bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altitude and Erythropoietin: Comparative Evaluation of Their Impact on Key Parameters of the Athlete Biological Passport: A Review
Authors: Saugy Jonas J. , Schmoutz Tania , Botrè Francesco
Published: June 2022

The hematological module of the Athlete's Biological Passport (ABP) identifies doping methods and/or substances used to increase the blood's capacity to transport or deliver oxygen to the tissues. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPOs) are doping substances known to boost the production of red blood cells and might have an effect on the blood biomarkers of the ABP. However, hypoxic exposure influences these biomarkers similarly to rhEPOs. This analogous impact complicates the ABP profiles' interpretation by antidoping experts. The present study aimed to collect and identify, through a literature search, the physiological effects on ABP blood biomarkers induced by these external factors. A total of 43 studies were selected for this review. A positive correlation (R2 = 0.605, r = 0.778, p < 0.001) was identified between the hypoxic dose and the increase in hemoglobin concentration (HGB) percentage. In addition, the change in the reticulocyte percentage (RET%) has been identified as one of the most sensitive parameters to rhEPO use. The mean effects of rhEPO on blood parameters were greater than those induced by hypoxic exposure (1.7 times higher for HGB and RET% and 4 times higher for hemoglobin mass). However, rhEPO micro-doses have shown effects that are hardly distinguishable from those identified after hypoxic exposure. The results of the literature search allowed to identify temporal and quantitative evolution of blood parameters in connection with different hypoxic exposure doses, as well as different rhEPOs doses. This might be considered to provide justified and well-documented interpretations of physiological changes in blood parameters of the Athlete Biological Passport.
A New Traceless Technique for Cosmetic Closure of Minimally Invasive Incision and Chest Tube Fixation After Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Authors: Chen Zihao , Xin Ning , Huang Kenan , Wei Rongqiang , Liu Chengdong , Niu Shiwen , Xu Zhifei , Ding Xinyu , Tang Hua
Published: June 2022

Background

With uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) becoming mainstream, how to make the incision cosmetic has attracted much attention. This study aimed to introduce a new traceless method for cosmetic closure of the incision and a special procedure for chest tube fixation after uniportal VATS and to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of this new technique.

Methods

In this retrospective study, a total of 258 consecutive patients who underwent uniportal VATS were included. Among them, 127 patients were treated with a conventional method, and 131 patients were treated with a new method.

Results

Patients in the new method group had a significantly less incidence of subcutaneous emphysema after the chest tube was removed. The incidence of pneumothorax after the chest tube was removed and fat liquefaction of chest incision was not significantly different between the two groups. No differences in the incidence of pneumothorax after chest tube removal and fat liquefaction of postsurgical incision were found between the two groups. Additionally, there was also no significant difference in follow-up items.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results showed that this new method for minimally invasive incision closure and chest tube fixation after uniportal VATS was as feasible, effective, and safe as the conventional one but more cosmetic.
Welfare Through Competence: A Framework for Animal-Centric Technology Design
Authors: Webber Sarah , Cobb Mia L. , Coe Jon
Published: June 2022

Digital technologies offer new ways to ensure that animals can lead a good life in managed settings. As interactive enrichment and smart environments appear in zoos, farms, shelters, kennels and vet facilities, it is essential that the design of such technologies be guided by clear, scientifically-grounded understandings of what animals need and want, to be successful in improving their wellbeing. The field of Animal-Computer Interaction proposes that this can be achieved by centering animals as stakeholders in technology design, but there remains a need for robust methods to support interdisciplinary teams in placing animals' interests at the heart of design projects. Responding to this gap, we present the Welfare through Competence framework, which is grounded in contemporary animal welfare science, established technology design practices and applied expertise in animal-centered design. The framework brings together the “Five Domains of Animal Welfare” model and the “Coe Individual Competence” model, and provides a structured approach to defining animal-centric objectives and refining them through the course of a design project. In this paper, we demonstrate how design teams can use this framework to promote positive animal welfare in a range of managed settings. These much-needed methodological advances contribute a new theoretical foundation to debates around the possibility of animal-centered design, and offer a practical agenda for creating technologies that support a good life for animals.
Genome-Wide Detection of Copy Number Variations and Evaluation of Candidate Copy Number Polymorphism Genes Associated With Complex Traits of Pigs
Authors: Zhang Chunlei , Zhao Jing , Guo Yanli , Xu Qinglei , Liu Mingzheng , Cheng Meng , Chao Xiaohuan , Schinckel Allan P. , Zhou Bo
Published: June 2022

