bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fecal microbiota transplantation in a child with severe ASD comorbidities of gastrointestinal dysfunctions—a case report
Authors: Hu Cong , He Tianyi , Zou Biao , Li Heli , Zhao Jinzhu , Hu Chen , Cui Jinru , Huang Zhihua , Shu Sainan , Hao Yan
Published: August 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive behaviors. In addition to behavioral interventions and psychotherapies, and pharmacological interventions, in-depth studies of intestinal microbiota in ASD has obvious abnormalities which may effectively influenced in ASD. Several attempts have been made to indicate that microbiota can reduce the occurrence of ASD effectively. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a type of biological therapy that involves the transplant of intestinal microbiota from healthy donors into the patient’s gastrointestinal tract to improve the gut microenvironment. In this case report, we describe a case of child ASD treated by FMT. The patient have poor response to long-term behavioral interventions. After five rounds of FMT, clinical core symptoms of ASD and gastrointestinal(GI) symptoms were significantly altered. Moreover, the multiple levels of functional development of child were also significantly ameliorated. We found that FMT changed the composition of the intestinal microbiota as well as the metabolites, intestinal inflammatory manifestations, and these changes were consistent with the patient’s symptoms. This report suggests further FMT studies in ASD could be worth pursuing, and more studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of FMT in ASD and its mechanisms.
Profiles of older adults according to their life and food-related life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic: the importance of the social environment
Authors: Schnettler Berta , Lobos Germán , Orellana Ligia , Adasme-Berríos Cristian , Lapo María , Beroíza Katherine
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Older adults are a highly heterogeneous population, as individuals of the same age can show considerable variations in personal characteristics and living conditions. Risk and protective factors for older adults' subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic can be explored by examining how life satisfaction, food-related life satisfaction, and associated variables coexist among these individuals. On this basis, this study aimed to identify older adult profiles based on their levels of life and food-related life satisfaction; to characterize these profiles by diet quality, social support, financial wellbeing, and sociodemographic characteristics; and to identify variables associated with higher life and food-related life satisfaction.

Methods

The sample included 1,371 institutionalized and non-institutionalized individuals over the age of 60, from four cities in Chile. Participants answered a survey, either online or face to face, with questions about life and food-related life satisfaction, perceived social support from family, friends, and others, food quality, financial wellbeing/distress, sociodemographic characteristics, and prior COVID-19 infection.

Results

Using a latent profile analysis, we identified three profiles of older adults: Profile 1: Unsatisfied with their life, somewhat satisfied with their food-related life (5.40%); Profile 2: Somewhat satisfied with their life, satisfied with their food-related life (65.06%); Profile 3: Extremely satisfied with their life and food-related life (29.54%). Profiles differed by residence (institutionalized vs. independent), age, marital status, social support, financial wellbeing, COVID-19 infection, and city of residence.

Discussion

The patterns of association between life and food-related satisfaction and related variables indicate conditions of vulnerability and protection related to living conditions, the social dimensions of food consumption, and social support. These results underscore the need for identifying groups of older adults based on diverse characteristics and conditions outside of chronological age.
Maritime transportation and people mobility in the early diffusion of COVID-19 in Croatia
Authors: Cot Corentin , Aksentijević Dea , Jugović Alen , Cacciapaglia Giacomo , Mannarini Gianandrea
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe began in early 2020, leading to the emergence of several waves of infection with varying timings across European countries. The largest wave of infection occurred in August-September. Croatia, known for being a hotspot of tourism in the Mediterranean region, raised concerns that it might have played a role in incubating the pandemic during the summer of 2020.

Methods

To investigate this possibility, we conducted a data-driven study to examine the potential influence of passenger mobility to and within Croatia, utilizing various modes of transportation. To achieve this, we integrated observational datasets into the “epidemic Renormalization Group” modeling framework.

Results

By comparing the models with epidemiological data, we found that in the case of Croatia in 2020, neither maritime nor train transportation played a prominent role in propagating the infection. Instead, our analysis highlighted the leading role of both road and airborne mobility in the transmission of the virus.

Discussion

The proposed framework serves to test hypotheses concerning the causation of infectious waves, offering the capacity to rule out unrelated factors from consideration.
Exploring public sentiment and vaccination uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in England: a spatiotemporal and sociodemographic analysis of Twitter data
Authors: Cheng Tao , Han Baoyan , Liu Yunzhe
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Vaccination is widely regarded as the paramount approach for safeguarding individuals against the repercussions of COVID-19. Nonetheless, concerns surrounding the efficacy and potential adverse effects of these vaccines have become prevalent among the public. To date, there has been a paucity of research investigating public perceptions and the adoption of COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, the present study endeavours to address this lacuna by undertaking a spatiotemporal analysis of sentiments towards vaccination and its uptake in England at the local authority level, while concurrently examining the sociodemographic attributes at the national level.

