bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purification and Functional Characterization of a Soluble Trehalase in Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Wang Qingtai , Fang Kui , Qi Lizhong , Wang Xiao , Pan Yu , Li Yunshuo , Xi Jinghui , Zhang Juhong
Published: September 2022

Trehalase is the only enzyme known for the irreversible splitting of trehalose and plays a major role in insect growth and development. In this report, we describe a basic study of the trehalase gene fragment encoding a soluble trehalase from Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (LoTRE1). Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggested that LoTRE1 was similar to some known insect trehalases and belongs to the Coleoptera trehalase group. Additionally, LoTRE1 was expressed mainly in the fat body. Purified protein was obtained using heterologous expression of LoTRE1 in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein exhibited the ability to decompose trehalose. Enzyme–substrate docking indicated the potential involvement of other residues in the catalytic activity, in addition to Asp 333. Moreover, feeding of adults on LoTRE1 dsRNA silenced the transcription of LoTRE1 and thereby reduced the activity of trehalase and increased the trehalose content; it also led to a 12% death rate. This study reveals essential molecular features of trehalase and offers insights into the structural aspects of this enzyme, which might be related to its function. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that LoTRE1 is indispensable for adults of this pest and provide a new target for the control of L. oryzophilus.
Lipoprotein a Combined with Fibrinogen as an Independent Predictor of Long-Term Prognosis in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Cui Cai-Yan , Ye Tao , Cheng Lian-Chao , Tong Lin , Tong Lan , Zhang Zhen , Cai Lin
Published: September 2022

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) still have a high risk of recurrence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). However, there are rare studies on the prediction of MACCE in patients with ACS using lipoprotein a [Lp(a)] combined with fibrinogen. The aim of this study was to analyze the predictive value of Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen for the long-term prognosis of patients with ACS. Methods: 804 patients with ACS admitted to 11 tertiary general hospitals in Chengdu from January 2017 to June 2019 were included in the study. According to the Lp(a) 300 mg/L, patients were assigned to the non-high Lp(a) group and high Lp(a) group. Patients were assigned to the non-high or high fibrinogen groups using the fibrinogen level of 3.08 g/L. Subsequently, patients were divided into group A, B, or C by Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen. The study endpoints were MACCE, including all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and revascularization. The incidences of MACCE among groups were compared. Lp(a), fibrinogen, Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen classifications were each added into the basic model to construct three new models. The C-index, net reclassification index (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) of the three new models were then compared. Results: The median follow-up was 16 months. During follow-up, the cumulative incidence of MACCE in group C was significantly higher than that measured in group A and B (p < 0.001). The results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis of MACCE showed that Lp(a) ≥300 mg/L with fibrinogen ≥3.08 g/L was an independent predictor of MACCE. According to the GRACE score and the statistical analyses, the basic model was constructed, which had a C-index of 0.694. The C-index, NRI, and IDI of the new model constructed using the basic model + Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen classification were 0.736, 0.095, and 0.094 respectively. Conclusions: Single Lp(a), single fibrinogen and Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen were independent predictors of MACCE in patients with ACS. The predictive value of Lp(a) combined with fibrinogen in patients with ACS was better than that of single Lp(a) and single fibrinogen.
Short-Term Atrioventricular Dysfunction Recovery after Post-TAVI Pacemaker Implantation
Authors: Pinnacchio Gaetano , Ruscio Eleonora , Rocco Erica , Trani Carlo , Burzotta Francesco , Aurigemma Cristina , Romagnoli Enrico , Scacciavillani Roberto , Narducci Maria Lucia , Bencardino Gianluigi , Perna Francesco , Spera Francesco Raffaele , Comerci Gianluca , Bisignani Antonio , Pelargonio Gemma
Published: September 2022

Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) represents a frequent complication after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) due to atrio-ventricular (AV) node injury. Predictors of early AV function recovery were investigated. We analyzed 50 consecutive patients (82 ± 6 years, 58% males, EuroSCORE: 7.8 ± 3.3%, STS mortality score: 5 ± 2.8%). Pacemaker interrogations within 4–6 weeks from PPI were performed to collect data on AV conduction. The most common indication of PPI was persistent third-degree (44%)/high-degree (20%) AV block/atrial fibrillation (AF) with slow ventricular conduction (16%) after TAVI. At follow-up, 13 patients (26%) recovered AV conduction (i.e., sinus rhythm with stable 1:1 AV conduction/AF with a mean ventricular response >50 bpm, associated with a long-term ventricular pacing percentage < 5%). At multivariate analysis, complete atrio-ventricular block independently predicted pacemaker dependency at follow-up (p = 0.019). Patients with persistent AV dysfunction showed a significant AV conduction time prolongation after TAVI (PR interval from 207 ± 50 to 230 ± 51, p = 0.02; QRS interval from 124 ± 23 to 147 ± 16, p < 0.01) compared to patients with recovery, in whom AV conduction parameters remained unchanged. Several patients receiving PPI after TAVI have recovery of AV conduction within a few weeks. Longer observation periods prior to PPI might be justified, and algorithms to minimize ventricular pacing should be utilized whenever possible.
Hypotension Prediction Index Software to Prevent Intraoperative Hypotension during Major Non-Cardiac Surgery: Protocol for a European Multicenter Prospective Observational Registry (EU-HYPROTECT)
Authors: Monge García Manuel Ignacio , García-López Daniel , Gayat Étienne , Sander Michael , Bramlage Peter , Cerutti Elisabetta , Davies Simon James , Donati Abele , Draisci Gaetano , Frey Ulrich H. , Noll Eric , Ripollés-Melchor Javier , Wulf Hinnerk , Saugel Bernd
Published: September 2022

