bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relationship between family diet consumption, family environment, parent anxiety and nutrition status children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study
Authors: Peng Lili , Hu Rui , Feng Yiwei , Shi Wei , Zhao Li , Jiang Lihua
Published: August 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the trends of childhood overweight, obesity, and malnutrition, as well as increased psychological stress and family conflicts among family members. It is important to explore the relationship between changes in the family environment during the COVID-19 on child nutrition.

Objective

This study aims to analyze the nutritional status of Chinese children during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with family diet, family environment, and parental anxiety, in order to provide evidence for further interventions in children’s nutritional status.

Method

This study included 7,645 primary and secondary school students and their parents from five schools in Chengdu, China. Chi-square tests were used to analyze the categorical variables of children’s malnutrition, overweight, obesity, and parental anxiety. T-tests were used to assess changes in the continuous variable of family environment between two rounds of follow-up surveys. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the impact of changes in family diet during the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s nutritional status. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the effects of family environment and parental anxiety on childhood obesity.

Result

The prevalence of malnutrition and obesity decreased from 11.64% and 11.60% in wave 1 to 4.96% and 10.50% in wave 2, and the rate of overweight increased from 13.11% in wave 1 to 13.73% in wave 2. Children whose families reduced consumption of staple foods during the COVID-19 were more likely to be frail, and families increased consumption of sugary drinks, take-out or meal delivery services, living in towns, family environmental barriers, and parental anxiety were risk factors for overweight obesity. Mother’s education level in middle and high school and low age were protective factors for overweight obesity.

Conclusion

The physical environment of the family, the emotions of family members, and children’s perceptions of the family’s soft environment can influence children’s eating behaviors, children’s nutritional intake, and malnutrition and obesity in children under public health emergencies, and family-based dietary interventions may be effective. Parents can increase consumption of healthy foods and improve the family environment, which improve their growth.
SINE-derived short noncoding RNAs: their evolutionary origins, molecular mechanisms, and physiological significance
Authors: Yoshimoto Rei , Nakagawa Shinichi
Published: August 2023

Short Interspersed Elements (SINEs) comprise a significant portion of the genomes of higher eukaryotes, including humans and mice. This review focuses on SINE-derived noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly BC1, BC200, and 4.5SH RNA, which are expressed abundantly and in a species-specific manner. These ncRNAs seem to have independently evolved their functions during evolutionary processes: BC1 and BC200 have become cytoplasmic translation inhibitors, while 4.5SH RNA has developed into a nuclear ncRNA that regulates splicing. This review delves into the unique roles of these ncRNAs, with a special emphasis on the recently discovered splicing regulation function of 4.5SH RNA. Furthermore, we discuss their evolutionary trajectories and potential implications for understanding the complexities of gene regulation.
Chemical toxic exposures and chronic ocular pain
Authors: Graca Mateusz , Sarantopoulos Konstantinos , Horn Danielle Bodzin
Published: August 2023

Chronic ocular pain is a common, debilitating chronic pain condition with significant morbidity and negative impact in patients’ quality of life. Several, diverse types of insults to the ocular surface can lead to acute, and under certain conditions to chronic ocular pain, and these include toxic irritants. Exposure of ocular surface to toxic irritants, in addition to direct tissue injury, carries the capacity to generated intense immune and neuronal responses with hyper-excitability, sensitization and chronic pain. Because, chronic ocular pain subsequent to toxic exposures is relatively unrecognized clinical entity, this brief review highlights pertinent concepts of its epidemiology, pathogenesis/pathophysiology, clinical progression, with recommendations for its clinical management that clinicians may find helpful. Suppression of pain signaling, generating neuronal sensitization, and prevention of chronicity of neuropathic pain is particularly emphasized in this respect.
Impacts of Extensive Sheep Grazing on Soil Physical and Chemical Quality in Open Mountain Forests, NE Portugal
Authors: Fonseca Felícia , Castro Marina , Alves Leonardo , Castro José , de Figueiredo Tomás
Published: August 2023

