bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Hazardous-Waste Testing Follow Technical Guidance, Thus Help Protect Environmental Justice and Health?
Authors: Shrader-Frechette Kristin
Published: June 2022

Does representative hazardous-waste-site testing tend to follow or to violate government technical guidance? This is an important question, because following such guidance promotes reliable risk analysis, adequate remediation, and environmental-justice and -health protection. Yet only government documents typically address this question, usually only when it is too late, when citizens have already exhibited health harm, allegedly from living or working near current/former hazardous-waste sites. Because no systematic, representative, scientific analyses have answered the preceding question, this article begins to investigate it by posing a narrower part of the question: Does representative US testing of volatile-organic-compound (VOC) waste sites tend to follow or to violate government technical requirements? The article (i) outlines US/state-government technical guidance for VOC testing; (ii) develops criteria for discovering representative US cases of VOC testing; (iii) uses the dominant US Environmental Protection Agency method to assess whether these representative cases follow such guidance; (iv) employs the results of (iii) to begin to answer the preceding question; then (v) discusses the degree to which, if any, these results suggest threats to environmental health or justice. Our initial, but representative, results show that almost all US VOC-waste-site testing (that we investigated) violates government technical requirements and systematically underestimates risks, and this may help justify less expensive, potentially health-threatening cleanups, mostly in environmental justice communities. We outline needed future research and suggest two strategies to promote following government technical guidance for hazardous-waste testing.
Analysis of the Relationship between Satisfaction with the Coach and the Effect of Comparative Social Feedback in Elite Female Handball Players
Authors: García-Herrero Juan Antonio , Soto-García Diego , Carcedo Rodrigo J. , Martínez-Martín Isidoro , Delgado-Floody Pedro
Published: June 2022

This research aims at studying the effect of comparative feedback on psychological variables (competence valuation, perceived competence, autonomous motivation, amotivation, subjective well-being) and performance (throwing speed and accuracy). A total of 73 handball players from the highest Spanish handball (Iberdrola League) category participated in this study. After previously rating satisfaction with their head coach, they were indiscriminately assigned to one of three different experimental conditions measuring feedback, positive, negative, and none. There were significant differences in competence valuation, perceived competence, autonomous motivation, and throwing speed in the three feedback groups, more concretely, low satisfaction with the head coach. Positive effects were found when there was low satisfaction with the coach and positive feedback on the competence valuation, autonomous motivation, and throwing speed compared to negative or no feedback. These results have important implications for optimizing coaches’ behaviors in relation to athlete well-being and performance.
A Rare Case of HELLP Syndrome with Hematomas of Spleen and Liver, Eclampsia, Severe Hypertension and Prolonged Coagulopathy—A Case Report
Authors: Lewandowska Małgorzata , Englert-Golon Monika , Krasiński Zbigniew , Jagodziński Paweł Piotr , Sajdak Stefan
Published: June 2022

The HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, liver damage and thrombocytopenia) is a rare (0.5–0.9%) but serious complication of pregnancy or puerperium associated with a higher risk of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Liver and spleen hematomas rarely entangle (<2%) HELLP cases, but rupture of the hematomas presents an immediate threat to life. We present the history of a 35-year old pregnant woman (at the 31st week) admitted to our hospital due to the risk of premature delivery. On the first day, the patient did not report any complains, and the only abnormality was thrombocytopenia 106 G/L. However, within several hours, tests showed platelet levels of 40.0 G/L, LDH 2862.0 U/L and AST 2051.6 U/L, and the woman was diagnosed with severe HELLP syndrome, complicated by hematomas of the liver and spleen, seizures (eclampsia), severe arterial hypertension and coagulation disorders. The purpose of this article is to highlight the need for early investigation of the causes of thrombocytopenia and the differentiation of HELLP from other thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs).
Research on Ecological Effect Assessment Method of Ecological Restoration of Open-Pit Coal Mines in Alpine Regions
Authors: Yuan Meng , Ouyang Jingyi , Zheng Shuanning , Tian Ye , Sun Ran , Bao Rui , Li Tao , Yu Tianshu , Li Shuang , Wu Di , Liu Yongjie , Xu Changyou , Zhu Yu
Published: June 2022

Open-pit mining is an important form of coal mining in China, and its damage to the ecological environment is particularly obvious in alpine regions. The ecological restoration of alpine open-pit coal mines faces severe challenges, and its restoration effect will directly affect the ecological security of China. Meanwhile, comprehensive and system-oriented evaluation of ecological restoration effects is still insufficient in current research. In this study, we selected different quantities of assessment factors on the two scales of ecological project area and ecological impact area to evaluate the ecological restoration effect of an alpine open-pit coal mine. Then, we formed a multi-scale and multi-dimensional ecological restoration effect assessment model of the alpine open-pit coal mine and used this model to analyze the implementation effect of the ecological restoration project of the Baiyinhua No. 2 Open-pit Mine. The results show that the multi-scale and multi-dimensional ecological restoration effect assessment model of alpine open-pit coal mine proposed in this study can accurately characterize the restoration effect of open-pit coal mines in alpine regions and can also be used as a significant evaluation tool in the future ecological construction of mining areas. This study hopes the multi-scale and multi-dimensional ecological restoration effect assessment model of alpine open-pit coal mine can provide a comprehensive, systematic, and scientific evaluation method for the ecological restoration of alpine open-pit coal mines and provide a scientific basis for the ecological restoration and green development of relevant mining areas.
Is the Predisposition to Have More Children Beneficial among Parents with Only One Child? Evidence from Spanish Parents
Authors: Gómez-Ortiz Olga , Sánchez-Sánchez Carmen
Published: June 2022

