bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CCL22-Polarized TAMs to M2a Macrophages in Cervical Cancer In Vitro Model
Authors: Wang Qun , Sudan Kritika , Schmoeckel Elisa , Kost Bernd Peter , Kuhn Christina , Vattai Aurelia , Vilsmaier Theresa , Mahner Sven , Jeschke Udo , Heidegger Helene Hildegard
Published: June 2022

Macrophages are dynamic cells susceptible to the local microenvironment which includes tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in cancers. TAMs are a collection of heterogeneous macrophages, including M1 and M2 subtypes, shaped by various activation modes and labeled with various markers in different tumors. CCL22+-infiltrating cells are thought to be significantly associated with the prognosis of cervical cancer patients. Moreover, CCL22 is an established marker of M2a macrophages. Although the phenotypic identification of M1 and M2 macrophages is well established in mice and human macrophages cultured in a medium with fetal calf serum (FCS), fewer studies have focused on M2 subtypes. In addition, the question of whether CCL22 affects polarization of M2a macrophages remains unanswered. This study constructed a co-culture system to shape TAMs in vitro. We found that CCL22 was mainly secreted by TAMs but not cervical cancer cell lines. Human peripheral blood monocytes were differentiated into uncommitted macrophages (M0) and then polarized to M1, M2a, M2b, and M2c macrophages using LPS plus IFNr, IL-4, LPS plus IL1β, and IL-10, respectively. Using flowcytometry, we found CD80++ was the marker of M1 and M2b, CD206++ was the marker of M2a, and CD163++ was the marker of M2c, compared with M0 macrophages. By regulating CCL22, we found that the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD206 in TAMs was significantly affected compared to the control group. Therefore, CCL22 could polarize TAMs of cervical cancer toward M2a macrophages. In conclusion, our study revealed that CCL22 could be a therapeutic target for cervical cancer, which might be because of its role in regulating macrophage polarization.
Voltammetric Electrochemical Behavior of Carbon Paste Electrode Containing Intrinsic Silver for Determination of Cysteine
Authors: Buljac Maša , Krivić Denis , Rončević Ivana Škugor , Vladislavić Nives , Buzuk Marijo
Published: June 2022

In this paper, the electrochemical behavior of cysteine is described, using carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) modified with ternary silver-copper sulfide containing intrinsic silver at two pH values (pH 3 and 5). Experiments have revealed that presence of cysteine has a large impact on the electrochemical behavior of modified CPEs. Observed phenomena take place in solution, as well as at the surface of the modified CPEs, and can be applied for electroanalytical purposes. Based on the electrochemical behavior observed in the examined system, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was selected as an electroanalytical method for determination of cysteine. The effects of the various parameters on the electroanalytical signal, such as the amount of electroactive material, electroanalytical parameters, pH etc., were investigated using differential pulse voltammograms. The results indicated that electrochemical signal characterized with well-defined cathodic peak at 0.055 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3 M) in acetic buffer solution at pH 5 can be used for indirect electrochemical determination of cysteine. The optimization procedure revealed that the most sensitive and stabile electrode was that containing 5% modifier. The DPV response of the electrode, in the presence of cysteine, showed two different linear concentration ranges of 0.1 to 2.5 μM, and 5.6 to 28 μM. The explanation of the origin of two linear ranges is proposed. The lower concentration range was characterized by remarkable sensitivity of the 11.78 μA μM−1, owing to the chosen indirect method of determination. The calculated limit of detection (LOD), as well as limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.032 and 0.081 μM, respectively. The influence of interfering agents on the electroanalytical response was examined, and low or no interference on the DPVs was observed. The proposed method was validated and applied for the determination of cysteine in pharmaceutical preparations with satisfactory recoveries in the range of 97 to 101.7%.
Study on Microdamage Quantitative Analysis of Cd and Pb in Leaves by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
Authors: Fang Li , Ma Mingjun , Yin Gaofang , Chen Xiaowei , Chen Fuqiang , Zhao Nanjing
Published: June 2022

Recent years, research on the detection of heavy metals in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) have gradually increased. Current main methods of establishing calibration curve are based on grounding and pelleting of the tested samples. Although compared to digested samples, grounding and pelleting of the sample is already quite simple, it cannot fully reflect the advantages of LIBS: rapid analysis, and, also, the uneven distribution of heavy metals in the TCM is ignored. In order to avoid grinding and pelleting sample to be tested, and to achieve microdamage quantitative analysis by LIBS, this article presents a new method for establishing calibration curve. The experiment in this paper based on a study with Cd and Pb in leaves of laurel. The preparation of calibration samples and the establishment of calibration methods for microdamage quantitative analysis were presented, which proved the feasibility of microdamage quantitative analysis by LIBS. The square of the linear relationship coefficient R of Pb was higher than 0.82. This method provides a guiding method for the rapid quantitative analysis of heavy metals in TCM by LIBS.
Neonatal Airway Abnormalities
Authors: Srikanthan Adithya , Scott Samantha , Desai Vilok , Reichert Lara
Published: June 2022

