bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of personality traits on learners’ navigational behavior patterns in an online course: a lag sequential analysis approach
Authors: Tlili Ahmed , Sun Tianyue , Denden Mouna , Kinshuk  , Graf Sabine , Fei Cheng , Wang Huanhuan
Published: May 2023

Personality is considered as the internal factor that defines a person’s behavior. Therefore, providing adaptive features and personalized support in online learning by considering learners’ personalities can improve their learning experiences and outcomes. In this context, several research studies have investigated the impact of personality differences in online learning. However, little is known about how personality differences affect learners’ behavior while learning. To fill this gap, this study applies a lag sequential analysis (LSA) approach to understand learners’ navigational behavior patterns in an online three-months course of 65 learners based on their personalities. In this context, the five factor model (FFM) model was used to identify learners’ personalities. The findings revealed that learners with different personalities use different strategies to learn and navigate within the course. For instance, learners high in extraversion tend to be extrinsically motivated. They therefore significantly navigated between viewing the course module and their personal achievements. The findings of this study can contribute to the adaptive learning field by providing insights about which personalization features can help learners with different personalities. The findings can also contribute to the field of automatic modeling of personality by providing information about differences in navigational behavior based on learners’ personalities.
Does interpersonal self-support matter for freshman nursing students’ professional identity? Evidence from mainland China
Authors: Zhang Ting , Su Dan , Yang Yajuan , Li Shuwen
Published: May 2023

Background

Many studies have focused on undergraduate nursing students’ professional identity (PI), but freshman nursing students (FNSs) have been ignored, and the relationship between interpersonal self-support (ISS) and PI is unknown. This study was designed to determine the patterns of ISS and its association with PI among Chinese FNSs.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 358 FNSs recruited from two nursing colleges in southeast China. Students completed the Sociodemographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Interpersonal Self-Support Scale for Adolescent Students, and the Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nurse Students. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to determine the patterns of ISS among freshmen. The Bolck–Croon–Hagenaars method was used to examine the influencing role of ISS in PI.

Results

LPA indicated that ISS could be classified into three subgroups: the ISS-Individualist group (7.54% of the total sample), ISS-Dependent group (63.13% of the total sample), and ISS-Extrovert group (29.33% of the total sample). Overall, these three profiles differed significantly in the five dimensions of ISS and PI (p < 0.05). The results of pairwise comparisons examined the positive role of the ISS-Extrovert group on the promotion of PI among FNSs.

Conclusion

These findings emphasize the need for the promotion of PI and ISS among Chinese FNSs. Freshman students need more confidence and general communication knowledge to maintain harmonious social relationships with others. Parent-teacher association could be applied to nursing education to guide FNSs’ positive development of ISS.
On particle scattering in Gross-Pitaevskii theory and implications for dark matter halos
Authors: Rindler-Daller Tanja
Published: May 2023

Bose-Einstein-condensed dark matter (BEC-DM), also called scalar field dark matter (SFDM), has become a popular alternative to the standard, collisionless cold dark matter (CDM) model, due to its long-held potential to resolve the small-scale crisis of CDM. Halos made of BEC-DM have been modelled using the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation coupled to the Poisson equation; the so-called GPP equations of motion. These equations are based on fundamental microphysical conditions that need to be fulfilled in order for the equations to be valid in the first place, related to the diluteness of the DM gas and the nature of the particle scattering model. We use these conditions in order to derive the implications for the BEC-DM parameters, the 2-particle self-interaction coupling strength g and the particle mass m. We compare the derived bounds with the constraint that results from the assumption of virial equilibrium of the central cores of halos, deriving a relationship that connects g and m. We find that the GPP conditions are greatly fulfilled, for BEC-DM particle masses of interest, if such models also obey the virial condition that turns out to be the strongest constraint. We also derive the implications for the elastic scattering cross section (per particle mass) in BEC-DM halos, based on the scattering model of GPP, and find a huge range of possible values, depending on the self-interaction regime. We put our results into context to recent literature which predicts sub-kpc core size in BEC-DM halos.
Sex-related differences in retinal function in Wistar rats: implications for toxicity and safety studies
Authors: Tyszkiewicz Cheryl , Hwang Seo-Kyoung , Manickam Balasubramanian , Jakubczak Ben , Walters Karen M. , Bolt Michael W. , Santos Rosemary , Liu Chang-Ning
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Wistar Han rats are a preferred strain of rodents for general toxicology and safety pharmacology studies in drug development. In some of these studies, visual functional tests that assess for retinal toxicity are included as an additional endpoint. Although the influence of gender on human retinal function has been documented for more than 6 decades, preclinically it is still uncertain if there are differences in retinal function between naïve male and female Wistar Han rats.

Methods: In this study, sex-related differences in the retinal function were quantified by analyzing electroretinography (ERG) in 7-9-week-old (n = 52 males and 51 females) and 21–23-week-old Wistar Han rats (n = 48 males and 51 females). Optokinetic tracking response, brainstem auditory evoked potential, ultrasonic vocalization and histology were tested and evaluated in a subset of animals to investigate the potential compensation mechanisms of spontaneous blindness.