The fertility deficit in many European countries is related to a low rate of second births. Understanding the factors associated with the predisposition of one-child parents to have more children could contribute to the search for solutions to this social problem. Although previous evidence highlights the role of employment and social factors, psychological factors have been poorly investigated. This study examines the relationship between different psychosocial factors (rumination, personality, life satisfaction, perfectionism, social support, parental stress, guilt linked to work–family conflict, age and child temperament) and parents’ predisposition to have more children. The sample consisted of 96 one-child Spanish parents whose child was in early childhood education (59.3% women; Mage = 37.41). The results show that one-child parents with the predisposition to have more children, compared to those without a predisposition to have more children, showed higher levels of life satisfaction, extroversion and adaptive perfectionism but lower levels of rumination and parental stress. The social implications of these findings and how they may affect parenting today are discussed.
Comparative Analysis of Teaching at Public Universities in Sinaloa during Confinement Due to COVID-19
Authors: Tripp-Barba Carolina , Zaldívar-Colado Aníbal , Peña-García Gloria-María , Aguilar-Calderón José-Alfonso , Medina-Gutiérrez Ana-Rosa
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected educational institutions around the world. One partial solution for students and teachers to continue the academic process involved the use of software and hardware technologies via the internet. The main objective of this research was to analyze the actions carried out by computer science teachers (and teachers who taught related degrees) in Sinaloa, Mexico, during the COVID-19 confinement period, to determine if the working conditions were different at all educational institutions. Based on quantitative, descriptive–explanatory, correlational, field, and cross-sectional approaches to data collection—a survey was designed and sent to teachers who taught classes in computer science and related careers. The results showed that although teachers felt prepared in designing and implementing virtual courses (90.73%), 68.5% believed that virtual classes were not enough for students (i.e., regarding replacing the training being offered). Likewise, teachers observed that only 27.8% of their students showed real commitment to online classes. In the hypothesis test, a chi-squared value of 3.84 was obtained, with a significance (p-value) of 0.137. There was a probability of error of 13.7%; this is high, considering that the level of significance must be 0.05 (5%) or less. It was concluded that teachers must be permanently trained in the use of new digital technologies; in addition, they must continuously produce academic material and make it available to the educational community. It is necessary for universities to design plans for the regulated use of applications and devices for academic purposes, update study plans and programs, and train teachers and students beyond conventional education.
Associations of Urban and Green Land Covers and Heat Waves in 49 U.S. Cities between 1992 and 2019
Authors: Hasan Sakib , Choi Woonsup , Kang Sangjun
Published: June 2022

The study aimed to examine how changing land use conditions are related to the occurrence of heat waves. The employed methods were (1) the Urban Expansion Intensity Index (UEII) and the Green Expansion Intensity (GEII) for 49 cities in the U.S. between 1992 and 2019; (2) Spearman correlation analyses of heat wave indicators including frequency, season, duration, and intensity for UEII, and GEII, respectively. Major findings include the following: (1) urban areas have increased rapidly with an average UEII value of 1.5; (2) green Areas have increased at a slow pace, which have a GEII average value of 0.017, where the median value is −0.1, meaning the green area is declining in most U.S. cities; (3) The UEII and heat wave duration show a negative relationship with a significant correlation (γs = −0.296 and ρ = 0.04); (4) UEII and heat wave intensity show a positive relationship with a significant correlation (γs = 0.32 and ρ = 0.027). It was found that heat wave intensity can be a public health issue in high urban expansion intensity areas. The results imply that cities would be better in a more compact pattern with more expanded green areas to mitigate the negative health impacts of heat waves on citizens in urban areas. It is noticeable that there are some patterns to be investigated further in the context of urban developments and heat wave characteristics.
The Impact of Stand-Biased Desks on Afterschool Physical Activity Behaviors of Elementary School Children
Authors: Tokarek Nathan R. , Cho Chi C. , Strath Scott J. , Swartz Ann M.
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this secondary analysis was to assess whether students’ use of stand-biased desks during the school day influenced physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) during the afterschool period. By using a crossover design consisting of two 9-week intervention periods, 99 participants from grades 3, 4, and 6 were randomly assigned by their teacher to either a traditional (Group 1; sit–stand) or stand-biased (Group 2; stand–sit) desk in the classroom. The desk type then switched between intervention periods. Afterschool PA and SB were measured by accelerometry at baseline (fall) and following both intervention periods at post I (winter) and post II (spring). Independent sample t-tests and mixed-effects modeling were applied at a significance value of p < 0.05 to detect differences between groups. No significant differences in afterschool SB, light-intensity PA (LPA), or moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) were found between groups. There were also no significant two- or three-way interaction effects detected between desk assignment, time, and afterschool SB, LPA, or MVPA. Stand-biased desks in the classroom were not detrimental to children’s afterschool PA and SB.
Assessing the Impact of Work Activities on the Physiological Load in a Sample of Loggers in Sicily (Italy)
Authors: Masci Federica , Spatari Giovanna , Bortolotti Sara , Giorgianni Concetto Mario , Antonangeli Laura Maria , Rosecrance John , Colosio Claudio
Published: June 2022