Grazing and mechanical clearing are common techniques for vegetation management in open Mediterranean forests. Despite its recognized benefits in the prevention of high-intensity and severity forest fires, it is essential to consider its impacts on the physical and chemical soil properties. In an open mountain forest located in the NE of Portugal, soil samples were analyzed at depths 0–5, 5–10, and 10–20 cm collected at two moments: before mechanical clearing, (Control) and after 18 months of extensive sheep grazing, in areas without grazing, only mechanical clearing (MC) and in areas with both mechanical clearing and grazing (MCG). The results indicate that vegetation cutting has induced a significant decrease in extractable potassium, and an increase in the soil organic matter and total nitrogen. The exchangeable bases and the exchangeable acidity did not undergo expressive changes, as indicated by the pH values and the cation exchangeable capacity. After grazing, extractable phosphorus and potassium, organic matter, total nitrogen, exchangeable bases, and cation exchangeable capacity have increased significantly in the topsoil (0–5 cm), reducing soil acidity. Regarding physical properties, only soil permeability has been negatively affected by grazing. Mediterranean mountain open forests management with the combination of vegetation clearing and extensive sheep grazing proved to be effective in reducing vegetable fuel availability and improving soil quality.
A Retrospective Comparative Evaluation of Selected Blood Cell Ratios, Acute Phase Proteins, and Leukocyte Changes Suggestive of Inflammation in Cats
Authors: Donato Giulia , Pennisi Maria Grazia , Persichetti Maria Flaminia , Archer Joy , Masucci Marisa
Published: August 2023

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios have been proposed as diagnostic and prognostic markers for neoplastic and inflammatory diseases in dogs and cats. The aim of this retrospective preliminary study was to evaluate the relationship between these ratios and markers of inflammation routinely measured in cats. A total of 275 cats were enrolled. Complete blood count, serum amyloid A (SAA), albumin, globulin, and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) data were analyzed, as well as the presence of leukocyte alterations considered suggestive of inflammation (LAI: neutrophils left shift, toxic neutrophils, and reactive lymphocytes) evaluated in blood smears. The NLR and MLR correlated positively with SAA and globulins and negatively with albumin and AGR. Higher NLR and MLR were found in cats with increased SAA and globulins and decreased albumin and AGR. The PLR correlated negatively with albumin and AGR. A higher PLR was found in cats with hypoalbuminemia. Cats with LAI had higher NLR, MLR, and PLR. In cats with no changes in parameters indicative of inflammation, 11.25, 0.42, and 528.3 were identified as upper limits for NLR, MLR, and PLR, respectively. In conclusion, the NLR, MLR, and PLR act as good inflammatory markers easily evaluated by routine hematology.
Study of Particular Air Quality and Meteorological Parameters at a Construction Site
Authors: Milivojević Lazar , Mrazovac Kurilić Sanja , Božilović Zvonimir , Koprivica Suzana , Krčadinac Olja
Published: August 2023

The construction industry is a major contributor to dust, greenhouse gases, and other air pollutants. Implementing effective and sustainable practices in managing construction site operations can greatly mitigate the environmental effects of a project. To achieve this, a collaboration between a scientific research institution and a construction company enabled the real-time monitoring of air quality parameters at a construction site using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. They implemented an IoT-based system framework that integrated a distributed sensor network to collect real-time data from the construction site. Various sensors were utilized to gather data on the concentration of NO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), as well as meteorological parameters such as wind speed, wind direction, humidity, pressure, and temperature. The real-time measurements yielded insights into the level of air pollution at the construction site and its association with earth excavation, the primary construction activity. This information can be utilized to manage excavation work and reduce the levels of polluting gases (NO2) and suspended particles. By conducting an on-site monitoring of these three pollutants, the study discovered that the dust levels resulting from excavation activities were relatively high. When comparing the wind direction with NO2 and PM concentrations, it was concluded that earth excavation significantly influenced the air quality in the construction area. However, in terms of the primary factors affecting NO2 and construction dust concentrations, the analysis revealed that meteorological factors did not exhibit a significant correlation with NO2 and dust levels at the construction site. The multiple linear regression (MLR) and the artificial neural network (ANN) models for predicting PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 concentration in air using meteorological parameters as predictors were applied. The ANN model showed greater accordance with the measured concentrations in air than the MLR model.
Correction: Imamichi et al. Extracellular Release of HMGB1 as an Early Potential Biomarker for the Therapeutic Response in a Xenograft Model of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. Biology 2022, 11, 420
Authors: Imamichi Shoji , Chen Lichao , Ito Tasuku , Tong Ying , Onodera Takae , Sasaki Yuka , Nakamura Satoshi , Mauri PierLuigi , Sanada Yu , Igaki Hiroshi , Murakami Yasufumi , Suzuki Minoru , Itami Jun , Masunaga Shinichiro , Masutani Mitsuko
Published: August 2023