Results/Discussion: Absence of scotopic and photopic ERG responses was found in 13% of 7-9-week-old (7/52) and 19% of 21–23-week-old males (9/48), but none of female rats (0/51). The averaged amplitudes of rod- and cone-mediated ERG b-wave responses obtained from males were significantly smaller than the amplitudes of the same responses from age-matched females (−43% and −26%, respectively) at 7–9 weeks of age. There was no difference in the retinal and brain morphology, brainstem auditory responses, or ultrasonic vocalizations between the animals with normal and abnormal ERGs at 21–23 weeks of age. In summary, male Wistar Han rats had altered retinal responses, including a complete lack of responses to test flash stimuli (i.e., blindness), when compared with female rats at 7–9 and 21–23 weeks of age. Therefore, sex differences should be considered when using Wistar Han rats in toxicity and safety pharmacology studies with regards to data interpretation of retinal functional assessments.
Raw potato starch diet supplement in weaned pigs could reduce Salmonella Typhimurium infection by altering microbiome composition and improving immune status
Authors: Yi Seung-Won , Lee Han Gyu , Kim Eunju , Jung Young-Hun , Bok Eun-Yeong , Cho Ara , Do Yoon Jung , Hur Tai-Young , Oh Sang-Ik
Published: May 2023

Backgorund

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) is one of the causative agents of gastroenteritis in pigs. Pigs fed a diet supplemented with raw potato starch (RPS) have improved gut health by the alteration of the microbiota composition and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of RPS supplementation in reducing infection severity and fecal shedding in ST-infected pigs.

Methods

The weaned experimental pigs were divided into two groups: CON (n = 6) fed a corn/soybean-based diet and TRT (n = 6) supplemented with 5% RPS. After 21 d, the pigs were inoculated with ST, and their body weight, clinical signs, and fecal shedding of ST were monitored for 14 d. At 14 d post-inoculation (dpi), the jejunum, cecum, ileum, and colon tissues were collected from euthanized pigs, and histopathological lesions and cytokine gene expression were compared. Additionally, blood samples at 2 dpi were analyzed for gene ontology enrichment. Moreover, the gutmicrobiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing, and the SCFA concentration was measured using gas chromatography.

Results

The average daily weight gain was significantly higher in TRT than in CON during the ST infection period; however, histopathological lesion scores were significantly lower in TRT than in CON. The relative abundance of nine genera of butyrate- and acetate-producing bacteria significantly increased in TRT compared with that of only two acetate-producing bacteria in CON. Among the genes involved in the immune response, IL-18 expression level was significantly lower in the jejunum and colon in TRT than in CON. Furthermore, Reg3γ expression was significantly different in the cecum and colon of both groups.

Conclusion

The diet supplemented with RPS in weaned pigs could result in predominance of butyrate- and acetate-producing bacteria, reducing the severity of ST infection by improving the immune status.
Badanie skojarzeniowe jako sposób na wyjaśnienie przyczyn błędów
popełnianych przez uczących się języka polskiego jako obcego
Authors: Kozhinova Alla
Published: May 2023

This article is dedicated to the presentation of an associative research aimed to discover the psycholinguistic causes of the errors made by East Slavic students learning Polish as a foreign language by enumerating the number of paradigmatic and syntagmatic associations. The research has shown that although foreign students already have an established lexical resource, the government of words, their connectivity in a sentence, has not been rooted in their language awareness yet.
Nazwy kobiet w gwarach Warmii i Mazur
Authors: Sobolewska Katarzyna
Published: May 2023

This article presents more than 300 semantic units being names of women used in the area of Warmia and Masuria in the period from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century in traditional rural communities. It discusses the semantic diversity of particular groups of lexemes, presents their number, and indicates the extralinguistic reasons which caused the growth of the number of feminine names within certain semantic fields. It also confronts certain specialised sets of lexemes, e.g. the names of unmarried women, with their male counterparts
Optimization of the Compressive Measurement Matrix in a Massive MIMO System Exploiting LSTM Networks
Authors: Pavel Saidur R. , Zhang Yimin D.
Published: May 2023

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, which is characterized by the use of a large number of antennas, is a key enabler for the next-generation wireless communication and beyond. Despite its potential for high performance, implementing a massive MIMO system presents numerous technical challenges, including the high hardware complexity, cost, and power consumption that result from the large number of antennas and the associated front-end circuits. One solution to these challenges is the use of hybrid beamforming, which divides the transceiving process into both analog and digital domains. To perform hybrid beamforming efficiently, it is necessary to optimize the analog beamformer, referred to as the compressive measurement matrix (CMM) here, that allows the projection of high-dimensional signals into a low-dimensional manifold. Classical approaches to optimizing the CMM, however, are computationally intensive and time consuming, limiting their usefulness for real-time processing. In this paper, we propose a deep learning based approach to optimizing the CMM using long short-term memory (LSTM) networks. This approach offers high accuracy with low complexity, making it a promising solution for the real-time implementation of massive MIMO systems.
Effects of a 15° Variation in Poll Flexion during Riding on the Respiratory Systems and Behaviour of High-Level Dressage and Show-Jumping Horses
Authors: Tilley Paula , Simões Joana , Sales Luis José Paulo
Published: May 2023