Copy number variation (CNV) has been considered to be an important source of genetic variation for important phenotypic traits of livestock. In this study, we performed whole-genome CNV detection on Suhuai (SH) (n = 23), Chinese Min Zhu (MZ) (n = 11), and Large White (LW) (n = 12) pigs based on next-generation sequencing data. The copy number variation regions (CNVRs) were annotated and analyzed, and 10,885, 10,836, and 10,917 CNVRs were detected in LW, MZ, and SH pigs, respectively. Some CNVRs have been randomly selected for verification of the variation type by real-time PCR. We found that SH and LW pigs are closely related, while MZ pigs are distantly related to the SH and LW pigs by CNVR-based genetic structure, PCA, VST, and QTL analyses. A total of 14 known genes annotated in CNVRs were unique for LW pigs. Among them, the cyclin T2 (CCNT2) is involved in cell proliferation and the cell cycle. The FA Complementation Group M (FANCM) is involved in defective DNA repair and reproductive cell development. Ten known genes annotated in 47 CNVRs were unique for MZ pigs. The genes included glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 3 (GPAT3) is involved in fat synthesis and is essential to forming the glycerol triphosphate. Glutathione S-transferase mu 4 (GSTM4) gene plays an important role in detoxification. Eleven known genes annotated in 23 CNVRs were unique for SH pigs. Neuroligin 4 X-linked (NLGN4X) and Neuroligin 4 Y-linked (NLGN4Y) are involved with nerve disorders and nerve signal transmission. IgLON family member 5 (IGLON5) is related to autoimmunity and neural activities. The unique characteristics of LW, MZ, and SH pigs are related to these genes with CNV polymorphisms. These findings provide important information for the identification of candidate genes in the molecular breeding of pigs.
Expression Profiles of the Ovine IL18 Gene and Association of Its Polymorphism With Hematologic Parameters in Hu Lambs
Authors: Zhang Deyin , Zhang Xiaoxue , Li Fadi , Zhao Yuan , Li Xiaolong , Wang Jianghui , Zhao Liming , Yang Xiaobin , Zhang Yukun , Xu Dan , Cheng Jiangbo , Li Wenxin , Lin Changchun , Zhou Bubo , Wang Weimin
Published: June 2022

Hematological traits are important indexes to evaluate health status and immunological conditions in human and livestock. In this study, we measured the hematologic indexes of 819 male Hu lambs and performed the descriptive statistical analysis. The results showed the coefficients of variation of partial indexes were >10%, and the heritability for mean erythrocyte volume (MCV), white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and red blood cell (RBC) distribution-standard deviation (RDW_SD) were medium to high, ranging from 0.17 to 0.43. In addition, Interleukin 18 (IL18), as an important regulator of both innate and acquired immune responses, was selected as candidate gene and subjected to the expression profile analysis, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scanning and association analysis by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), PCR amplification, Sanger sequencing, and KASP genotyping. The results of qRT-PCR indicated that IL18 is predominantly expressed in lymph and lung compared with that in the other tested tissues. In addition, three novel polymorphisms (g. 24991544 A > G, g. 24991651 A > G, and g. 24991749 C > T) were identified in IL18, and the three SNPs were in a strong linkage state. Therefore, only a SNP was genotyped and performed association analysis in the enlarged experimental population, the result of association analysis demonstrated that the polymorphism g. 24991651 A > G was significantly associated with RBC, MCV, MCHC, and RDW_CV. These results will provide the reference values and the novel genetic markers of hematological parameters in sheep.
A Novel Direct Optimization Framework for Hypersonic Waverider Inverse Design Methods
Authors: Son Jiwon , Son Chankyu , Yee Kwanjung
Published: June 2022

Waverider is a hypersonic vehicle that improves the lift-to-drag ratio using the shockwave attached to the leading edge of the lifting surface. Owing to its superior aerodynamic performance, it exhibits a viable external configuration in hypersonic flight conditions. Most of the existing studies on waverider employ the inverse design method to generate vehicle configuration. However, the waverider inverse design method exhibits two limitations; inaccurate definition of design space and unfeasible performance estimation during the design process. To address these issues, a novel framework to directly optimize the waverider is proposed in this paper. The osculating cone theory is adopted as a waverider inverse design method. A general methodology to define the design space is suggested by analyzing the design curves of the osculating cone theory. The performance of the waverider is estimated accurately and rapidly via combining a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics solver and a surrogate model. A comparison study shows that the proposed direct optimization framework enables a more accurate design space and efficient performance estimation. The framework is applied to the multi-objective optimization problem, which maximizes internal volume and minimizes aerodynamic drag. Finally, general characteristics for waverider are presented by analyzing the optimized results with data mining methods such as K-means.
Emerging Evidence of the Significance of Thioredoxin-1 in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging
Authors: Jabbar Shaima , Mathews Parker , Kang Yubin
Published: June 2022

The United States is undergoing a demographic shift towards an older population with profound economic, social, and healthcare implications. The number of Americans aged 65 and older will reach 80 million by 2040. The shift will be even more dramatic in the extremes of age, with a projected 400% increase in the population over 85 years old in the next two decades. Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ageing is crucial to reduce ageing-associated disease and to improve the quality of life for the elderly. In this review, we summarized the changes associated with the ageing of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and what is known about some of the key underlying cellular and molecular pathways. We focus here on the effects of reactive oxygen species and the thioredoxin redox homeostasis system on ageing biology in HSCs and the HSC microenvironment. We present additional data from our lab demonstrating the key role of thioredoxin-1 in regulating HSC ageing.
Treatment with Bixin-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles Prevents Cigarette Smoke-Induced Acute Lung Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Mice
Authors: Figueiredo-Junior Alexsandro Tavares , Valença Samuel Santos , Finotelli Priscilla Vanessa , Anjos Francisca de Fátima dos , de Brito-Gitirana Lycia , Takiya Christina Maeda , Lanzetti Manuella
Published: June 2022