Occupational logging activities expose workers to a wide range of risk factors, such as lifting heavy loads, prolonged, awkward positioning of the lower back, repetitive movements, and insufficient work pauses. Body posture has an important impact on the level of physiological load. The present study involved a group of 40 loggers in the province of Enna (Sicily, Italy) with the aim of defining the impact of logging activities on the workers’ physiological strain during the three primary work tasks of felling, delimbing, and bucking. The Zephyr Bioharness measurement system was used to record trunk posture and heart rate data during work tasks. The NASA TLX questionnaire was used to explore workers’ effort perception of the work tasks. Based on our results, the most demanding work task was tree felling, which requires a higher level of cardiac cost and longer periods spent in awkward trunk postures. The perceived physiological workload was consistently underestimated, especially by the more experienced loggers. Lastly, as the weight of the chainsaw increased, the cardiac load increased.
Attitude towards Euthanasia among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hong Kong
Authors: Lau Amy Mei-Yin , Wong Eliza Lai-Yi
Published: June 2022

Background: With an increasing aging population and heavy medical burden, euthanasia has become a controversial topic in Hong Kong (HK) in recent years. Medical students are future medical professionals who may face novel and evolving ethical dilemmas. Hence, their views on euthanasia are crucial. Objective: To examine the attitudes of medical students towards euthanasia in HK and identify the factors associated with their attitude towards euthanasia. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study among medical students in HK was conducted. The online anonymous questionnaires were distributed to all six years of students studying medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), who provide medical training in HK. Attitude towards Euthanasia (ATE), measured using a five-point Likert Scale, was used to assess medical students’ attitudes towards euthanasia. Results: overall, 228 valid responses were received in 2021. The mean score of ATE was 29 (SD10.9), in which 134 (58.8%) of respondents showed a negative attitude towards euthanasia. Negative association was found between Christian (p-value = 0.003) and Catholic (p-value = 0.032) and the ATE score. Meanwhile, positive association was found between male gender (p-value = 0.011) and witnessed withdrawing of nutritional support from patient(s) (p-value = 0.011) and the ATE score. Conclusions: It is necessary for the government and schools to place more emphasis on euthanasia in the school curriculum by integrating ethical discussions and clinical attachment.
Rural–Urban Disparities in Realized Spatial Access to General Practitioners, Orthopedic Surgeons, and Physiotherapists among People with Osteoarthritis in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Liu Xiaoxiao , Seidel Judy E. , McDonald Terrence , Patel Alka B. , Waters Nigel , Bertazzon Stefania , Shahid Rizwan , Marshall Deborah A.
Published: June 2022

Rural Canadians have high health care needs due to high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) but lack access to care. Examining realized access to three types of providers (general practitioners (GPs), orthopedic surgeons (Ortho), and physiotherapists (PTs)) simultaneously helps identify gaps in access to needed OA care, inform accessibility assessment, and support health care resource allocation. Travel time from a patient’s postal code to the physician’s postal code was calculated using origin–destination network analysis. We applied descriptive statistics to summarize differences in travel time, hotspot analysis to explore geospatial patterns, and distance decay function to examine the travel pattern of health care utilization by urbanicity. The median travel time in Alberta was 11.6 min (IQR = 4.3–25.7) to GPs, 28.9 (IQR = 14.8–65.0) to Ortho, and 33.7 (IQR = 23.1–47.3) to PTs. We observed significant rural–urban disparities in realized access to GPs (2.9 and IQR = 0.0–92.1 in rural remote areas vs. 12.6 and IQR = 6.4–21.0 in metropolitan areas), Ortho (233.3 and IQR = 171.3–363.7 in rural remote areas vs. 21.3 and IQR = 14.0–29.3 in metropolitan areas), and PTs (62.4 and IQR = 0.0–232.1 in rural remote areas vs. 32.1 and IQR = 25.2–39.9 in metropolitan areas). We identified hotspots of realized access to all three types of providers in rural remote areas, where patients with OA tend to travel longer for health care. This study may provide insight on the choice of catchment size and the distance decay pattern of health care utilization for further studies on spatial accessibility.
Viral Eco-Genomic Tools: Development and Implementation for Aquatic Biomonitoring
Authors: Mostafa-Hedeab Gomaa , Allayeh Abdou Kamal , Elhady Hany Abdelfattah , Eledrdery Abozer Y. , Mraheil Mobarak Abu , Mostafa Ahmed
Published: June 2022

