bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Training Methods for Cucumber Production in Newly Developed Nutrient Film Technique Hydroponic System
Authors: Samba Nethone , Nunomura Osamu , Nakano Akimasa , Tsukagoshi Satoru
Published: April 2023

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L., cv. “Nina Z”) plants grafted onto squash (Cucurbita maxima, cv. “Yu Yu Ikki”) were grown in a greenhouse using the newly developed nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system “Kappa land” (Mitsubishi aqua solutions Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan ), from February to June 2022. The growth and development of cucumbers were examined under two different training methods: Lowering training (LT) and Pinching training (PT). Data collected were related to water and nutrient consumption, plant growth and development parameters, and the workload of the main activities. The results showed that plants grown under the LT recorded significantly higher total stem length (10.9 m) and number of nodes (133). In addition, from 21 April to 19 May, the leaf area index was significantly higher in the LT treatment. The highest total yield (15.4 kg m−2) and marketable yield per unit area (13.8 kg m−2) were recorded in the LT treatment. Regarding fruit growth, the fruits took 14 and 19 days to reach the standard harvest weight in the PT and LT treatments, respectively. In addition, the fruits were more straight in the PT treatment. The water use efficiency was not significantly different between the two treatments. However, the nutrient use efficiency was significantly higher in the PT treatment because plants produced more vegetative organs in the LT treatment instead of fruits. The work for removing old leaves and harvesting fruits was simplified in the LT treatment. The LT method can be effective for the automation of old leaf removal and fruit picking by the robot in the future.
A Survey of Key Methods, Traits, Parameters, and Conditions for Measuring Texture in Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.)
Authors: Lopez-Moreno Hector , Phillips Matthew , Diaz-Garcia Luis , Torres-Meraz Maria A. , de La Torre Fernando , Berro Ines , Loarca Jenyne , Mura Jyostna , Ikeda Shinya , Atucha Amaya , Giongo Lara , Iorizzo Massimo , Zalapa Juan
Published: April 2023

In the cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) industry, the textural properties and firmness of the fruit are priority traits for producing processed products, such as sweetened dried cranberry (SDC), which have gained popularity in recent years. However, there is currently no reliable methodology for screening these traits in breeding programs. In this study, we examine the key methodologies, textural traits, parameters, and conditions that are necessary to accurately and efficiently measure the texture of cranberry fruit. Double compression, single compression, puncture, shearing and Kramer shear cell methodologies were successfully implemented in cranberry, resulting in a total of 47 textural features. These features allowed the evaluation of the texture of the cranberry fruit based on key factors such as flesh, structure, and skin. This study also examined factors than can affect the performance of texture measurements, including the optimal sample size, storage time, fruit texture-size correlation, fruit temperature and orientation, optimal speed/strain combinations, and the effect of probe diameter. The results of the study suggests that certain texture traits of the compression and puncture methodologies could potentially be used to test varieties and aid in breeding programs.
Modelling & Analysis of High Impact Terrorist Attacks in India & Its Neighbors
Authors: Singh Prabal Pratap , Philip Deepu
Published: April 2023

Terrorism perpetrated in any country by either internal or external actors jeopardizes the country’s security, economic growth, societal peace, and harmony. Hence, accurate modelling of terrorism has become a necessary component of the national security mission of most nations. This research extracted and analyzed high impact attacks (HIAs) perpetrated by terrorists in India and its neighboring countries since 1970 using the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). We evaluated the extraction efficacy of the Global Terrorism Index Impact Score (GTI-IS) against the GTD measure “nkill” using the iterative outlier analysis (IOA) heuristic. The heuristic identified 6117 common HIAs using nkill or GTI-IS attributes. GTI-IS extracted 1718 exclusive HIAs that nkill missed, while nkill extracted 2233 exclusive HIAs. We further classified the extracted HIAs into lethal and non-lethal attacks. Next, we conducted a rigorous spatiotemporal exploratory analysis of countries that reported the most HIAs. Though Afghanistan, India, and Sri Lanka exhibited global spatial autocorrelation, Pakistan did not. Ripley’s G function suggested the recurrence of lethal attacks near other similar events. This analysis showed that lethal and non-lethal attacks in those countries follow different statistical distributions, which can aid in focused counterterrorism tactics.
Compositional Analysis of Glycosaminoglycans in Different Lung Cancer Types—A Pilot Study
Authors: Pál Domonkos , Tóth Gábor , Sugár Simon , Fügedi Kata Dorina , Szabó Dániel , Kovalszky Ilona , Papp Dávid , Schlosser Gitta , Tóth Csaba , Tornóczky Tamás , Drahos László , Turiák Lilla
Published: April 2023

Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer types. Studying the molecular changes that occur in lung cancer is important to understand tumor formation and identify new therapeutic targets and early markers of the disease to decrease mortality. Glycosaminoglycan chains play important roles in various signaling events in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, we have determined the quantity and sulfation characteristics of chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human lung tissue samples belonging to different lung cancer types as well as tumor adjacent normal areas. Glycosaminoglycan disaccharide analysis was performed using HPLC-MS following on-surface lyase digestion. Significant changes were identified predominantly in the case of chondroitin sulfate; for example, the total amount was higher in tumor tissue compared to the adjacent normal tissue. We also observed differences in the degree of sulfation and relative proportions of individual chondroitin sulfate disaccharides between lung cancer types and adjacent normal tissue. Furthermore, the differences in the 6-O-/4-O-sulfation ratio of chondroitin sulfate were different between the lung cancer types. Our pilot study revealed that further investigation of the role of chondroitin sulfate chains and enzymes involved in their biosynthesis is an important aspect of lung cancer research.
PDGF Receptors and Signaling Are Required for 3D-Structure Formation and Differentiation of Human iPSC-Derived Hepatic Spheroids
Authors: Tsuzuki Syusaku , Yamaguchi Tomoyuki , Okumura Takashi , Kasai Toshiharu , Ueno Yasuharu , Taniguchi Hideki
Published: April 2023

Human iPSC-derived liver organoids (LO) or hepatic spheroids (HS) have attracted widespread interest, and the numerous studies on them have recently provided various production protocols. However, the mechanism by which the 3D structures of LO and HS are formed from the 2D-cultured cells and the mechanism of the LO and HS maturation remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that PDGFRA is specifically induced in the cells that are suitable for HS formation and that PDGF receptors and signaling are required for HS formation and maturation. Additionally, in vivo, we show that the localization of PDGFRα is in complete agreement with mouse E9.5 hepatoblasts, which begin to form the 3D-structural liver bud from the single layer. Our results present that PDGFRA play important roles for 3D structure formation and maturation of hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo and provide a clue to elucidate the hepatocyte differentiation mechanism.
A Novel Hybrid Platform for Live/Dead Bacteria Accurate Sorting by On-Chip DEP Device
Authors: di Toma Annarita , Brunetti Giuseppe , Chiriacò Maria Serena , Ferrara Francesco , Ciminelli Caterina
Published: April 2023

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) will be the leading cause of death worldwide in the next decades. To prevent this phenomenon, rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) techniques are required to drive the selection of the most suitable antibiotic and its dosage. In this context, we propose an on-chip platform, based on a micromixer and a microfluidic channel, combined with a pattern of engineered electrodes to exploit the di-electrophoresis (DEP) effect. The role of the micromixer is to ensure the proper interaction of the antibiotic with the bacteria over a long time (≈1 h), and the DEP-based microfluidic channel enables the efficient sorting of live from dead bacteria. A sorting efficiency of more than 98%, with low power consumption (Vpp = 1 V) and time response of 5 s, within a chip footprint of ≈86 mm2, has been calculated, which makes the proposed system very attractive and innovative for efficient and rapid monitoring of the antimicrobial susceptibility at the single-bacterium level in next-generation medicine.
Energy Metabolism Is Altered in Radioresistant Rectal Cancer
Authors: Buckley Croí E. , Yin Xiaofei , Meltzer Sebastian , Ree Anne Hansen , Redalen Kathrine Røe , Brennan Lorraine , O’Sullivan Jacintha , Lynam-Lennon Niamh
Published: April 2023

Resistance to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy is a significant clinical challenge in the management of rectal cancer. There is an unmet need to identify the underlying mechanisms of treatment resistance to enable the development of biomarkers predictive of response and novel treatment strategies to improve therapeutic response. In this study, an in vitro model of inherently radioresistant rectal cancer was identified and characterized to identify mechanisms underlying radioresistance in rectal cancer. Transcriptomic and functional analysis demonstrated significant alterations in multiple molecular pathways, including the cell cycle, DNA repair efficiency and upregulation of oxidative phosphorylation-related genes in radioresistant SW837 rectal cancer cells. Real-time metabolic profiling demonstrated decreased reliance on glycolysis and enhanced mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity in radioresistant SW837 cells when compared to radiosensitive HCT116 cells. Metabolomic profiling of pre-treatment serum samples from rectal cancer patients (n = 52) identified 16 metabolites significantly associated with subsequent pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Thirteen of these metabolites were also significantly associated with overall survival. This study demonstrates, for the first time, a role for metabolic reprograming in the radioresistance of rectal cancer in vitro and highlights a potential role for altered metabolites as novel circulating predictive markers of treatment response in rectal cancer patients.
Molecular Characterization of Resistance to Nicosulfuron in Setaria viridis
Authors: Cao Yi , Lan Yuning , Huang Hongjuan , Wei Shouhui , Li Xiangju , Sun Ying , Wang Ruolin , Huang Zhaofeng
Published: April 2023

