bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Properties of Post-Cured Eggshell-Filled Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites
Authors: Kowshik Suhas , Sharma Sathyashankara , Rao Sathish , Shettar Manjunath , Hiremath Pavan
Published: February 2023

Eggshells are a potentially polluting industrial waste that are disposed of as landfill which has proven to be hazardous to the environment. The usage of chicken eggshells as a biofiller for polymer matrix composites instead of its disposal as landfill has proven advantageous in various studies. On the other hand, using eggshells as a filler material to replace inorganic calcium carbonate usage would be another environment friendly act. The present study is focused on studying the effects of eggshell filler addition and post-curing on polymer composites which could be utilised for domestic applications. Herein, uncarbonised and carbonised eggshell filler material were processed from waste eggshells. Hybridisation of the carbonised and uncarbonised eggshell filler was carried out. All three variants of eggshell fillers (10 wt.%) were used in the fabrication of composites. A hand lay-up technique was employed in the fabrication of unfilled composites along with three variants of filled composites, namely, uncarbonised, carbonised, and hybrid eggshell filled composites. The fabricated and cured composites were further subjected to post-curing at a temperature of 60 °C for a period of 2 h. All four variants of post-cured composites were then subjected to mechanical testing according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The tests revealed that all three variants of filled composites possess better mechanical properties in comparison with unfilled composites. Further, in comparison with unfilled composites, the carbonised eggshell filled composites showcased 42% and 49% improvement in flexural and tensile properties, respectively. The modes of failure of the specimens were observed and tabulated. SEM imaging revealed that the eggshell filler contributed to the strengths of the composites by means of arresting and deviating cracks. It was also observed that the post-cured specimens displayed improved properties when compared with our previous studies on non-post-cured specimens. In summary, the study showcased the benefits of eggshell filler addition and the post-curing of polymer composites.
Evaluation of the Corrosion Resistance of Different Types of Orthodontic Fixed Retention Appliances: A Preliminary Laboratory Study
Authors: Kumrular Busra , Cicek Orhan , Dağ İlker Emin , Avar Baris , Erener Hande
Published: February 2023

(i) Objective: The present study aimed to compare the electrochemical corrosion resistance of six different types of fixed lingual retainer wires used as fixed retention appliances in an in vitro study. (ii) Methods: In the study, two different Ringer solutions, with pH 7 and pH 3.5, were used. Six groups were formed with five retainer wires in each group. In addition, 3-braided stainless steel, 6-braided stainless steel, Titanium Grade 1, Titanium Grade 5, Gold, and Dead Soft retainer wires were used. The corrosion current density (icorr), corrosion rate (CR), and polarization resistance (Rp) were determined from the Tafel polarization curves. (iii) Results: The corrosion current density of the Gold retainer group was statistically higher than the other retainer groups in both solutions (p < 0.05). The corrosion rate of the Dead Soft retainer group was statistically higher than the other retainer groups in both solutions (p < 0.05). The polarization resistance of the Titanium Grade 5 retainer group was statistically higher than the other retainer groups in both solutions (p < 0.05). As a result of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images, pitting corrosion was not observed in the Titanium Grade 1, Titanium Grade 5 and Gold retainer groups, while pitting corrosion was observed in the other groups. (iv) Conclusion: From a corrosion perspective, although the study needs to be evaluated in vivo, the Titanium Grade 5 retainer group included is in this in vitro study may be more suitable for clinical use due to its high electrochemical corrosion resistance and the lack of pitting corrosion observed in the SEM images.
Alginate Ag/AgCl Nanoparticles Composite Films for Wound Dressings with Antibiofilm and Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Puccetti Matteo , Donnadio Anna , Ricci Maurizio , Latterini Loredana , Quaglia Giulia , Pietrella Donatella , Di Michele Alessandro , Ambrogi Valeria
Published: February 2023

Recently, silver-based nanoparticles have been proposed as components of wound dressings due to their antimicrobial activity. Unfortunately, they are cytotoxic for keratinocytes and fibroblasts, and this limits their use. Less consideration has been given to the use of AgCl nanoparticles in wound dressings. In this paper, a sustainable preparation of alginate AgCl nanoparticles composite films by simultaneous alginate gelation and AgCl nanoparticle formation in the presence of CaCl2 solution is proposed with the aim of obtaining films with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities and low cytotoxicity. First, AgNO3 alginate films were prepared, and then, gelation and nanoparticle formation were induced by film immersion in CaCl2 solution. Films characterization revealed the presence of both AgCl and metallic silver nanoparticles, which resulted as quite homogeneously distributed, and good hydration properties. Finally, films were tested for their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15692), and the yeast Candida albicans. Composite films showed antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against the tested bacteria and resulted as less active towards Candida albicans. Film cytotoxicity was investigated towards human dermis fibroblasts (HuDe) and human skin keratinocytes (NCTC2544). Composite films showed low cytotoxicity, especially towards fibroblasts. Thus, the proposed sustainable approach allows to obtain composite films of Ag/AgCl alginate nanoparticles capable of preventing the onset of infections without showing high cytotoxicity for tissue cells.
Environmental Factors for the Advancement of Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Professional Development
Authors: Saglam Mehmet Hilmi , Goktenturk Talha , Demir Ibrahim , Yazıcı Emre
Published: February 2023

