bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Non-Cirrhotic Liver with Sonazoid-Enhanced Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
Authors: Chen Sheng , Qiu Yi-Jie , Zuo Dan , Shi Shuai-Nan , Wang Wen-Ping , Dong Yi
Published: September 2022

Purpose: To investigate the Sonazoid-enhanced contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a non-cirrhosis liver background, in comparison to those in liver cirrhosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, 19 patients with surgery and histopathologically proven HCC lesions in non-cirrhosis liver background were included regarding Sonazoid-enhanced CEUS characteristics. Two radiologists evaluated the CEUS features of HCC lesions according to the WFUMB (World Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology) guidelines criteria. Thirty-six patients with HCC lesions in liver cirrhosis were included as a control group. Final diagnoses were confirmed by surgery and histopathological results. Results: Liver background of the non-cirrhosis group including normal liver (n = 7), liver fibrosis (n = 11), and alcoholic liver disease (n = 1). The mean size of non-cirrhosis HCC lesions was 60.8 ± 46.8 mm (ranging from 25 to 219 mm). During the arterial phase of Sonazoid-enhanced CEUS, most HCCs in non-cirrhotic liver (94.7%, 18/19) and in cirrhotic liver (83.3%, 30/36) presented non-rim hyperenhancement. During the portal venous phase, HCC lesions in the non-cirrhosis liver group showed relatively early washout (68.4%, 13/19) (p = 0.090). Meanwhile, HCC lesions in liver cirrhosis background showed isoenhancement (55.6%, 20/36). All lesions in the non-cirrhotic liver group showed hypoenhancement in the late phase and the Kupffer phase (100%, 19/19). Five cases of HCC lesions in liver cirrhosis showed isoenhancement during the late phase and hypoenhancement during the Kupffer phase (13.9%, 5/36). The rest of the cirrhotic HCC lesions showed hypoenhancement during the late phase and the Kupffer phase (86.1%, 31/36). Additional hypoenhanced lesions were detected in three patients in the non-cirrhosis liver group and eight patients in the liver cirrhosis group (mean size: 13.0 ± 5.6 mm), which were also suspected to be HCC lesions. Conclusions: Heterogeneous hyperenhancement during the arterial phase as well as relatively early washout are characteristic features of HCC in the non-cirrhotic liver on Sonazoid-enhanced CEUS.
Migration of a Retained Surgical Suture Needle in the Common Bile Duct
Authors: Wen Tzu-Cheng , Lin Kuo-Hua , Chen Yang-Yuan
Published: September 2022

Retained surgical foreign bodies have been a cause of concern since physicians began operating on patients. Retained surgical foreign bodies in the common bile duct (CBD) are rare and may cause cholangitis and jaundice. We report the case of a patient who initially presented with fever and right upper-quadrant abdominal pain. He had received cholecystectomy and choledochojejunostomy 28 years ago and had been well since then. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed left-lobe liver abscess and a linear curve of high-density material. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) displayed mild dilatation of the common bile duct (CBD) and choledojejunostomic fistula of the middle CBD. A curved, linear, rusty, metallic surgical suture needle was detected and successfully removed under ERCP.
Design and Implementation of a Miniaturized Filtering Antenna for 5G Mid-Band Applications
Authors: Juma’a Fatimah K. , Al-Mayoof Alaa I. , Abdulhameed Abdulghafor A. , Alnahwi Falih M. , Al-Yasir Yasir I. A. , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: September 2022

Combining a microwave filter with an antenna results in a low-cost, efficient, and small-size selective radiator called a filtering antenna or filtenna. In this work, a compact filtering antenna is presented to radiate within the 5G mid-band frequencies along (3.6–3.8 GHz) with strong rejection for the frequencies outside this range. The proposed filtering antenna consists of a crescent-shaped planar monopole antenna that is electromagnetically coupled with a reduced-size capacitively loaded loop (CLL) microwave band-pass filter. The miniaturization of CLL is achieved by utilizing a single ring CLL structure instead of two rings to reduce the filter size to half without affecting the filter performance. The filtering antenna in this work is fabricated on a Rogers RT5880 substrate with dimensions equal to 24.2 × 27 × 0.8 mm3. Good congruence between the measurements and the simulation results, and both verify the antenna’s perfect operation along the 5G mid-band frequency range. The simulated and measured peak realized gain values of the proposed structure are 2.24 dB and 2.2 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the power pattern of the designed filtering antenna is omnidirectional, which is very convenient for portable 5G mid-band devices. Compared to other works, it is found that in spite of the small dimensions of the filtering antenna (24.2 × 27 × 0.8 mm3), the antenna has a bandwidth that covers the range 3.6–3.82 GHz with a maximum gain value equal to 2.2 GHz and omnidirectional pattern which makes the antenna very suitable for 5G mid-band applications.
A Novel Hybrid Method Based on Deep Learning for an Integrated Navigation System during DVL Signal Failure
Authors: Zhu Jiupeng , Li An , Qin Fangjun , Che Hao , Wang Jungang
Published: September 2022