The green foxtail, Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. (Poales: Poaceae), is a troublesome and widespread grass weed in China. The acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron has been intensively used to manage S. viridis, and this has substantially increased the selection pressure. Here we confirmed a 35.8-fold resistance to nicosulfuron in an S. viridis population (R376 population) from China and characterized the resistance mechanism. Molecular analyses revealed an Asp-376-Glu mutation of the ALS gene in the R376 population. The participation of metabolic resistance in the R376 population was proved by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450) inhibitor pre-treatment and metabolism experiments. To further elucidate the mechanism of metabolic resistance, eighteen genes that could be related to the metabolism of nicosulfuron were obtained bythe RNA sequencing. The results of quantitative real-time PCR validation indicated that three ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters (ABE2, ABC15, and ABC15-2), four P450 (C76C2, CYOS, C78A5, and C81Q32), and two UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) (UGT13248 and UGT73C3), and one glutathione S-transferases (GST) (GST3) were the major candidates that contributed to metabolic nicosulfuron resistance in S. viridis. However, the specific role of these ten genes in metabolic resistance requires more research. Collectively, ALS gene mutations and enhanced metabolism may be responsible for the resistance of R376 to nicosulfuron.
Genome-Wide Identification of LBD Genes in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) and Functional Characterization of SiLBD21
Authors: Li Kunjie , Wei Yaning , Wang Yimin , Tan Bin , Chen Shoukun , Li Haifeng
Published: April 2023

Plant-specific lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) proteins play important roles in plant growth and development. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is one new C4 model crop. However, the functions of foxtail millet LBD genes are unknown. In this study, a genome-wide identification of foxtail millet LBD genes and a systematical analysis were conducted. A total of 33 SiLBD genes were identified. They are unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes. Among these SiLBD genes, six segmental duplication pairs were detected. The thirty-three encoded SiLBD proteins could be classified into two classes and seven clades. Members in the same clade have similar gene structure and motif composition. Forty-seven kinds of cis-elements were found in the putative promoters, and they are related to development/growth, hormone, and abiotic stress response, respectively. Meanwhile, the expression pattern was investigated. Most SiLBD genes are expressed in different tissues, while several genes are mainly expressed in one or two kinds of tissues. In addition, most SiLBD genes respond to different abiotic stresses. Furthermore, the function of SiLBD21, which is mainly expressed in roots, was characterized by ectopic expression in Arabidopsis and rice. Compared to controls, transgenic plants generated shorter primary roots and more lateral roots, indicating the function of SiLBD21 in root development. Overall, our study laid the foundation for further functional elucidation of SiLBD genes.
Circulating CD137+ T Cell Levels Are Correlated with Response to Pembrolizumab Treatment in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Cirillo Alessio , Zizzari Ilaria Grazia , Botticelli Andrea , Strigari Lidia , Rahimi Hassan , Scagnoli Simone , Scirocchi Fabio , Pernazza Angelina , Pace Angelica , Cerbelli Bruna , d’Amati Giulia , Marchetti Paolo , Nuti Marianna , Rughetti Aurelia , Napoletano Chiara
Published: April 2023

Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, has been approved as first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ((R/M) HNSCC). However, only a minority of patients benefit from immunotherapy, which highlights the need to identify novel biomarkers to optimize treatment strategies. CD137+ T cells have been identified as tumour-specific T cells correlated with immunotherapy responses in several solid tumours. In this study, we investigated the role of circulating CD137+ T cells in (R/M) HNSCC patients undergoing pembrolizumab treatment. PBMCs obtained from 40 (R/M) HNSCC patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 were analysed at baseline via cytofluorimetry for the expression of CD137, and it was found that the percentage of CD3+CD137+ cells is correlated with the clinical benefit rate (CBR), PFS, and OS. The results show that levels of circulating CD137+ T cells are significantly higher in responder patients than in non-responders (p = 0.03). Moreover, patients with CD3+CD137+ percentage ≥1.65% had prolonged OS (p = 0.02) and PFS (p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis, on a combination of biological and clinical parameters, showed that high levels of CD3+CD137+ cells (≥1.65%) and performance status (PS) = 0 are independent prognostic factors of PFS (CD137+ T cells, p = 0.007; PS, p = 0.002) and OS (CD137+ T cells, p = 0.006; PS, p = 0.001). Our results suggest that levels of circulating CD137+ T cells could serve as biomarkers for predicting the response of (R/M) HNSCC patients to pembrolizumab treatment, thus contributing to the success of anti-cancer treatment.
Assessing the Role of MicroRNAs in Predicting Breast Cancer Recurrence—A Systematic Review
Authors: Bouz Mkabaah Luis , Davey Matthew G. , Lennon James C. , Bouz Ghada , Miller Nicola , Kerin Michael J.
Published: April 2023

