bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Levels of Leptin and Adipsin Are Associated with Clinical Activity in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Overweight and Periodontal Infection
Authors: Romero-Sánchez Consuelo , De Avila Juliette , Ramos-Casallas Alejandro , Chila-Moreno Lorena , Delgadillo Nathaly Andrea , Chalem-Choueka Philippe , Pacheco-Tena César , Bello-Gualtero Juan Manuel , Bautista-Molano Wilson
Published: March 2023

Adipokines are associated with the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are potential biomarkers of disease activity, periodontitis, and obesity. The aim of this was to establish the association between adipokine profile, RA disease activity, body mass index, and periodontal infection. This study evaluated 51 patients with early-RA and 51 controls including serum rheumatological markers, adipokine levels, detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis and serum anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis antibodies, clinical and periodontal measurements. Statistical analyses were run with SPSS® V26, with a logistic regression model to confirm associations. The results show high levels of leptin were more frequent in patients (p = 0.001) who simultaneously showed a higher frequency of Porphyromonas gingivalis (p = 0.004). Patients with concomitant presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, high clinical activity score, and overweight were correlated with high levels of leptin (OR, 7.20; 95% CI, 2.68–19.33; p = 0.0001) and adipsin (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.00–7.28; p = 0.005). The conclusion is that high levels of leptin and adipsin are associated with greater clinical activity in early-RA patients with overweight and periodontal infection, whereby overweight and Porphyromonas gingivalis may enhance RA activity. This may represent a pathological mechanism between these conditions, where adipokines seem to have a key role.
The Use of MRI-Derived Radiomic Models in Prostate Cancer Risk Stratification: A Critical Review of Contemporary Literature
Authors: Huynh Linda My , Hwang Yeagyeong , Taylor Olivia , Baine Michael J.
Published: March 2023

The development of precise medical imaging has facilitated the establishment of radiomics, a computer-based method of quantitatively analyzing subvisual imaging characteristics. The present review summarizes the current literature on the use of diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived radiomics in prostate cancer (PCa) risk stratification. A stepwise literature search of publications from 2017 to 2022 was performed. Of 218 articles on MRI-derived prostate radiomics, 33 (15.1%) generated models for PCa risk stratification. Prediction of Gleason score (GS), adverse pathology, postsurgical recurrence, and postradiation failure were the primary endpoints in 15 (45.5%), 11 (33.3%), 4 (12.1%), and 3 (9.1%) studies. In predicting GS and adverse pathology, radiomic models differentiated well, with receiver operator characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) values of 0.50–0.92 and 0.60–0.92, respectively. For studies predicting post-treatment recurrence or failure, ROC-AUC for radiomic models ranged from 0.73 to 0.99 in postsurgical and radiation cohorts. Finally, of the 33 studies, 7 (21.2%) included external validation. Overall, most investigations showed good to excellent prediction of GS and adverse pathology with MRI-derived radiomic features. Direct prediction of treatment outcomes, however, is an ongoing investigation. As these studies mature and reach potential for clinical integration, concerted effort to validate these radiomic models must be undertaken.
Control Architecture for a Quadrotor Transporting a Cable-Suspended Load of Uncertain Mass
Authors: Outeiro Pedro , Cardeira Carlos , Oliveira Paulo
Published: March 2023

This paper presents an architecture for controlling a quadrotor transporting a cable-suspended load of uncertain mass. A family of trajectories is proposed that is composed by three phases—lift-off, transit, and landing—and implemented as a hybrid system. The proposed control system uses an adaptive geometric controller with asymptotic tracking stability. The mass of the transported load was estimated using an adaptive mechanism, which adjusts the action resorting to a geometric control method. The resulting system was validated in simulation with a mid-flight mass reduction of the transported load, and tests were performed using a range of values of load mass and maximum forward velocity. There is work in the literature that approaches the cable-suspended component of the problem, and there are also papers focused on uncertainty in the model, mass included. This work aimed to solve these two problems simultaneously, having the uncertain component being the mass of the suspended load.
Second-Order Side-Channel Analysis Based on Orthogonal Transform Nonlinear Regression
Authors: Jiang Zijing , Ding Qun
Published: March 2023

In recent years, side-channel analysis technology has been one of the greatest threats to information security. SCA decrypts the key information in the encryption device by establishing an appropriate leakage model. As one of many leakage models, the XOR operation leakage proposed by linear regression has typical representative significance in side-channel analysis. However, linear regression may have the problem of irreversibility of a singular matrix in the modeling stage of template analysis and the problem of poor data fit in the template analysis after the cryptographic algorithm is masked. Therefore, this paper proposes a second-order template analysis method based on orthogonal transformation nonlinear regression. The irreversibility of a singular matrix and the inaccuracy of the model are solved by orthogonal transformation and adding a negative direction to the calculation of the regression coefficient matrix. In order to verify the data fitting effect of the constructed template, a comparative experiment of template analysis based on regression, Gaussian, and clustering was carried out on SAKURA-G. The experimental results show that the second-order template analysis based on orthogonal transformation nonlinear regression can complete key recovery without sacrificing the performance of regression estimation. Under the condition of high noise and high order template analysis, the established template has good universality.
Bayesian Analysis of Tweedie Compound Poisson Partial Linear Mixed Models with Nonignorable Missing Response and Covariates
Authors: Wu Zhenhuan , Duan Xingde , Zhang Wenzhuan
Published: March 2023