The navigation performance of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as the main tool for exploring the ocean greatly affects its work efficiency. Under the circumstance that high-precision GNSS positioning signals cannot be obtained, the role of the Strapdown Inertial Navigation System/Doppler Velocity Log (SINS/DVL) integrated navigation system is becoming more prominent. Due to marine creatures or the seafloor topography, DVL is prone to outliers or even failures during measurement. To solve these problems, a LSTM/SVR-VBAKF algorithm aided integrated navigation system is proposed. First, under normal circumstances of DVL, the output information of SINS and DVL are used as training samples, and they train the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model. To enhance the robustness and adaptability of the filter, a novel variational Bayesian adaptive filtering algorithm based on support vector regression is proposed. When the DVL formation is missing, the deep learning method adopted in this paper will be continuously output to ensure the effect of integrated navigation. The shipboard test data is verified from two aspects: filter performance and neural network-assisted integrated navigation system capability. The experimental results show that the new method proposed in this paper can effectively handle a situation where DVL output is not available.
Coupling Analysis on the Thermophysical Parameters and the Performance of Liquid Cooling-Based Thermal Management System for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Mao Shuai , An Zhoujian , Du Xiaoze , Shi Tianlu , Zhang Dong
Published: September 2022

In order to ensure the safety and extend the lifecycle of lithium-ion power batteries in electric vehicles, a battery thermal management system based on minichannel liquid cooling is proposed to cool rectangular lithium-ion batteries, and a three-dimensional cooling system model is established. The effects of the number of channels, the thickness of heat conducting silicone grease and the thermal conductivity of the battery itself on the temperature rise and voltage drop changes during the discharge process of the battery are studied. The results show that the maximum temperature of the battery decreases with the increase of the number of channels, and the voltage drop inside the channel increases with the increase of the number of channels. The maximum temperature of the battery increases with the increase of the thickness of the thermal grease, but the increase is only 1.26 K. The maximum temperature and local temperature difference of the battery change significantly with the change of the thickness of the battery and its own thermal conductivity. The simulation results will be beneficial to the design of a battery thermal management system based on minichannel liquid cooling.
Effect of Obstacles Gradient Arrangement on Non-Uniformly Distributed LPG–Air Premixed Gas Deflagration
Authors: Gao Jianfeng , Ai Bingjian , Hao Bin , Guo Bingang , Hong Bingyuan , Jiang Xinsheng
Published: September 2022

The arrangement of obstacles can significantly impact the deflagration behavior of combustible gases. In the actual pipeline accident site, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other gases often show non-uniform distribution after leakage owing to diffusion and gravity, and the deflagration mechanism is also more complex. In this paper, based on the non-uniform distribution of combustible gases, the flame behavior and overpressure characteristics of LPG–air combustible gas deflagration are carried out by a combination of experiments and numerical simulations with obstacles arranged in increasing and decreasing blockage height. The results show that in the increasing blockage height arrangement, the flame forms a “straw hat” cavity, finally forming an elliptical region. In the decreasing blockage height arrangement, the flame appears as a “ribbon-shaped” narrow, blank area, which gradually becomes longer with time. By observing the overpressure and the structure of flame propagation in the coupled state, it is found that the explosion overpressure is maximum when the height of the obstacle is consistent, and the moment of the maximum area of flame appears slightly earlier than the appearance of the maximum overpressure peak. At the same time, without considering the change in height of the obstacle, the three arrangements all have an accelerating effect on the flame of deflagration. And the decreasing blockage height arrangement condition has the most obvious effect on the flame acceleration, which makes the peak of area of flame and the overpressure peak appear at first, and finally leads to the formation of a positive feedback mechanism among the speed of flame propagation, the area of flame and overpressure. In addition, in the case of the non-uniform distribution of combustible gases, the acceleration obtained by the flame at the initial stage is very important for the overall acceleration of the flame. The results of this paper can provide a reference for the placement of equipment and facilities in long and narrow spaces such as various pipe galleries, and to make predictions about the impact of the shape of some objects on the explosion and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and management of gas explosions.
Effect of Overhead Contact Line Pre-Sag on the Interaction Performance with a Pantograph in Electrified Railways
Authors: Mei Guiming , Song Yang
Published: September 2022

In the high-speed rail industry, the overhead contact line erected along the railroad is used to supply the electricity to the high-speed train via a pantograph on the carbody’s roof. This work attempts to explore the effect of contact line pre-sag on the contact quality between the pantograph and the contact line. A nonlinear finite element approach is implemented to build the overhead contact line system with accurate description of the pre-sag of the contact line. Through a nonlinear solution, the effect of contact line pre-sag on the contact force is analysed with different train speeds and tension classes. The analysis result indicates the feasibility of tuning the pre-sag to improve the interaction performance at a given speed and tension class. In the low-speed range, the change of pre-sag does not have a significant effect on the interaction performance. However, when the speed increases up to a certain value, the effect of pre-sag on the contact force is nonnegligible. The increase in tension can reduce the sensitivity of the interaction performance to the pre-sag. An optimisation procedure is implemented to obtain the optimal amount of pre-sag for different train speeds and tension classes. The results indicate a necessity to include a certain amount of contact line pre-sag to maintain an excellent interaction performance at high speed.
Selection of Car Models with a Classic and Alternative Drive to the Car-Sharing Services from the System’s Rare Users Perspective
Authors: Turoń Katarzyna
Published: September 2022