Identifying patients likely to develop breast cancer recurrence remains a challenge. Thus, the discovery of biomarkers capable of diagnosing recurrence is of the utmost importance. MiRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules which are known to regulate genetic expression and have previously demonstrated relevance as biomarkers in malignancy. To perform a systematic review evaluating the role of miRNAs in predicting breast cancer recurrence. A formal systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed. This search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. A total of 19 studies involving 2287 patients were included. These studies identified 44 miRNAs which predicted breast cancer recurrence. Results from nine studies assessed miRNAs in tumour tissues (47.4%), eight studies included circulating miRNAs (42.1%), and two studies assessed both tumour and circulating miRNAs (10.5%). Increased expression of 25 miRNAs were identified in patients who developed recurrence, and decreased expression of 14 miRNAs. Interestingly, five miRNAs (miR-17-5p, miR-93-5p, miR-130a-3p, miR-155, and miR-375) had discordant expression levels, with previous studies indicating both increased and reduced expression levels of these biomarkers predicting recurrence. MiRNA expression patterns have the ability to predict breast cancer recurrence. These findings may be used in future translational research studies to identify patients with breast cancer recurrence to improve oncological and survival outcomes for our prospective patients.
Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Persistence of Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti in the Mentari Court, Malaysia
Authors: Cheong Yoon Ling , Nazni Wasi A. , Lee Han Lim , NoorAfizah Ahmad , MohdKhairuddin Ibrahim C. , Kamarul Ghazali M. R. , Nizam Nasir M. N. , Arif Mohd A. K. , NurZatilAqmar Zabari M. , Irwan Saidin M. , Khadijah Khairuddin , Paid Yusof M. , Topek Omar , Hasnor Asim H. , AbuBakar Rahman , Singh Gill Balvinder , Fadzilah Kamaludin , Tahir Aris , Sinkins Steven P. , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: April 2023

Dengue is endemic in Malaysia, and vector control strategies are vital to reduce dengue transmission. The Wolbachia strain wAlbB carried by both sexes of Ae. aegypti was released in Mentari Court, a high-rise residential site, in October 2017 and stopped after 20 weeks. Wolbachia frequencies are still being monitored at multiple traps across this site, providing an opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal distribution of Wolbachia and mosquito density with respect to year, residential block, and floor, using spatial interpolation in ArcGIS, GLMs, and contingency analyses. In just 12 weeks, Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes were established right across the Mentari Court site with an overall infection frequency of >90%. To date, the Wolbachia frequency of Ae. aegypti has remained high in all areas across the site despite releases finishing four years ago. Nevertheless, the Wolbachia invaded more rapidly in some residential blocks than others, and also showed a relatively higher frequency on the eighth floor. The Ae. aegypti index tended to differ somewhat between residential blocks, whilst the Ae. albopictus index was relatively higher at the top and bottom floors of buildings. In Mentari Court, only a short release period was required to infiltrate Wolbachia completely and stably into the natural population. The results inform future releases in comparable sites in a dengue control programme.
Host Preferences Shown by Drosophilids (Diptera) in a Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Distribution Center Follow the Wild Neotropical Pattern
Authors: Ribeiro Laís Barbosa , Proença Carolyn Elinore Barnes , Tidon Rosana
Published: April 2023

Although drosophilids have been extensively studied in laboratories worldwide, their ecology is still relatively poorly understood. This is unfortunate because some species are currently expanding their geographic distribution and infesting fruit crops. Here, we investigated the relationship between drosophilids and potential plant hosts in a commercial fruit and vegetable distribution center in the Neotropical region. We collected discarded fruits and vegetables from this commercial center during two time periods (2007–2008 and 2017–2018). Resources were weighted and individually monitored in the laboratory. The drosophilids that emerged were identified, and the relationship between them and their resources was explored. From the 99,478 kg of potential hosts collected, we identified 48 plant taxa, from which 48,894 drosophilids of 16 species emerged. On both collecting occasions, drosophilid assemblages were strongly dominated by basically the same exotic species, which explore a broader range of resources, especially those of exotic origin, when compared to neotropical drosophilids. These results are concerning because the studied site, Along with other urban markets around the world, might be acting as sources of generalist widespread species that disperse to surrounding natural vegetation and contribute to biotic homogenization.
Noncoding RNAs as Key Regulators for Cardiac Development and Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Kawaguchi Satoshi , Moukette Bruno , Hayasaka Taiki , Haskell Angela K. , Mah Jessica , Sepúlveda Marisa N. , Tang Yaoliang , Kim Il-man
Published: April 2023

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play fundamental roles in cardiac development and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. With advances in RNA sequencing technology, the focus of recent research has transitioned from studies of specific candidates to whole transcriptome analyses. Thanks to these types of studies, new ncRNAs have been identified for their implication in cardiac development and CVDs. In this review, we briefly describe the classification of ncRNAs into microRNAs, long ncRNAs, and circular RNAs. We then discuss their critical roles in cardiac development and CVDs by citing the most up-to-date research articles. More specifically, we summarize the roles of ncRNAs in the formation of the heart tube and cardiac morphogenesis, cardiac mesoderm specification, and embryonic cardiomyocytes and cardiac progenitor cells. We also highlight ncRNAs that have recently emerged as key regulators in CVDs by focusing on six of them. We believe that this review concisely addresses perhaps not all but certainly the major aspects of current progress in ncRNA research in cardiac development and CVDs. Thus, this review would be beneficial for readers to obtain a recent picture of key ncRNAs and their mechanisms of action in cardiac development and CVDs.
No Boundaries for Toxicology in Clinical Medicine: One Health, One Society and One Planet for All of Us
Authors: Dinis-Oliveira Ricardo Jorge
Published: April 2023

