bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxidative Biomarkers Associated with the Pulmonary Manifestation of Post-COVID-19 Complications
Authors: Siekacz Kamil , Kumor-Kisielewska Anna , Miłkowska-Dymanowska Joanna , Pietrusińska Małgorzata , Bartczak Krystian , Majewski Sebastian , Stańczyk Adam , Piotrowski Wojciech , Białas Adam
Published: June 2023

Introduction: The role of mitochondria in post coronavirus disease 2019 (post-COVID-19) complications is unclear, especially in the long-term pulmonary complications. This study aims to investigate the association between post-COVID-19 pulmonary complications and mitochondrial regulatory proteins in the context of oxidative stress. Methodology: Patients who had recovered from COVID-19 were enrolled. According to the evidence of persistent interstitial lung lesions on computed tomography (CT), patients were divided into a long-term pulmonary complications group (P(+)) and a control group without long-term pulmonary complications (P(−)). We randomly selected 80 patients for investigation (40 subjects for each group). Biomarkers levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The serum concentrations of mitochondrial regulatory proteins were significantly higher in the P(+) group, including PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1): 1.62 [1.02–2.29] ng/mL vs. 1.34 [0.94–1.74] ng/mL (p = 0.046); Dynamin-1-like protein (DNM1L): 1.6 [0.9–2.4] ng/mL IQR vs. 0.9 [0.5–1.6] ng/mL (p = 0.004); and Mitofusin-2 (MFN2): 0.3 [0.2–0.5] ng/mL vs. 0.2 [0.1–0.3] ng/mL IQR (p = 0.001). Patients from the P(+) group also had higher serum levels of chemokine ligand 18 (PARC, CCL18), IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) cytokines than the P(−) group. The concentration of interferon alpha (IFN-α) was decreased in the P(+) group. Furthermore, we observed statistically significant correlations between the advanced glycation end product (sRAGE) and TNF-α (Pearson’s factor R = 0.637; p < 0.001) and between serum levels of DNM1L and IFN-α (Pearson’s factor R = 0.501; p = 0.002) in P(+) patients. Conclusions: Elevated concentrations of mitochondrial biomarkers in post-COVID-19 patients with long-term pulmonary complications indicate their possible role in the pathobiology of COVID-19 pulmonary sequelae. Oxidative stress is associated with the immune response and inflammation after COVID-19. TNF-α could be a promising biomarker for predicting pulmonary complications and may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in patients with post-COVID-19 complications.
Malignant Transformation and Long-Term Outcome of Oral and Laryngeal Leukoplakia
Authors: Bukovszky Botond , Fodor János , Tóth Erika , Kocsis Zsuzsa S. , Oberna Ferenc , Ferenczi Örs , Polgár Csaba
Published: June 2023

Background: Oral or laryngeal leukoplakia has an increased risk for malignant transformation but the risk of the two anatomical sites has not been compared to each other yet. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of 253 patients with leukoplakia (oral = 221 or laryngeal = 32) enrolled from January 1996 to January 2022 were analyzed. One hundred and seventy underwent biopsy and 83 did not. The mean follow-up time was 148.8 months. Risk factors for the malignant transformation of leukoplakia were identified using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: In the oral or laryngeal group, the rate of cancer was 21.7% and 50% (p = 0.002), respectively. The 10-year estimated malignant transformation was 15.1% and 42% (p < 0.0001), respectively. The laryngeal group had an increased risk of malignant transformation (p < 0.0001). The 5-year estimated survival with leukoplakia-associated cancer for the oral or laryngeal group was 40.9% and 61.1% (p = 0.337), respectively. Independent predictors of malignant transformation in the oral group were dysplasia and the grade of dysplasia of the leukoplakia, and in the laryngeal group, dysplasia had a significant impact. The malignant transformation rate was low for oral patients without biopsy or with no dysplasia, 3.9% and 5.1%, respectively. The malignant transformation occurred over 10 years. Conclusions: Patients with dysplastic leukoplakia have an increased risk of malignant transformation, but the risk is higher with laryngeal than with oral leukoplakia. There is no significant difference between the groups regarding survival with leukoplakia-associated cancer. Oral patients with no dysplastic lesions have a low risk of malignant transformation. A complete excision and long-term follow up are suggested for high-risk patients to diagnose cancer in an early stage and to control late (over 10 years) malignant events.
Comparison of Protein- or Amino Acid-Based Supplements in the Rehabilitation of Men with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
Authors: Brunani Amelia , Cancello Raffaella , Gobbi Michele , Lucchetti Elisa , Di Guglielmo Giulia , Maestrini Sabrina , Cattaldo Stefania , Piterà Paolo , Ruocco Chiara , Milesi Alessandra , Valerio Alessandra , Capodaglio Paolo , Nisoli Enzo
Published: June 2023

