bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empathy Modulates the Effects of Acute Stress on Anxious Appearance and Social Behavior in Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: von Dawans Bernadette , Trueg Amalie , Voncken Marisol , Dziobek Isabel , Kirschbaum Clemens , Domes Gregor , Heinrichs Markus
Published: July 2022

Patients suffering from social anxiety disorder (SAD) fear social interaction and evaluation, which severely undermines their everyday life. There is evidence of increased prosocial behavior after acute social stress exposure in healthy individuals, which may be interpreted as stress-regulating “tend-and-befriend” behavior. In a randomized controlled trial, we measured empathic abilities in a first diagnostic session. In the following experimental session, we investigated how patients with SAD (n = 60) and healthy control participants (HC) (n = 52) respond to an acute social stressor (Trier Social Stress Test for groups) or a non-stressful control condition, and whether empathic abilities and acute social stress interact to modulate anxious appearance and social behavior in a social conversation test. Salivary cortisol, heart rate, and subjective stress response were repeatedly measured. The anxious appearance and social behavior of participants were rated by the conversation partner. SAD patients demonstrated stronger subjective stress responses while the biological responses did not differ from HC. Moreover, patients performed worse overall in the conversation task, which stress additionally undermined. Finally, we found that both emotional and cognitive empathy buffered the negative effects of acute stress on social behavior in SAD, but not in HC. Our data highlight the importance of empathic abilities for SAD during stressful situations and call for multimodal clinical diagnostics. This may help to differentiate clinical subtypes and offer better-tailored treatment for patients.

General Scientific Summary: This study shows that high levels of cognitive and emotional empathy can buffer the negative effects of acute stress on social behavior in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Empathic abilities may be included as an additional diagnostic resource marker for SAD.
Forgiveness: A Key Component of Healing From Moral Injury?
Authors: Brémault-Phillips Suzette , Cherwick Terry , Smith-MacDonald Lorraine Alison , Huh John , Vermetten Eric
Published: July 2022

Service members and veterans can be exposed to potentially traumatic and morally injurious experiences (PMIEs) including participating in, witnessing, or failing to prevent an act(s) that transgresses their core beliefs. Violation of one's deeply held morals and values can be profoundly distressing and shatter one's sense of self at the deepest level. Relationships with self, others, the world, and for some, the Sacred, can also be fractured. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Moral Injury (MI) can result. Left unresolved, MI can leave individuals struggling with guilt, shame, cognitive dissonance, and negative self-attributions. A holistic approach that addresses the psychological and spiritual harm associated with MI is warranted. We wonder if forgiveness can help individuals struggling with MI to address the harm caused by actions or inactions, release negative emotions, and mend relationships. Commonly used by Spiritual/Religious (S/R) Leaders, forgiveness practices are increasingly being explored by Mental Health Professionals as a complement to evidence-based treatment approaches. This article provides case examples that illustrate the use of forgiveness practices that promote recovery and identifies programs used in clinical practice that incorporate forgiveness. Research is yet needed to better understand the importance of forgiveness in the treatment and healing of PTSD and/or MI. This requires an interdisciplinary discourse between Mental Health Professionals and S/R Leaders working in the field of MI. Such engagement and integrated use of forgiveness practices may yield improved outcomes not only for service members and veterans, but for all those struggling as a result of PTSD and/or MI.
Model-Based Evaluation of Transmissibility and Intervention Measures for a COVID-19 Outbreak in Xiamen City, China
Authors: Liu Weikang , Guo Zhinan , Abudunaibi Buasiyamu , Ouyang Xue , Wang Demeng , Yang Tianlong , Deng Bin , Huang Jiefeng , Zhao Benhua , Su Yanhua , Su Chenghao , Chen Tianmu
Published: July 2022

Background

In September 2021, there was an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Xiamen, China. Various non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) and pharmacological interventions (PIs) have been implemented to prevent and control the spread of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions and to identify priorities for the implementation of prevention and control measures.

Methods

The data of patients with COVID-19 were collected from 8 to 30 September 2021. A Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) dynamics model was developed to fit the data and simulate the effectiveness of interventions (medical treatment, isolation, social distancing, masking, and vaccination) under different scenarios. The effective reproductive number (Reff) was used to assess the transmissibility and transmission risk.

Results

A total of 236 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Xiamen. The epidemic curve was divided into three phases (Reff = 6.8, 1.5, and 0). Notably, the cumulative number of cases was reduced by 99.67% due to the preventive and control measures implemented by the local government. In the effective containment stage, the number of cases could be reduced to 115 by intensifying the implementation of interventions. The total number of cases (TN) could be reduced by 29.66–95.34% when patients voluntarily visit fever clinics. When only two or three of these measures are implemented, the simulated TN may be greater than the actual number. As four measures were taken simultaneously, the TN may be <100, which is 57.63% less than the actual number. The simultaneous implementation of five interventions could rapidly control the transmission and reduce the number of cases to fewer than 25.