From previous studies, the International Society for Equitation Science has advised that further research be conducted on the physiological/psychological effects of less-exacerbated poll flexion angles. We aimed to evaluate the effects of two riding poll flexion positions with a difference of only 15° on the respiratory systems and behaviour of horses through an evaluation of dynamic airway collapse via over-ground endoscopy, the pharyngeal diameter, pleural pressure, arterial oxygenation and lactate, HR/RR, and the occurrence of conflict behaviours. Twenty high-level dressage and twenty show-jumping horses underwent a 40 min ridden test at a ground angle of 85°; 3 weeks later, they underwent a ridden test at a 100° ground angle (the angle between the ground and the line from the forehead to the muzzle) and in a cross-over design. Using a mixed model for repeated measures, Wilcoxon/Friedman tests were carried out according to the experimental design and/or error normality. For both groups, at 100°, conflict behaviours and upper airway tract abnormalities were significantly more frequent, and the pleural pressure was higher, and the pharyngeal diameter was lower. At 85°, relaxation behaviours were significantly more frequent. Lactate was significantly higher at 100° only in the dressage horses. Compared to the first test at 85°, the HR/RR were significantly lower at the beginning of the second test (at 100°) but higher at the end. The significant differences identified in these dressage and show-jumping horses support the idea that an increase of just 15° in riding poll flexion can have negative effects on the respiratory system and behaviour of a horse and therefore on its welfare.
Evaluation of Fecundity, Fertilization, Hatching, and Gonadosomatic Index of Exotic Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) and Native Clarias macromystax (Gunther, 1864) under Semi-Arid Conditions of Nigeria
Authors: Esa Yuzine B. , Dadile Abdulrahman Muhammad , Syukri Fadhil , Christianus Annie , Diyaware Mohammad Y.
Published: May 2023

The study evaluates the hybridizations between two African catfish, C. gariepinus and C. macromystax, using artificial reproduction. Fecundity and gonadosomatic index were assessed, and growth performance at different developmental stages was evaluated. The results indicated that both species possess a similar gonadosomatic index. The parent C. gariepinus possesses significantly (p < 0.05) higher male reproductive quality than C. macromystax. Fecundity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the female parent of C. macromystax and lower in C. gariepinus. The highest fertilization rates and hatching rates were achieved in the hybrid cross of ♀C. macromystax × ♂C. gariepinus (♀Cm × ♂Cg) which also recorded the lowest deformed larva rate. Survival rates at the larval stage were more than 80%, with the highest record of survival in the hybrid ♀Cm × ♂Cg. However, survival rates in the fry stage were lower than 70%. The hybrid cross (C. macromystax × C. gariepinus) outperformed the parental cross of C. macromystax but was not significantly similar to the parental cross of C. gariepinus. The study revealed the potential of the hybrid ♀C. macromystax × ♂C. gariepinus, and hybridizations of ♀C. macromystax × ♂C. gariepinus (♀Cm × ♂Cg) are indeed possible and proved to have a better growth and survival rate under semi-arid conditions, which would contribute significantly to the improvement of C. macromystax production in captivity.
Perceptions of Cross-Cultural Challenges and Successful Approaches in Facilitating the Improvement of Equine Welfare
Authors: Rogers Suzanne , Lee Natasha Y. P. , White Jo , Bell Catherine
Published: May 2023

Projects that aim to improve the welfare of equids worldwide usually involve people from different countries and cultures working together. Given that professionals involved with multi-stakeholder projects often work cross-culturally, this study examined their experiences regarding the challenges involved in, and their reflections on, how to work in a culturally sensitive way. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants working in a total of 29 countries and analysed using thematic analysis. Key response themes emerged from the responses to questions covering the areas of perceptions of animal welfare, challenges working cross-culturally and embracing cultural sensitivity. The overriding theme regarding perceptions of animal welfare was that of barriers to animal welfare, under which emerged the subthemes of limited financial and material resources, limited understanding of the tenets of animal welfare, and attachment to traditional medicines and practices. Exploring the key challenges resulted in two themes: challenges regarding the local context and etiquette, and those regarding working with different stakeholders. Considering cultural sensitivity, again, two themes emerged: the importance of trust and respect, and of working with local partners. Previous works have highlighted the importance of shared linguistic knowledge, interpersonal skills and cultural knowledge, and these elements also emerged in this research. As well as providing insights into the challenges of working cross-culturally, the findings of this study have enabled the development of suggestions for how this work could be taken forward in a practical way to be of use to professionals in this sector.
Passive Self-Ligating Bracket Systems: A Scoping Review of Their Claims Regarding Efficiency and Effectiveness in Orthodontic Treatment
Authors: Cernei Eduard Radu , Chehab Alice , Olteanu Daniel Nicolae , Romanec Cristian , Panaite Tinela , Zetu Irina Nicoleta
Published: May 2023

