bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuroimmune mechanisms in fear and panic pathophysiology
Authors: McMurray Katherine M. J. , Sah Renu
Published: November 2022

Panic disorder (PD) is unique among anxiety disorders in that the emotional symptoms (e.g., fear and anxiety) associated with panic are strongly linked to body sensations indicative of threats to physiological homeostasis. For example, panic attacks often present with feelings of suffocation that evoke hyperventilation, breathlessness, or air hunger. Due to the somatic underpinnings of PD, a major focus has been placed on interoceptive signaling and it is recognized that dysfunctional body-to-brain communication pathways promote the initiation and maintenance of PD symptomatology. While body-to-brain signaling can occurviaseveral pathways, immune and humoral pathways play an important role in communicating bodily physiological state to the brain. Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroimmune mediators play a role in fear and panic-associated disorders, although this has not been systematically investigated. Currently, our understanding of the role of immune mechanisms in the etiology and maintenance of PD remains limited. In the current review, we attempt to summarize findings that support a role of immune dysregulation in PD symptomology. We compile evidence from human studies and panic-relevant rodent paradigms that indicate a role of systemic and brain immune signaling in the regulation of fear and panic-relevant behavior and physiology. Specifically, we discuss how immune signaling can contribute to maladaptive body-to-brain communication and conditioned fear that are relevant to spontaneous and conditioned symptoms of PD and identify putative avenues warranting future investigation.
Reactivations after 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine use in naturalistic settings: An initial exploratory analysis of the phenomenon’s predictors and its emotional valence
Authors: Ortiz Bernal Ana María , Raison Charles L. , Lancelotta Rafael L. , Davis Alan K.
Published: November 2022

Background

The psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT has shown clinical potential due to its short duration and ability to induce mystical experiences. However, a phenomenon known as “reactivations” (similar to “flashbacks”) is a poorly understood and frequently reported phenomenon which appears associated with 5-MeO-DMT use and warranted further investigation.

Aims

This study examined whether differences in age, gender, education, lifetime use, use location, and preparation strategies predict reactivations (primary outcome). Additionally, we explored how reactivations were perceived by survey respondents and whether demographic data predicted emotional valence (secondary outcome) of reported reactivations.

Materials and methods

This study used secondary quantitative data from a survey assessing epidemiological and behavioral associations of 5-MeO-DMT use in non-clinical settings (N = 513). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regressions were utilized to explore aims.

Results

Being female, older at the time of first 5-MeO-DMT dose, having higher educational attainment, and dosing in a structured group setting were associated with increased odds of reporting a reactivation event. Higher mystical experience scores, greater personal wellbeing and having had a non-dual awareness experience that was not substance-induced were associated with higher likelihood of reporting a neutral or positive emotional valence of a reactivation event.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that reactivation phenomena, in this particular sample may most often represent a neutral or positive byproduct of the acute 5-MeO-DMT experience. More information is needed to best identify individuals most likely to experience a reactivation as a negative event to prevent such potential challenging outcomes.
Comprehensive evaluation of military training-induced fatigue among soldiers in China: A Delphi consensus study
Authors: Ruan Yi , Song Shang-jin , Yin Zi-fei , Wang Man , Huang Nian , Gu Wei , Ling Chang-quan
Published: November 2022

Objective

Military training-induced fatigue (MIF) often results into non-combat attrition. However, standard evaluation of MIF is unavailable. This study aimed to provide credible suggestions about MIF-evaluation.

Methods

A 3-round Delphi study was performed. The authority of the experts was assessed by the authority coefficient (Aa). In round 1, categories of indicators were collected via anonymous survey of experts, then potential indicators were selected via literature search. In round 2, experts should evaluate the clinical implication, practical value, and importance of each potential indicators, or recommend new indicators based on feedback of round 1. Indicators with recommendation proportions ≥ 70% and new recommended indicators would be included in round 3 to be rated on a 5-point Likert scale. “Consensus in” was achieved when coefficient of concordance (Kendall's W) of a round was between 0.2 and 0.5 and the coefficient of variation (CV) of each aspect for an indicator was < 0.5. If round 3 could not achieve “consensus in,” more rounds would be conducted iteratively based on round 3. Indicators included in the recommendation set were ultimately classified into grade I (highly recommended) or grade II (recommended) according to the mean score and CV of the aspects.

Results

Twenty-three experts participated with credible authority coefficient (mean Aa = 0.733). “Consensus in” was achieved in round 3 (Kendall's W = 0.435, p < 0.001; all CV < 0.5). Round 1 recommended 10 categories with 73 indicators identified from 2,971 articles. After 3-round consultation, consensus was reached on 28 indicators focusing on the cardiovascular system (n = 4), oxygen transport system (n = 5), energy metabolism/metabolite level (n = 6), muscle/tissue damage level (n = 3), neurological function (n = 2), neuropsychological/psychological function (n = 3), endocrine function (n = 3), and exercise capacity (n = 2). Among these, 11 indicators were recommended as grade I: basic heart rate, heart-rate recovery time, heart rate variability, hemoglobin, blood lactic acid, urine protein, creatine kinase, reaction time, Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale, testosterone/cortisol, and vertical jump height.

