bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HLA-G 14bp Ins/Del Polymorphism, Plasma Level of Soluble HLA-G, and Association with IL-6/IL-10 Ratio and Survival of Glioma Patients
Authors: Bucova Maria , Kluckova Kristina , Kozak Jan , Rychly Boris , Suchankova Magda , Svajdler Marian , Matejcik Viktor , Steno Juraj , Zsemlye Eszter , Durmanova Vladimira
Published: April 2022

HLA-G is an immune checkpoint molecule with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities, and its expression and level of its soluble form (sHLA-G) may play an important role in tumor prognosis. The HLA-G 14bp ins/del polymorphism and the plasma level of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) were investigated by a polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively, in 59 glioma patients. A significantly higher proportion of glioma patients had the 14 nt insert in both homozygous and heterozygous states compared to the control group. Glioma patients also had higher plasma levels of sHLA-G. Patients with methylated MGMT promoters had lower levels of sHLA-G than those with unmethylated MGMT promoters. The level of sHLA-G negatively correlated with the overall survival of patients. Glioblastoma patients who survived more than one year after diagnosis had lower levels of sHLA-G than those surviving less than one year. Patients with sHLA-G levels below the cut-off value of 40 U/mL survived significantly longer than patients with sHLA-G levels above 40 U/mL. The levels of sHLA-G were also negatively correlated with the level of IL-6 (p = 0.0004) and positively with IL-10/IL-6 (p = 0.046). Conclusion: The presence of the 14 nt insert in both homozygous and heterozygous states of the HLA-G 14bp ins/del polymorphism is more frequent in glioma patients and the elevated plasma levels of sHLA-G are negatively associated with their survival.
Combining Optical Coherence Tomography and Fundus Photography to Improve Glaucoma Screening
Authors: Watanabe Tomoyuki , Hiratsuka Yoshimune , Kita Yoshiyuki , Tamura Hiroshi , Kawasaki Ryo , Yokoyama Tetsuji , Kawashima Motoko , Nakano Tadashi , Yamada Masakazu
Published: April 2022

We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of glaucoma screening using fundus photography combined with optical coherence tomography and determine the agreement between ophthalmologists and ophthalmology residents. We used a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination dataset obtained from 503 cases (1006 eyes). Of the 1006 eyes, 132 had a confirmed glaucoma diagnosis. Overall, 24 doctors, comprising two groups (ophthalmologists and ophthalmology residents, 12 individuals/group), analyzed the data presented in three screening strategies as follows: (1) fundus photography alone, (2) fundus photography + optical coherence tomography, and (3) fundus photography + optical coherence tomography + comprehensive examination. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity). The respective sensitivity and specificity values for the diagnostic accuracy obtained by 24 doctors, 12 ophthalmologists, and 12 ophthalmology residents were as follows: (1) fundus photography: sensitivity, 55.4%, 55.4%, and 55.4%; specificity, 91.8%, 94.0%, and 89.6%; (2) fundus photography + OCT: sensitivity, 80.0%, 82.3%, and 77.8%; specificity, 91.7%, 92.9%, and 90.6%; and (3) fundus photography + OCT + comprehensive examination: sensitivity 78.4%, 79.8%, and 77.1%; specificity, 92.7%, 94.0%, and 91.3%. The diagnostic accuracy of glaucoma screening significantly increased with optical coherence tomography. Following its addition, ophthalmologists could more effectively improve the diagnostic accuracy than ophthalmology residents. Screening accuracy is improved when optical coherence tomography is added to fundus photography.
An Alternative Estimation Method for Time-Varying Parameter Models
Authors: Ito Mikio , Noda Akihiko , Wada Tatsuma
Published: April 2022

A multivariate, non-Bayesian, regression-based, or feasible generalized least squares (GLS)-based approach is proposed to estimate time-varying VAR parameter models. Although it has been known that the Kalman-smoothed estimate can be alternatively estimated using GLS for univariate models, we assess the accuracy of the feasible GLS estimator compared with commonly used Bayesian estimators. Unlike the maximum likelihood estimator often used together with the Kalman filter, it is shown that the possibility of the pile-up problem occurring is negligible. In addition, this approach enables us to deal with stochastic volatility models, models with a time-dependent variance–covariance matrix, and models with non-Gaussian errors that allow us to deal with abrupt changes or structural breaks in time-varying parameters.
Intelligent Scheduling Method for Bulk Cargo Terminal Loading Process Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Li Changan , Wu Sirui , Li Zhan , Zhang Yuxiao , Zhang Lijie , Gomes Luis
Published: April 2022