Passive self-ligating bracket systems (PSLBs), such as the Damon® system (Ormco, US) and SmartClip (3M Unitek®, US) claim advantages over other types of brackets regarding efficiency and effectiveness. However, some studies have questioned their qualities, particularly during the alignment stage, in arch development, and regarding stability of results. This article aims to conduct a scoping review from the past decade’s literature (2013–2023) regarding these assertions about PSLBs. A comprehensive search was performed on several databases. With at least one comparison between PSLBs and the other two bracket types, the inclusion criteria were restricted to English-written randomized controlled trials and split-mouth design studies involving patients receiving orthodontic treatment using PSLB, active self-ligating bracket systems (ASLBs), or conventional/traditional bracket systems (CBs). After screening and manual analysis of the selected studies, only 39 were chosen for the review. Most of the efficiency and effectiveness results from research conducted in the past ten years did not indicate any appreciable differences between the three different types of brackets; therefore, the evidence on whether PSLB is better than CBs and ASLBs is equivocal. Further research is necessary to understand the distinctions between passive self-ligating and other bracket systems and establish the optimal utilization of each system in clinical settings.
Virtual Reality Collision Detection Based on Improved Ant Colony Algorithm
Authors: Xu Peng , Sun Qingyun
Published: May 2023

In order to improve the performance in terms of detecting objects colliding in virtual reality, the ant colony algorithm was used to detect collisions. In the preliminary detection stage, the OBB bounding box and the spherical bounding box were used to detect the collision of objects, and the objects that may collide were selected. In the accurate detection stage, the model was sampled, and the feature pairs were used as the set to be detected for detecting collisions, the collision detection problem of the three-dimensional model was transformed into a nonlinear optimization problem of the distance between the feature pairs in the two-dimensional discrete space. The ant colony algorithm was introduced to solve the problem, and the pheromone concentration and update rules of the ant colony algorithm were optimized to improve the efficiency of the algorithm. The simulation results showed that, compared with the commonly used collision detection algorithms, our algorithm had high accuracy in detecting collisions and was less time-consuming.
Mobile Measurements of Atmospheric Methane at Eight Large Landfills: An Assessment of Temporal and Spatial Variability
Authors: Xia Tian , Borjigin Sachraa G. , Raneses Julia , Stroud Craig A. , Batterman Stuart A.
Published: May 2023

Municipal solid waste landfills are major contributors to anthropogenic emissions of methane (CH4), which is the major component of natural gas, a potent greenhouse gas, and a precursor for the formation of tropospheric ozone. The development of sensitive, selective, and fast-response instrumentation allows the deployment of mobile measurement platforms for CH4 measurements at landfills. The objectives of this study are to use mobile monitoring to measure ambient levels of CH4 at eight large operating landfills in southeast Michigan, USA; to characterize diurnal, daily and spatial variation in CH4 levels; and to demonstrate the influence of meteorological factors. Elevated CH4 levels were typically found along the downwind side or corner of the landfill. Levels peaked in the morning, reaching 38 ppm, and dropped to near-baseline levels during midday. Repeat visits showed that concentrations were highly variable. Some variation was attributable to the landfill size, but both mechanistically-based dilution-type models and multivariate models identified that wind speed, boundary layer height, barometric pressure changes, and landfill temperature were key determinants of CH4 levels. Collectively, these four factors explained most (r2 = 0.89) of the variation in the maximum CH4 levels at the landfill visited most frequently. The study demonstrates the ability to assess spatial and temporal variation in CH4 levels at landfills using mobile monitoring along perimeter roads. Such monitoring can identify the location of leaks and the best locations for long-term emission monitoring using fixed site monitors.
Three-Dimensional Visualization of Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests
Authors: Meyer Marcel , Thurston William , Smith Jacob W. , Schumacher Alan , Millington Sarah C. , Hodson David P. , Cressman Keith , Gilligan Christopher A.
Published: May 2023