In the original publication [...]
Trophic Position of the Species and Site Trophic State Affect Diet Niche and Individual Specialization: From Apex Predator to Herbivore
Authors: Vejřík Lukáš , Vejříková Ivana , Blabolil Petr , Sajdlová Zuzana , Kočvara Luboš , Kolařík Tomáš , Bartoň Daniel , Jůza Tomáš , Šmejkal Marek , Peterka Jiří , Čech Martin
Published: August 2023

Intra-species variability in isotopic niches, specifically isotopic total niche width (ITNW), isotopic individual niche width (IINW), and isotopic individual specialization (IIS), was studied using an innovative approach without sacrificing the vertebrates. Stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in four body tissues differing in isotopic half-life were analyzed from four freshwater fish species representing different trophic positions. ITNW was widest for the apex predator (European catfish) and narrowest for the obligate predator (Northern pike). IINW exhibited a polynomial trend for the European catfish, Northern pike, and Eurasian perch (mesopredator), decreasing with body mass and increasing again after exceeding a certain species-dependent body mass threshold. Thus, for ectotherms, apex predator status is linked rather to its size than to the species. In herbivores (rudd), IINW increased with body mass. The IIS of predators negatively correlated with site trophic state. Therefore, eutrophication can significantly change the foraging behavior of certain species. We assume that the observed trends will occur in other species at similar trophic positions in either aquatic or terrestrial systems. For confirmation, we recommend conducting a similar study on other species in different habitats.
Effect of Metformin Treatment on Serum Metabolic Profile Changes in Lean and Obese Zucker Rat Model for Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Melnyk Stepan , Hakkak Reza
Published: August 2023

Excessive weight and obesity are the leading risk factors for the development of chronic diseases, including diabetes. Metformin is capable of significantly improving coexisting complications of diabetes. We used a metabolomics approach to examine the effects of metformin administration on lean and obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats. After 1 week of acclimation, twenty-eight 5-week-old female lean and obese rats were randomly assigned to and maintained in the following four groups (seven rats/group) for 10 weeks: (1) lean control (LC); (2) obese control (OC); (3) lean metformin (LM); and (4) obese metformin (OM). At the end of 10 weeks, serum was collected and analyzed using HPLC with electrochemical detection, HPLC with UV detection, and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We selected 50 metabolites’ peaks that were shared by all four groups of rats. Peak heights, as a defining factor, generally decreased in metformin-treated lean rats vs. untreated lean controls (3 LM:16 LC). Peak heights generally increased in metformin-treated obese rats vs. untreated obese controls (14 OM:5 OC). Overall, individual peaks were distributed as 11 that represented only lean rats, 11 that represented only obese rats, and 8 that were common among both lean and obese rats. In future studies, we will use a targeted metabolomics approach to identify those metabolites, map them to biochemical pathways and create a list of biomarkers. In summary, the current study contributed to a better understanding of the basic metabolic changes of lean and obese rats and demonstrated that both obesity and metformin make a significant impact on the metabolome of Zucker rats.
A Novel Human Intention Prediction Approach Based on Fuzzy Rules through Wearable Sensing in Human–Robot Handover
Authors: Zou Rui , Liu Yubin , Li Ying , Chu Guoqing , Zhao Jie , Cai Hegao
Published: August 2023