Methods

A sentiment analysis of Twitter data was undertaken to delineate the distribution of positive sentiments and their demographic correlates. Positive sentiments were categorized into clusters to streamline comparison across different age and gender demographics. The relationship between positive sentiment and vaccination uptake was evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Additionally, a bivariate analysis was carried out to further probe public sentiment towards COVID-19 vaccines and their local adoption rates.

Result

The results indicated that the majority of positive tweets were posted by males, although females expressed higher levels of positive sentiment. The age group over 40 dominated the positive tweets and exhibited the highest sentiment polarity. Additionally, vaccination uptake was positively correlated with the number of positive tweets and the age group at the local authority level.

Conclusion

Overall, public opinions on COVID-19 vaccines are predominantly positive. The number of individuals receiving vaccinations at the local authority level is positively correlated with the prevalence of positive attitudes towards vaccines, particularly among the population aged over 40. These findings suggest that targeted efforts to increase vaccination uptake among younger populations, particularly males, are necessary to achieve widespread vaccination coverage.
Investigating the relationship between domestic violence with substance abuse and suicide resilience in mothers with disabled children
Authors: Mohammadi Fateme , Barati Majid , Borzou Seyed Reza , Ezati Elahe , Mohammadi Khadejeh , Mohammadi Zahra , Khazaei Salman , Masoumi Seyedeh Zahra
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Mothers with disabled children are among the most critical groups exposed to domestic violence. Although domestic violence strongly affects these mothers’ physical and mental health, it subsequently affects their drug addiction and resilience to suicide. Based on this, it is crucial to investigate domestic violence, drug addiction, and resilience against suicide in mothers with disabled children. This study investigated the relationship between domestic violence, substance dependence, and resilience against suicide in mothers with disabled children in Iranian society.

Methods

From January to April 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted in central and western Iran with the participation of 267 mothers with disabled children. The mothers of disabled children were selected through convenience and snowball sampling. Then they completed questionnaires included domestic violence, substance dependence and resilience against suicide. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 with descriptive statistics, such as prevalence, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, and expository measurements, including ANOVA, independent t, and regression tests.

Results

The study revealed that there was a strong direct correlation between domestic violence and substance abuse (r = 0.89, p < 0.001), as well as a strong indirect correlation between domestic violence and suicide resilience (r = −0.90, p < 0.001). Additionally, substance abuse and suicide resilience were negatively correlated (r = −0.93, p < 0.001). Other variables, such as the severity of children’s disability, education, financial status, and the fathers’ involvement, were predictors of domestic violence, accounting for 73.28% of the variance.

Conclusion

Mothers with disabled children reported moderate levels of domestic violence, which strongly impacts their physical and mental well-being, leading to drug dependency and suicide. So, it is essential to implement comprehensive planning and provide extensive support to reduce domestic violence against them. By doing so, we can enhance their physical and mental health and ultimately improve their overall quality of life.
Genome-resolved metagenomic analysis of Great Amazon Reef System sponge-associated Latescibacterota bacteria and their potential contributions to the host sponge and reef
Authors: Oliveira Rafael S. , Pinto Otávio H. B. , Quirino Betania F. , de Freitas Mayanne A. M. , Thompson Fabiano Lopes , Thompson Cristiane , Kruger Ricardo H.
Published: August 2023

The Great Amazon Reef System (GARS) is an extensive biogenic reef influenced by a plume layer of sediments. This creates an extreme environment where light is reduced, thus affecting physicochemical properties as well as living organisms such as sponges and their microbiomes. The sponge’s microbiome has numerous ecological roles, like participation in biogeochemical cycles and host nutrition, helping the sponge thrive and contributing to the ecosystem. Also, sponges and sponge-associated microorganisms are rich sources of bioactive compounds, and their products are applied in different areas, including textile, pharmaceutical, and food industries. In this context, metagenome-assembled genomes (MAG), obtained from GARS sponges microbiota, were analyzed to predict their ecological function and were prospected for biotechnological features. Thus, in this work, tissues of GARS sponges were collected, their metagenomes were sequenced and assembled, and 1,054 MAGs were recovered. Ten of those MAGs were selected based on their taxonomic classification in the candidate phylum Latescibacterota and this group’s abundance in GARS sponges. The workflow consisted of MAG’s quality definition, taxonomic classification, metabolic reconstruction, and search for bioactive compounds. Metabolic reconstruction from medium to high-quality MAGs revealed genes related to degradation and synthesis pathways, indicating functions that may be performed by GARS sponge-associated Latescibacterota. Heterotrophy, a recurring attribute in Latescibacterota that might be crucial for GARS sponge holobiont nutrition, was verified by the presence of genes related to respiration and fermentation. Also, the analyzed bacteria may contribute to the host’s survival in multiple ways, including host protection via defense systems; aid in nutrient consumption by breaking complex substrates and producing essential nutrients like vitamins and certain amino acids; and detoxification of mercury, arsenic, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Additionally, genes linked to persistent organic pollutant degradation, including glyphosate, and biogeochemical cycles reactions, such as ammonification, sulfate reduction, thiosulfate disproportionation, phosphorus remineralization, and complex organic matter degradation, were identified, suggesting the participation of these Latescibacterota in bioremediation and nutrient cycling. Finally, the investigated MAGs contain genes for numerous bioactive compounds, including industrial enzymes, secondary metabolites, and biologically active peptides, which may have biotechnological value.
Cognitive modeling, ecological psychology, and musical improvisation
Authors: Ryan Kevin J.
Published: August 2023