Conclusion

This study developed a reliable foundation for the comprehensive evaluation of MIF among soldiers.
Movement guidelines for young children: Engaging stakeholders to design dissemination strategies in the Hong Kong early childhood education context
Authors: Capio Catherine M. , Jones Rachel A. , Ng Catalina Sau Man , Sit Cindy H. P. , Chung Kevin Kien Hoa
Published: November 2022

Background

Early childhood is a critical period during which patterns of movement behaviors are formed. The World Health Organization had endorsed guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep over a 24-h time period, which had been adopted by the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong. This paper reports on stakeholder engagements that were conducted to inform the design of strategies to disseminate the guidelines in early childhood education (ECE) settings.

Methods

Using a mixed-methods study design, we sought to (a) assess the stakeholders' levels of awareness and knowledge of the Hong Kong movement guidelines for young children and (b) identify the factors that influence the uptake of the said guidelines. We conducted an online survey of early childhood education teachers (N =314), twelve focus groups involving teachers (N = 18) and parents (N = 18), and individual interviews of key informants (N = 7) and domestic workers who provide care for preschool-aged children (N = 7). Descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data using an inductive and semantic approach following a realist framework.

Findings

Our findings show that teachers were aware of the movement guidelines for young children, but their knowledge of the specific guidelines was deficient; parents and domestic workers had limited awareness and knowledge of the guidelines. Uptake of the movement guidelines is enabled by parent engagement, activities in the ECE centers, home-school cooperation, and community activities for children. The challenges include the time poverty of parents, local curriculum requirements, limited physical spaces, social values, and pandemic-related restrictions.

Conclusion

We recommend that dissemination strategies in the ECE context should deliver knowledge content and support stakeholders in mitigating the challenges associated with time, space, and social conditions.
The impact of caring for COVID-19 patients on nurse professional identity: A cross-sectional study using propensity score analysis
Authors: Tong Lai Kun , Zhu Ming Xia , Wang Si Chen , Cheong Pak Leng , Van Iat Kio
Published: November 2022

Objective

To examine the impact of caring for COVID-19 patients on the professional identity of nurses.

Methods

An online survey was conducted between 19 May and 7 August 2020 in 11 Chinese cities, including Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Macao, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounding variables between nurses with and without experience caring for COVID-19 patients. To analyze the impact of caring for COVID-19 patients on nurses' professional identity, a nominal logistic regression model was used rather than an ordinal regression model because the parallel regression assumption was violated.

Results

After propensity score matching, the final sample contained 1,268 participants, including 634 nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients. During the COVID-19 outbreak, 88.6% of nurses had high levels of professional identity. Nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients had the lowest percentage of high score level on the professional identity subscale for “sense of organizational influence,” as did nurses who did not care for COVID-19 patients. The findings indicated that nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients were 17.95 times more likely to have a high professional identity than a low professional identity (95% CI 2.38–135.39,p= 0.005), after completely controlling for the other factors. There were significant differences between nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients and those who did not in scores on the subscales of professional identity, except for the subscales “sense of self-decision-making” (χ2= 4.85,p= 0.089) and “sense of organizational influence” (χ2= 4.71,p= 0.095).

Conclusion

Nurses' professional identity is positively impacted by their experience caring for COVID-19 patients. Caring for COVID-19 patients should be highlighted as an opportunity to enhance nurses' professional identity. To further enhance the professional identity of nurses, we call for visible nursing leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and improve their working environment.
Global, regional, and national burden and attributable risk factors of neurological disorders: The Global Burden of Disease study 1990–2019
Authors: Ding Chenyu , Wu Yuying , Chen Xiaoyong , Chen Yue , Wu Zanyi , Lin Zhangya , Kang Dezhi , Fang Wenhua , Chen Fa
Published: November 2022

Background

Neurological disorders are a major and increasing global health challenge, which accounts for a substantial portion of the disease burden worldwide. The aim of this systematic analysis is to present the most comprehensive and up-to-date estimates of disease burden, epidemiological trends, and attributable risk factors of neurological disorders at global, regional, and national levels.

Methods

We extracted data of 18 neurological disorders from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study database. The burden of neurological disorders was measured using the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and further described according to age, sex, year, geographical location and socio-demographic Index (SDI). All estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).

Findings

Globally, in 2019, there were nearly 10 million deaths and 349 million DALYs due to neurological disorders. Among the 18 neurological disorders, stroke was the biggest contributor to DALYs (143232.18 [95%UI 133095.81-153241.82] in thousands) and deaths (6552.72 [95%UI 5995.20-7015.14] in thousands), followed by neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma. From 1990 to 2019, the DALYs of neurological diseases belonging to the communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional categories showed a sharp decrease, while Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and Parkinson's disease showed a large increase. Neurological disorders exhibited different profiles in different regions and age groups. A significant correlation between the SDI and the age-standardized DALY rates was also found except for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. In addition, risk factors such as high systolic blood pressure, low birth weight and short gestation period, and metabolic risk contribute significantly to neurological disorders.