The use of annatto pigments has been evaluated as a therapeutic strategy in animal models of several health disorders. Beneficial effects were generally attributed to the inhibition of oxidative stress. Bixin is the main pigment present in annatto seeds and has emerged as an important scavenger of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS). However, this carotenoid is highly hydrophobic, affecting its therapeutic applicability. Therefore, bixin represents an attractive target for nanotechnology to improve its pharmacokinetic parameters. In this study, we prepared bixin nanoparticles (npBX) and evaluated if they could prevent pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress induced by cigarette smoke (CS). C57BL/6 mice were exposed to CS and treated daily (by gavage) with different concentrations of npBX (6, 12 and 18%) or blank nanoparticles (npBL, 18%). The negative control group was sham smoked and received 18% npBL. On day 6, the animals were euthanized, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), as well as lungs, were collected for analysis. CS exposure led to an increase in ROS and nitrite production, which was absent in animals treated with npBX. In addition, npBX treatment significantly reduced leukocyte numbers and TNF-α levels in the BALF of CS-exposed mice, and it strongly inhibited CS-induced increases in MDA and PNK in lung homogenates. Interestingly, npBX protective effects against oxidative stress seemed not to act via Nrf2 activation in the CS + npBX 18% group. In conclusion, npBX prevented oxidative stress and acute lung inflammation in a murine model of CS-induced acute lung inflammation.
Next-Generation Sequencing Advances the Genetic Diagnosis of Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM)
Authors: Benedetti Valerio , Canzoneri Rosalia , Perrelli Andrea , Arduino Carlo , Zonta Andrea , Brusco Alfredo , Retta Saverio Francesco
Published: June 2022

Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM) is a cerebrovascular disease of genetic origin that predisposes to seizures, focal neurological deficits and fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. It may occur sporadically or in familial forms, segregating as an autosomal dominant condition with incomplete penetrance and highly variable expressivity. Its pathogenesis has been associated with loss-of-function mutations in three genes, namely KRIT1 (CCM1), CCM2 and PDCD10 (CCM3), which are implicated in defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and inflammation. Herein, we screened 21 Italian CCM cases using clinical exome sequencing and found six cases (~29%) with pathogenic variants in CCM genes, including a large 145–256 kb genomic deletion spanning the KRIT1 gene and flanking regions, and the KRIT1 c.1664C>T variant, which we demonstrated to activate a donor splice site in exon 16. The segregation of this cryptic splicing mutation was studied in a large Italian family (five affected and seven unaffected cases), and showed a largely heterogeneous clinical presentation, suggesting the implication of genetic modifiers. Moreover, by analyzing ad hoc gene panels, including a virtual panel of 23 cerebrovascular disease-related genes (Cerebro panel), we found two variants in NOTCH3 and PTEN genes, which could contribute to the abnormal oxidative stress and inflammatory responses to date implicated in CCM disease pathogenesis.
Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Hyperthyroid Rat Liver: Vitamin E Supplementation Highlights a Possible Role of ROS
Authors: Fasciolo Gianluca , Napolitano Gaetana , Aprile Marianna , Cataldi Simona , Costa Valerio , Ciccodicola Alfredo , Di Meo Sergio , Venditti Paola
Published: June 2022

Thyroid hormones are normally involved in glycaemic control, but their excess can lead to altered glucose metabolism and insulin resistance (IR). Since hyperthyroidism-linked increase in ROS results in tissue oxidative stress that is considered a hallmark of conditions leading to IR, it is conceivable a role of ROS in the onset of IR in hyperthyroidism. To verify this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of vitamin E on thyroid hormone-induced oxidative damage, insulin resistance, and on gene expression of key molecules involved in IR in the rat liver. The factors involved in oxidative damage, namely the total content of ROS, the mitochondrial production of ROS, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, the in vitro susceptibility to oxidative stress, have been correlated to insulin resistance indices, such as insulin activation of hepatic Akt and plasma level of glucose, insulin and HOMA index. Our results indicate that increased levels of oxidative damage ROS content and production and susceptibility to oxidative damage, parallel increased fasting plasma level of glucose and insulin, reduced activation of Akt and increased activation of JNK. This last result suggests a role for JNK in the insulin resistance induced by hyperthyroidism. Furthermore, the variation of the genes Pparg, Ppara, Cd36 and Slc2a2 could explain, at least in part, the observed metabolic phenotypes.
mTOR Signalling Pathway: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Wang Yipin , Fung Nicholas Siu Kay , Lam Wai-Ching , Lo Amy Cheuk Yin
Published: June 2022