With the use of collaborative robots in intelligent manufacturing, human–robot interaction has become more important in human–robot collaborations. Human–robot handover has a huge impact on human–robot interaction. For current research on human–robot handover, special attention is paid to robot path planning and motion control during the handover process; seldom is research focused on human handover intentions. However, enabling robots to predict human handover intentions is important for improving the efficiency of object handover. To enable robots to predict human handover intentions, a novel human handover intention prediction approach was proposed in this study. In the proposed approach, a wearable data glove and fuzzy rules are firstly used to achieve faster and accurate human handover intention sensing (HIS) and human handover intention prediction (HIP). This approach mainly includes human handover intention sensing (HIS) and human handover intention prediction (HIP). For human HIS, we employ wearable data gloves to sense human handover intention information. Compared with vision-based and physical contact-based sensing, wearable data glove-based sensing cannot be affected by visual occlusion and does not pose threats to human safety. For human HIP, we propose a fast handover intention prediction method based on fuzzy rules. Using this method, the robot can efficiently predict human handover intentions based on the sensing data obtained by the data glove. The experimental results demonstrate the advantages and efficacy of the proposed method in human intention prediction during human–robot handover.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Efficacy and Erroneous Conclusions of the Cochrane Library Review of Spinal Cord Stimulation for Low Back Pain by Traeger et al.
Authors: Gyorfi Michael , Pillai Ian , Abd-Elsayed Alaa
Published: August 2023

Neuromodulation, through the use of spinal cord stimulation, is an evolving therapeutic alternative for the management of chronic and refractory pain [...]
The Dynamics of Mastery Motivation and Its Relationship with Self-Concept in Music Education
Authors: Janurik Márta , Oo Tun Zaw , Kis Noémi , Szabó Norbert , Józsa Krisztián
Published: August 2023

Musical education hinges on students’ mastery motivation and self-concept, which are crucial for effective musical learning. Despite the acknowledgement of their individual importance, the relationship between these factors within music education remains unexplored. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the dynamics of mastery motivation (MM) and its relationship with self-concept (SC) in the context of music education. A survey was administered to 139 Hungarian grade 7 students, employing a musical MM questionnaire, a musical SC inquiry, and the collection of demographic information collection. We employed descriptive statistics (IBM SPSS 23), a Rasch analysis (WINSTEPS), and correlational and regression analyses (R programming and SmartPLS4) for data analysis. The findings demonstrated that the utilized instruments were reliable and valid in measuring students’ MM and SC in music education. This study revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.778) between students’ MM and SC, with moderate to strong inter-relationships among various subfactors. Furthermore, comparisons unveiled significant disparities in musical MM across school levels, with higher MM and SC observed among female students. Furthermore, gender, a musical family background, and awareness of musical lesson usefulness were predictive factors for both students’ MM and SC within music education. This study provides valuable insights for professionals and policy makers to enhance music education, nurturing students’ musical growth effectively. By understanding the relationship between MM and SC and considering predictive factors, stakeholders can develop strategies that optimize the impact of music education on students’ musical development.
Consumption Behaviour towards Branded Functional Beverages among Gen Z in Post-COVID-19 Times: Exploring Antecedents and Mediators
Authors: Dimitrova Teofana , Ilieva Iliana
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the predictors and mediators of branded functional beverage consumption behaviour (CB) within the Gen Z demographic group in Bulgaria. An integrated model based on two widely known psychosocial theories was developed to examine the relationships between the consumers’ personal values within the value–belief–norm theory and the components of the protection motivation theory (PMT). The conceptual framework included two more influencing factors whose impact had not been researched in depth in previous studies concerning CB—namely, the role of media (RM) and branded functional beverage health benefits (HB). An empirical survey based on 435 Gen Z members aged between 16 and 26 years was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the proposed hypotheses. The results revealed that the consumers’ personal values were significant predictors of the PMT threat and coping appraisal components, which, in turn, had a significant positive impact on CB. CB was not directly affected by the branded functional beverage health benefits but was indirectly influenced by the HB via purchase intention toward functional beverages and RM. The study highlighted the important role of RM, which directly and indirectly affected CB. The theoretical and practical implications were discussed, and recommendations were given for raising Gen Z’s awareness of the benefits of functional beverages and increasing their consumer acceptance.
Stabilization of Different Soil Types Using a Hydraulic Binder
Authors: Kired Fawzia , Šešlija Miloš , Milović Tiana , Starčev-Ćurčin Anka , Bulatović Vesna , Radović Nebojša
Published: August 2023