Under the Bayesian framework, this study proposes a Tweedie compound Poisson partial linear mixed model on the basis of Bayesian P-spline approximation to nonparametric function for longitudinal semicontinuous data in the presence of nonignorable missing covariates and responses. The logistic regression model is simultaneously used to specify the missing response and covariate mechanisms. A hybrid algorithm combining the Gibbs sampler and the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm is employed to produce the joint Bayesian estimates of unknown parameters and random effects as well as nonparametric function. Several simulation studies and a real example relating to the osteoarthritis initiative data are presented to illustrate the proposed methodologies.
An Approach to Designing Critical Railway Voice Communication
Authors: Atanasov Ivaylo , Pencheva Evelina , Vatakov Vasil
Published: March 2023

The digitalization of railways allows for improvements in service reliability, safety, security, and predictability. It relies on stable connections and innovative services. This paper presents an approach to designing critical railway voice communication applications, which follows the principles of a service-oriented architecture. Security-related functions, such as user data management and policy management that can be reused by different railway applications, are identified and designed as services. Common features, such as role management and presence, location, invite-a-user messaging, assured voice communications, and multiuser talker control, are also designed as services. The resources relevant to each service are defined and their unique identifiers are organized in tree structures. Moreover, the supported methods are described. Use cases illustrate the use of the services’ Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in critical voice communication applications. The common application logic is modeled using call-state models, which present the application and network views. The models are formally described and it is proven mathematically that they exhibit equivalent behavior. The service API’s performance is studied through emulation to evaluate the injected latency.
High Accuracy Detection of Mobile Malware Using Machine Learning
Authors: Yerima Suleiman Y.
Published: March 2023

As smartphones and other mobile and IoT devices have become pervasive in everyday life, malicious software (malware) authors are increasingly targeting the operating systems that are at the core of these mobile systems [...]
Fully Integrated 1.8 V Output 300 mA Load LDO with Fast Transient Response
Authors: Gao Mali , Cai Xiaowu , Gao Yuexin , Xia Ruirui , Li Bo
Published: March 2023

Based on an 0.18 μm process, this paper proposes a fully integrated 1.8 V output 300 mA load low-dropout linear regulator (LDO) with a fast transient response. By inserting a transient-enhanced biased Class AB super source follower at the gate of the output power transistor, this LDO can quickly adjust the gate voltage of the power transistor without additional power consumption. By adding an active capacitor circuit composed of a fast comparator with offset voltage at the output point, this LDO can quickly charge/discharge the transient current and accelerate the transient response without reducing the circuit stability. Simulation results show that the proposed LDO has an output voltage of 1.8 V, when the input voltage is 2 V to 5 V while consuming 66.4 μA of quiescent current. The proposed capless LDO has a 1.94 µV/mA load regulation, a 0.55 mV/V linear regulation, and a −60 dB@1 kHz power supply rejection. When the load current steps from 3 mA to 300 mA in 300 ns, the LDO settles in 400 ns with an overshoot and undershoot of 67 mV and 86 mV, respectively.
A Three-Parameter Adaptive Virtual DC Motor Control Strategy for a Dual Active Bridge DC–DC Converter
Authors: Zhang Lixia , Wang Yang , Cheng Liang , Kang Wei
Published: March 2023

Increasingly more power electronic devices are being connected to DC microgrids, which reduces the inertia of a DC microgrid, and the DC bus voltage has poor resistance to disturbance. Adding a virtual DC motor control to the converter can effectively suppress the fluctuation of the DC bus voltage; however, due to the fixed inertia and damping parameters, the system cannot attain a good dynamic performance. On this basis, a two-parameter adaptive virtual DC motor control is proposed to realize flexible change both in terms of inertia and damping, which improves the stability of the DC bus, and the system has good dynamic performance under this control. To further improve the stability of DC bus voltage and the flexibility of the microgrid control, in this paper, a dual active bridge (DAB) DC–DC converter controlled by dual phase shift (DPS) is taken as the research object, a three-parameter adaptive virtual DC motor control strategy is proposed to realize the flexible adjustment of inertia, damping, and armature resistance at the same time, and meanwhile, optimize the backflow power and inductor current stress of the converter. Finally, simulation and experiment results show that the proposed three-parameter adaptive control strategy compares with the two-parameter adaptive control strategy, and it can further reduce DC bus voltage fluctuation and recovery time, which improve the stability of the DC bus and the dynamic performance of the system. The DC bus voltage fluctuation rate under the three-parameter adaptive control is reduced to 9%, and the voltage recovery time is only 0.18 s; the optimization strategy can also effectively reduce the backflow power and inductor current stress.
Optimization of Natural Circulation District Heating Reactor Primary Heat Exchangers
Authors: Saari Jussi , Suikkanen Heikki , Mendoza-Martinez Clara , Hyvärinen Juhani
Published: March 2023