Neonatal airway abnormalities are commonly encountered by the neonatologist, general pediatrician, maternal fetal medicine specialist, and otolaryngologist. This review article discusses common and rare anomalies that may be encountered, along with discussion of embryology, workup, and treatment. This article aims to provide a broad overview of neonatal airway anomalies to arm those caring for these children with a broad differential diagnosis and basic knowledge of how to manage basic and complex presentations.
Developmental Coordination Disorder: State of the Art and Future Directions from a Neurophysiological Perspective
Authors: Emanuele Marco , Polletta Giovanni , Marini Maddalena , Fadiga Luciano
Published: June 2022

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition characterized by disabling motor impairments being visible from the first years of life. Over recent decades, research in this field has gained important results, showing alterations in several processes involved in the regulation of motor behavior (e.g., planning and monitoring of actions, motor learning, action imitation). However, these studies mostly pursued a behavioral approach, leaving relevant questions open concerning the neural correlates of this condition. In this narrative review, we first survey the literature on motor control and sensorimotor impairments in DCD. Then, we illustrate the contributions to the field that may be achieved using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex. While still rarely employed in DCD research, this approach offers several opportunities, ranging from the clarification of low-level cortical electrophysiology to the assessment of the motor commands transmitted throughout the corticospinal system. We propose that TMS may help to investigate the neural correlates of motor impairments reported in behavioral studies, thus guiding DCD research toward a brain-oriented acknowledgment of this condition. This effort would help translational research to provide novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
Fluorescence-Guided Surgery (FGS) during a Laparoscopic Redo Nissen Fundoplication: The First Case in Children
Authors: Paraboschi Irene , Privitera Laura , Loukogeorgakis Stavros , Giuliani Stefano
Published: June 2022

We present the first case of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) using indocyanine green (ICG) in a pediatric redo-Nissen fundoplication. The patient is a 17-year-old male with recurrent gastroesophageal symptoms who underwent primary antireflux surgery at 10 months of age. During the redo fundoplication, ICG was intravenously administered to help the visualization during the adhesiolysis between liver, stomach and right crus of the diaphragm and to spare small oesophageal vessels and the left gastric artery. In this case, FGS made the surgery easier than usual and likely reduced the risk of intra-operative complications. Therefore, we believe that this new technology should be regularly used in these types of complex intra-abdominal redo operations.
Access to Public Support Systems Related to Severity of Adversities and Resilience among Adolescents
Authors: Huang Lihong , Mossige Svein , Solem May-Britt
Published: June 2022

Access to support systems is crucial for providing immediate assistance and treatment to children to counteract the long-term detrimental effects of various forms of violence. This study examines how adversity such as victimization of violence and self-injury behaviors among young people with their individual resilience is related to their access to support systems. The data used in our analysis are from two national youth surveys carried out in Norway in 2007 and 2015. We ask: To what degree do young people with experiences of violence gain access to support systems such as child welfare services, mental health services for children and youth, and pedagogical psychology services? Our results show that although not all young people who need help have gained access to support systems, victimization of violence and self-injury behavior significantly increase the likelihood of accessing these support systems. Our results also reveal a persistent effect of young people’s home socio-economic background on their unequal access to system support. More future research is needed on the subtle mechanisms and social–emotional implications of individual accessing system support from the macro-societal level and meso-system/family level.
Pediatric Lichen Myxedematosus: A Diagnostic and Management Challenge
Authors: Barry Kelly K. , Reusch Diana B. , Schmidt Birgitta A. R. , Hawryluk Elena B.
Published: June 2022

Localized lichen myxedematosus (LM) is a rare, idiopathic mucinosis characterized by dermal mucin deposition and variable fibroblast proliferation. Nodular lichen myxedematosus, a clinicopathologic subtype of localized LM, is exceedingly rare in pediatric patients with only three prior cases reported. Understanding of LM in pediatric patients is limited by the rarity of the disease, and diagnosis is complicated by overlapping clinical and histopathologic features. There is no standardized treatment for localized LM and treatment is largely dictated by a patient’s desire to minimize cosmetic disfigurement. This case series reports two additional patients with juvenile nodular lichen myxedematosus, highlights the limitations of existing diagnostic criteria, and describes successful treatment of one patient with intralesional triamcinolone.
Trauma Functioning and Well-Being in Children Who Receive Mental Health Aid after Natural Disaster or War
Authors: Simonds Emily A. , Gobenciong Katrina Arlene P. , Wilson Jonathan E. , Jiroutek Michael R. , Nugent Nicole R. , van Tilburg Miranda A. L.
Published: June 2022