Understanding novelty and improvisation in music requires gathering insight from a variety of disciplines. One fruitful path for synthesizing these insights is via modeling. As such, my aim in this paper is to start building a bridge between traditional cognitive models and contemporary embodied and ecological approaches to cognitive science. To achieve this task, I offer a perspective on a model that would combine elements of ecological psychology (especially affordances) and the Learning Intelligent Decision Agent (LIDA) cognitive architecture. Jeff Pressing’s cognitive model of musical improvisation will also be a central link between these elements. While some overlap between these three areas already exists, there are several points of tension between them, notably concerning the nature of perception and the function of artificial general intelligence modeling. I thus aim to alleviate the most worrisome concerns here, introduce several future research questions, and conclude with several points on how my account is part of a general theory, rather than merely a redescription of existent work.
Behavior adaptation for mobile robots via semantic map compositions of constraint-based controllers
Authors: Chen Hao Liang , Hendrikx Bob , Torta Elena , Bruyninckx Herman , van de Molengraft René
Published: August 2023

Specifying and solving Constraint-based Optimization Problems (COP) has become a mainstream technology for advanced motion control of mobile robots. COP programming still requires expert knowledge to transform specific application context into the right configuration of the COP parameters (i.e., objective functions and constraints). The research contribution of this paper is a methodology to couple the context knowledge of application developers to the robot knowledge of control engineers, which, to our knowledge, has not yet been carried out. The former is offered a selected set of symbolic descriptions of the robots’ capabilities (its so-called “behavior semantics”) that are translated in control actions via “templates” in a “semantic map”; the latter contains the parameters that cover contextual dependencies in an application and robot vendor-independent way. The translation from semantics to control templates takes place in an “interaction layer” that contains 1) generic knowledge about robot motion capabilities (e.g., depending on the kinematic type of the robots), 2) spatial queries to extract relevant COP parameters from a semantic map (e.g., what is the impact of entering different types of “collision areas”), and 3) generic application knowledge (e.g., how the robots’ behavior is impacted by priorities, emergency, safety, and prudence). This particular design of, and interplay between, the application, interaction, and control layers provides a structured, conceptually simple approach to advance the complexity of mobile robot applications. Eventually, industry-wide cooperation between representatives of the application and control communities should result in an interaction layer with different standardized versions of semantic complexity.
Control and optimization algorithm for lattice power grids with multiple input/output operation for improved versatility
Authors: Zhang Daniel , Fang Jingyang , Goetz Stefan
Published: August 2023

With the proliferation of alternative energy sources, power grids are increasingly dominated by grid-tied power converters. With this development comes the requirement of grid-forming, but current architectures exclude high-voltage applications through serial connectivity. Lattice power grids allow for the generation of both higher voltages and currents than their individual modules by marrying the advantages of serial and parallel connectivity, which include reduced switching and conduction losses, sensorless voltage balancing, and multiport operation. We use graph theory to model lattice power grids and formalize lattice generation processes for square, triangular, and hexagonal lattice grids. This article proposes depth-first-search based algorithms for the control and efficient operation of lattice power grids, achieving voltage and current objectives while minimizing switching losses. Furthermore, we build upon previous algorithms by harnessing multiple input/output operation. The algorithm allows for sequential operation (in which loads are added one by one), simultaneous operation (in which several loads are added at the same time), and combined sequential-simultaneous operation. These methods were applied to a variety of lattice structures, and simulations of dc analysis and pulse train generation were performed. These modeled results validate the proposed algorithms and improve versatility in the operation of lattice power grids in both grid-connected and standalone applications. The potential of applying this method in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is discussed.
Direct comparison of virtual reality and 2D delivery on sense of presence, emotional and physiological outcome measures
Authors: Kuhne Caroline , Kecelioglu Eda D. , Maltby Steven , Hood Rebecca J. , Knott Brendon , Ditton Elizabeth , Walker Frederick Rohan , Kluge Murielle G.
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Virtual-reality (VR) technology has, over the last decade, quickly expanded from gaming into other sectors including training, education, and wellness. One of the most popular justifications for the use of VR over 2D is increased immersion and engagement. However, very little fundamental research has been produced evaluating the comparative impact of immersive VR on the user’s cognitive, physiological, and emotional state.