Sea freight is one of the most important ways for the transportation and distribution of coal and other bulk cargo. This paper proposes a method for optimizing the scheduling efficiency of the bulk cargo loading process based on deep reinforcement learning. The process includes a large number of states and possible choices that need to be taken into account, which are currently performed by skillful scheduling engineers on site. In terms of modeling, we extracted important information based on actual working data of the terminal to form the state space of the model. The yard information and the demand information of the ship are also considered. The scheduling output of each convey path from the yard to the cabin is the action of the agent. To avoid conflicts of occupying one machine at same time, certain restrictions are placed on whether the action can be executed. Based on Double DQN, an improved deep reinforcement learning method is proposed with a fully connected network structure and selected action sets according to the value of the network and the occupancy status of environment. To make the network converge more quickly, an improved new epsilon-greedy exploration strategy is also proposed, which uses different exploration rates for completely random selection and feasible random selection of actions. After training, an improved scheduling result is obtained when the tasks arrive randomly and the yard state is random. An important contribution of this paper is to integrate the useful features of the working time of the bulk cargo terminal into a state set, divide the scheduling process into discrete actions, and then reduce the scheduling problem into simple inputs and outputs. Another major contribution of this article is the design of a reinforcement learning algorithm for the bulk cargo terminal scheduling problem, and the training efficiency of the proposed algorithm is improved, which provides a practical example for solving bulk cargo terminal scheduling problems using reinforcement learning.
Beta Diversity Patterns Unlock the Community Assembly of Woody Plant Communities in the Riparian Zone
Authors: He Yan , Liang Shichu , Liu Runhong , Jiang Yong
Published: April 2022

Beta diversity refers to changes in community composition across time and space, including species richness and replacement. Few studies have examined beta diversity patterns of riparian vegetation communities in terms of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional attributes. In this study, we conducted a field survey of woody plant communities in the riparian zone of the Lijiang River Basin in China. We analyze variations in taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional beta diversity, the relative contributions of species richness and replacement to beta diversity and the relationships between beta diversity and environmental distance and geographical distance. The results show that: (1) replacement was the dominant component of taxonomic beta diversity and richness was the dominant component of functional and phylogenetic beta diversity; and (2) dispersal limitation and habitat filtering jointly drive the community assembly of woody plant communities in the riparian zone of the Lijiang River Basin. Therefore, when formulating conservation strategies for woody plants along the Lijiang River riparian zone, improving ecological communities and enhancing species dispersal between communities should be given equal attention. From a taxonomic perspective, it is more suitable to establish several small nature reserves, whereas from phylogenetic and functional perspectives, protection should focus on larger nature reserves.
Clinical Trial Classification of SNS24 Calls with Neural Networks
Authors: Yang Hua , Gonçalves Teresa , Quaresma Paulo , Vieira Renata , Veladas Rute , Pinto Cátia Sousa , Oliveira João , Ferreira Maria Cortes , Morais Jéssica , Pereira Ana Raquel , Fernandes Nuno , Gonçalves Carolina
Published: April 2022

SNS24, the Portuguese National Health Contact Center, is a telephone and digital public service that provides clinical services. SNS24 plays an important role in the identification of users’ clinical situations according to their symptoms. Currently, there are a number of possible clinical algorithms defined, and selecting the appropriate clinical algorithm is very important in each telephone triage episode. Decreasing the duration of the phone calls and allowing a faster interaction between citizens and SNS24 service can further improve the performance of the telephone triage service. In this paper, we present a study using deep learning approaches to build classification models, aiming to support the nurses with the clinical algorithm’s choice. Three different deep learning architectures, namely convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), and transformers-based approaches are applied across a total number of 269,654 call records belonging to 51 classes. The CNN, RNN, and transformers-based model each achieve an accuracy of 76.56%, 75.88%, and 78.15% over the test set in the preliminary experiments. Models using the transformers-based architecture are further fine-tuned, achieving an accuracy of 79.67% with Adam and 79.72% with SGD after learning rate fine-tuning; an accuracy of 79.96% with Adam and 79.76% with SGD after epochs fine-tuning; an accuracy of 80.57% with Adam after the batch size fine-tuning. Analysis of similar clinical symptoms is carried out using the fine-tuned neural network model. Comparisons are done over the labels predicted by the neural network model, the support vector machines model, and the original labels from SNS24. These results suggest that using deep learning is an effective and promising approach to aid the clinical triage of the SNS24 phone call services.
Advances in NIR Spectroscopy Analytical Technology in Food Industries
Authors: Grassi Silvia , Casiraghi Ernestina
Published: April 2022

Industry 4 [...]
Investigating Differential Expressed Genes of Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08 Regulated by Soybean Protein and Peptides
Authors: Zhu Shuya , Zhang Yinxiao , Wang Jingyi , Zhang Chi , Liu Xinqi
Published: April 2022