There is a shifting paradigm in gifted education from person-based approaches (i.e., identifying giftedness) to process-based approaches (i.e., transacting giftedness). This new framework is centered on enriching educational opportunities that will make the process meaningful (i.e., gifted) to everyone in a setting. However, little is known about how this renewed perspective can be applied in teacher professional development. In line with the socio-ecological models, our study aims to identify the best appropriate model to describe teacher self-efficacy (i.e., the dependent variable in the study) as professional development from an ecological perspective and to propose an ecologically intelligent school (EIS) for the advancement of self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to create a model using TALIS 2018 dataset. Afterward, indices of goodness-of-fit criteria were examined for each model. The results indicate that there is a complex ecological background, in that various factors affect the dependent variable. Model 3 was determined as the most suitable model that can be proposed as an ecologically intelligent school (EIS) for the advancement of self-efficacy. The factors within the three layers of the socio-ecological model—communication with teachers, communication with students, school climate, and feeling valued by the national level—altogether created an appropriate model explaining teacher professional development, regarding self-efficacy.
Modeling Soil Organic Carbon at Coastal Sabkhas with Different Vegetation Covers at the Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Eid Ebrahem M. , Keshta Amr E. , Alrumman Sulaiman A. , Arshad Muhammad , Shaltout Kamal H. , Ahmed Mohamed T. , Al-Bakre Dhafer A. , Alfarhan Ahmed H. , Barcelo Damia
Published: February 2023

Healthy coastal sabkhas (sabkha is an Arabic term for a salt flat) offer plenty of ecosystem services including climate change mitigation. However, fewer research studies were conducted at coastal sabkhas compared to other coastal marshes. This study was conducted in a total of ten coastal sabkha sites with different vegetation covers along the southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The main objectives were to model and predict the distribution of volumetric soil organic carbon (SOC) density (kg C/m3) and cumulative SOC stocks (kg C/m2) using three different mathematic functions (allometric, exponential, and sigmoid) based on sampled and observed soil carbon (C) data (total of 125 soil cores = 1250 soil samples). Sigmoid function showed the greatest fit for predicting the distribution of volumetric SOC density over soil profile depth with mean Adj. R2 = 0.9978, 0.9611, and 0.9623 for vegetation cover of >25–50, >50–75, and >75–100%, respectively. For modeling the cumulative SOC stocks, both validation indices and p of the t-test confirmed that using the exponential function is the most appropriate to be used for predicting the SOC stock among different vegetation covers. Moreover, assessing the topsoil concentration factors (TCFs) showed that the distribution of the SOC content is impacted to a great extent by the vegetation cover at coastal sabkhas. Sampling the soil parameter of interest to estimate the SOC stocks is constrained by time and cost. Therefore, using the exponential function for predicting the distribution of cumulative SOC stocks at coastal sabkhas over soil profile depth is appropriate and promising for mapping SOC stocks at both regional and global spatial scales.
Promising Antifungal Molecules against Mucormycosis Agents Identified from Pandemic Response Box®: In Vitro and In Silico Analyses
Authors: Xisto Mariana Ingrid Dutra da Silva , Rollin-Pinheiro Rodrigo , de Castro-Almeida Yuri , dos Santos-Freitas Giulia Maria Pires , Rochetti Victor Pereira , Borba-Santos Luana Pereira , da Silva Fontes Yasmin , Ferreira-Pereira Antonio , Rozental Sonia , Barreto-Bergter Eliana
Published: February 2023

Mucormycosis is considered concerning invasive fungal infections due to its high mortality rates, difficult diagnosis and limited treatment approaches. Mucorales species are highly resistant to many antifungal agents and the search for alternatives is an urgent need. In the present study, a library with 400 compounds called the Pandemic Response Box® was used and four compounds were identified: alexidine and three non-commercial molecules. These compounds showed anti-biofilm activity, as well as alterations in fungal morphology and cell wall and plasma membrane structure. They also induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. In silico analysis revealed promising pharmacological parameters. These results suggest that these four compounds are potent candidates to be considered in future studies for the development of new approaches to treat mucormycosis.
Phytotherapy and Drugs: Can Their Interactions Increase Side Effects in Cancer Patients?
Authors: Allegra Sarah , De Francia Silvia , Turco Francesca , Bertaggia Ilenia , Chiara Francesco , Armando Tiziana , Storto Silvana , Mussa Maria Valentina
Published: February 2023