Short-term, automated car rental services, i.e., car sharing, are a solution that has been improving in urban transportation systems over the past few years. Due to the intensive expansion of the systems, service providers face increasing challenges in their competitiveness. One of them is to meet the customer expectations for the fleet of vehicles offered in the system. Although this aspect is noted primarily in the literature review on fleet optimization and management, there is a gap in research on the appropriate selection of vehicle models. In response, the article aimed to identify the vehicles best suited for car-sharing systems from the customer’s point of view. The selection of suitable vehicles was treated as a multi-criteria decision-making issue; therefore, the study used ELECTRE III—one of the multi-criteria decision-making methods. The work focuses on researching the opinions of users who rarely use car-sharing services in Poland. The most popular car models in 2021, equipped with internal combustion, hybrid, and electric engines, were selected for the analysis. The results indicate that the best suited cars are relatively large, spacious, and equipped with electric drive and represent the D segment of vehicles in Europe. In addition, these vehicles are to be equipped with a powerful engine, a spacious boot, and a fast battery charging time. Interestingly, small city cars, so far associated with car sharing, ranked the worst in the classification method. In addition, factors such as the warranty period associated with the quality of the vehicles, or the number of car doors, are not very important to users. The results support car-sharing operators in the process of selecting or modernizing a fleet of vehicles.
Reward–Penalty vs. Deposit–Refund: Government Incentive Mechanisms for EV Battery Recycling
Authors: Hao Hao , Xu Wenxian , Wei Fangfang , Wu Chuanliang , Xu Zhaoran
Published: September 2022

With the rapid development of electric vehicles (EVs), many EV batteries have entered the retirement stage, leading to increasing concerns about the impact of resource recycling and environmental sustainability. Some countries have successfully applied reward–penalty and deposit–refund mechanisms in similar fields, such as lead-acid and waste portable batteries. However, whether these mechanisms are conducive to collecting waste EV batteries is unclear. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the influence of reward–penalty and deposit–refund mechanisms in EV battery collection by developing a Stackelberg game theoretical model. In the model, the recycling enterprise is the leader and the EV manufacturer is the follower. Furthermore, the total social welfare is used as the indicator to select the optimal incentive mechanisms. The results show that (1) both mechanisms could improve collection rates and recycling enterprises’ profits, though the collection rate is lower under the reward–penalty mechanism than the deposit–refund mechanism unless the reward/penalty coefficient takes a very high value. (2) Regardless of government focus on increasing the sales volume of new EV batteries, collection rates, or social welfare, the boundary conditions of the choice of the two mechanisms are obtained. Additionally, the boundary conditions are related to the trade-in discount and refund coefficient. (3) Under the deposit–refund mechanism, even if the refund coefficient is less than 1, the mechanism may still lead to a higher collection rate than the reward–penalty mechanism.
Comparative Assessment of the Resistance to Lead (Pb) Pollution of Forest, Forest-Steppe, Steppe, and Mountain-Meadow Soils of the Central Ciscaucasia and the Caucasus Regions
Authors: Moshchenko D. , Kolesnikov Sergey , Kuzina A. , Kazeev Kamil , Minkina Tatiana , Mezhenkov A. , Litvinov Y. , Shende Sudhir , Mandzhieva Saglara , Sushkova Svetlana , Kalinitchenko Valery
Published: September 2022

Lead (Pb) is one of the most hazardous heavy-metal pollutants in the environment. However, the resistance of different soils and ecosystems to Pb pollution varies greatly. In the present study, the comparative assessment of the resistance to Pb contamination in the forest, forest-steppe, steppe, and mountain-meadow soils of the Central Ciscaucasia and the Caucasus regions was conducted. There were 10 types and subtypes of objects from the forest, forest-steppe, steppe, and mountain-meadow soils which were selected for this study. The laboratory modeling of the effect of chemical soil contamination with lead (II) oxide (PbO) at different concentrations, 100, 1000, and 10,000 mg/kg, were introduced into the soil to check the microbiological, biochemical, and phytotoxic properties of the soil after 30 days of incubation. Soil resistance to Pb stress was assessed by the degree of the decrease in the most sensitive and informative biological indicators of the soil condition. It has been found that the forest-steppe and steppe soils showed a greater resistance than that of the forest and mountain-meadow soils. The regional maximum permissible concentration (rMPC) of Pb was developed for the first time, according to the degree of violation of the ecosystem functions of the soils. The forecast maps were developed for the deterioration of the soil condition during the Pb contamination at variable concentrations in the Central Ciscaucasia and the Caucasus regions.
Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
Authors: Zhu Jialun , Zhou Lu , Li Tianfeng , Ruan Yanye , Zhang Ao , Dong Xiaomei , Zhu Yanshu , Li Cong , Fan Jinjuan
Published: September 2022