Methods: A within-subject cross-over study design was used to directly compare VR and 2D screen delivery of different subject matter content. Both physiological and self-report data were collected for scenes containing calming nature environments, aggressive social confrontations, and neutral content.

Results: Compared to 2D, the VR delivery resulted in a higher sense of presence, higher ratings of engagement, fun, and privacy. Confrontational scenes were rated as more tense whilst calming scenes were rated as more relaxing when presented in VR compared to 2D. Physiological data indicated that the scenes promoted overall states of arousal and relaxation in accordance with the scene subject matter (both VR and 2D). However, heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin response (GSR) were consistently higher throughout the VR delivery condition compared to 2D, including responses during scenes of neutral and calming subject matter.

Discussion: This discrepancy between emotional and physiological responses for calming and neutral content in VR suggest an elevated arousal response driven by VR immersion that is independent of the emotional and physiological responses to the subject matter itself. These findings have important implications for those looking to develop and utilize VR technology as a training and educational tool as they provide insights into the impact of immersion on the user.
Field soil properties and experimental nutrient additions drive the nitrous oxide ratio in laboratory denitrification experiments: a systematic review
Authors: Foltz Mary E. , Alesso Agustín , Zilles Julie L.
Published: August 2023

Nitrous oxide (N2O), which contributes to global climate change and stratospheric ozone destruction, can be produced during denitrification. Although the N2O ratio, a measure of denitrification completion, is influenced by various properties, studies have largely been limited to site- or treatment-specific conclusions. The primary objective of this study was to identify important factors driving N2O ratios and their relationships in soils by systematically reviewing and quantitatively evaluating results from published laboratory denitrification studies. A database with 60 studies (657 observations) was compiled, including studies meeting the minimum criteria: (i) laboratory experiments on soils, (ii) nutrient (carbon and/or nitrogen) addition, and (iii) N2O and dinitrogen gas measurements. Of these, 14 studies (100 observations) had sufficient data for inclusion in the meta-analysis to assess the effect of added nutrients on the N2O ratio. Furthermore, we modeled the effect of moderators on treatment effect by fitting a meta-regression model with both quantitative and categorical variables. Close review of studies in the database identified soil pH, carbon addition, and nitrogen addition as important variables for the N2O ratio, but trends varied across studies. Correlation analysis of all studies clarified that soil pH was significantly correlated with the N2O ratio, where soils with higher pH had lower N2O ratios. The meta-analysis further revealed that nutrient addition had an overall significant, positive treatment effect (0.30 ± 0.03, P<.0001), indicating that experimentally adding nutrients increased the N2O ratio. The model was most significantly improved when soil texture was used as a moderator. The significance of soil texture for the N2O ratio was a major finding of this study, especially since the assays were usually conducted with soil slurries. Overall, this study highlights the importance of field soil properties (i.e., pH, texture) and laboratory conditions (i.e., nutrient addition) in driving the N2O ratio and N2O production from denitrification in soils.
Stability analysis, agronomic performance, and grain quality of elite new plant type rice lines (Oryza sativa L.) developed for tropical lowland ecosystem
Authors: Aswidinnoor Hajrial , Listiyanto Risky , Rahim Syaifullah , Holidin  , Setiyowati Heny , Nindita Anggi , Ritonga Arya Widura , Marwiyah Siti , Suwarno Willy Bayuardi
Published: August 2023

Rice is a major world staple food crop, and therefore breeding improved varieties is of ultimate importance. Genotype-by-environment analyses are essential to understand the potential performance of the lines over environments. This study aimed to elucidate the stability, agronomic performance, and grain quality of elite new plant type (NPT) rice lines developed for tropical lowland areas. Elite NPT rice lines were evaluated in eight locations along with national varieties as checks. Combined analysis across environments and several stability analyses were performed. The results revealed the possibility of breeding high-yielding NPT rice varieties with different stability profiles, namely broad adaptation (IPB189-F-13-1-1 (G5), bi = 0.91), suited for favorable environments (IPB187-F-37-1-2 (G1), bi = 1.47), and adapted to marginal environments (IPB193-F-30-2-1 (G9), bi = 0.54). G1 and G5 belonged to different groups of grain characteristics, each with low and high amylose content, respectively. The highest yielding line (IPB189-F-23-2-2 (G6), 8.68 ton ha−1) had an advantage of 19.39% over the highest yielding check, i.e., Inpari 32 (7.27 ton ha−1). This increase in yield was contributed by the success of breeding with a greater 1000-grain weight (11.91%) and number of filled grains per panicle (42.37%) than Inpari 32; meanwhile, the plant height also increased by 19 %. In addition, the rank correlations among three stability parameters, sdi2, Wi2, and σi2 were positive and highly significant. This study enlightens the prospect of breeding NPT rice varieties with different adaptations in tropical lowland areas.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococci from bovine milk samples in routine microbiological mastitis analysis in Finland
Authors: Taponen Suvi , Tölli Heikki-Tapio , Rajala-Schultz Päivi J.
Published: August 2023