Background: Weight loss is associated with a reduction in all body compartments, including muscle mass (MM), and this effect produces a decrease in function and muscle strength. Our objective was to assess the impact of protein or amino acid supplements on MM loss in middle-aged men (age < 65 years) with severe obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) during weight loss. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-site randomized controlled trial (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05143398) with 40 in-patient male subjects with severe obesity. Participants underwent an intervention program consisting of a low-calorie balanced diet and structured physical activity. They were randomly assigned to 4-week treatment groups: (1) control (CTR, N = 10), (2) protein (P, N = 10), (3) branched-chain amino acid (BCAA, N = 10), and (4) essential amino acid mixture with tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (PD-E07, N = 10) supplementation. Results: Following 4 weeks of intervention, all groups showed similar reductions in body weight compared to baseline. When examining the delta values, a notable increase in muscle mass (MM) was observed in the PD-E07 intervention group [MM (kg): 2.84 ± 3.57; MM (%): 3.63 ± 3.14], in contrast to the CTR group [MM (kg): −2.46 ± 3.04; MM (%): −0.47 ± 2.28], with a statistical significance of p = 0.045 and p = 0.023, respectively. However, the MM values for the P group [MM (kg): −2.75 ± 5.98, p = 0.734; MM (%): −0.44 ± 4.02, p = 0.990] and the BCAA group [MM (kg): −1 ± 3.3, p = 0.734; MM (%): 0.34 ± 2.85, p = 0.956] did not exhibit a statistically significant difference when compared to the CTR group. Conclusions: Amino acid-based supplements may effectively mitigate the loss of MM typically observed during weight reduction. Further validation through large-scale studies is necessary.
Role of Clinical Insight at First Month in Predicting Relapse at the Year in First Episode of Psychosis (FEP) Patients
Authors: Vlachos Ilias I. , Selakovic Mirjana , Ralli Irene , Hatzimanolis Alexandros , Xenaki Lida-Alkisti , Dimitrakopoulos Stefanos , Soldatos Rigas-Filippos , Foteli Stefania , Nianiakas Nikos , Kosteletos Ioannis , Stefanatou Pentagiotissa , Ntigrintaki Angeliki-Aikaterini , Triantafyllou Theoni-Fani , Voulgaraki Marina , Ermiliou Vassiliki , Mantonakis Leonidas , Kollias Konstantinos , Stefanis Nikos C.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Clinical insight constitutes a useful marker of the progress and outcome of the First Episode of Psychosis (FEP), and lack of insight has been associated with more severe psychopathology, treatment non-adherence, and rehospitalization/relapse. In this study, we aimed to further investigate the possible role of insight as a predictor of relapse, its relation to diagnosis, and other parameters of positive psychotic symptomatology (delusions, hallucinations, and suspiciousness). Methods: The Athens FEP study employed a prospective, longitudinal cohort design in which consecutive newly diagnosed patients with psychosis were interviewed and asked to voluntarily participate after completing informed consent. A total of 88/225 patients were examined at three different time points (baseline, month, and year). Their scores in the relevant items of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were compared (G12 for insight, P1 for delusions, P3 for hallucinations, and P6 for suspiciousness), and they were further associated to diagnosis and the outcome at the end of the year (remission/relapse). Results: In total, 22/88 patients with relapse at the year had greater scores in G12 for both the month and the year, and this finding was corroborated after adjusting the statistical analysis for demographics, diagnosis, social environment, and depression via multiple logistic regression analysis. Moreover, delusions and suspiciousness were significantly higher in patients diagnosed with non-affective psychosis compared to those diagnosed with affective psychosis (p < 0.001) at the first month. Conclusions: Lack of insight at the first month may serve as a predictor of relapse at the year.
Clinical Characteristics of Atrial Flutter and Its Response to Pharmacological Cardioversion with Amiodarone in Comparison to Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Wybraniec Maciej T. , Górny Kamil , Jabłoński Kamil , Jung Julia , Rabtsevich Kiryl , Szyszka Przemysław , Wesołek Fabian , Bula Karolina , Cichoń Małgorzata , Wróbel Wojciech , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna
Published: June 2023

Background: Unlike atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter (AFl) is thought to be relatively refractory to pharmacological cardioversion (PC), but the evidence is scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and efficacy of the PC of AFl with amiodarone in comparison to AF. Materials and methods: This retrospective study covered 727 patients with urgent consult for AF/AFl in a high-volume emergency department between 2015 and 2018. AFl was diagnosed in 222 (30.5%; median age: 68 (62; 75) years; 65.3% men). In a nested case-control study, 59 control patients with AF, matched in terms of age and sex with 60 AFl patients, were subject to PC with amiodarone. The primary endpoint was return of sinus rhythm confirmed using a 12-lead ECG. Results: The AFl population had a median CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3 (2; 4) and episode duration of 72 h (16; 120). In the AFl cohort, 36% of patients were initially subject to PC, 33.3% to electrical cardioversion (EC) and 40.5% to catheter ablation. In comparison to the AF group, the AFl patients required a longer hospitalization time, had a higher rate of EC (p < 0.001) and less frequent use of PC (p < 0.001) and, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (p < 0.001) and more pronounced cardiovascular risk factors. The efficacy of PC with amiodarone was significantly lower in AFl than AF group (39% vs. 65%, relative risk (RR) 0.60, p = 0.007). Conclusions: AFl patients shared a greater burden of comorbidities than AF patients, while the efficacy of PC in AFl was low. Patients should be initially managed with primary electrical cardioversion.
Influence of the Therapeutic Alliance on the Rehabilitation of Stroke: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies
Authors: Heredia-Callejón Alejandra , García-Pérez Patricia , Armenta-Peinado Juan Antonio , Infantes-Rosales Miguel Ángel , Rodríguez-Martínez María Carmen
Published: June 2023