Interpretation

The overall burden of neurological disorders has increased from 1990 to 2019, especially for non-communicable neurological disorders. The substantial variations of burden across regions emphasize the need for region-specific interventional strategies and allocation of resources based on priorities.
Neighbourhood walkability and mental health in older adults: A cross-sectional analysis from EpiFloripa Aging Study
Authors: Siqueira Junior Joel de Almeida , Lopes Adalberto Aparecido dos Santos , Godtsfriedt Carla Elane Silva , Justina Marcelo Dutra Della , Paiva Karina Mary de , d’Orsi Eleonora , Rech Cassiano Ricardo
Published: November 2022

This study aims to analyse the association between walkability index and depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment and test the mediating role of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in this relationship among older adults from Florianópolis, Brazil. This is cross-sectional research with data from the third wave of the EpiFloripa Aging cohort study, conducted in 2017–2019. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and cognitive impairment, using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scales. The neighbourhood environment was assessed using a walkability index, which considered 500-m network buffers around the participants’ homes. Binary logistic regression analysis the association between the walkability index (quartile) and mental health outcomes (yes vs. no). Structural equation modelling evaluated the mediation between the walkability index and cognitive impairment by MVPA with an estimator of dichotomous variables. 1,162 people participated in the study (61.5% women, average age = 73.1). Older adults residing in places with a high and highest walkability index were 38% and 44% less likely to have cognitive impairment, respective. There was no association between depressive symptoms and walkability index in crude nor adjusted analysis. Engaging in MVPA had a partial but not significant effect (14%; p = 0.087), showing a tendency for this relationship to be partially explained by the greater engagement in physical activities in places with greater walkability. Policy planning to prevent and reduce the risks of cognitive impairment should consider factors of the physical environment as determinants in older adults.
The impact of virtual agents’ multimodal communication on brain activity and cognitive load in Virtual Reality
Authors: Chang Zhuang , Bai Huidong , Zhang Li , Gupta Kunal , He Weiping , Billinghurst Mark
Published: November 2022

Related research has shown that collaborating with Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) embodied in Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) can improve task performance and reduce task load. Human cognition and behaviors are controlled by brain activities, which can be captured and reflected by Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. However, little research has been done to understand users’ cognition and behaviors using EEG while interacting with IVAs embodied in AR and VR environments. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the virtual agent’s multimodal communication in VR on users’ EEG signals as measured by alpha band power. We develop a desert survival game where the participants make decisions collaboratively with the virtual agent in VR. We evaluate three different communication methods based on a within-subject pilot study: 1) a Voice-only Agent, 2) an Embodied Agent with speech and gaze, and 3) a Gestural Agent with a gesture pointing at the object while talking about it. No significant difference was found in the EEG alpha band power. However, the alpha band ERD/ERS calculated around the moment when the virtual agent started speaking indicated providing a virtual body for the sudden speech could avoid the abrupt attentional demand when the agent started speaking. Moreover, a sudden gesture coupled with the speech induced more attentional demands, even though the speech was matched with the virtual body. This work is the first to explore the impact of IVAs’ interaction methods in VR on users’ brain activity, and our findings contribute to the IVAs interaction design.
Forest impacts on snow accumulation and melt in a semi-arid mountain environment
Authors: Kraft Maggi , McNamara James P. , Marshall Hans-Peter , Glenn Nancy F.
Published: November 2022

Snowmelt is complex under heterogeneous forest cover due to spatially variable snow surface energy and mass balances and snow accumulation. Forest canopies influence the under-canopy snowpack net total radiation energy balance by enhancing longwave radiation, shading the surface from shortwave radiation, in addition to intercepting snow, and protecting the snow surface from the wind. Despite the importance of predicting snowmelt timing for water resources, there are limited observations of snowmelt timing in heterogeneous forest cover across the Intermountain West. This research seeks to evaluate the processes that control snowmelt timing and magnitude at two paired forested and open sites in semi-arid southern Idaho, USA. Snow accumulation, snowmelt, and snow energy balance components were measured at a marginal snowpack and seasonal snowpack location in the forest, sparse vegetation, forest edge, and open environments. At both locations, the snow disappeared either later in the forest or relatively uniformly in the open and forest. At the upper elevation location, a later peak in maximum snow depth resulted in more variable snow disappearance timing between the open and forest sites with later snow disappearance in the forest. Snow disappearance timing at the marginal snowpack location was controlled by the magnitude and duration of a late season storm increasing snow depth variability and reducing the shortwave radiation energy input. Here, a shorter duration spring storm resulted in more uniform snowmelt in the forest and open. At both locations, the low-density forests shaded the snow surface into the melt period slowing the melt rate in the forest. However, the forest site had less cold content to overcome before melting started, partially canceling out the forest shading effect. Our results highlight the regional similarities and differences of snow surface energy balance controls on the timing and duration of snowmelt.
Dispositional mindfulness and its relationship to exercise motivation and experience
Authors: Lynn Sarah , Satyal Medha Kumari , Smith Alana J. , Tasnim Noor , Gyamfi Daphne , English Daniel F. , Suzuki Wendy A. , Basso Julia C.
Published: November 2022