Background: There is worldwide consensus that providing secondary prevention to promote resilience and prevent mental health concerns after a disaster is important. However, data supporting this kind of intervention is largely lacking. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of OperationSAFE, an early intervention for children after community-wide trauma. Methods: Secondary data analyses of data collected during 158 OperationSAFE camps (a five day camp with a curriculum focused on coping with stressors) in five countries and ten disasters between 2015 and 2020 were performed. Data on child trauma-related functioning/well-being were collected by an OperationSAFE in-house developed symptom checklist and completed by counselors about children on the first and last day of the 5-day camp. Results: A total of 16,768 children participated in the camps (mean age 9.4 ± 2.36; 50% male). Trauma-related functioning/well-being improved from day 1 to day 5 (b = 8.44 ± 0.04; p < 0.0001). Older children improved more (b = 0.22 ± 0.01; p < 0.0001). Children in man-made ongoing trauma (war/refugees) situations responded stronger than those after natural disasters (b = 2.24 ± 0.05; p < 0.0001). Negligible effects for gender and the number of days between a traumatic event and the start of camp were found. Conclusions: This is the first study to show in a large and diverse sample that secondary prevention to promote resilience and prevent mental health concerns after a disaster for children is associated with improvements in trauma-related functioning/well-being. Delaying delivery of the intervention did not affect outcomes. Given the uncontrolled nature of the study and lack of long-term outcomes, more studies are needed to corroborate the current findings.
Preliminary Evidence on Pulmonary Function after Asymptomatic and Mild COVID-19 in Children
Authors: Di Chiara Costanza , Carraro Silvia , Zanconato Stefania , Cozzani Sandra , Baraldi Eugenio , Giaquinto Carlo , Ferraro Valentina Agnese , Donà Daniele
Published: June 2022

Background: While it has been described that adults can develop long-lasting deterioration in pulmonary function (PF) after coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), regardless of disease severity, data on the long-term pneumological impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children are lacking. Methods: Performing a single-center, prospective, observational study on children aged 6–18 years with a previous diagnosis of asymptomatic/mild COVID-19, we evaluated the long-term impact of mild severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children. Results: A total of 61 subjects underwent spirometry after a mean time of 10 ± 4 months from asymptomatic or mild infection. None of the children reported any respiratory symptoms, needed any inhaled therapy, or had abnormal lung function. Conclusions: In our study, we observed that children and adolescents did not develop chronic respiratory symptoms and did not present lung function impairment after asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Social Humanoid Robots for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review of Modalities, Indications, and Pitfalls
Authors: Puglisi Alfio , Caprì Tindara , Pignolo Loris , Gismondo Stefania , Chilà Paola , Minutoli Roberta , Marino Flavia , Failla Chiara , Arnao Antonino Andrea , Tartarisco Gennaro , Cerasa Antonio , Pioggia Giovanni
Published: June 2022

Robot-assisted therapy (RAT) is a promising area of translational neuroscience for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It has been widely demonstrated that this kind of advanced technological tool provides a reliable and efficient intervention for promoting social skills and communication in children with ASD. This type of treatment consists of a human-assisted social robot acting as an intervention mediator to increase competence and skills in children with ASD. Several social robots have been validated in the literature; however, an explicit technical comparison among devices has never been performed. For this reason, in this article, we provide an overview of the main commercial humanoid robots employed for ASD children with an emphasis on indications for use, pitfalls to be avoided, and recent advances. We conclude that, in the near future, a new generation of devices with high levels of mobility, availability, safety, and acceptability should be designed for improving the complex triadic interaction among teachers, children, and robots.
Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Authors: Chang Min Cheol
Published: June 2022

Pediatric rehabilitation medicine is a discipline that enables children with acquired or congenital disabilities to reach their maximum physical, mental, social, occupational, and educational potential [...]
First Aid Willingness Questionnaire for Schoolchildren: An Exploratory Factor Analysis and Correlation Study
Authors: Katona Zsolt , Tarkó Klára , Berki Tamás
Published: June 2022

The goal of this study was to explore the factor structure of the First Aid Willingness Questionnaire and determine its correlations and associations between sociodemographic and sport-related variables. A total of 413 adolescents participated in this study (mean age = 14.2 years). They consisted of 221 boys and 193 girls. Besides sociodemographic and sport-related questions, the First Aid Willingness Questionnaire was used to understand the student’s first aid attitudes. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor model. The first factor was named first aid willingness for peers, which includes willingness to help friends and family members. The second factor contained factors to help strangers; thus, it was named first aid willingness for strangers. The analysis revealed a third factor that assessed the students’ knowledge of first aid. The last factor contained the students’ negative emotions. The correlation between the factors showed that knowledge had a positive association with all the other factors. Adolescents’ willingness to help their peers was highly associated with helping strangers, but negative emotions had a negative correlation with helping unknown people. Sport-related variables were investigated to determine the effects on first aid attitudes. Even though sport seemed to increase first aid willingness, future studies need to explore its associations. We believe that a deeper understanding of this topic could help prevent serious injuries or death in emergencies.
Defining Equinus Foot in Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Horsch Axel , Petzinger Lara , Ghandour Maher , Putz Cornelia , Renkawitz Tobias , Götze Marco
Published: June 2022