The therapeutic alliance is a fundamental component of rehabilitation in order to achieve effective outcomes. However, what develops, maintains or hinders this relationship has not been sufficiently explored. The aim of this systematic review is to recognize the role of the therapeutic alliance in the neurological rehabilitation process. A search for articles was carried out in the databases PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, OTseeker and Dialnet. They were selected according to the eligibility criteria. Internal quality assessment of the articles was measured with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). The systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (ID 346523). The search in the databases identified 1596 articles, from which 9 different studies were finally included in the systematic review, reflecting the limitations of studies in this field. All studies are qualitative, from the point of view of the patients themselves, their relatives and healthcare professionals. The total sample of the included studies is 182 participants (96 health professionals, 76 users and 10 relatives). Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and written reflections were mainly used to collect the data. In conclusion, the therapeutic alliance can be an active component in the post-stroke rehabilitation process. Being recognized as a person, collaboration with the therapeutic team, empathy, empowerment, confidence, professional skills, maintenance of hope and the role of the family have been identified as aspects that can have an influence on the therapeutic alliance.
Evaluation of the Effect of a Natural-Based Emulsion on the Cold Rolling Process
Authors: Antonicelli Mattia , Liuzzo Umberto , Palumbo Gianfranco
Published: June 2023

Lubrication in the cold rolling process plays a key role in withstanding the loads between the strip and the work rolls, as well as in ensuring high surface quality, tight geometric tolerances, and large thickness reductions. Most of the currently used lubricants have synthetic or semi-synthetic formulations, but the research for greener alternatives, able to guarantee very low environmental impact during both the preparation (use of natural raw components) and the disposal, is increasingly playing a key role. In the present work, the lubricating performance of a natural-based emulsion and a mineral-based one has been assessed in terms of rolling forces, Coefficient of Friction (CoF) at the roll/strip interface, and work rolls’ wear. Data from the two-stands reversing cold mill (RCM) at the Marcegaglia plant (Ravenna, Italy) were used for comparing the investigated lubricants. In particular, data about the forces and the wear evolution during the rolling process were acquired over quite a long period (11 months), thus being related to a large type of steel. In addition, the CoF was evaluated using the CSM High-Temperature pin-on-disk Tribometer (THT) and replicating the operating conditions in which the two lubricants are currently used. Laboratory tests revealed that the green lubricant is characterized by a better lubricating performance (the CoF value of the green lubricant is about 10% lower than the one of the semi-synthetic formulation). Such a result was confirmed by both the rolling forces (an average reduction equal to 5.6% was obtained by using the green lubricant) and by the work rolls’ wear (less frequent maintenance of the rolls), thus determining a large and valuable reduction of the process-related costs.
Uniform Droplet Spraying of Magnesium Alloys: Modeling of Apollonian Fractal Structures on Micrograph Sections
Authors: Liao Yiliang , Kostoglou Nikolaos , Rebholz Claus , Doumanidis Charalabos C.
Published: June 2023

A variety of advanced manufacturing processes have been developed based on the concept of rapid solidification processing (RSP), such as uniform droplet spraying (UDS) for the additive manufacturing of metals and alloys. This article introduces a morphological simulation of fractal dendric structures deposited by UDS of magnesium (Mg) alloys on two-dimensional (2D) planar sections. The fractal structure evolution is modeled as Apollonian packs of generalized ellipsoidal domains growing out of nuclei and dendrite arm fragments. The model employs descriptions of the dynamic thermal field based on superposed Green’s/Rosenthal functions with source images for initial/boundary effects, along with alloy phase diagrams and the classical solidification theory for nucleation and fragmentation rates. The initiation of grains is followed by their free and constrained growth by adjacent domains, represented via potential fields of level-set methods, for the effective mapping of the solidified topology and its metrics (grain size and fractal dimension of densely packed domains). The model is validated by comparing modeling results against micrographs of three UDS-deposited Mg–Zn–Y alloys. The further evolution of this real-time computational model and its application as a process observer for feedback control in 3D printing, as well as for off-line material design and optimization, is discussed.
A Data-Driven Diagnosis Scheme Based on Deep Learning toward Fault Identification of the Hydraulic Piston Pump
Authors: Zhu Yong , Zhou Tao , Tang Shengnan , Yuan Shouqi
Published: June 2023

