bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adherence rate, barriers to attend, safety and overall experience of a physical exercise program via telemonitoring during COVID‐19 pandemic for individuals with Parkinson's disease: A feasibility study
Authors: Torriani‐Pasin Camila , Domingues Vitoria Leite , de Freitas Tatiana Beline , Silva Thaina Alves da , Caldeira Marcelo Figueiredo , Júnior Ricardo Pereira Alcantaro , Lara Audrea Regina Ferro , Antonio Beatriz de Araujo , Palma Gisele Carla dos Santos , Makhoul Marina Portugal , Mochizuki Luis
Published: May 2022

Background

Telemonitoring can maintain daily exercise routine during the COVID‐19 pandemic of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there are barriers to adherence and attendance with remote physical rehabilitation. The main objective of this study was to evaluate adherence rate, barriers to attendance, and safety of a telemonitoring program for individuals with PD; and secondarily to evaluate the individual and their family members perceived overall experience when performing the telemonitoring physical exercise program.

Methods

This was a phase 1 of a clinical trial, engaging 19 individuals with idiopathic PD of an in‐person community rehabilitation program. For 24 weeks an asynchronous telemonitoring physical exercise program delivered two sessions per week by video including warm‐up, balance, aerobic and resistance exercises, and cool‐down. During the remote program were verified: adherence rate at entrance, attendance rate, barriers to attend, safety, and overall experience of the program.

Results and conclusion

Only one participant did not perform any session and 18 participants completed between 2 and 34 sessions. Participants with a caregiver showed higher attendance rates. The most frequently cited barriers to attend the program were: pain; lack of motor skills; and reduced physical fitness. In relation to safety of the program, the most frequently reported was fear of falling. Although participants reported the telemonitoring program induced health benefits and they had positive experiences for themselves and for their families, most of participants prefer an in‐person program. In this sense, the asynchronous telemonitoring physical exercise program was safe, showed moderate adherence, with attendance rate depending on the presence of a companion.
Engineering defensin α‐helix to produce high‐affinitySARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein binding ligands
Authors: Fernandes Leonardo Antônio , Gomes Anderson Albino , Guimarães Beatriz Gomes , de Lourdes Borba Magalhães Maria , Ray Partha , da Silva Gustavo Felippe
Published: May 2022

The binding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) spike protein to the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor expressed on the host cells is a critical initial step for viral infection. This interaction is blocked through competitive inhibition by soluble ACE2 protein. Therefore, developing high‐affinity and cost‐effective ACE2 mimetic ligands that disrupt this protein–protein interaction is a promising strategy for viral diagnostics and therapy. We employed human and plant defensins, a class of small (2–5 kDa) and highly stable proteins containing solvent‐exposed alpha‐helix, conformationally constrained by two disulfide bonds. Therefore, we engineered the amino acid residues on the constrained alpha‐helix of defensins to mimic the critical residues on the ACE2 helix 1 that interact with the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein. The engineered proteins (h‐deface2, p‐deface2, and p‐deface2‐MUT) were soluble and purified to homogeneity with a high yield from a bacterial expression system. The proteins demonstrated exceptional thermostability (Tm 70.7°C), high‐affinity binding to the spike protein with apparentKdvalues of 54.4 ± 11.3, 33.5 ± 8.2, and 14.4 ± 3.5 nM for h‐deface2, p‐deface2, and p‐deface2‐MUT, respectively, and were used in a diagnostic assay that detected SARS‐CoV‐2 neutralizing antibodies. This work addresses the challenge of developing helical ACE2 mimetics by demonstrating that defensins provide promising scaffolds to engineer alpha‐helices in a constrained form for designing of high‐affinity ligands.
Monitoring, cross‐resistance, inheritance, and fitness costs of brown planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens, resistance to pymetrozine in China
Authors: Song Xin‐Yu , Peng Yu‐Xuan , Wang Li‐Xiang , Ye Wen‐Nan , Pei Xin‐Guo , Zhang Yan‐Chao , Zhang Shuai , Gao Cong‐Fen , Wu Shun‐Fan
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, is considered the most destructive pest of rice in many Asian countries including China. Use of pymetrozine in insect resistance management (IRM) has been one strategy to control this pest. In this study, we reported the status of pymetrozine resistance in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) collected from China over the period 2017–2021 and selected a strain of N. lugens resistant to pymetrozine and evaluated the cross‐resistance, inheritance and fitness costs of the resistance.

RESULTS

Monitoring data (2017–2021) showed that field populations of N. lugens in China developed moderate‐ to high‐level pymetrozine resistance during these 5 years. By continuous selection with pymetrozine in the lab, the pymetrozine selected N. lugens strain (Pym‐R98) developed a 225.2‐fold resistance compared to a susceptible strain. The Pym‐R98 strain showed high cross‐resistance to dinotefuran (66.6‐fold) and low cross‐resistance to nitenpyram (5.2‐fold) and sulfoxaflor (5.8‐fold). Inheritance pattern analysis of Pym‐R93 revealed that resistance to pymetrozine was polygenic, autosomal and incompletely dominant. Fitness costs of pymetrozine resistance were present in Pym‐R90 and WA2020 strains with a relative fitness of 0.72 and 0.60, respectively. The developmental duration of Pym‐R90 and WA2020 was significantly longer and hatchability was significantly lower compared to pymetrozine‐susceptible strain (Pym‐S).