The most frequent reason for antimicrobial use in dairy herds is mastitis and knowledge about mastitis-causing pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility should guide treatment decisions. The overall objective of this study was to assess antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of staphylococci in mastitic milk samples in Finland. MALDI-ToF MS identified a total of 504 Staphylococcus isolates (260 S. aureus and 244 non-aureus staphylococci, NAS) originating from bovine mastitic milk samples. Phenotypic susceptibility against cefoxitin, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, gentamycin, oxacillin, penicillin, and tetracycline was evaluated by disk diffusion method and the presence of blaZ, mecA, and mecC genes investigated by PCR. Nitrocefin test assessed these isolates’ beta-lactamase production. The most common NAS species were S. simulans, S. epidermidis, S. chromogenes, and S. haemolyticus. In total, 26.6% of the isolates (18.5% of S. aureus and 35.2% of all NAS) carried the blaZ gene. Penicillin resistance, based on disk diffusion, was lower: 18.8% of all the isolates (9.3% of S. aureus and 28.9% of all NAS) were resistant. Based on the nitrocefin test, 21.5% of the isolates produced beta-lactamase (11.6% of S. aureus and 32.0% of all NAS). Between the Staphylococcus species, the proportion of penicillin-resistant isolates varied, being lowest in S. simulans and highest in S. epidermidis. Resistance to antimicrobials other than penicillin was rare. Of the eight NAS isolates carrying the mecA gene, six were S. epidermidis. One S. aureus isolate carried the mecC gene. Agreement beyond chance, assessed by kappa coefficient, between phenotypic and genotypic resistance tests, was moderate to substantial. Some phenotypically penicillin-susceptible staphylococci carried the blaZ gene but isolates without blaZ or mec genes rarely exhibited resistance, suggesting that the more reliable treatment choice may depend upon genotypic AMR testing. Our results support earlier findings that penicillin resistance is the only significant form of antimicrobial resistance among mastitis-causing staphylococci in Finland.
Wind Speed Modeling for Wind Farms Based on Deterministic Broad Learning System
Authors: Wang Lin , Xue Anke
Published: August 2023

As the penetration rate of wind power in the grid continues to increase, wind speed forecasting plays a crucial role in wind power generation systems. Wind speed prediction helps optimize the operation and management of wind power generation, enhancing efficiency and reliability. However, wind speed is a nonlinear and nonstationary system, and traditional statistical methods and classical intelligent algorithms struggle to cope with dynamically updating operating conditions based on sampled data. Therefore, from the perspective of optimizing intelligent algorithms, a wind speed prediction model for wind farms was researched. In this study, we propose the Deterministic Broad Learning System (DBLS) algorithm for wind farm wind speed prediction. It effectively addresses the issues of data saturation and local minima that often occur in continuous-time system modeling. To adapt to the continuous updating of sample data, we improve the sample input of the Broad Learning System (BLS) by using a fixed-width input. When new samples are added, an equivalent number of old samples is removed to maintain the same input width, ensuring the feature capture capability of the model. Additionally, we construct a dataset of wind speed samples from 10 wind farms in Gansu Province, China. Based on this dataset, we conducted comparative experiments between the DBLS and other algorithms such as Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Extreme Learning Machines (ELM), and BLS. The comparison analysis of different algorithms was conducted using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). Among them, the DBLS algorithm exhibited the best performance. The RMSE of the DBLS ranged from 0.762 m/s to 0.776 m/s, and the MAPE of the DBLS ranged from 0.138 to 0.149.
Advances in the Radiological Evaluation of and Theranostics for Glioblastoma
Authors: Hooper Grayson W. , Ansari Shehbaz , Johnson Jason M. , Ginat Daniel T.
Published: August 2023