The concept of One Health is not new; it can be traced back for at least two hundred years [...]
The Ozkan Technique in Current Use in Uterus Transplantation: From the First Ever Successful Attempt to Clinical Reality
Authors: Ozkan Omer , Ozkan Ozlenen , Dogan Nasuh Utku
Published: April 2023

Uterus-related infertility affects 3–5% of all young women, including Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, hysterectomy, or severe Asherman syndrome. For these women with uterus-related infertility, uterus transplantation is now a viable option. We performed the first surgically successful uterus transplant in September 2011. The Donor was a 22-year-old nulliparous woman. After five failed pregnancy attempts (pregnancy losses), ET attempts were discontinued in the first case, and a search for underlying etiology was performed, including static and dynamic imaging studies. Perfusion computed tomography revealed an obstructed blood outflow, particularly in the left anterolateral part of the uterus. In order to correct blood flow obstruction, a revision surgery was planned. By laparotomy, a saphenous vein graft was anastomosed between the left utero-ovarian and left ovarian vein. Perfusion computed tomography performed after the revision surgery confirmed the resolution of venous congestion and a decrease in uterine volume as well. Following surgical intervention, the patient was able to conceive after the first embryo transfer attempt. The baby was delivered with cesarean section at 28 weeks’ gestation due to intrauterine growth restriction and abnormal Doppler ultrasonography findings. Following this case, our team performed the second uterus transplantation in July 2021. The recipient was a 32-year-old female with MRKH syndrome, and the donor was a 37-year-old multiparous braindead woman due to intracranial bleeding. After the transplant surgery, the second patient experienced menstrual bleeding six weeks after the operation. Seven months after the transplant, in the first ET attempt, pregnancy was achieved, and she delivered a healthy baby at 29 weeks of pregnancy. Uterus transplantation from a deceased donor is a feasible option for treating uterus-related infertility. When confronted with recurrent pregnancy losses, vascular revision surgery via arterial or venous supercharging could be an option in order to deal with focal underperfused areas defined by imaging studies.
Optimizing Outcomes in Flexible Ureteroscopy: A Narrative Review of Suction Techniques
Authors: Solano Catalina , Chicaud Marie , Kutchukian Stessy , Candela Luigi , Corrales Mariela , Panthier Frédéric , Doizi Steeve , Traxer Olivier
Published: April 2023

Objective: The aim of this review is to summarize the existing suction systems in flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) and to evaluate their effectiveness and safety. Methods: A narrative review was performed using the Pubmed and Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) databases. Additionally, we conducted a search on the Twitter platform. Studies including suctions systems in fURS were included. Editorials, letters and studies reporting intervention with semirigid ureteroscopy, PCNL and mPCNL were excluded. Results: A total of 12 studies were included in this review. These studies comprised one in vitro study, one ex vivo study, one experimental study and eight cohort studies. The Pubmed and WoSCC searches identified three suction techniques (Irrigation/Suctioning system with control of pressure, suction ureteral access sheath (sUAS) and direct in scope suction (DISS)), and the Twitter search identified four of them. The overall results showed that suction is an effective and safe technique that improves stone-free rates, reduces operative time and limits complication rates after fURS. Conclusions: The use of suctioning during common endourological procedures has been shown to improve safety and efficacy in several indications. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this.
Cardiovascular and Neurological Complications of COVID-19: A Narrative Review
Authors: Sousa Rêgo Luma Ornelas , Alves Braga Lara Landulfo , Vilas-Boas Gustavo Sampaio , Oliveira Cardoso Maiana Santos , Duraes Andre Rodrigues
Published: April 2023

A novel coronavirus emerged in China in late 2019 as a disease named coronavirus disease 2019. This pathogen was initially identified as causing a respiratory syndrome, but later, it was found that COVID-19 could also affect other body systems, such as the neurological and cardiovascular systems. For didactic purposes, cardiovascular and neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 have been classified in three different groups: acute complications, late complications, and post-vaccine complications. Therefore, the following study has the goal to summarize and disseminate the present knowledge about the cardiovascular and neurological manifestations of COVID-19 based on the latest and most up-to-date data available and, thus, promote more prepared medical care for these conditions as the medical team is updated. Based on what is brought on this revision and its understanding, the medical service becomes more aware of the causal relationship between some conditions and COVID-19 and can better prepare for the most prevalent conditions to associate and, consequently, to treat patients earlier. Therefore, there is a chance of better prognoses in this context and the need to increase the number of studies about complications related to SARS-CoV-2 infection for a better understanding of other associated conditions.
Intrauterine Infusion of Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma Is an Effective Therapeutic Protocol for Patients with Recurrent Implantation Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ban Yanna , Yang Xiaoliang , Xing Yan , Que Wenjun , Yu Zebo , Gui Wenwu , Chen Ying , Liu Xiru
Published: April 2023