CONCLUSIONS

N. lugens has developed high level of resistance to pymetrozine. Pymetrozine‐resistance brown planthopper had cross‐resistance with some of neonicotinoids such as dinotefuran, nitenpyram and sulfoxaflor. The autosomal, incompletely dominant and polygenic resistance to pymetrozine in N. lugens and the fitness costs associated with this resistance can be exploited in IRM strategies to preserve the lifetime of pymetrozine for control of N. lugens in China. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Sensitivity of cloud‐radiative effects to cloud fraction parametrizations in tropical, midlatitude, and arctic kilometre‐scale simulations
Authors: Van Weverberg Kwinten , Morcrette Cyril J.
Published: May 2022

The regional atmosphere (RA) configuration of the Met Office Unified Model currently requires different cloud fraction parametrizations (CFPs) for tropical and midlatitude simulations. To explore the scope for unification of these two RA configurations, this article presents a detailed evaluation of simulations over tropical, midlatitude, and arctic domains, with two different diagnostic CFPs: a prognostic CFP, and no CFP at all. Furthermore, a novel, hybrid approach was used that treats liquid cloud diagnostically and ice cloud prognostically. Using observations from three US Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement supersites, it is shown that none of these CFPs stands out as superior over all domains. Over the frequently overcast Arctic, the all‐or‐nothing approach best captures the cloud radiative properties. Conversely, CFPs are of benefit in regions with frequent partial cloudiness, such as the midlatitudes and the Tropics. However, their improved cloud radiative properties often hide an error compensation. All models underestimate overcast, low‐base cloud with small water paths in convective environments. In addition, midlatitude overcast, low‐base, optically thick clouds in the morning, possibly associated with overnight convection, are frequently too broken. Diagnostic schemes compensate for these errors by producing spurious, scattered afternoon cloud, which could be due to a correct cloud response to too eager convective initiation. Winter clouds over the midlatitudes are improved when liquid cloud is represented diagnostically with a bimodal saturation‐departure probability density function, without error compensation. Although it is difficult to unify the RA across the globe around a single CFP scheme, the newly proposed hybrid scheme performs reasonably well for cloud cover across all regions. It also exhibits short‐wave biases that are smaller than most other configurations and is less affected by excessive liquid water paths and compensating errors than fully diagnostic schemes are. Surface precipitation is fairly insensitive to the CFP in the simulations shown here.
Optimization design on the section of curved composite box beam bridges
Authors: Lu Pengzhen , Shi Qingtian , Li Dengguo , Wu Ying
Published: May 2022

A curved composite box girder bridge has a coupling effect of bending and torsion under external load. The existence of interface slip will reduce the stiffness of the curved box girder and generate additional deflection. Because the curved composite box girder has multiple junction surfaces, under the action of external load, the different junction surfaces present asymmetrical slip distribution, and the shear connector force is complicated, so it is difficult to obtain its analytical solution. In this paper, an analysis model of a curved steel‐concrete composite box girder is established by selecting the appropriate element type and material constitutive relationship model. And by comparing the numerical simulation results with the experimental results, the correctness and rationality of the constitutive relationship between the element type and the material are verified. Based on the cross‐section parameters obtained by numerical simulation and experimental verification, combined with nonlinear optimization theory, the relationship between the optimized parameters is analyzed, and the cross‐section of the curved composite box girder is optimized. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the optimal design of curved box girder bridges.
High‐temperature effect on mechanical properties of fiber reinforced concretes including waste tire rubber
Authors: Ozturk Murat , Balcikanli Bankir Muzeyyen , Sevim Umur Korkut
Published: May 2022

In this paper, concretes including three different fiber types (carbon steel fiber [CSF], forta ferro fiber [FFF], and polypropylene fiber [PPF]) with different percentages by volume (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) and crumb rubber (CR) as a replacement of fine aggregate by volume (5%, 10%, and 15%) are mechanically investigated. Compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, pull out strength, and elevated heat resistance tests are conducted 28 days after casting on the prepared concrete specimens. For the elevated heat resistance test, samples are exposed to 200, 400, and 600°C heat for 2 h and then compressive strength test is applied. According to the test results, fiber reinforcement limits compressive strength decrease and improves flexural tensile strength properties of the rubberized concretes. The positive effect of the fiber reinforcement is also observed on the samples conducted to pull out strength and elevated temperature resistance tests. CSF and PPF reinforced rubberized concretes perform better pull‐out resistance then the FFF reinforced rubberized concretes. Elevated heat resistance test is as expected since with elevation of the temperature strength of the concrete decreases. But according to the test results of the present study, the strength decrease seems to be limited with fiber reinforcement. As a result, incorporation of the fiber and CR could help to utilize more waste tire (CR) in concrete to produce sustainable eco‐friendly concrete.
Retrospective analysis of efficacy and safety of oral paclitaxel for treatment of various cancers in dogs (2017–2021)
Authors: Chae Hyung‐Kyu , Oh Ye‐In , Park Sumin , An Ju‐Hyun , Seo Kyoungwon , Kang Kyuyong , Chu Seung‐nam , Youn Hwa‐Young
Published: May 2022

Background

In humans, several safety evaluations have shown minimal adverse events with oral paclitaxel; however, its therapeutic efficacy and safety has not been well established in dogs with various cancers.