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are gaining interest as a potential solution for cost-effective, carbon-neutral district heat (DH) production. The low pressures and temperatures permit much lighter and cheaper designs than in power plants, and efficiency is high as all heat generated can be sold to customers. In this work, the optimization of the primary heat exchangers in a natural-circulation 50-MW heating reactor concept was carried out to obtain an initial feasibility estimate for the concept for both baseload and load-following operation, as well as to obtain information on the characteristics of an optimized design. Studies on small natural circulation heat-only SMRs and the impact of heat exchanger design on the overall dimensions and economics have not been published before. Although a detailed heat exchanger cost model was used, the results should be considered tentative initial estimates, as much of the cost impact from the heat exchanger design comes from the effect the design has on the pressure vessel dimensions. While more detailed pressure vessel designs and cost functions are needed for final optimization, the feasibility of the concept is shown. Optimization for different load profiles produced near-identical designs, with the downcomer divided approximately in half between the heat exchanger at the top and an empty space at the bottom to maximize the pressure difference available for natural circulation. Although conservative, even pessimistic estimates were used in the absence of detailed cost functions, cost prices of 30–55 EUR/MWhDH at a 10% interest rate were obtained, or only 20–40 EUR/MWhDH at a 5% interest rate. This indicates potentially good competitiveness for the considered DH SMR concept.
Evaluating Long-Term Performance of a Residential Ground-Source Heat Pump System under Climate Change in Cold and Warm Cities of Japan
Authors: Sakata Yoshitaka , Akeyama Yuma , Katsura Takao , Nagano Katsunori
Published: March 2023

A residential ground-source heat pump system often requires a long payback time to recover the capital cost. Long-term uncertainty in such a system’s performance increases as the climate changes. This study compares 20-years hourly heating/cooling demands of a typical residence in the present (2000–2020) and in the future (2076–2095) for two locations in Japan. This study also calculated soil temperatures as heat sources through 1D heat-transfer simulation based on the A1B climate scenario in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report. System performance and simple payback times were compared in one cold and one warm city in Japan (Sapporo and Tokyo, respectively). Soil temperatures at a middle depth of a borehole heat exchanger were predicted to increase in the future by ~1 °C, with insignificant effects on a borehole heat exchanger. Seasonal performance factors increased in Sapporo because thermal demands would be kept even in the future, but decreased in Tokyo, which has a higher ratio of the energy used in operating the system in cooling mode compared with its small heating demand. The simple payback time was estimated at 16.2 and >20 years in Sapporo and Tokyo, respectively, both in the present and future, with the constant energy prices. If oil and gas prices doubled, the payback time would be halved in Sapporo to 8.4 years but remain around 20 years or more in Tokyo.
Latent Heat Storage Systems for Thermal Management of Electric Vehicle Batteries: Thermal Performance Enhancement and Modulation of the Phase Transition Process Dynamics: A Literature Review
Authors: Diaconu Bogdan , Cruceru Mihai , Anghelescu Lucica , Racoceanu Cristinel , Popescu Cristinel , Ionescu Marian , Tudorache Adriana
Published: March 2023

Electric vehicles battery systems (EVBS) are subject to complex charging/discharging processes that produce various amount of stress and cause significant temperature fluctuations. Due to the variable heat generation regimes, latent heat storage systems that can absorb significant amounts of thermal energy with little temperature variation are an interesting thermal management solution. A major drawback of organic phase change materials is their low thermal conductivity, which limits the material charging/discharging capacity. This review paper covers recent studies on thermal performance enhancement of PCM thermal management for electric vehicles batteries. A special focus is placed on the constraints related to electric vehicles battery systems, such as mass/volume minimization, integration with other battery thermal management systems, operational temperature range, adaptability to extreme regimes and modulation of the melting/solidification behavior. The main research outcomes are as follows: quantitative/comparative assessment of common enhancement technique in terms of performance; approaches to deal with special constraints related to EVBS from the thermal control point of view.
Experimental Study of Bio-Hydrogen Production by Clostridium beijerinckii from Different Substrates
Authors: Beschkov Venko , Parvanova-Mancheva Tsvetomila , Vasileva Evgenia
Published: March 2023