This paper presents an analysis of the stabilization of different soil types using a hydraulic binder. A study was carried out on soils that can be classified into two groups: cohesive and non-cohesive soils. Clay soils of medium and low plasticity according to the USCS classification were used as cohesive materials, while the sandy material containing dust was considered as non-cohesive material. Samples were taken from fifteen locations in Vojvodina province, Serbia. A hydraulic binder was used as a binder based on cement and lime. The amounts of the binder were estimated at 3, 5, 7, and 9%. In order to determine the basic physical and mechanical characteristics of the specimens, the following tests were performed: unconfined compressive strength after 7 and 28 days, indirect tensile strength after 7 and 28 days, as well as the California Bearing Ratio. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that increasing the amount of binder results in an increase in the subgrade load-bearing capacity. However, it should be emphasized that the subgrade containing non-cohesive material had a lower growth in the load-bearing capacity than those with the cohesive material.
A Bibliometric Review of the Development and Challenges of Vernacular Architecture within the Urbanisation Context
Authors: Rong Weihan , Bahauddin Azizi
Published: August 2023

An effective strategy for sustainable development is to conduct research on vernacular architecture in response to urbanisation as well as environmental and climate change challenges. However, focused discussion has been limited to date due to the diverse range of disciplines involved in vernacular architecture and the unique examples in practice. Scopus, one of the largest literature databases, was used to find and select a total of 1403 documents for this paper. Techniques for both quantitative and qualitative literature analysis were employed using Microsoft Excel (Version 16.75.2) and the visualisation tool VOSviewer (Version 1.6.19). Using bibliometric analysis, more academic publications were reviewed, aiming to analyse the current situation, influence, and future direction of the literature related to vernacular architecture. The current issues have been obtained from the statistical results, and the opportunities and challenges of vernacular architecture in today’s cities are discussed. The twenty most frequently referenced publications, keywords, and correlations between co-occurrences were all examined in this bibliometric analysis, along with annual publishing trends and the most influential nations, institutions, sources, and authors. The analysis showed a rising trend in vernacular architectural publications, with China, Italy, and Spain being the most prolific nations whose institutions have a high academic impact. However, the degree of international author collaboration remains insignificant. Future themes could focus on energy, comfort, earthquake resilience, and sustainability, with cultural heritage and vernacular communities still receiving little research attention. This study is a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of vernacular architecture, as well as an important study of sustainability and resilience, affirming the importance of vernacular architecture in terms of future urban form and drawing on the lessons of history. Also, the proposed research framework could be a strong reference for future researchers looking for inspiration.
Efficacy of Systemically Administered Retargeted Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Viruses—Clearance and Biodistribution in Naïve and HSV-Preimmune Mice
Authors: Vannini Andrea , Parenti Federico , Barboni Catia , Forghieri Cristina , Leoni Valerio , Sanapo Mara , Bressanin Daniela , Zaghini Anna , Campadelli-Fiume Gabriella , Gianni Tatiana
Published: August 2023

We investigated the anticancer efficacy, blood clearance, and tissue biodistribution of systemically administered retargeted oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (ReHVs) in HSV-naïve and HSV-preimmunized (HSV-IMM) mice. Efficacy was tested against lung tumors formed upon intravenous administration of cancer cells, a model of metastatic disease, and against subcutaneous distant tumors. In naïve mice, HER2- and hPSMA-retargeted viruses, both armed with mIL-12, were highly effective, even when administered to mice with well-developed tumors. Efficacy was higher for combination regimens with immune checkpoint inhibitors. A significant amount of infectious virus persisted in the blood for at least 1 h. Viral genomes, or fragments thereof, persisted in the blood and tissues for days. Remarkably, the only sites of viral replication were the lungs of tumor-positive mice and the subcutaneous tumors. No replication was detected in other tissues, strengthening the evidence of the high cancer specificity of ReHVs, a property that renders ReHVs suitable for systemic administration. In HSV-IMM mice, ReHVs administered at late times failed to exert anticancer efficacy, and the circulating virus was rapidly inactivated. Serum stability and in vivo whole blood stability assays highlighted neutralizing antibodies as the main factor in virus inactivation. Efforts to deplete mice of the neutralizing antibodies are ongoing.
Recent Advances in Renal Tumors with TSC/mTOR Pathway Abnormalities in Patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and in the Sporadic Setting
Authors: Kapur Payal , Brugarolas James , Trpkov Kiril
Published: August 2023