Background: Intraoperative hypotension is common in patients having non-cardiac surgery and associated with postoperative acute myocardial injury, acute kidney injury, and mortality. Avoiding intraoperative hypotension is a complex task for anesthesiologists. Using artificial intelligence to predict hypotension from clinical and hemodynamic data is an innovative and intriguing approach. The AcumenTM Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI) software (Edwards Lifesciences; Irvine, CA, USA) was developed using artificial intelligence—specifically machine learning—and predicts hypotension from blood pressure waveform features. We aimed to describe the incidence, duration, severity, and causes of intraoperative hypotension when using HPI monitoring in patients having elective major non-cardiac surgery. Methods: We built up a European, multicenter, prospective, observational registry including at least 700 evaluable patients from five European countries. The registry includes consenting adults (≥18 years) who were scheduled for elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia that was expected to last at least 120 min and in whom arterial catheter placement and HPI monitoring was planned. The major objectives are to quantify and characterize intraoperative hypotension (defined as a mean arterial pressure [MAP] < 65 mmHg) when using HPI monitoring. This includes the time-weighted average (TWA) MAP < 65 mmHg, area under a MAP of 65 mmHg, the number of episodes of a MAP < 65 mmHg, the proportion of patients with at least one episode (1 min or more) of a MAP < 65 mmHg, and the absolute maximum decrease below a MAP of 65 mmHg. In addition, we will assess causes of intraoperative hypotension and investigate associations between intraoperative hypotension and postoperative outcomes. Discussion: There are only sparse data on the effect of using HPI monitoring on intraoperative hypotension in patients having elective major non-cardiac surgery. Therefore, we built up a European, multicenter, prospective, observational registry to describe the incidence, duration, severity, and causes of intraoperative hypotension when using HPI monitoring in patients having elective major non-cardiac surgery.
Association between CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, ATRIA, and Essen Stroke Risk Scores and Functional Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Who Received Endovascular Thrombectomy
Authors: Kim Hyung Jun , Park Moo-Seok , Yoo Joonsang , Kim Young Dae , Park Hyungjong , Kim Byung Moon , Bang Oh Young , Kim Hyeon Chang , Han Euna , Kim Dong Joon , Heo JoonNyung , Choi Jin Kyo , Lee Kyung-Yul , Lee Hye Sun , Shin Dong Hoon , Choi Hye-Yeon , Sohn Sung-Il , Hong Jeong-Ho , Lee Jong Yun , Baek Jang-Hyun , Kim Gyu Sik , Seo Woo-Keun , Chung Jong-Won , Kim Seo Hyun , Han Sang Won , Park Joong Hyun , Kim Jinkwon , Jung Yo Han , Cho Han-Jin , Ahn Seong Hwan , Lee Sung Ik , Seo Kwon-Duk , Chang Yoonkyung , Nam Hyo Suk , Song Tae-Jin
Published: September 2022

Background: CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, ATRIA, and Essen stroke risk scores are used to estimate thromboembolism risk. We aimed to investigate the association between unfavorable outcomes and stroke risk scores in patients who received endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Methods: This study was performed using data from a nationwide, multicenter registry to explore the selection criteria for patients who would benefit from reperfusion therapies. We calculated pre-admission CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, ATRIA, and Essen scores for each patient who received EVT and compared the relationship between these scores and 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) records. Results: Among the 404 patients who received EVT, 213 (52.7%) patients had unfavorable outcomes (mRS 3–6). All scores were significantly higher in patients with unfavorable outcomes than in those with favorable outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that CHADS2 and the ATRIA score were positively correlated with unfavorable outcomes after adjusting for body mass index and variables with p < 0.1 in the univariable analysis (CHADS2 score: odds ratio [OR], 1.484; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.290–1.950; p = 0.005, ATRIA score, OR, 1.128; 95% CI, 1.041–1.223; p = 0.004). Conclusions: The CHADS2 and ATRIA scores were positively correlated with unfavorable outcomes and could be used to predict unfavorable outcomes in patients who receive EVT.
The Rate of Hospitalization of Pregnant Women with Multiple Sclerosis in Poland
Authors: Walkiewicz Dorota , Adamczyk Bożena , Maluchnik Michał , Perwieniec Jakub , Podwójcic Krzysztof , Szeląg Mateusz , Zakrzewski Michał , Rejdak Konrad , Słowik Agnieszka , Wnuk Marcin , Adamczyk-Sowa Monika
Published: September 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is most often diagnosed in women of childbearing age. Therefore, it is important to examine the impact of pregnancy on the course of MS and to enable patients to make decisions about motherhood based on reliable data. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of pregnancy on the course of MS by comparing the frequency of MS-related hospitalizations during pregnancy and 40 weeks postpartum versus 40 weeks before pregnancy. We used administrative health claims to identify female patients with MS, their deliveries, and their MS-related hospital admissions and calculated the frequency of MS-related hospital admissions before, during, and after pregnancy. We observed that MS is diagnosed approximately three times less often during pregnancy than before or after pregnancy. The number of MS-related hospital admissions decreased during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. In contrast with other studies, we did not observe an increased level of MS-related admissions postpartum. The number of hospitalizations reported with steroid injections and emergency department visits also decreased during pregnancy. Our results show that pregnancy has a protective effect on the course of MS.
Examining Relationships among Chinese Preschool Children’s Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Fundamental Movement Skills
Authors: Li Fang , Yin Long , Sun Mingyun , Gao Zan
Published: September 2022