Glucose, alcohol stillage and glycerol were used as substrates for bio-hydrogen production by the newly isolated strain Clostridium beijerinckii 6A1 under batch conditions. High molar yields of hydrogen from the studied organic substrates were observed. There was a neat difference in the metabolic pathways of substrate digestion when hexose-based substrate or glycerol were used. The products of glycerol digestion showed that a pathway with no formic acid formation as intermediate was probable. In this case, considerable concentrations of acetic and propionic acid (up to 6 g dm−3) and small amounts of butanol were observed after 48 h. When glucose or hexose-based substrates were used, considerable amounts of formic acid (up to 6 g dm−3), i.e., the pathway proposed for Clostridia mixed cultures, were appropriate for the observed process of hydrogen release. For these substrates, considerable amounts of propionic acid in concentrations up to 1 g dm−3 were observed. That is why the pathway proposed for mixed cultures seemed more appropriate for our experiments carried out with hexose-based substrates. When hexoses were used, substrate digestion stopped the formation of acetic acid, propionic acid and ethanol. Probably, these intermediates are inhibitors to the further digestion to other products.
Comprehensive Benefit Analysis of Port Shore Power Based on Carbon Trading
Authors: He Yang , Zhu Yun
Published: March 2023

The concept of “oil to electricity” is crucial for expanding the share of electricity in final energy consumption as well as for encouraging energy efficiency and emission reduction. Initially, a multidimensional strategy analysis is conducted for the government, ports, and ships concerned. From an economics perspective, a mathematical model of electricity substitution benefit analysis based on multiagent cooperative game theory under cap and trade and carbon tax policies is constructed, and the effect of carbon emissions caused by ships on the environment and society is converted into economic value. How several variables, such as transformation costs, ship electricity consumption, subsidy rates, carbon tax prices, and the ratio of shore power usage time to berthing time, affect the functioning of shore power is analyzed. The best electricity price under various circumstances is determined while considering the benefits of the three parties to maximize social welfare. The reduction in carbon dioxide and pollutant emissions is calculated. Meanwhile, the environmental advantages of the “replacement of oil with electricity” procedure are estimated. An example supports the claim that the suggested modeling approach can successfully resolve the economic benefits of each participant for the period that fosters the growth of electricity replacement projects and offers a sound scientific foundation for the formation of pertinent legislation.
Economic Controls Co-Design of Hybrid Microgrids with Tidal/PV Generation and Lithium-Ion/Flow Battery Storage
Authors: Cohen Jonathan , Kane Michael B. , Marriott Alexia , Ollivierre Franklin , Govertsen Krissy
Published: March 2023

Due to the uncontrollable generators, islanded microgrids powered only by renewable energy require costly energy storage systems. Energy storage needs are amplified when load and generation are misaligned on hourly, monthly, or seasonal timescales. Diversification of both loads and generation can smooth out such mismatches. However, the ideal type of battery to smooth out remaining generation deficits will depend on the duration(s) that energy is stored. This study presents a controls co-design approach to design an islanded microgrid, showing the benefit of hybridizing tidal and solar generation and hybridizing lithium-ion and flow battery energy storage. The optimization of the microgrid’s levelized cost of energy is initially studied in grid-search slices to understand convexity and smoothness. Then, a particle swarm optimization is proposed and used to study the sensitivity of the hybrid system configuration to variations in component costs. The study highlights the benefits of controls co-design, the need to model premature battery failure, and the importance of using battery cost models that are applicable across orders of magnitude variations in energy storage durations. The results indicate that such a hybrid microgrid would currently produce energy at five times the cost of diesel generation, but flow battery innovations could bring this closer to only twice the cost while using 100% renewable energy.
Ilex danxiaensis (Aquifoliaceae), a Distinct New Tree Species Endemic to Danxia Mountain in Guangdong Province, China, Based on Molecular and Morphological Evidence
Authors: Lin Chenxue , Zhao Wanyi , Chen Zaixiong , Fan Qiang , Xu Kewang
Published: March 2023

Many holly species are dominant species in evergreen broad-leaved forests, and they play an important role in the formation and maintenance of forest ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions. Here, a new holly species (Ilex danxiaensis K. W. Xu & Q. Fan) of Aquifoliaceae was discovered from Guangdong, China, when conducting biodiversity investigations in the Danxia landform. We inferred the phylogenetic position of the new species based on sequences from three nuclear markers, namely internal transcribed spacer (ITS), external transcribed spacer (ETS), and chloroplast glutamine synthetase gene (nepGS). The results demonstrated a close relationship among the new species and members of I. sect. Lioprinos. The inferred phylogenetic position of the new species is also supported by morphological evidence that all of these species are characterized by having axillary cymes inflorescences and abaxially 1-sulcate pyrenes. However, the new species can be distinguished from others by having puberulent branchlets, petioles, peduncles, and pedicel; (1–)2–3-flowered cymes of male inflorescences; 1-flowered cymes of female inflorescences; ciliate sepals, 4-merous flowers, pink or white female flowers; and 4 pyrenes.
Farmland Shelterbelt Changes in Soil Properties: Soil Depth-Location Dependency and General Pattern in Songnen Plain, Northeastern China
Authors: Wu Yan , Wang Wenjie , Wang Qiong , Zhong Zhaoliang , Wang Huimei , Yang Yanbo
Published: March 2023