Background: The use of herbs to treat illnesses was common in all historical eras. Our aim was to describe the phytotherapeutic substances that cancer patients use most commonly, and to determine whether their use can increase side effects. Methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study conducted among older adults actively undergoing chemotherapy, admitted at the Oncology DH Unit (COES) of the Molinette Hospital AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza in Turin (Italy). Data collection was conducted through the distribution of self-compiled and closed-ended questionnaires during chemotherapy treatment. Results: A total of 281 patients were enrolled. Evaluating retching and sage consumption was statistically significant in multivariate analysis. The only risk factor for dysgeusia was chamomile consumption. Ginger, pomegranate, and vinegar use were retained as mucositis predictors. Conclusions: Phytotherapeutic use needs more attention in order to decrease the risks of side effects, toxicity, and ineffective treatment. The conscious administration of these substances should be promoted for safe use and to provide the reported benefits.
Resveratrol Inhibits Activation of Microglia after Stroke through Triggering Translocation of Smo to Primary Cilia
Authors: Liao Hongyan , Huang Jiagui , Liu Jie , Chen Yue , Zhu Huimin , Li Xuemei , Wen Jun , Xiang Qin , Yang Qin
Published: February 2023

Activated microglia act as a double-edged sword for stroke. In the acute phase of stroke, activated microglia might deteriorate neurological function. Therefore, it is of great clinical transforming potential to explore drugs or methods that can inhibit abnormal activation of microglia in the acute phase of stroke to improve neurological function after stroke. Resveratrol has a potential effect of regulating microglial activation and anti-inflammation. However, the molecular mechanism of resveratrol-inhibiting microglial activation has not been fully clarified. Smoothened (Smo) belongs to the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Smo activation is the critical step that transmits the Hh signal across the primary cilia to the cytoplasm. Moreover, activated Smo can improve neurological function via regulating oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, neurogenesis, oligodendrogenesis, axonal remodeling, and so on. More studies have indicated that resveratrol can activate Smo. However, it is currently unknown whether resveratrol inhibits microglial activation via Smo. Therefore, in this study, N9 microglia in vitro and mice in vivo were used to investigate whether resveratrol inhibited microglial activation after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) or middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) injury and improved functional outcome via triggering translocation of Smo in primary cilia. We definitively found that microglia had primary cilia; resveratrol partially inhibited activation and inflammation of microglia, improved functional outcome after OGD/R and MCAO/R injury, and triggered translocation of Smo to primary cilia. On the contrary, Smo antagonist cyclopamine canceled the above effects of resveratrol. The study suggested that Smo receptor might be a therapeutic target of resveratrol for contributing to inhibit microglial activation in the acute phase of stroke.
SLC1A2 Gene Polymorphism Influences Methamphetamine-Induced Psychosis
Authors: Yahya Dayang Nooreffazleen , Guad Rhanye Mac , Wu Yuan-Seng , Gan Siew Hua , Gopinath Subash C. B. , Zakariah Hasif Adli , Rashid Rusdi Abdul , Sim Maw Shin
Published: February 2023

SLC1A2 is a gene encoded for the excitatory amino acid transporter 2 which is responsible for glutamate reuptake from the synaptic cleft in the central nervous system. Recent studies have suggested that polymorphisms on glutamate transporters can affect drug dependence, leading to the development of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Our study investigated the association of rs4755404 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the SLC1A2 gene with methamphetamine (METH) dependence and METH-induced psychosis and mania in a Malaysian population. The rs4755404 gene polymorphism was genotyped in METH-dependent male subjects (n = 285) and male control subjects (n = 251). The subjects consisted of the four ethnic groups in Malaysia (Malay, Chinese, Kadazan-Dusun, and Bajau). Interestingly, there was a significant association between rs4755404 polymorphism and METH-induced psychosis in the pooled METH-dependent subjects in terms of genotype frequency (p = 0.041). However, there was no significant association between rs4755404 polymorphism and METH dependence. Also, the rs455404 polymorphism was not significantly associated with METH-induced mania for both genotype frequencies and allele frequencies in the METH-dependent subjects, regardless of stratification into the different ethnicities. Our study suggests that the SLC1A2 rs4755404 gene polymorphism confers some susceptibility to METH-induced psychosis, especially for those who carry the GG homozygous genotype.
Construction of Tongue Image-Based Machine Learning Model for Screening Patients with Gastric Precancerous Lesions
Authors: Ma Changzheng , Zhang Peng , Du Shiyu , Li Yan , Li Shao
Published: February 2023