Enteric viruses (EVs) occurrence within aquatic environments varies and leads to significant risk on public health of humans, animals, and diversity of aquatic taxa. Early and efficacious recognition of cultivable and fastidious EVs in aquatic systems are important to ensure the sanitary level of aquatic water and implement required treatment strategies. Herein, we provided a comprehensive overview of the conventional and up-to-date eco-genomic tools for aquatic biomonitoring of EVs, aiming to develop better water pollution monitoring tools. In combination with bioinformatics techniques, genetic tools including cloning sequencing analysis, DNA microarray, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and metagenomic sequencing technologies are implemented to make informed decisions about the global burden of waterborne EVs-associated diseases. The data presented in this review are helpful to recommend that: (1) Each viral pollution detection method has its own merits and demerits; therefore, it would be advantageous for viral pollution evaluation to be integrated as a complementary platform. (2) The total viral genome pool extracted from aquatic environmental samples is a real reflection of pollution status of the aquatic eco-systems; therefore, it is recommended to conduct regular sampling through the year to establish an updated monitoring system for EVs, and quantify viral peak concentrations, viral typing, and genotyping. (3) Despite that conventional detection methods are cheaper, it is highly recommended to implement molecular-based technologies to complement aquatic ecosystems biomonitoring due to numerous advantages including high-throughput capability. (4) Continuous implementation of the eco-genetic detection tools for monitoring the EVs in aquatic ecosystems is recommended.
Acceptability, Usability and Weight Loss Outcomes in a Randomized Cross-Over Study of Commercially Available Portion Size Tools in an Overweight South Asian Community
Authors: Ellahi Basma , Aitken Amanda , Dikmen Derya , Seyhan-Erdoğan Bilge , Makda Munibah , Razaq Rifat
Published: June 2022

South Asian women living in the UK are particularly at high risk of obesity-related complications, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to large portion sizes is a risk factor for obesity. Specifically designed tableware helps individuals to manage weight by controlling food portion sizes. Thirty-one (n = 31) overweight or obese South Asian adult women participated in a randomised cross-over trial aimed to assess the efficacy, acceptance, and weight change of two guided/calibrated commercially available portion control tools (Utensil set and Crockery Set) used in free-living conditions. Data on acceptance, perceived changes in portion size, frequency, and meal type was collected using paper questionnaires and 3-day diet diaries. Scores describing acceptance, ease of use, and perceived effectiveness were derived from five-point Likert scales from which binary indicators (high/low) were analysed for significance using multivariate variance analysis for repeated measurements. A reduction in BMI was observed at each point of measurement (p = 0.007). For overall tool use, the crockery set scored higher in all areas of acceptance, ease of use, and perceived efficacy for all comparisons. Self-selected portion sizes increased for salads and decreased for cooking oil and breakfast cereals with both tools. Further research to scale up and evaluate similar weight management interventions for this group is warranted.
Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment: A Review on Eco-Toxicology and the Remediation Potential of Algae
Authors: Hejna Monika , Kapuścińska Dominika , Aksmann Anna
Published: June 2022

The pollution of the aquatic environment has become a worldwide problem. The widespread use of pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals through anthropogenic activities has increased the emission of such contaminants into wastewater. Pharmaceuticals constitute a significant class of aquatic contaminants and can seriously threaten the health of non-target organisms. No strict legal regulations on the consumption and release of pharmaceuticals into water bodies have been implemented on a global scale. Different conventional wastewater treatments are not well-designed to remove emerging contaminants from wastewater with high efficiency. Therefore, particular attention has been paid to the phycoremediation technique, which seems to be a promising choice as a low-cost and environment-friendly wastewater treatment. This technique uses macro- or micro-algae for the removal or biotransformation of pollutants and is constantly being developed to cope with the issue of wastewater contamination. The aims of this review are: (i) to examine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in water, and their toxicity on non-target organisms and to describe the inefficient conventional wastewater treatments; (ii) present cost-efficient algal-based techniques of contamination removal; (iii) to characterize types of algae cultivation systems; and (iv) to describe the challenges and advantages of phycoremediation.
Land Use and Climate Change Altered the Ecological Quality in the Luanhe River Basin
Authors: Zhang Yongbin , Song Tanglei , Fan Jihao , Man Weidong , Liu Mingyue , Zhao Yongqiang , Zheng Hao , Liu Yahui , Li Chunyu , Song Jingru , Yang Xiaowu , Du Junmin
Published: June 2022