Imaging is essential for evaluating patients with glioblastoma. Traditionally a multimodality undertaking, CT, including CT cerebral blood profusion, PET/CT with traditional fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), and MRI have been the mainstays for diagnosis and post-therapeutic assessment. However, recent advances in these modalities, in league with the emerging fields of radiomics and theranostics, may prove helpful in improving diagnostic accuracy and treating the disease.
Advancing Breast Cancer Heterogeneity Analysis: Insights from Genomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics at Bulk and Single-Cell Levels
Authors: Zhu Zijian , Jiang Lai , Ding Xianting
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer continues to pose a significant healthcare challenge worldwide for its inherent molecular heterogeneity. This review offers an in-depth assessment of the molecular profiling undertaken to understand this heterogeneity, focusing on multi-omics strategies applied both in traditional bulk and single-cell levels. Genomic investigations have profoundly informed our comprehension of breast cancer, enabling its categorization into six intrinsic molecular subtypes. Beyond genomics, transcriptomics has rendered deeper insights into the gene expression landscape of breast cancer cells. It has also facilitated the formulation of more precise predictive and prognostic models, thereby enriching the field of personalized medicine in breast cancer. The comparison between traditional and single-cell transcriptomics has identified unique gene expression patterns and facilitated the understanding of cell-to-cell variability. Proteomics provides further insights into breast cancer subtypes by illuminating intricate protein expression patterns and their post-translational modifications. The adoption of single-cell proteomics has been instrumental in this regard, revealing the complex dynamics of protein regulation and interaction. Despite these advancements, this review underscores the need for a holistic integration of multiple ‘omics’ strategies to fully decipher breast cancer heterogeneity. Such integration not only ensures a comprehensive understanding of breast cancer’s molecular complexities, but also promotes the development of personalized treatment strategies.
Obstetric Results after Fertility-Sparing Management of Non-Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Piątek Szymon , Szymusik Iwona , Sobiczewski Piotr , Michalski Wojciech , Kowalska Magdalena , Ołtarzewski Mariusz , Bidziński Mariusz
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To assess the recurrence and birth rates among patients with non-epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: The study included 146 patients with germ cell (GCT, n = 84) and sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST, n = 62), who underwent fertility-sparing surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 86 (58.9%) patients. Most cases (133 out of 146) were staged FIGO I. Results: The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates were 91% and 83%, respectively. The recurrence risk was not associated with tumor histology, stage or age. Twenty-four months after the treatment, the rate of recurrence was higher than the rate of childbearing. The childbearing rates kept rising after the treatment and exceeded the rate of recurrence after 2 years. The cumulative incidence rates of birth 36, 60 and 120 months after treatment were 13.24%, 20.75%, and 42.37%, respectively. Chemotherapy was not related to childbearing. The patients’ age was related to the chance of childbearing. Conclusions: The prognoses of GCT and SCST are similar. Close follow-ups along with contraception should be offered to women during the first two years after treatment due to the increased risk of recurrence. After this period, relapses are rare and women can safely become pregnant.
Small Molecules against Metastatic Tumors: Concrete Perspectives and Shattered Dreams
Authors: Serra Massimo , Rubes Davide , Schinelli Sergio , Paolillo Mayra
Published: August 2023

Metastasis is the main cause of anti-cancer therapy failure, leading to unfavorable prognosis for patients. The true challenge to increase cancer patient life expectancy by making cancer a chronic disease with periodic but manageable relapses relies on the development of efficient therapeutic strategies specifically directed against key targets in the metastatic process. Traditional chemotherapy with classical alkylating agents, microtubule inhibitors, and antimetabolites has demonstrated its limited efficacy against metastatic cells due to their capacity to select chemo-resistant cell populations that undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), thus promoting the colonization of distant sites that, in turn, sustain the initial metastatic process. This scenario has prompted efforts aimed at discovering a wide variety of small molecules and biologics as potential anti-metastatic drugs directed against more specific targets known to be involved in the various stages of metastasis. In this short review, we give an overview of the most recent advances related to important families of antimetastatic small molecules: intracellular tyrosine kinase inhibitors, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, KRAS inhibitors, and integrin antagonists. Although the majority of these small molecules are not yet approved and not available in the drug market, any information related to their stage of development could represent a precious and valuable tool to identify new targets in the endless fight against metastasis.
Tree Health Condition in Urban Green Areas Assessed through Crown Indicators and Vegetation Indices
Authors: Morales-Gallegos Luis Manuel , Martínez-Trinidad Tomás , Hernández-de la Rosa Patricia , Gómez-Guerrero Armando , Alvarado-Rosales Dionicio , Saavedra-Romero Luz de Lourdes
Published: August 2023

The urban environment induces stress on trees and its impact can be identified by observing the condition of the crown. The aim of this study is to correlate the variables of crown density (Cdn), crown transparency (Ctr) and dieback (Cdie) with the following vegetation indices: the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), blue-normalized difference vegetation index (BNDVI), green-normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI), green–red vegetation index (GRVI) and red–green–blue vegetation index (RGBVI) of the crowns of trees located in urban green areas, as well as chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) as an indirect indicator of the overall tree health condition. A total of 549 trees were evaluated, represented in 24 families, 36 genera and 53 species; the variables had average values of 67.96% for Cdn, 35.19% for Ctr and 1% for Cdie. Correlations were found between Fv/Fm, NDVI and BNDVI. NDVI and BNDVI correlated with variables such as Cdn and Ctr, mainly in species such as Ligustrum lucidum, Jacaranda mimosifolia and Fraxinus uhdei. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate the tree health condition of trees in urban green environments through the identification of unfavorable conditions at the crown level by using vegetation indices for some of the species studied.
A Comparative Study of Methods Recording Beekeeping Flora
Authors: Liolios Vasilios , Kanelis Dimitrios , Rodopoulou Maria-Anna , Tananaki Chrysoula
Published: August 2023