Conclusion

With the joint efforts of the government and the public, the outbreak was controlled quickly and effectively. Authorities could promptly cut the transmission chain and control the spread of the disease when patients with fever voluntarily went to the hospital. The ultimate effect of controlling the outbreak through only one intervention was not obvious. The combined community control and mask wearing, along with other interventions, could lead to rapid control of the outbreak and ultimately lower the total number of cases. More importantly, this would mitigate the impact of the outbreak on society and socioeconomics.
Age Differences in Preferred Methods of Obtaining and Understanding Health Related Information During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia
Authors: Williams Nathan , Haines Terry , Williams Cylie , Bowles Kelly-Ann , Hill Keith D.
Published: July 2022

Methods of communications and the nature of messaging are critically important in influencing public behavior. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in major disruptions to all aspects of life globally and has triggered multiple approaches of health messaging to the general public to communicate COVID-19 preventative measures. This study aimed to identify: (1) differences between age groups in the main avenues used by people to obtain COVID-19 related information; and (2) whether age and information sources were associated with correct interpretation of government messaging relating to how people understand or interpret the terms “self-isolation” and “social distancing.” An online survey was conducted in 2020. Participants were aged over 18 years and grouped into age group decades. Differences in sources of COVID-19 information were compared visually between age groups. Logistic regression was used to determine whether age and each of the various methods of communication of COVID-19 information were independently associated with correct response to the self-isolation, or the social distancing statements. There were 3,300 survey respondents 85% female; age sub-groups: 18–29 (7.4%); 30–39 (10.6%); 40–49 (17.6%); 50–59 (22.9%); 60–69 (25.9%); 70–79 (13.9%); and 80+ (1.7%). People accessed public health messaging information from a wide variety of sources that changed as they aged (e.g., older people were more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 information via television news programs and less likely via social media platforms). Age was frequently associated with whether the message key terms were interpreted correctly or incorrectly, but in some cases, it promoted more correct responses whereas in others, fewer correct responses. There was no difference between being exposed to COVID-19 information via mainstream media, compared with social media, or compared with Government sources of information, in terms of whether COVID-19 messages were interpreted correctly. In order to improve future public health messaging, there is a need for multiple avenues of communication to meet the needs and preferences across and within age groups. Further investigation is warranted into the clarity of the content and method of delivery of public health messages, to ensure optimal understanding of public health messages by vulnerable populations and across the community.
An Opportunity to Harmonise the Approach to Patients' Care Pathways for Rare and Complex Diseases: RarERN Path™
Authors: Talarico Rosaria , Marinello Diana , Cannizzo Sara , Palla Ilaria , Ticciati Simone , Gaglioti Andrea , Rys Andrzej , Milli Carlo , Taruscio Domenica , Mosca Marta , Turchetti Giuseppe
Published: July 2022

As a matter of fact, organisation always matters when discussing about healthcare, since it is fundamental in order to ensure the delivery of the most appropriate care to patients in the most appropriate way. Unfortunately, the pandemic brought by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) imposed a huge reorganisation of the healthcare systems, with several repercussions on the care of several chronic conditions, that were in many cases discontinued. This was the case of rare diseases (RDs), conditions that even under normal circumstances can experience diagnostic delays and difficulties in receiving appropriate care. The context of the European Reference Networks (ERNs) represents one of the most appropriate settings for the creation of organisational reference models for patient care pathways (PCP). As a matter of fact, the main mission of ERNs is to improve the care of patients with RDs in Europe through a patient-centred approach, thanks to real multistakeholder involvement. For this reason, in the last years, an extensive effort has been made towards the creation of a methodological approach aimed at providing organisational reference models for PCP in RDs across the different Member States. In fact, in order to develop the reference model, a structured methodology was created to enable the design of the PCP based on a deep sharing of expertise on high-quality care and characterised by a strong patient-centred approach: RarERN Path™. Among the different stakeholders that need to be involved in planning strategic actions to ensure care also during an emergency, patients' representatives, healthcare professionals, hospital managers, and experts in healthcare organisations play a crucial role.
Neither Corporate, Nor Family: The Indian “Patronal” Farm
Authors: Aubron Claire , Bainville Sébastien , Philippon Olivier , Dorin Bruno
Published: July 2022

After the disappearance of socialist State farms and cooperatives, the diversity of farms in the world seemed to have been reduced to a simple dichotomy: family farms on the one hand and corporate farming on the other. The former category, the dominant model on the planet, includes undertakings where labor is provided by the family, while corporate farming that was long limited to South America, is exclusively based on hired labor. This reading grid, however, turns out to be particularly problematic when looking at the Indian case. Despite their small size, a considerable number of Indian farms make use of a combination of family and hired labor. Based on an analysis of national statistics and fieldwork in 13 small regions, this article characterizes agricultural work and how family and hired labor function together on Indian farms. It shows that alongside family farms where wage labor (either hiring or being hired) serves to ensure full employment for family labor, there is another type of farm, which we define as “patronal farm”, where hiring agricultural laborers increases the income earned by family labor. In our surveys, this is systematically the case for irrigated agriculture, where wages paid to laborers are lower than the agricultural labor productivity per workday. After describing the characteristics of this original model, the article discusses its coherence with India's political economy and questions its sustainability.
Validating Urinary Neopterin as a Biomarker of Immune Response in Captive and Wild Capuchin Monkeys
Authors: Lucore Jordan M. , Marshall Andrew J. , Brosnan Sarah F. , Benítez Marcela E.
Published: July 2022