Recent advances in the research of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway demonstrated that mTOR is a robust therapeutic target for ocular degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and glaucoma. Although the exact mechanisms of individual ocular degenerative diseases are unclear, they share several common pathological processes, increased and prolonged oxidative stress in particular, which leads to functional and morphological impairment in photoreceptors, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). mTOR not only modulates oxidative stress but is also affected by reactive oxygen species (ROS) activation. It is essential to understand the complicated relationship between the mTOR pathway and oxidative stress before its application in the treatment of retinal degeneration. Indeed, the substantial role of mTOR-mediated autophagy in the pathogenies of ocular degenerative diseases should be noted. In reviewing the latest studies, this article summarised the application of rapamycin, an mTOR signalling pathway inhibitor, in different retinal disease models, providing insight into the mechanism of rapamycin in the treatment of retinal neurodegeneration under oxidative stress. Besides basic research, this review also summarised and updated the results of the latest clinical trials of rapamycin in ocular neurodegenerative diseases. In combining the current basic and clinical research results, we provided a more complete picture of mTOR as a potential therapeutic target for ocular neurodegenerative diseases.
A New Horizon in Reproductive Research with Pluripotent Stem Cells: Successful In Vitro Gametogenesis in Rodents, Its Application to Large Animals, and Future In Vitro Reconstitution of Reproductive Organs Such as “Uteroid” and “Oviductoid”
Authors: Yoshimatsu Sho , Kisu Iori , Qian Emi , Noce Toshiaki
Published: June 2022

Recent success in derivation of functional gametes (oocytes and spermatozoa) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) of rodents has made it feasible for future application to large animals including endangered species and to ultimately humans. Here, we summarize backgrounds and recent studies on in vitro gametogenesis from rodent PSCs, and similar approaches using PSCs from large animals, including livestock, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and humans. We also describe additional developing approaches for in vitro reconstitution of reproductive organs, such as the ovary (ovarioid), testis (testisoid), and future challenges in the uterus (uteroid) and oviduct (oviductoid), all of which may be derived from PSCs. Once established, these in vitro systems may serve as a robust platform for elucidating the pathology of infertility-related disorders and ectopic pregnancy, principle of reproduction, and artificial biogenesis. Therefore, these possibilities, especially when using human cells, require consideration of ethical issues, and international agreements and guidelines need to be raised before opening “Pandora’s Box”.
Acute Effects of Wearing Different Surgical Face Masks during High-Intensity, Short-Rest Resistance Exercise on Cardiorespiratory and Pulmonary Function and Perceptual Responses in Weightlifters
Authors: Wang Shin-Yuan , Chiu Chih-Hui , Hsu Chin-Hsien , Chou Chun-Chung , Hsu Shuo-Min , Shapu Lu-Bi , Chao Tai-Chen , Chen Che-Hsiu
Published: June 2022

This study investigated the effect of wearing a typical surgical mask (SM) or a three-dimensional (3D) SM (3DSM) during whole-body, high-intensity, short-rest resistance exercise on cardiorespiratory, respiratory, and perceptual comfort responses in weightlifters. Twenty elite weightlifters (6 women and 14 men; age = 24.1 ± 4.9 years; height: 167.45 ± 7.60 cm; body mass = 76.48 ± 19.86 kg) who participated in this study performed 3 resistance exercise sessions in a randomized order: (1) without a mask (NM), (2) while wearing a typical SM, and (3) while wearing a 3DSM. Resistance exercise consisted of a descending pyramid scheme starting at 10 repetitions, with a decrease of one repetition per set for the back squat, bench press, and deadlift, as fast as possible at 75% of the one-repetition maximum. Cardiorespiratory and pulmonary function and comfort were measured. Across all conditions, effective postexercise hypotension (PEH) was noted in terms of decreased systolic blood pressure (−4.64%), diastolic BP (−5.36%), mean arterial pressure (−5.02%), and ankle–brachial index (−6.84%). However, the heart rate (40.34%) and rate of pressure product (33.60%) increased, and no effects on pulmonary function were observed in the three conditions. The participants reported higher breathing resistance and tightness when wearing a typical SM than when wearing a 3DSM or no mask. Therefore, both wearing and not wearing a face mask during whole-body, high-intensity, short-rest resistance exercise promoted PEH and exerted no detrimental effect on pulmonary function. Coaches, trainers, and athletes should consider wearing a 3DSM during resistance exercise.
Relationship of micro-RNA, mRNA and eIF Expression in Tamoxifen-Adapted MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells: Impact of miR-1972 on Gene Expression, Proliferation and Migration
Authors: Behringer Akhil , Stoimenovski Darko , Porsch Martin , Hoffmann Katrin , Behre Gerhard , Grosse Ivo , Kalinski Thomas , Haybaeck Johannes , Nass Norbert
Published: June 2022

Background: Tamoxifen-adapted MCF-7-Tam cells represent an in-vitro model for acquired tamoxifen resistance, which is still a problem in clinics. We here investigated the correlation of microRNA-, mRNA- and eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) expression in this model. Methods: MicroRNA- and gene expression were analyzed by nCounter and qRT-PCR technology; eIFs by Western blotting. Protein translation mode was determined using a reporter gene assay. Cells were transfected with a miR-1972-mimic. Results: miR-181b-5p,-3p and miR-455-5p were up-, miR-375, and miR-1972 down-regulated and are significant in survival analysis. About 5% of the predicted target genes were significantly altered. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested a contribution of the FoxO1 pathway. The ratio of polio-IRES driven to cap-dependent protein translation shifted towards cap-dependent initiation. Protein expression of eIF2A, -4G, -4H and -6 decreased, whereas eIF3H was higher in MCF-7-Tam. Significant correlations between tamoxifen-regulated miRNAs and eIFs were found in representative breast cancer cell lines. Transfection with a miR-1972-mimic reverses tamoxifen-induced expression for a subset of genes and increased proliferation in MCF-7, but reduced proliferation in MCF-7-Tam, especially in the presence of 4OH-tamoxifen. Migration was inhibited in MCF-7-Tam cells. Translation mode remained unaffected. Conclusions: miR-1972 contributes to the orchestration of gene-expression and physiological consequences of tamoxifen adaption.
Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Treated with Standard Dose of Dexamethasone or High Dose of Methylprednisolone
Authors: Russo Alessandro , Davoli Chiara , Borrazzo Cristian , Olivadese Vincenzo , Ceccarelli Giancarlo , Fusco Paolo , Lazzaro Alessandro , Lionello Rosaria , Ricchio Marco , Serapide Francesca , Tassone Bruno , Gentilini Cacciola Elio , Mastroianni Claudio Maria , Torti Carlo , d’Ettorre Gabriella , Trecarichi Enrico Maria
Published: June 2022