Screening patients with precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) is important for gastric cancer prevention. The accuracy and convenience of PLGC screening could be improved with the use of machine learning methodologies to uncover and integrate valuable characteristics of noninvasive medical images related to PLGC. In this study, we therefore focused on tongue images and for the first time constructed a tongue image-based PLGC screening deep learning model (AITongue). The AITongue model uncovered potential associations between tongue image characteristics and PLGC, and integrated canonical risk factors, including age, sex, and Hp infection. Five-fold cross validation analysis on an independent cohort of 1995 patients revealed the AITongue model could screen PLGC individuals with an AUC of 0.75, 10.3% higher than that of the model with only including canonical risk factors. Of note, we investigated the value of the AITongue model in predicting PLGC risk by establishing a prospective PLGC follow-up cohort, reaching an AUC of 0.71. In addition, we developed a smartphone-based app screening system to enhance the application convenience of the AITongue model in the natural population from high-risk areas of gastric cancer in China. Collectively, our study has demonstrated the value of tongue image characteristics in PLGC screening and risk prediction.
Pharmacokinetics of Tamoxifen and Its Major Metabolites and the Effect of the African Ancestry Specific CYP2D6*17 Variant on the Formation of the Active Metabolite, Endoxifen
Authors: Kanji Comfort Ropafadzo , Nyabadza Georginah , Nhachi Charles , Masimirembwa Collen
Published: February 2023

Tamoxifen (TAM) is widely used in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. TAM is metabolized into the active secondary metabolite endoxifen (ENDO), primarily by CYP2D6. We aimed to investigate the effects of an African-specific CYP2D6 variant allele, CYP2D6*17, on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of TAM and its active metabolites in 42 healthy black Zimbabweans. Subjects were grouped based on CYP2D6 genotypes as CYP2D6*1/*1 or *1/*2 or *2/*2 (CYP2D6*1 or *2), CYP2D6*1/*17 or 2*/*17, and CYP2D6*17/*17. PK parameters for TAM and three metabolites were determined. The pharmacokinetics of ENDO showed statistically significant differences among the three groups. The mean ENDO AUC0-∞ in CYP2D6*17/*17 subjects was 452.01 (196.94) h·*ng/mL, and the AUC0-∞ in CYP2D6*1/*17 subjects was 889.74 h·ng/mL, which was 5-fold and 2.8-fold lower than in CYP2D6*1 or *2 subjects, respectively. Individuals who were heterozygous or homozygous for CYP2D6*17 alleles showed a 2- and 5-fold decrease in Cmax, respectively, compared to the CYP2D6*1 or *2 genotype. CYP2D6*17 gene carriers have significantly lower ENDO exposure levels than CYP2D6*1 or *2 gene carriers. Pharmacokinetic parameters of TAM and the two primary metabolites, N-desmethyl tamoxifen (NDT) and 4-hydroxy tamoxifen (4OHT), did not show any significant difference in the three genotype groups. The African-specific CYP2D6*17 variant had effects on ENDO exposure levels that could potentially have clinical implications for patients homozygous for this variant.
Histopathological Lung Findings in COVID-19 B.1.617.2 SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant
Authors: Jeican Ionuț Isaia , Inișca Patricia , Gheban Dan , Anton Vlad , Lazăr Mihaela , Vică Mihaela Laura , Mironescu Daniela , Rebeleanu Codrin , Crivii Carmen Bianca , Aluaș Maria , Albu Silviu , Siserman Costel Vasile
Published: February 2023

Background: The Delta variant (Pango lineage B.1.617.2) is one of the most significant and aggressive variants of SARS-CoV-2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper specifically studying pulmonary morphopathology in COVID-19 caused by the B.1.617.2 Delta variant. Methods: The study included 10 deceased patients (40-83 years) with the COVID-19 Delta variant. The necrotic lung fragments were obtained either by biopsy (six cases) or autopsy (four cases). Tissue samples were subjected to virology analysis for identification of the SARS-CoV-2 variant, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry (anti-SARS coronavirus mouse anti-virus antibody). Results: Virology analysis identified B.1.617.2 through genetic sequencing in eight cases, and in two cases, specific mutations of B.1.617.2 were identified. Macroscopically, in all autopsied cases, the lung had a particular appearance, purple in color, with increased consistency on palpation and abolished crepitations. Histopathologically, the most frequently observed lesions were acute pulmonary edema (70%) and diffuse alveolar damage at different stages. The immunohistochemical examination was positive for proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in 60% of cases on alveolocytes and in endothelial cells. Conclusions: The histopathological lung findings in the B.1.617.2 Delta variant are similar to those previously described in COVID-19. Spike protein-binding antibodies were identified immunohistochemically both on alveolocytes and in the endothelial cells, showing the potential of indirect damage from thrombosis.
Donor, Recipient and Surgeon Sex and Sex-Concordance and their Impact on Liver Transplant Outcome
Authors: Mazilescu Laura Ioana , Bernheim Isabel , Treckmann Jürgen , Radunz Sonia
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Patient sex is associated with differential outcome of many procedures although the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Especially in transplant surgery, surgeon-patient sex-concordance is rarely present for female patients and outcome may be negatively affected. (2) Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, recipient, donor, and surgeon sex were evaluated and short- and long-term outcome was analyzed with regards to sex and sex-concordance of patients, donors, and surgeons. (3) Results: We included 425 recipients in our study; 50.1% of organ donors, 32.7% of recipients, and 13.9% of surgeons were female. Recipient-donor sex concordance was present in 82.7% of female recipients and in 65.7% of male recipients (p = 0.0002). Recipient-surgeon sex concordance was present in 11.5% of female recipients and in 85.0% of male recipients (p < 0.0001). Five-year patient survival was comparable between female and male recipients (70.0% vs. 73.3%, p = 0.3978). Five-year patient survival of female recipients treated by female surgeons was improved without reaching significance (81.3% vs. 68.4%, p = 0.3621). (4) Conclusions: Female recipients and female surgeons are underrepresented in liver transplant surgery. Societal factors influencing outcome of female patients suffering from end-stage organ failure need to be further examined and acted upon to possibly improve the outcome of female liver transplant recipients.
Impacts of Drought on Loan Repayment
Authors: Breeden Joseph L.
Published: February 2023