Objectives

We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral paclitaxel in dogs with various cancers.

Methods

Twenty‐one dogs diagnosed with various cancers were administered several doses of oral paclitaxel three times a month (group 1) or six times a month (group 2).

Results

The overall response rate was 6.25% (6.25%, complete response; 56.25%, stable disease; 37.5%, progressive disease) in dogs for which the treatment response could be evaluated. The median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) were 74 and 60.5 days, respectively. Regardless of the administration group, differences in OS and PFS of the two groups did not reach statistical significance. Most dogs tolerated the treatment regimen well, and although minor adverse events were observed in some dogs, they recovered after temporary drug discontinuation, dose reduction or symptomatic treatment. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of adverse events between the two groups.

Conclusions

Based on the observed responses in certain types of cancers and the minimal adverse events, the study findings supported the efficacy and safety of oral paclitaxel administration in dogs. Thus, oral paclitaxel could play a role in the management of cancer in dogs.
Electrocatalytic oxidation of aromatic amine (4‐aminobiphenyl): Kinetics and transformation products with mechanistic approach
Authors: Verma Deepshikha Singh , Kushwaha Jai Prakash , Singh Neetu , Kaur Ravneet
Published: May 2022

Electrocatalytic oxidation (EO) of carcinogenic 4‐aminobiphenyl (4‐ABP) aromatic amine was performed using Ti‐RuO2 anodes. Current (I), pH, electrolysis time (t), and 4‐ABP initial concentration (Co) were selected as EO parameters, and their effects on %4‐ABP removal (R1) and energy consumed (R2) were studied. Experimental design, parameters optimization, and their interaction with responses R1 and R2 were performed using response surface methodology. At optimized parameters, %TOC removal and 4‐BP mineralization current efficiency (%MCE) were assessed to evaluate the potential of Ti/RuO2 anodes towards 4‐ABP mineralization. Simultaneous TOC and 4‐ABP degradation kinetics were also studied to evaluate the competition in 4‐ABP mineralization and degradation. Further, UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS analysis was performed to identify the 4‐ABP transformation products during the EO, and a mechanism describing the EO transformation was proposed. At optimum parameters (I = 1.2 A; pH = 4.0; t = 30 min; Co = 30 ppm), responses were found to be R1 = 60.25%; R2 = 2.49 kWh/g of 4‐ABP removed. %TOC removal and %MCE were 52.4% and 34.2%, respectively.

Practitioner Points

4‐Aminobiphenyl electro‐oxidation (EO) was explored using Ti/RuO2 anode.

Achieved 34.2% mineralization current efficiency, 52.4% TOC and 61.3% TKN removal.

Three electro‐oxidation transformation products of 4‐ABP were detected.

4‐Aminobiphenyl was found degrading at ≈1.6 times higher rate than TOC

A plausible EO transformation pathway and mechanism was proposed.
Causal Mechanisms in the Introduction and Development of Unemployment Insurance in Turkey
Authors: Öktem Kerem Gabriel
Published: May 2022

Introduced in 1999 after decades of planning and debate, Turkey’s unemployment insurance programme has been transformed within twenty years. While the key statutes regarding access to and generosity of unemployment benefits have remained intact, new instruments have been added to the programme. Collectively, these new instruments have changed the logic of the programme from unemployment protection to active labour market policies and employment generation. In this chapter, I explore causal mechanisms behind the introduction and the transformation of Turkey’s unemployment insurance programme with qualitative research methods (policy research, archival research and expert interviews). I identify four causal mechanisms that shaped the process: double benefit, business-led reform, transnational cooperation and outcompeting.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Molecular Radicals and Carbenes in Helium Droplets
Authors: Douberly Gary E.
Published: May 2022

The helium droplet is an ideal environment to spectroscopically probe difficult to prepare molecular species, such as radicals, carbenes and ions. The quantum nature of helium at 0.4 K often results in molecular spectra that are sufficiently resolved to evoke an analysis of line shapes and fine-structure via rigorous “effective Hamiltonian” treatments. In this chapter, we will discuss general experimental methodologies and a few examples of successful attempts to efficiently dope helium droplets with organic molecular radicals or carbenes. In several cases, radical reactions have been carried out inside helium droplets via the sequential capture of reactive species, resulting in the kinetic trapping of reaction intermediates. Infrared laser spectroscopy has been used to probe the properties of these systems under either zero-field conditions or in the presence of externally applied, homogeneous electric or magnetic fields.
Managing Innovation in Teaching in ODDE
Authors: Bates Tony
Published: May 2022