Background: Few studies have investigated associations between meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and preschool children’s fundamental movement skills (FMS). This study aimed to investigate the associations between Chinese preschoolers meeting various combinations of the Guidelines and FMS, as well as examining gender differences across those outcomes. Methods: A total of 322 preschool children (181 boys and 141 girls) aged 3–6 years old were recruited from five early-childhood education and care services in China. Children’s 7-day physical activity (PA) was assessed using accelerometry, and screen time (ST) and sleep duration were reported by their parents. FMS were assessed by Test of Gross Motor Development 3. Descriptive statistics and gender differences in children’s meeting the Guidelines and FMS were calculated using t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Results: Most preschoolers met the sleep and ST guidelines, but only 22.3% met the PA guidelines; 4% of preschoolers did not meet any of the recommendations, while 9.3% met all three recommendations. Boys reported significantly higher compliance with all combined recommendations. There were positive associations between meeting the PA guidelines and both locomotor (β = 0.49; p < 0.001) and object control skills (β = 0.21; p < 0.001). A significantly positive relationship was identified between meeting PA + sleep guidelines and locomotor skills (β = −0.16; p = 0.02). A significantly negative association was observed between preschoolers’ meeting sleep + ST guidelines and locomotor skills (β = 0.31; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Few preschoolers met all three movement behavior guidelines. The findings suggest that PA levels, especially MVPA, are important for the promotion of FMS. Meanwhile, the impacts of ST and sleep on motor development cannot be neglected.
Epidemiology and Mortality of Ovarian Cancer in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Teng Yun-Hui , Liu Fu-Chao , Huang Shang-Yu , Kuo Chang-Fu , Yu Huang-Ping
Published: September 2022

Ovarian cancer is the second most common cause of death from gynecologic cancer. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of ovarian cancer and the trend of mortality in different histological subtypes of ovarian cancer in Taiwan. Patient information regarding ovarian cancer was provided by the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The histological subtypes of ovarian cancer were retrieved from the Taiwan Cancer Registry database, while the survival rates were extracted from the National Death Registry database. In this population-based cohort study, the annual prevalence, incidence, and overall mortality of ovarian cancer during 2002–2015 were determined. The trend in the incidence and the mortality rate of different histologic subtypes were estimated using joinpoint regression analysis. It was found that age-standardized incidence of ovarian cancer increased from 9.46 in 2002 to 11.92 per 100,000 person-years in 2015, with an average annual percentage change of 2.0 (95% CI = 1.5–2.5). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year mortality rates of overall ovarian cancer declined progressively during the study period, especially the group of Charlson comorbidity index ≤ 1. Ovarian serous carcinoma was the most common histological subtype in Taiwan, comprising 30.9% of ovarian cancer patients in 2002–2015. This study provides valuable information for use in developing healthcare policies for ovarian cancer.
Efficacy and Safety of Tinzaparin in Prophylactic, Intermediate and Therapeutic Doses in Non-Critically Ill Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19: The PROTHROMCOVID Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Muñoz-Rivas Nuria , Aibar Jesús , Gabara-Xancó Cristina , Trueba-Vicente Ángela , Urbelz-Pérez Ana , Gómez-Del Olmo Vicente , Demelo-Rodríguez Pablo , Rivera-Gallego Alberto , Bosch-Nicolau Pau , Perez-Pinar Montserrat , Rios-Prego Mónica , Madridano-Cobo Olga , Ramos-Alonso Laura , Alonso-Carrillo Jesús , Francisco-Albelsa Iria , Martí-Saez Edelmira , Maestre-Peiró Ana , Méndez-Bailón Manuel , Hernández-Rivas José Ángel , Torres-Macho Juan
Published: September 2022