As one of the world’s largest ecological rehabilitation programs, the three-north (Northern China, Northeastern China, and Northwestern China) shelterbelts program in China were not well evaluated on its effects on multiple soil properties. This paper aims to quantify this. Seven hundred twenty soils from paired plots of farmlands and neighbor shelterbelts were sampled from six regions of Songnen Plain in northeastern China. Multivariate analysis of variance and regression analysis were used to detect the impacts of shelterbelt plantations. For the overall 1 m soil profiles, shelterbelt plantations had a 4.3% and 7.4% decreases in soil bulk density and soil moisture (p = 0.000), a 4.8% increase in soil porosity (p = 0.003). It also evidently recovered soil fertility with a 40% increase in total P, a 4.4% increase in total K, and a 15.1% increase in available K (p < 0.05). However, without overall changes were in SOC and N (p > 0.05). Compared with farmland, shelterbelt plantations produced a 7.8% SOC increase in 20–40 cm soil and much more minor changes in surface soil (0–20 cm). Compared with the younger plantation, mature shelterbelts tended to sequestrate more SOC in soils (from a 0.11% decrease to a 3.31% increase) and recover total K from a 2.24% decline to a 16.5% increase. Correlation analysis manifested that there is a significant relationship between SOC sequestration and the changes in bulk density, porosity, soil moisture, pH, EC, total N, total P, and alkaline hydrolyzed N. In contrast, the strongest relationship was observed between total N and SOC (r > 0.50, p < 0.001). The increase in total N was accompanied by 1.01–1.67-fold higher SOC sequestration in deep soils >20 cm in poplar forests. Our results highlight that the over-40-year shelterbelts afforestation on farmland in northeastern China could strongly affect soil physics, soil water, and nutrient of P and K. The effects on SOC sequestration were dependent on soil depths, growth stages, and regions. Our data support the precise soil evaluation of agroforestry projects in the black soil region in the high-latitude northern hemisphere.
Dietary Grape Pomace Supplementation in Lambs Affects the Meat Fatty Acid Composition, Volatile Profiles and Oxidative Stability
Authors: Bennato Francesca , Martino Camillo , Ianni Andrea , Giannone Claudia , Martino Giuseppe
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing grape pomace (GP) in lambs’ diets. A total of 30 lambs homogeneous for body weight (13.1 ± 2.1 kg) and age (25–30 days) were randomly allocated into two groups. The control group (CTR) received a standard diet for 45 days, while in the same period the experimental group (GP+) was fed with a diet containing 10% GP on a dry matter (DM) basis. The meat samples from the two groups showed no significant differences in drip loss, cooking loss, meat color and total lipid amount. However, the experimental feeding strategy influenced the meat fatty acid composition, with an increase in the relative percentages of stearic, vaccenic and rumenic acids. In particular, the increase in rumenic acids is associated with several health benefits attributed to its high bioactive properties. In cooked meat samples stored for 5 days at 4 °C, the dietary GP supplementation induced an increase in nonanal and 1-octen-3-ol and a significant reduction of hexanal, an indicator of oxidation; this improved resistance to oxidation in the GP+ samples and was also confirmed by the thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) test. In summary, the present study showed that the dietary GP supplementation was effective in improving the fatty acid composition and the oxidative stability of lamb meat. The use and valorization of the GP as a matrix of interest for zootechnical nutrition can, therefore, represent a suitable strategy for improving the qualitative aspects of animal production.
Effects of Novel Preparation Technology on Flavor of Vegetable-Soy Sauce Compound Condiment
Authors: Tang Tiantian , Zhang Min , Bhandari Bhesh
Published: March 2023

Vegetables contain important bioactive substances which have unique tastes and aromas and provide beneficial effects to human health. In this study, multiflavor blended soy sauce was prepared with the juice of eight kinds of vegetables, dried shrimp boiled stock, and six kinds of commercial soy sauce as raw materials, and thermal ultrasound was used as the sterilization method. The effects of adding different formulas of vegetable and seafood stock on the basic physical and chemical parameters, nutrition, antioxidant activity, flavor, and taste of soy sauce were investigated. The results showed that the basic physicochemical indices such as pH, total acid, color, soluble solids, and amino acid nitrogen of the product with a ratio of soy sauce to vegetable-seafood stock of 1:0.5 (v/v) could meet the production standards of soy sauce, and its flavor, taste, and sensory scores were relatively good, with the highest likeability (overall acceptability). The mixed soy sauce with a ratio of 1:2 (v/v) had higher vegetable and seafood flavors, and different vegetable flavors (celery, carrot, and onion) were more obvious, but its nutritional index was relatively low. Multiflavor vegetable-soy sauce can be used for quick cooking by chefs of catering enterprises, and may be used as a seasoning bag for prefabricated dishes and convenient foods, attracting increasing attention from manufacturers and consumers.
Identification of Key Differentially Expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs for Xp11 Translocation Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Based on Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing
Authors: Deng Changqi , Wei Chengcheng , Hou Yaxin , Xiong Ming , Ni Dong , Huang Yu , Wang Miao , Yang Xiong , Chen Ke , Chen Zhaohui
Published: March 2023