Soybean protein and peptides have the potential to promote the growth of Lactobacillus, but the mechanisms involved are not well understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) LR08 responding to soybean protein and peptides using transcriptome. The results showed that both digested protein (dpro) and digested peptides (dpep) could enhance a purine biosynthesis pathway which could provide more nucleic acid and ATP for bacteria growth. Moreover, dpep could be used instead of dpro to promote the ABC transporters, especially the genes involved in the transportation of various amino acids. Interestingly, dpro and dpep played opposite roles in modulating DEGs from the acc and fab gene families which participate in fatty acid biosynthesis. These not only provide a new direction for developing nitrogen-sourced prebiotics in the food industry but could also help us to understand the fundamental mechanism of the effects of dpro and dpep on their growth and metabolisms and provides relevant evidence for further investigation.
Effect of Acute Intake of Fermented Orange Juice on Fasting and Postprandial Glucose Metabolism, Plasma Lipids and Antioxidant Status in Healthy Human
Authors: Escudero-López Blanca , Cerrillo Isabel , Ortega Ángeles , Martín Franz , Fernández-Pachón María-Soledad
Published: April 2022

Higher postprandial plasma glucose and lipemia, and oxidative and inflammatory responses, are considered important cardiovascular risk factors. Fermentation of fruits has generated products with high concentrations of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential acute effects that fermented orange juice (FOJ) can exert in healthy humans by modulating postprandial response, and inflammatory/antioxidant status, compared with orange juice (OJ). Nine volunteers were recruited for a randomized, controlled, and crossover study. Participants ingested 500 mL of FOJ. At 4 h post intake, subjects consumed a standardized mixed meal. Blood samples were collected at 0–8 h hours post intake. The subjects repeated the protocol with OJ following a 2-week washout period. Glucose and lipid metabolism, plasma antioxidant capacity (ORAC, FRAP), endogenous antioxidants (albumin, bilirubin, uric acid), C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were measured in plasma samples. There was a trend of a smaller increase in LDL-C after FOJ intake compared with OJ, a significant decrease in apo-B and significant increase in ORAC. The glycemic and triglyceride response of meal was attenuated with FOJ. No differences were obtained in endogenous antioxidants and inflammation status between the treatments. The acute consumption of FOJ could play a protective role against cardiovascular risk factors.
Addition of Combinedly Dehydrated Peach to the Cookies—Technological Quality Testing and Optimization
Authors: Filipović Vladimir , Lončar Biljana , Filipović Jelena , Nićetin Milica , Knežević Violeta , Šeregelj Vanja , Košutić Milenko , Bodroža Solarov Marija
Published: April 2022

Peach dehydrated by a combined method of osmodehydration and lyophilization is characterized by upgraded dehydration effectiveness and enhanced chemical and mineral matter content, and as such, is an interesting material to be applied to the cookies’ formulation. Incorporation of this material requires testing and optimization of the addition level from the aspect of overall technological quality in order to obtain a new cookie product. Obtained cookie samples with different levels of dehydrated peach addition were subjected to the nutritive and technology quality parameters testing. Cookies’ chemical, mineral matter, and phenolic compounds content, the antioxidative activity of nutritive parameters, and the physical, technological, textural, colour, and sensory characteristics of technological parameters were investigated. Obtained results showed that the addition of especially higher levels of dehydrated peach enhanced all nutritive, while simultaneously decreased most of the technological quality parameters. The statistical method of Z-score analysis was used to calculate the optimal level of dehydrated peach addition to the cookie formulation for obtaining the highest nutritive enrichment without excessive technological quality deterioration. The optimal addition of osmodehydrated and lyophilized peach to the cookie formulation was determined to be 15%.
Characterization of Four Rearing Managements and Their Influence on Carcass and Meat Qualities in Charolais Heifers
Authors: Soulat Julien , Picard Brigitte , Bord Cécile , Monteils Valérie
Published: April 2022

The study aim was to identify the effects of the rearing management applied throughout the heifers’ life on the carcass (e.g., conformation, marbling, fat) and meat (color, texture, and sensory profiles) properties. From the individual data of 171 heifers from 25 commercial farms, a typology of four rearing managements was established from 50 rearing factors. The managements had an effect on the conformation, the color (fat and muscle), and the rhomboideus grain meat, for the carcass, and the lightness, the atypical flavor, and the overall acceptability for the longissimus (LM) meat. The carcass traits compared to the meat were more sensitive to a change of rearing management. Our results confirmed that it was possible to target the same carcass or meat quality from different managements. Moreover, according to the aims of the targeted carcass and LM meat quality, management 3 could be an interesting trade-off to jointly manage the quality of both products. For example, the carcasses that were produced had a high conformation, smooth meat grain and the LM meat was more liked. This management was intermediate compared to the other rearing managements and had a long fattening period with a diet mainly based on conserved grass and a high concentrate quantity.
Study of the Efficacy of Probiotic Bacteria to Reduce Acrylamide in Food and In Vitro Digestion
Authors: Choi Siu Mei , Yang Ling , Chang Yuxuan , Chu Ivan K. , Dong Naiping
Published: April 2022