Some of the most devastating crop diseases and insect pests can be transmitted by wind over extremely long distances. These low-probability but high-impact events can have severe consequences for crop production and food security by causing epidemic outbreaks or devastating insect infestations in previously uninfected geographic areas. Two prominent examples that have recently caused substantial damage to agricultural production are novel strains of wheat rusts and desert locust swarm infestations. Whilst quantitative estimates of long-range atmospheric transport events can be obtained using meteorological transport simulations, the exact characteristics of three-dimensional spatiotemporal dynamics of crop pathogen transport and insect flight on extremely large spatial scales, over entire regions and continents, remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the feasibility and usefulness of new advanced geospatial data visualization methods for studying extremely long-distance airborne transmission of crop pathogens and insect pests. We combine field surveillance data and a Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model with novel techniques from computer graphics to obtain, for the first time, detailed three-dimensional visual insights into airborne crop pathogen and insect pest transport on regional and continental scales. Visual insights into long-distance dispersal of pests and pathogens are presented as a series of short 3D movies. We use interactive three-dimensional visual data analysis for explorative examination of long-range atmospheric transport events from a selection of outbreak and infestation sites in East Africa and South East Asia. The practical usefulness of advanced 3D visualization methods for improving risk estimates and early warning is discussed in the context of two operational crop disease and insect pest management systems (for wheat rusts and desert locusts). The tools and methods introduced here can be applied to other pathogens, pests, and geographical areas and can improve understanding of risks posed to agricultural production by crop disease and insect pest transmission caused by meteorological extreme events.
Lower Limb Biomechanics during the Golf Downswing in Individuals with and without a History of Knee Joint Injury
Authors: Lin Zi-Jun , Peng Yi-Chien , Yang Chun-Ju , Hsu Chung-Yuan , Hamill Joseph , Tang Wen-Tzu
Published: May 2023

Although prevention is better than treatment, after a knee injury occurs, the adjustment of the movement technique back to the posture before the injury and the restoration of accuracy is very important for professional and amateur players. This study aimed to compare the differences in lower limb mechanics during the golf downswing between those with and without a history of knee joint injury. A total of 20 professional golfers with single-digit handicaps were recruited for this study, 10 of whom had a knee injury history (KIH+), while another 10 players were without a knee injury history (KIH−). From the 3D analysis, selected kinematic and kinetic parameters during the downswing were analyzed using an independent samples t-test with a significance level of α = 0.05. During the downswing, individuals with KIH+ exhibited a smaller hip flexion angle, smaller ankle abduction angle, and larger ankle adduction/abduction range of motion (ROM). Moreover, there was no significant difference found in the knee joint moment. Athletes with a history of knee injury can adjust the motion angles of their hip and ankle joints (e.g., by avoiding excessive forward leaning of the trunk and maintaining stable foot posture without inward or outward rotation) to minimize the impact of changes in their movement patterns resulting from the injury.
Generation of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Images with Diffusion Models
Authors: Katakis Sofoklis , Barotsis Nikolaos , Kakotaritis Alexandros , Tsiganos Panagiotis , Economou George , Panagiotopoulos Elias , Panayiotakis George
Published: May 2023

The recent advances in deep learning have revolutionised computer-aided diagnosis in medical imaging. However, deep learning approaches to unveil their full potential require significant amounts of data, which can be a challenging task in some scientific fields, such as musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, in which data privacy and security reasons can lead to important limitations in the acquisition and the distribution process of patients’ data. For this reason, different generative methods have been introduced to significantly reduce the required amount of real data by generating synthetic images, almost indistinguishable from the real ones. In this study, the power of the diffusion models is incorporated for the generation of realistic data from a small set of musculoskeletal ultrasound images in four different muscles. Afterwards, the similarity of the generated and real images is assessed with different types of qualitative and quantitative metrics that correspond well with human judgement. In particular, the histograms of pixel intensities of the two sets of images have demonstrated that the two distributions are statistically similar. Additionally, the well-established LPIPS, SSIM, FID, and PSNR metrics have been used to quantify the similarity of these sets of images. The two sets of images have achieved extremely high similarity scores in all these metrics. Subsequently, high-level features are extracted from the two types of images and visualized in a two-dimensional space for inspection of their structure and to identify patterns. From this representation, the two sets of images are hard to distinguish. Finally, we perform a series of experiments to assess the impact of the generated data for training a highly efficient Attention-UNet for the important clinical application of muscle thickness measurement. Our results depict that the synthetic data play a significant role in the model’s final performance and can lead to the improvement of the deep learning systems in musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Association of Peripheral Inflammatory Biomarkers and Growth Factors Levels with Sex, Therapy and Other Clinical Factors in Schizophrenia and Patient Stratification Based on These Data
Authors: Ermakov Evgeny , Melamud Mark , Boiko Anastasiia , Kamaeva Daria , Ivanova Svetlana , Nevinsky Georgy , Buneva Valentina
Published: May 2023