Monitoring and assessing ecological quality (EQ) can help to understand the status and dynamics of the local ecosystem. Moreover, land use and climate change increase uncertainty in the ecosystem. The Luanhe River Basin (LHRB) is critical to the ecological security of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. To support ecosystem protection in the LHRB, we evaluated the EQ from 2001 to 2020 based on the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) with the Google Earth Engine (GEE). Then, we introduced the coefficient of variation, Theil–Sen analysis, and Mann–Kendall test to quantify the variation and trend of the EQ. The results showed that the EQ in LHRB was relatively good, with 61.08% of the basin rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. The spatial distribution of EQ was low in the north and high in the middle, with strong improvement in the north and serious degradation in the south. The average EQ ranged from 0.58 to 0.64, showing a significant increasing trend. Furthermore, we found that the expansion of construction land has caused degradation of the EQ, whereas climate change likely improved the EQ in the upper and middle reaches of the LHRB. The results could help in understanding the state and trend of the eco-environment in the LHRB and support decision-making in land-use management and climate change.
Tuberculosis among People Living on the Street and Using Alcohol, Tobacco, and Illegal Drugs: Analysis of Territories in Extreme Vulnerability and Trends in Southern Brazil
Authors: Scholze Alessandro Rolim , Alves Josilene Dália , Berra Thaís Zamboni , Ramos Antônio Carlos Vieira , Pieri Flávia Meneguetti , Pillon Sandra Cristina , Martins Júlia Trevisan , Galdino Maria José Quina , Melo Emiliana Cristina , Delpino Felipe Mendes , Tártaro Ariela Fehr , Fronteira Inês , Arcêncio Ricardo Alexandre
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Tuberculosis presents an epidemiological trend toward inequality, especially among people in social exclusion and situations of vulnerability. This study aimed to analyze territories with a concentration of people diagnosed with tuberculosis in a street situation and who partake in chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. We also analyzed trends in this health condition in southern Brazil. (2) Methods: Ecological study, developed in the 399 municipalities of Paraná, southern Brazil, with all tuberculosis cases in the homeless population registered in the Information System of Notifiable Diseases between 2014 and 2018. For data analysis, we used descriptive statistics, the Prais–Winsten autoregression method for the time series, and the Getis-Ord Gi technique* for spatial analysis. (3) Results: in total, 560 cases were reported. We found a predominance of alcohol, smoking, and illicit drug users, with an increasing trend in the state and clusters of spatial risk in the East health macro-region. (4) Conclusions: We observed territories with critical levels of highly vulnerable people who use psychoactive substances and are in a street situation. The results highlight the importance of incorporating public policies of social protection for these individuals and resolutive health services that receive these cases and assist in eradicating TB.
Developing Long-Term Sustainable Collaborations between Welfare Providers That Support and Promote Child and Youth Mental Health in Sweden—A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Fjellfeldt Maria
Published: June 2022

When addressing child and youth mental health, policy makers around the world call for collaboration between welfare providers. Research shows, however, that cross-sector collaboration is challenging. This article aims to scrutinize the issue of sustainability in the collaborative work undertaken between welfare providers to jointly support and promote child and youth mental health. In a qualitative interview study, 19 key officials involved in collaborative mental health work in three Swedish municipalities were interviewed, 13 individually and 6 in three small groups. Data were analyzed through content analysis and the application of practice-oriented collaboration theories. The results show that informants feel collaboration is beneficial for child and youth mental health. The results also show that five aspects of this collaborative work can affect its sustainability: (1) how the collaborative work was set up: if it was a special project or part of existing organizational structures; (2) what model of funding was used; (3) how many organizational levels were involved; (4) if goals were common, concurrent or contradictive; and (5) if important stakeholders were seen to be ‘missing’. Collaboration members felt their collaborative work had caused them to drift away from important non-participant stakeholders. This article concludes that to develop long-term sustainable collaborations addressing child and youth mental health, key features of collaborative work need to be taken into consideration.
The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a Valuable Screening Tool for Identifying Core Symptoms and Behavioural and Emotional Problems in Children with Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Authors: Grasso Melissa , Lazzaro Giulia , Demaria Francesco , Menghini Deny , Vicari Stefano
Published: June 2022

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a worldwide questionnaire used for the early identification of behavioural/emotional symptoms in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorders. Although its prognostic power has been studied, it has not yet been tested whether SDQ: (i) can identify pathognomonic symptoms across a variety of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, (ii) can capture emotional and behavioural problems associated with the main diagnosis, as well as shared transdiagnostic dimensions, and (iii) can detect changes in symptomatology with age. The present study evaluated nearly 1000 children and adolescents overall with Global Developmental Delay (GDD), Intellectual Disability (ID), Language Disorder (LD), Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Mood Disorder (MD), Anxiety Disorder (AD), and Eating Disorders (ED). We found that SDQ: (i) can identify the core symptoms in children with ASD, ADHD, MD, and AD via specific subscales; (ii) can capture the associated emotional and behavioural symptoms in children with LD, GDD, ID, SLD, and ED; and (iii) can detect changes in the symptomatology, especially for GDD, LD, ASD, ADHD, and AD. SDQ is also able to recognise the transdiagnostic dimensions across disorders. Our results underscore the potential of SDQ to specifically differentiate and identify behavioural/emotional profiles associated with clinical diagnosis.
Low-Frequency Trajectory Map Matching Method Based on Vehicle Heading Segmentation
Authors: Yu Qingying , Hu Fan , Chen Chuanming , Sun Liping , Zheng Xiaoyao
Published: June 2022