Background: Equinus foot is the deformity most frequently observed in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). While there is widespread agreement on the treatment of equinus foot, a clear clinical definition has been lacking. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate functional changes in gait analysis in relation to maximum possible dorsiflexion (0°, 5°, 10° and 15°) and in two subgroups of CP patients (unilateral and bilateral). Methods: In this retrospective study, CP patients with different degrees of clinically measured maximum dorsiflexion were included. We further subdivided patients into unilaterally and bilaterally affected individuals and also included a healthy control group. All participants underwent a 3D gait analysis. Our goal was to determine the degree of maximum clinical dorsiflexion where the functional changes in range of motion (ROM) and ankle moment and power during gait were most evident. Then, a subgroup analysis was performed according to the affected side. Results: In all, 71 and 84 limbs were analyzed in unilaterally and bilaterally affected subgroups. The clinically 0° dorsiflexion group barely reached a plantigrade position in the 3D gait analysis. Differences in ROM were observed between subgroups. Ankle moment was quite similar between different subgroups but to a lower extent in the unilateral group. All CP patients had reduced ankle power compared to controls. Conclusions: A cutoff value of clinical ≤ 5° dorsiflexion is the recommended value for defining a functionally relevant equinus foot in CP patients.
A Prospective Method for Generating COVID-19 Dynamics
Authors: Sukandar Kamal Khairudin , Louismono Andy Leonardo , Volisa Metra , Kusdiantara Rudy , Fakhruddin Muhammad , Nuraini Nuning , Soewono Edy
Published: June 2022

Generating dynamic operators are constructed here from the cumulative case function to recover all state dynamics of a Susceptible–Exposed–Infectious–Recovered (SEIR) model for COVID-19 transmission. In this study, recorded and unrecorded EIRs and a time-dependent infection rate are taken into account to accommodate immeasurable control and intervention processes. Generating dynamic operators are built and implemented on the cumulative cases. All infection processes, which are hidden in this cumulative function, can be recovered entirely by implementing the generating operators. Direct implementation of the operators on the cumulative function gives all recorded state dynamics. Further, the unrecorded daily infection rate is estimated from the ratio between IFR and CFR. The remaining dynamics of unrecorded states are directly obtained from the generating operators. The simulations are conducted using infection data provided by Worldometers from ten selected countries. It is shown that the higher number of daily PCR tests contributed directly to reducing the effective reproduction ratio. The simulations of all state dynamics, infection rates, and effective reproduction ratios for several countries in the first and second waves of transmissions are presented. This method directly measures daily transmission indicators, which can be effectively used for the day-to-day control of the epidemic.
Effect of Different Ca2+ and Zr4+ Contents on Microstructure and Electrical Properties of (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics
Authors: Du Jianzhou , Qiu Long , Yang Cong , Chen Yuansheng , Zhu Kongjun , Wang Luming
Published: June 2022

In the preparation of (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, different Ca2+ and Zr4+ contents will greatly affect the phase structure, microstructure, and electrical properties of the ceramics. XRD shows that all samples have pure perovskite phase structure, and the (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(ZryTi1−y)O3 ceramics morphotropic phase boundary region from tetragonal phase to rhombohedral phase near 0.08 ≤ y ≤ 0.1. From the dielectric temperature curve, the phase transition temperature (TO-T) was found near room temperature at 0.12 ≤ x ≤ 0.18 for the (Ba1−xCax)(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3 ceramics. Both Ca2+ and Zr4+ increase have a significant decrease on the Curie temperature Tc. All samples were revealed as relaxers with diffusivities in the range 1.29 ≤ γ ≤ 1.82. Different from the undoped ceramics, ceramics doped with Ca and Zr ions exhibit saturated P–E hysteresis loops, and their ferroelectric properties are significantly optimized. In particular, the (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3 ceramic demonstrated optimal properties, namely d33 = 330 pC/N, kp = 0.41, εr = 4069, Pr = 4.8 μC/cm2, and Ec = 3.1 kV/cm, indicating that it is a viable lead-free piezoelectric contender. Variations in Ca and Zr content have a significant effect on the crystal grain sizes and densities of ceramics, which is strongly associated with their piezoelectricity.
Luminescence Efficiency of Cerium Bromide Single Crystal under X-ray Radiation
Authors: Linardatos Dionysios , Michail Christos , Kalyvas Nektarios , Ninos Konstantinos , Bakas Athanasios , Valais Ioannis , Fountos George , Kandarakis Ioannis
Published: June 2022

A rare-earth trihalide scintillator, CeBr3, in 1 cm edge cubic monocrystal form, is examined with regard to its principal luminescence and scintillation properties, as a candidate for radiation imaging applications. This relatively new material exhibits attractive properties, including short decay time, negligible afterglow, high stopping power and emission spectrum compatible with several commercial optical sensors. In a setting typical for X-ray radiology (medical X-ray tube, spectra in the range 50–140 kVp, human chest equivalent filtering), the crystal’s light energy flux, absolute efficiency (AE) and X-ray luminescence efficiency (XLE) were determined. Light energy flux results are superior in comparison to other four materials broadly used in modern medical imaging (slope of the linear no-threshold fit was 29.5). The AE is superior from 90 kVp onwards and reaches a value of 29.5 EU at 140 kVp. The same is true for the XLE that, following a flat response, reaches 9 × 10−3 at 90 kVp. Moreover, the spectral matching factors and the respective effective efficiencies (EE) are calculated for a variety of optical sensors. The material exhibits full compatibility with all the flat-panel arrays and most of the photocathodes and Si PMs considered in this work, a factor that proves its suitability for use in state-of-the-art medical imaging applications, such as CT detectors and planar arrays for projection imaging.
Narrow-Headed Voles Species Complex (Cricetidae, Rodentia): Evidence for Species Differentiation Inferred from Transcriptome Data
Authors: Petrova Tatyana , Skazina Maria , Kuksin Aleksander , Bondareva Olga , Abramson Natalia
Published: June 2022