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of thrombosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. The optimal dosage of thromboprophylaxis is unknown. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tinzaparin in prophylactic, intermediate, and therapeutic doses in non-critical patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia. PROTHROMCOVID is a randomized, unblinded, controlled, multicenter trial enrolling non-critical, hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were randomized to prophylactic (4500 IU), intermediate (100 IU/kg), or therapeutic (175 IU/kg) groups. All tinzaparin doses were administered once daily during hospitalization, followed by 7 days of prophylactic tinzaparin at discharge. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite endpoint of symptomatic systemic thrombotic events, need for invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation, or death within 30 days. The main safety outcome was major bleeding at 30 days. Of the 311 subjects randomized, 300 were included in the prespecified interim analysis (mean [SD] age, 56.7 [14.6] years; males, 182 [60.7%]). The composite endpoint at 30 days from randomization occurred in 58 patients (19.3%) of the total population; 19 (17.1 %) in the prophylactic group, 20 (22.1%) in the intermediate group, and 19 (18.5%) in the therapeutic dose group (p = 0.72). No major bleeding event was reported; non-major bleeding was observed in 3.7% of patients, with no intergroup differences. Due to these results and the futility analysis, the trial was stopped. In non-critically ill COVID-19 patients, intermediate or full-dose tinzaparin compared to standard prophylactic doses did not appear to affect the risk of thrombotic event, non-invasive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation or death. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT04730856). Edura-CT registration number: 2020-004279-42.
The Emerging Clinical Significance of the Red Cell Distribution Width as a Biomarker in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zinellu Angelo , Mangoni Arduino A.
Published: September 2022

There is an intense focus on the identification of novel biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to enhance clinical decisions in patients with stable disease and acute exacerbations (AECOPD). Though several local (airway) and circulatory inflammatory biomarkers have been proposed, emerging evidence also suggests a potential role for routine haematological parameters, e.g., the red cell distribution width (RDW). We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, from inception to April 2022, for articles investigating the diagnostic and prognostic role of the RDW in stable COPD and AECOPD. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Significant associations between the RDW and the presence and severity of disease, outcomes (mortality, hospital readmission), and other relevant clinical parameters (right heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension) were reported in 13 out of 16 studies in stable COPD (low risk of bias in 11 studies), and 17 out of 21 studies of AECOPD (low risk of bias in 11 studies). Pending further research, our systematic review suggests that the RDW might be useful, singly or in combination with other parameters, for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with stable COPD and AECOPD (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022348304).
Special Issue: “Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Pregnancy Complications”
Authors: Gabbay-Benziv Rinat
Published: September 2022

Most pregnancies are uneventful and end with a healthy mother and a liveborn baby [...]
Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Approach in Inguinal Hernia—The Ideal Solution?
Authors: Barta Bogdan , Dumitraș Marina , Bucur Ștefana , Giuroiu Camelia , Zlotea Raluca , Constantin Maria-Magdalena , Mădan Victor , Constantin Traian , Iorga Cristina Raluca
Published: September 2022

Background: After more than 20 years since laparoscopy was proposed as a solution for one of the most common surgical pathologies, inguinal hernia, the choice of an intra- or extraperitoneal approach has remained a highly debated topic. Purpose and objectives: This study aimed at analyzing the feasibility of the extraperitoneal approach, by routine for this team/ and answering the question of whether this type of approach can be considered a safe one. Although indications for an intra- or extraperitoneal approach largely overlap, it may also be a matter of surgeon preference in choosing one technique. Methods: The study was retrospective, conducted on a group of 493 patients operated on for inguinal hernia in the clinic, by a single operating team, between January 2012 and March 2022. Results: It was proven that out of the 493 surgeries for inguinal hernia, 95.1% (n = 469) were operated upon by laparoscopic TEP (total extra peritoneal patch plasty approach); 1.62% (n = 8) by laparoscopic TAPP (transabdominal intraperitoneal); and 3.24% (n = 16) by the open, anterior approach (Lichtenstein). There were no intraoperative complications recorded in any of the procedures, while postoperative complications were found in 10.23% of cases (n = 48) in the extraperitoneal approach, and recurrences after the TEP approach were recorded in 0.40% of cases (n = 2). Conclusions: For correctly selected cases, TEP hernia surgery can be considered a safe and reliable approach.
C-Reactive Protein as Predictor for Infectious Complications after Robotic and Open Esophagectomies
Authors: Richter Florian , Mehdorn Anne-Sophie , Fedders Thorben , Reichert Benedikt , Egberts Jan-Hendrik , Becker Thomas , Pochhammer Julius
Published: September 2022