A spectrum of renal tumors associated with frequent TSC/mTOR (tuberous sclerosis complex/mechanistic target of rapamycin) pathway gene alterations (in both the germline and sporadic settings) have recently been described. These include renal cell carcinoma with fibromyomatous stroma (RCC FMS), eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC RCC), eosinophilic vacuolated tumor (EVT), and low-grade oncocytic tumor (LOT). Most of these entities have characteristic morphologic and immunohistochemical features that enable their recognition without the need for molecular studies. In this report, we summarize recent advances and discuss their evolving complexity.
RETRACTED: Prediction of Ovarian Cancer Response to Therapy Based on Deep Learning Analysis of Histopathology Images
Authors: Liu Yuexin , Lawson Barrett , Huang Xuelin , Broom Bradley , Weinstein John
Published: August 2023

Background: Ovarian cancer remains the leading gynecological cause of cancer mortality. Predicting the sensitivity of ovarian cancer to chemotherapy at the time of pathological diagnosis is a goal of precision medicine research that we have addressed in this study using a novel deep-learning neural network framework to analyze the histopathological images. Methods: We have developed a method based on the Inception V3 deep learning algorithm that complements other methods for predicting response to standard platinum-based therapy of the disease. For the study, we used histopathological H&E images (pre-treatment) of high-grade serous carcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Genomic Data Commons portal to train the Inception V3 convolutional neural network system to predict whether cancers had independently been labeled as sensitive or resistant to subsequent platinum-based chemotherapy. The trained model was then tested using data from patients left out of the training process. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and confusion matrix analyses to evaluate model performance and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis to correlate the predicted probability of resistance with patient outcome. Finally, occlusion sensitivity analysis was piloted as a start toward correlating histopathological features with a response. Results: The study dataset consisted of 248 patients with stage 2 to 4 serous ovarian cancer. For a held-out test set of forty patients, the trained deep learning network model distinguished sensitive from resistant cancers with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.846 ± 0.009 (SE). The probability of resistance calculated from the deep-learning network was also significantly correlated with patient survival and progression-free survival. In confusion matrix analysis, the network classifier achieved an overall predictive accuracy of 85% with a sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 90% for this cohort based on the Youden-J cut-off. Stage, grade, and patient age were not statistically significant for this cohort size. Occlusion sensitivity analysis suggested histopathological features learned by the network that may be associated with sensitivity or resistance to the chemotherapy, but multiple marker studies will be necessary to follow up on those preliminary results. Conclusions: This type of analysis has the potential, if further developed, to improve the prediction of response to therapy of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and perhaps be useful as a factor in deciding between platinum-based and other therapies. More broadly, it may increase our understanding of the histopathological variables that predict response and may be adaptable to other cancer types and imaging modalities.
Plexins as Regulators of Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasivity
Authors: Toledano Shira , Neufeld Gera
Published: August 2023

Plexins are a family of nine single-pass transmembrane receptors with a conserved GTPase activating protein (GAP) domain. The plexin family is divided into four subfamilies: Type-A, type-B, type-C, and type-D plexins. Plexins function as receptors for axon guidance factors of the semaphorin family. The semaphorin gene family contains 22 genes that are divided into eight subclasses of which subclasses three to seven represent vertebrate semaphorins. The plexins and their semaphorin ligands have important roles as regulators of angiogenesis, cancer proliferation, and metastasis. Class 3 semaphorins, with the exception of sema3E, are the only semaphorins that do not bind directly to plexins. In order to transduce their signals, they bind instead to complexes consisting of receptors of the neuropilin family and various plexins. Some plexins also form complexes with tyrosine-kinase receptors such as the epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB2, the mesenchymal epithelial transition factor receptor (MET), and the Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and, as a result, can modulate cell proliferation and tumor progression. This review focuses on the roles of the different plexins in the control of cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness. Plexins also affect tumor progression and tumor metastasis by indirect mechanisms, such as modulation of angiogenesis and immune responses. However, these topics are not covered in the present review.
Prognostic Factors for Resolution Delay of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients with Prostate Cancer after Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy
Authors: Taniguchi Tomoki , Kawase Makoto , Nakane Keita , Nakano Masahiro , Iinuma Koji , Kato Daiki , Takai Manabu , Tobisawa Yuki , Mori Takayuki , Takano Hirota , Kumano Tomoyasu , Matsuo Masayuki , Ito Takayasu , Koie Takuya
Published: August 2023

