bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MDM2 Amplified Sarcomas: A Literature Review
Authors: Sciot Raf
Published: March 2021

Murine Double Minute Clone 2, located at 12q15, is an oncogene that codes for an oncoprotein of which the association with p53 was discovered 30 years ago. The most important function of MDM2 is to control p53 activity; it is in fact the best documented negative regulator of p53. Mutations of the tumor suppressor gene p53 represent the most frequent genetic change in human cancers. By overexpressing MDM2, cancer cells have another means to block p53. The sarcomas in which MDM2 amplification is a hallmark are well-differentiated liposarcoma/atypical lipomatous tumor, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, intimal sarcoma, and low-grade osteosarcoma. The purpose of this review is to summarize the typical clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and genetic features of these tumors.
Predicting 30-Day and 180-Day Mortality in Elderly Proximal Hip Fracture Patients: Evaluation of 4 Risk Prediction Scores at a Level I Trauma Center
Authors: Nia Arastoo , Popp Domenik , Thalmann Georg , Greiner Fabian , Jeremic Natasa , Rus Robert , Hajdu Stefan , Widhalm Harald K.
Published: March 2021

This study evaluated the use of risk prediction models in estimating short- and mid-term mortality following proximal hip fracture in an elderly Austrian population. Data from 1101 patients who sustained a proximal hip fracture were retrospectively analyzed and applied to four models of interest: Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM), Charlson Comorbidity Index, Portsmouth-POSSUM and the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP®) Risk Score. The performance of these models according to the risk prediction of short- and mid-term mortality was assessed with a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). The median age of participants was 83 years, and 69% were women. Six point one percent of patients were deceased by 30 days and 15.2% by 180 days postoperatively. There was no significant difference between the models; the ACS-NSQIP had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for within 30-day and 180-day mortality. Age, male gender, and hemoglobin (Hb) levels at admission <12.0 g/dL were identified as significant risk factors associated with a shorter time to death at 30 and 180 days postoperative (p < 0.001). Among the four scores, the ACS-NSQIP score could be best-suited clinically and showed the highest discriminative performance, although it was not specifically designed for the hip fracture population.
Differential Diagnosis between Oral Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma and Salivary Gland Cancer
Authors: Morita Yoshihiro , Kashima Kana , Suzuki Mao , Kinosada Hiroko , Teramoto Akari , Matsumiya Yuka , Uzawa Narikazu
Published: March 2021

Renal cell carcinoma, which has clear cells in 70% of cases, has a high frequency of hematogenous distant metastases to lung, bone, liver, and other areas. Metastatic cancer accounts for 1 to 3% of malignant tumors in the stomatognathic region, and the metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the oral mucosal tissue, though extremely rare, does occur. In addition, clear cells have been observed in some salivary gland cancers in the oral cavity. Therefore, the differential diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and salivary gland cancer is important. This review discusses the differential diagnosis between metastatic renal cell carcinoma and malignant tumors of the salivary gland.
Who Supports Polish Educational Reforms? Exploring Actors’ and Observers’ Attitudes
Authors: Karwowski Maciej , Milerski Bogusław
Published: March 2021

This investigation is based on eight extensive empirical studies (total N = 12,294) supplemented by automated analysis of online data, to examine attitudes toward educational reforms introduced in Poland in 2017. We explore the attitudes within groups categorized as actors (people directly affected by the reform, namely students and parents) and observers (the general population). The Attitudes Toward Educational Reform Scale (ATERS) was developed and validated. ATERS psychometric properties were examined using item response theory and confirmatory factor analyses, while the differences between groups were summarized meta-analytically. Consistently with expectations, we observed that the overall attitude toward the reform was negative, and the strength of this negative attitude increased along with being more directly affected by the changes introduced by it. While the general population held a relatively neutral attitude toward the reform, the attitude was clearly negative among parents and students. We discuss reasons and consequences of these findings.
Sobel Edge Detection Based on Weighted Nuclear Norm Minimization Image Denoising
Authors: Tian Run , Sun Guiling , Liu Xiaochao , Zheng Bowen
Published: March 2021

As a classic and effective edge detection operator, the Sobel operator has been widely used in image segmentation and other image processing technologies. This operator has obvious advantages in the speed of extracting the edge of images, but it also has the disadvantage that the detection effect is not ideal when the image contains noise. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes an optimized scheme for edge detection. In this scheme, the weighted nuclear norm minimization (WNNM) image denoising algorithm is combined with the Sobel edge detection algorithm, and the excellent denoising performance of the WNNM algorithm in a noise environment is utilized to improve the anti-noise performance of the Sobel operator. The experimental results show that the optimization algorithm can obtain better detection results when processing noisy images, and the advantages of the algorithm become more obvious with the increase of noise intensity.
ImbTreeEntropy and ImbTreeAUC: Novel R Packages for Decision Tree Learning on the Imbalanced Datasets
Authors: Gajowniczek Krzysztof , Ząbkowski Tomasz
Published: March 2021