Non-invasive health monitoring is advantageous for wild and captive primate populations because it reduces the need for traditional invasive techniques (i.e., anesthetization) that can be stressful and potentially harmful for individuals. The biomarker neopterin is an emerging tool in primatology to measure immune activation and immunosenescence, however, most neopterin studies have focused on catarrhine species with little comparative work examining neopterin and health in platyrrhines. To address this gap, we validated a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure urinary neopterin in two types of capuchin monkeys, a wild population of white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) and a socially housed captive colony of tufted capuchins (Sapajus apella). We analytically validated methods for measuring urinary neopterin in two capuchin populations and demonstrated that two commonly-used methods to control for urine concentration—creatinine and specific gravity (SG)—produced highly concordant results. We also biologically validated these methods by examining variation in neopterin levels based on environment (captive and wild) and age, and changes in levels associated with immune-response. We found that neopterin increased after immune perturbation (rabies vaccine booster), varied by environmental condition, and mirrored expected trends in immune system ontogeny. Our results improve understanding of the innate immune system in platyrrhine species and suggest neopterin may be useful for non-invasive health monitoring in both captive and wild primates.
Molecular Landscape of ERBB2 Alterations in 14,956 Solid Tumors
Authors: Wang Hao , Miao Ji , Wen Yazhou , Xia Xihua , Chen Yanan , Huang Mengli , Chen Shiqing , Zhao Zhengyi , Zhang Yuzi , Chen Chunzhu , Zhu Xinhua
Published: July 2022

ERBB2 abnormalities frequently occur and serve as rationale therapeutic targets in cancer. In this study, clinical and next-generation sequencing data from 14,956 patients across more than 20 tumor types were collected. A total of 406 (2.7%) patients were identified with ERBB2 amplifications, and 303 (2.0%) patients with pathogenic somatic ERBB2 mutations. ERBB2 amplifications fell most frequently in breast (15.9%) and stomach (8.3%) cancers. Somatic ERBB2 SNVs/indels occurred most common in bladder/urinary tract (7.3%) and intestine (6.1%) cancers. The top mutated ERBB2 SNVs/indels were p.Y772_A775dup (25.5%) and p.S310F/Y (19.9%). Significantly higher rates of ERBB2 SNV/indels were found in women compared to men (2.8% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.0001). CDK12 was the most common co-amplification gene with ERBB2 in cancers with a high frequency of ERBB2 amplifications. Patients with ERBB2 amplifications or mutations had higher TMB compared with patients with non-ERBB2 alterations. The study provided the landscape of ERBB2 alterations across a variety of solid tumors that may benefit from anti-HER2 agents.
A New String Edit Distance and Applications
Authors: Petty Taylor , Hannig Jan , Huszar Tunde I. , Iyer Hari
Published: July 2022

String edit distances have been used for decades in applications ranging from spelling correction and web search suggestions to DNA analysis. Most string edit distances are variations of the Levenshtein distance and consider only single-character edits. In forensic applications polymorphic genetic markers such as short tandem repeats (STRs) are used. At these repetitive motifs the DNA copying errors consist of more than just single base differences. More often the phenomenon of “stutter” is observed, where the number of repeated units differs (by whole units) from the template. To adapt the Levenshtein distance to be suitable for forensic applications where DNA sequence similarity is of interest, a generalized string edit distance is defined that accommodates the addition or deletion of whole motifs in addition to single-nucleotide edits. A dynamic programming implementation is developed for computing this distance between sequences. The novelty of this algorithm is in handling the complex interactions that arise between multiple- and single-character edits. Forensic examples illustrate the purpose and use of the Restricted Forensic Levenshtein (RFL) distance measure, but applications extend to sequence alignment and string similarity in other biological areas, as well as dynamic programming algorithms more broadly.
Mode of Action of a Novel Synthetic Auxin Herbicide Halauxifen-Methyl
Authors: Xu Jiaqi , Liu Xudong , Napier Richard , Dong Liyao , Li Jun
Published: July 2022

Halauxifen-methyl is a new auxin herbicide developed by Corteva Agriscience (Wilmington, DE, USA). It has been suggested that ABF5 may be the target of halauxifen-methyl, as AFB5 mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana are resistant to halauxifen-methyl, which preferentially binds to AFB5. However, the mode of action of halauxifen-methyl has not yet been reported. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to reveal the mode of action of halauxifen-methyl by exploring its influence on indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) homeostasis and the biosynthesis of ethylene and Abscisic Acid (ABA) in Galium aparine. The results showed that halauxifen-methyl could disrupt the homeostasis of IAA and stimulate the overproduction of ethylene and ABA by inducing the overexpression of the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) and 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) genes involved in ethylene and ABA biosynthesis, finally leading to senescence and plant death.
Efficiency-Oriented MPC Algorithm for Path Tracking in Autonomous Agricultural Machinery
Authors: Xu Jiahong , Lai Jing , Guo Rui , Lu Xiaoxiao , Xu Lihong
Published: July 2022