We carried out whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS) on the tumor and the matching adjacent normal tissues from five patients having Xp11 translocation renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This was performed in terms of obtaining more understanding of the genomic panorama and molecular basis of this cancer. To examine gene-regulatory networks in XP11 translocation RCC, variance expression analysis was carried out, followed by functional enrichment analysis. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) of Xp11 translocation RCC data was used to validate the results. As per inclusion criteria, a total of 1886 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), 56 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), 223 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), and 1764 differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were found. KEGG enrichment study of DEmiRNA, DElncRNA, and DEcircRNA target genes identified the function of protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome, and neutrophil-mediated immunity. Three subnetwork modules integrated from the PPI network also revealed the genes involved in protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome, and protein degradation processes, which may regulate the Xp11 translocation RCC process. The ceRNA complex network was created by Cytoscape, which included three upregulated circRNAs, five upregulated lncRNAs, 24 upregulated mRNAs, and two downregulated miRNAs (hsa-let-7d-5p and hsa-miR-433-3p). The genes as a prominent component of the complex ceRNA network may be key factors in the pathogenesis of Xp11 translocation RCC. Our findings clarified the genomic and transcriptional complexity of Xp11 translocation RCC while also pointing to possible new targets for Xp11 translocation RCC characterization.
FGF9-Associated Multiple Synostoses Syndrome Type 3 in a Multigenerational Family
Authors: Schmetz Ariane , Schaper Jörg , Thelen Simon , Rana Majeed , Klenzner Thomas , Schaumann Katharina , Beygo Jasmin , Surowy Harald , Lüdecke Hermann-Josef , Wieczorek Dagmar
Published: March 2023

Multiple synostoses syndrome (OMIM: #186500, #610017, #612961, #617898) is a genetically heterogeneous group of autosomal dominant diseases characterized by abnormal bone unions. The joint fusions frequently involve the hands, feet, elbows or vertebrae. Pathogenic variants in FGF9 have been associated with multiple synostoses syndrome type 3 (SYNS3). So far, only five different missense variants in FGF9 that cause SYNS3 have been reported in 18 affected individuals. Unlike other multiple synostoses syndromes, conductive hearing loss has not been reported in SYNS3. In this report, we describe the clinical and selected radiological findings in a large multigenerational family with a novel missense variant in FGF9: c.430T>C, p.(Trp144Arg). We extend the phenotypic spectrum of SYNS3 by suggesting that cleft palate and conductive hearing loss are part of the syndrome and highlight the high degree of intrafamilial phenotypic variability. These findings should be considered when counseling affected individuals.
Pathogenic Variants Associated with Rare Monogenic Diseases Established in Ancient Neanderthal and Denisovan Genome-Wide Data
Authors: Toncheva Draga , Marinova Maria , Chobanov Todor , Serbezov Dimitar
Published: March 2023

Ancient anatomically modern humans (AMHs) encountered other archaic human species, most notably Neanderthals and Denisovans, when they left Africa and spread across Europe and Asia ~60,000 years ago. They interbred with them, and modern human genomes retain DNA inherited from these interbreeding events. High quality (high coverage) ancient human genomes have recently been sequenced allowing for a direct estimation of individual heterozygosity, which has shown that genetic diversity in these archaic human groups was very low, indicating low population sizes. In this study, we analyze ten ancient human genome-wide data, including four sequenced with high-coverage. We screened these ancient genome-wide data for pathogenic mutations associated with monogenic diseases, and established unusual aggregation of pathogenic mutations in individual subjects, including quadruple homozygous cases of pathogenic variants in the PAH gene associated with the condition phenylketonuria in a ~120,000 years old Neanderthal. Such aggregation of pathogenic mutations is extremely rare in contemporary populations, and their existence in ancient humans could be explained by less significant clinical manifestations coupled with small community sizes, leading to higher inbreeding levels. Our results suggest that pathogenic variants associated with rare diseases might be the result of introgression from other archaic human species, and archaic admixture thus could have influenced disease risk in modern humans.
Correction: Leske, B.A.; Biddulph, T.B. Estimating Effects of Radiation Frost on Wheat Using a Field-Based Frost Control Treatment to Stop Freezing Damage. Genes 2022, 13, 578
Authors: Leske Brenton A. , Biddulph Thomas Ben
Published: March 2023

In the original publication [...]
Cladistics and Stratigraphy
Authors: Lucas Spencer G.
Published: March 2023