This paper presents two R packages ImbTreeEntropy and ImbTreeAUC to handle imbalanced data problems. ImbTreeEntropy functionality includes application of a generalized entropy functions, such as Rényi, Tsallis, Sharma–Mittal, Sharma–Taneja and Kapur, to measure impurity of a node. ImbTreeAUC provides non-standard measures to choose an optimal split point for an attribute (as well the optimal attribute for splitting) by employing local, semi-global and global AUC (Area Under the ROC curve) measures. Both packages are applicable for binary and multiclass problems and they support cost-sensitive learning, by defining a misclassification cost matrix, and weighted-sensitive learning. The packages accept all types of attributes, including continuous, ordered and nominal, where the latter type is simplified for multiclass problems to reduce the computational overheads. Both applications enable optimization of the thresholds where posterior probabilities determine final class labels in a way that misclassification costs are minimized. Model overfitting can be managed either during the growing phase or at the end using post-pruning. The packages are mainly implemented in R, however some computationally demanding functions are written in plain C++. In order to speed up learning time, parallel processing is supported as well.
A 5-Bit X-Band GaN HEMT-Based Phase Shifter
Authors: Chiu Hsien-Chin , Chen Chun-Ming , Chang Li-Chun , Kao Hsuan-Ling
Published: March 2021

In this study, we propose a 5-bit X-band gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)-based phased shifter monolithic microwave integrated circuit for a phased-array technique. The design includes high-pass/low-pass networks for the 180° phase bit, two high-pass/bandpass networks separated for the 45° and 90° phase bits, and two transmission lines based on traveling wave switch and capacitive load networks that are separated for the 11.25° and 22.5° phase bits. The state-to-state variation in the insertion loss is 11.8 ± 3.45 dB, and an input/output return loss of less than 8 dB was obtained in a frequency range of 8–12 GHz. Moreover, the phase shifter achieved a low root mean square (RMS) phase error and RMS amplitude error of 6.23° and 1.15 dB, respectively, under the same frequency range. The measured input-referred P1dB of the five primary phase shift states were larger than 29 dBm at 8 GHz. The RMS phase error and RMS amplitude error slightly increased when the temperature increased from 25 to 100 °C. The on-chip phase shifter exhibited no dc power consumption and occupied an area of 2 × 3 mm2.
High-Capacity Reversible Data Hiding in Encrypted Images Based on Hierarchical Quad-Tree Coding and Multi-MSB Prediction
Authors: Liu Ya , Feng Guangdong , Qin Chuan , Lu Haining , Chang Chin-Chen
Published: March 2021

Nowadays, more and more researchers are interested in reversible data hiding in encrypted images (RDHEI), which can be applied in privacy protection and cloud storage. In this paper, a new RDHEI method on the basis of hierarchical quad-tree coding and multi-MSB (most significant bit) prediction is proposed. The content owner performs pixel prediction to obtain a prediction error image and explores the maximum embedding capacity of the prediction error image by hierarchical quad-tree coding before image encryption. According to the marked bits of vacated room capacity, the data hider can embed additional data into the room-vacated image without knowing the content of original image. Through the data hiding key and the encryption key, the legal receiver is able to conduct data extraction and image recovery separately. Experimental results show that the average embedding rates of the proposed method can separately reach 3.504 bpp (bits per pixel), 3.394 bpp, and 2.746 bpp on three well-known databases, BOSSBase, BOWS-2, and UCID, which are higher than some state-of-the-art methods.
Multi-Language Spam/Phishing Classification by Email Body Text: Toward Automated Security Incident Investigation
Authors: Rastenis Justinas , Ramanauskaitė Simona , Suzdalev Ivan , Tunaitytė Kornelija , Janulevičius Justinas , Čenys Antanas
Published: March 2021

Spamming and phishing are two types of emailing that are annoying and unwanted, differing by the potential threat and impact to the user. Automated classification of these categories can increase the users’ awareness as well as to be used for incident investigation prioritization or automated fact gathering. However, currently there are no scientific papers focusing on email classification concerning these two categories of spam and phishing emails. Therefore this paper presents a solution, based on email message body text automated classification into spam and phishing emails. We apply the proposed solution for email classification, written in three languages: English, Russian, and Lithuanian. As most public email datasets almost exclusively collect English emails, we investigate the suitability of automated dataset translation to adapt it to email classification, written in other languages. Experiments on public dataset usage limitations for a specific organization are executed in this paper to evaluate the need of dataset updates for more accurate classification results.
Quantitative Analysis and Performance Evaluation of Target-Oriented Replication Strategies in Cloud Computing
Authors: Waseem Quadri , Wan Din Wan Isni Sofiah , Alshamrani Sultan S. , Alharbi Abdullah , Nazir Amril
Published: March 2021