The narrow-headed vole complex includes two cryptic species, Lasiopodomys raddei and L. gregalis, and three allopatrically-distributed lineages with obscure taxonomic ranks within the latter. Based on the RNA-seq data of 12 specimens, the current study aims to find the molecular mechanisms of intraspecies differentiation and, in particular, reproductive isolation between analyzed groups. According to the results of the GO-enrichment analysis, about a hundred biological processes associated with genes with contrasting SNPs for L. gregalis and L. raddei were identified. Among them, processes of interspecific interactions, defense responses, responses to external stimuli, and the perception of chemical stimuli and smell were identified, indicating the likely existence of pre-copulatory behavioral and physiological mechanisms that contribute to reproductive isolation between cryptic species. An evaluation of the ratio of non-synonymous substitutions to synonymous ones showed evidence of selection in L. raddei compared to L. gregalis for a large part of the analyzed genes. Among the analyzed genes, genes with both weakening and intensifying selection were found.
Estimation of Individual Glucose Reserves in High-Yielding Dairy Cows
Authors: Habel Jonas , Chapoutot Patrick , Koch Christian , Sundrum Albert
Published: June 2022

Glucose plays a central role in numerous physiological processes in dairy cows related to immune defence and milk production. A lack of glucose impairs both objectives, although to different degrees. A method for the estimation of glucose balance (GB) in dairy cows was developed to assess glucose reserves in the intermediary metabolism. Digestive fluxes of glucogenic carbon were individually estimated via the Systool Web application based on data on body weight (BW), dry matter intake (DMI), and chemical analyses of feedstuffs. Fluxes of endogenous precursors glycerol, alanine and L-lactate and the glucose demand imposed by major glucose-consuming organs were deduced from BW, lactose yield and lactation stage. GB was calculated for 201 lactations (1 to 105 DIM) of 157 cows fed isoenergetic rations. Individual DMI, BW and milk yield were assessed on a daily basis. The results showed that the GB varied greatly between cows and lactation stages. In the first week of lactation, average daily GB reached levels close to zero (3.2 ± 13.5 mol C) and increased as lactation progressed. Most cows risk substantial shortages of glucose for maintenance during the first weeks of lactation. In face of the specific role of glucose for the functional capability of the immune function, the assessment of glucose reserves is a promising measure for the identification of cows at risk of impaired immunocompetence.
Acute Vision Loss as the Initial Manifestation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Involving the Orbital Apex
Authors: Wu Shang-Yen , Chang Ling-Shuo , Lee Yuan-Chieh , Pan Yu-Jen , Chou Yu-Fu , Chang Fang-Ling , Lu Yu-Hsuan , Chen Nancy
Published: June 2022

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic autoimmune disease consisting of necrotizing granulomatosis of the respiratory tract, necrotizing vasculitis, and necrotizing glomerulonephritis. It is under the category of ANCA-associated vasculitis, which involves small vessels. The nose, sinus, and ear were the most affected sites besides lung and kidney in localized form. They might precede other disease manifestations before progressing to the systemic form. Our patient presented with an intractable headache, followed by acute vision loss. His symptoms deteriorated regardless of antibiotic treatment for paranasal sinusitis. The sequential CT/MRI images showed the inflammatory raid of the orbital apex and cavernous sinus within days. The sinus biopsy and elevated PR3-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody led us to the diagnosis of GPA. Fortunately, the patient’s vision improved gradually after steroid and immunosuppressant treatment.
High-Resolution Ultrasound of the Forefoot and Common Pathologies
Authors: Chen Xiangmei , Zhou Guangjin , Xue Heng , Wang Run , Bird Stephen , Sun Desheng , Cui Ligang
Published: June 2022

Forefoot pain is common in clinical practice. Careful history taking and routine physical examination are initially performed for diagnosis, but imaging can confirm the clinical suspicion and play a key role in management. Ultrasound (US) can provide a visualization of the fine anatomy of the forefoot and is a useful method for evaluating various lesions causing forefoot pain. In this review, we provide the detailed anatomical structures of the forefoot and their normal appearances on US. We also focus on the most common pathologies affecting the forefoot, including plantar plate tear, sesamoiditis, bone fracture, synovitis, tenosynovitis, bursitis, Morton’s neuromas, and foreign bodies.
Deep Learning Paradigm for Cardiovascular Disease/Stroke Risk Stratification in Parkinson’s Disease Affected by COVID-19: A Narrative Review
Authors: Suri Jasjit S. , Maindarkar Mahesh A. , Paul Sudip , Ahluwalia Puneet , Bhagawati Mrinalini , Saba Luca , Faa Gavino , Saxena Sanjay , Singh Inder M. , Chadha Paramjit S. , Turk Monika , Johri Amer , Khanna Narendra N. , Viskovic Klaudija , Mavrogeni Sofia , Laird John R. , Miner Martin , Sobel David W. , Balestrieri Antonella , Sfikakis Petros P. , Tsoulfas George , Protogerou Athanase D. , Misra Durga Prasanna , Agarwal Vikas , Kitas George D. , Kolluri Raghu , Teji Jagjit S. , Al-Maini Mustafa , Dhanjil Surinder K. , Sockalingam Meyypan , Saxena Ajit , Sharma Aditya , Rathore Vijay , Fatemi Mostafa , Alizad Azra , Krishnan Padukode R. , Omerzu Tomaz , Naidu Subbaram , Nicolaides Andrew , Paraskevas Kosmas I. , Kalra Mannudeep , Ruzsa Zoltán , Fouda Mostafa M.
Published: June 2022