Background: The clinical application of autologous leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (LP-PRP) in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is rare. This retrospective observational cohort study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LP-PRP intrauterine infusion in patients with RIF. Methods: Patients with RIF undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET) from January 2019 to December 2021 (n = 118) were enrolled, with those undergoing LP-PRP intrauterine infusion as the PRP group (n = 64), and those receiving no LP-PRP treatment as the control group (n = 54). The beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG)-positive rate, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR), and miscarriage rate (MR) per ET cycle were compared. Results: The β-hCG-positive rate (57.8% vs. 38.9%, p = 0.041), CPR (45.3% vs. 24.5%, p = 0.022), and LBR per ET cycle (42.2% vs. 18.5%, p = 0.009) were higher in the PRP group than in the control group, and the three variables (62.5% vs. 41.2%, p = 0.040, 47.5% vs. 23.5%, p = 0.033, and 47.5% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.027) in the PRP group transferred with the blastocyst-stage embryos were also higher than those in the control group. The MR was similar in all groups. Conclusions: The LP-PRP treatment could improve the β-hCG-positive rate, CPR, and LBR in RIF patients undergoing FET cycles.
Surface Optimization of Components Obtained by Fused Deposition Modeling for Air-Plasma-Sprayed Ceramic Coatings
Authors: Formisano Antonio , Boccarusso Luca , Langella Antonio
Published: April 2023

Additive manufacturing is an emerging disruptive 3D printing technology that is stimulating innovations in design and engineering, materials, and manufacturing thanks to the prospects of reducing cost and waste and increasing efficiency; in doing so, it presents the potential to have marked industrial, economic, and societal impacts. Thermoplastic polymers show some ideal characteristics for the most common additive manufacturing methods, and this aids in the improvement of the design accuracy and reliability and makes inroads for the customized manufacturing of high-design-flexibility polymer parts. Despite this, this material family is strongly sensitive to temperature, and one of the viable ways of limiting this weak point is surface coating with thermal barriers. The focus of this work was the optimization of an additive manufacturing process for producing thermoplastic components and to improve the adhesion of a thermal barrier coating on their surface. In detail, flat plate specimens of ULTEM 1010 were obtained by the fused deposition modeling technique by varying two significant surface parameters, the enhanced visible rasters and the visible raster air gap; then, their surfaces were covered by a thin ceramic coating by an air plasma spray system. A micro-geometric analysis that was conducted using a confocal microscope and the coating thickness measurements highlighted that a global larger roughness value, the presence of more flat peaks with a large area, and the complexity of the texture can be considered as supporting factors for improving the mechanical gripping and allowing a uniform adhesion of the coating powders on the thermoplastic substrate.
The Effect of Titanium Surface Topography on Adherent Macrophage Integrin and Cytokine Expression
Authors: Pitchai Manju Sofia , Ipe Deepak Samuel , Hamlet Stephen
Published: April 2023

Immunomodulatory biomaterials have the potential to stimulate an immune response able to promote constructive and functional tissue remodeling, as opposed to persistent inflammation and scar tissue formation. This study examined the effects of titanium surface modification on integrin expression and concurrent cytokine secretion by adherent macrophages in vitro in an attempt to delineate the molecular events involved in biomaterial-mediated immunomodulation. Non-polarised (M0) and inflammatory polarised (M1) macrophages were cultured on a relatively smooth (machined) titanium surface and two proprietary modified rough titanium surfaces (blasted and fluoride-modified) for 24 h. The physiochemical characteristics of the titanium surfaces were assessed by microscopy and profilometry, while macrophage integrin expression and cytokine secretion were determined using PCR and ELISA, respectively. After 24 h adhesion onto titanium, integrin α1 expression was downregulated in both M0 and M1 cells on all titanium surfaces. Expression of integrins α2, αM, β1 and β2 increased in M0 cells cultured on the machined surface only, whereas in M1 cells, expression of integrins α2, αM and β1 all increased with culture on both the machined and rough titanium surfaces. These results correlated with a cytokine secretory response whereby levels of IL-1β, IL-31 and TNF-α increased significantly in M1 cells cultured on the titanium surfaces. These results show that adherent inflammatory macrophages interact with titanium in a surface-dependent manner such that increased levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-31 secreted by M1 cells were associated with higher expression of integrins α2, αM and β1.
Hybrid Manufacturing of Conformal Cooling Channels for Tooling
Authors: Feldhausen Thomas , Paramanathan Mithulan , Heineman Jesse , Hassen Ahmed , Heinrich Lauren , Kurfess Rebecca , Fillingim Kenton , Saleeby Kyle , Post Brian
Published: April 2023

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) techniques for hybrid manufacturing have led to new application areas in the manufacturing industry. In the tooling industry, cooling channels are used to enable specific heating and cooling cycles to improve the performance of the process. These internal cooling channels have been designed with limited manufacturing processes in mind, so, until recently, they were often straight in shape for cross-drilling operations and manufactured from a cast billet. To show a novel application of this common technology, a tool with integrated conformal cooling channels was manufactured using hybrid manufacturing (blown-powder DED and CNC machining) techniques. The computer-aided manufacturing strategy used, and the lessons learned are presented and discussed to enable future work in this industrial application space.
A General Convolutional Neural Network to Reconstruct Remotely Sensed Chlorophyll-a Concentration
Authors: Zhang Xinhao , Zhou Meng
Published: April 2023