Data replications effectively replicate the same data to various multiple locations to accomplish the objective of zero loss of information in case of failures without any downtown. Dynamic data replication strategies (providing run time location of replicas) in clouds should optimize the key performance indicator parameters, like response time, reliability, availability, scalability, cost, availability, performance, etc. To fulfill these objectives, various state-of-the-art dynamic data replication strategies has been proposed, based on several criteria and reported in the literature along with advantages and disadvantages. This paper provides a quantitative analysis and performance evaluation of target-oriented replication strategies based on target objectives. In this paper, we will try to find out which target objective is most addressed, which are average addressed, and which are least addressed in target-oriented replication strategies. The paper also includes a detailed discussion about the challenges, issues, and future research directions. This comprehensive analysis and performance evaluation based-work will open a new door for researchers in the field of cloud computing and will be helpful for further development of cloud-based dynamic data replication strategies to develop a technique that will address all attributes (Target Objectives) effectively in one replication strategy.
A Novel Hook-Shaped Antenna Operating at 28 GHz for Future 5G mmwave Applications
Authors: Kamal Mian Muhammad , Yang Shouyi , Kiani Saad Hassan , Sehrai Daniyal Ali , Alibakhshikenari Mohammad , Abdullah Mujeeb , Falcone Francisco , Limiti Ernesto , Munir Mehre
Published: March 2021

To address atmospheric attenuation and path loss issues in the mmwave portion of the spectrum, high gain and narrow beam antenna systems are essential for the next generation communication networks. This paper presents a novel hook-shaped antenna array for 28 GHz 5G mmwave applications. The proposed antenna was fabricated on commercially available Rogers 5880 substrate with thickness of 0.508 mm and dimensions of 10 × 8 mm2. The proposed shape consists of a circle with an arc-shaped slot on top of it and T-shaped resonating lengths are introduced in order to attain broad band characteristics having gain of 3.59 dBi with radiation and total efficiency of 92% and 86% for single element. The proposed structure is transformed into a four-element array with total size of 26.9 × 18.5 mm2 in order to increase the gain up to 10.3 dBi at desired frequency of interest. The four-element array is designed such that it exhibits dual-beam response over the entire band of interest and the simulated results agree with fabricated prototype measurements. The proposed antenna array, because of its robustness, high gain, and dual-beam characteristics can be considered as a potential candidate for the next generation 5G communication systems.
Continent-Wide Tree Species Distribution Models May Mislead Regional Management Decisions: A Case Study in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube
Authors: Sallmannshofer Markus , Chakraborty Debojyoti , Vacik Harald , Illés Gábor , Löw Markus , Rechenmacher Andreas , Lapin Katharina , Ette Sophie , Stojanović Dejan , Kobler Andrej , Schueler Silvio
Published: March 2021

The understanding of spatial distribution patterns of native riparian tree species in Europe lacks accurate species distribution models (SDMs), since riparian forest habitats have a limited spatial extent and are strongly related to the associated watercourses, which needs to be represented in the environmental predictors. However, SDMs are urgently needed for adapting forest management to climate change, as well as for conservation and restoration of riparian forest ecosystems. For such an operative use, standard large-scale bioclimatic models alone are too coarse and frequently exclude relevant predictors. In this study, we compare a bioclimatic continent-wide model and a regional model based on climate, soil, and river data for central to south-eastern Europe, targeting seven riparian foundation species—Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus angustifolia, F. excelsior, Populus nigra, Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis, and U. minor. The results emphasize the high importance of precise occurrence data and environmental predictors. Soil predictors were more important than bioclimatic variables, and river variables were partly of the same importance. In both models, five of the seven species were found to decrease in terms of future occurrence probability within the study area, whereas the results for two species were ambiguous. Nevertheless, both models predicted a dangerous loss of occurrence probability for economically and ecologically important tree species, likely leading to significant effects on forest composition and structure, as well as on provided ecosystem services.
Nutritional and Technological Quality of High Protein Pasta
Authors: Messia Maria Cristina , Cuomo Francesca , Falasca Luisa , Trivisonno Maria Carmela , De Arcangelis Elisa , Marconi Emanuele
Published: March 2021

Pasta has an important role in human nutrition for its high content of complex carbohydrates and its widespread use. It can be an efficient delivery system or carrier of non-traditional raw material, including additional health-promoting ingredients. The partial replacement of semolina with high-protein raw materials leads to the improvement of the biological value of pasta proteins. In order to obtain pasta with high nutritional protein value and with excellent cooking properties, various recipes have been formulated with different percentages of semolina and unconventional high-protein raw materials (peas and soy isolate proteins, egg white, whey proteins and Spirulina platensis). High-protein pasta was produced using a pasta making pilot plant and the nutritional quality (protein content and quality) and sensorial properties were assessed. All experimental pastas showed optimal performances. Pasta prepared with pea protein isolate, whey proteins and Spirulina platensis showed improved chemical score and digestible indispensable amino acid scores, an eye-catching color, and an excellent cooking quality.
Methodological Approaches to DNA Authentication of Foods, Wines and Raw Materials for Their Production
Authors: Galstyan Aram G. , Semipyatniy Vladislav K. , Mikhailova Irina Yu. , Gilmanov Khamid Kh. , Bigaeva Alana V. , Vafin Ramil R.
Published: March 2021