In order to stress test loan portfolios for the impacts of climate change, historical events need to be analyzed to create templates to stress test for future events. Using the 2012 Midwestern US drought as an example, this work creates a stress-testing template for future droughts. The analysis connects weather and crop yield data to impacts on local macroeconomic conditions by comparing drought-impacted agricultural counties with nearby urban counties. After measuring the net macroeconomic impacts of the drought, this was used as an overlay with existing macroeconomic stress models to stress test a lender in a different part of the US for possible drought impacts. Having a library of such climate events would allow lenders to stress test their portfolios for a wide range of possible impacts.
An Event-Driven Architectural Model for Integrating Heterogeneous Data and Developing Smart City Applications
Authors: Phuttharak Jurairat , Loke Seng W.
Published: February 2023

Currently, many governments are gearing up to promote the development of smart cities in their countries. A smart city is an urban area using different types of sensors to collect data, which will then be used to manage assets and resources efficiently. Through smart technology, the quality of living and performance of urban services are enhanced. Recent works addressed a set of platforms aimed to support the development of smart city applications. It seems that most of them involved dealing with collecting, managing, analyzing, and correlating data to extract new information useful to a city, but they do not integrate a diversified set of services and react to events on the fly. Moreover, the application development facilities provided by them seem to be limited and might even increase the complexity of this task. We propose an event-based architecture with components that meet important requirements for smart city platforms, supporting increased demand for scalability, flexibility, and heterogeneity in event processing. We implement such architecture and data representation models, handling different data formats, and supporting a semantics-based data model. Finally, we discuss the effectiveness of a S mart Event-based Middleware (SEMi) and present empirical results regarding a performance evaluation of SEMi.
Real-World Analysis of the Safety and Effectiveness of Apixaban Therapy in Cancer Patients with Venous Thromboembolism in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alabdelmuhsin Lolwa , Alwethairi Metab , Almadani Ohoud , Althunian Turki A. , Badreldin Hisham A.
Published: February 2023

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of apixaban in patients with cancer for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) at a tertiary medical institution in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An observational retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with cancer who were diagnosed with VTE and received apixaban therapy from August 2016 to October 2020. Results: A total of 478 patients were screened; 99 patients were included in the final analysis. Of those included, 38 (38%) were female, 74 (77.1%) had a solid tumor, and 36 (36.4%) were receiving apixaban therapy due to developing proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and the mean age was 58.59 (±14.77). At six months, thrombotic events occurred in 11 patients (11.1%), and bleeding events occurred in 14 (14.1%) of the included individuals. Mortality occurred in 9 (9.09%) of the included individuals. Close to 32% individuals discontinued apixaban therapy at six months. Conclusion: The prevalence of recurrent VTE and bleeding events in patients with cancer using apixaban for treating VTE is in line with many other real-world studies but slightly higher compared to the patients enrolled in the Apixaban for the Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism Associated with Cancer (CARAVAGGIO) trial.
Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping as a Biomarker to Assess Middle Cerebral Artery Thrombus Composition in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Han Shanhua , Lv Yifan , Gao Ke , Quan Qiuyue , Lu Haitao , Liang Huazheng , Zhu Ying , Meng Linglei , Luo Yu
Published: February 2023

Objective: To compare the quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) susceptibility values and pathology composition with different types of thrombi in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), and assess the value of susceptibility weight imaging in thrombus component diagnosis in stroke. Materials and methods: This study included 15 patients (73.47 ± 10.7 years; 6 males and 9 females) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging before mechanical thrombectomy due to acute middle cerebral artery occlusion between January 2017 and December 2019. All patients had the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on SWI (susceptibility weighted imaging), and the thrombus susceptibility was measured by signal processing in nuclear magnetic resonance SPIN software. The retrieved thrombi underwent histopathologic analysis, and the correlation between thrombus susceptibility and the pathologic composition was analyzed by two independent Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. The location and length of thrombi were evaluated on both SWI and DSA, and the correlation was explored using two independent samples Wilcoxon rank test. The correlations between susceptibility and the infarct core volumes (ADC < 620 mm2/s volume map), hypoperfusion volumes (Tmax > 6 s volume map), 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at admission were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results: Among the 15 retrieved thrombi, the mean thrombus susceptibility of RBC-dominant and fibrin-dominant thrombi were 209.88 ± 11.32 and 155.70 ± 28.20 (ppb), respectively (p = 0.037). The average distance of the proximal end of the thrombi to the midline was 24.67 ± 8.43 mm and 24.62 ± 8.44 mm, as measured by SWI and DSA (digital subtraction angiography), respectively (p < 0.001). The correlation between thrombus susceptibility was weakly negatively correlated with ADC < 620 mm2/s volume map (r = 0.356, p = 0.193) and poorly correlated with Tmax > 6 s volume map (r = 0.252, p = 0.365), 90-day mRS (r = 0.182, p = 0.517), and NIHSS at admission (r = 0.262, p = 0.345). Conclusions: The measurements of the Quantitative susceptibility value of thrombi may help predict the composition of thrombi in patients with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion. QSM provides a more accurate method to evaluate the thrombi.
Access to Multiple Habitats Improves Welfare: A Case Study of Two Zoo-Housed Black Bears (Ursus americanus)
Authors: Bruno Kelly , Hubbard Cassidy , Lynch Emily
Published: February 2023