Using cladistic phylogenies (cladograms) to evaluate stratigraphy (taxon distributions and correlations) necessitates various assumptions that include all of the assumptions built into the cladogram, assuming the cladogram is “correct” and that new taxa only arise by dichotomous splitting. Ghost lineages extend back the temporal ranges of sister taxa by assuming that both taxa’s oldest records are the time of dichotomous splitting, the only mode of evolution in cladistics. Other modes of evolution require no ghost lineages (anagenesis) or indicate unequal temporal ranges of closely related taxa (punctuation). Evaluating congruence between cladistic branching patterns and stratigraphic distributions reveals much congruence, simply because the cladogram and the taxa in the stratigraphic distribution are overlapping datasets, and the pattern of evolution is to evolve derived taxa after more primitive taxa. Correlating fossil assemblages based on the phylogenetic signals of their included taxa is little more than correlating by stage of evolution. Claiming that paraphyletic taxa are of less biochronological utility than monophyletic taxa is not borne out by examining correlations provided by the actual stratigraphic ranges of the taxa, regardless of their status in an a posteriori cladistic analysis. Thus, using cladistics to evaluate stratigraphy is assumption laden and of questionable value.
A Case Study of Successful Application of the Principles of ME/CFS Care to an Individual with Long COVID
Authors: Petracek Lindsay S. , Broussard Camille A. , Swope Renee L. , Rowe Peter C.
Published: March 2023

Persistent fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of post-COVID conditions, also termed long COVID. At the extreme end of the severity spectrum, some individuals with long COVID also meet the criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), raising the possibility that symptom management approaches for ME/CFS may benefit some long COVID patients. We describe the long-term outcomes of a 19-year-old male who developed profound impairment consistent with ME/CFS after a SARS-CoV-2 infection early in the pandemic. We evaluated and treated him using our clinic’s approach to ME/CFS. This included a history and physical examination that ascertained joint hypermobility, pathological reflexes, physical therapy maneuvers to look for a range of motion restrictions in the limbs and spine, orthostatic testing, and screening laboratory studies. He was found to have profound postural tachycardia syndrome, several ranges of motion restrictions, and mast cell activation syndrome. He was treated according to our clinic’s guidelines for managing ME/CFS, which included manual physical therapy maneuvers and both non-pharmacologic measures and medications directed at postural tachycardia syndrome and mast cell activation. He experienced significant improvement in his symptoms over 30 months. His case emphasizes how the application of the principles of treating ME/CFS has the potential to provide a direction for treating long COVID.
Compound Climate Risk: Diagnosing Clustered Regional Flooding at Inter-Annual and Longer Time Scales
Authors: Amonkar Yash , Doss-Gollin James , Lall Upmanu
Published: March 2023

The potential for extreme climate events to cluster in space and time has driven increased interest in understanding and predicting compound climate risks. Through a case study on floods in the Ohio River Basin, we demonstrated that low-frequency climate variability could drive spatial and temporal clustering of the risk of regional climate extremes. Long records of annual maximum streamflow from 24 USGS gauges were used to explore the regional spatiotemporal patterns of flooding and their associated large-scale climate modes. We found that the dominant time scales of flood risk in this basin were in the interannual (6–7 years), decadal (11–13 years), and secular bands and that different sub-regions within the Ohio River Basin responded differently to large-scale forcing. We showed that the leading modes of streamflow variability were associated with ENSO and secular trends. The low-frequency climate modes translated into epochs of increased and decreased flood risk with multiple extreme floods or the absence of extreme floods, thus informing the nature of compound climate-induced flood risk. A notable finding is that the secular trend was associated with an east-to-west shift in the flood incidence and the associated storm track. This is consistent with some expectations of climate change projections.
Fatal Case of Progressive Mpox in a Patient with AIDS—Viral Enteropathy and Malabsorption Demanding the Use of Full Parenteral ARV and Endovenous Cidofovir
Authors: Caria João , Vara-Luiz Francisco , Maia Inês , Joosten Anneke , Val-Flores Luís , Pinheiro Hélder , Póvoas Diana , Germano Nuno , Maltez Fernando
Published: March 2023

We report a fatal case of disseminated mpox infection that progressed over more than three months in an HIV-infected patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Mucocutaneous, pleuropulmonary, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal involvement was documented. This course of disease resembles progressive vaccinia, a formerly reported disease caused by uncontrolled replication of smallpox vaccination orthopoxviruses in immunosuppressed patients. Severe small bowel involvement jeopardized normal oral tecovirimat and antiretroviral therapy absorption. This problem prompted the use of full parenteral antiretrovirals and endovenous cidofovir. Although a remarkable decrease in HIV viral load occurred in six days, mpox infection continued to progress, and the patient died of septic shock. This case offers new clinical insights on the presentation of severe disease in AIDS patients. Moreover, this case alerts for the need for prompt therapy initiation in patients at risk of ominous clinical progression.
Does Physical Exercise Enhance the Immune Response after Vaccination? A Systematic Review for Clinical Indications of COVID-19 Vaccine
Authors: Barni Luca , Carrasco-Vega Elio , Olivieri Matteo , Galán-Mercant Alejandro , Guiducci Serena , Picariello Felice , González-Sánchez Manuel
Published: March 2023