DNA authentication of wines is a process of verifying their authenticity by genetic identification of the main plant component. The sample preparation of experimental and commercial wines was carried out by precipitation of wine debris by centrifugation with preliminary exposure with precipitators and co-precipitators, including developed macro- and micro-volume methods applicable to white or red wines, using polyvinylpyrrolidone as a co-precipitator. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol and proteinase K to the lysing solution made it possible to adapt the technology for DNA extraction from the precipitated wine debris. The additionally tested technique of DNA extraction from wine debris by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) lysis had fewer stages and, consequently, a lower risk of contamination. The results of further testing of one of the designed primer pairs (UFGT-F1 and UFGT-R1) in conjunction with the tested methods of wine material sample preparation and nucleic acid extraction, showed the advantage in the given set of oligonucleotides over previously used ones in terms of sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. The developing strategy for genetic identification of grape varieties and DNA authentication of wines produced from them based on direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products is implemented by interpreting the detected polymorphic positions of variable Vitis vinifera L. UFGT gene locus with distribution and split into 13 UFGT gene-associated groups.
Functionality of Ingredients and Additives in Plant-Based Meat Analogues
Authors: Kyriakopoulou Konstantina , Keppler Julia K. , van der Goot Atze Jan
Published: March 2021

Meat analogue research and development focuses on the production of sustainable products that recreate conventional meat in its physical sensations (texture, appearance, taste, etc.) and nutritional aspects. Minced products, like burger patties and nuggets, muscle-type products, like chicken or steak-like cuts, and emulsion products, like Frankfurter and Mortadella type sausages, are the major categories of meat analogues. In this review, we discuss key ingredients for the production of these novel products, with special focus on protein sources, and underline the importance of ingredient functionality. Our observation is that structuring processes are optimized based on ingredients that were not originally designed for meat analogues applications. Therefore, mixing and blending different plant materials to obtain superior functionality is for now the common practice. We observed though that an alternative approach towards the use of ingredients such as flours, is gaining more interest. The emphasis, in this case, is on functionality towards use in meat analogues, rather than classical functionality such as purity and solubility. Another trend is the exploration of novel protein sources such as seaweed, algae and proteins produced via fermentation (cellular agriculture).
Suitability of High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for Routine Analysis of Small Molecules in Food, Feed and Water for Safety and Authenticity Purposes: A Review
Authors: Gavage Maxime , Delahaut Philippe , Gillard Nathalie
Published: March 2021

During the last decade, food, feed and environmental analysis using high-resolution mass spectrometry became increasingly popular. Recent accessibility and technological improvements of this system make it a potential tool for routine laboratory work. However, this kind of instrument is still often considered a research tool. The wide range of potential contaminants and residues that must be monitored, including pesticides, veterinary drugs and natural toxins, is steadily increasing. Thanks to full-scan analysis and the theoretically unlimited number of compounds that can be screened in a single analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry is particularly well-suited for food, feed and water analysis. This review aims, through a series of relevant selected studies and developed methods dedicated to the different classes of contaminants and residues, to demonstrate that high-resolution mass spectrometry can reach detection levels in compliance with current legislation and is a versatile and appropriate tool for routine testing.
Microbial Interactions within the Cheese Ecosystem and Their Application to Improve Quality and Safety
Authors: Mayo Baltasar , Rodríguez Javier , Vázquez Lucía , Flórez Ana Belén
Published: March 2021

The cheese microbiota comprises a consortium of prokaryotic, eukaryotic and viral populations, among which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are majority components with a prominent role during manufacturing and ripening. The assortment, numbers and proportions of LAB and other microbial biotypes making up the microbiota of cheese are affected by a range of biotic and abiotic factors. Cooperative and competitive interactions between distinct members of the microbiota may occur, with rheological, organoleptic and safety implications for ripened cheese. However, the mechanistic details of these interactions, and their functional consequences, are largely unknown. Acquiring such knowledge is important if we are to predict when fermentations will be successful and understand the causes of technological failures. The experimental use of “synthetic” microbial communities might help throw light on the dynamics of different cheese microbiota components and the interplay between them. Although synthetic communities cannot reproduce entirely the natural microbial diversity in cheese, they could help reveal basic principles governing the interactions between microbial types and perhaps allow multi-species microbial communities to be developed as functional starters. By occupying the whole ecosystem taxonomically and functionally, microbiota-based cultures might be expected to be more resilient and efficient than conventional starters in the development of unique sensorial properties.
Ozone Treatments for Preserving Fresh Vegetables Quality: A Critical Review
Authors: Sarron Elodie , Gadonna-Widehem Pascale , Aussenac Thierry
Published: March 2021