The hyperinflammatory phase represents the main cause for the clinical worsening of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), leading to the hypothesis that steroid therapy could be a mainstream treatment in COVID-19 patients. This is an observational study including all consecutive patients admitted to two Italian University Hospitals for COVID-19 from March 2020 to December 2021. The aim of this study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcome parameters of hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with dexamethasone 6 mg once daily (standard-dose group) or methylprednisolone 40 mg twice daily (high-dose group). The primary outcome was the impact of these different steroid treatments on 30-day mortality. During the study period, 990 patients were evaluated: 695 (70.2%) receiving standard dosage of dexamethasone and 295 (29.8%) receiving a high dose of methylprednisolone. Cox regression analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 1.98, CI95% 1.34–9.81, p = 0.002), chronic kidney disease (HR 5.21, CI95% 1.48–22.23, p = 0.001), oncologic disease (HR 2.81, CI95% 1.45–19.8, p = 0.005) and high-flow nasal cannula, continuous positive airway pressure or non-invasive ventilation oxygen therapy (HR 61.1, CI95% 5.12–511.1, p < 0.001) were independently associated with 30-day mortality; conversely, high-dose steroid therapy was associated with survival (HR 0.42, CI95% 0.38–0.86, p = 0.002) at 30 days. Kaplan–Meier curves for 30-day survival displayed a statistically significant better survival rate in patients treated with high-dose steroid therapy (p = 0.018). The results of this study highlighted that the use of high-dose methylprednisolone, compared to dexamethasone 6 mg once daily, in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may be associated with a significant reduction in mortality.
Obliviate! Reviewing Neural Fundamentals of Intentional Forgetting from a Meta-Analytic Perspective
Authors: Gamboa Olga Lucia , Chuan-Peng Hu , Salas Christian E. , Yuen Kenneth S. L.
Published: June 2022

Intentional forgetting (IF) is an important adaptive mechanism necessary for correct memory functioning, optimal psychological wellbeing, and appropriate daily performance. Due to its complexity, the neuropsychological processes that give birth to successful intentional forgetting are not yet clearly known. In this study, we used two different meta-analytic algorithms, Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) & Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to quantitatively assess the neural correlates of IF and to evaluate the degree of compatibility between the proposed neurobiological models and the existing brain imaging data. We found that IF involves the interaction of two networks, the main “core regions” consisting of a primarily right-lateralized frontal-parietal circuit that is activated irrespective of the paradigm used and sample characteristics and a second less constrained “supportive network” that involves frontal-hippocampal interactions when IF takes place. Additionally, our results support the validity of the inhibitory or thought suppression hypothesis. The presence of a neural signature of IF that is stable regardless of experimental paradigms is a promising finding that may open new venues for the development of effective clinical interventions.
Predicting the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Italian Regions: The Calabria Case Study, February 2020–March 2022
Authors: Branda Francesco , Abenavoli Ludovico , Pierini Massimo , Mazzoli Sandra
Published: June 2022

Despite the stunning speed with which highly effective and safe vaccines have been developed, the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 causes high rates of (re)infection, a major impact on health care services, and a slowdown to the socio-economic system. For COVID-19, accurate and timely forecasts are therefore essential to provide the opportunity to rapidly identify risk areas affected by the pandemic, reallocate the use of health resources, design countermeasures, and increase public awareness. This paper presents the design and implementation of an approach based on autoregressive models to reliably forecast the spread of COVID-19 in Italian regions. Starting from the database of the Italian Civil Protection Department (DPC), the experimental evaluation was performed on real-world data collected from February 2020 to March 2022, focusing on Calabria, a region of Southern Italy. This evaluation shows that the proposed approach achieves a good predictive power for out-of-sample predictions within one week (R-squared > 0.9 at 1 day, R-squared > 0.7 at 7 days), although it decreases with increasing forecasted days (R-squared > 0.5 at 14 days).
Effects of Engineering Students’ Soft Skills and Empathy on Their Attitudes toward Curricula Integration
Authors: Hwang Soonhee
Published: June 2022