In this study, probiotic bacteria as a new post-processing approach to reduce acrylamide (AA) was investigated. The AA reduction ability of selected Lactobacillus strains and Bifidobacterium strains was demonstrated in (a) AA chemical solutions; (b) food matrices (biscuits and chips) and (c) in vitro digestion. The findings showed tested bacteria exhibited AA reduction ability which was probiotic strain-, AA concentration-, probiotic concentration-, incubation time- and pH-dependent. L. acidophilus LA 45 and B. longum ATCC 15707 (109 CFU/mL) showed the highest AA reduction (86.85 and 88.85%, respectively) when exposed to 350 ng/mL AA solution for 8 h. The findings also demonstrated that AA reduction ability of selected probiotic strains was pH- and food matrix-dependent in both food matrices (9.45–22.15%) and in vitro digestion model (10.91–21.29%). This study showed probiotic bacteria can lower AA bioaccessibility under simulated digestion.
Determination of Five Phthalate Esters in Tea and Their Dynamic Characteristics during Black Tea Processing
Authors: Tang Yanyan , Wang Mengxin , Pan Cheng , Mi Shuishan , Han Baoyu
Published: April 2022

A highly specific and high extraction-rate method for the analysis of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), and di-(2-ethyl) hexyl phthalate (DEHP) in tea samples was developed. Based on three-factor Box–Behnken response surface design, solid-phase extraction (SPE) of five phthalate ester (PAE) residues in tea was optimized. Optimal extraction conditions were found for extraction temperature (40 °C), extraction time (12 h), and ratio of tea to n-hexane (1:20). The dynamic distribution of PAEs at each stage of black tea processing was also analyzed, and it was found that the baking process was the main stage of PAE emission, indicating that traditional processing of black tea significantly degrades PAEs. Further, principal component analysis of the physicochemical properties and processing factors of the five PAEs identified the main processing stages affecting the release of PAEs, and it was found that the degradation of PAEs during black tea processing is also related to its own physicochemical properties, especially the octanol–water partition coefficient. These results can provide important references for the detection, determination of processing losses, and control of maximum residue limits (MRLs) of PAEs to ensure the quality and safety of black tea.
Recent Advances in Water-Soluble Vitamins Delivery Systems Prepared by Mechanical Processes (Electrospinning and Spray-Drying Techniques) for Food and Nutraceuticals Applications—A Review
Authors: Coelho Sílvia Castro , Estevinho Berta Nogueiro , Rocha Fernando
Published: April 2022

Water-soluble vitamins are essential micronutrients in diets and crucial to biochemical functions in human body physiology. These vitamins are essential for healthy diets and have a preventive role against diseases. However, their limitations associated with high sensitivity against external conditions (temperature, light, pH, moisture, oxygen) can lead to degradation during processing and storage. In this context, microencapsulation may overcome these conditions, protecting a biomolecule’s bioavailability, stability, and effectiveness of delivery. This technique has been used to produce delivery systems based on polymeric agents that surround the active compounds. The present review focuses on the most relevant topics of water-soluble vitamin encapsulation using promising methods to produce delivery vehicles—electrohydrodynamic (electrospinning and electrospraying) and spray-drying techniques. An overview of the suitable structures produced by these processes is provided. The review introduces the general principles of the methods, advantages, disadvantages, and involved parameters. A brief list of the used physicochemical techniques for the systems’ characterization is discussed in this review. Electrospinning and spray-drying techniques are the focus of this investigation in order to guarantee vitamins’ bioaccessibility and bioavailability. Recent studies and the main encapsulating agents used for these micronutrients in both processes applied to functional food and nutraceutical areas are highlighted in this review.
Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide Produced by Catechins on the Aroma of Tea Beverages
Authors: Wang Jie-Qiong , Gao Ying , Long Dan , Yin Jun-Feng , Zeng Liang , Xu Yan-Qun , Xu Yong-Quan
Published: April 2022

Hydrogen peroxide has a significant effect on the flavor of tea beverages. In this study, the yield of hydrogen peroxide in (–)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) solution was first investigated and found to be significantly enhanced under specific conditions, and the above phenomenon was amplified by the addition of linalool. Then, an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution was added to a linalool solution and it was found that the concentration of linalool was significantly reduced in the above-reconstituted system. These findings were verified by extending the study system to the whole green tea infusions. The results suggested that the production of hydrogen peroxide in tea beverages may be dominated by catechins, with multiple factors acting synergistically, thereby leading to aroma deterioration and affecting the quality of tea beverages. The above results provided a feasible explanation for the deterioration of flavor quality of green tea beverages with shelf life.
Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Meat Substitutes: A Narrative Review
Authors: Szenderák János , Fróna Dániel , Rákos Mónika
Published: April 2022

The great environmental impact of increasing animal product consumption requires the willingness to reduce or to substitute meat consumption. A possible substitute product, plant-based meat substitute, is made from plants and offers a sensory experience similar to conventional meat. In this narrative review, we focus on the consumer acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives. We searched for peer-reviewed studies in SCOPUS and Web of Science (WoS) up to December 2021. Of all 111 records identified, 28 were eligible, and, thus, included in this narrative review. The results imply that established consumer behavior has complex socio-economic implications for the adoption of plant-based meat substitutes. Plant-based meat was consistently rated more favorably than other meat substitute products, but sensory and nutritional implications still exist. Environmental and health-related factors may contribute to the market spread of plant-based meat substitutes, but these factors alone are not sufficient. Furthermore, so far there is no information available about how the hypothetical measurements used in the studies (such as willingness to pay) will translate to real life consumer behavior. Despite these barriers, there is certainly a great market potential for plant-based meat alternatives, which is expected to be more pronounced in the future, with increasing environmental and health awareness.
Complex Impacts of Traffic Citations on Road Safety
Authors: Rezapour Mahdi , Ksaiabti Khaled
Published: April 2022