Introduction: The value of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a predictor of anastomotic leakage (AL) after esophagectomy has been addressed by numerous studies. Despite its increasing application, robotic esophagectomy (RAMIE) has not been considered separately yet in this context. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the predictive value of CRP in RAMIE. Material and Methods: Patients undergoing RAMIE or completely open esophagectomy (OE) at our University Center were included. Clinical data, CRP- and Procalcitonin (PCT)-values were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database and evaluated for their predictive value for subsequent postoperative infectious complications (PIC) (AL, gastric conduit leakage or necrosis, pneumonia, empyema). Results: Three hundred and five patients (RAMIE: 160, OE: 145) were analyzed. PIC were noted in 91 patients on postoperative day (POD) 10 and 123 patients on POD 30, respectively. Median POD of diagnosis of PIC was POD 8. Post-operative CRP-values in the robotic-group peaked one and two days later, respectively, and converged from POD 5 onward compared to the open-group. In the group with PIC, CRP-levels in the robotic-group were initially lower and started to differ significantly from POD 3 onward. In the open-group, increases were already noticed from POD 3 on. Procalcitonin levels did not differ. Best Receiver operating curve (ROC)-results were on POD 4, highest negative predictive values at POD 5 (RAMIE) and POD 4 (OE) with cut-off values of 70 mg/L and 88.3 mg/L, respectively. Conclusion: Post-operative CRP is a good negative predictor for PIC, after both RAMIE and OE. After RAMIE, CRP peaks later with a lower cut-off value.
Assessment of Vaccination Status in Professional Football Players in Low Categories in Greece
Authors: Papagiannis Dimitrios , Marinos Georgios , Anyfantis Ioannis , Rachiotis Georgios
Published: September 2022

Background: There are limited data on the vaccination practices of footballers in low professional categories in Greece and Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate the vaccination practices followed by the medical staff of the low professional football categories in Central Greece. Methods: A questionnaire was developed and included questions on the vaccination practices of football players. The participants were chief medical officers of the fifteen low-category football teams in Central Greece. Overall, 10 out of 15 chief medical officers participated (response rate: 67%). Results: All participants recommended only the tetanus monovalent vaccine in cases with deep trauma of athletes. Influenza, pneumococcal vaccine, and Hepatitis A and B vaccines were not recommended by the medical officers. This was also the case for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and meningococcal vaccine with strains A, C, Y, W. Participants reported the lack of specific guidelines for vaccination in professional footballers. Conclusions: The recent study showed poor vaccination practices in low categories of professional football teams in Central Greece. The qualitative view of the respondents revealed the importance of the absence of guidelines on vaccination of football players.
CD64 Staining in Dermatofibroma: A Sensitive Marker Raising the Question of the Cell Differentiation Lineage of This Neoplasm
Authors: Llamas-Velasco Mar , Mentzel Thomas , Ovejero-Merino Enrique , Teresa Fernández-Figueras María , Kutzner Heinz
Published: September 2022

Dermatofibroma (DF) is a mesenchymal tumor of the dermis, but its exact differentiation lineage is still uncertain. A progenitor cell that may be able to differentiate into fibroblastic, myofibroblastic, or fibrohistiocytic cells has been hypothesized. Some authors have also proposed the possibility of a monocytic-histiocytic origin. We stained 47 consecutive dermatofibromas with CD64, CD34, CD14, CD163, and CD68 to test which marker is more reliable for the diagnosis and to gain insight into their histogenesis. From the 35 cases stained with the whole immunohistochemical panel, all were positive for CD64, mostly showing a strong and diffuse pattern. Regarding all the other staining, CD14 was strongly positive in 77% of the lesions and CD163 in 20%. The CD68 stain was intense and diffuse only in 20% of the cases. All lesions were negative for CD34, but two of them showed patchy and weak staining. DFs were immunohistochemically stained positively with a set of macrophage/monocyte/histiocyte lineage markers such as CD14, CD68, CD163, and CD64. This finding favors an active pro-inflammatory immature monocyte-lineage cell as the more suitable origin for DF. CD64 seems to be more sensitive than other markers to confirm the diagnosis.
Classifying Headland-Bay Beaches and Dynamic Coastal Stabilization
Authors: Manakul Chayutpong , Mohanasundaram S. , Weesakul Sutat , Shrestha Sangam , Ninsawat Sarawut , Chonwattana Somchai
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a framework is developed for classifying bay types using stability and a sediment supply source. The framework is used to classify a total of 212 headland-bay beaches in Southeast Asia. The results show that static bays, bays with no sediment supply, and dynamic bays (with a sediment supply), account for 36% and 64%, respectively, while stable bays, bays that can maintain their long-term shoreline stability, and unstable bays (changing their shape over time), account for 69% and 31%, respectively. The results reveal the importance of dynamic bays. The dynamic parabolic bay shape and bay characteristic equations have been verified to bridge the knowledge gap of coastal stabilization and management in dynamic bays. The verification of bay characteristic equations shows an efficiency index of more than 78%. The bay characteristic equation shows that dynamic bays are highly sensitive to low sediment supply and become less sensitive when the sediment supply increases. Knowledge of the coastal stabilization concept successfully implemented for static unstable bays has been extended in this study and applied to stabilize dynamic unstable bays using the verified equations. Sediment control and the combined method are developed in this study, and a case study is presented on the stabilization of a dynamic unstable bay.
Potential and Distribution of Natural Gas Hydrate Resources in the South China Sea
Authors: Su Pibo , Lin Lin , Lv Yaoyao , Liang Jinqiang , Sun Yunbao , Zhang Wei , He Huice , Yan Baiquan , Ji Zhanhuai , Wang Lifeng , Wang Feifei , Cai Mengya
Published: September 2022