Path-tracking control algorithms in agriculture typically focus on how to improve the trajectory-tracking performance of autonomous agricultural machinery, and the agricultural productivity is optimized in a two-layer way. The upper operational layer optimizes an optimal tracking trajectory with the best agricultural productivity, and the lower control layer—such as Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC)—receives this optimized tracking trajectory first, and then steers the vehicle to track this trajectory with high accuracy. However, this two-layer structure cannot improve the agricultural productivity at the control layer online, which makes the agricultural operation sub-optimal. In this paper, we focus on agricultural machinery operational efficiency, to represent agricultural productivity; in order to realize optimizing control to further improve agricultural machinery operational efficiency, a new path-tracking control algorithm, named Efficiency-oriented Model Predictive Control (EfiMPC), is proposed. EfiMPC is intrinsically a nested structure, which can consider the global performance of the whole system defined in the operational layer—like the agricultural machinery operational efficiency considered in this paper—in the control layer online; thus, the agricultural machinery operational efficiency can be improved during the farming operation. An unreachable tracking point, denoted as the pseudo-point, has been proposed, to indicate the agricultural machinery operational efficiency objective in a receding horizon fashion; EfiMPC can utilize this pseudo-point to realize the optimizing control online. A simulation case study was used to test the superiority of the proposed EfiMPC algorithm, and the results show that, compared with the traditional NMPC algorithm, the agricultural machinery operational efficiency realized by EfiMPC was improved by 8.56%; thus, the effectiveness of the EfiMPC has been demonstrated.
Alternative Practices in Organic Dairy Production and Effects on Animal Behavior, Health, and Welfare
Authors: Phillips Hannah N. , Heins Bradley J.
Published: July 2022

The number of organic dairy farms has increased because of the increased growth of the organic market, higher organic milk price, and because some consumers prefer to purchase products from less intensive production systems. Best management practices are expected from organic dairy farms to ensure animal health and milk production. Organic dairy producers typically transition from conventional systems to avoid chemicals and pesticides, enhance economic viability, improve the environment, and increase soil fertility. Organic dairy producers respect and promote a natural environment for their animals, is also an important component of animal welfare. Organic producers have few options to mitigate pain in dairy calves. In the United States, therapies to mitigate pain for disbudded organic dairy calves are regulated by the US National Organic Program. Organic producers regularly use naturally derived alternatives for the treatment of health disorders of dairy calves, heifers, and cows. Alternative natural products may provide an option to mitigate pain in organic dairy calves. Despite the reluctance to implement pain alleviation methods, some organic farmers have expressed interest in or currently implement plant-based alternatives. Efficacy studies of alternative remedies for organic livestock are needed to verify that their use improves animal welfare. Non-effective practices represent a major challenge for organic dairy animal welfare. The relationship between humans and animals may be jeopardized during milking because first-lactation cows may exhibit adverse behaviors during the milking process, such as kicking and stomping. The periparturient period is particularly challenging for first-lactation cows. Adverse behaviors may jeopardize animal welfare and reduce safety for humans because stressed heifers may kick off the milking unit, kick at milkers, and display other unwanted behaviors in the milking parlor. This may reduce milking efficiency, overall production, and ultimately reduce the profitability of the dairy farm. Positive animal welfare is a challenging balancing act between the three overlapping ethic concerns. Identifying animal welfare deficits in organic livestock production is the first step in capitalizing on these opportunities to improve welfare.
Effects of Dietary Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium and Their Combination on Carcass Characteristics, Oxidative Stability and Breast Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Cyclic Heat Stress
Authors: Pečjak Manca , Leskovec Jakob , Levart Alenka , Salobir Janez , Rezar Vida
Published: July 2022

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E, vitamin C, and Se, alone or in combination, on carcass characteristics, oxidative stability and meat quality parameters of breast meat from broilers exposed to cyclic heat stress (HS), and stored under different conditions. A total of 120 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments: NRC (minimal nutrition requirements), AVI (commercial nutritional recommendations for Ross 308 broilers), AVI + vitE (as AVI + 200 IU vitamin E/kg feed), AVI + vitC (as AVI + 250 mg vitamin C/kg feed), AVI + Se (as AVI + 0.2 mg Se/kg feed), and AVI + ECSe (as AVI + vitE + vitC + Se). From day 26 onwards, all birds were exposed to a high ambient temperature (31 °C) for 8 h per day. The results showed that dietary vitamin E alone or in combination with vitamin C and Se significantly increased the α-tocopherol content and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in breast meat. Although no obvious synergistic effects of the added antioxidants were observed, the addition of higher levels of vitamin E, vitamin C and Se to broiler diets had no adverse effects on carcass traits, oxidative stability and meat quality parameters when supplemented either alone or in combination.
Analysis of Acute Nitrite Exposure on Physiological Stress Response, Oxidative Stress, Gill Tissue Morphology and Immune Response of Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea)
Authors: Xu Zhenkun , Zhang Hongzhi , Guo Meijie , Fang Dan , Mei Jun , Xie Jing
Published: July 2022