The piston pump is the significant source of motive force in a hydraulic transmission system. Owing to the changeable working conditions and complex structural characteristics, multiple friction pairs in the piston pump are prone to wear and failure. An accurate fault diagnosis method is a crucial guarantee for system reliability. Deep learning provides a great insight into the intelligent exploration of machinery fault diagnosis. Hyperparameters are very important to construct an effective deep model with good performance. This research fully mines the feature component from vibration signals, and converts the failure recognition into a classification issue via establishing a deep model. Furthermore, Bayesian algorithm is introduced for hyperparameter optimization as it considers prior information. An adaptive convolutional neural network is established for typical failure pattern recognition of an axial piston pump. The proposed method can automatically complete fault classification and represents a higher accuracy by experimental verification. Typical failures of an axial piston pump are intelligently diagnosed with reduced subjectivity and preprocessing knowledge. The proposed method achieves an identification accuracy of more than 98% for five typical conditions of an axial piston pump.
Conceptualizing Aeolian Sediment Transport in a Cellular Automata Model to Simulate the Bio-Geomorphological Evolution of Beach–Dune Systems
Authors: Teixeira Manuel , Horstman Erik M. , Wijnberg Kathelijne M.
Published: June 2023

Understanding the dynamics of beach–dune systems is crucial for effective coastal management. The cellular automata model DuBeVeg provides a powerful tool for simulating and understanding the bio-geomorphological evolution of these systems, capturing key interactions of aeolian, hydro-, and vegetation dynamics in a simplified manner. In this study, we present an alternative representation of the aeolian transport component in DuBeVeg, aiming to better capture the saltation transport mode that prevails on beaches. This new representation is compared with the original aeolian transport representation in DuBeVeg, which is inspired by ripple migration. For three beach width scenarios, we considered the effects of the different aeolian transport representations on the predicted foredune morphology after 50 years, as well as the spatio-temporal evolution of the beach–dune system leading to that morphologic state. The saltation transport representation resulted in a more realistic simulation of the seaward expansion of the foredune compared with the original representation, particularly in scenarios with wide and prograding beaches. The new representation also more accurately captured the amplitude of aeolian bedforms emerging across the beach. These findings highlight the importance of selecting the representative transport mode when simulating the transient bio-geomorphological evolution of beach–dune systems.
Effectiveness of SNPs for Sibship Assignment in Farmed Banana Shrimp (Penaeus merguiensis)
Authors: Phuthaworn Chontida , Nguyen Nguyen Hong , Knibb Wayne
Published: June 2023

Pedigrees are essential components in selective breeding programs to manage genetic diversity and obtain accurate genetic parameter estimates to ensure long-term response to selection in captive populations. High throughput and cost-effective sequencing technologies has offered opportunities of using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to resolve penaeid shrimp pedigrees from mass spawning cohorts and communal rearing. Effects of SNPs for sibship assignment were investigated on 546 shrimp using two software programs, Colony and Sequoia. Assignment rates and accuracies using SNP subsets with six different minor allele frequencies (MAFs), four sets of SNPs, and five genotyping error rates were compared to the microsatellite-based pedigree established in a previous study. High MAFs and numbers of SNPs contributed to significant increases in assignment rates and accuracies, whereas genotyping error rates showed negligible impacts on assignment results. Sibship assignments achieved rates and accuracies of 98% and 83%, respectively, with a minimum number of 91 SNPs (average MAF ≥ 0.14), and the two different programs exhibited similar resulting patterns for different SNP subsets. High consistencies between SNP-based and microsatellite-based pedigrees showed that accurate pedigrees could be achieved by using SNPs and thus contribute to the long-term response to selection in farmed banana shrimp.
Computing Invasive Species Population Based on a Generalized Random Walk Process: Application to Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)
Authors: Simantiris Nikolaos , Violaris Ioannis G. , Avlonitis Markos
Published: June 2023

Animal population abundance is a significant parameter for studies on invasive species that can threaten the ecosystem. Researchers have been developing population estimation methods since the 18th century, in order to evaluate species’ evolution and environmental effects. However, studies on the population density of the invasive species Callinectes sapidus are very limited. The present work, using a simulation model combined with field measurements, examines an innovative methodology for estimating the current population of the invasive species Callinectes sapidus in a shallow Mediterranean coastal lagoon. The methodology presented here builds the first stage of modeling and predicting the evolution of this species’ population in marine environments. The simulation model’s results are validated with an estimation of the total population based on juvenile abundance, and a curvature of the species population estimation based on cage catch is implemented. The simulation experiments presented here show the possibility of a robust prediction for blue crab population estimation.
Two-Branch Underwater Image Enhancement and Original Resolution Information Optimization Strategy in Ocean Observation
Authors: Zhang Dehuan , Cao Wei , Zhou Jingchun , Peng Yan-Tsung , Zhang Weishi , Lin Zifan
Published: June 2023