The sugar will eventually be exported transporters (SWEET) family is an important group of transport carriers for carbon partitioning in plants and has important functions in growth, development, and abiotic stress tolerance. Although the SWEET family is an important sugar transporter, little is known of the functions of the SWEET family in maize (Zea mays), especially in response to abiotic stresses. To further explore the response pattern of maize SWEET to abiotic stress, a bioinformatics-based approach was used to predict and identify the maize SWEET gene (ZmSWEET) family. Twenty-four ZmSWEET genes were identified using the MaizeGDB database. Phylogenetic analysis resolved these twenty-four genes into four clades. One tandem and five segmental duplication events were identified, which played a major role in ZmSWEET family expansion. Synteny analysis provided insight into the evolutionary characteristics of the ZmSWEET genes with those of three graminaceous crop species. A heatmap showed that most ZmSWEET genes responded to at least one type of abiotic stress. By an abscisic acid signaling pathway, among which five genes were significantly induced under NaCl treatment, eight were obviously up-regulated under PEG treatment and five were up-regulated under Cd stress, revealing their potential functions in response to abiotic stress. These findings will help to explain the evolutionary links of the ZmSWEET family and contribute to future studies on the functional characteristics of ZmSWEET genes, and then improve abiotic stress tolerance in maize through molecular breeding.
Population Genetic Data of 30 Insertion-Deletion Markers in the Polish Population
Authors: Abreu-Glowacka Monica , Pepinski Witold , Michalak Eliza , Konarzewska Magdalena , Zak Krzysztof , Skawronska Malgorzata , Niemcunowicz-Janica Anna , Soltyszewski Ireneusz , Krajewski Pawel , Zaba Czeslaw
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: Insertion-deletion (InDel) markers show the advantages of both short tandem repeats (STRs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and are considered alternative markers in forensic genetics. (2) Methods: Allelic frequencies and corresponding forensic efficiency parameters of 30 autosomal polymorphic InDel loci included in the Investigator DIPplex kit (Qiagen) were obtained in a sample of 631 unrelated Polish individuals. Allelic frequency data were compared with those reported for selected populations (3) Results: All the loci conformed with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after applying a Bonferroni correction and no pair-wise significant linkage disequilibrium was detected. (4) Conclusions: DIPplex Kit differences were high among populations worldwide. The InDel markers are highly discriminating for human identification purposes in the Polish population.
Identification of Two Novel EPOR Gene Variants in Primary Familial Polycythemia: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Lo Riso Laura , Vargas-Parra Gardenia , Navarro Gemma , Arenillas Leonor , Fernández-Ibarrondo Lierni , Robredo Beatriz , Ballester Carmen , López Bernardo , Perez-Montaña Albert , Sampol Antonia , Florensa Lourdes , Besses Carles , Duran María Antonia , Bellosillo Beatriz
Published: September 2022

Primary familial and congenital polycythemia is a rare disease characterized by an increase in red cell mass that may be due to pathogenic variants in the EPO receptor (EPOR) gene. To date, 33 genetic variants have been reported to be associated. We analyzed the presence of EPOR variants in two patients with polycythemia in whom JAK2 pathogenic variants had been previously discarded. Molecular analysis of the EPOR gene was performed by Sanger sequencing of the coding regions and exon/intron boundaries of exon 8. We performed in vitro culture of erythroid progenitor cells. Segregation studies were done whenever possible. The two patients studied showed hypersensitivity to EPO in in vitro cultures. Analysis of the EPOR gene unveiled two novel pathogenic variants. Genetic testing of asymptomatic relatives could guarantee surveillance and proper management.
Cold Agglutinin Disease: Improved Understanding of Pathogenesis Helps Define Targets for Therapy
Authors: Berentsen Sigbjørn , D’Sa Shirley , Randen Ulla , Małecka Agnieszka , Vos Josephine M. I.
Published: September 2022

The last 2 decades have seen great progress in understanding the pathogenesis of cold agglutinin disease (CAD) and development of effective therapies. Cold agglutinins can cause hemolytic anemia as well as peripheral circulatory symptoms such as acrocyanosis. We distinguish CAD, a well-defined clinicopathologic entity, from secondary cold agglutinin syndrome. This review addresses the histopathologic, immune phenotypic, and molecular features that allow CAD to be classified as a distinct clonal lymphoproliferative disorder of the bone marrow, recently recognized in the WHO classification. We discuss recent data on the possible overlap or distinction between CAD and Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia. Two major steps in the pathogenesis of CAD are identified: clonal B-cell lymphoproliferation (leading to monoclonal IgM production) and complement-mediated hemolysis. Each of these steps constitutes a target for treatment. Established as well as novel and experimental therapies are reviewed.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Indoor Dust in Croatia: Levels, Sources, and Human Health Risks
Authors: Jakovljević Ivana , Dvoršćak Marija , Jagić Karla , Klinčić Darija
Published: September 2022