The amount of natural gas contained in the world’s gas hydrate accumulations is enormous, but these estimates remain highly speculative. So far, it is still challenging to locate spatial distribution of marine gas hydrate and quantitatively characterize the evaluation parameters and systematic improvement of evaluation systems. Considering the systematic review of the key accumulation factors, such as heat flow, deposition rate and total organic carbon in the typical passive continental margin, the evaluation results of global marine gas hydrate resources were analyzed based on the characteristics of gas hydrate geology, geophysics and geochemistry anomalies in the South China Sea. We analyze the problems on the evaluation of marine gas hydrate resources, probing into the geological characteristics and distribution laws of marine gas hydrate resources in the South China Sea, and estimate the parameters for in-place resource evaluation, in which the volume method based on Monte Carlo probability was used to evaluate the gas hydrate potential resources in the South China Sea. The probability distribution ranges from 37.6 billion (with 90% probability) to 117.7 billion (with 10% probability) tons of oil equivalent, with an expected value of 74.4 billion tons of oil equivalent. The study results show that the gas hydrate resource density in the South China Sea is similar to that in the typical sea areas, and the estimated global resources are basically consistent with the assessment results at this stag; this shows that the South China Sea has great potential for gas hydrate resources. The research results can provide guidance for the evaluation of global climate change and the exploration and development of hydrate resources.
Predicting the Sound Speed of Seafloor Sediments in the East China Sea Based on an XGBoost Algorithm
Authors: Chen Mujun , Meng Xiangmei , Kan Guangming , Wang Jingqiang , Li Guanbao , Liu Baohua , Liu Chenguang , Liu Yanguang , Liu Yuanxu , Lu Junjie
Published: September 2022

Based on the acoustic and physical data of typical seafloor sediment samples collected in the East China Sea, this study on the super parameter selection and contribution of the characteristic factors of the machine learning model for predicting the sound speed of seafloor sediments was conducted using the eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm. An XGBoost model for predicting the sound speed of seafloor sediments was established based on five physical parameters: density (ρ), water content (w), void ratio (e), sand content (S), and average grain size (Mz). The results demonstrated that the model had the highest accuracy when n_estimator was 75 and max_depth was 5. The model training goodness of fit (R2) was as high as 0.92, and the mean absolute error and mean absolute percent error of the model prediction were 7.99 m/s and 0.51%, respectively. The results demonstrated that, in the study area, the XGBoost prediction method for the sound speed of seafloor sediments was superior to the traditional single- and two-parameter regressional equation prediction methods, with higher prediction accuracy, thus providing a new approach to predict the sound speed of seafloor sediments.
Superfluous Feeding and Growth of Jellyfish Aurelia aurita
Authors: Riisgård Hans Ulrik
Published: September 2022

According to a recently presented bioenergetic model for the weight-specific growth rate of jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, fed brine shrimp, Artemia salina, the specific growth will remain high and constant at prey concentrations > 6 Artemia l−1. The aim of the present study was to verify this statement by conducting controlled feeding and growth experiments on small jellyfish in tanks. It was found that prey organisms offered in concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 Artemia l−1 resulted in specific growth rates in fair agreement with the model-predicted rates. The high prey concentrations resulted in superfluous feeding and production of pseudofeces which indicated that not all captured prey organisms were ingested but instead entangled in mucus and dropped. The high prey concentrations did not influence the filtration rate of the jellyfish.
A Simple and Efficient CRISPR/Cas9 System Using a Ribonucleoprotein Method for Flammulina filiformis
Authors: Liu Jianyu , Cui Haiyang , Wang Ruijuan , Xu Zhen , Yu Hailong , Song Chunyan , Lu Huan , Li Qiaozhen , Xing Danrun , Tan Qi , Sun Weiming , Zou Gen , Shang Xiaodong
Published: September 2022

CRISPR/Cas9 systems were established in some edible fungi based on in vivo expressed Cas9 and guide RNA. Compared with those systems, the in vitro assembled Cas9 and sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) have more advantages, but only a few examples were reported, and the editing efficiency is relatively low. In this study, we developed and optimized a CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing method based on in vitro assembled ribonucleoprotein complexes in the mushroom Flammulina filiformis. The surfactant Triton X-100 played a critical role in the optimal method, and the targeting efficiency of the genomic editing reached 100% on a selective medium containing 5-FOA. This study is the first to use an RNP complex delivery to establish a CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system in F. filiformis. Moreover, compared with other methods, this method avoids the use of any foreign DNA, thus saving time and labor when it comes to plasmid construction.
Inhibitory Effect and Mechanism of Trichoderma taxi and Its Metabolite on Trichophyton mentagrophyte
Authors: Xiao Chenwen , Li Lin , Liu Yan , Huang Yee , Wang Yanli , Wang Jiaoyu , Bao Guolian , Sun Guochang , Lin Fucheng
Published: September 2022