Recently, various integrated education curricula for STEM curricula have been provided. This research sought to investigate the effects of engineering students’ soft skills and empathy on their attitudes toward curricula integration (hereafter, attitudes toward integration). First, students’ attitudinal differences respecting integration, soft skills and empathy were examined. Second, the relationships among attitudes toward integration, soft skills and empathy were identified in terms of various sub-factors of those three variables. Third, the effects of soft skills and empathy on attitudes toward integration, as perceived by men and women engineering students, were explored. A total of 302 engineering students from three universities in Korea responded to a survey based on a three-variable scale. Analysis of the data found that: firstly, men scored higher in most of the sub-factors of two variables, namely attitudes toward integration and soft skills; women scored higher in most of the sub-factors of one variable, empathy; and that these gender differences were statistically significant. Secondly, a positive correlation among attitudes toward integration, soft skills and empathy was identified. Thirdly, it was determined that attitudes toward integration were affected significantly by soft skills and empathy. The practical implications of these findings for engineering education are discussed herein, with particular attention devoted to the issue of the cultivation of engineering students’ soft skills, empathy, and attitudes toward integration.
Research on Energy-Saving Routing Technology Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zheng Xiangyu , Huang Wanwei , Wang Sunan , Zhang Jianwei , Zhang Huanlong
Published: June 2022

With the vigorous development of the Internet, the network traffic of data centers has exploded, and at the same time, the network energy consumption of data centers has also increased rapidly. Existing routing algorithms only realize routing optimization through Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE), which ignores the energy consumption of data center networks. Aiming at this problem, this paper proposes an Ee-Routing algorithm, which is an energy-saving routing algorithm based on deep reinforcement learning. First, our method takes the energy consumption and network performance of the data plane in the software-defined network as the joint optimization goal and establishes an energy-efficient traffic scheduling scheme for the elephant flows and the mice flows. Then, we use Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), which is a deep learning framework, to achieve continuous and energy-efficient traffic scheduling for joint optimization goals. The training process of our method is based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which can effectively improve the convergence efficiency of the algorithm. After the algorithm training converges, the energy-efficient path weights of the elephant flows and the mice flows are output, and the balanced scheduling of routing energy-saving and network performance is completed. Finally, the results show that our algorithm has good convergence and stability. Compared with the DQN-EER routing algorithm, Ee-Routing improves the energy saving percentage by 13.93%, and compared with the EARS routing algorithm, Ee-Routing reduces the delay by 13.73%, increases the throughput by 10.91%, and reduces the packet loss rate by 13.51%.
Simulation of Authentication in Information-Processing Electronic Devices Based on Poisson Pulse Sequence Generators
Authors: Maksymovych Volodymyr , Nyemkova Elena , Justice Connie , Shabatura Mariia , Harasymchuk Oleh , Lakh Yuriy , Rusynko Morika
Published: June 2022

Poisson pulse sequence generators are quite well studied, have good statistical properties, are implemented both in software and hardware, but have not yet been used for the purpose of authentication. The work was devoted to modeling authenticators of information-processing electronic devices by creating a bit template simulator based on a Poisson pulse sequence generator (PPSG). The generated templates imitated an important property of real bit templates, which reflected the physical uniqueness of electronic devices, namely Hamming distances between arbitrary template pairs for the same device were much smaller than the distance between arbitrary template pairs for two different devices. The limits of the control code values were determined by setting the range of the average frequency values of the output pulse sequence with the Poisson distribution law. The specified parameters of the output pulse sequence were obtained due to the optimization of the parameters of the PPSG structural elements. A combination of pseudo-random sequences with the control code’s different values formed the bit template. The comparison of the Hamming distance between the standard and real-time templates with a given threshold value was used as a validation mechanism. The simulation experiment results confirmed the unambiguous authentication of devices. The simulation results also showed similarities with the real data obtained for the bit templates of personal computers’ own noise. The proposed model could be used for improving the cybersecurity of a corporate network as an additional factor in the authentication of information-processing electronic devices for which the measurement of noise with the required accuracy is not possible or significantly difficult.
TAISAM: A Transistor Array-Based Test Method for Characterizing Heavy Ion-Induced Sensitive Areas in Semiconductor Materials
Authors: Shao Jinjin , Song Ruiqiang , Chi Yaqing , Liang Bin , Wu Zhenyu
Published: June 2022

The heavy ion-induced sensitive area is an essential parameter for space application integrated circuits. Circuit Designers need it to evaluate and mitigate heavy ion-induced soft errors. However, it is hard to measure this parameter due to the lack of test structures and methods. In this paper, a test method called TAISAM was proposed to measure the heavy ion-induced sensitive area. TAISAM circuits were irradiated under the heavy ions. The measured sensitive areas are 1.75 μm2 and 1.00 μm2 with different LET values. TAISAM circuits are also used to investigate the layout structures that can affect the sensitive area. When the source region of the target transistor is floating, the heavy ion-induced sensitive area decreases by 28.5% for the target PMOS transistor while it increases by more than 28% for the target NMOS transistor. When the well contacts are added, the heavy ion-induced sensitive area decreases by more than 25% for the target PMOS transistor while it remains unchanged for the target NMOS transistor. Experimental results directly validate that the two structures significantly affect the heavy ion-induced sensitive area.
Asynchronous and Decoupled HIL Simulation of a DC Nanogrid
Authors: Estrada Leonel , Vaquero Joaquín , Rodríguez-Lorente Alba , Arau Jaime , de Castro Angel , Sanchez Alberto , Vazquez Nimrod
Published: June 2022