Background and Motivation: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most serious, non-curable, and expensive to treat. Recently, machine learning (ML) has shown to be able to predict cardiovascular/stroke risk in PD patients. The presence of COVID-19 causes the ML systems to become severely non-linear and poses challenges in cardiovascular/stroke risk stratification. Further, due to comorbidity, sample size constraints, and poor scientific and clinical validation techniques, there have been no well-explained ML paradigms. Deep neural networks are powerful learning machines that generalize non-linear conditions. This study presents a novel investigation of deep learning (DL) solutions for CVD/stroke risk prediction in PD patients affected by the COVID-19 framework. Method: The PRISMA search strategy was used for the selection of 292 studies closely associated with the effect of PD on CVD risk in the COVID-19 framework. We study the hypothesis that PD in the presence of COVID-19 can cause more harm to the heart and brain than in non-COVID-19 conditions. COVID-19 lung damage severity can be used as a covariate during DL training model designs. We, therefore, propose a DL model for the estimation of, (i) COVID-19 lesions in computed tomography (CT) scans and (ii) combining the covariates of PD, COVID-19 lesions, office and laboratory arterial atherosclerotic image-based biomarkers, and medicine usage for the PD patients for the design of DL point-based models for CVD/stroke risk stratification. Results: We validated the feasibility of CVD/stroke risk stratification in PD patients in the presence of a COVID-19 environment and this was also verified. DL architectures like long short-term memory (LSTM), and recurrent neural network (RNN) were studied for CVD/stroke risk stratification showing powerful designs. Lastly, we examined the artificial intelligence bias and provided recommendations for early detection of CVD/stroke in PD patients in the presence of COVID-19. Conclusion: The DL is a very powerful tool for predicting CVD/stroke risk in PD patients affected by COVID-19.
Improving the Diagnostic Performance by Adding Methylation Marker to Conventional Visual Examination in Identifying Oral Cancer
Authors: Yang Cheng-Chieh , Su Yee-Fun , Cheng Han-Chieh , Juan Yi-Chen , Chiu Yu-Wei , Wu Cheng-Hsien , Chen Pei-Yin , Lee Yu-Hsien , Chen Yen-Lin , Chen Yi-Tzu , Peng Chih-Yu , Lu Ming-Yi , Yu Chuan-Hang , Huang Yu-Feng , Kao Shou-Yen , Fwu Chyng-Wen , Liu Chung-Ji
Published: June 2022

Background: Visual oral examination (VOE) is a conventional oral cancer screening method. This study aimed to evaluate the value of methylation marker to assist VOE in identifying oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OED/OSCC) from non-cancerous lesions in a real-world situation. Methods: 201 patients with high-risk personal habits who self-perceived oral anomaly were VOE examined, ZNF582 methylation (ZNF582m) tested, and histologically diagnosed. Results: Among them, 132 patients (65.7%) were histologically diagnosed OED/OSCC. Using VOE, 56.1% OED/OSCC patients had possible oral cancer, whereas 37.7% non-OED/OSCC patients had leukoplakia. ZNF582m-positive was detected in 90.2% OED/OSCC patients and 44.9% non-OED/OSCC patients. Various logistic regression models were postulated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of conventional VOE and new strategies using ZNF582m. ROC analysis and its corresponding C-index demonstrated that either triage or co-testing models of VOE and ZNF582m could improve diagnostic performance and discriminative abilities compared with the VOE only approach. Conclusions: In conclusion, methylation marker test shows equivalent performance to an experienced judgment by oral maxillofacial surgeons and plays a significantly supplementary role in increasing the efficacy in identifying oral malignant lesions. ZNF582m may be an especially important tool for family physicians or general dentists to properly diagnose suspicious oral lesions.
T2*-Weighted Imaging Performance in the Detection of Deep Endometriosis among Readers with Different Experience: Comparison with Conventional MRI Sequences
Authors: Franco Paolo Niccolò , Annibali Simona , Viganò Sara , Cazzella Caterina , Marra Chiara , Smedile Antonella , Bonaffini Pietro Andrea , Marra Paolo , Otero García María Milagros , Reinhold Caroline , Sironi Sandro
Published: June 2022