Compounds that contribute to indoor pollution are regularly investigated due to the fact that people spend most of their time indoors. Worldwide investigations have shown that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in indoor dust, but to the best of our knowledge, this paper reports for the first time the presence of PAHs in Croatian households. Eleven PAHs were analysed in house dust samples collected in the city of Zagreb and surroundings (N = 66). Their possible indoor sources and the associated health risks were assessed. Total mass fraction of detected PAHs ranged from 92.9 ng g−1 to 1504.1 ng g−1 (median 466.8 ng g−1), whereby four-ring compounds, Flu and Pyr, contributed the most. DahA was the only compound that did not show statistically significantly positive correlation with other analysed PAHs, indicating that it originated from different sources. Based on diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA), mixed sources contributed to PAHs levels present in Croatian households. Although our results indicate that Croatian house dusts are weakly polluted with PAHs, total ILCR values calculated for children and adults revealed that people exposed to the highest mass fractions of PAHs measured in this area are at elevated cancer risk.
Effects of Acute Ashwagandha Ingestion on Cognitive Function
Authors: Xing Dante , Yoo Choongsung , Gonzalez Drew , Jenkins Victoria , Nottingham Kay , Dickerson Broderick , Leonard Megan , Ko Joungbo , Faries Mark , Kephart Wesley , Purpura Martin , Jäger Ralf , Sowinski Ryan , Rasmussen Christopher J. , Kreider Richard B.
Published: September 2022

Background: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been reported to decrease perceptions of stress, enhance mood, and improve cognitive function. However, it is currently unknown whether acute ashwagandha supplementation affects memory and cognitive function. This study evaluated the effects of acute ashwagandha extract ingestion on executive function. Materials and Methods: 13 healthy volunteers were administered the Berg–Wisconsin Card Sorting (BCST), Go/No-Go (GNG), Sternberg Task (STT), and Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVTT) tests. Participants then ingested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover manner 400 mg of a placebo (PLA) or ashwagandha (ASH) extract (NooGandha®, Specnova Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA). Participants then performed cognitive function tests every hour for 6 h. After a 4-day washout period, volunteers repeated the experiment while receiving the remaining supplement. Data were analyzed by repeated measures General Linear Model multivariate and univariate statistics with body weight as a covariate. Results: Acute ASH supplementation increased STT-determined working memory as demonstrated by an improvement in 6 letter length, Present Reaction Time at 3 and 6 h. PVTT analysis revealed that ASH sustained attention by helping maintain reaction times, preventing mental fatigue, and remaining vigilant. Conversely, reaction times (at task 20, hour 6; overall, hour 3) increased with PLA. In the BCST, there was evidence that ASH increased the ability to recognize and ‘shift’ to a new rule compared with baseline. However, this was not seen when evaluating changes from baseline, suggesting that differences in baseline values influence results. In the GNG test, ASH ingestion promoted faster response times to respond correctly than PLA, indicating less metal fatigue. However, ASH did not affect accuracy compared to PLA, as both treatments decreased the percentage of correct answers. Conclusions: Acute supplementation with 400 mg of ashwagandha improved selected measures of executive function, helped sustain attention, and increased short-term/working memory.
Poor Eating Behaviors Related to the Progression of Prediabetes in a Japanese Population: An Open Cohort Study
Authors: Otsuka Yuichiro , Nakagami Tomoko
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to examine lifestyle factors associated with the change in glucose categories among individuals without diabetes. We analyzed cohort data of medical check-ups at baseline between April 2008 and December 2012. The primary and secondary outcomes were the change in glucose categories from normoglycemia (glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) < 5.7% and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 5.6 mmol/L) to prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7–6.4% or FPG 5.6–6.9 mmol/L) and from prediabetes to normoglycemia. During a mean follow-up of 2.4 years, 7083 of 57,018 individuals with normoglycemia developed prediabetes, whereas 4629 of 9926 individuals with prediabetes returned to normoglycemia. Factors associated with progression to prediabetes were baseline BMI (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.08 [1.07–1.09]), change in BMI during follow-up (1.05 [1.03–1.07]), late dinner/snacking (1.16 [1.10–1.22]), skipping breakfast (1.12 [1.06–1.18]), and heavy alcohol consumption (1.33 [1.24–1.42]). Factors associated with return to normoglycemia from prediabetes were baseline BMI (0.94 [0.93–0.95]) and change in BMI during follow-up (0.95 [0.93–0.97]). In conclusion, poor eating behaviors, such as skipping breakfast, late dinner/snacking, and heavy alcohol consumption, were associated with the progression from normoglycemia to prediabetes.
The Association between COVID-19 Pandemic and the Quality of Life of Medical Students in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Authors: Szemik Szymon , Gajda Maksymilian , Gładyś Aleksandra , Kowalska Małgorzata
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly in 2020, medical universities have been affected by a particular crisis. Due to the increased risk of SARS CoV-2 transmission, the authorities of medical faculties all over the world, including Poland, started to minimize direct contact between students. The objective of the paper is to identify and assess determinants of the quality of life among medical students in Poland before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: We analyzed data obtained in a cross-sectional study performed among three groups of students tested in three consecutive research periods: period before the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period and the COVID-19 pandemic period following lockdown. (3) Results: The total number of participants was 1098. We identified that the research period before the COVID-19 pandemic was the risk factor for lower quality of life in terms of the somatic and environmental domains. It was also confirmed that determinants such as poor financial situation, low frequency of physical activity and bad self-declared health status harmed the QoL scores in all domains. (4) Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed that better financial situation, higher physical activity and better self-declared health status were statistically significant factors improving the quality of life of first-year medical students in Poland. The findings of our study also showed that the declared somatic and environmental domains of QoL among medical students were better during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Our observations confirmed that the immediate implementation of e-learning could protect against the deterioration of mental health and quality of life in first-year medical students during possible future epidemic crises.
Association between Hope for the Future and Academic Performance in Adolescents: Results from the K-CHILD Study
Authors: Kashiwabara Tomoka , Fujiwara Takeo , Doi Satomi , Yamaoka Yui
Published: September 2022