Nitrite is a common pollutant in aquaculture water, and nitrite toxicity that negatively affects aquatic species is common in aquaculture systems when the water quality is low. Therefore, the present research aimed to evaluate the effect of acute nitrite exposure on the hematological parameters, antioxidant enzymes, immune response, and gill morphology of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). The fish were randomly separated and exposed to four (i.e., 0, 29.36, 58.73, and 88.09 mg/L) nitrite concentrations for 48 h. The fish blood and gills were collected at 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h of nitrite exposure for further analysis. In hematological parameters, the results showed that the levels of hemoglobin, triglyceride, and total cholesterol in blood significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in all nitrite-treated samples after 12 h, while the contents of methemoglobin in blood significantly increased (p < 0.05) in these treatments. After 48 h of nitrite exposure, the levels of cortisol in serum showed a 94.5%, 132.1%, and 165.6% increase in fish exposed to 29.36, 58.73, and 88.09 mg/L nitrite, respectively. The nitrite (i.e., 29.36, 58.73, and 88.09 mg/L) exposure significantly increased (p < 0.05) the levels of antioxidant enzymes (i.e., catalase and glutathione) in the gill and serum after 12 h of exposure compared with the control. The lysozyme levels in serum decreased in the nitrite (i.e., 29.36, 58.73, and 88.09 mg/L) exposure samples. It was found that immunoglobulin levels in the 29.36, 58.73, and 88.09 mg/L nitrite-treated samples (i.e., 1.86, 1.58, and 0.74 μg/mL, respectively) were lower than that of the control (2.56 μg/mL). In addition, the surface of the gill lamellae displayed deformation and contraction after 48 h of nitrite, especially in the fish exposed to 88.09 mg/L nitrite. These results indicate that the nitrite exposure induced the oxidative stress, affected the immune response, and changed the gill morphology, leading to nitrite poisoning in large yellow croaker.
Incorporating New Technologies in EEIO Models
Authors: Azuero-Pedraza Cindy G. , Thomas Valerie M. , Ingwersen Wesley W.
Published: July 2022

We propose a methodology to add new technologies into Environmentally Extended Input–Output (EEIO) models based on a Supply and Use framework. The methodology provides for adding new industries (new technologies) and a new commodity under the assumption that the new commodity will partially substitute for a functionally-similar existing commodity of the baseline economy. The level of substitution is controlled by a percentage (%) as a variable of the model. In the Use table, a percentage of the current use of the existing commodity is transferred to the new commodity. The Supply or Make table is modified assuming that the new industries are the only ones producing the new commodity. We illustrate the method for the USEEIO model, for the addition of second generation biofuels, including naphtha, jet fuel and diesel fuel. The new industries’ inputs, outputs and value-added components needed to produce the new commodity are drawn from process-based life cycle inventories (LCIs). Process-based LCI inputs and outputs per physical functional unit are transformed to prices and assigned to commodities and environmental flow categories for the EEIO model. This methodology is designed to evaluate the environmental impacts of substituting products in the current US economy with bio-versions, produced by new technologies, that are intended to reduce negative environmental impacts. However, it can be applied for any new commodity for which the substitution assumption is reasonable.
Nanometer-Resolution Imaging of Living Cells Using Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy
Authors: Nowak-Stępniowska Agata , Kasprzycka Wiktoria , Osuchowska Paulina Natalia , Trafny Elżbieta Anna , Bartnik Andrzej , Fiedorowicz Henryk , Wachulak Przemysław
Published: July 2022

Soft X-ray microscopy is a powerful technique for imaging cells with nanometer resolution in their native state without chemical fixation, staining, or sectioning. The studies performed in several laboratories have demonstrated the potential of applying this technique for imaging the internal structures of intact cells. However, it is currently used mainly on synchrotrons with restricted access. Moreover, the operation of these instruments and the associated sample-preparation protocols require interdisciplinary and highly specialized personnel, limiting their wide application in practice. This is why soft X-ray microscopy is not commonly used in biological laboratories as an imaging tool. Thus, a laboratory-based and user-friendly soft X-ray contact microscope would facilitate the work of biologists. A compact, desk-top laboratory setup for soft X-ray contact microscopy (SXCM) based on a laser-plasma soft X-ray source, which can be used in any biological laboratory, together with several applications for biological imaging, are described. Moreover, the perspectives of the correlation of SXCM with other super-resolution imaging techniques based on the current literature are discussed.
Analyzing the Correlations and the Statistical Distribution of Moderate to Large Earthquakes Interevent Times in Greece
Authors: Kourouklas Christos , Tsaklidis George , Papadimitriou Eleftheria , Karakostas Vasileios
Published: July 2022