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an effective technique for the diagnosis and preoperative staging of deep infiltrative endometriosis (DIE). The usefulness of MRI sequences susceptible to chronic blood degradation products, such as T2*-weighted imaging, remains uncertain. The present study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of these sequences in addition to the conventional protocol for DIE assessment. Forty-four MRI examinations performed for clinical and/or ultrasound DIE suspicion were evaluated by three readers with variable experience in female imaging. The inter-observer agreement between the reader who analysed only the conventional protocol and the one who also considered T2*-weighted sequences was excellent. The less experienced reader diagnosed a significantly higher number of endometriosis foci on the T2*-weighted sequences compared with the most experienced observer. T2*-weighted sequences do not seem to provide significant added value in the evaluation of DIE, especially in less experienced readers. Furthermore, artifacts caused by undesirable sources of magnetic inhomogeneity may lead to overdiagnosis.
Medical Image Segmentation with Learning Semantic and Global Contextual Representation
Authors: Alahmadi Mohammad D.
Published: June 2022

Automatic medical image segmentation is an essential step toward accurate diseases diagnosis and designing a follow-up treatment. This assistive method facilitates the cancer detection process and provides a benchmark to highlight the affected area. The U-Net model has become the standard design choice. Although the symmetrical structure of the U-Net model enables this network to encode rich semantic representation, the intrinsic locality of the CNN layers limits this network’s capability in modeling long-range contextual dependency. On the other hand, sequence to sequence Transformer models with a multi-head attention mechanism can enable them to effectively model global contextual dependency. However, the lack of low-level information stemming from the Transformer architecture limits its performance for capturing local representation. In this paper, we propose a two parallel encoder model, where in the first path the CNN module captures the local semantic representation whereas the second path deploys a Transformer module to extract the long-range contextual representation. Next, by adaptively fusing these two feature maps, we encode both representations into a single representative tensor to be further processed by the decoder block. An experimental study demonstrates that our design can provide rich and generic representation features which are highly efficient for a fine-grained semantic segmentation task.
ACUX Typology: A Harmonisation of Cultural-Visitor Typologies for Multi-Profile Classification
Authors: Konstantakis Markos , Christodoulou Yannis , Alexandridis Georgios , Teneketzis Alexandros , Caridakis George
Published: June 2022

The modern cultural industry and the related academic sectors have shown increased interest in Cultural User eXperience (CUX) research, since it constitutes a critical factor to examine and apply when presenting cultural content. Recent CUX studies show that visitors tend to carry their own cultural characteristics and preferences when visiting destinations of cultural interest, thus obtaining a virtually unique experience. To cope with this tendency, various research efforts have been made to identify different profiles of cultural visitors based on their background and preferences and classify them into distinct visitor types. In this paper, we proposed the ACUX (Augmented Cultural User eXperience) typology for classifying visitors of cultural destinations. The proposed typology aims to provide the multi-profile classification of cultural visitors based on their visiting preferences. Methodology-wise, the ACUX typology was the output of a harmonisation process of existing cultural-visitor typologies that base their classification on visiting preferences. The proposed typology was evaluated in juxtaposition with the harmonised typologies from which it was derived through an experiment conducted using a recommender and a dataset of TripAdvisor user responses. The evaluation showed that the ACUX typology achieved a more accurate profiling of cultural visitors, enabling them to reduce information overload by directly suggesting content that is more likely to meet their diverse preferences and needs.
Twitter Sentiment Analysis and Influence on Stock Performance Using Transfer Entropy and EGARCH Methods
Authors: Mendoza-Urdiales Román A. , Núñez-Mora José Antonio , Santillán-Salgado Roberto J. , Valencia-Herrera Humberto
Published: June 2022

Financial economic research has extensively documented the fact that the impact of the arrival of negative news on stock prices is more intense than that of the arrival of positive news. The authors of the present study followed an innovative approach based on the utilization of two artificial intelligence algorithms to test that asymmetric response effect. Methods: The first algorithm was used to web-scrape the social network Twitter to download the top tweets of the 24 largest market-capitalized publicly traded companies in the world during the last decade. A second algorithm was then used to analyze the contents of the tweets, converting that information into social sentiment indexes and building a time series for each considered company. After comparing the social sentiment indexes’ movements with the daily closing stock price of individual companies using transfer entropy, our estimations confirmed that the intensity of the impact of negative and positive news on the daily stock prices is statistically different, as well as that the intensity with which negative news affects stock prices is greater than that of positive news. The results support the idea of the asymmetric effect that negative sentiment has a greater effect than positive sentiment, and these results were confirmed with the EGARCH model.
A Proposed VR Platform for Supporting Blended Learning Post COVID-19
Authors: Colreavy-Donelly Simon , Ryan Alan , O’Connor Stuart , Caraffini Fabio , Kuhn Stefan , Hasshu Salim
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in teaching practice towards blended learning for many higher education institutions. This led to the rapid adoption of certain digital technologies within existing teaching structures as a means to meet student access needs. This paper is an attempt to summarise and extend pre-COVID-19 pedagogical research to leverage digital immersive technologies for blended teaching in the post-pandemic era. This paper forms both a review of these methodologies and a case study of the I-Ulysses Virtual Learning Environment as an example of a platform that leverages such immersive digital technologies and employs instrumental use of VR. To further clarify, the purpose of the paper is to describe and propose a distance learning solution with immersive VR qualities; this is what the I-Ulysses environment represents, as the main obstacle to learners of site-specific information during the pandemic has been lack of on-site accessibility. Furthermore, this is of key importance, because Joyce’s novel takes place in historical Dublin, where access to the physical location of the story is indispensable to a reader.
Robot-Assisted Language Learning: Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality into English Tour Guide Practice
Authors: Chen Yu-Li , Hsu Chun-Chia , Lin Chih-Yung , Hsu Hsiao-Hui
Published: June 2022