Ozone is recognized as an antimicrobial agent for vegetables storage, washing, and processing. This strong disinfectant is now being used in the food industry. In this review, the chemical and physical properties of ozone, its generation, and factors affecting ozone processing efficiency were explained as well as recent regulatory developments in the food industry. By then selecting three vegetables, we show that ozone avoids and controls biological growth on vegetables, keeping their attractive appearance and sensorial qualities, assuring nutritional characteristics’ retention and maintaining and increasing the shelf-life. In liquid solution, ozone can be used to disinfect processing water and vegetables, and in gaseous form, ozone helps to sanitize and preserve vegetables during storage. The multifunctionality of ozone makes it a promising food processing agent. However, if ozone is improperly used, it causes some deleterious effects on products, such as losses in their sensory quality. For an effective and a safe use of ozone, specific treatment conditions should be determined for all kinds of vegetables. In a last step, we propose highlighting the different essential characteristics of ozone treatment in order to internationally harmonize the data relating to the treatments carried-out.
Effect of Gazpacho, Hummus and Ajoblanco on Satiety and Appetite in Adult Humans: A Randomised Crossover Study
Authors: Planes-Muñoz David , Frontela-Saseta Carmen , Ros-Berruezo Gaspar , López-Nicolás Rubén
Published: March 2021

Nowadays, overweight and obesity has reached an epidemic level around the world. With the aim to tackle them, an interesting strategy is the study of food and ingredients with satiety properties. In addition to reducing food and/or calorie intake, this type of foods must be included as part of a healthy diet. With regard to this, it is well known that the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a feeding pattern that helps us to maintain good health, providing an adequate intake of micronutrients and active compounds. With this background, the main aim of this research was to identify MD foods with a high satiating potential capacity. For this purpose, three typical foods of the Mediterranean region, mainly based on vegetables, were selected: hummus, ajoblanco and gazpacho. As a control, white bread was used. Twenty-four human healthy volunteers consumed a standard breakfast followed by the different typical Mediterranean foods, and then the subjective sensation of hunger and satiety for each food was assessed by visual analogue scales (VAS) during 3 h. Subsequently, volunteers had ad libitum access to a standard meal. The results indicate that gazpacho showed the highest satiating scores, despite the fact that it was not the food that provided the highest protein or fibre amount. More studies of this type are needed to determine the proportion and/or combination of ingredients from these classical Mediterranean recipes that could enhance human satiety.
Retinal Genomic Fabric Remodeling after Optic Nerve Injury
Authors: Victorino Pedro Henrique , Marra Camila , Iacobas Dumitru Andrei , Iacobas Sanda , Spray David C. , Linden Rafael , Adesse Daniel , Petrs-Silva Hilda
Published: March 2021

Glaucoma is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease, characterized by degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). There has been little progress in developing efficient strategies for neuroprotection in glaucoma. We profiled the retina transcriptome of Lister Hooded rats at 2 weeks after optic nerve crush (ONC) and analyzed the data from the genomic fabric paradigm (GFP) to bring additional insights into the molecular mechanisms of the retinal remodeling after induction of RGC degeneration. GFP considers three independent characteristics for the expression of each gene: level, variability, and correlation with each other gene. Thus, the 17,657 quantified genes in our study generated a total of 155,911,310 values to analyze. This represents 8830x more data per condition than a traditional transcriptomic analysis. ONC led to a 57% reduction in RGC numbers as detected by retrograde labeling with 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI). We observed a higher relative expression variability after ONC. Gene expression stability was used as a measure of transcription control and disclosed a robust reduction in the number of very stably expressed genes. Predicted protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis with STRING revealed axon and neuron projection as mostly decreased processes, consistent with RGC degeneration. Conversely, immune response PPIs were found among upregulated genes. Enrichment analysis showed that complement cascade and Notch signaling pathway, as well as oxidative stress and kit receptor pathway were affected after ONC. To expand our studies of altered molecular pathways, we examined the pairwise coordination of gene expressions within each pathway and within the entire transcriptome using Pearson correlations. ONC increased the number of synergistically coordinated pairs of genes and the number of similar profiles mainly in complement cascade and Notch signaling pathway. This deep bioinformatic study provided novel insights beyond the regulation of individual gene expression and disclosed changes in the control of expression of complement cascade and Notch signaling functional pathways that may be relevant for both RGC degeneration and remodeling of the retinal tissue after ONC.
New Evidence of Megaclasts from the Russian South: The First Report of Three Localities
Authors: Ruban Dmitry A. , Yashalova Natalia N.
Published: March 2021