In complex marine environments, underwater images often suffer from color distortion, blur, and poor visibility. Existing underwater image enhancement methods predominantly rely on the U-net structure, which assigns the same weight to different resolution information. However, this approach lacks the ability to extract sufficient detailed information, resulting in problems such as blurred details and color distortion. We propose a two-branch underwater image enhancement method with an optimized original resolution information strategy to address this limitation. Our method comprises a feature enhancement subnetwork (FEnet) and an original resolution subnetwork (ORSnet). FEnet extracts multi-resolution information and utilizes an adaptive feature selection module to enhance global features in different dimensions. The enhanced features are then fed into ORSnet as complementary features, which extract local enhancement features at the original image scale to achieve semantically consistent and visually superior enhancement effects. Experimental results on the UIEB dataset demonstrate that our method achieves the best performance compared to the state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, through comprehensive application testing, we have validated the superiority of our proposed method in feature extraction and enhancement compared to other end-to-end underwater image enhancement methods.
A Curvelet-Transform-Based Image Fusion Method Incorporating Side-Scan Sonar Image Features
Authors: Zhao Xinyang , Jin Shaohua , Bian Gang , Cui Yang , Wang Junsen , Zhou Bo
Published: June 2023

Current methods of fusing side-scan sonar images fail to tackle the issues of shadow removal, preservation of information from adjacent strip images, and maintenance of image clarity and contrast. To address these deficiencies, a novel curvelet-transform-based approach that integrates the complementary attribute of details from side-scan sonar strip images is proposed. By capitalizing on the multiple scales and orientations of the curvelet transform and its intricate hierarchical nature, myriad fusion rules were applied at the corresponding frequency levels, enabling a more-tailored image fusion technique for side-scan sonar imagery. The experimental results validated the effectiveness of this method in preserving valuable information from side-scan sonar images, reducing the presence of shadows and ensuring both clarity and contrast in the fused images. By meeting the aforementioned challenges encountered in existing methodologies, this approach demonstrated great practical significance.
Aesthetic Gingival Melanin Pigmentation Treatment in Smokers and Non-Smokers: A Comparison Study Using Nd:YAG Laser and Ceramic Bur
Authors: Mahayni Massa , Kujan Omar , Hamadah Omar
Published: June 2023

Aesthetic concerns are increasing rapidly; thus, several approaches have been suggested for treating gingival melanin pigmentation. Lasers have been reported as an effective new tool, and the Nd:YAG laser beam has an affinity for melanin and haemoglobin. However, ceramic gingival bur is simple and has less bleeding effect during operation than conventional techniques. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of gingival depigmentation using the Nd:YAG laser and ceramic bur in two different groups (smokers and non-smokers). A total of 40 patients presenting with gingival melanin pigmentation were enrolled in this split-mouth study. The sample was divided into two groups: smokers and non-smokers. Treatment was performed using the Nd:YAG laser (3 W, 60 mJ/pulse, and 50 Hz) and ceramic bur with a one-week interval between the two methods. Clinical indices were recorded, including intraoperative bleeding, wound healing, post-operative pain, and the recurrence of pigmentation, and follow-up periods were determined in the 3rd, 6th, and 9th months postoperatively. Both treatments promoted a similar pain experience and recurrence rate of pigmentation (p > 0.489, p = 1.000, respectively). Bleeding during surgery and complete healing recovery after one week were statistically significantly higher when using ceramic bur (p = 0.00, p = 0.041, respectively). Concerning the effect of smoking on the treatment, a higher recurrence rate was observed in SG than N-SG in laser sites (50%, and 95%, respectively) and bur sites (60%, and 85%, respectively), but statistically no significant difference was observed (p > 0.080). In conclusion, both procedures are adequate for aesthetic gingival depigmentation treatment. The Nd:YAG laser showed greater effectiveness in controlling bleeding, while ceramic bur showed a faster clinical recovery. Furthermore, smokers were more likely to have low depigmentation treatment stability.
Immunohistochemical Profiling of PD-1, PD-L1, CD8, MSI, and p53 and Prognostic Implications in Advanced Serous Ovarian Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Dergham Ana Paula , Vaz de Paula Caroline Busatta , Nagashima Seigo , Olandoski Márcia , de Noronha Lucia , Sotomaior Vanessa Santos
Published: June 2023

Advanced high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is a serious malignant neoplasm with a late diagnosis and high mortality rate. Even when treated with standard therapy, such as surgery followed by carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy, the prognosis remains unfavorable. Immunotherapy is a treatment alternative that requires further study. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the expression of PD-1, PD-L1, CD8, MSI (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2), and p53 in the paraffin samples of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. A retrospective study of 28 southern Brazilian patients with advanced serous ovarian carcinoma (EC III or IV) was conducted between 2009 and 2020. The expression of these proteins was evaluated using immunohistochemistry, and the results were correlated with the patients’ clinicopathological data. At diagnosis, the mean age was 61 years, and the most common clinical stage (60%) was EC III. Among the cases, 84.6% exhibited p53 overexpression, 14.8% had MSI, 92.0% were sensitive to platinum, and more than 50.0% relapsed after treatment. Patients with MSI had a lower CD8/PD-1 ratio and more relapses (p = 0.03). In conclusion, analysis of immunotherapeutic markers in paraffin-embedded advanced serous ovarian carcinoma samples is feasible and may assist in prognosis.
Future pHealth Ecosystem-Holistic View on Privacy and Trust
Authors: Ruotsalainen Pekka , Blobel Bernd
Published: June 2023