The knowledge of beekeeping flora of an area and of each plant’s provision is crucial for beekeepers to plan their hive transfers when practicing nomadic beekeeping. Thus, in the present study, we evaluated the use of pollen traps as a means of identifying beekeeping plants in target areas, assessing their pollen percentage contributions and estimating their flowering seasons. The results were compared with the classical field observation method, widely used for flora recording. In total, 98.8% of the plants were recognized by using pollen traps and 89.4% from observations in the field, while for 73% there was found an agreement between population size (Wittig Scale) and Pollen Contribution Scale (PCS). The results showed that pollen traps can be helpful tools not only for defining the presence or absence of a beekeeping plant, but also for providing important information regarding the population size of a taxon of major beekeeping importance in the area surrounding the apiary. Finally, the estimation of the flowering season and its maximum point can be accurately predicted by using pollen traps on plants of beekeeping interest.
Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms in Chicken Feather Follicle Morphogenesis
Authors: Ji Gaige , Zhang Ming , Tu Yunjie , Liu Yifan , Shan Yanju , Ju Xiaojun , Zou Jianmin , Shu Jingting , Sheng Zhongwei , Li Hua
Published: August 2023

In China, the sale of freshly slaughtered chickens is becoming increasingly popular in comparison with that of live chickens, and due to this emerging trend, the skin and feather follicle traits of yellow-feathered broilers have attracted a great deal of research attention. The feather follicle originates from the interaction between the epidermis and dermis in the early embryonic stage. Feather follicle morphogenesis is regulated by the Wnt, ectodysplasin (Eda), epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), sonic hedgehog (Shh), Notch, and other signaling pathways that exist in epithelial and mesenchymal cells. The Wnt pathway is essential for feather follicle and feather morphogenesis. Eda interacts with Wnt to induce FGF expression, which attracts mesenchymal cell movement and aggregates to form feather follicle primordia. BMP acts as an inhibitor of the above signaling pathways to limit the size of the feather tract and distance between neighboring feather primordia in a dose-dependent manner. The Notch/Delta pathway can interact with the FGF pathway to promote feather bud formation. While not a part of the early morphogenesis of feather follicles, Shh and BMP signaling are involved in late feather branching. This review summarizes the roles of miRNAs/lncRNA in the regulation of feather follicle and feather growth and development and suggests topics that need to be solved in a future study. This review focuses on the regulatory mechanisms involved in feather follicle morphogenesis and analyzes the impact of SNP sites on feather follicle traits in poultry. This work may help us to understand the molecular regulatory networks influencing feather follicle growth and provide basic data for poultry carcass quality.
Digging Up the Past, Complicating the Present, and Damaging the Future: Post-Postmodernism and the Postracial in Percival Everett’s The Trees
Authors: Kowalik George
Published: August 2023

Percival Everett has published almost thirty books of fiction in forty years, and The Trees is his 22nd novel. It revisits ideas from Everett’s earlier works while asking questions that, in some ways, tie his oeuvre together—these questions can be linked to temporality and history, problematic literary ideas such as post-postmodernism, and both racialised trauma and the flawed cultural concept of the postracial. In this article, I argue that The Trees specifically problematises claims of the postmodern end of history by suggesting that African American literary narrative can productively reckon with a history of mistreatment by literally digging up the past and actively (impossibly) changing it.
Stability of SARS-CoV-2 on Commercial Aircraft Interior Surfaces with Implications for Effective Control Measures
Authors: Hui Kenrie P. Y. , Chin Alex W. H. , Ehret John , Ng Ka-Chun , Peiris Malik , Poon Leo L. M. , Wong Karen H. M. , Chan Michael C. W. , Hosegood Ian , Nicholls John M.
Published: August 2023

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2022 devastated many aspects of life and the economy, with the commercial aviation industry being no exception. One of the major concerns during the pandemic was the degree to which the internal aircraft environment contributed to virus transmission between humans and, in particular, the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces in the aircraft cabin interior. Method: In this study, the stability of various major strains of SARS-CoV-2 on interior aircraft surfaces was evaluated using the TCID50 assessment. Results: In contrast to terrestrial materials, SARS-CoV-2 was naturally less stable on common contact points in the aircraft interior, and, over a 4 h time period, there was a 90% reduction in culturable virus. Antiviral and surface coatings were extremely effective at mitigating the persistence of the virus on surfaces; however, their benefit was diminished by regular cleaning and were ineffective after 56 days of regular use and cleaning. Finally, successive strains of SARS-CoV-2 have not evolved to be more resilient to survival on aircraft surfaces. Conclusions: We conclude that the mitigation strategies for SARS-CoV-2 on interior aircraft surfaces are more than sufficient, and epidemiological evidence over the past three years has not found that surface spread is a major route of transmission.
Improving the Evidence-Based Practice Skills of Entry-Level Physiotherapy Students through Educational Interventions: A Scoping Review of Literature
Authors: Boshnjaku Arben , Arnadottir Solveig A. , Pallot Adrien , Wagener Marlies , Äijö Marja
Published: August 2023