In Japan, having hope for the future is emphasized in school. This study aimed to examine the association between hope for the future and academic performance among Japanese adolescents. Data were taken from the population-based Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (K-CHILD) study conducted in 2016. Participants included 3477 adolescents in the eighth grade (i.e., 13–14 years old) in Kochi Prefecture. Information on hope for the future, self-rated academic performance, and time used for studying or playing was provided by the adolescents via a questionnaire. The question on resilience was answered by their caregivers. Propensity-score matching was applied for the allocation of hope for the future. Overall, 2283 adolescents (65.6%) had some form of hope for the future. Adolescents having hope for the future showed a higher self-rated academic performance (β = 0.21, 95% confidence interval (Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.10 to 0.32)), spent more time studying except in class (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.37 to 2.61), read more books (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.75), and had a higher score of resilience (β = 1.48, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.98), while the time to watch TV or DVDs was not different (p = 0.61). Our results highlight the importance of encouraging adolescents to have hope for the future to promote academic performance.
The Possible Connection of Two Dual Function Processes: The Relationship of Ferroptosis and the JNK Pathway
Authors: Varga Dóra , Hajdinák Péter , Makk-Merczel Kinga , Szarka András
Published: September 2022

Ferroptosis represents a typical process that has dual functions in cell fate decisions since the reduction and/or inhibition of ferroptosis is desirable for the therapies of diseases such as neurological disorders, localized ischemia-reperfusion, kidney injury, and hematological diseases, while the enhanced ferroptosis of cancer cells may benefit patients with cancer. The JNK pathway also has a real dual function in the fate of cells. Multiple factors suggest a potential link between the ferroptotic and JNK pathways; (i) both processes are ROS mediated; (ii) both can be inhibited by lipid peroxide scavengers; (iii) RAS mutations may play a role in the initiation of both pathways. We aimed to investigate the possible link between ferroptosis and the JNK pathway. Interestingly, JNK inhibitor co-treatment could enhance the cancer cytotoxic effect of the ferroptosis inducers in NRAS and KRAS mutation-harboring cells (HT-1080 and MIA PaCa-2). Since cancer’s cytotoxic effect from the JNK inhibitors could only be suspended by the ferroptosis inhibitors, and that sole JNK-inhibitor treatment did not affect cell viability, it seems that the JNK inhibitors “just” amplify the effect of the ferroptosis inducers. This cancer cell death amplifying effect of the JNK inhibitors could not be observed in other oxidative stress-driven cell deaths. Hence, it seems it is specific to ferroptosis. Finally, our results suggest that GSH content/depletion could be an important candidate for switching the anti-cancer effect of JNK inhibitors.
How Do Intermolecular Interactions Evolve at the Nematic to Twist–Bent Phase Transition?
Authors: Merkel Katarzyna , Loska Barbara , Arakawa Yuki , Mehl Georg H. , Karcz Jakub , Kocot Antoni
Published: September 2022

Polarized beam infrared (IR) spectroscopy provides valuable information on changes in the orientation of samples in nematic phases, especially on the role of intermolecular interactions in forming the periodically modulated twist–bent phase. Infrared absorbance measurements and quantum chemistry calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) were performed to investigate the structure and how the molecules interact in the nematic (N) and twist–bend (NTB) phases of thioether dimers. The nematic twist–bend phase observed significant changes in the mean IR absorbance. On cooling, the transition from the N phase to the NTB phase was found to be accompanied by a marked decrease in absorbance for longitudinal dipoles. Then, with further cooling, the absorbance of the transverse dipoles increased, indicating that transverse dipoles became correlated in parallel. To investigate the influence of the closest neighbors, DFT calculations were performed. As a result of the optimization of the molecular cores system, we observed changes in the square of the transition dipoles, which well corresponds to absorbance changes observed in the IR spectra. Interactions of molecules dominated by pairing were observed, as well as the axial shift of the core to each other.
GSTT1/GSTM1 Genotype and Anti-Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Peruvian Patients
Authors: Jaramillo-Valverde Luis , Levano Kelly S. , Tarazona David D. , Vasquez-Dominguez Andres , Toledo-Nauto Anel , Capristano Silvia , Sanchez Cesar , Tarazona-Santos Eduardo , Ugarte-Gil Cesar , Guio Heinner
Published: September 2022