Trichophyton mentagrophytes is an important zoonotic dermatophyte, which seriously harms the skin of humans and animals. Chemical drugs are generally used for the prevention and treatment of the disease caused by T. mentagrophytes. Discovering new compounds from natural products is an important approach for new drug development. Trichoderma includes a variety of fungal species used for biological control of phytopathogenic fungi. However, the antifungal effects of Trichoderma and their metabolites on zoonotic fungal pathogens are largely unknown. Here, the effect of trichodermin, a metabolite derived from the plant endophytic fungus Trichoderma taxi, on T. mentagrophytes was examined, and the underlying mechanism was explored. T. mentagrophytes growth was suppressed significantly by trichodermin and completely inhibited under 1000 μg/mL trichodermin. The production and germination of T. mentagrophytes spores were remarkably reduced upon exposure to trichodermin, in comparison with control samples. Treatment of lesions caused by T. mentagrophytes on the rabbit skin with 1 mg/mL trichodermin prompted the healing process significantly; however, 20 mg/mL trichodermin was likely toxic to the skin. Under trichodermin treatment, the number of mitochondria in T. mentagrophytes increased significantly, while a few mitochondria-related genes decreased, indicating possible mitochondrial damage. In transcriptome analysis, the GO terms enriched by DEGs in the trichodermin-treated group included carbohydrate metabolic process, integral component of membrane, intrinsic component of membrane, and carbohydrate binding, while the enriched KEGG pathways comprised biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and carbon metabolism. By comparing the wild type and a gene deletion strain of T. mentagrophytes, we found that CDR1, an ABC transporter encoding gene, was involved in T. mentagrophytes sensitivity to trichodermin.
Earnings Management and Corporate Performance in the Scope of Firm-Specific Features
Authors: Gajdosikova Dominika , Valaskova Katarina , Durana Pavol
Published: September 2022

Various models have been created all around the world to identify enterprises that manipulate their earnings. These earnings management techniques aid businesses in enhancing their financial performance or gaining some competitive advantages. The primary goal of this article was to identify the firm-specific characteristics that affect how businesses manage their earnings using a sample of 15,716 businesses from various economic sectors in the Slovak environment during a 3 year period. The level of earnings management was measured by discretionary accruals using the Kasznik model. In this paper, a correspondence analysis using the chi-square distance measure was applied to find the dependence between the earnings management practices and firm-specific features (firm size, legal form, and sectoral classification). The results of the study indicate that aggressive (income-increasing) earnings management practices are typical of small enterprises with a public limited ownership structure, mostly in sectors R and M (using the NACE sectoral classification). Conservative (income decreasing) practices can be observed in enterprises in the sectors J or F, and they are also used by medium-sized enterprises and those with private limited ownership structure. The results revealed that large enterprises do not tend to manipulate their earnings, as well as enterprises operating in sector K. The insights of this study may provide important and useful information for shareholders and regulators in evaluating determinants that are effective in mitigating earnings management practices. Authorities, regulators, analysts, and auditors may find the importance of the discovered variances helpful in identifying various strategies and techniques for earnings manipulation that may differ among industries according to their typical characteristics.
Photonic Sensor for Multiple Targets Detection under Adverse Weather Conditions in Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Sharma Abhishek , Chaudhary Sushank , Malhotra Jyoteesh , Khichar Sunita , Wuttisittikulkij Lunchakorn
Published: September 2022

Detection and tracing of multiple targets in a real-time scenario, particularly in the urban setup under adverse atmospheric conditions, has become a major challenge for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Photonic radars have emerged as promising candidates for Avs to realize via the recognition of traffic patterns, navigation, lane detection, self-parking, etc. In this work we developed a direct detection-based, frequency-modulated photonic radar to detect multiple stationary targets using four different transmission channels multiplexed over a single free space channel via wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Additionally, the performance of the proposed photonic radar was examined under the impact of adverse weather conditions, such as rain and fog. The reported results in terms of received power and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) showed successful detection of all the targets with bandwidths of 1 GHz and 4 GHz. The proposed system was also tested for range resolution of targets at 150 m and 6.75 cm resolution with 4 GHz bandwidth was reported, while resolution of 50 cm was reported with 1 GHz of bandwidth.
The Impact of Degradation of Islands’ Land Ecosystems Due to Climate Change on Tourists’ Travel Decisions
Authors: Lam-González Yen E. , León Carmelo J. , de León Javier , Suárez-Rojas Chaitanya
Published: September 2022

The degradation of terrestrial ecosystems may change the perceived value of destinations for tourists. This article analyses tourists’ travel decisions when the land ecosystems of the destinations they are planning to visit are threatened by climate change impacts. More specifically, it analyses tourists’ willingness to pay for their holidays at island destinations endangered by the increase in forest fires, terrestrial wildlife losses, water shortages, and damages to infrastructure and cultural heritage. With this aim in mind, a discrete choice model was designed and empirically tested with a representation of European travellers, using an alternative specific conditional logistic regression. The results show that the sharp increase in the occurrence of wildfires has had the greatest negative impact on tourists’ willingness to pay for their next holiday at the affected tourist destination, followed by severe losses in terrestrial wildlife and significant damage to cultural heritage. This study highlights the importance of having accurate information on future climate change conditions impacting land attributes at the local level, not only to be more effective in the early prevention of threats to prioritise but also to confront the potential damage to the tourism economy more efficiently.
Prioritizing Choices in the Conservation of Flora and Fauna: Research Trends and Methodological Approaches
Authors: Hernandez Jonathan O. , Buot Inocencio E. , Park Byung Bae
Published: September 2022