Megaclast research has intensified recently, and its further development needs new factual information from various places of the world. Three new megaclast localities are reported from the Russian South, namely, Shum, Merzhanovo, and the Red Stones. These localities host blocks of all grades, sometimes with certain flatness and angle roundness. Megaclasts from Shum and Merzhanovo result from poly-phase slope processes. At the Red Stones locality, a group of residual megaclasts will appear in the future due to weathering processes. This evidence together with the examples brought by the virtual journeys and the literature interpretations prove the genetic diversity of megaclasts and stress the urgency of their further investigations in various depositional environments.
Clinical Comparation of Extra-Short (4 mm) and Long (>8 mm) Dental Implants Placed in Mandibular Bone: A Systematic Review and Metanalysis
Authors: Moraschini Vittorio , Mourão Carlos Fernando de Almeida Barros , Montemezzi Pietro , Kischinhevsky Ingrid Chaves Cavalcante , de Almeida Daniel Costa Ferreira , Javid Kayvon , Shibli Jamil Awad , Granjeiro José Mauro , Calasans-Maia Monica Diuana
Published: March 2021

This systematic review (SR) aimed to evaluate implant survival rate, marginal bone loss (MBL), and biological/prosthetic complications of extra-short 4 mm dental implants. An electronic search without language or date restrictions was performed in five databases and in gray literature for articles published until August 2020. Prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the clinical performance of extra-short 4 mm dental implants were included. Studies were independently assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. The protocol of this SR was registered in the PROSPERO database under number CRD42019139709. Four studies were included in the present SR. There was no significant difference in implant survival rate (p = 0.75) between extra-short 4 mm and long implants. After 12 months of function, the extra-short implants had a significantly (p = 0.003) lower marginal bone loss (MBL) rate when compared to long implants. Extra-short implants had a lower number of biological and prosthetic complications when compared to long implants. After 12 months of follow-up, extra-short 4 mm dental implants placed in the mandible exhibit satisfactory clinical outcomes concerning implant survival rate and MBL when compared to longer implants, with a low number of biological and prosthetic complications. A higher number of RCTs with longer follow-up is necessary for the future.
Sensory Input Modulates Microsaccades during Heading Perception
Authors: Raffi Milena , Trofè Aurelio , Perazzolo Monica , Meoni Andrea , Piras Alessandro
Published: March 2021

Microsaccades are small eye movements produced during attempted fixation. During locomotion, the eyes scan the environment; the gaze is not always directed to the focus of expansion of the optic flow field. We sought to investigate whether the microsaccadic activity was modulated by eye position during the view of radial optic flow stimuli, and if the presence or lack of a proprioceptive input signal may influence the microsaccade characteristics during self-motion perception. We recorded the oculomotor activity when subjects were either standing or sitting in front of a screen during the view of optic flow stimuli that simulated specific heading directions with different gaze positions. We recorded five trials of each stimulus. Results showed that microsaccade duration, peak velocity, and rate were significantly modulated by optic flow stimuli and trial sequence. We found that the microsaccade rate increased in each condition from trial 1 to trial 5. Microsaccade peak velocity and duration were significantly different across trials. The analysis of the microsaccade directions showed that the different combinations of optic flow and eye position evoked non-uniform directions of microsaccades in standing condition with mean vectors in the upper-left quadrant of the visual field, uncorrelated with optic flow directions and eye positions. In sitting conditions, all stimuli evoked uniform directions of microsaccades. Present results indicate that the proprioceptive signals when the subjects stand up creates a different input that could alter the eye-movement characteristics during heading perceptions.
Associations between Relationship Quality and Mental Health during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom
Authors: Pieh Christoph , Probst Thomas , Budimir Sanja , Humer Elke
Published: March 2021

This study investigated the association of relationship quality with several well-being measures during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. An online survey was conducted on a study sample (n = 682) measuring relationship quality with the Quality of Marriage Index, and well-being measures including quality of life (WHO-QoL BREF), well-being (WHO-5), perceived stress (PSS-10), depressive (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms. Good relationship quality goes along with higher scores in well-being (WHO-5), quality of life (WHO-QoL BREF), psychological domain, physical health, social relationships, environment, and reduced scores in stress (PSS-10), depressive (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms compared with poor relationship quality (p < 0.001). Moreover, 21% of participants living in relationships with poor quality stated that they drink significantly more alcohol since the initial COVID-19 restrictions, compared to 10% of participants with good quality (p = 0.002). Living in a good relationship seems to be an advantage, whereas those with poor relationship quality are particularly more burdened and drink significantly more alcohol during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Influence of Marginalization on Cultural Attitudes and Trash Disposal Practices in Esfuerzo de Paraíso of the Dominican Republic: A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Sasman Madison , Dolan Carrie B. , Villegas Daniel , Eyob Estelle , Barrett Catherine
Published: March 2021