Wyoming has one of the highest fatality rates and lowest enforcement rates in the U.S. Thus, this study was conducted to see if there is any link between various citation types on the equivalent property damage only (EPDO) crashes, while taking into account interaction terms between various crashes and citation characteristics. To achieve the objective, we disaggregated the citations data into their related types, while aggregating the crash dataset across each segment through the Eastern direction of the interstate 80 in Wyoming. The results highlighted that there are important relations between types of crashes and related citations. For instance, it was found that there are (1) significant interaction terms between driving-too-fast-for-condition citations and underride crashes, (2) total number of commercial citations and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes, and (3) between seatbelt citations and seatbelt-related crashes, highlighting, possibly, that the performance of the highway patrol was adjusted based on the specific roadway concerns, or there is indeed a significant link between related citation and crash types. While conducting the model with no interaction term, the results of comparison highlighted that the model erroneously highlight positive associations between citation types and the EPDO crashes. This is one of the earliest studies that considered disaggregated citation data and aggregated them with the crash data to highlight the important relationship between the citations and crashes.
Impacts of Life-Time Exposure of Arsenic, Cadmium and Fluoranthene on the Earthworms’ L. rubellus Global DNA Methylation as Detected by msAFLP
Authors: Rasnaca Ilze , Kille Peter , Newbold Lindsay K. , Spurgeon David J.
Published: April 2022

This study reports on the effects of long-term exposure to the metals arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene on the survival, growth, development and DNA methylation status of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Exposures to the three chemicals were conducted over their whole juvenile developmental period from egg to adult. Significant effects on one or more measured endpoints were found for all three chemicals. Arsenic had no effect on survival, but had a significant effect on growth rates at concentrations of 36 mg/kg or higher and also slowed the rate of maturation. Cadmium significantly reduced juvenile survival at 500 mg/kg, juvenile growth at 148 mg/kg and maturation rates at all tested concentrations. Fluoranthene had no effect on survival or the developmental period, but did significantly reduce growth rates at 800 mg/kg. Effects at these concentrations are consistent with the known effects of these three chemicals on earthworms from previous studies conducted mainly with Eisenia fetida. Both As and Cd had no effect on DNA methylation patterning in earthworms measured at the end of the exposure. Fluoranthene was shown, for the first time. to have an effect on a species’ DNA methylation levels. These results suggest that apical phenotypic changes for As and Cd are not necessarily associated with changes in DNA methylation profiles. However, exposure to the organic chemical fluoranthene influenced DNA methylation patterns, suggesting wider remodelling of the epigenome for this chemical.
Euarchontoglires Challenged by Incomplete Lineage Sorting
Authors: Doronina Liliya , Reising Olga , Clawson Hiram , Churakov Gennady , Schmitz Jürgen
Published: April 2022

Euarchontoglires, once described as Supraprimates, comprise primates, colugos, tree shrews, rodents, and lagomorphs in a clade that evolved about 90 million years ago (mya) from a shared ancestor with Laurasiatheria. The rapid speciation of groups within Euarchontoglires, and the subsequent inherent incomplete marker fixation in ancestral lineages, led to challenged attempts at phylogenetic reconstructions, particularly for the phylogenetic position of tree shrews. To resolve this conundrum, we sampled genome-wide presence/absence patterns of transposed elements (TEs) from all representatives of Euarchontoglires. This specific marker system has the advantage that phylogenetic diagnostic characters can be extracted in a nearly unbiased fashion genome-wide from reference genomes. Their insertions are virtually free of homoplasy. We simultaneously employed two computational tools, the genome presence/absence compiler (GPAC) and 2-n-way, to find a maximum of diagnostic insertions from more than 3 million TE positions. From 361 extracted diagnostic TEs, 132 provide significant support for the current resolution of Primatomorpha (Primates plus Dermoptera), 94 support the union of Euarchonta (Primates, Dermoptera, plus Scandentia), and 135 marker insertion patterns support a variety of alternative phylogenetic scenarios. Thus, whole genome-level analysis and a virtually homoplasy-free marker system offer an opportunity to finally resolve the notorious phylogenetic challenges that nature produces in rapidly diversifying groups.
Gene Expression Meta-Analysis of Potential Shared and Unique Pathways between Autoimmune Diseases under Anti-TNFα Therapy
Authors: Antonatos Charalabos , Panoutsopoulou Mariza , Georgakilas Georgios K. , Evangelou Evangelos , Vasilopoulos Yiannis
Published: April 2022