Seismic temporal properties constitute a fundamental component in developing probabilistic models for earthquake occurrence in a specific area. Earthquake occurrence is neither periodic nor completely random but often accrues into bursts in both short- and long-term time scales, and involves a complex summation of triggered and independent events (ΔT). This behavior underlines the impact of the correlations on many potential applications such as the stochastic point process for the earthquake interevent times. In this respect, we intend firstly to determine the appropriate magnitude thresholds, Mthr, indicating the temporal crossover between correlated and statistically independent earthquakes in each 1 of the 10 distinctive sub-areas of the Aegean region. The second goal is the investigation of the statistical distribution that optimally fits the interevent times’ data for earthquakes with M≥Mthr after evaluating the Gamma, Weibull, Lognormal and Exponential distributions performance. Results concerning the correlations analysis evidenced that the temporal crossover of the earthquake interevent time data ranges from Mthr≥ 4.7 up to Mthr≥ 5.1 among the 10 sub-areas. The distribution fitting and comparison reveals that the Gamma distribution outperforms the other three distributions for all the data sets. This finding indicates a burst or clustering behavior in the earthquake interevent times, in which each earthquake occurrence depends upon only the occurrence time of the last one and not from the full seismic history.
A Novel Fuzzy-Logic-Based Multi-Criteria Metric for Performance Evaluation of Spam Email Detection Algorithms
Authors: Khan Salman A. , Iqbal Kashif , Mohammad Nazeeruddin , Akbar Rehan , Ali Syed Saad Azhar , Siddiqui Ammar Ahmed
Published: July 2022

The increasing volume of unsolicited bulk emails has become a major threat to global security. While a significant amount of research has been carried out in terms of proposing new and better algorithms for email spam detection, relatively less attention has been given to evaluation metrics. Some widely used metrics include accuracy, recall, precision, and F-score. This paper proposes a new evaluation metric based on the concepts of fuzzy logic. The proposed metric, termed μO, combines accuracy, recall, and precision into a multi-criteria fuzzy function. Several possible evaluation rules are proposed. As proof of concept, a preliminary empirical analysis of the proposed scheme is carried out using two models, namely BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) and LSTM (Long short-term memory) from the domain of deep learning, while utilizing three benchmark datasets. Results indicate that for the Enron and PU datasets, LSTM produces better results of μO, with the values in the range of 0.88 to 0.96, whereas BERT generates better values of μO in the range of 0.94 to 0.96 for Lingspam dataset. Furthermore, extrinsic evaluation confirms the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy logic metric.
Collaborative Multi-Robot Formation Control and Global Path Optimization
Authors: Liang Di , Liu Zhongyi , Bhamra Ran
Published: July 2022

For multi-robot cooperative formation and global path planning, we propose to adjust the repulsive field function and insert a dynamic virtual target point to solve the local minima and target unreachability problems of the traditional artificial potential field (APF) method. The convergence speed and global optimization accuracy of ant colony optimization (ACO) are improved by introducing improved state transfer functions with heuristic information of the artificial potential field method and optimizing the pheromone concentration update rules. A hybrid algorithm combining APF and improved ACO is used to calculate an optimal path from the starting point to the end point for the leader robot. A cooperative multi-robot formation control method combining graph theory and consistency algorithm is proposed based on path planning of the leader robot. Taking AGVs in a logistics distribution center as an example, the feasibility of the improved algorithm and its effectiveness in solving the multi-robot path planning problem are verified.
The Combined Compact Difference Scheme Applied to Shear-Wave Reverse-Time Migration
Authors: Zhou Chengyao , Wu Wei , Sun Pengyuan , Yin Wenjie , Li Xiangyang
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the combined compact difference scheme (CCD) and the combined supercompact difference scheme (CSCD) are used in the numerical simulation of the shear-wave equation. According to the Taylor series expansion and shear-wave equation, the fourth-order discrete scheme of the displacement field is established; then, the CCD and CSCD schemes are used to calculate the spatial derivative of the displacement field. Additionally, the accuracy, dispersion, and stability of the CCD and CSCD are analyzed, and numerical simulation analyses are carried out using 1D uniform models. Lastly, based on the processing of artificial boundary reflection using PML boundary conditions, shear-wave reverse-time migrations are carried out using synthetic data. The results show that (1) CCD and CSCD have smaller truncation errors, higher simulation precision, and lower numerical dispersion than other normal difference schemes; (2) CCD and CSCD can use the coarse grid and larger time step to calculate, with less memory and high computational efficiency; (3) finally, the result of the shear-wave reverse-time migration of the 2D synthetic data model show that the reverse-time migration imaging is clear, and the proposed method for shear-wave reverse-time migration is practical and effective.
FEL Pulse Duration Evolution along Undulators at FLASH
Authors: Bidhendi Mahdi M. , Bermudez Macias Ivette J. , Ivanov Rosen , Yurkov Mikhail V. , Düsterer Stefan
Published: July 2022