The inadequate management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in fast-developing nations is a major public health problem. Trash collection is often inconsistent, leaving residents to use unsafe disposal methods such as incineration or unregulated dumping. The issue is especially pronounced in marginalized communities, where public service provision is scarce. Past research has identified factors that perpetuate harmful disposal practices. The current study expanded on previous work by exploring how individuals’ perceptions of political, spatial, and economic marginalization affected their agency with regards to waste management. Researchers focused on a marginalized community in the Dominican Republic known as Esfuerzo de Paraíso. There, they conducted semi-structured interviews to explore residents’ perceptions of marginalization at the individual, interpersonal, community, and institutional levels, and its effects on their agency. A qualitative coding process revealed that most community members were discontent with their trash disposal practices, but that long-standing marginalization left them feeling ill equipped to generate change at the individual level. Interviewees believed that change should be initiated at the community level and implemented with the support of institutional-level actors, namely the municipal government. Residents did not identify any non-governmental organizations as possible sources of help, which may suggest a limited view of institutional support networks.
Perinatal Grief and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Pregnancy after Perinatal Loss: A Longitudinal Study Protocol
Authors: Fernández-Ordoñez Eloisa , González-Cano-Caballero María , Guerra-Marmolejo Cristina , Fernández-Fernández Eloísa , García-Gámez Marina
Published: March 2021

Background: Pregnancies that follow perinatal loss are often associated with mental health disorders, which are not usually treated or even identified. Objectives: The main study aim is to identify the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and complicated perinatal grief at different stages of pregnancy following a prior gestational loss. Methods: This descriptive longitudinal study will be conducted with a twelve-month follow-up. The study variables addressed will include sociodemographic data (age, sex, education, marital status, employment status and obstetric history) together with clinical data on complicated perinatal grief and post-traumatic stress disorder scores. Results: The results obtained are expected to provide a new perspective on the healthcare approach to perinatal loss and subsequent pregnancy. Conclusions: We seek to optimise comprehensive healthcare in cases of pregnancy following previous perinatal loss and to evaluate options to minimise possible risks.
Transmission Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 during an Outbreak in a Roma Community in Thessaly, Greece—Control Measures and Lessons Learned
Authors: Koureas Michalis , Speletas Matthaios , Bogogiannidou Zacharoula , Babalis Dimitris , Pinakas Vassilios , Pinaka Ourania , Komnos Apostolos , Tsoutsa Stella , Papadamou Georgia , Kyritsi Maria , Vontas Alexandros , Nakoulas Vasileios , Sapounas Spyros , Kanellopoulos Nikolaos , Kalompatsios Dimitrios , Papadouli Vassiliki , Dadouli Katerina , Soteriades Soteris , Mina Paraskevi , Mouchtouri Varvara , Anagnostopoulos Lemonia , Stamoulis Kostantinos , Agorastos Kostantinos , Petinaki Efthimia , Prezerakos Panagiotis , Tsiodras Sotirios , Hadjichristodoulou Christos
Published: March 2021

A COVID-19 outbreak occurred among residents of a Roma settlement in Greece (8 April–4 June 2020). The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and to evaluate the effectiveness of control measures implemented. Data were analyzed from individuals that were tested for SARS-CoV-2 during contact tracing, population screening or hospital visits. RT-PCR was used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in oropharyngeal samples. Risk factors for household secondary attack rates (SAR) and hospitalization with COVID-19 were examined using chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests and logistic regression analyses. During the outbreak, 142 cases, 20 hospitalizations and 1 death were recorded, with a total of 2273 individuals tested. The risk of hospitalization was associated with age (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.07) and Cycle threshold (Ct) values (OR for a decrease in Ct values by 1: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07–1.31). Household SAR was estimated at 38.62% (95% CI: 32.50–45.01%). After the designation of an isolation facility for cases, household SAR declined from 74.42% to 31.03%. Household size was associated with the risk of infection (OR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.00–7.07). The presence of COVID-19 symptoms among index cases was correlated with higher transmission (OR: 23.68, 95% CI 2.21–253.74) in multivariate analysis, while age was found to be associated with SAR only in univariate analysis. Roma communities can be particularly vulnerable to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In similar settings, symptomatic cases are more important transmitters of SARS-CoV-2. Within these communities, immediate measures should be implemented to mitigate disease spread.
Blood Lead Concentrations in Newark Children. Comment on Franklin, R.C.; Behmer Hansen, R.A.; Pierce, J.M.; Tsitouras, D.J.; Mazzola, C.A. Broken Promises to the People of Newark: A Historical Review of the Newark Uprising, the Newark Agreements, and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s Commitments to Newark. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2117.
Authors: Oleske James M. , Bogden John D.
Published: March 2021

The recently published article of RC Franklin et al [...]
Posttraumatic Growth and Spirituality in Mothers of Children with Pediatric Cancer
Authors: Czyżowska Natalia , Raszka Magdalena , Kalus Alicja , Czyżowska Dorota
Published: March 2021