Modern pHealth is an emerging approach to collecting and using personal health information (PHI) for personalized healthcare and personalized health management. For its products and services, it deploys advanced technologies such as sensors, actuators, computers, mobile phones, etc. Researchers have shown that today’s networked information systems, such as pHealth ecosystems, miss appropriate privacy solutions, and trust is only an illusion. In the future, the situation will be even more challenging because pHealth ecosystems will be highly distributed, dynamic, increasingly autonomous, and multi-stakeholder, with the ability to monitor the person’s regular life, movements, emotions, and health-related behavior in real time. In this paper, the authors demonstrate that privacy and trust in ecosystems are system-level problems that need a holistic, system-focused solution. To make future pHealth ethically acceptable, privacy-enabled, and trustworthy, the authors have developed a conceptual five-level privacy and trust model as well as a formula that describes the impact of privacy and trust factors on the level of privacy and trust. Furthermore, the authors have analyzed privacy and trust challenges and possible solutions at each level of the model. Based on the analysis performed, a proposal for future ethically acceptable, trustworthy, and privacy-enabled pHealth is developed. The solution combines privacy as personal property and trust as legally binding fiducial duty approaches and uses a blockchain-based smart contract agreement to store people’s privacy and trust requirements and service providers’ promises.
Disentangling the Complexity of Regional Ecosystem Degradation: Uncovering the Interconnected Natural-Social Drivers of Quantity and Quality Loss
Authors: Zhang Mengyuan , Chen Shuaipeng , Liu Wenping
Published: June 2023

In the face of the combined effects of economic development and climate change, ecosystems are experiencing unprecedented pressures. It is imperative to diagnose changes in the quantity and quality of ecosystems, as well as identify the integrated natural and social driving mechanisms that underlie these changes, in order to facilitate ecosystem restoration and maintenance. In this study, we analyzed the changes in forest, grassland, farmland, and water ecosystems in Hubei Province, China from 2000 to 2020. We examined the changes in ecosystem quantity by assessing their area, and for evaluating ecosystem quality, we utilized an ecosystem quality index (EQI). To further understand the integrated natural–social driving mechanisms behind the degradation of different types of ecosystems, we selected four natural factors and fifteen socio-economic factors, based on the influences of climate change and human activities. We employed stepwise regression models for analysis. Our study reveals significant degradation of farmland and grassland ecosystems in Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020, reducing by 5.16% and 82.46%, respectively. The water ecosystems have slightly decreased by 1.08%, while and the forest ecosystems has increased by 2.64%. The analysis further highlights that the total area of ecosystem quality degradation in Hubei Province reached 5.34%. Additionally, our findings indicate that human activities have a greater impact on the quantitative degradation of ecosystems, while climate change has a greater impact on the quality degradation of ecosystems. Specifically, the forestry output value has a significant negative impact on the area of farmland and grassland ecosystems, while rural per capita net income and fishery output value have a significant negative impact on water area. Annual precipitation and annual average temperature have a significant positive effect on the quality of ecosystems in the good-quality level, while ecosystems in the low-quality level are mainly influenced by annual evaporation. Our results provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to restore and manage ecosystems effectively in order to promote regional sustainable development.
The Influence Mechanism of Farmer Behavior on the Spatial Pattern Evolution of Agricultural Production in the Yanhe River Basin
Authors: Hou Quanhua , Hu Ziye , Yang Yuxuan , Fan Xiaoyang , Zhou Jizhe , Zhang Lingda , Duan Yaqiong
Published: June 2023

Featuring complex and fractured terrain, the Loess hilly and gully regions suffer poor grain production capacity. The behavior of farmers, the major users of agricultural production space, significantly influences the agricultural production space. Hence, it is essential to explore the evolution rules of the agricultural production space under the influence of farmer behavior and reveal the influencing mechanism of agricultural production space change, which will facilitate the promotion of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Relying on six-stage remote sensing images of the Yanhe River Basin from 1995 to 2018, this study utilized a land use dynamic index, transfer matrix and landscape pattern index to analyze the spatial pattern evolution of agricultural production in the Yanhe River Basin. Furthermore, the geographic detector model was applied to quantitatively analyze the influencing factors of the spatial pattern evolution of agricultural production. The results demonstrated the following: (1) From 1995 to 2018, the overall area of cultivated land in the Yanhe River Basin decreased by 927.02 km2, with a change degree of 21.07%. The spatial structure of agricultural production changed, mainly transferring the cultivated land to woodland and grassland. (2) The spatial form of agricultural production has changed from fragmentation to regularity, and the complexity of the production space shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. (3) The evolution of the spatial pattern of agricultural production was affected by multiple factors of farmer behavior, where significant interactive enhancement effects existed. Specifically, labor input was the dominant factor affecting the overall scale of the production space, with an influence value of 0.202; fertilization input and cultivated land transfer were the key factors affecting the spatial distribution of production, with influence values of 0.264 and 0.242, respectively; income level and social interaction were the base factors affecting the spatial form of production, with influence values of 0.558 and 0.438, respectively. The research results provide scientific support for the improvement of agricultural production quality and the spatial evolution mechanism of agricultural production in the Yanhe River Basin.
Innovation Networks of Science and Technology Firms: Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Chenxi , Peng Zhenghong , Liu Lingbo , Li Shixuan
Published: June 2023