Using various forms of enrichment, animal care specialists encourage species-specific behaviors and discourage stereotypic behaviors. Within the zoo community, bears (Ursids spp.) are commonly housed, yet are prone to exhibiting stress-related behaviors. Here, we assess the effect of access to multiple habitats, including areas of off guest view, on the welfare of two American black bears (U. americanus) housed at the North Carolina Zoo. In this study, we looked at two behaviors, pacing and foraging to represent negative and positive welfare indicators. We performed logistic regressions to model the effect of access on these behaviors. Because having an animal visible to guests is important to consider when creating management plans, we also explored the effect of access on the bears’ visibility. We found that full access reduced the likelihood of pacing by an average of 13% and increased the likelihood of foraging by an average of 5%. Access to multiple areas reduced the probability of visibility by 57% for one individual but did not impact visibility of the other bear. This case study suggests the value of access to zoo animal welfare and should incite future research aimed at exploring the effects of access on various behavioral outcomes.
On the Role of Natural and Induced Landscape Heterogeneity for the Support of Pollinators: A Green Infrastructure Perspective Applied in a Peri-Urban System
Authors: Capotorti Giulia , Valeri Simone , Giannini Arianna , Minorenti Valerio , Piarulli Mariagrazia , Audisio Paolo
Published: February 2023

Pollinators are key ecosystem components and their conservation represents a critical target for both nature and human health. In a world of increasing urbanisation, cities and peri-urban areas have to be active players in addressing this target, and in-depth knowledge of the effects of the urbanisation gradient and related landscape features on pollinators has to be acquired. Accordingly, an experimental study on the relationships between bee communities and natural vs. human-induced environmental heterogeneity has been carried out in a transitional peri-urban landscape of the Metropolitan area of Rome (Italy). A multi-step procedure was adopted, arranged into plant and bee communities field sampling, detailed mapping of actual and potential ecosystems, and combined processing and modelling of the respective results. The potential contribution of experimental findings to the deployment of a pollinator-friendly Green Infrastructure (GI) has been then explored, with statistical correlations between bee diversity and landscape metrics adopted for defining conservation and restoration actions and a multi-criteria analysis adopted for site prioritisation in the study area. Such a planned GI could represent an effective solution for enhancing resilience and resistance of peri-urban landscapes against land take and agricultural intensification, as local expressions of global biodiversity loss drivers.
The Soils of Early Farmers and Their Neighbors in the Southern Buh Catchment (Ukraine): Micromorphology and Archaeological Context
Authors: Kiosak Dmytro , Matviishyna Zhanna
Published: February 2023

The problems regarding hunter-gatherer/early farmer interactions are quite an important topic in southeast European archaeology. According to the available data, the two economic subsistence systems have coexisted for some 2000 years during the 6th–4th millennia cal BC (Telegin 1985; Lillie et al., 2001). In some areas, hunter-gatherer and early farmer sites are located just a few kilometers apart. The Southern Buh River valley has yielded evidence of Linear Pottery culture, early Trypillia and Trypillia B1 Neolithic settlements as well as hunter-gatherer sites with pottery attributable to the so-called sub-Neolithic or para-Neolithic (Haskevych et al., 2019; Kiosak et al., 2021). Trial-trenches have been opened within some of these sites, which have been radiocarbon-dated from Bern University laboratory (LARA). Soil samples for micromorphological analysis have been collected from these sites to interpret their paleogenetic formation. The soil development is attested since, at least, the beginning of the 5th mill BC, followed by the developed of chernozem soils, which was interrupted by an erosional episode in the end of 5th millennium BC. The available data show that the soils of early farmers arable as are the present day ones. The early farmers were able to exploit relatively heavy soils to cultivate wheat and barley as early as 5250–5050 cal BC. In contrast, the sites of ceramic hunter-gatherers were often located on the soils which formed under wet conditions along seasonally flooded riverbanks, which were almost unsuitable for agricultural practices.
Low Cost and Easy to Implement Physical and Hydrological Soil Assessment of Shade-Grown Coffee in Santa Rosa, Guatemala
Authors: Gerlach Marcelo Daniel , Lozano-Baez Sergio Esteban , Castellini Mirko , Guzman Nery , Gomez Wilmer Andrés , Medina Bayron
Published: February 2023