Urinary storage symptoms after low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) with iodine-125 have been noted to be less likely to improve to baseline compared to voiding symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the chronological changes in the overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) and the time-to-resolution of OABSS in patients undergoing LDR-BT. Patients with prostate cancer who underwent LDR-BT at Gifu University Hospital were enrolled. The OABSS was evaluated before and after LDR-BT. Patients were divided into the OABSS resolution and resolution delay groups, and the association between OABSS resolution delay and clinicopathological covariates was evaluated. In total, 237 patients were enrolled in this study, with a median follow-up of 88.3 months. The OABSS in both groups worsened at 3 months following operation and gradually recovered at 9 months; however, the OABSS in the resolution delay group tended to worsen again after that. In the multivariate analysis, preoperative OABSS and the change from baseline to maximal OABSS were associated with OABSS resolution. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the delayed resolution of OABSS after LDR-BT in patients with prostate cancer. A low baseline OABSS and significant changes in the OABSS from baseline were independent predictors of delayed OABSS resolution.
Survival Outcomes of Patients with Esophageal Cancer Who Did Not Proceed to Surgery after Neoadjuvant Treatment
Authors: Chi Chun-Ling , Gao Xing , Hsieh Hsiang-Yu , Cheng Yi-Hsuan , Yang Zhi-Hao , Chao Yin-Kai
Published: August 2023

Background: This retrospective study examined outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who did not undergo surgical resection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). Methods: Patients receiving nCRT between 2012 and 2020 were divided into two groups: group 1 (scheduled surgery) and group 2 (no surgery). Group 2 was further categorized into subgroups based on reasons for not proceeding to surgery: group 2a (disease progression), group 2b (poor general conditions), and group 2c (patient refusal). Overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome. Results: Group 1 comprised 145 patients, while subgroups 2a, 2b, and 2c comprised 24, 16, and 31 patients, respectively. The 3-year OS rate was significantly lower in group 2 compared with group 1 (34% versus 56%, p < 0.001). A subgroup analysis showed varying 3-year OS rates: 13% for group 2a, 25% for group 2b, and 58% for group 2c (p < 0.001). Propensity score matching for group 2c and group 1 revealed no significant difference in 3-year OS rates (p = 0.91). Conclusion: One-third of ESCC patients receiving nCRT did not undergo surgical resection. Overall survival in this group was generally poorer, except for those who refused surgery (group 2c).
Research and Application Development of Catalytic Redox Technology for Zeolite-Based Catalysts
Authors: Zhang Wentao , Fang De , Huang Guanlin , Li Da , Zheng Yun
Published: August 2023

Zeolites are porous materials with plentiful and adjustable pore structures, which are widely applied in various fields such as fossil fuel energy conversion, preparation of clean energy, chemical product conversion, CO2 capture, VOC treatment, and so on. Zeolites exhibited advantageous adsorption compared with traditional adsorbents such as activated carbon; in addition, they can also provide abundant reaction sites for various molecules. The chemical composition, structural acidity, and distribution of pore size can distinctly affect the efficiency of the reaction. The modification of zeolite structure, the development of novel and efficient preparation methods, as well as the improvement of reaction efficiency, have always been the focus of research for zeolites.
Understanding the Human RECQ5 Helicase—Connecting the Dots from DNA to Clinics
Authors: Mo Chiefe , Shiozaki Yukari , Omabe Kenneth , Liu Yilun
Published: August 2023

RECQ5, a member of the conserved RECQ helicase family, is the sole human RECQ homolog that has not been linked to a hereditary developmental syndrome. Nonetheless, dysregulation of RECQ5 has emerged as a significant clinical concern, being linked to cancer predisposition, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation. In cells, RECQ5 assumes a crucial role in the regulation of DNA repair pathways, particularly in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and inter-strand DNA crosslinks. Moreover, RECQ5 exhibits a capacity to modulate gene expression by interacting with transcription machineries and their co-regulatory proteins, thus safeguarding against transcription-induced DNA damage. This review aims to provide an overview of the multifaceted functions of RECQ5 and its implications in maintaining genomic stability. We will discuss the potential effects of clinical variants of RECQ5 on its cellular functions and their underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of cancer and cardiovascular disease. We will review the impact of RECQ5 variants in the field of pharmacogenomics, specifically their influence on drug responses, which may pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions targeting RECQ5 in human diseases.
Real-Time Monitoring of H2O2 Sterilization on Individual Bacillus atrophaeus Spores by Optical Sensing with Trapping Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Bertz Morten , Molinnus Denise , Schöning Michael J. , Homma Takayuki
Published: August 2023

