
Published: January 2023

Although adjuvant therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and BRAF/MEK inhibitors improve recurrence-free survival (RFS) in stage III melanoma patients significantly, prognostic factors are needed to identify patients with a high risk of disease recurrence. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the prognostic potential of routinely collected blood parameters for stage III melanoma patients with microscopic sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis. Altogether, we retrospectively analyzed 138 stage III melanoma patients who were diagnosed with microscopic SLN metastasis at the skin cancer center of the University Hospital Cologne between 2011 and 2020 and who did not receive prior adjuvant therapy with ICI or BRAF/MEK-inhibitors. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, Kaplan–Meier survival analyses and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to assess the impact of preoperatively collected blood parameters and blood ratios on recurrence-free survival (RFS; primary endpoint) and overall survival (OS). A high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), low lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and high C-reactive protein (CRP) value were significantly associated with shorter RFS in multivariate analysis. For LMR (cut-off 3.5) and for CRP (cut-off 3.0) this effect remained after dichotomization. CRP showed a stronger association with RFS than NLR or LMR, with the highest association being detected for the combination of low LMR and high CRP. Additionally, derived NLR ≥ 2.0 was significantly associated with shorter OS in multivariate analysis. In summary, our data suggest that CRP in combination with LMR should be considered as a marker for melanoma recurrence in stage III melanoma patients with microscopic SLN metastasis.
Current State and Future Challenges for PI3K Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Sirico Marianna , D’Angelo Alberto , Gianni Caterina , Casadei Chiara , Merloni Filippo , De Giorgi Ugo
Published: January 2023

The phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (PKB/AKT)-mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) axis is a key signal transduction system that links oncogenes and multiple receptor classes which are involved in many essential cellular functions. Aberrant PI3K signalling is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in cancer. Consequently, more than 40 compounds targeting key components of this signalling network have been tested in clinical trials among various types of cancer. As the oncogenic activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway often occurs alongside mutations in other signalling networks, combination therapy should be considered. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the knowledge of the PI3K pathway and discuss the current state and future challenges of targeting this pathway in clinical practice.
Efficacy of the Simeox® Airway Clearance Technology in the Homecare Treatment of Children with Clinically Stable Cystic Fibrosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Sands Dorota , Walicka-Serzysko Katarzyna , Milczewska Justyna , Postek Magdalena , Jeneralska Natalia , Cichocka Aleksandra , Siedlecka Ewa , Borawska-Kowalczyk Urszula , Morin Laurent
Published: January 2023

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients require regular airway clearance therapy (ACT). The aim of this study was to evaluate homecare therapeutic effects of a new ACT (Simeox®) added to the optimal standard of care, including home chest physiotherapy, in the treatment of clinically stable children. Methods: Forty pediatric CF patients (8–17 years old) with stable disease were randomized 1:1 in a single-center, prospective, open-label, cross-over trial into two groups: with or without Simeox®. Lung function (impulse oscillometry, spirometry, body plethysmography, multi-breath nitrogen washout) results, health-related quality of life, and safety were assessed during the study after 1 month of therapy at home. Results: A significant decrease in proximal airway obstruction (as supported by improvement in airway resistance at 20 Hz (R20Hz) and maximum expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (MEF75)) compared to the control group was observed after 1 month of therapy with the device. Lung-clearance index was stable in the study group, while it worsened in the control group. In addition, the device group demonstrated a significant increase in the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire—Revised (CFQ-R) physical score. No side effects were identified during the study. Conclusions: Simeox® may improve drainage of the airways in children with clinically stable CF and could be an option in chronic treatment of the disease.
The Contact Zone of Phylogenetic Lineages of Freshwater Fish in Arctic Eurasia: Genetic Polymorphism of Coregonid Populations
Authors: Borovikova Elena , Nikulina Yulia
Published: January 2023