Innovation is the lifeblood of open, distance and digital education (ODDE), but it has often proved difficult for ODDE institutions to continue to innovate in response to a changing world outside. Innovation though is not “magic” or serendipitous. There are well-established methods by which innovation can be nurtured and managed in ODDE. Following a literature review of innovation in ODDE, the chapter discusses common myths regarding innovation, several barriers to change in ODDE institutions, then offers five strategies to support innovation. A case study is provided that illustrates a number of factors that support sustained innovation in ODDE, and the chapter ends by suggesting that innovation is not an end in itself but is best managed by focusing on the major, long-term goals of ODDE, and the main challenges that ODDE institutions face. In particular, ODDE institutions need to remain innovative to meet increasing competition from the conventional higher education institutions and above all from large, digital technology companies.
Introduction to Smart Cities in Asia: Regulations, Problems, and Development
Authors: Damian Daniela , Phan Thanh
Published: May 2022

Asia Pacific, which makes up 60% of the world’s population, is emerging as a dynamic region in the world in terms of economic and technological growth. It is no surprise that Asian cities are also recognized as leaders in designing smart cities that harness digital information to improve operational efficiency. This chapter provides an overview of the subjects and jurisdictions that this book will cover, outlining its structure as well as the flow of the discussion. This book aims to provide audiences with an overview of smart cities in Asia from different perspectives. While the topic of Smart Cities in Asia: Regulations, Problems, and Development does not address all concerns and questions about smart cities in Asia, the discussions outline regulatory frameworks of some countries, addresses certain problems, and projects the development of smart cities in the region. The book also establishes a network of scholars and practitioners who are interested in researching smart cities. The editors and authors welcome all comments, suggestions, and initiatives promoting scholarship in this area.
Smart Cities in Asia: An Introductory Note
Authors: Courtney Doagoo B.
Published: May 2022

This chapter provides a framework to conceptualize a few common topics related to smart city governance. It provides a high-level overview of smart cities movement in Asian countries, followed by the various mechanics and concepts of smart cities to demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to create smart cities. It will then highlight several common concerns and challenges relating to smart city governance, which include privacy, security, and public–private partnerships.
Domestic tourism demand in the North and the South of Europe in the Covid-19 summer of 2020
Authors: Falk Martin Thomas , Hagsten Eva , Lin Xiang
Published: May 2022

This study investigates empirically changes in domestic summer tourism demand following the Covid-19 pandemic in 305 regions across six European countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden) based on official data. Five different groups of NUTS 3 regions are identified in accordance with a typology suggested by the OECD where density and connectivity are aspects of importance. Dynamic panel data estimations show that large metropolitan regions experience strong decreases in demand (approximately 30 per cent) both in July and August 2020. There are, however, clear differences between the Northern and Southern European countries. In the North, the remote regions encounter an increased demand that is partially offsetting losses in the large metropolitan regions. This pattern cannot be found in the South. The decline in domestic tourism flows to the major metropolitan areas is also more pronounced in the South of Europe, approximately 50 per cent per summer month compared with 20 per cent (July 2020) and stagnation (August 2020) in the North regions.
Tumor-derived IL-8 facilitates lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer via PD-1 up-regulation in CD8+ T cells
Authors: Li Xiang , Zhai Jing , Shen Yuke , Zhang Tiancheng , Wang Yaohui , He Yani , You Qiang , Shen Lizong
Published: May 2022

Background

The pretherapeutic serum interleukin-8 (sIL-8) levels have been revealed to be increased in about half of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. However, the roles of IL-8 in lymph node metastasis (LNM) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods

146 patients with primary gastric carcinoma were enrolled in this study. ELISA was used to measure IL-8 levels. The CD4/CD8 ratio and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) expression of T cells in primary tumor tissues, tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) and non-draining lymph nodes (NDLNs) were assayed with flow cytometry. Protein expression of the molecules was determined with immunohistochemistry, western blotting or immunoprecipitation. The gastric cancer mouse tumor model with LNM was utilized to determine the role of IL-8 in regulation of tumor metastasis and progression.

Results

The elevated sIL-8 levels were associated with LNM and poor prognosis in gastric cancer. Furthermore, sIL-8 was identified to be prominently produced by gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Elevated IL-8 can up-regulate PD-1 expression in CD8+ T cells, resulting in immunosuppression in primary tumors and TDLNs, which enhances LNM of gastric cancer. Molecularly, IL-8 increases PD-1 expression through JAK2/STAT3 signaling activation, and inhibits its ubiquitination via Fbxo38 down-regulation. In addition, the in vivo studies in mouse gastric cancer model demonstrated that IL-8 promotes LNM via PD-1 up-regulation in CD8+ T cells.