In this paper, an asynchronous and decoupled Hardware-In-the-Loop simulation of a DC nanogrid is presented. The DC nanogrid is a recent way to solve problems presented in traditional power generation, such as low efficiency, pollution, and cost increase. The complexity of this kind of system is high due to the interconnection of all the composing elements, making the use of HIL simulation attractive due to its advantages regarding computational power and low solution time. However, when a nanogrid is simulated in commercial and personalized platforms, all the elements presented are solved at the same integration time, even if some elements could be solved at smaller integration times, causing a slowdown of the system solution. The results of the asynchronous HIL simulation are compared with a synchronous HIL simulation with an integration time of 425 ns, and also with an offline simulation performed in PSIM software. The proposal achieves an integration time of 200 ns for the fastest element and 425 ns for the slowest, with an error of less than 0.2 A for current signals and less than 2 V for voltage signals. These results prove that the asynchronous and decoupled solution of an HIL simulation for nanogrid is possible, allowing each element to be solved as fast as possible without affecting the accuracy of the result, as well as simplifying programming.
Using Codes of Output Collections for Hardware Reduction in Circuits of LUT-Based Finite State Machines
Authors: Barkalov Alexander , Titarenko Larysa , Krzywicki Kazimierz , Mielcarek Kamil
Published: June 2022

A method is proposed which aims to reduce the hardware in FPGA-based circuits of Mealy finite state machines (FSMs). The proposed method is a type of structural decomposition method. Its main goal is the reducing the number of look-up table (LUT) elements in FSM circuits compared to the three-block FSM circuit. The main idea of the proposed method is the using codes of collections of FSM outputs for replacing the FSM inputs and state variables. The interstate transitions are defined using collections of outputs generated in two adjacent cycles of synchronization. One, of output collection codes, is kept into a register. To optimize block-generating FSM outputs, a new type of state codes is proposed. A state is encoded as an element of some class of states. This approach allows both the number of logic levels and inter-level interconnections in LUT-based FSM circuit to be diminished. An example of an LUT-based Mealy FSM circuit with the proposed method applied is shown. Moreover, the results of our research are represented. The research was conducted using the CAD tool Vivado by Xilinx. The experiments prove that the proposed approach allows the reduction of hardware compared with such known methods as Auto and One-hot of Vivado, and JEDI. Moreover, the proposed approach gives better results than a method based on the simultaneous replacement of inputs and encoding collections of outputs. Compared to circuits of the three-block FSMs, the LUT counts are reduced by an average of 10.07% without significant reduction in the value of operating frequency. The gain in LUT counts increases with the increasing the numbers of FSM states and inputs.
Before-During-After Biomonitoring Assessment for a Pipeline Construction in a Coastal Lagoon in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy)
Authors: Cacciatore Federica , Moltedo Ginevra , Bernarello Valentina , Formalewicz Malgorzata , Catalano Barbara , Martuccio Giacomo , Benedetti Maura , Berducci Maria Teresa , Sesta Giulio , Franceschini Gianluca , Berto Daniela , Maggi Chiara , Regoli Francesco , Gabellini Massimo , Virno Lamberti Claudia
Published: June 2022

During 2006–2008, a pipeline was buried in Vallona lagoon in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy). A Before-During-After environmental monitoring programme was scheduled to monitor possible alterations. Bioaccumulation of metal(loid)s, BTs (butyltins) and HMW-PAHs (High Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), and biological responses (Condition index, air Survival—LT50, Acetylcholinesterase, Micronuclei—MN, acyl-CoA oxidase, catalase, malondialdehyde—MDA, and the total oxyradical scavenging capacity—TOSCA) were investigated in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) from November 2005 to June 2015. In opera (IO) results showed higher levels of HMW-PAHs (73 ± 13 ng/g), BTs (90 ± 38 ng Sn/g) and increasing levels of Pb (6.7 ± 0.7 mg/kg) and Zn (73.6 ± 6.08 mg/kg) probably linked to works. Other contaminant alterations, especially metal(loid)s, before (AO) and after (PO) the burial, were attributed to a general condition of the area and mostly unrelated to works. In addition, LT50, MN and TOSCA showed alterations, probably due to hotspots occurring in IO. TOSCA and MDA increases, right after the burial, were considered delayed responses of IO, whilst other biological responses detected later were connected to the general condition of the area. Comparisons between results of Principal Component Analyses (PCAs) highlighted partial overlapping of AO and IO, whilst PO differed only for contaminants. Visual correlations between PCAs highlighted the biomarkers’ latter response.
Enhanced Production Process of Recombinant Mature Serratiopeptidase in Escherichia coli Using Fed-Batch Culture by Self-Proteolytic Activity of Fusion Protein
Authors: Doshi Pooja , Dantroliya Sadik , Modi Akhilesh , Shukla Arpit , Patel Dhaval , Joshi Chaitanya , Joshi Madhvi
Published: June 2022