The reconstruction of regional fauna history is very important in the context of recent climate change and anthropogenic transformation. We analyzed the mitochondrial nd1 gene polymorphism in populations of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus and certain widespread Eurasian ciscoes species: vendace Coregonus albula and least cisco Coregonus sardinella, inhabiting waterbodies from the Anadyr River in the east (the Pacific Ocean basin) to Loch Lomond in the west (the Atlantic Ocean basin). Distinct phylogenetic lineages and secondary contact zones have been found in these species. Most of these are species-specific with the exception of the zone from the Pechora River basin to at least the western part of the Taymyr Peninsula, in which whitefish, vendace, and least cisco share with each other and with various cold-water hydrobionts. We associate differences in the geographical position and propagation of the secondary contact regions with the species-specific morpho-ecological features, in particular, with the ability for long-term migrations. Based on the data obtained, we also discuss certain limitations of the phylogeography and phylogeny of the considered coregonid species and the correctness of the taxonomic status of certain populations or their groups.
Integral Reinforcement-Learning-Based Optimal Containment Control for Partially Unknown Nonlinear Multiagent Systems
Authors: Wu Qiuye , Wu Yongheng , Wang Yonghua
Published: January 2023

This paper focuses on the optimal containment control problem for the nonlinear multiagent systems with partially unknown dynamics via an integral reinforcement learning algorithm. By employing integral reinforcement learning, the requirement of the drift dynamics is relaxed. The integral reinforcement learning method is proved to be equivalent to the model-based policy iteration, which guarantees the convergence of the proposed control algorithm. For each follower, the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation is solved by a single critic neural network with a modified updating law which guarantees the weight error dynamic to be asymptotically stable. Through using input–output data, the approximate optimal containment control protocol of each follower is obtained by applying the critic neural network. The closed-loop containment error system is guaranteed to be stable under the proposed optimal containment control scheme. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented control scheme.
The Application Mode of Multi-Dimensional Time Series Data Based on a Multi-Stage Neural Network
Authors: Wang Ting , Wang Na , Cui Yunpeng , Liu Juan
Published: January 2023

How to use multi-dimensional time series data is a huge challenge for big data analysis. Multiple trajectories of medical use in electronic medical data are typical time series data. Although many artificial-intelligence techniques have been proposed to use the multiple trajectories of medical use in predicting the risk of concurrent medical use, most existing methods pay less attention to the temporal property of medical-use trajectory and the potential correlation between the different trajectories of medical use, resulting in limited concurrent multi-trajectory applications. To address the problem, we proposed a multi-stage neural network-based application mode of multi-dimensional time series data for feature learning of high-dimensional electronic medical data in adverse event prediction. We designed a synthetic factor for the multiple -trajectories of medical use with the combination of a Long Short Term Memory–Deep Auto Encoder neural network and bisecting k-means clustering method. Then, we used a deep neural network to produce two kinds of feature vectors for risk prediction and risk-related factor analysis, respectively. We conducted extensive experiments on a real-world dataset. The results showed that our proposed method increased the accuracy by 5%~10%, and reduced the false rate by 3%~5% in the risk prediction of concurrent medical use. Our proposed method contributes not only to clinical research, where it helps clinicians make effective decisions and establish appropriate therapy programs, but also to the application optimization of multi-dimensional time series data for big data analysis.
Accurate and Efficient SOH Estimation for Retired Batteries
Authors: Teng Jen-Hao , Chen Rong-Jhang , Lee Ping-Tse , Hsu Che-Wei
Published: January 2023

There will be an increasing number of retired batteries in the foreseeable future. Retired batteries can reduce pollution and be used to construct a battery cycle ecosystem. To use retired batteries more efficiently, it is critical to be able to determine their State of Health (SOH) precisely and speedily. SOH can be estimated accurately through a comprehensive and inefficient charge-and-discharge procedure. However, the comprehensive charge and discharge is a time-consuming process and will make the SOH assessment for many retired batteries unrealistic. This paper proposes an accurate and efficient SOH Estimation (SOH-E) method using the actual data of retired batteries. A battery data acquisition system is designed to acquire retired batteries’ comprehensive discharge and charge data. The acquired discharge data are separated into various time interval-segregated sub-data. Then, the specially designed features for SOH-E are extracted from the sub-data. Neural Networks (NNs) are trained using these sub-data. The retired batteries’ SOH levels are then estimated after the NNs’ training. The experiments described herein use retired lead–acid batteries. The batteries’ rated voltage and capacity are 12 V and 90 Ah, respectively. Different feature value extractions and time intervals that might affect the SOH-E accuracy and are tested. The Backpropagation NN (BPNN) and Long-Short-Term-Memory NN (LSTMNN) are designed to estimate SOH in this paper. The experimental results indicate that SOH can be calculated in 30 min. The Root-Mean-Square Errors (RMSEs) are less than 3%. The proposed SOH-E can help decrease pollution, extend the life cycle of a retired battery, and establish a battery cycle ecosystem.