Coffee agroecosystems are considered to have the potential to impact soil hydrological functions positively, such as water infiltration and soil moisture retention; however, it is not clear how hydrodynamic soil properties regenerate after land-use change and what easy to implement and low-cost indicators there are. Common methodologies to assess soil hydraulic properties are time consuming and expensive. Therefore, the development of easy, robust, and inexpensive methodologies is one of the main steps in achieving a comprehensive understanding of the effects of land-use change on soil hydraulic and physical characteristics in time and space. In order to assess soil properties, we investigated the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and two micro-climatic indicators: soil volumetric water content (VWC) and temperature above (TAL) and below soil cover (TBL) in four land-use types: a thirty-year-old shade-grown coffee (CN); a seven-year-old shade-grown coffee (CP); a one-year-old shade-grown coffee (CC) as well as a non-commercial pasture (PR), in the municipality of Nueva Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa department, Guatemala. Additionally, we conducted a visual soil assessment (VSA) elaborated on by the Catholic Relief Services for coffee soils in Central America. We used the steady version of the simplified method based on a Beerkan Infiltration run (SSBI method) to obtain Ks values after determining historical land use. The SSBI methodology is thought to be a suitable compromise between measurement reliability, applicability, simplicity, and the necessity for repeated sampling in space and time. We also counted the number of shade trees, the canopy cover, vegetation height, soil cover, diameter at breast height, and total number of shade trees. Our findings contend that CN had the highest Ks values, indicating that shade trees have a positive impact on soil hydrological properties in shade-grown coffee agroecosystems. Additionally, CP had the highest VWC content and the greatest effect of leaf litter on soil temperature, indicating a positive impact of leaf litter on microclimatic conditions and soil moisture after seven years of agroforestry coffee plantation. The visual soil assessment suggested that CN had the highest score followed by CP, corroborating the results for Ks and VWC. The selected methodologies proved to be low cost and easy to implement. To counter shortcomings of these methodologies, we recommend monitoring infiltration in tropical land-use systems at regular intervals to better understand the temporal variability of infiltration recovery and ensure robust data in time and space.
Variation in Soil Aggregate Stability Due to Land Use Changes from Alpine Grassland in a High-Altitude Watershed
Authors: Li Ying , Ma Zhanming , Liu Yutao , Cui Zilong , Mo Qiuyu , Zhang Can , Sheng Haiyan , Wang Wen , Zhang Yongkun
Published: February 2023

Land use change affects soil aggregate composition and stability, which impacts soil structure and health. To reveal how land use change impacted soil aggregates of alpine grassland in a high-altitude watershed, soil samples from 161 sites including alpine grassland, cropland and abandoned land were selected to measure and analyze the distribution of aggregate fractions (macro-aggregates, micro-aggregates, silt+clay), soil aggregate stability (mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, fractal dimension, etc.) and related soil properties (soil organic carbon content, soil particle composition, etc.) in the Huangshui River watershed of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The results showed: (1) As alpine grasslands were converted to croplands and croplands to abandoned lands, the proportion of macro-aggregates and the aggregate stability index showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing (p < 0.05), indicating that tillage and abandonment have significant influences on soil aggregate structure. (2) Compared with temperate grassland, alpine grassland had richer soil organic carbon, and a higher ratio of macro-aggregates and aggregate stability. (3) Soil organic carbon and sand content had distinct influences on the fractions and stability of aggregates during land use change. These results suggested that cultivation can substantially reduce the soil aggregate stability in alpine grassland, whereas abandonment can effectively improve soil aggregate structure.
Simulating Urban Element Design with Pedestrian Attention: Visual Saliency as Aid for More Visible Wayfinding Design
Authors: Kim Gwangbin , Yeo Dohyeon , Lee Jieun , Kim SeungJun
Published: February 2023

Signs, landmarks, and other urban elements should attract attention to or harmonize with the environment for successful landscape design. These elements also provide information during navigation—particularly for people with cognitive difficulties or those unfamiliar with the geographical area. Nevertheless, some urban components are less eye-catching than intended because they are created and positioned irrespective of their surroundings. While quantitative measures such as eye tracking have been introduced, they help the initial or final stage of the urban design process and they involve expensive experiments. We introduce machine-learning-predicted visual saliency as iterative feedback for pedestrian attention during urban element design. Our user study focused on wayfinding signs as part of urban design and revealed that providing saliency prediction promoted a more efficient and helpful design experience without compromising usability. The saliency-guided design practice also contributed to producing more eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing urban elements. The study demonstrated that visual saliency can lead to an improved urban design experience and outcome, resulting in more accessible cities for citizens, visitors, and people with cognitive impairments.
How Good Does This Sound? Examining Listeners’ Second Language Proficiency and Their Perception of Category Goodness in Their Native Language
Authors: Nagle Charlie , Baese-Berk Melissa M. , Diantoro Carissa , Kim Haeun
Published: February 2023