Microbial enzymes are increasingly finding applications as therapeutics due to their targeted activity and minimal side effects. Serratiopeptidase, also known as a miracle enzyme, has already proved its potential as an anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, fibrinolytic, analgesic in many studies. A cost effective, bioreactor level production process has been described here comprising of the fed-batch fermentation to produce recombinant serratiopeptidase protein expressed as a fusion construct. High yield of cell mass as well as protein was obtained by the optimization of bioreactor parameters. The downstream solubilization and purification processes were also optimized to achieve maximum yield of pure, active serratiopeptidase protein. A final yield of 2.5 ± 0.764 g L−1 of protein was obtained, having 8382 ± 291 U mg−1 of specific caseinolytic activity. Additionally, a novel, unexpected self-proteolytic activity of the enzyme that cleaves the N-terminal 6× His-SUMO fusion tag along with the enzyme propeptide, thus yielding a mature serratiopeptidase, was also found.
Screening of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with High Stress Tolerance and High Esterase Activity and Their Effect on Promoting Protein Metabolism and Flavor Formation in Suanzhayu, a Chinese Fermented Fish
Authors: Liu Aoxue , Yan Xu , Shang Hao , Ji Chaofan , Zhang Sufang , Liang Huipeng , Chen Yingxi , Lin Xinping
Published: June 2022

In this study, three Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, namely 3-14-LJ, M22, and MB1, with high acetate esterase activity, acid, salt, and high-temperature tolerance were selected from 708 strains isolated from fermented food. Then, L. plantarum strains MB1, M22, and 3-14-LJ were inoculated at 107 CFU/mL in the model and 107 CFU/g in actual Suanzhayu systems, and the effects during fermentation on the physicochemical properties, amino acid, and volatile substance were investigated. The results showed that the inoculated group had a faster pH decrease, lower protein content, higher TCA-soluble peptides, and total amino acid contents than the control group in both systems (p < 0.05). Inoculation was also found to increase the production of volatile compounds, particularly esters, improve the sour taste, and decrease the bitterness of the product (p < 0.05). L. plantarum M22 was more effective than the other two strains in stimulating the production of isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl octanoate. However, differences were discovered between the strains as well as between the model and the actual systems. Overall, the isolated strains, particularly L. plantarum M22, have good fermentation characteristics and have the potential to become excellent Suanzhayu fermenters in the future.
Microwave-Assisted Acid Hydrolysis vs. Conventional Hydrolysis to Produce Sapogenin-Rich Products from Fenugreek Extracts
Authors: Navarro del Hierro Joaquin , Cantero-Bahillo Emma , Fernández-Felipe M. Teresa , Martin Diana
Published: June 2022

The acid hydrolysis of saponins is commonly performed by conventional heating to produce sapogenin-rich products of bioactive interest, but alternative hydrolysis methods and their impact on bioactivity have been unexplored. We compared the conventional method with microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis (MAAH) of a commercial saponin-rich extract from a typical saponin source, fenugreek, focusing on the study of temperature (100, 120, 130, 140, 150 °C) and time (10, 20, 30, 40 min) of hydrolysis. The impact of these factors was assayed on both the sapogenin yield and the bioactivity of the hydrolyzed products, specifically their antioxidant and lipase inhibitory activities. The highest sapogenin content (34 g/100 g extract) was achieved by MAAH at 140 °C and 30 min, which was higher than conventional hydrolysis at both reference conditions (100 °C, 60 min, 24.6 g/100 g extract) and comparative conditions (140 °C, 30 min, 17 g/100 g extract) (p < 0.001). Typical steroid artifacts from sapogenins were observed in very small amounts, regardless of the method of hydrolysis. Antioxidant activity of MAAH hydrolyzed extracts (around 80% DPPH inhibition) was barely affected by time and temperature, but pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity was higher (>65%) at lower MAAH temperature (<130 °C) and time (<30 min) of hydrolysis. MAAH is shown as a valid alternative to produce selective sapogenin-rich extracts from fenugreek with minor impact on their bioactivities, and whose magnitude can be modulated by the hydrolysis conditions.
Depression Associated with Caregiver Quality of Life in Post-COVID-19 Patients in Two Regions of Peru
Authors: Chávez Sosa Janett V. , Mego Gonzales Flor M. , Aliaga Ramirez Zoila E. , Cajachagua Castro Mayela , Huancahuire-Vega Salomón
Published: June 2022

Due to COVID-19, the workload experienced by caregivers has increased markedly which has led them to experience fatigue, anxiety and depression. This study aims to determine the relationship between quality of life and depression in caregivers of post-COVID-19 patients in two regions of Peru. In a cross-sectional analytical study, the sample was non-probabilistic and by snowball, and consisted of 730 caregivers, to whom the questionnaires “Modified Betty Ferell Quality of Life” and the “Beck Depression Inventory” were applied. It was determined that being a male caregiver (OR: 2.119; 95% CI: 1.332–3.369) was associated with a good quality of life. On the other hand, caregivers who had children (OR: 0.391; 95% CI: 0.227–0.675), were vaccinated against COVID-19 (OR: 0.432; 95% CI: 0.250–0.744), were immediate family members (OR: 0.298; 95% CI: 0.117–0.761) and had high depression (OR: 0.189; 95% CI: 0.073–0.490) were associated with poor quality of life. The results of this study allow us to conclude the association between depression and poor quality of life in caregivers of these patients so it is necessary to monitor the mental health of caregivers, and to develop adaptation strategies to pandemic conditions.