Mindfulness is the psychological state of staying attuned to the present moment, without ruminating on past or future events, and allowing thoughts, feelings, or sensations to arise without judgment or attachment. Previous work has shown that heightened dispositional mindfulness is associated with the awareness of the importance of exercise, exercise self-efficacy, exercise motivation, and self-reported exercise level. However, more methodologically rigorous studies are needed to understand the relationship between mindfulness and the psychological mechanisms related to exercise motivation, including the identification of why individuals are motivated to engage in exercise, the subjective experience of exercise, and the propensity for exercise dependence and addiction. In this cross-sectional investigation, we utilized the framework of the Self-Determination Theory to examine the hypothesis that heightened dispositional mindfulness (as measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale) would be associated with increased levels of exercise motivation that were derived by higher levels of autonomous self-regulation. Individuals were recruited from urban areas who self-reported either low (exercising 2 or fewer times per week for 20 min or less;n= 78) or moderate (exercising 1 or 2 times per week for 20 min or more;n= 127) levels of exercise engagement. As hypothesized, heightened dispositional mindfulness was significantly associated with heightened levels of exercise self-determination as measured by the Behavioral Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire, with this effect being driven by negative associations with amotivation, external regulation, and introjected regulation. Additionally, we found that heightened dispositional mindfulness was associated with lower levels of psychological distress upon exercise and decreased exercise dependence/addiction. Overall, increased dispositional mindfulness may support a healthy relationship with exercise. These findings have implications for the utility of mindfulness interventions to support the regulation of exercise behaviors in service of enhancing exercise motivation and engagement.
Adulteration detection in minced beef using low-cost color imaging system coupled with deep neural network
Authors: Setiadi Iwan C. , Hatta Agus M. , Koentjoro Sekartedjo , Stendafity Selfi , Azizah Nafil N. , Wijaya Wahyu Y.
Published: November 2022

Major processed meat products, including minced beef, are one of the favorite ingredients of most people because they are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. The high demand and high prices make processed meat products vulnerable to adulteration. In addition, eliminating morphological attributes makes the authenticity of minced beef challenging to identify with the naked eye. This paper aims to describe the feasibility study of adulteration detection in minced beef using a low-cost imaging system coupled with a deep neural network. The proposed method was expected to be able to detect minced beef adulteration. There were 500 captured images of minced beef samples. Then, there were 24 color and textural features retrieved from the image. The samples were then labeled and evaluated. A deep neural network (DNN) was developed and investigated to support classification. The proposed DNN was also compared to six machine learning algorithms in the form of accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of classification. The feature importance analysis was also performed to obtain the most impacted features to classification results. The DNN model classification accuracy was 98.00% without feature selection and 99.33% with feature selection. The proposed DNN has the best performance with individual accuracy of up to 99.33%, a precision of up to 98.68%, and a sensitivity of up to 98.67%. This work shows the enormous potential application of a low-cost imaging system coupled with DNN to rapidly detect adulterants in minced beef with high performance.
Visual and label-free ASFV and PCV2 detection by CRISPR-Cas12a combined with G-quadruplex
Authors: Wang Ying , Li Rong , Zhang Yang , Zhang Weida , Hu Sishun , Li Zili
Published: November 2022

African swine fever (ASF) and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) are acute infectious diseases caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). At present, there are no effective vaccines for the prevention of ASFV. PMWS, which is harmful to the domestic and even the world pig industry, is difficult to cure and has a high mortality. So, developing simple, inexpensive, and accurate analytical methods to detect and effectively diagnose ASFV and PCV2 can be conducive to avoid ASFV and PCV2 infection. CRISPR has become a potentially rapid diagnostic tool due to recent discoveries of the trans-cleavage properties of CRISPR type V effectors. Herein, we report the visual detection based on CRISPR-Cas12a (cpf1), which is more convenient than fluorescence detection. Through in vitro cleavage target DNA activation, Cas12a can trans-cleavage ssDNA G-quadruplex. TMB/H2O2 and Hemin cannot be catalyzed by cleavaged G-DNA to produce green color products. This protocol is useful for the detection of ASFV and PCV2 with high sensitivity. This method can enable the development of visual and label-free ASFV and PCV2 detection and can be carried out in the field without relying on instruments or power. This method can complete nucleic acid detection at 37 °C without using other instruments or energy. Our research has expanded the application of Cas12a and laid the foundation for the field's rapid detection of viral nucleic acid in future.
Farmland Soil Block Identification and Distribution Statistics Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Liu Lichao , Bi Quanpeng , Liang Jing , Li Zhaodong , Wang Weiwei , Zheng Quan
Published: November 2022