Language learners often transfer the sounds and prosody of their native language into their second language, but this influence can also flow in the opposite direction, with the second language influencing the first. Among other variables, language proficiency is known to affect the degree and directionality of cross-linguistic influence. However, little is known about how second language learning affects listeners’ perception of their native language. To begin addressing this gap, we examined the relationship between learners’ second language proficiency and their category goodness ratings in their native language. Thirty-nine English-speaking learners of Spanish listened to English words that began with voiced and voiceless stop consonants and were asked to rate how well the word represented the intended word on a 5-point scale. To create a voicing continuum, we manipulated the voice onset time of the word-initial stop in each target item from 125 ms of prevoicing to 100 ms of aspiration, in 25 ms steps. Proficiency did not affect the perception of voiced targets, but both proficiency and L2 stop production affected the perception of voiceless targets.
Fortune and Decay of Lexical Expletives in Germanic and Romance along the Adige River
Authors: Tomaselli Alessandra , Bidese Ermenegildo
Published: February 2023

Lexical expletives can be divided into two main classes: (i) CP expletives required by the V2 constraint and, hence, by the necessity to lexicalize the position on the left of the inflected verb and (ii) TP expletives connected with the negative value of the pro-drop parameter and, therefore, with the necessity to lexicalize the ’structural‘ subject position, specifically, [Spec, TP]. The latter can, in turn, be divided into two subclasses: impersonal subjects and positional expletives, which occur with postverbal/low subjects and extraposed subject clauses. While CP expletives only appear in Germanic varieties that maintain V2, the subclassification of TP expletives yields interesting results when comparing Cimbrian and the Venetan varieties in Nord-East Italy, where the gradual disappearance of the positional expletive in free inversion structures and the residual maintenance of impersonal subjects from North to South along the Adige River confirms the distinction between two classes of subject expletives; furthermore, the resilience of impersonal subjects and their distribution in the northwestern part of the area under consideration sheds light on the role of language contact which is confirmed along the same axis—but crucially in the opposite direction—by the increasing employment of cleft constructions in WH-clauses replacing enclisis (i.e.,: pronominal subject inversion with the finite verb).
Hesitations in Primary Progressive Aphasia
Authors: Baqué Lorraine , Machuca María Jesús
Published: February 2023

Hesitations are often used by speakers in spontaneous speech not only to organise and prepare their speech but also to address any obstacles that may arise during delivery. Given the relationship between hesitation phenomena and motor and/or cognitive–linguistic control deficits, characterising the form of hesitation could be potentially useful in diagnosing specific speech and language disorders, such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA). This work aims to analyse the features of hesitations in patients with PPA compared to healthy speakers, with hesitations understood here as those related to speech planning, that is, silent or empty pauses, filled pauses, and lengthened syllables. Forty-three adults took part in this experiment, of whom thirty-two suffered from some form of PPA: thirteen from logopenic PPA (lvPPA), ten from nonfluent PPA (nfvPPA), and nine from semantic PPA (svPPA). The remaining 11 were healthy speakers who served as a control group. An analysis of audio data recorded when participants produced spontaneous speech for a picture description task showed that the frequency of silent pauses, especially those classified as long (>1000 ms) was particularly useful to distinguish PPA participants from healthy controls and also to differentiate among PPA types. This was also true, albeit to a lesser extent, of the frequency of filled pauses and lengthened syllables.
Ferulic Acid Treats Gastric Ulcer via Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Ermis Aleyna , Aritici Colak Gozde , Acikel-Elmas Merve , Arbak Serap , Kolgazi Meltem
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gastroprotective potential of ferulic acid (FA) on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats with macroscopic and microscopic examinations along with biochemical assays. (2) Methods: After 24 h starvation, the ulcer was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by subcutaneous indomethacin (25 mg/kg) injection. Fifteen minutes after ulcer induction, rats were treated with either tween 80 or FA. FA was given by oral gavage at 100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg. In the fourth hour, rats were euthanized and collected gastric samples were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Antioxidant parameters including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and inflammatory parameters comprising of myeloperoxidase (MPO), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 levels were also determined. (3) Results: Indomethacin injection significantly increased the macroscopic and microscopic scores. In addition, it increased the gastric MDA, MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-κB p65 levels but reduced SOD and GSH content. Treatment with FA significantly improved the gastric injury macroscopically and microscopically. Moreover, FA displayed a marked decrease in the gastric levels of MDA, MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-κB p65 and a significant increase in SOD and GSH compared to the INDO group. Ultimately, 250 mg/kg FA was determined as the most effective dose. (4) Conclusion: Our results revealed that FA has a gastroprotective effect against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, FA may be a potential treatment choice for gastric ulcers.