Here, we synthesized the research trends in conservation priorities for terrestrial fauna and flora across the globe from peer-reviewed articles published from 1990 to 2022, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results showed India to have the highest number of studies (i.e., 12) about the topic. Contrarily, most of the megadiverse and biodiversity hotspot countries have only 1–3 studies. Flora studies are more documented than faunal studies. The bio-ecological attributes are the most frequently used criteria for prioritizing choices in the conservation of fauna (i.e., 55.42%) and flora species (i.e., 41.08%). The climatic/edaphic and the taxonomic/genetic variables for flora had the lowest frequency (i.e., <5%). For fauna, the lowest value (i.e., <10%) was observed in socioeconomic and climatic/edaphic criteria. Moreover, the point scoring method (PSM), was the most frequently used in conservation prioritization, followed by conservation priority index (CPI), correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), species distribution model, and rule-based method. The present review also showed multiple species as the most frequently used approach in prioritizing conservation choices in both flora and fauna species. We highlight the need to increase not only the conservation prioritization studies but also the scientific efforts on improving biodiversity-related information in hotspot regions for an improved prioritization methodology, particularly in faunal aspect.
Tillage-Induced Fragmentation of Large Soil Macroaggregates Increases Nitrogen Leaching in a Subtropical Karst Region
Authors: Xiao Shuangshuang , Liu Xiajiao , Zhang Wei , Ye Yingying , Chen Wurong , Wang Kelin
Published: September 2022

Tillage leads to rapid loss of soil nitrogen (N) over a short period of time in karst areas. N leaching is the primary pathway of soil N loss and therefore is key to understanding the mechanisms of N loss induced by tillage. However, the factors affecting N leaching under tillage are not fully understood. Effects of tillage at various frequencies on leached N were examined in a one-year in situ simulation experiment using five tillage treatments: no tillage (T0), semiannual tillage (T1), and tillage every four months (T2), two months (T3), and monthly (T4). Concentration and amount of leached N had peaks in dry–rewetting months. Tillage significantly increased total amounts of leached N during the one-year experiment, and the largest amount of leached N was under tillage at the highest frequency. The primary form of N in leachate was NO3¯ (88.49–91.11%), followed by DON (7.80–9.87%), and then NH4+ with the lowest amount (1.09–2.10%). Tillage increased the amount of leached NO3¯ and DON, but had no significant effect on leached NH4+. Additionally, the amount of leached N had significantly negative correlations with 5–8 mm soil aggregate, NO3¯, DON, and sand content, and positive correlations with 2–5 and 0.25–2 mm. Soil 5–8 mm aggregate and DON were the main factors explaining the variation in leached N according to the RDA analysis. Tillage increased the breakdown of large aggregates, appearing to have increased the mineralization of organic matter, which resulted in increased N leaching. Our results emphasize the importance of reducing or eliminating physical disturbance indued by tillage and maintenance of large soil aggregates for decreasing N leachate in lime soil of karst regions.
Language Control and Intra-Sentential Codeswitching among Bilingual Children with and without Developmental Language Disorder
Authors: Soesman Aviva , Walters Joel , Fichman Sveta
Published: September 2022

The present study investigated bilingual language control among preschool children in a sentence repetition task containing unilingual stimuli and codeswitched stimuli within prepositional phrases (PPs). Cross-language errors, that is, codeswitches that were not part of the stimulus sentences, were taken as evidence of difficulties in language control. Specifically, we investigated cross-language errors as a function of stimulus sentence type (codeswitched or unilingual), CS site within the PP, directionality (English or Hebrew stimulus sentences), and group status (children with typical language development (TLD), and children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)). We also examined cross-language errors in terms of word class and locus in the sentence. The participants were 65 English (home language)–Hebrew (societal language) bilinguals with TLD and 13 with DLD, ages 5;5–6;10 (M = 5;11). Stimulus sentences contained five codeswitch conditions within prepositional phrases, for example, a codeswitched preposition (P) or a codeswitched preposition, determiner and noun (P+DET+N), and a ‘no switch’ condition. The stimuli were 36 English and 36 Hebrew sentences (+24 fillers) matched for semantic content and syntax. English sentences contained switches to Hebrew, and Hebrew sentences contained switches to English. The results showed more cross-language errors for codeswitched than unilingual sentence stimuli. The children with TLD showed a directionality effect, producing more cross-language errors in Hebrew sentence stimuli than in English, but the children with DLD did not. The children with DLD had more cross-language errors than their peers with TLD for English stimuli. Most cross-language errors appeared in the sentence-final, adverbial temporal phrase. Findings are discussed in terms of language co-activation and competition in order to account for the difference in performance on unilingual versus codeswitched stimuli and in light of sociopragmatic and psycholinguistic factors to account for the directionality effect among children with TLD and the lack thereof among children with DLD.