Numerous Global Positioning System connected vehicles are collecting extensive data remotely in cities, enabling data-driven infrastructure planning. To truly benefit from this emerging technology, it is important to combine telematics and map data to make it easier to extract and mine useful information from the data. By performing map matching, data points that cannot be accurately located on the road network can be projected onto the correct road segment. As an important means of remote data processing, it has become an important pre-processing step in the field of data mining. However, due to the various errors of location devices and the complexity of road networks, map matching technology also faces great challenges. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the map matching algorithm, this study proposes an offline method for low-frequency trajectory data map matching based on vehicle trajectory segmentation. First, the trajectory is segmented based on the vehicle’s travel direction. Then, the comprehensive probability of the corresponding road segment is calculated based on the spatial probability and the directional probability of each road segment around the location. Third, the k candidate matching paths under consideration are selected based on the comprehensive probability evaluation. Finally, the shortest path planning and the probability calculation of the different candidate paths are combined to find the optimal matching path. The experimental results on the real trajectory dataset in Shanghai and the road network environment show that the proposed algorithm has better accuracy, efficiency, and robustness than other algorithms.
Ecological Impact Prediction of Groundwater Change in Phreatic Aquifer under Multi-Mining Conditions
Authors: Zhou Shenghui , Liu Tingxi , Duan Limin
Published: June 2022

In aeolian sandy grass shoal catchment areas that rely heavily on groundwater, mining-induced geological deformation and aquifer drainage are likely to cause irreversible damage to natural groundwater systems and affect the original circulation of groundwater, thus threatening the ecological environment. This study aimed to predict the impact of groundwater level decline on vegetation growth in the Hailiutu River Basin (HRB), which is a coal-field area. Based on remote-sensing data, the land use/cover change was interpreted and analyzed, and the central areas of greensward land in the basin were determined. Subsequently, the correlation between groundwater depth and grassland distribution was analyzed. Then, the groundwater system under natural conditions was modeled using MODFLOW, and the groundwater flow field in 2029 was predicted by loading the generalized treatment of coal mine drainage water to the model. The change in groundwater depth caused by coal mining and its influence on the grassland were obtained. The results show that coal mining will decrease the groundwater depth, which would induce degradation risks in 4 of the original 34 aggregation centers of greensward land that originally depended on groundwater for growth in HRB because they exceeded the groundwater threshold. The prediction results show that the maximum settlement of groundwater level can reach 5 m in the northern (Yinpanhao), 6 m in the eastern (Dahaize), and 10 m in the southern (Balasu) region of HRB. Attention should be paid to vegetation degradation in areas where groundwater depth exceeds the minimum threshold for plant growth.
Roles of Infection in Psoriasis
Authors: Zhou Shihui , Yao Zhirong
Published: June 2022

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated disorder with cutaneous and systemic manifestations. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and immune dysfunction all contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis with host-microbe interaction governing the progression of this disease. Emerging evidence has indicated that infection is an environmental trigger for psoriasis and plays multiple roles in its maintenance as evidenced by the frequent association between guttate psoriasis onset and acute streptococcal infection. Different infectious factors act on immune cells to produce inflammatory cytokines that can induce or aggravate psoriasis. In addition to bacterial infections, viral and fungal infections have also been shown to be strongly associated with the onset or exacerbation of psoriasis. Intervention of skin microbiota to treat psoriasis has become a hot research topic. In this review, we summarize the effects of different infectious factors (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) on psoriasis, thereby providing insights into the manipulation of pathogens to allow for the identification of improved therapeutic options for the treatment of this condition.
In Sickness and in Health: Erythrocyte Responses to Stress and Aging
Authors: Antonelou Marianna H. , D’Alessandro Angelo , Kriebardis Anastasios G.
Published: June 2022

Mature red blood cells (RBC) are the most abundant host cell in our body [...]
KCNN4 Promotes the Stemness Potentials of Liver Cancer Stem Cells by Enhancing Glucose Metabolism
Authors: Fan Jing , Tian Ruofei , Yang Xiangmin , Wang Hao , Shi Ying , Fan Xinyu , Zhang Jiajia , Chen Yatong , Zhang Kun , Chen Zhinan , Li Ling
Published: June 2022