Self-amplified spontaneous-emission (SASE) free-electron lasers (FELs) deliver ultrashort pulses with femtosecond durations. Due to the fluctuating nature of the radiation properties of SASE FELs, characterizing FEL pulses on a single-shot basis is necessary. Therefore, we use terahertz streaking to characterize the temporal properties of ultrashort extreme ultraviolet pulses from the free-electron laser in Hamburg (FLASH). In this study, pulse duration as well as pulse energy are measured in a wavelength range from 8 to 34 nm as functions of undulators contributing to the lasing process. The results are compared to one-dimensional and three-dimensional, time-dependent FEL simulations.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity Induced by Discontinuous Exposure to TGFβ1 Promotes Tumour Growth
Authors: Santos Mafalda , Ferreira Marta , Oliveira Patrícia , Mendes Nuno , André Ana , Vieira André F. , Nunes Joana B. , Carvalho Joana , Rocha Sara , Azevedo Mafalda , Ferreira Daniel , Reis Inês , Vinagre João , Paredes Joana , Heravi-Moussavi Alireza , Lima Jorge , Máximo Valdemar , Burleigh Angela , Roskelley Calvin , Carneiro Fátima , Huntsman David , Oliveira Carla
Published: July 2022

Transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states (EMT/MET) contribute to cancer progression. We hypothesize that EMT followed by MET promotes cell population heterogeneity, favouring tumour growth. We developed an EMT model by on and off exposure of epithelial EpH4 cells (E-cells) to TGFβ1 that mimics phenotypic EMT (M-cells) and MET. We aimed at understanding whether phenotypic MET is accompanied by molecular and functional reversion back to epithelia by using RNA sequencing, immunofluorescence (IF), proliferation, wound healing, focus formation and mamosphere formation assays as well as cell xenografts in nude mice. Phenotypic reverted epithelial cells (RE-cells) obtained after MET induction presented epithelial morphologies and proliferation rates resembling E cells. However, the RE transcriptomic profile and IF staining of epithelial and mesenchymal markers revealed a uniquely heterogeneous mixture of cell subpopulations with a high self-renewal ability. RE cell heterogeneity was stably maintained for long periods after TGFβ1 removal both in vitro and in large tumours derived from the nude mice. Overall, we show that phenotypic reverted epithelial cells (RE cells) do not return to the molecular and functional epithelial state and present mesenchymal features related to aggressiveness and cellular heterogeneity that favour tumour growth in vivo. This work strengthens epithelial cell reprogramming and cellular heterogeneity fostered by inflammatory cues as a tumour growth-promoting factor in vivo.
Integrity of the Left Arcuate Fasciculus Segments Significantly Affects Language Performance in Individuals with Acute/Subacute Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Cross-Sectional Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Authors: Yu Qiwei , Sun Yan , Liao Xiaoyu , Qian Wenjun , Ye Tianfen
Published: July 2022

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the left arcuate fasciculus (AF) segments and acute/subacute post-stroke aphasia (PSA). Methods: Twenty-six patients underwent language assessment and MRI scanning. The integrity of the AF based on a three-segment model was evaluated using diffusion tensor imaging. All patients were classified into three groups according to the reconstruction of the left AF: completely reconstructed (group A, 8 cases), non-reconstructed (group B, 6 cases), and partially reconstructed (group C, 12 cases). The correlations and intergroup differences in language performance and diffusion indices were comprehensively estimated. Results: A correlation analyses showed that the lesion load of the language areas and diffusion indices on the left AF posterior and long segments was significantly related to some language subsets, respectively. When controlled lesion load was variable, significant correlations between diffusion indices on the posterior and long segments and comprehension, repetition, naming, and aphasia quotient were retained. Multiple comparison tests revealed intergroup differences in diffusion indices on the left AF posterior and long segments, as well as these language subsets. No significant correlation was found between the anterior segment and language performance. Conclusions: The integrity of the left AF segments, particularly the posterior segment, is crucial for the residual comprehension and repetition abilities in individuals with acute/subacute PSA, and lesion load in cortical language areas is an important factor that should be taken into account when illustrating the contributions of damage to special fiber tracts to language impairments.
Towards Personalized Sampling in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Manini Claudia , López-Fernández Estíbaliz , López José I.
Published: July 2022

Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) is a constant evolutionary event in all malignant tumors, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) is a paradigmatic example. ITH is responsible for most therapeutic failures in the era of precision oncology, so its precise detection remains a must in modern medicine. Unfortunately, classic sampling protocols do not resolve the problem as expected and several strategies have been being implemented in recent years to improve such detection. Basically, multisite tumor sampling (MSTS) and the homogenization of the residual tumor tissue are on display. A next step of the MSTS strategy considering the recently discovered patterns of ITH regionalization is presented here, the so-called personalized MSTS (pMSTS). This modification consists of paying more attention to sample the tumor periphery since it is this area with maximum levels of ITH.
TP53 and LRP1B Co-Wild Predicts Improved Survival for Patients with LUSC Receiving Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy
Authors: Yu Jiangyong , Fan Zaiwen , Zhou Zhipeng , Zhang Ping , Bai Jing , Li Xu , Tang Min , Fan Nannan , Wu Xiaonan , Nie Xin , Chen Xiaoyan , Ma Di , Chen Xi , Cui Liang , Xia Xuefeng , Yang Ling , Yi Xin , Li Lin
Published: July 2022