Soil block distribution is one of the important indexes to evaluate the tillage performance of agricultural machinery. The traditional manual screening methods have the problems of low efficiency and damaging the original surface of the soil. This study proposes a statistical method of farmland soil block distribution based on deep learning. This method combines the adaptive learning rate and squeeze-and-excitation networks channel attention mechanism based on the original Mask-RCNN and uses the improved model to identify, segment and distribute statistics of the farmland soil blocks. Firstly, the influence of different learning rates and an improved Mask-RCNN algorithm model on training results were analyzed. Secondly, the effectiveness of the model in soil block identification and size measurement was analyzed. Finally, the identified soil blocks were classified accordingly, and the scale problem of soil block distribution after removing edge soil blocks was analyzed. The results show that with the decrease of learning rate, the loss value of model training decreases and the prediction accuracy of model is improved. The average precision value of the improved model increased by 25.29 %, and the recall value increased by 8.92%. The correlation coefficient of the maximum diameter measured by manual measurement and the maximum diameter measured by model algorithm was 0.99, which verifies the feasibility of the algorithm model. The prediction error of the model is the smallest when the camera height is 40 cm. Large-scale detection of soil block size in an experimental field in Hefei, Anhui, with an average confidence of over 97%. At the same time, the soil block is effectively classified according to the set classification standard. This study can provide an effective method for the accurate classification of soil block size and can provide a quantitative basis for the control of farmland cultivation intensity.
Enhancing Biogas Production of Corn Stover by Biogas Slurry Reflux Based on Microfiltration Membrane Filtration and Biochar Adsorption
Authors: Su Xiaohong , Qu Jingbo , Huang Yan , Liu Wei , Sun Yong
Published: November 2022

Reflux of biogas slurry is an effective way to reduce the discharge of wastewater. In order to improve the utilization efficiency of reflux fluid and reduce ammonia inhibition in an anaerobic digestion (AD) system, biogas slurry was pretreated by microfiltration membrane and biochar adsorption. In this study, the suspension solid (SS), biochemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) were investigated, as well as the gas production effect of the reflux of biogas slurry in AD, so as to evaluate the filtration effect of the microfiltration membrane with different pore sizes and the adsorption effect of biochar with different dosages. The results showed that 0.65 μm microfiltration had the best interaction effect and 7 g/L biochar had the best adsorption effect. The results of anaerobic co-digestion of the biogas slurry and corn stover showed the peak gas production of the pretreated reflux fluid was advanced by 1 day, and the maximum daily methane production and maximum cumulative methane production reached 39.20 mL·g−1 VS and 137.14 mL·g−1 VS, respectively. These results indicated that the combined treatment of biogas slurry by microfiltration membrane and biochar could have potential applications for the treatment and recycling of biogas slurry.
Replacing Agricultural Diesel Fuel with Biomethane from Agricultural Waste: Assessment of Biomass Availability and Potential Energy Supply in Piedmont (North-West Italy)
Authors: Assandri Davide , Bagagiolo Giorgia , Cavallo Eugenio , Pampuro Niccolò
Published: November 2022

Agricultural and livestock wastes are an important resource for the production of renewable fuels such as biomethane, and the effective management of the components of supply chain, such as available biomass feedstock, are critical to the transition to a low-carbon circular economy. Considering that more than half of the emissions (CO2eq) generated in agriculture come from the use of fossil fuels to power tractors and other agricultural machinery, replacing diesel fuel in tractors with biofuels produced within the agricultural supply chain could contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reduction and to energy self-sufficiency for the local agricultural sectors. This study evaluated, at the regional level (Piedmont—north-west Italy), the potential production of biomethane from local agricultural wastes (crop residues and livestock manure), the potential energy supply to power tractors and the potential CO2 emission reduction by replacing diesel fuel. Based on mean annual available agricultural wastes over the last seven years (2015–2021) in the Piedmont region, the annual potential biomethane yield of 910 × 106 m3 year−1 was estimated, equivalent to a thermal energy of 30.1 × 109 MJ year−1, which is 3.8 times higher than the energy requirements for the regional tractors’ fleet. The estimated potential CO2 emission reduction is about 93.8 t of CO2 year−1, corresponding to 16.8% potential reduction. The study demonstrates the potential of local agriculture to replace diesel fuel with biomethane from waste to meet energy needs and carbon neutrality.
Management of Genetic Variation in the Gamete Bank of the Endangered Lake Minnow Eupallasella percnurus, Using Genassemblage 2.2 Software
Authors: Kaczmarczyk Dariusz , Wolnicki Jacek
Published: November 2022