While anti-TNFα has been established as an effective therapeutic approach for several autoimmune diseases, results from clinical trials have uncovered heterogeneous patients’ response to therapy. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis on the publicly available gene expression cDNA microarray datasets that examine the differential expression observed in response to anti-TNFα therapy with psoriasis (PsO), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Five disease-specific meta-analyses and a single combined random-effects meta-analysis were performed through the restricted maximum likelihood method. Gene Ontology and Reactome Pathways enrichment analyses were conducted, while interactions between differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined with the STRING database. Four IBD, three PsO and two RA datasets were identified and included in our analyses through our search criteria. Disease-specific meta-analyses detected distinct pro-inflammatory down-regulated DEGs for each disease, while pathway analyses identified common inflammatory patterns involved in the pathogenesis of each disease. Combined meta-analyses further revealed DEGs that participate in anti-inflammatory pathways, namely IL-10 signaling. Our analyses provide the framework for a transcriptomic approach in response to anti-TNFα therapy in the above diseases. Elucidation of the complex interactions involved in such multifactorial phenotypes could identify key molecular targets implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD, PsO and RA.
Isotonic and Isometric Exercise Interventions Improve the Hamstring Muscles’ Strength and Flexibility: A Narrative Review
Authors: Widodo Akhmad Fajri , Tien Cheng-Wen , Chen Chien-Wei , Lai Shih-Chiung
Published: April 2022

Background: Hamstring weakness has been associated with an increased risk of hamstring strain, a common sports injury that occurs when athletes perform actions such as quick sprints. The hamstring complex comprises three distinct muscles: the long and short heads of the bicep femoris, the semimembranosus, and the semitendinosus. Methods: The researchers collected the data from different electronic databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science. Results: Many studies have been conducted on the numerous benefits of hamstring strength, in terms of athletic performance and injury prevention. Isotonic and isometric exercises are commonly used to improve hamstring strength, with each exercise type having a unique effect on the hamstring muscles. Isotonic exercise improves the muscles’ strength, increasing their ability to resist any force, while isometric training increases strength and the muscles’ ability to produce power by changing the muscle length. Conclusions: These exercises, when performed at low intensity, but with high repetition, can be used by the healthy general population to prepare for training and daily exercise. This can improve hamstring muscle strength and flexibility, leading to enhanced performance and reduced injury risk.
Fear of COVID-19 and Perceived Stress: The Mediating Roles of Neuroticism and Perceived Social Support
Authors: Yang Qiuyi , Kanjanarat Penkarn , Wongpakaran Tinakon , Ruengorn Chidchanok , Awiphan Ratanaporn , Nochaiwong Surapon , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Wedding Danny
Published: April 2022

Background: Fear of COVID-19 leads to stress and may result in various kinds of mental health problems. Many factors are associated with an individual’s perception of stress, including neuroticism and perceived social support. This study aimed to examine the role of neuroticism and perceived social support as mediators of fear of COVID-19 on perceived stress. Methods: Data from 3299 participants aged ≥18 years from the HOME-COVID-19 survey in 2020 were used for analysis. Measurements used included the Fear of COVID-19 and Impact on Quality of Life Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale-10, the Neuroticism inventory and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support-12. A parallel mediation model within a structural equation modeling framework with 5000 bootstrapping sampling was used to test the mediating effect. Results: Fear of COVID-19 had a direct effect on perceived stress (B  =  0.100, 95% CI = 0.080–0.121, p < 0.001), whereas neuroticism, but not perceived social support, partially mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress (B = 0.018, 95% CI = 0.000–0.036). Among all types of social support, only perceived support from friends was a significant mediator (B = 0.016, 95% CI = 0.006–0.025). Conclusions: Neuroticism and perceived support from friends are critical factors in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress.
Emotional Intelligence Scale for Male Nursing Students and Its Latent Regression on Gender and Background Variables
Authors: Lou Jiunnhorng , Chen Hsiaochi , Li Renhau
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to develop an emotional intelligence (EI) scale for male nursing students and investigate its associations with gender, age, religious beliefs, and father’s and mother’s education level. We recruited 384 male nursing students in Taiwan to construct an EI scale comprising 16 items with four factors: recognizing the emotions of others, emotional self-awareness, self-emotional expression, and self-emotional management. The scale had factor loadings of 0.64−0.80. The reliability coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.80 to 0.84, while that for the total scale was 0.93. We also recruited 402 female nursing students for comparison. Latent multiple regression of the EI factors showed that male students had higher self-emotional expression but lower self-emotional management than females. Age was negatively associated with self-emotional management for both genders. Religious beliefs were negatively associated with emotional self-awareness in male students, and with recognizing the emotions of others in females. Father’s and mother’s education had no association with EI in male students; however, father’s education was positively associated with all EI factors in females, and mother’s education was negatively associated with recognizing the emotions of others and self-emotional expression. These results provide insight into male nursing students’ EI and the background variables influencing EI.
A Case Study on Supporting the Preservation, Valorization and Sustainability of Natural Heritage
Authors: Pervolarakis Zacharias , Agapakis Antonis , Zidianakis Emmanouil , Katzourakis Antonis , Evdemon Theodoros , Partarakis Nikolaos , Zabulis Xenophon , Stephanidis Constantine
Published: April 2022