Immunotherapy brought long-term benefits for partial patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). The predictor of anti-PD-L1 therapy was controversial and limited in LUSC. We aimed to explore novel biomarker for LUSC immunotherapy and the potential mechanism. Five hundred and twenty-five Chinese patients (Geneplus cohort) with LUSC underwent targeted sequencing and were involved to explore the genomic profiling. TP53 and LRP1B were the most frequently recurrent genes and correlated to higher tumor mutational burden (TMB). We observed that LUSC patients with TP53 and LRP1B co-wild (co-wild type) were associated with better survival of anti-PD-L1 therapy compared with TP53 mutant or LRP1B mutant (mutant type) in POPAR/OAK cohort. Copy-number variation (CNV) and whole genome doubling (WGD) data from TCGA LUSC cohort were obtained to assess the CNV events. There were fewer CNV alterations and lower chromosome instability in patients with TP53/LRP1B co-wild compared with those with TP53/LRP1B mutant. RNA expression data from the TCGA LUSC cohort were collected to explore the differences in RNA expression and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) between mutant and co-wild groups. The TP53/LRP1B co-wild type had a significantly increased proportion of multiple tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), including activated CD8 T cell, activated dendritic cell (DC), and effector memory CD8 T cell. Immune-related gene sets including checkpoint, chemokine, immunostimulatory, MHC and receptors were enriched in the co-wild type. In conclusion, TP53/LRP1B co-wild LUSC conferred an elevated response rate in anti-PD-L1 therapy and improved survival, which was associated with a chromosome-stable phenotype and an activated immune microenvironment.
Crosstalk of Redox-Related Subtypes, Establishment of a Prognostic Model and Immune Responses in Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Geng Rui , Song Jiahang , Zhong Zihang , Ni Senmiao , Liu Wen , He Zhiqiang , Gan Shilin , Huang Qinghao , Yu Hao , Bai Jianling , Liu Jinhui
Published: July 2022

Redox plays a central part in the pathogeneses and development of tumors. We comprehensively determined the expression patterns of redox-related genes (RRGs) in endometrial carcinoma (EC) cohorts from public databases and identified four different RRG-related clusters. The prognosis and the characteristics of TME cell infiltration of RRGcluster C patients were worse than those of other RRG clusters. When it comes to the gene cluster, there were great differences in clinicopathology traits and immunocyte infiltration. The RRG score was calculated by Cox analyses, and an RRG-based signature was developed. The risk score performed well in the EC cohort. Samples were separated into two risk subgroups with the standard of the value of the median risk score. Low-risk patients had a better prognosis and higher immunogenicity. In addition, RRG score was closely associated with immunophenoscore, microsatellite instability, tumor mutation burden, tumor stem cell index, copy number variation and chemotherapy sensitivity. The nomogram accurately predicted the prognosis of patients, and our model showed better performance than other published models. In conclusion, we built a prognostic model of RRGs which can help to evaluate clinical outcomes and guide more effective treatment.
A New Possible Cut-Off of Cytokeratin 19 mRNA Copy Number by OSNA in the Sentinel Node of Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid Unnecessary Axillary Dissection: A 10-Year Experience in a Tertiary Breast Unit
Authors: Tomasicchio Giovanni , Mastropasqua Mauro Giuseppe , Picciariello Arcangelo , Montanaro Alda Elena , Signorile Daniela , Cirilli Alfredo , Punzo Clelia
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: The main discriminant in breast cancer prognosis is axillary lymph node status. In a select cohort of patients, axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) may be safely spared. This study aimed to determine a new possible cut-off of cytokeratin (CK) 19 mRNA copy number in the SLN to predict cases at high risk of positive ALND. (2) Methods: Clinical records of 1339 patients were retrospectively reviewed and were separated into two groups according to the axillary status (negative: ALNs− and positive ALNs+). Receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify a new optimal cut-off of CK19 mRNA copy number in SLN; (3) Results: Large tumor size and high grade were found mostly in ALNs+. Results from the ROC analyses, with an AUC of 82.1%, identified a new cut-off (9150 CK19 mRNA copies) showing 94% sensitivity, 67.3% specificity, 61.2% positive, and 95.3% negative predictive values; (4) OSNA remains the most-important intra-operative tool to identify patients who can benefit from ALND but with the traditional cut-off, many patients undergo needless ALND. The results of the present study suggest a new cut-off helpful to personalize surgical treatment and avoid unnecessary invasive procedures.