This action research created an application system using robots as a tool for training English-language tour guides. It combined artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies to develop content for tours and a 3D VR environment using the AI Unity plug-in for programming. Students learned to orally interact with the robot and act as a guide to various destinations. The qualitative methods included observation, interviews, and self-reporting of learning outcomes. Two students voluntarily participated in the study. The intervention lasted for ten weeks. The results indicated the teaching effectiveness of robot-assisted language learning (RALL). The students acknowledged the value of RALL and had positive attitudes toward it. The contextualized VR learning environment increased their motivation and engagement in learning, and students perceived that RALL could help develop autonomy, enhance interaction, and provide an active learning experience. The implications of the study are that RALL has potential and that it provides an alternative learning opportunity for students.
On the Design of Constructively Aligned Educational Unit
Authors: Maffei Antonio , Boffa Eleonora , Lupi Francesco , Lanzetta Michele
Published: June 2022

Modern pedagogy is moving away from traditional transmissive approaches, and it is extensively embracing constructive theory of learning. A prominent practical embodiment of this paradigm shift is a method called Constructive Alignment (CA). This approach focuses on learners’ actions and starts from a clear communication of the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the focal unit. ILOs are made of content, a context, and an Educational Goal Verb (EGV). According to the Bloom Taxonomy, the EGV is the core of an ILO and refers to the action the learners are expected to be able to master after completing the educational unit. The ILO is then aligned to the course activity using the EGV (i.e., EGVs are enacted through Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs) and verified through Assessment Tasks (ATs)). Despite the ILO definition being extensively investigated and described, the extant literature has poorly explored how to devise suitable TLAs and ATs, lacking comprehensive contributions that identify and describe the different kinds of TLAs and ATs available to course designers. In view of the above gap, the authors searched and reviewed the literature (scientific papers (i.e., top-down, deductive approach)) and practices in higher education (university websites and blogs (i.e., bottom-up, inductive approach)) to identify all the possible sources of TLA and AT descriptions available. The results propose standardized templates that support the course design process, providing extensive descriptions of TLA and AT based on the best practices identified. The proposed templates include the core dimensions that proved to be suitable for designing traditional and remote-learning activities. Finally, the examples provided in the paper show how to use these templates on a few kinds of selected on-campus and digital TLAs and ATs from the educational units identified in the Erasmus+ MAESTRO project, which is based on Industry 4.0 technological enablers and their application in support of manufacturing sustainability.
Proposal for Introducing a Digital Aesthetic Dentistry Course in Undergraduate Program: Contents and Ways of Administration
Authors: Zotti Francesca , Cominziolli Annalisa , Pappalardo Davide , Rosolin Luca , Bertossi Dario , Zerman Nicoletta
Published: June 2022

Background: Nowadays, digital dentistry is a fundamental skill that dentists need to acquire at this time. The digital workflow has gained acceptance and is widely used in most disciplines of dentistry. For this reason, it might be advisable to include this content in the undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this work was to create a course in digital aesthetic dentistry and evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: Dental students at the University of Verona (from third to sixth year) participated in a 2-h course on photography, digital aesthetic analysis, and digitally planned rehabilitations. Students were randomly divided into two groups, the first group attending the course with video tutorials and the second group attending the traditional class with slides. The students’ ability to perform digital aesthetic analysis and rehabilitation was tested. In addition, a questionnaire was completed to determine student satisfaction with the course and method of delivery. Statistical analysis was performed. Results: The course was highly appreciated, especially by the students who received the video tutorials. Good results were obtained in the performance of digital analysis and rehabilitation, which were better in the first group. Conclusions: Digital aesthetic dentistry was a success in terms of newly acquired skills. From this point of view, the proposal of a course on this subject in the undergraduate curriculum deserves a close evaluation. The video tutorial method seems to be a good way to teach operative digital procedures.
Symmetrical Components and Sequence Networks Connections for Short-Circuit Faults in Five-Phase Electrical Systems
Authors: Ciontea Catalin Iosif
Published: June 2022

The method of symmetrical components is an important mathematical tool for electrical engineering, as it simplifies the analysis of unbalanced electrical circuits. The method is used almost exclusively for three-phase networks, but with the advancement of multiphase electrical systems, it could be convenient to utilize it for such systems as well. In this paper, the method of symmetrical components is used to analyze a generic five-phase electrical system for various short-circuit faults and to determine the sequence networks connections for these faults. The analysis performed covers the derivation of the symmetrical components for voltage/current and of fault currents. The analytical results and the inferred sequence networks connections are validated by computer simulations. This paper therefore extends the literature on short-circuit analysis of multiphase electrical systems using the method of symmetrical components.