The management of genetic resources deposited in gene banks requires knowledge of the genetic profiles of the gamete donors and bioinformatics tools to process this information. In this work, we show how to use Genassemblage 2.2 software in managing the genetic variation deposited in a bank of cryopreserved semen. Our demonstration was based on the leuciscid fish species, lake minnow Eupallasella percnurus, which is designated as endangered in Poland. The semen samples (n = 192) were taken from four Polish lake minnow populations and frozen in the gene bank. Fin clips were taken and DNA extracted. Across 13 investigated microsatellite loci, 21–53 alleles were identified in each population and 66 in the entire group of samples. The module “Management of genetic variation in gamete bank” of Genassemblage 2.2 software was used to find the set of samples that will preserve 100% of the detected allelic diversity in the next generation. Our results showed that a small group of 4–19 semen samples was enough to transfer all alleles detected across this set of samples. We, therefore, recommend Genassemblage 2.2 as a convenient tool for the detection of genetic differences between donors, the construction of optimal sets of samples for conservation of genetic variation, and for managing genetic variation deposited in gamete banks. Consequently, it can be used in breeding human-dependent populations and to optimize the use of genetic diversity in samples in the gamete banks. It can be especially useful for conserving populations of species characterized by low genetic variation, such as the lake minnow.
Gill Oxidative Stress Protection through the Use of Phytogenics and Galactomannan Oligosaccharides as Functional Additives in Practical Diets for European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Juveniles
Authors: Serradell Antonio , Montero Daniel , Fernández-Montero Álvaro , Terova Genciana , Makol Alex , Valdenegro Victoria , Acosta Félix , Izquierdo María Soledad , Torrecillas Silvia
Published: November 2022

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the potential of two functional additives as gill endogenous antioxidant capacity boosters in European sea-bass juveniles fed low-FM/FO diets when challenged against physical and biological stressors. For that purpose, two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets with low FM (10%) and FO (6%) contents were supplemented with 5000 ppm plant-derived galactomannan–oligosaccharides (GMOS) or 200 ppm of a mixture of garlic and labiate plant essential oils (PHYTO). A control diet was void from supplementation. Fish were fed the experimental diet for nine weeks and subjected to a confinement stress challenge (C challenge) or a confinement stress challenge combined with an exposure to the pathogen Vibrio anguillarum (CI challenge). Both GMOS and PHYTO diets attenuated fish stress response, inducing lower circulating plasma cortisol and down-regulating nfκβ2 and gr relative gene-expression levels in the gill. This attenuated stress response was associated with a minor energetic metabolism response in relation to the down-regulation of nd5 and coxi gene expression.
A Perspective on Newly Emerging Proteolysis-Targeting Strategies in Antimicrobial Drug Discovery
Authors: Venkatesan Janarthanan , Murugan Dhanashree , Rangasamy Loganathan
Published: November 2022

Targeted protein degradation is a new aspect in the field of drug discovery. Traditionally, developing an antibiotic includes tedious and expensive processes, such as drug screening, lead optimization, and formulation. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are new-generation drugs that use the proteolytic mechanism to selectively degrade and eliminate proteins involved in human diseases. The application of PROTACs is explored immensely in the field of cancer, and various PROTACs are in clinical trials. Thus, researchers have a profound interest in pursuing PROTAC technology as a new weapon to fight pathogenic viruses and bacteria. This review highlights the importance of antimicrobial PROTACs and other similar “PROTAC-like” techniques to degrade pathogenic target proteins (i.e., viral/bacterial proteins). These techniques can perform specific protein degradation of the pathogenic protein to avoid resistance caused by mutations or abnormal expression of the pathogenic protein. PROTAC-based antimicrobial therapeutics have the advantage of high specificity and the ability to degrade “undruggable” proteins, such as nonenzymatic and structural proteins.
Analysis of the Antioxidant Mechanism of Tamarix ramosissima Roots under NaCl Stress Based on Physiology, Transcriptomic and Metabolomic
Authors: Chen Yahui , Li Haijia , Zhang Shiyang , Du Shanfeng , Wang Guangyu , Zhang Jinchi , Jiang Jiang
Published: November 2022