The presence of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) is one of the reasons for the treatment failure of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For LCSCs, one of their prominent features is metabolism plasticity, which depends on transporters and ion channels to exchange metabolites and ions. The K+ channel protein KCNN4 (Potassium Calcium-Activated Channel Subfamily N Member 4) has been reported to promote cell metabolism and malignant progression of HCCs, but its influence on LCSC stemness has remained unclear. Here, we demonstrated that KCNN4 was highly expressed in L-CSCs by RT-PCR and Western blot. Then, we illustrated that KCNN4 promoted the stemness of HC-C cells by CD133+CD44+ LCSC subpopulation ratio analysis, in vitro stemness transcription factor detection, and sphere formation assay, as well as in vivo orthotopic liver tumor formation and limiting dilution tumorigenesis assays. We also showed that KCNN4 enhanced the glucose metabolism in LCSCs by metabolic enzyme detections and seahorse analysis, and the KCNN4-promoted increase in LCSC ratios was abolished by glycolysis inhibitor 2-DG or OXPHOS inhibitor oligomycin. Collectively, our results suggested that KCNN4 promoted LCSC stemness via enhancing glucose metabolism, and that KCNN4 would be a potential molecular target for eliminating LCSCs in HCC.
Editorial: Functional Genomics in Plant Breeding 2.0
Authors: Maghuly Fatemeh , Molin Eva M. , Saxena Rachit , Konkin David J.
Published: June 2022

Scientists agree that the increased human impact on the environment since the 19th century has positioned our planet in a period of rapid and intense change, particularly to our natural ecosystems [...]
miR-1183 Is a Key Marker of Remodeling upon Stretch and Tachycardia in Human Myocardium
Authors: Djalinac Natasa , Kolesnik Ewald , Maechler Heinrich , Scheruebel-Posch Susanne , Pelzmann Brigitte , Rainer Peter P. , Foessl Ines , Wallner Markus , Scherr Daniel , Heinemann Akos , Sedej Simon , Ljubojevic-Holzer Senka , von Lewinski Dirk , Bisping Egbert
Published: June 2022

Many cardiac insults causing atrial remodeling are linked to either stretch or tachycardia, but a comparative characterization of their effects on early remodeling events in human myocardium is lacking. Here, we applied isometric stretch or sustained tachycardia at 2.5 Hz in human atrial trabeculae for 6 h followed by microarray gene expression profiling. Among largely independent expression patterns, we found a small common fraction with the microRNA miR-1183 as the highest up-regulated transcript (up to 4-fold). Both, acute stretch and tachycardia induced down-regulation of the predicted miR-1183 target genes ADAM20 and PLA2G7. Furthermore, miR-1183 was also significantly up-regulated in chronically remodeled atrial samples from patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (3-fold up-regulation versus sinus rhythm samples), and in ventricular myocardium from dilative cardiomyopathy hearts (2-fold up-regulation) as compared to non-failing controls. In sum, although stretch and tachycardia show distinct transcriptomic signatures in human atrial myocardium, both cardiac insults consistently regulate the expression of miR-1183 and its downstream targets in acute and chronic remodeling. Thus, elevated expression of miR-1183 might serve as a tissue biomarker for atrial remodeling and might be of potential functional significance in cardiac disease.
Identification and Characterization of PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR (PRR) 1a and 1b Genes by CRISPR/Cas9-Targeted Mutagenesis in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L.)
Authors: Kim Nan-Sun , Yu Jihyeon , Bae Sangsu , Kim Hyang Suk , Park Soyoung , Lee Kijong , Lee Soo In , Kim Jin A.
Published: June 2022

The CRISPR/Cas9 site-directed gene-editing system offers great advantages for identifying gene function and crop improvement. The circadian clock measures and conveys day length information to control rhythmic hypocotyl growth in photoperiodic conditions, to achieve optimal fitness, but operates through largely unknown mechanisms. Here, we generated core circadian clock evening components, Brassica rapa PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR (BrPRR) 1a, 1b, and 1ab (both 1a and 1b double knockout) mutants, using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in Chinese cabbage, where 9–16 genetic edited lines of each mutant were obtained. The targeted deep sequencing showed that each mutant had 2–4 different mutation types at the target sites in the BrPRR1a and BrPRR1b genes. To identify the functions of BrPRR1a and 1b genes, hypocotyl length, and mRNA and protein levels of core circadian clock morning components, BrCCA1 (CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1) and BrLHY (LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL) a and b were examined under light/dark cycles and continuous light conditions. The BrPRR1a and 1ab double mutants showed longer hypocotyls, lower core circadian clock morning component mRNA and protein levels, and a shorter circadian rhythm than wildtype (WT). On the other hand, the BrPRR1b mutant was not significantly different from WT. These results suggested that two paralogous genes may not be associated with the same regulatory function in Chinese cabbage. Taken together, our results demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9 is an efficient tool for achieving targeted genome modifications and elucidating the biological functions of circadian clock genes in B. rapa, for both breeding and improvement.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatments and Predictive Biomarkers of Therapeutic Response
Authors: Elhag Duaa Ahmed , Kumar Manoj , Saadaoui Marwa , Akobeng Anthony K. , Al-Mudahka Fatma , Elawad Mamoun , Al Khodor Souhaila
Published: June 2022