Conclusion

The present study elucidates the pro-metastatic role of elevated IL-8 in gastric cancer, and provides novel insights to enhance immune checkpoint blockade therapy for anti-PD-1 in gastric cancer.
Wer kann sich vorstellen, von Angehörigen gepflegt zu werden?
Authors: Raiber Lea , Fischer Florian , Boscher Claudia , Steinle Johannes , Winter Maik H. -J.
Published: May 2022

Hintergrund

Die Zahl pflegebedürftiger Personen wird in den kommenden Jahren, bedingt durch den demografischen Wandel, weiterhin zunehmen. Um eine hochwertige bedarfs- und bedürfnisorientierte pflegerische Versorgung zu gewährleisten, nimmt die Berücksichtigung der Pflegepräferenzen eine besondere Bedeutung ein.

Ziel der Arbeit

Dieser Beitrag soll zum einen die Pflegepräferenzen 65- bis 75-Jähriger darstellen und zum anderen Prädiktoren der Präferenz für eine Pflege durch Angehörige identifizieren.

Methoden

Es wurde eine repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragung der 65- bis 75-Jährigen in der Region Bodensee-Oberschwaben durchgeführt (n = 625). Die Daten werden deskriptiv dargestellt und hinsichtlich der Präferenz für informelle Pflege bi- und multivariat (χ2-Tests; logistische Regression) ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Die Mehrheit der Befragten präferiert eine Pflege im häuslichen Umfeld; zumeist mit professioneller Unterstützung. Zudem stehen die Befragten „alternativen“ Wohnformen (z. B. Mehrgenerationenwohnen oder Wohngemeinschaften für ältere Menschen) positiv gegenüber.

Bedeutende Prädiktoren für die Präferenz informeller Pflege sind das männliche Geschlecht, das Vorhandensein weiterer im Haushalt lebender Personen, eine eigene Pflegebereitschaft und ein fehlender Berufsabschluss.

Diskussion

Die Präferenz für eine pflegerische Versorgung im häuslichen Umfeld bringt Herausforderungen für informell und formell Pflegende sowie für die Pflegebedürftigen selbst mit sich, die zu einem Spannungsfeld zwischen den Erwartungen und Möglichkeiten führen können. Zur Sicherstellung einer zukunftsfähigen und nutzer*innenorientierten pflegerischen Versorgung bedarf es daher einer qualitativen sowie quantitativen Weiterentwicklung der ambulanten Versorgung.
Application of the mirror technique for block-face scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Talapka Petra , Bába Bence Béla , Mészár Zoltán , Kisvárday Réka Eszter , Kocsis Zsolt , Srivastava Mohit , Kisvárday Zoltán
Published: May 2022

The mirror technique adapted for electron microscopy allows correlating neuronal structures across the cutting plane of adjoining light microscopic sections which, however, have a limited thickness, typically less than 100 µm (Talapka et al. in Front Neuroanat, 2021, 10.3389/fnana.2021.652422). Here, we extend the mirror technique for tissue blocks in the millimeter range and demonstrate compatibility with serial block-face electron microscopy (SBEM). An essential step of the methodological improvement regards the recognition that unbound resin must be removed from the tissue surface to gain visibility of surface structures. To this, the tissue block was placed on absorbent paper during the curing process. In this way, neuronal cell bodies could be unequivocally identified using epi-illumination and confocal microscopy. Thus, the layout of cell bodies which were cut by the sectioning plane can be correlated with the layout of their complementary part in the adjoining section processed for immunohistochemistry. The modified mirror technique obviates the spatial limit in investigating synaptology of neurochemically identified structures such as neuronal processes, dendrites and axons.
Molecular mechanisms of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer progression
Authors: Xie Yuchen , Ning Songyi , Hu Jianpeng
Published: May 2022

Background

Rapid evolution of the therapeutic management of prostate cancer, especially in in second-generation androgen inhibitors, has increased the opportunity of transformation from prostate cancer (PCa) to neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). NEPC still lacks effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Researches into the molecular characteristics of neuroendocrine differentiation is undoubtedly crucial to the discovery of new target genes for accurate diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Purpose

In this review, we focus on the relevant genes and molecular mechanisms that have contributed to the transformation in the progression of PCa and discuss the potential targeted molecule that might improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic effectiveness.

Methods

The relevant literatures from PubMed have been reviewed for this article.

Conclusion

Several molecular characteristics influence the progression of neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer which will provide a novel sight for accurate diagnosis and target therapeutic intervention for patients with NEPC.
Determination of the chemical compounds of Shuchazao tea flowers at different developmental stages and in young shoots using 1H NMR-based metabolomics
Authors: Ye Hong , Hu Jingwei , Peng Su , Zong Wenming , Zhang Shuang , Tong Lin , Cao Chen , Liu Zenghui , Xie Zhongwen
Published: May 2022