Satellite-observed chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations are key to studies of phytoplankton dynamics. However, there are gaps in remotely sensed images mainly due to cloud coverage which requires reconstruction. This study proposed a method to build a general convolutional neural network (CNN) model that can reconstruct images in unfamiliar areas. Although several CNN models to reconstruct Chl-a in a specific area have already been proposed, the model in this research has the advantage of generality. The model uses a more flexible U-net architecture so that it can accept input of different shapes. Images from three areas of different shapes were used in model training to improve the generality of the model. Six models, with different auxiliary input schemes and architectures, were trained and evaluated. Results show that the model with bathymetry input and coarse-to-fine architecture has the best performance and can give reasonable reconstruction for the unfamiliar area. The best model shows better results than traditional interpolation methods when reconstructing for an unfamiliar area, especially in regions outside the data coverage.
Engagement in Aerobic Exercise Is Associated with a Reduced Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Severe Sarcopenia in Italian Older Adults
Authors: Coelho-Júnior Hélio José , Calvani Riccardo , Picca Anna , Tosato Matteo , Landi Francesco , Marzetti Emanuele
Published: April 2023

The present study was conducted to test the association between adherence to specific exercise modalities and sarcopenia severity in Italian older adults. Data were collected as part of the ongoing Longevity Check-Up 7+ (Lookup 7+) project. Lookup 7+ began in June 2015 and has since been conducted in unconventional settings (e.g., exhibitions, malls, social events) throughout Italy. In the present study, we used data on adults 65 years and older. Sarcopenia was identified according to the simultaneous presence of dynapenia and low appendicular muscle mass. Muscle strength was measured by isometric handgrip and sit-to-stand (STS) testing. Sarcopenia was categorized as severe if participants reported difficulty or inability to walk 400 m. Engagement in running and/or swimming (RS) or strength training with or without stretching (SS) was used to define exercise modalities. Analyses were conducted in 3289 participants (mean age: 72.7 ± 5.7 years; 1814 women). The results of the binary regression showed negative associations between RS and the presence of STS-based sarcopenia in women, and between RS and STS-based severe sarcopenia in men. Collectively, these findings indicate that RS is negatively associated with the presence of sarcopenia in large sample of relatively unselected Italian older adults.
Picking Winners: Identifying Features of High-Performing Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) with Machine Learning
Authors: Williams Caleb J.
Published: April 2023

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) are publicly listed “blank check” firms with a sole purpose: to merge with a private company and take it public. Selecting a target to take public via SPACs is a complex affair led by SPAC sponsors who seek to deliver investor value by effectively “picking winners” from the private sector. A key question for all sponsors is what they should be searching for. This paper aims to identify the characteristics of SPACs and their target companies that are relevant to market performance at sponsor lock-up windows. To achieve this goal, the study breaks market performance into a binary classification problem and uses a machine learning approach comprised of decision trees, logistic regression, and LASSO regression to identify features that exhibit a distinct relationship with market performance. The obtained results demonstrate that corporate or private equity backing in target firms greatly improves the odds of market outperformance one-year post-merger. This finding is novel in indicating that characteristics of target firms may also be deterministic of SPAC performance, in addition to SPACs, transaction, and the market features identified in the prior literature. It further suggests that a viable sponsor strategy could be constructed for generating outsized market returns at share lock-up windows by simply “following the money” and choosing target firms with prior involvement from corporate or private equity investors.
From Uncertainties to Solutions: A Scenario-Based Framework for an Agriculture Protection Zone in Magic Valley Idaho
Authors: Cronan Daniel , Trammell E. Jamie , Kliskey Andrew
Published: April 2023

As growth in the western U.S. continues to lead to the development of land, pressure is being exerted on agricultural production, and could lead to the loss of prime agricultural land. A wide array of perspectives concerning agricultural protection requires a variety of possible solutions. Diverse and plausible scenarios, driven by stakeholders, can be modeled by researchers to guide potential solutions to address key challenges within a region. This paper addresses one stakeholder-defined social-ecological system (SES) solution in the context of southern Idaho, one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S.: agricultural protection zoning. This project demonstrates a method for incorporating an Agriculture Protection Zone (APZ) within a suite of scenarios showing land protection opportunities across a range of future conditions and challenges. The results, by way of a Geodesign framework, entail suitability analyses through a series of weighted raster overlays to analyze scenario-based solutions. The suite of scenario solutions was compared to demonstrate effective proportions of the APZ. The analysis of the results, as a solution gradient, aim to inform policy makers, planners, and developers about the efficiencies of various APZ delineations as well as a methodology to demonstrate the impact of solutions based on assumptions of stakeholder-informed future scenarios.
Shorebird Monitoring Using Spatially Explicit Occupancy and Abundance
Authors: Bohnett Eve , Schulz Jessica , Dobbs Robert , Hoctor Thomas , Hulse Dave , Ahmad Bilal , Rashid Wajid , Waddle Hardin
Published: April 2023