Multiple lines of evidence are known to confirm the pro-inflammatory state of some patients with schizophrenia and the involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in the pathogenesis of psychosis. The concentration of peripheral biomarkers is associated with the severity of inflammation and can be used for patient stratification. Here, we analyzed changes in serum concentrations of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-21, APRIL, BAFF, PBEF/Visfatin, IFN-α, and TNF-α) and growth/neurotrophic factors (GM-CSF, NRG1-β1, NGF-β, and GDNF) in patients with schizophrenia in an exacerbation phase. IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, BAFF, IFN-α, GM-CSF, NRG1-β1, and GDNF increased but TNF-α and NGF-β decreased in schizophrenia compared to healthy individuals. Subgroup analysis revealed the effect of sex, prevalent symptoms, and type of antipsychotic therapy on biomarker levels. Females, patients with predominantly negative symptoms, and those taking atypical antipsychotics had a more pro-inflammatory phenotype. Using cluster analysis, we classified participants into “high” and “low inflammation” subgroups. However, no differences were found in the clinical data of patients in these subgroups. Nevertheless, more patients (17% to 25.5%) than healthy donors (8.6% to 14.3%) had evidence of a pro-inflammatory condition depending on the clustering approach used. Such patients may benefit from personalized anti-inflammatory therapy.
Changes in Functional Connectivity of Hippocampal Subregions in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea after Six Months of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment
Authors: Huang Ling , Li Haijun , Shu Yongqiang , Li Kunyao , Xie Wei , Zeng Yaping , Long Ting , Zeng Li , Liu Xiang , Peng Dechang
Published: May 2023

Previous studies have shown that the structural and functional impairments of hippocampal subregions in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are related to cognitive impairment. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment can improve the clinical symptoms of OSA. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate functional connectivity (FC) changes in hippocampal subregions of patients with OSA after six months of CPAP treatment (post-CPAP) and its relationship with neurocognitive function. We collected and analyzed baseline (pre-CPAP) and post-CPAP data from 20 patients with OSA, including sleep monitoring, clinical evaluation, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results showed that compared with pre-CPAP OSA patients, the FC between the right anterior hippocampal gyrus and multiple brain regions, and between the left anterior hippocampal gyrus and posterior central gyrus were reduced in post-CPAP OSA patients. By contrast, the FC between the left middle hippocampus and the left precentral gyrus was increased. The changes in FC in these brain regions were closely related to cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, our findings suggest that CPAP treatment can effectively change the FC patterns of hippocampal subregions in patients with OSA, facilitating a better understanding of the neural mechanisms of cognitive function improvement, and emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment of OSA.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells in Minimal/Measurable Residual Disease Detection
Authors: Srinivasan Rajsri Kritika , Roy Nainita , Chakraborty Sohini
Published: May 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by an abundance of incompletely matured or immature clonally derived hematopoietic precursors called leukemic blasts. Rare leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that can self-renew as well as give rise to leukemic progenitors comprising the bulk of leukemic blasts are considered the cellular reservoir of disease initiation and maintenance. LSCs are widely thought to be relatively resistant as well as adaptive to chemotherapy and can cause disease relapse. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the molecular bases of LSC forms and functions during different stages of disease progression, so we can more accurately identify these cells and design therapies to target them. Irrespective of the morphological, cytogenetic, and cellular heterogeneity of AML, the uniform, singularly important and independently significant prognosticator of disease response to therapy and patient outcome is measurable or minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, defined by residual disease detection below the morphology-based 5% blast threshold. The importance of LSC identification and frequency estimation during MRD detection, in order to make MRD more effective in predicting disease relapse and modifying therapeutic regimen is becoming increasingly apparent. This review focuses on summarizing functional and cellular composition-based LSC identification and linking those studies to current techniques of MRD detection to suggest LSC-inclusive MRD detection as well as outline outstanding questions that need to be addressed to improve the future of AML clinical management and treatment outcomes.
Lifestyle Modifications and Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Manni Andrea , El-Bayoumy Karam
Published: May 2023

Lifestyle modifications have been shown to be effective in reducing breast cancer [...]
Calcium Homeostasis in the Development of Resistant Breast Tumors
Authors: Martin-García Desirée , Téllez Teresa , Redondo Maximino , García-Aranda Marilina
Published: May 2023

Cancer is one of the main health problems worldwide. Only in 2020, this disease caused more than 19 million new cases and almost 10 million deaths, with breast cancer being the most diagnosed worldwide. Today, despite recent advances in breast cancer treatment, a significant percentage of patients will either not respond to therapy or will eventually experience lethal progressive disease. Recent studies highlighted the involvement of calcium in the proliferation or evasion of apoptosis in breast carcinoma cells. In this review, we provide an overview of intracellular calcium signaling and breast cancer biology. We also discuss the existing knowledge on how altered calcium homeostasis is implicated in breast cancer development, highlighting the potential utility of Ca2+ as a predictive and prognostic biomarker, as well as its potential for the development of new pharmacological treatments to treat the disease.
Measuring Tumour Imatinib Concentrations in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours: Relevant or Redundant?
Authors: Giraud Eline L. , de Jong Loek A. W. , van den Hombergh Erik , Kaal Suzanne E. J. , van Erp Nielka P. , Desar Ingrid M. E.
Published: May 2023