The chemical compounds in tea leaves have been extensively explored in recent decades. However, the compounds in tea flowers have not been fully investigated. In present study, the main chemical compounds in tea flowers were identified at four developmental stages using non-targeted metabonomics based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and an automatic amino acid analyzer, and compared with those in young tea shoots. The results showed significant differences in catechins, sugars, organic acids and amino acids between tea flowers and young shoots. The concentrations of epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin, and caffeine were significantly lower (p < 0.01) and sugar content significantly higher (p < 0.01) in flowers than in young shoots. Caffeine and β-glucose gradually decreased and sucrose constantly increased during flower development; α-glucose and fructose were most concentrated in the white bud and then decreased with flower development. Tea flowers contained more succinic acid, citric acid, and chlorogenic acid but less quinic acid and malic acid than young shoots. Both tea flowers and young tea shoots contained 20 common amino acids, including 7 essential ones. The concentration of amino acids was highest in the white bud (27.66 mg/g); young tea shoots contained significantly more L-theanine than tea flowers (p < 0.01). Our data indicate that the different stages of tea flowers have a set of characteristic chemical compounds and are potentially useful for functional foods.

Graphical abstract
Design of a structurally welded/adhesively bonded joint between a fiber metal laminate and a steel plate for marine applications
Authors: de Vicente Mario , Silva-Campillo Arturo , Herreros Miguel Ángel , Suárez-Bermejo Juan Carlos
Published: May 2022

Shipbuilding with steel elements has changed little over the past 100 years. The introduction of hybrid materials has led to certain changes in construction methodology and in the calculation of structure and fabrication in shipyards. This study assesses a welded/adhesively joint used as a primary element union. It is made of steel and is used with a hybrid panel that is easy to manufacture and install at a low cost. To define the geometry of the joint, topological optimization of a symmetrical clamp-shaped steel part is carried out, attaching the hybrid panel with a structural adhesive. The geometric shape resulting from this optimization is analysed with a finite element model by means of a non-linear cohesive zone model simulation, minimizing the Von Mises stresses. The numerical result is compared to a destructive laboratory test. The result is analysed using the digital image correlation technique, making the following validations: in the adhesive-bonded area, no damage was found; the structural failure begins in the area near the embedded end; and there is an absence of cracks since no debonding of the structural adhesive takes place, confirming the obtained design by numerical simulation.
Accuracy study of the Oculus Touch v2 versus inertial sensor for a single-axis rotation simulating the elbow’s range of motion
Authors: Rojo Ana , Cortina Javier , Sánchez Cristina , Urendes Eloy , García-Carmona Rodrigo , Raya Rafael
Published: May 2022

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a valid addition to conventional therapy in rehabilitation and sports medicine. This has enabled the development of novel and affordable rehabilitation strategies. However, before VR devices can be used in these situations, they must accurately capture the range of motion of the body-segment where they are mounted. This study aims to state the accuracy of the Oculus Touch v2 controller when used to measure the elbow’s motion in the sagittal plane. The controller is benchmarked against an inertial sensor (ENLAZA$$^{\mathrm{TM}}$$

TM

), which has already been validated as a reliable measurement device. We have developed a virtual environment that matches both the Oculus Touch v2 and the inertial sensor orientations using a digital goniometer. We have also collected the orientation measurements given by each system for a set of 17 static angles that cover the full range of normal elbow flexion and hyperextension motion, in 10° intervals from − 10°  (hyperextension) to 150° (flexion). We have applied the intra-rater reliability test to assess the level of agreement between the measurements of these devices, obtaining a value of 0.999, with a 95% confidence interval ranged from 0.996 to 1.000. By analyzing the angle measurement outcomes, we have found that the accuracy degrades at flexion values between 70° and 110°, peaking at 90°. The accuracy of Oculus Touch v2 when used to capture the elbow’s flexion motion is good enough for the development of VR rehabilitation applications based on it. However, the flaws in the accuracy that have been revealed in this experimental study must be considered when designing such applications.
Sample average approximations of strongly convex stochastic programs in Hilbert spaces
Authors: Milz Johannes
Published: May 2022

We analyze the tail behavior of solutions to sample average approximations (SAAs) of stochastic programs posed in Hilbert spaces. We require that the integrand be strongly convex with the same convexity parameter for each realization. Combined with a standard condition from the literature on stochastic programming, we establish non-asymptotic exponential tail bounds for the distance between the SAA solutions and the stochastic program’s solution, without assuming compactness of the feasible set. Our assumptions are verified on a class of infinite-dimensional optimization problems governed by affine-linear partial differential equations with random inputs. We present numerical results illustrating our theoretical findings.
Biosorption as a Perfect Technique for Purification of Wastewater Contaminated with Ammonia
Authors: Abdelfattah Ibrahim , El-Saied Fathy A. , Almedolab Ali A. , El-Shamy A. M.
Published: May 2022