There is a serious problem with soil salinization that affects the growth and development of plants. Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb (T. ramosissima), as a halophyte, is widely used for afforestation in salinized soils. At present, there are few reports on the antioxidant mechanism of T. ramosissima under NaCl stress. In this study, we learned about the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content changes in T. ramosissima. We also mined the relevant metabolic pathways in the antioxidant mechanism, candidate key genes, and their related differential metabolites and verified them using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results show that the SOD, POD, and CAT activities, and the H2O2 and MDA content reached the highest values in the roots of T. ramosissima. Simultaneously, 92 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to antioxidant enzyme activities changed during 48 and 168 h of NaCl stress, and these DEGs were mainly upregulated in 168 h. Based on the association analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic data, we found Unigene0089358 and Unigene0007782 as genes related to key enzymes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. They were located in the upstream positive regulation at 48 and 168 h under NaCl stress, and their respective related metabolites (phloretin and pinocembrin) were involved in resistance to NaCl stress, and they were significantly correlated with their respective metabolites. In conclusion, at 48 and 168 h under NaCl stress, the roots of T. ramosissima resist NaCl stress by enhancing enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant mechanisms, scavenging ROS generated by high-salt stress, alleviating NaCl toxicity, and maintaining the growth of T. ramosissima. This study provides genetic resources and a scientific theoretical basis for further breeding of salt-tolerant Tamarix plants and the molecular mechanism of antioxidants to alleviate NaCl toxicity.
Laser-Induced Surface Modification on Wollastonite-Tricalcium Phosphate and Magnesium Oxide-Magnesium Stabilized Zirconia Eutectics for Bone Restoring Applications
Authors: Wang Shunheng , Sola Daniel , Peña Jose I.
Published: November 2022

An adaptation of the laser floating zone technique is used to modify the surface properties of ceramics with interest for biomedical applications. This new method is based upon the surface remelting of ceramic rods by using laser radiation, and its versatility is demonstrated in the surface structuring of two different eutectic composites with potential application as bone substitutes. Firstly, directionally eutectic rods of wollastonite (W)–tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and magnesium oxide (MgO)–magnesium stabilized zirconia (MgSZ) were grown by the laser floating zone technique. In the case of W-TCP eutectics, materials with crystalline, glass–ceramic, or vitreous microstructure could be obtained as the growth rate was increased. In the other case, a material made up of magnesium oxide and magnesium stabilized zirconia phases arranged in fibrillar or lamellar geometry was obtained. At higher solidification rates, the rupture of the growth front gave rise to the organization of the phases in the form of colonies or cells. The laser zone remelting technique was used to remove defects and to refine the microstructure of the directionally solidified eutectic surfaces as well as to cover MgO–MgSZ rods with W–TCP glass in the eutectic composition. The study provides a promising technique that can tailor the surface properties and functionality of bone repair materials. The products’ properties and challenges in preparation procedures are discussed.
Simulations of Organic Aerosol with CAMx over the Po Valley during the Summer Season
Authors: Basla Barbara , Agresti Valentina , Balzarini Alessandra , Giani Paolo , Pirovano Guido , Gilardoni Stefania , Paglione Marco , Colombi Cristina , Belis Claudio A. , Poluzzi Vanes , Scotto Fabiana , Lonati Giovanni
Published: November 2022

A new sensitivity analysis with the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) using a traditional two-product scheme (SOAP) and the newer Volatility Basis Set (VBS) algorithm for organic aerosol (OA) calculations is presented. The sensitivity simulations include the default versions of the SOAP and VBS schemes, as well as new parametrizations for the VBS scheme to calculate emissions and volatility distributions of semi- and intermediate-volatile organic compounds. The focus of the simulations is the summer season (May to July 2013), in order to quantify the sensitivity of the model in a period with relatively large photochemical activity. In addition to the model sensitivity, we validate the results with ad hoc OA measurements obtained from aerosol mass spectrometers at two monitoring sites. Unlike winter cases previously published, the comparison with experimental data showed limited sensitivity to total OA amount, with an estimated increase in OA concentrations limited to a few tenths of µg m−3, for both the primary and secondary components. We show that the lack of pronounced sensitivity is related to the effect of the new parametrizations on different emissions sectors. Furthermore, the minor sensitivity to the new parametrizations could be related to the greater partitioning of OA towards the gaseous phase in the summer period, thus reducing the organic fraction in the aerosol phase.
A State of Charge Estimation Approach for Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on the Optimized Metabolic EGM(1,1) Algorithm
Authors: Sun Qiang , Wang Shasha , Gao Shuang , Lv Haiying , Liu Jianghao , Wang Li , Du Jifei , Wei Kexin
Published: November 2022

The accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) for lithium-ion batteries’ performance prediction and durability evaluation is of paramount importance, which is significant to ensure reliability and stability for electric vehicles. The SOC estimation approaches based on big data collection and offline adjustment could result in imprecision for SOC estimation under various driving conditions at different temperatures. In the traditional GM(1,1), the initialization condition and the identifying parameter could not be changed as soon as they are confirmed. Aiming at the requirements of battery SOC estimation with non-linear characteristics of a dynamic battery system, the paper presents a method of battery state estimation based on Metabolic Even GM(1,1) to expand battery state data and introduce temperature factors in the estimation process to make SOC estimation more accurate. The latest information data used in the optimized rolling model is introduced through the data cycle updating. The experimental results show that the optimized MEGM(1,1) effectively considers the influence of initial data, and has higher accuracy than the traditional GM(1,1) model in the application of data expansion. Furthermore, it could effectively solve the problem of incomplete battery information and battery capacity fluctuation, and the dynamic performance is satisfactory to meet the requirements of fast convergence. The SOC estimation based on the presented strategy for power batteries at different temperatures could reach the goal of the overall error within 1% under CLTC conditions with well robustness and accuracy.
Sexual Dimorphism in Third Molar Agenesis in Humans with and without Agenesis of Other Teeth
Authors: Alamoudi Ragda , Ghamri Mohammed , Mistakidis Ilias , Gkantidis Nikolaos
Published: November 2022