A child’s cancer, as a life-threatening illness, is classified as a traumatic event both for the child him-/herself and for his/her relatives. Struggling with a traumatic experience can bring positive consequences for an individual, which is referred to as posttraumatic growth. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between posttraumatic growth and spirituality understood as a personal resource in mothers of children with pediatric cancer. In total, 55 mothers whose children were in the phase of treatment and who had been staying with them in the hospital filled in a Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Self-description Questionnaire of Spirituality, and the author’s short questionnaire on demographic variables and information on the child and his/her disease. A high level of posttraumatic development, especially in the area of life appreciation, was observed in the examined mothers. Spirituality was positively related to the emergence of positive change, in two particular components, ethical sensitivity and harmony. It seems that taking into account the area of spirituality when planning interventions and providing support in this group could foster coping with the situation and emergence of posttraumatic growth.
Simultaneous Kinetics of Selenite Oxidation and Sorption on δ-MnO2 in Stirred-Flow Reactors
Authors: Li Zheyong , Yuan Yajun , Ma Lin , Zhang Yihui , Jiang Hongwei , He Jiqiang , Hu Yifan , Yuan Shoushu , Ginder-Vogel Matthew , Tu Shuxin
Published: March 2021

Selenium (Se) is an essential and crucial micronutrient for humans and animals, but excessive Se brings negativity and toxicity. The adsorption and oxidation of Se(IV) on Mn-oxide surfaces are important processes for understanding the geochemical fate of Se and developing engineered remediation strategies. In this study, the characterization of simultaneous adsorption, oxidation, and desorption of Se(IV) on δ-MnO2 mineral was carried out using stirred-flow reactors. About 9.5% to 25.3% of Se(IV) was oxidized to Se(VI) in the stirred-flow system in a continuous and slow process, with the kinetic rate constant k of 0.032 h−1, which was significantly higher than the apparent rate constant of 0.0014 h−1 obtained by the quasi-level kinetic fit of the batch method. The oxidation reaction was driven by proton concentration, and its rate also depended on the Se(IV) influent concentration, flow rate, and δ-MnO2 dosage. During the reaction of Se(IV) and δ-MnO2, Mn(II) was produced and adsorbed strongly on Mn oxide surfaces, which was evidenced by the total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) results. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data indicated that the reaction of Se(VI) on δ-MnO2 produced Mn(III) as the main product. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the interface chemical process of Se(IV) with δ-MnO2 in the environment.
Contributions of Hypoxia-Awareness Training to the Familiarization of Personal Symptoms for Occupational Safety in the Flight Environment
Authors: Chiang Kwo-Tsao , Tu Min-Yu , Cheng Chao-Chien , Chen Hsin-Hui , Huang Wun-Wei , Chiu Yu-Lung , Wang Yun-Yi , Lai Chung-Yu
Published: March 2021

Hypoxia remains a flight-safety issue in terms of aviation medicine. Hypoxia-awareness training has been used to help aircrew members recognize personal hypoxia symptoms. There is still no study, as yet, to establish the association of within-subject data between inflight hypoxia events and the altitude chamber. The main purpose of our study was to use paired subjects’ data on inflight hypoxia symptoms compared with those experienced during training. A questionnaire was developed to obtain information on military aircrew members in 2018. Among 341 subjects, 46 (13.49%) suffered from inflight hypoxia. The majority of the subjects detected ongoing inflight hypoxia on the basis of their previous experience with personal hypoxia symptoms or sensations in previous chamber flights. Of the top five hypoxia symptoms, the data revealed that hot flashes, poor concentration, and impaired cognitive function appeared both during the inflight events and during the hypoxia-awareness training. The occurrence rate of hypoxia symptoms was found to not be significantly different between the in-flight events and the past chamber flights through an analysis of within-subject data. Because the individual memory had faded away over time, fresher hypoxia awareness training is still mandatory and valuable to recall personal hypoxia experience for military aircrew members.
Biomechanical Description of Zapateado Technique in Flamenco
Authors: Forczek-Karkosz Wanda , Michnik Robert , Nowakowska-Lipiec Katarzyna , Vargas-Macias Alfonso , Baena-Chicón Irene , Gómez-Lozano Sebastián , Gorwa Joanna
Published: March 2021

The main purpose of this study was to identify a dancer’s body alignment while performing flamenco footwork to provide a detailed description that could be used by flamenco practitioners: teachers, instructors and students of different levels of advancement. The zapateado technique performed by a professional flamenco dancer was analyzed. The biomechanical analysis was based on 30 cycles composed of six repeating sequences of strikes. Kinematic recordings were performed using a Vicon system, while the measurement of the ground reaction forces (GRF) was accomplished with a Kistler force plate. The following parameters were analyzed: the time of each foot strike, the maximal value of the vertical component of GRF normalized to body weight (BW) for subsequent footwork steps, the impulse of the GRF and the kinematics of pelvis and lower limb joints, and an exemplary waveform view of the sound of footwork strikes was shown. The average values of the vertical component of GRF ranged between 0.6 and 2.7 BW. The maximal anterior pelvic tilt was 29°, with a 6° range of motion (RoM). This mobility was accompanied by 20° hip RoM and by ~40° knee RoM throughout flexion. The conclusions provide practical information that a teacher and flamenco student should receive.