In Peru, 24,581 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in 2020. Although TB treatments are effective, 3.4–13% are associated with significant adverse drug reactions (ADRs), with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) considered the most predominant. Among the first-line antituberculosis drugs, isoniazid (INH) is the main drug responsible for the appearance of DILI. In the liver, INH is metabolized by the enzymes N-acetyltransferase-2 (NAT2), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) with two isoforms, GSTT1 and GSTM1. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that interactions between the GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes induce DILI in TB patients. In this cross-sectional study of 377 participants who completed their anti-TB treatment, we genotyped by revealing the presence or absence of 215- and 480-bp bands of GSTM1 and GSTT1, respectively. We found that the prevalence of the GSTM1 genotype was 52.79% and 47.21% for presence and null, respectively, and for GSTT1 it was 69.76% and 30.24% for presence and null, respectively. Neither genotype was prevalent in the patients who developed DILI (n = 16). We did not confirm our hypothesis; however, we found that the combination of GSTM1 present genotype, GSTT1 null genotype, fast NAT2 acetylators, and CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotype had a significant risk for the development of ADR (OR 11; p = 0.017; 95% CI: (0.54–186.35)). We propose that the presence of the GSTM1 present genotype, GSTT1 null genotype, fast NAT2 acetylators, and CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotype in the Peruvian population could be considered a risk factor for the development of ADR due to therapeutic drug intake.
Advances in Anti-Cancer Activities of Flavonoids in Scutellariae radix: Perspectives on Mechanism
Authors: Gu Yiqing , Zheng Qi , Fan Guifang , Liu Runping
Published: September 2022

Despite encouraging progresses in the development of novel therapies, cancer remains the dominant cause of disease-related mortality and has become a leading economic and healthcare burden worldwide. Scutellariae radix (SR, Huangqin in Chinese) is a common herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, with a long history in treating a series of symptoms resulting from cancer, like dysregulated immune response and metabolic abnormalities. As major bioactive ingredients extracted from SR, flavonoids, including baicalein, wogonin, along with their glycosides (baicalin and wogonoside), represent promising pharmacological and anti-tumor activities and deserve extensive research attention. Emerging evidence has made great strides in elucidating the multi-targeting therapeutic mechanisms and key signaling pathways underlying the efficacious potential of flavonoids derived from SR in the field of cancer treatment. In this current review, we aim to summarize the pharmacological actions of flavonoids against various cancers in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we also make a brief summarization of the endeavor in developing a drug delivery system or structural modification to enhance the bioavailability and biological activities of flavonoid monomers. Taken together, flavonoid components in SR have great potential to be developed as adjuvant or even primary therapies for the clinical management of cancers and have a promising prospect.
Secure Sensitive Data Sharing Using RSA and ElGamal Cryptographic Algorithms with Hash Functions
Authors: Adeniyi Emmanuel A. , Falola Peace Busola , Maashi Mashael S. , Aljebreen Mohammed , Bharany Salil
Published: September 2022

With the explosion of connected devices linked to one another, the amount of transmitted data grows day by day, posing new problems in terms of information security, such as unauthorized access to users’ credentials and sensitive information. Therefore, this study employed RSA and ElGamal cryptographic algorithms with the application of SHA-256 for digital signature formulation to enhance security and validate the sharing of sensitive information. Security is increasingly becoming a complex task to achieve. The goal of this study is to be able to authenticate shared data with the application of the SHA-256 function to the cryptographic algorithms. The methodology employed involved the use of C# programming language for the implementation of the RSA and ElGamal cryptographic algorithms using the SHA-256 hash function for digital signature. The experimental result shows that the RSA algorithm performs better than the ElGamal during the encryption and signature verification processes, while ElGamal performs better than RSA during the decryption and signature generation process.
The Timely Administration of Epinephrine and Related Factors in Children with Anaphylaxis
Authors: Cha Lily Myung-Jin , Lee Won Seok , Han Man Yong , Lee Kyung Suk
Published: September 2022

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate recognition and intervention. This study investigated the factors related to the timely administration of epinephrine in cases of pediatric anaphylaxis. We performed a retrospective chart review of 107 patients who visited a pediatric emergency center with anaphylaxis between 2015 and 2017. In total, 76 patients received epinephrine injections. We analyzed factors including allergy history, anaphylaxis signs and symptoms, allergen sensitization, anaphylaxis triggers, and time of epinephrine injection. Anaphylactic patients who received epinephrine took a median of 50 min to arrive at the hospital, and patients who did not receive epinephrine took a median of 94 min. Epinephrine administration was significantly delayed by more than 60 min from symptom onset in patients <2 years old. Patients presenting with wheezing symptoms or history of bronchial asthma were significantly more likely to receive epinephrine within 60 min of symptoms onset, while patients with food allergen sensitization were significantly more likely to receive epinephrine within 30 min of hospital arrival. Wheezing, history of asthma, age (≥2 years old), food triggers, and food allergen sensitivity were significant factors for the rapid administration of epinephrine. An immediate diagnosis of anaphylaxis and a rapid administration of epinephrine are essential.
MINOCA: One Size Fits All? Probably Not—A Review of Etiology, Investigation, and Treatment
Authors: Herling de Oliveira Lucas Lentini , Correia Vinícius Machado , Nicz Pedro Felipe Gomes , Soares Paulo Rogério , Scudeler Thiago Luis
Published: September 2022