Caves can be considered as features of the landscape that have been formatted through a long period and are signs of the past climatological conditions, of prehistoric animal and human inhabitation, and provide habitat for species. In the near past, caves have also gained tourism interest since they offer unique sightseeing experiences. The sustainability and protection of cave heritage have been recently discussed mainly because over-tourism has been proven to have negative side effects on the preservation of the heritage site. Technology today has provided widely adopted inexpensive technical means to support immersive visiting experiences to sites of heritage interest that could support their valorization and sustainability in forms more friendly to the site. In this work, such an alternative visiting approach is explored through a use case applied to the Alistrati cave near Serres, Greece, where a VR tour guide can support immersive visiting experiences to the heritage site. By employing means of digital preservation of heritage sites the VR solution aspires to offer immersive close to reality engaging visiting experiences.
Promotion Policies for Electric Vehicle Diffusion in China Considering Dynamic Consumer Preferences: A Network-Based Evolutionary Analysis
Authors: Fan Ruguo , Chen Rongkai
Published: April 2022

An improved understanding of how policies can promote the diffusion of electric vehicles (EVs) is critical to achieving sustainable development. Previous studies of EV diffusion dynamics have paid insufficient attention to consumer preferences. In this paper, a network-based evolutionary game model considering dynamic consumer preference is constructed to study EV diffusion. Through numerical experiments, the evolutionary processes and results of various promotion policies, including carbon taxes, production subsidies, purchase subsidies, and information policy on EV diffusion, are simulated. In particular, this paper explores the differentiated effects of supply-side policies and demand-side policies. The simulation results indicate that: (1) The effectiveness of promotion policies is sensitive to the size of the manufacturer network, and large networks can dampen periodical fluctuations in diffusion rates. (2) Supply-side carbon taxes and subsidies facilitate a steady diffusion of EVs. However, compared with the sustained effectiveness of subsidies, carbon taxes may inhibit the rapid penetration of EVs. (3) Implementing purchase subsidies in the early stages of diffusion is more effective than production subsidies, but the potential uncertainty of demand-side subsidies should be noted. (4) The impact of information policy on the evolutionary trend of EV diffusion is pronounced but is a longer-term impact, requiring a long enough implementation horizon.
The Association of Neighborhood Changes with Health-Related Quality of Life in the Women’s Health Initiative
Authors: Chrisinger Benjamin W. , Springfield Sparkle , Whitsel Eric A. , Shadyab Aladdin H. , Krok-Schoen Jessica L. , Garcia Lorena , Sealy-Jefferson Shawnita , Stefanick Marcia L.
Published: April 2022

Longitudinal studies can help us understand the effects of long-term neighborhood changes, as these can capture individual self-appraisal of current and future circumstances. We analyzed the association between neighborhood changes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes among older women from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. We used a subset (n = 49,254) of the longitudinal WHI dataset of female participants, aged 50–79 at baseline, recruited from 40 clinical centers across the U.S. beginning in 1993. Two HRQoL outcomes were explored: self-rated quality of life (SRQoL), and physical functioning-related quality of life (PFQoL). We used U.S. census tract-level changes in median household income between the 2000 census and 2007–2011 American Community Survey to classify neighborhoods as “upgrading,” “declining,” or “stable.” Multi-level models were used to identify significant associations between neighborhood change and HRQoL outcomes over time. Compared to participants residing in upgrading neighborhoods, participants in stable and declining neighborhoods reported significantly lower PFQoL. A significant interaction was observed with income such that the effect of neighborhood change was greater at lower levels of income.
Redrawing Cities with Children and Adolescents: Development of a Framework and Opportunity Index for Wellbeing—The REDibuja Study Protocol
Authors: Aguilar-Farias Nicolas , Roman Mella Francisca , Cortinez-O’Ryan Andrea , Carcamo-Oyarzun Jaime , Cerda Alvaro , Toledo-Vargas Marcelo , Miranda-Marquez Sebastian , Cortes-Morales Susana , Balboa-Castillo Teresa
Published: April 2022

Global changes require urgent integration of health and wellbeing into all urban policies. Complex social and environmental factors define wellbeing outcomes and inequities present in cities. Additionally, political decisions are seldom thought and developed considering the needs and participation of children and adolescents. The REDibuja study aims to develop a multidimensional framework of wellbeing for children and adolescents and to validate an index of opportunities for better wellbeing for children and adolescents in the urban context of Temuco, Chile. This child-centered and cross-sectional study will involve mixed methodologies throughout the implementation of five work packages for two years (2022–2023): (1) development of a conceptual framework for child and adolescent wellbeing, (2) integration of available and public data, (3) studies in the local context, (4) data integration using geographic information systems, and (5) validation of the wellbeing opportunity index for children and adolescents. REDibuja will implement methodologies that until now are little used to facilitate political decisions in our regional context. This process and results could be transferred for assessment and decision-making in Latin America and low- and middle-income countries in other regions.
Social Responsibility: Sustainable Development Goals and COVID-19—Perception Scale of Students from Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Severino-González Pedro , Gallardo-Vázquez Dolores , Ortuya-Poblete Constanza , Romero-Argueta José , Tunjo-Buitrago Efraín , Arenas-Torres Felipe , Sarmiento-Peralta Giusseppe
Published: April 2022