Examining and assessing the characteristics of innovation networks among science and technology firms at the city level is essential for comprehending the innovation patterns of cities and improving their competitiveness. Nevertheless, the majority of studies in this field solely rely on patent and paper data, neglecting the analysis of networks across diverse scales and dimensions. Websites offer a novel platform for companies to exhibit their products and services, and the utilization of hyperlink data better captures the dynamics of innovative cooperation. Thus, to attain a more realistic and precise comprehension of China’s technology enterprise cooperation networks, enhance the understanding of intra-city and cross-border cooperation within innovation networks, and offer more scientific guidance to cities in enhancing their innovation capabilities by investigating the factors influencing innovation scenarios and the mechanisms of their interactions, this study constructs an innovation network based on the hyperlink data extracted from Chinese science and technology enterprises’ websites in 2022. It explores the network’s inherent characteristics and spatial patterns across multiple dimensions and scales. Additionally, it employs GeoDetector to analyze the driving factors behind the heterogeneity of city quadrants across each dimension. The findings suggest the following: (1) Evident polarization of innovation capability exists, with a more pronounced differentiation of cities between high capability zones. (2) Contrary to the conventional notion of geographical proximity, cross-region website cooperation prevails, with cross-provincial cooperation being more prevalent than intra-provincial cross-city cooperation. (3) Enterprise cooperation tends to align with partners of similar scale, and small and medium-sized enterprises primarily engage in internal cooperation, primarily concentrated in second and third-tier cities. (4) Cities with high degree centrality and structure holes are primarily located in the construction areas of Chinese urban agglomerations, while those with low degree centrality and structure holes are situated near double-high cities. (5) The spatial heterogeneity of innovation networks across the four dimensions is primarily influenced by STI, while cooperation intensity and innovation capacity dimensions are strongly influenced by traffic capacity. The intra- and inter-city cooperation intensity dimensions are significantly impacted by administrative grade, and the enterprise scale and network location dimensions are most affected by the level of digital infrastructure.
Applicability Assessment of Multi-Source DEM-Assisted InSAR Deformation Monitoring Considering Two Topographical Features
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhou Bochen , Bai Zechao , Zhao Wenfei , Zhu Mengyuan , Zheng Ke , Yang Shiji , Li Geshuang
Published: June 2023

The high-precision digital elevation model (DEM) is of great significance for improving the accuracy of InSAR deformation monitoring. In today’s free opening of multi-source DEM, there is no consensus on how to select suitable DEMs to assist InSAR in deformation monitoring for different landforms. This article introduces five types of DEMs: ALOS12.5, SRTM-1, ASTER V3, AW3D30, and Copernicus 30, and uses SBAS-InSAR technology to analyze the applicability of deformation monitoring in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and Central China Plain regions. The coverage, average value, standard deviation, and unwrapping efficiency of the phase unwrapping results, the temporal deformation rate curves of six random deformation points in the key deformation area, as well as the consistency with the second-level data and the comparative analysis of RMSE of all deformation points, show that in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau region, Copernicus 30 is the best, followed by ASTER V3, AW3D30, and SRTM-1 having low accuracy, and ALOS12.5 is the worst. In the Central China Plain region, AW3D30 is the best, followed by Copernicus 30, SRTM-1, and ASTER V3 having low accuracy, and ALOS12.5 is still the worst. Although ALOS12.5 has the highest resolution, it is not recommended for deformation monitoring based on its worst performance in plateau and plain areas. It is recommended to use Copernicus 30 in plateau areas and AW3D30 for deformation monitoring in plain areas.
Markers of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Acne: A Literature Review
Authors: Popa Gabriela Loredana , Mitran Cristina Iulia , Mitran Madalina Irina , Tampa Mircea , Matei Clara , Popa Mircea Ioan , Georgescu Simona Roxana
Published: June 2023

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and involves the overlap between four main processes: alteration of the keratinization, increased sebum production, colonization with Cutibacterium acnes, and inflammation. The role of oxidative stress (OS) has been intensively studied in inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo, or atopic dermatitis. However, the involvement of OS in the pathogenesis of acne is less known. The evidence accumulated over the last decade suggests that in the case of acne patients, there is an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants. In this review, we analyzed studies that evaluated markers of OS in patients with acne, published in the last ten years, with the aim of providing new insights into the pathogenesis of acne.
Constitutive Serotonin Tone as a Modulator of Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis: A Rat Study
Authors: Kesić Maja , Baković Petra , Farkaš Vladimir , Bagarić Robert , Kolarić Darko , Štefulj Jasminka , Čičin-Šain Lipa
Published: June 2023