Eichhornia crassipes root powder (ECRP) has been used to remove ammonia from aqueous solutions. The biosorption factors such as biosorbent dosage, pH, initial ammonia concentration, and contact time have been considered in batch conditions. The optimal conditions, at pH (6), sorbent dose 5 g/l, time (30 min) ammonia concentration (10 mg/l). Langmuir is better suited than Freundlich isotherm. The kinetic models Thomas, Yoon-Nelson, and Bohart-Adams were applied. These models showed that the adsorption capacity decreased with flow rate increases as follows: 32.57, 31.82, 31.25, and 30.17 mg/g, respectively, at a flow rate 10, 15, 20, and 25 ml/min. The root powder of Eichhornia crassipes was used to treat specific drainage wastewater obtained from the Sabal drain at Menoufia, Egypt. The average efficiency of ammonia removal was 87% per batch adsorption method at pH value = 7.5, sorbent dose 5 g/l, uptake period (30 min), and primary load 7.1 mg/l; however, ammonia removal by column continuous adsorption method exceeded 94%. In addition, ECRP is efficient in removing arsenic, sulfate, nitrates, nitrite, silica, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, aluminum, and lead from actual sewage wastewater, in addition to removing more than 75% COD.
The relationship between executive functioning and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children: A cross-lagged study
Authors: Fan Liheng , Wang Yinling
Published: May 2022

Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive development and the emergence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, many researchers have explored the relationship between executive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young children. However, the findings have been inconsistent. This study used a cross-lagged survey to clarify the interaction between executive function and ADHD in early childhood as well as explore the trends of the same. Data were collected using questionnaires distributed to 376 parents of children aged 4–6 years in October 2018 (Time 1) and June 2019 (Time 2), with components including the Child Executive Functioning Scale (Parent Version) and Child Difficulty and Strengths Scale (Parent Version), and the mean age of the children surveyed at Time 1 was 58.96 ± 11.94 months. Results indicate that executive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were stable, with significant positive and secondary positive correlations between executive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The cross-lagged regression analysis showed that the inhibition of executive function components at Time 1 predicted the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at Time 2. Finally, the cross-lagged regression analysis showed that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at Time 1 significantly predicted the inhibition at Time 2. There was a strong relationship between inhibition and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the sample, with some reciprocal causality. The findings indicate the urgent need for early screening and intervention in cognitive and behavioral disorders.
A deep learning approach for context-aware citation recommendation using rhetorical zone classification and similarity to overcome cold-start problem
Authors: Abbas Muhammad Azeem , Ajayi Saheed , Bilal Muhammad , Oyegoke Ade , Pasha Maruf , Ali Hafiz Tauqeer
Published: May 2022

In the recent decade, the citation recommendation has emerged as an important research topic due to its need for the huge size of published scientific work. Among other citation recommendation techniques, the widely used content-based filtering (CBF) exploits research articles’ textual content to produce recommendations. However, CBF techniques are prone to the well-known cold-start problem. On the other hand, deep learning has shown its effectiveness in understanding the semantics of the text. The present paper proposes a citation recommendation system using deep learning models to classify rhetorical zones of the research articles and compute similarity using rhetorical zone embeddings that overcome the cold-start problem. Rhetorical zones are the predefined linguistic categories having some common characteristics about the text. A deep learning model is trained using ART and CORE datasets with an accuracy of 76 per cent. The final ranked lists of the recommendations have an average of 0.704 normalized discounted cumulative gain (nDCG) score involving ten domain experts. The proposed system is applicable for both local and global context-aware recommendations.
Pyroptosis-related genes regulate proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer and serve as the prognostic signature for modeling patient survival
Authors: Song Wenjing , Liu Zhicheng , Wang Kunlei , Tan Kai , Zhao Anbang , Li Xinyin , Yuan Yufeng , Yang Zhiyong
Published: May 2022

Objective

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has high mortality and poor prognosis. Pyroptosis can influence the prognosis of patients by regulating the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the role of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in PDAC remains unclear.

Methods

In this study, based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort of PDAC samples, univariate Cox analysis and LASSO regression analysis were used to screen the prognostic PRGs and establish the gene signature. To further evaluate the functional significance of CASP4 and NLRP1 in PDAC, we also conducted an in vitro study to explore the mechanism of CASP4 and NLRP1 regulating the occurrence and development of PDAC. Finally, we investigated the relationship between CASP4 and NLRP1 expression levels and drug sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells.

Results

A risk prediction model based on CASP4 and NLRP1 was established, which can distinguish high-risk patients from low-risk patients (P < 0.001). Both internal validation and external GEO data sets validation demonstrate good predictive capability of the model (AUC = 0.732, AUC = 0.802, AUC = 0.632, P < 0.05). In vitro, CCK8 and Transwell assay suggested that CASP4 may accelerate the progression of PDAC by promoting proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells, while NLRP1 has been found to have tumor suppressive effect. It should be noted that knockdown of CASP4 reduced the level of coke death, the expression levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, FASN, SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 were decreased, and the number of lipid droplets was also significantly reduced. Moreover, the enrichment of signaling pathways showed that NLRP1 was significantly correlated with MAPK and RAS/ERK signaling pathways, and knocking down NLRP1 could indeed up-regulate p-ERK expression. Finally, high expression of CASP4 and low expression of NLRP1 increased the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to ERK inhibitors.