Background: Stimulating protective immunity with vaccines appears to be the most promising option for providing widespread moderate to high protection against COVID-19 in people over the age of 18. Regular exercise improves the immune response, transmitting possible benefits against virus infections. The aim of this review is to study the effects of physical activity on vaccine injections, helping to develop new recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. Methods: A comprehensive review of the existing literature was undertaken using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The internal quality of the studies was assessed according to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. The outcomes analyzed were antibody titer, the level of lymphocytes CD4, CD8, InterLeukin 6 (IL6), leukocytes level, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for overall pain rating, arm and forearm circumferences and volume of oxygen (VO2) peak. Results: Fourteen articles were selected for the analysis. The majority of studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT) (n = 8) and controlled trials (CT) (n = 6). According to PEDro, the ‘fair’ category (n = 7) was the most represented, followed by ‘good’ (n = 6) and ‘excellent’ (n = 1). Physical training showed a positive effect on antibody titers of the vaccine; yet, different variables seem to influence antibody titers: higher new vs. old antigen in the vaccine, higher in younger vs. older individuals, and higher in females vs. males. After exercise, when analyzing variables of direct response to the vaccine, such as the amount of CD4, IL-6 and leukocytes, higher levels were observed in the patients who performed physical exercise compared to the control group. In the same way, better results were observed in physiological variables such as VO2 and limb circumferences, or subjective variables such as pain, which showed better results than the control group. Conclusions: The immune response (antibody titers) depends on age, gender and the intensity of physical activity: long-term protocols at moderate intensity are the most recommended. All of these aspects also have to be carefully considered for the COVID-19 vaccination.
Functional Tests Predicting Return to Work of Workers with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: Are There Any Validated and Usable Functional Tests for Occupational Health Services in Everyday Practice? A Systematic Review
Authors: Hurri Heikki , Vänni Toni , Muttonen Elli , Russo Fabrizio , Iavicoli Sergio , Ristolainen Leena
Published: March 2023

The literature predominantly advocates subjective perception of disability and pain as an outcome measure for the functional evaluation of patients with low back pain (LBP). Physical outcome measurements are almost completely ignored. In this systematic review, we focused on physical functional measurements that can contribute to the prediction of patients’ return to work (RTW) readiness after sick leave or rehabilitation. Searches were conducted in July 2022 without any time limit in the Cochrane Library, PEDro, PubMed and Scopus databases for functional and clinical tests reliable and applicable in clinical practice without demanding equipment. Two independent researchers extracted the data from the included articles in a standardised data collection form, and a third researcher validated the data extraction. No date restriction was applied. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in conducting the review. We found seven original articles, including six with an impact on predicting RTW. We found four fair and three poor original studies fulfilling our criteria. We found the Back Performance Scale (BPS) and back endurance test to be the most promising tests for occupational health service and the clinical practitioner. Radiation of back pain, with or without neurological deficiencies, had some predictive value in terms of RTW, too. The working conditions vary a lot, which causes inconsistency in the studies and in their interpretation. Functional tests could complete the widely used working ability evaluations methods such as the Work Ability Index (WAI) and are worth considering for future research. Overall, more research is needed in this field. The question of when LBP patients can resume everyday activities and work is not possible to determine with functional tests alone. Psychosocial aspects and work demands must be considered. PROSPERO: CRD42022353955. The study was funded by the University of Helsinki.
Handgrip Strength Is Positively Associated with 24-hour Urine Creatine Concentration
Authors: Ulambayar Enkhtuya , Bor Delgermaa , Sukhbaatar Nandin-Erdene , Usukhbayar Narkhajid , Ganbold Uugantuya , Byambasuren Odmaa , Enkhbayar Uranbaigali , Byambasukh Oyuntugs
Published: March 2023

Background: Muscle mass evaluation methods are often expensive and therefore limited in their daily use in clinical practice. In this study, we investigated the relationship between hand grip strength (HGS) and other parameters of body measurements with urine creatinine, especially to investigate whether HGS measurement is an indicator of muscle metabolism. Methods: In total, 310 relatively healthy people (mean age 47.8 + 9.6; 161 people or 51.9% of the total population were men) who were undergoing preventive examinations were included in this study and given a container to collect 24-h urine, and the amount of creatinine in the urine was determined by a kinetic test without deproteinization according to the Jaffe method. A digital dynamometer (Takei Hand Grip Dynamometer, Japan) was used in the measurement of HGS. Results: There was a significant difference in 24-h urine creatinine (24 hCER) between the sexes, with a mean of 1382.9 mg/24 h in men and 960.3 mg/24 h in women. According to the correlation analysis, the amount of urine creatinine was related to age (r = −0.307, p < 0.001 in men, r = −0.309, p < 0.001 in women), and HGS (r = 0.207, p = 0.011 in men, r = 0.273, p = 0.002 in women) was significant for either sex. However, other parameters of body measurements, such as girth, forearm circumference, and muscle mass measured by bioelectrical impedance, were not related to urine 24 hCER. A correlation between HGS and 24 hCER was observed in age groups. Conclusions: We found that HGS is a potential marker in muscle metabolism assessment that is proven through 24 hCER. In addition, therefore, we suggest using the HGS measure in clinical practice to evaluate muscle function and well-being.