Imatinib plasma trough concentrations are associated with efficacy for patients treated for advanced or metastatic KIT-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). This relationship has not been studied for patients treated in the neoadjuvant setting, let alone its correlation with tumour drug concentrations. In this exploratory study we aimed to determine the correlation between plasma and tumour imatinib concentrations in the neoadjuvant setting, investigate tumour imatinib distribution patterns within GISTs, and analyse its correlation with pathological response. Imatinib concentrations were measured in both plasma and in three regions of the resected primary tumour: the core, middle part, and periphery. Twenty-four tumour samples derived from the primary tumours of eight patients were included in the analyses. Imatinib tumour concentrations were higher compared to plasma concentrations. No correlation was observed between plasma and tumour concentrations. Interpatient variability in tumour concentrations was high compared to interindividual variability in plasma concentrations. Although imatinib accumulates in tumour tissue, no distribution pattern of imatinib in tumour tissue could be identified. There was no correlation between imatinib concentrations in tumour tissue and pathological treatment response.
In Situ/Microinvasive Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Cervix and HPV-Type Impact: Pathologic Features, Treatment Options, and Follow-Up Outcomes—Cervical Adenocarcinoma Study Group (CAS-Group)
Authors: Giannella Luca , Delli Carpini Giovanni , Di Giuseppe Jacopo , Bogani Giorgio , Sopracordevole Francesco , Clemente Nicolò , Giorda Giorgio , De Vincenzo Rosa Pasqualina , Evangelista Maria Teresa , Gardella Barbara , Dominoni Mattia , Monti Ermelinda , Alessi Chiara , Alessandrini Lara , Pagan Alessio , Caretto Marta , Ghelardi Alessandro , Amadori Andrea , Origoni Massimo , Barbero Maggiorino , Raspagliesi Francesco , Simoncini Tommaso , Vercellini Paolo , Scambia Giovanni , Ciavattini Andrea
Published: May 2023

It is unknown whether human papillomavirus (HPV) status impacts the prognosis of early stage cervical glandular lesions. This study assessed the recurrence and survival rates of in situ/microinvasive adenocarcinomas (AC) according to HPV status during a 5-year follow-up. The data were retrospectively analyzed in women with available HPV testing before treatment. One hundred and forty-eight consecutive women were analyzed. The number of HPV-negative cases was 24 (16.2%). The survival rate was 100% in all participants. The recurrence rate was 7.4% (11 cases, including four invasive lesions (2.7%)). Cox proportional hazards regression showed no difference in recurrence rate between HPV-positive and HPV-negative cases (p = 0.148). HPV genotyping, available for 76 women and including 9/11 recurrences, showed a higher relapse rate for HPV-18 than HPV-45 and HPV-16 (28.5%, 16.6%, and 9.52%, p = 0.046). In addition, 60% and 75% of in situ and invasive recurrences, respectively, were HPV-18 related. The present study showed that most ACs were positive for high-risk HPV, and the recurrence rate was unaffected by HPV status. More extensive studies could help evaluate whether HPV genotyping may be considered for recurrence risk stratification in HPV-positive cases.
The Importance of Detecting, Quantifying, and Characterizing Exosomes as a New Diagnostic/Prognostic Approach for Tumor Patients
Authors: Logozzi Mariantonia , Orefice Nicola Salvatore , Di Raimo Rossella , Mizzoni Davide , Fais Stefano
Published: May 2023

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) of nanometric size studied for their role in tumor pathogenesis and progression and as a new source of tumor biomarkers. The clinical studies have provided encouraging but probably unexpected results, including the exosome plasmatic levels’ clinical relevance and well-known biomarkers’ overexpression on the circulating EVs. The technical approach to obtaining EVs includes methods to physically purify EVs and characterize EVs, such as Nanosight Tracking Analysis (NTA), immunocapture-based ELISA, and nano-scale flow cytometry. Based on the above approaches, some clinical investigations have been performed on patients with different tumors, providing exciting and promising results. Here we emphasize data showing that exosome plasmatic levels are consistently higher in tumor patients than in controls and that plasmatic exosomes express well-known tumor markers (e.g., PSA and CEA), proteins with enzymatic activity, and nucleic acids. However, we also know that tumor microenvironment acidity is a key factor in influencing both the amount and the characteristics of the exosome released by tumor cells. In fact, acidity significantly increases exosome release by tumor cells, which correlates with the number of exosomes that circulate through the body of a tumor patient.
Discordant and Converting Receptor Expressions in Brain Metastases from Breast Cancer: MRI-Based Non-Invasive Receptor Status Tracking
Authors: Heitkamp Alexander , Madesta Frederic , Amberg Sophia , Wahaj Schohla , Schröder Tanja , Bechstein Matthias , Meyer Lukas , Broocks Gabriel , Hanning Uta , Gauer Tobias , Werner René , Fiehler Jens , Gellißen Susanne , Kniep Helge C.
Published: May 2023