Social movements and the consequences of the current health crisis resulting from COVID-19 have deepened social injustices and inequities, which can be addressed through the benchmarks set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research is related to the perspective of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as social transformation agents. The purpose of this research is to create a scale to measure students’ perception of the social responsibilities developed by HEIs from the SDGs’ perspective. A matrix solution was found after Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) composed of four dimensions. The constructs that form the four dimensions can be used to design strategies which contribute to the SDGs’ goals, for which it is necessary to have the opinions of the actors that are part of the educational community. Future research should consider carrying out comparative studies according to sociodemographic variables for a better understanding of the social phenomenon.
How Does the Urban Built Environment Affect Online Car-Hailing Ridership Intensity among Different Scales?
Authors: Zhao Guanwei , Li Zhitao , Shang Yuzhen , Yang Muzhuang
Published: April 2022

Understanding the effect of the urban built environment on online car-hailing ridership is crucial to urban planning. However, how the effects change with the analysis scales are still noteworthy. Therefore, a multiscale exploratory study was conducted in Chengdu, China, by using the stepwise regression selection and three spatial regression models. The main findings are summarized as follows. First, as the grid size increases, the number of built environment factors that have significant effects on trip intensity decrease continuously. Second, the effects of population density and road density are always positive from the 500 m grid to the 3000 m grid. As the analysis scale increases, the effect of proximity to public transportation shifts from inhibitory to facilitation, while the positive effect of land-use mix becomes stronger. Land-use type has both positive and negative effects and shows different characteristics at different scales. Third, the effects of built environment factors on online car-hailing trip intensity show different spatial variability characteristics at different scales. The effect of population density gradually decreases from north to south. The effect of road network density shows circling and wave patterns, with the former at relatively fine scales and the latter at relatively coarse scales. The spatial variation in the effect of land-use mix can only be observed more significantly at a relatively coarse scale. The effect of bus stop density is only obvious at the relatively fine and medium scales and shows a wave-like pattern and a circle-like pattern. The effect of various land-use types shows different spatial patterns at different scales, including wave-like pattern, circle-like pattern, and multi-core-like pattern. The spatial variation in the effects of various land-use factors gradually decrease with the increase in the analysis scale.
Modeling COVID-19 Impacts and Response Strategies in the Construction Industry: PLS–SEM Approach
Authors: Radzi Afiqah R. , Rahman Rahimi A. , Almutairi Saud
Published: April 2022

Policymakers are developing response strategies to reduce the impacts of COVID-19. However, developing response strategies without considering their relationships with the impacts of COVID-19 is ineffective. This study aims to model the causal relationships between COVID-19 impacts and response strategies in the construction industry, using Malaysia as a case study. To achieve this, a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with forty industry professionals were conducted, yielding 12 impacts and 22 response strategies. The impacts and strategies were inserted into a survey, and 107 valid responses were received. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to group the impacts and strategies. Then, partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) was employed to identify the causal relationship between the impacts and strategies. The EFA results indicate that the underlying impacts are project- or material-related, and the underlying strategies are market stability and financial aid, supply chain and project support, and information and legislation. The PLS–SEM results indicate that supply chain and project support are required to address material-related impacts, and market stability and financial aid are required to address project-related impacts. This is the first paper that models the relationships between COVID-19 impacts and response strategies in the construction industry.
Advanced Gene-Targeting Therapies for Motor Neuron Diseases and Muscular Dystrophies
Authors: Chamakioti Myrsini , Karantzelis Nikolaos , Taraviras Stavros
Published: April 2022

Gene therapy is a revolutionary, cutting-edge approach to permanently ameliorate or amend many neuromuscular diseases by targeting their genetic origins. Motor neuron diseases and muscular dystrophies, whose genetic causes are well known, are the frontiers of this research revolution. Several genetic treatments, with diverse mechanisms of action and delivery methods, have been approved during the past decade and have demonstrated remarkable results. However, despite the high number of genetic treatments studied preclinically, those that have been advanced to clinical trials are significantly fewer. The most clinically advanced treatments include adeno-associated virus gene replacement therapy, antisense oligonucleotides, and RNA interference. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advanced gene therapies for motor neuron diseases (i.e., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy) and muscular dystrophies (i.e., Duchenne muscular dystrophy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, and myotonic dystrophy) tested in clinical trials. Emphasis has been placed on those methods that are a few steps away from their authoritative approval.