Loss of habitat and human disturbance are major factors in the worldwide decline of shorebird populations, including that of the threatened migratory piping plover (Charadrius melodus). From 2013 to 2018, we conducted land-based surveys of the shorebird community every other week during the peak piping plover season (September to March). We assessed the ability of a thin plate spline occupancy model to identify hotspot locations on Whiskey Island, Louisiana, for the piping plover and four additional shorebird species (Wilson’s plover (Charadrius wilsonia), snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus), American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), and red knot (Calidris canutus)). By fitting single-species occupancy models with geographic thin plate spline parameters, hotspot priority regions for conserving piping plovers and the multispecies shorebird assemblage were identified on the island. The occupancy environmental covariate, distance to the coastline, was weakly fitting, where the spatially explicit models were heavily dependent on the spatial spline parameter for distribution estimation. Additionally, the detectability parameters for Julian date and tide stage affected model estimations, resulting in seemingly inflated estimates compared to assuming perfect detection. The models predicted species distributions, biodiversity, high-use habitats for conservation, and multispecies conservation areas using a thin-plate spline for spatially explicit estimation without significant landscape variables, demonstrating the applicability of this modeling approach for defining areas on a landscape that are more heavily used by a species or multiple species.
Identifying Particulate Matter Variances Based on Environmental Contexts: Installing and Surveying Real-Time Measuring Sensors
Authors: Shin Eunseo , Shin Yeeun , Kim Suyeon , Lee Sangwoo , An Kyungjin
Published: April 2023

Previous research suggests that there should be environmental solutions for the emerging health threats caused by poor air quality, such as particulate matters (PM, including PM2.5 and PM10). Research related to air quality (measured by PM) using land-use regression and geographically weighted regression shows some patterns among different environmental contexts which could reduce the threats from such elements; however, there is little concrete evidence for such threats. To fill this research gap, this study installed real-time PM sensors at human breathing heights at five locations in Seoul, South Korea, and recorded the PM values collected between November 2021 and January 2023. Three-phase time-series analyses were conducted on the collected data. Lower levels of PM concentration were found in more enclosed spaces. In particular, when a space was surrounded by vegetation, the air quality significantly increased. The purpose of this study is to explore variations in air quality, particularly PMs densities, in different types of land use within urban areas such as Seoul. Greater metropolitan areas such as Seoul have a great number of health problems caused by air quality. This study’s results contribute to policy and decision-making in urban design to tackle such problems and to provide spatial guidelines for public health and welfare.
Future Time Reference Alternation in Afrikaans as a West-Germanic Language
Authors: Kirsten Johanita
Published: April 2023

There are two future time reference auxiliaries in Afrikaans, sal ‘will’ and gaan ‘go’. These auxiliaries are interchangeable in many contexts. In light of the ongoing grammaticalization of gaan, it is pertinent to describe the alternation between sal and gaan in different Afrikaans registers, and contextualize it in the West-Germanic language family where English and Dutch have similar alternating constructions. This is accomplished by analyzing Afrikaans corpus data from the 1970s and the 2000s, both spoken and written. Normalized frequencies and relative frequencies for the use of sal and gaan are reported according to a number of variables, including time, register, lexical verb, syntactic subject, clause type, sentence type, and future proximity. The effect of sentence type and future proximity is consistently present in all the datasets, and a possible change is detected in the effect of subject and clause type. Compared with English and Dutch, Afrikaans future alternation patterns more like that of English, even though it is more closely related to Dutch.
Comparison of Activity and Safety of DSPAα1 and Its N-Glycosylation Mutants
Authors: Peng Huakang , Wang Nan , Wang Mengqi , Yang Caifeng , Guo Wenfang , Li Gangqiang , Huang Sumei , Wei Di , Liu Dehu
Published: April 2023

DSPAα1 is a potent rude thrombolytic protein with high medicative value. DSPAα1 has two natural N-glycan sites (N153Q-S154-S155, N398Q-K399-T400) that may lead to immune responses when administered in vivo. We aimed to study the effect of its N-glycosylation sites on DSPAα1 in vitro and in vivo by mutating these N-glycosylation sites. In this experiment, four single mutants and one double mutant were predicted and expressed in Pichia pastoris. When the N398Q-K399-T400 site was mutated, the fibrinolytic activity of the mutant was reduced by 75%. When the N153Q-S154-S155 sites were inactivated as described above, the plasminogen activating activity of its mutant was reduced by 40%, and fibrin selectivity was significantly reduced by 21-fold. The introduction of N-glycosylation on N184-G185-A186T and K368N-S369-S370 also considerably reduced the activity and fibrin selectivity of DSPAα1. The pH tolerance and thermotolerance of all mutants did not change significantly. In vivo experiments also confirmed that N-glycosylation mutations can reduce the safety of DSPAα1, lead to prolonged bleeding time, non-physiological reduction of coagulation factor (α2-AP, PAI) concentration, and increase the risk of irregular bleeding. This study ultimately demonstrated the effect of N-glycosylation mutations on the activity and safety of DSPAα1.