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a heterogeneous group of conditions that include both atherosclerotic (coronary plaque disruption) and non-atherosclerotic (spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary artery spasm, coronary artery embolism, coronary microvascular dysfunction, and supply–demand mismatch) causes resulting in myocardial damage that is not due to obstructive coronary artery disease. Failure to identify the underlying cause may result in inadequate and inappropriate therapy in these patients. The cornerstone of managing MINOCA patients is to identify the underlying mechanism to achieve the target treatment. Intravascular imaging is able to identify different morphologic features of coronary plaques, while cardiac magnetic resonance is the gold standard for detection of myocardial infarction in the setting of MINOCA. In this review, we summarize the relevant clinical issues, contemporary diagnosis, and treatment options of MINOCA.
High Cerebrospinal Fluid CX3CL1 Levels in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients but Not in Non-Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia
Authors: Bivona Giulia , Iemmolo Matilda , Piccoli Tommaso , Agnello Luisa , Lo Sasso Bruna , Ciaccio Marcello , Ghersi Giulio
Published: September 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of cognitive decline worldwide, occurring in about 10% of people older than 65 years. The well-known hallmarks of AD are extracellular aggregates of amyloid β (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau protein. The evidence that Aβ overproduction leads to AD has paved the way for the AD pathogenesis amyloid cascade hypothesis, which proposes that the neuronal damage is sustained by Aβ overproduction. Consistently, AD cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers used in clinical practice, including Aβ 1–42, Aβ 1–40, Aβ 42/40 ratio, and pTau, are related to the amyloid hypothesis. Recently, it was suggested that the Aβ deposition cascade cannot fully disclose AD pathogenesis, with other putative players being involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. Among all, one of the most studied factors is inflammation in the brain. Hence, biomarkers of inflammation and microglia activation have also been proposed to identify AD. Among them, CX3 chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1) has taken center stage. This transmembrane protein, also known as fractalkine (FKN), is normally expressed in neurons, featuring an N-terminal chemokine domain and an extended mucin-like stalk, following a short intra-cytoplasmatic domain. The molecule exists in both membrane-bound and soluble forms. It is accepted that the soluble and membrane-bound forms of FKN evoke differential signaling within the CNS. Given the link between CX3XL1 and microglial activation, it has been suggested that CX3CL1 signaling disruption could play a part in the pathogenesis of AD. Furthermore, a role for chemokine as a biomarker has been proposed. However, the findings collected are controversial. The current study aimed to describe the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of CX3XL1 and classical biomarkers in AD patients.
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) DNA Detection in Mouthwashes for Diagnosis of HPV-Driven Oropharynx Cancer and Its Curative Therapy—A Feasibility Study
Authors: Loermann Gera , Kolb Marlen , Prascevic Dusan , Siemert Julia , Wiegand Susanne , Zebralla Veit , Pirlich Markus , Stöhr Matthäus , Dietz Andreas , Wald Theresa , Wichmann Gunnar
Published: September 2022

Detection of p16 through immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the standard for determining the HPV status of the tumor according the TNM eighth edition released in 2017 and has become crucial for determining the HPV status of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) with direct impact on staging and prognostication. In recent years, detection of HPV DNA in mouthwashes has been proposed as a noninvasive alternative, both for OPSCCs and for other head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). However, the prospect of using the mouthwashes to monitor the response to therapy is unclear. To evaluate the effect of curative therapy on the detection of HPV DNA, we performed a prospective study comparing the detection frequency of high-risk HPV DNA (HR-HPV-DNA) in pre- and post-therapy mouthwashes. We collected 137 mouthwashes from 88 pathologically confirmed HNSCC patients for DNA isolation and HPV genotyping with the Inno-LiPA assay. We show that HPV DNA in pretherapeutic mouthwashes can detect HPV-driven HNSCCs with a sensitivity of 50.0% and specificity of 85.4%, alongside a high negative predictive value of 79.5% and an accuracy of 74.5%. Furthermore, we observed a notable decrease in the detection frequency of HR-HPV-DNA after successful treatment (pre-therapy 50.0% (9/18) versus post-therapy 9.7% (3/28)). However, the comparatively low sensitivity regarding detection of HPV-driven OPSCC argues against its use in clinical routine.
Management and Treatment Outcomes of High-Risk Corneal Transplantations
Authors: Urbańska Karolina , Woźniak Marcin , Więsyk Piotr , Konarska Natalia , Bartos Weronika , Biszewski Mateusz , Bielak Michał , Chorągiewicz Tomasz , Rejdak Robert
Published: September 2022

Corneal transplantation is the most effective treatment for corneal blindness. Standard planned keratoplasties have a high success rate. Conditions such as active inflammation at the time of surgery, the presence of ocular surface disease, previous graft disease, or neovascularization make them more susceptible to rejection. These are so-called high-risk corneal transplantations. In our study, we selected 52 patients with a higher risk of graft rejection. A total of 78 procedures were performed. The main indications for the first keratoplasty were infections (59.6%) and traumas (21.2%). Visual acuity (VA) significantly improved from 2.05 logMAR on the day of keratoplasty to 1.66 logMAR in the latest examination (p = 0.003). An analysis of the graft survival showed a 1-year survival of 54% and a 5-year survival of 19.8% of grafts. The mean observation time without complications after the first, second, and third surgery was 23, 13, and 14 months, respectively. The best results were noted among patients with infectious indications for keratoplasty (p = 0.001). Among them, those with bacterial infection had the best visual outcomes (p = 0.047).