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an essential approach in healthcare, attracting growing interest among both practitioners and researchers. This scoping review aims to (1) systematically investigate the effectiveness of pedagogical methods used to facilitate learning of the EBP approach, and (2) explore the perceptions, experiences, and issues related to these learning methods. The overarching purpose is to identify the state of the art in pedagogical methods, instruments, influences, and barriers in teaching and learning EBP within entry-level physiotherapy education programs. This scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, with PubMed and Eric databases being searched for peer-reviewed original research articles using a combination of keywords. Excluding non-pertinent articles from the initial 465 identified, 12 were eligible for final inclusion (5 quantitative, 3 qualitative, and 4 mixed-methodology studies). A range of pedagogical methods and instruments for teaching EBP in physiotherapy education were detected, all of which having the capability to positively affect physiotherapy outcomes. Findings from this study support the significant influence that EBP exerts on the improving of the quality of teaching, together with the necessities that the involvement of EBP in physiotherapy education programs provide. Several barriers were identified, which should be taken into consideration when designing population-specific EBP strategies tailored to these particular needs.
Mapping the Global Adoption of Mandatory Vaccination against COVID-19: A Scoping Review
Authors: Damian Jessica U. , Tshitangano Takalani G.
Published: August 2023

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused sicknesses ranging from mild to deadly, which disrupted lives and healthcare systems across the globe. Despite the availability of vaccines that are effective in significantly reducing the risks of death and severe disease, misperceptions of COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy, risks, and mistrust in institutions responsible for vaccination campaigns have been reported as factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, leading to an unsatisfactory vaccination rate, which resulted in some countries implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination to increase vaccine uptake. This scoping review aimed at mapping global countries that have adopted mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and the reaction of citizens. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was used. Google Scholar was used to identify papers published in English from December 2019 to February 2022, irrespective of their methodology. A total of 140 studies were identified. After screening for duplication, access, and relevance, 24 were eligible for review. Approximately eleven countries implemented mandatory vaccination, mostly among healthcare workers. Citizens’ reactions towards the policy varied, with some in support of the policy but with a preference for the healthcare workers, and some in support but with the condition that it will only apply to travel, schools, and shopping areas, while others rejected the policy. Studies that may be relevant but were excluded due to eligibility criteria may be a limiting factor to this study. Several ethical considerations should be explicitly addressed when evaluating whether mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is an ethically justifiable policy option as recommended by the WHO policy brief.
Cold Drawing of AISI 321 Stainless Steel Thin-Walled Seamless Tubes on a Floating Plug
Authors: Żaba Krzysztof , Trzepieciński Tomasz
Published: August 2023

The paper presents the results of an analysis of the process of drawing AISI 321 stainless steel thin-walled seamless tubes on a floating plug. The influence of the geometry of dies and plugs, drawing velocity, and lubricants on the possibility of carrying out the pipe drawing process without a loss of strength of the lubricating film and, consequently, disturbance of the forming process and tube cracking, and also on the temperature in the drawing process, the mechanical properties of the tubes drawn, and the microhardness and roughness of the inner and outer surface of the tubes was investigated. The parameters of the drawing tools used were as follows: angle of drawing dies α = 16° and floating plugs with angles of inclination of the conical part of the plug β = 11.5°, 13°, and 14°. The drawing dies and floating plugs were made of G10 sintered carbide. Drawing speed was varied over the range 1 to 10 m/min. The study used several lubricants. Tubes with dimensions (outer diameter D0, wall thickness g0 before drawing process) D0 = 19 mm, g0 = 1.2 mm and D0 = 18 mm, g0 = 1.2 mm were drawn to produce tubes with dimensions (outer diameter Dk, wall thickness gk after drawing process) Dk = 16 mm, gk = 1.06 mm on a drawbench with the same total elongation, while the diameter and wall thickness were changed. During the process, continuous measurements were made of the drawing force and temperature in the deformation zone and on the tube surface. It was found that the drawing process causes a decrease in the roughness parameters Ra and Rz of the inner surface of the tubes. Moreover, after drawing, an increase of 30–70% was observed in the microhardness of the tube material in relation to the microhardness of the charge material. Based on the test results, it can be concluded that the work of frictional forces is the main direction of optimization of tube drawing on a floating plug process of hard-deforming materials.
Partially Functional Linear Models with Linear Process Errors
Authors: Hu Yanping , Pang Zhongqi
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we focus on the partial functional linear model with linear process errors deduced by not necessarily independent random variables. Based on Mercer’s theorem and Karhunen–Loève expansion, we give the estimators of the slope parameter and coefficient function in the model, establish the asymptotic normality of the estimator for the parameter and discuss the weak convergence with rates of the proposed estimators. Meanwhile, the penalized estimator of the parameter is defined by the SCAD penalty and its oracle property is investigated. Finite sample behavior of the proposed estimators is also analysed via simulations.