Sexual dimorphism in the human dentition is of interest from a developmental, evolutionary, and clinical point of view. Here, we investigated sexual dimorphism in third molar agenesis patterns and severity in non-syndromic white European individuals with (group A: 303 individuals) and without agenesis (group B: 303 individuals) of teeth other than the third molars. There was no sexual dimorphism in the patterns or the severity of third molar agenesis within groups. Both sexes showed a higher number of third molar agenesis per individual in group A than in group B. The most common third molar agenesis pattern was that of no third molars. For both females and males, bilateral third molar agenesis was approximately three times more frequent in group A than in group B (p < 0.001), whereas no difference was detected for unilateral agenesis. These findings indicate a strong genetic control of the developmental process of tooth formation, with any disruptions affecting both sexes in a similar manner. Overall, the higher vulnerability of third molar formation could be associated with the evolutionary trend in humans towards a reduced number of molar teeth, which seems to show no sex-related differences.
Ornithine Aspartate and Vitamin-E Combination Has Beneficial Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in an Animal Model of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats
Authors: de Freitas Laura Bainy Rodrigues , Longo Larisse , Filippi-Chiela Eduardo , de Souza Valessa Emanoele Gabriel , Behrens Luiza , Pereira Matheus Henrique Mariano , Leonhard Luiza Cecília , Zanettini Giulianna , Pinzon Carlos Eduardo , Luchese Eduardo , Lima Guilherme Jorge Semmelmann Pereira , Cerski Carlos Thadeu , Uribe-Cruz Carolina , Álvares-da-Silva Mário Reis
Published: November 2022

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the main cause of death in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a clinical condition without any approved pharmacological therapy. Thus, we investigated the effects of ornithine aspartate (LOLA) and/or Vitamin E (VitE) on CV parameters in a steatohepatitis experimental model. Adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned (10 animals each) and treated from 16 to 28 weeks with gavage as follows: controls (standard diet plus distilled water (DW)), NAFLD (high-fat choline-deficient diet (HFCD) plus DW), NAFLD+LOLA (HFCD plus LOLA (200 mg/kg/day)), NAFLD+VitE (HFCD plus VitE (150 mg twice a week)) or NAFLD+LOLA+VitE in the same doses. Atherogenic ratios were higher in NAFLD when compared with NAFLD+LOLA+VitE and controls (p < 0.05). Serum concentration of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, e-selectin, ICAM-1, and PAI-1 were not different in intervention groups and controls (p > 0.05). NAFLD+LOLA decreased miR-122, miR-33a, and miR-186 (p < 0.05, for all) in relation to NAFLD. NAFLD+LOLA+VitE decreased miR-122, miR-33a and miR-186, and increased miR-126 (p < 0.05, for all) in comparison to NAFLD and NAFLD+VitE. NAFLD+LOLA and NAFLD+LOLA+VitE prevented liver collagen deposition (p = 0.006) in comparison to NAFLD. Normal cardiac fibers (size and shape) were lower in NAFLD in relation to the others; and the inverse was reported for the percentage of regular hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. NAFLD+LOLA+VitE promoted a significant improvement in atherogenic dyslipidemia, liver fibrosis, and paracrine signaling of lipid metabolism and endothelial dysfunction. This association should be further explored in the treatment of NAFLD-associated CV risk factors.
COVID-19 in Patients with Hematologic Diseases
Authors: Casetti Ilaria Carola , Borsani Oscar , Rumi Elisa
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 outbreak had a strong impact on people’s lives all over the world. Patients with hematologic diseases have been heavily affected by the pandemic, because their immune system may be compromised due to anti-cancer or immunosuppressive therapies and because diagnosis and treatment of their baseline conditions were delayed during lockdowns. Hematologic malignancies emerged very soon as risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection, increasing the mortality rate. SARS-CoV2 can also induce or exacerbate immune-mediated cytopenias, such as autoimmune hemolytic anemias, complement-mediated anemias, and immune thrombocytopenia. Active immunization with vaccines has been shown to be the best prophylaxis of severe COVID-19 in hematologic patients. However, the immune response to vaccines may be significantly impaired, especially in those receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies or immunosuppressive agents. Recently, antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies have become available for pre-exposure and post-exposure prevention of severe COVID-19. As adverse events after vaccines are extremely rare, the cost–benefit ratio is largely in favor of vaccination, even in patients who might be non-responders; in the hematological setting, all patients should be considered at high risk of developing complications due to SARS-CoV2 infection and should be offered all the therapies aimed to prevent them.