Conclusions

In especial, CASP4 can promote tumor progression by promoting the synthesis and accumulation of fatty acids, while NLRP1 acts on RAS/ERK signaling pathway. Both of genes play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of PDAC, which may also affect the inhibitors of MAPK/ERK efficiency.
Understanding Structural Racism as a Barrier to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation and Transplant Care
Authors: Lu Yee , Norman Silas P. , Doshi Mona D.
Published: May 2022

Recent Findings

Black and Hispanic patients carry higher burden of kidney disease, yet have lower access to LDKT. Until recently, these differences were thought to be due to medical co-morbidities and variation in transplant center practices. However, recent studies have shown that systemic and structural inequities related to race may be one of the major drivers.

Purpose of Review

In this paper, we examine the definition of race and systemic racism, then describe patient-, transplant center–, and society-level barriers to LDKT. We identify how social determinants, cultural biases and mistrust in medical system, influence behaviors, and provider racial profiling affects all phases of transplant evaluation. Finally, we discuss initiatives to overcome some of these barriers, starting from federal government, national organizations, transplant centers, and community partners.

Examining structural biases in transplant practices is an important step to developing solutions to address disparities in health care access and outcomes for patients who need and receive transplants.
Capturing the value of vaccination: impact of vaccine-preventable disease on hospitalization
Authors: Doherty Mark T. , Aris Emmanuel , Servotte Nathalie , Beck Ekkehard
Published: May 2022

Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) such as influenza or herpes zoster contribute significantly to the increased risk of older adults for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neurological, and renal complications in the period after illnesses. However, since the period of elevated risk can persist well beyond the duration of the acute illness, the connection is not always recognized. To obtain insights into the relationship between diagnoses for vaccine-preventable disease and for other conditions, we analyzed principal and secondary diagnoses for 3,127,768 inpatient admissions of adults 50 years and older in the United States, using medical insurance claims drawn from the IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases (Marketscan). The Marketscan data indicated that overall, 3.1% of these hospitalizations had a principal diagnosis of VPD with variation by month of admission, and age. However, hospitalizations with a principal non-VPD diagnosis but secondary VPD diagnoses were 2.8 times more frequent, with particularly high rates in those whose principal diagnoses were non-VPD respiratory or circulatory disease. Hospitalized patients with a secondary VPD diagnosis tended to have poorer discharge outcomes, and longer length of stay in comparison to hospitalized patients without a secondary VPD diagnosis. In total, these data are consistent with suggestions that VPDs play a significant and potentially under-estimated role in hospitalization and outcomes, which may be potentially preventable by improved vaccination coverage.
Sediment settlement rate and consolidation time of filling reclamation in coal mining subsidence land
Authors: Duo Linghua , Hu Zhenqi , Yang Kun , Li Yanan
Published: May 2022

With the continuous growth of the population and the continuous reduction of cultivated land, China’s food security is greatly threatened. In addition, China’s coal mining has been mainly underground mining, causing land subsidence and damaging existing cultivated land. This effect intensifies the contradiction between the growth of the risk population and the reduction of cultivated land. The reclamation of mining subsidence land with Yellow River sediment is often used as an effective way to improve the recovery rate of cultivated land. Shortening the reclamation time and realizing continuous filling are significant issues. The work presented in this paper studied the sediment settlement rate and consolidation time by combining theory, field filling and reclamation tests and numerical simulations. A field filling test study was carried out in the lowlands of Jibeiwang Village, Qihe County, Shandong Province, China. By calculating the drainage consolidation time, the consolidation factor of 0.015656 m2/d, and the time factor for sediment consolidation of 0.575 were determined. The sediment consolidation time for this test was 9.18 days. The calculation of sediment deposition rate and consolidation time is of great practical significance to guide the Yellow River sediment filling, realize continuous filling, and save reclamation time and cost.
Semi-Implantable Bioelectronics
Authors: Fang Jiaru , Huang Shuang , Liu Fanmao , He Gen , Li Xiangling , Huang Xinshuo , Chen Hui-jiuan , Xie Xi
Published: May 2022

Developing techniques to effectively and real-time monitor and regulate the interior environment of biological objects is significantly important for many biomedical engineering and scientific applications, including drug delivery, electrophysiological recording and regulation of intracellular activities. Semi-implantable bioelectronics is currently a hot spot in biomedical engineering research area, because it not only meets the increasing technical demands for precise detection or regulation of biological activities, but also provides a desirable platform for externally incorporating complex functionalities and electronic integration. Although there is less definition and summary to distinguish it from the well-reviewed non-invasive bioelectronics and fully implantable bioelectronics, semi-implantable bioelectronics have emerged as highly unique technology to boost the development of biochips and smart wearable device. Here, we reviewed the recent progress in this field and raised the concept of “Semi-implantable bioelectronics”, summarizing the principle and strategies of semi-implantable device for cell applications and in vivo applications, discussing the typical methodologies to access to intracellular environment or in vivo environment, biosafety aspects and typical applications. This review is meaningful for understanding in-depth the design principles, materials fabrication techniques, device integration processes, cell/tissue penetration methodologies, biosafety aspects, and applications strategies that are essential to the development of future minimally invasive bioelectronics.