Discordance and conversion of receptor expressions in metastatic lesions and primary tumors is often observed in patients with brain metastases from breast cancer. Therefore, personalized therapy requires continuous monitoring of receptor expressions and dynamic adaptation of applied targeted treatment options. Radiological in vivo techniques may allow receptor status tracking at high frequencies at low risk and cost. The present study aims to investigate the potential of receptor status prediction through machine-learning-based analysis of radiomic MR image features. The analysis is based on 412 brain metastases samples from 106 patients acquired between 09/2007 and 09/2021. Inclusion criteria were as follows: diagnosed cerebral metastases from breast cancer; histopathology reports on progesterone (PR), estrogen (ER), and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptor status; and availability of MR imaging data. In total, 3367 quantitative features of T1 contrast-enhanced, T1 non-enhanced, and FLAIR images and corresponding patient age were evaluated utilizing random forest algorithms. Feature importance was assessed using Gini impurity measures. Predictive performance was tested using 10 permuted 5-fold cross-validation sets employing the 30 most important features of each training set. Receiver operating characteristic areas under the curves of the validation sets were 0.82 (95% confidence interval [0.78; 0.85]) for ER+, 0.73 [0.69; 0.77] for PR+, and 0.74 [0.70; 0.78] for HER2+. Observations indicate that MR image features employed in a machine learning classifier could provide high discriminatory accuracy in predicting the receptor status of brain metastases from breast cancer.
Clinical Characterization of a Table Mounted Range Shifter Board for Synchrotron-Based Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy for Pediatric Craniospinal Irradiation
Authors: Hrinivich William T. , Li Heng , Tran Anh , Acharya Sahaja , Ladra Matthew M. , Sheikh Khadija
Published: May 2023

Purpose: To report our design, manufacturing, commissioning and initial clinical experience with a table-mounted range shifter board (RSB) intended to replace the machine-mounted range shifter (MRS) in a synchrotron-based pencil beam scanning (PBS) system to reduce penumbra and normal tissue dose for image-guided pediatric craniospinal irradiation (CSI). Methods: A custom RSB was designed and manufactured from a 3.5 cm thick slab of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to be placed directly under patients, on top of our existing couch top. The relative linear stopping power (RLSP) of the RSB was measured using a multi-layer ionization chamber, and output constancy was measured using an ion chamber. End-to-end tests were performed using the MRS and RSB approaches using an anthropomorphic phantom and radiochromic film measurements. Cone beam CT (CBCT) and 2D planar kV X-ray image quality were compared with and without the RSB present using image quality phantoms. CSI plans were produced using MRS and RSB approaches for two retrospective pediatric patients, and the resultant normal tissue doses were compared. Results: The RLSP of the RSB was found to be 1.163 and provided computed penumbra of 6.9 mm in the phantom compared to 11.8 mm using the MRS. Phantom measurements using the RSB demonstrated errors in output constancy, range, and penumbra of 0.3%, −0.8%, and 0.6 mm, respectively. The RSB reduced mean kidney and lung dose compared to the MRS by 57.7% and 46.3%, respectively. The RSB decreased mean CBCT image intensities by 86.8 HU but did not significantly impact CBCT or kV spatial resolution providing acceptable image quality for patient setup. Conclusions: A custom RSB for pediatric proton CSI was designed, manufactured, modeled in our TPS, and found to significantly reduce lateral proton beam penumbra compared to a standard MRS while maintaining CBCT and kV image-quality and is in routine use at our center.
TCF7L1 Controls the Differentiation of Tuft Cells in Mouse Small Intestine
Authors: Zinina Valeriya V. , Sauer Melanie , Nigmatullina Lira , Kreim Nastasja , Soshnikova Natalia
Published: May 2023

Continuous and rapid renewal of the intestinal epithelium depends on intestinal stem cells (ISCs). A large repertoire of transcription factors mediates the correct maintenance and differentiation of ISCs along either absorptive or secretory lineages. In the present study, we addressed the role of TCF7L1, a negative regulator of WNT signalling, in embryonic and adult intestinal epithelium using conditional mouse mutants. We found that TCF7L1 prevents precocious differentiation of the embryonic intestinal epithelial progenitors towards enterocytes and ISCs. We show that Tcf7l1 deficiency leads to upregulation of the Notch effector Rbp-J, resulting in a subsequent loss of embryonic secretory progenitors. In the adult small intestine, TCF7L1 is required for the differentiation of secretory epithelial progenitors along the tuft cell lineage. Furthermore, we show that Tcf7l1 promotes the differentiation of enteroendocrine D- and L-cells in the anterior small intestine. We conclude that TCF7L1-mediated repression of both Notch and WNT pathways is essential for the correct differentiation of intestinal secretory progenitors.
Coatings 2023 Best Paper Award (Review): Announcement and Interview with the Winning Team
Authors:   Coatings Editorial Office
Published: May 2023

The Coatings Editorial Board and Editorial Team would like to congratulate the winner of the Coatings 2023 Best Paper Award (Review) [...]
Coatings 2023 Best Paper Award (Article): Announcement and Interview with the Winning Team
Authors:   Coatings Editorial Office
Published: May 2023

The Coatings Editorial Board and Editorial Team would like to congratulate the winner of the Coatings 2023 Best Paper Award (Article) [...]