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with a highly heterogeneous presentation. It has a relapsing and remitting clinical course that necessitates lifelong monitoring and treatment. Although the availability of a variety of effective therapeutic options including immunomodulators and biologics (such as TNF, CAM inhibitors) has led to a paradigm shift in the treatment outcomes and clinical management of IBD patients, some patients still either fail to respond or lose their responsiveness to therapy over time. Therefore, according to the recent Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (STRIDE-II) recommendations, continuous disease monitoring from symptomatic relief to endoscopic healing along with short- and long-term therapeutic responses are critical for providing IBD patients with a tailored therapy algorithm. Moreover, considering the high unmet need for novel therapeutic approaches for IBD patients, various new modulators of cytokine signaling events (for example, JAK/TYK inhibitors), inhibitors of cytokines (for example IL-12/IL-23, IL-22, IL-36, and IL-6 inhibitors), anti-adhesion and migration strategies (for example, β7 integrin, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors, and stem cells), as well as microbial-based therapeutics to decolonize the bed buds (for example, fecal microbiota transplantation and bacterial inhibitors) are currently being evaluated in different phases of controlled clinical trials. This review aims to offer a comprehensive overview of available treatment options and emerging therapeutic approaches for IBD patients. Furthermore, predictive biomarkers for monitoring the therapeutic response to different IBD therapies are also discussed.
Silencing of the Ca2+ Channel ORAI1 Improves the Multi-Systemic Phenotype of Tubular Aggregate Myopathy (TAM) and Stormorken Syndrome (STRMK) in Mice
Authors: Silva-Rojas Roberto , Pérez-Guàrdia Laura , Lafabrie Emma , Moulaert David , Laporte Jocelyn , Böhm Johann
Published: June 2022

Tubular aggregate myopathy (TAM) and Stormorken syndrome (STRMK) form a clinical continuum associating progressive muscle weakness with additional multi-systemic anomalies of the bones, skin, spleen, and platelets. TAM/STRMK arises from excessive extracellular Ca2+ entry due to gain-of-function mutations in the Ca2+ sensor STIM1 or the Ca2+ channel ORAI1. Currently, no treatment is available. Here we assessed the therapeutic potential of ORAI1 downregulation to anticipate and reverse disease development in a faithful mouse model carrying the most common TAM/STRMK mutation and recapitulating the main signs of the human disorder. To this aim, we crossed Stim1R304W/+ mice with Orai1+/− mice expressing 50% of ORAI1. Systematic phenotyping of the offspring revealed that the Stim1R304W/+Orai1+/− mice were born with a normalized ratio and showed improved postnatal growth, bone architecture, and partly ameliorated muscle function and structure compared with their Stim1R304W/+ littermates. We also produced AAV particles containing Orai1-specific shRNAs, and intramuscular injections of Stim1R304W/+ mice improved the skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation properties, while muscle histology remained unchanged. Altogether, we provide the proof-of-concept that Orai1 silencing partially prevents the development of the multi-systemic TAM/STRMK phenotype in mice, and we also established an approach to target Orai1 expression in postnatal tissues.
Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphatic Barrier Dysfunction in Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Liu Jing , Yu Chen
Published: June 2022

As an integral part of the vascular system, the lymphatic vasculature is essential for tissue fluid homeostasis, nutritional lipid assimilation and immune regulation. The composition of the lymphatic vasculature includes fluid-absorbing initial lymphatic vessels (LVs), transporting collecting vessels and anti-regurgitation valves. Although, in recent decades, research has drastically enlightened our view of LVs, investigations of initial LVs, also known as lymphatic capillaries, have been stagnant due to technical limitations. In the kidney, the lymphatic vasculature mainly presents in the cortex, keeping the local balance of fluid, solutes and immune cells. The contribution of renal LVs to various forms of pathology, especially chronic kidney diseases, has been addressed in previous studies, however with diverging and inconclusive results. In this review, we discuss the most recent advances in the proliferation and permeability of lymphatic capillaries as well as their influencing factors. Novel technologies to visualize and measure LVs function are described. Then, we highlight the role of the lymphatic network in renal fibrosis and the crosstalk between kidney and other organs, such as gut and heart.
The Upregulated Expression of the Citrus RIN4 Gene in HLB Diseased Citrus Aids Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus Infection
Authors: Cheng Chunzhen , Zhong Yun , Wang Bin , Zhang Yongyan , Wu Huan , Jiang Nonghui , Wu Bo , Lv Yuanda , Jiang Bo
Published: June 2022

The citrus industry has been threatened by Huanglongbing (HLB) for over a century. Here, an HLB-induced Arabidopsis RPM1-interacting protein 4 (RIN4) homologous gene was cloned from Citrus clementina, and its characteristics and function were analyzed to determine its role during citrus–Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) interactions. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that RIN4 was expressed in roots, stems, leaves and flowers, with the greatest expression level in leaves. Its expression was suppressed by gibberellic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid treatments, but was induced by abscisic acid and salt treatments, as well as wounding. The transient expression of a RIN4-GFP showed that RIN4 was localized in the cell membrane. RIN4-overexpressing transgenic C. maxima cv. ‘Shatianyou’ plants were obtained, and some transgenic plants showed greater sensitivity to CLas infection and earlier HLB symptoms appearance than non-transgenic controls. Results obtained in this study indicated that the upregulated expression of RIN4 in HLB diseased citrus may aid CLas infection.