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), an important regulator of thermogenic and metabolic processes, is considered a promising target to combat metabolic disorders. The neurotransmitter and hormone serotonin (5HT) is a major modulator of energy homeostasis, with its central and peripheral pools acting in opposing ways. To better understand how individual variations in 5HT homeostasis influence the thermogenic functionality of BAT, we used a rat model consisting of two sublines with constitutively increased (high-5HT) or decreased (low-5HT) whole-body 5HT tone, developed by selective breeding for platelet 5HT parameters. We have shown that animals with constitutively low 5HT activity maintained at a standard housing temperature (22 °C) have greater interscapular BAT (iBAT) mass and higher iBAT metabolic activity (as evidenced by measurements of iBAT temperature and glucose uptake), accompanied by increased iBAT mRNA expression of key thermogenic genes, compared to animals with high 5HT tone. In response to further thermogenic challenges—intermittent cold exposure or treatment with a β3-adrenergic agonist—5HT sublines show several functional and molecular differences linking constitutively low endogenous 5HT tone to higher BAT activity/capacity. Overall, the results support a role of 5-HT in the control of BAT thermogenesis They also suggest that individuals with lower 5HT activity may be more sensitive to β3-adrenergic drugs.
Logistic Model Tree Forest for Steel Plates Faults Prediction
Authors: Ghasemkhani Bita , Yilmaz Reyat , Birant Derya , Kut Recep Alp
Published: June 2023

Fault prediction is a vital task to decrease the costs of equipment maintenance and repair, as well as to improve the quality level of products and production efficiency. Steel plates fault prediction is a significant materials science problem that contributes to avoiding the progress of abnormal events. The goal of this study is to precisely classify the surface defects in stainless steel plates during industrial production. In this paper, a new machine learning approach, entitled logistic model tree (LMT) forest, is proposed since the ensemble of classifiers generally perform better than a single classifier. The proposed method uses the edited nearest neighbor (ENN) technique since the target class distribution in fault prediction problems reveals an imbalanced dataset and the dataset may contain noise. In the experiment that was conducted on a real-world dataset, the LMT forest method demonstrated its superiority over the random forest method in terms of accuracy. Additionally, the presented method achieved higher accuracy (86.655%) than the state-of-the-art methods on the same dataset.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation and Optimization of Hydropneumatic Spring Damper Valves for Heavy Vehicle Applications
Authors: Nie Wei , He Hongwen , Sha Luming , Wang Chao , Du Fu
Published: June 2023

To satisfy the design requirements for a hydropneumatic spring damper valve, the inlet–outlet pressure drop (ΔP) and the axial force on the spool (FZ) of a valve were investigated using fluid–solid coupling simulations and multi-objective optimization, along with the effects of the diameters of three internal holes (DA, DB, and DC) in the valve on the ΔP and the FZ. First, a meshed computational fluid dynamics model of a damper valve was established based on its geometric structure. Next, the effects of the flow rate (Q) and the diameter of the damping hole in the internal structure on the ΔP and the FZ of the damper valve were investigated. The results showed that the ΔP and the FZ varied nonlinearly with Q. For a given Q, the ΔP decreased as DA, DB, and DC increased. For a given Q, the FZ was not related to DA and DC, but it decreased as DB increased. Finally, the structure of the damper valve was optimized by defining the ΔP and the FZ as the response variables and DA, DB, and DC as the explanatory variables. The results showed that the best configuration of the hole diameters was DA = 8.8 mm, DB = 5.55 mm, and DC = 6 mm. In this configuration, ΔP = 0.704 MPa and FZ = 110.005 N. The ΔP of the optimized valve was closer to the middle value of the target range than that of the initial valve design. The difference between the simulated and target values of the FZ decreased from 0.28% to 0.0045%, satisfying application requirements.
On Incidence-Dependent Management Strategies against an SEIRS Epidemic: Extinction of the Epidemic Using Allee Effect
Authors: Nguyen-Huu Tri , Auger Pierre , Moussaoui Ali
Published: June 2023

We developed a mathematical model to study the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on the dynamics of an epidemic. The level of intervention was assessed as a fraction of the population being isolated and depended on the level of incidence of the epidemic in the population. We performed a mathematical analysis of the model and showed that, depending on the choice of the prevalence-dependent isolation function, it is possible to create new endemic equilibria and to change the stability of the disease-free equilibrium for which the epidemic vanishes. The model was then applied to the case of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several NPI management strategies were considered. In the case of an NPI intensity increasing with the level of infection, it is possible to avoid the initial epidemic peak of great amplitude that would have occurred without intervention and to stabilize the epidemic at a chosen and sufficiently low endemic level. In the case of an NPI intensity decreasing with the level of infection, the epidemic can be driven to extinction by generating an “Allee” effect: when the incidence is below a given level, the epidemic goes extinct whereas, above it, the epidemic will still be able take hold at a lower endemic level. Simulations illustrate that appropriate NPIs could make the COVID-19 vanish relatively fast. We show that, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries have not chosen to use the most efficient strategies.