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a strong oxidizer, is a commonly used sterilization agent employed during aseptic food processing and medical applications. To assess the sterilization efficiency with H2O2, bacterial spores are common microbial systems due to their remarkable robustness against a wide variety of decontamination strategies. Despite their widespread use, there is, however, only little information about the detailed time-resolved mechanism underlying the oxidative spore death by H2O2. In this work, we investigate chemical and morphological changes of individual Bacillus atrophaeus spores undergoing oxidative damage using optical sensing with trapping Raman microscopy in real-time. The time-resolved experiments reveal that spore death involves two distinct phases: (i) an initial phase dominated by the fast release of dipicolinic acid (DPA), a major spore biomarker, which indicates the rupture of the spore’s core; and (ii) the oxidation of the remaining spore material resulting in the subsequent fragmentation of the spores’ coat. Simultaneous observation of the spore morphology by optical microscopy corroborates these mechanisms. The dependence of the onset of DPA release and the time constant of spore fragmentation on H2O2 shows that the formation of reactive oxygen species from H2O2 is the rate-limiting factor of oxidative spore death.
The Use of Crystalline Carbon-Based Nanomaterials (CBNs) in Various Biomedical Applications
Authors: Gatou Maria-Anna , Vagena Ioanna-Aglaia , Pippa Natassa , Gazouli Maria , Pavlatou Evangelia A. , Lagopati Nefeli
Published: August 2023

This review study aims to present, in a condensed manner, the significance of the use of crystalline carbon-based nanomaterials in biomedical applications. Crystalline carbon-based nanomaterials, encompassing graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, and graphene quantum dots, have emerged as promising materials for the development of medical devices in various biomedical applications. These materials possess inorganic semiconducting attributes combined with organic π-π stacking features, allowing them to efficiently interact with biomolecules and present enhanced light responses. By harnessing these unique properties, carbon-based nanomaterials offer promising opportunities for future advancements in biomedicine. Recent studies have focused on the development of these nanomaterials for targeted drug delivery, cancer treatment, and biosensors. The conjugation and modification of carbon-based nanomaterials have led to significant advancements in a plethora of therapies and have addressed limitations in preclinical biomedical applications. Furthermore, the wide-ranging therapeutic advantages of carbon nanotubes have been thoroughly examined in the context of biomedical applications.
Uncommon Magnetism in Rare-Earth Intermetallic Compounds with Strong Electronic Correlations
Authors: Savchenkov Pavel S. , Alekseev Pavel A.
Published: August 2023

Rare-earth intermetallic compounds are characterised by the presence of a long-range magnetic order due to the interaction of local magnetic moments periodically located within the crystal lattice. This paper considers the possibility of forming an ordered state in cases where there is no opportunity to observe the local moment of the f-electronic shell in a traditional sense. These are, first of all, systems with a singlet ground state, as well as systems with fast spin fluctuations caused by a homogeneous intermediate-valence state of a rare-earth ion. Extensive experimental studies of these effects using neutron diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, and high-pressure studies of the magnetic phase diagram are presented and analysed, and the corresponding microscopic model representations are discussed. In particular, the possible origin of long-range magnetic order in mixed-valence compounds is analysed.
Safety in Traffic Management Systems: A Comprehensive Survey
Authors: Du Wenlu , Dash Ankan , Li Jing , Wei Hua , Wang Guiling
Published: August 2023

Traffic management systems play a vital role in ensuring safe and efficient transportation on roads. However, the use of advanced technologies in traffic management systems has introduced new safety challenges. Therefore, it is important to ensure the safety of these systems to prevent accidents and minimize their impact on road users. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on safety in traffic management systems. Specifically, we discuss the different safety issues that arise in traffic management systems, the current state of research on safety in these systems, and the techniques and methods proposed to ensure the safety of these systems. We also identify the limitations of the existing research and suggest future research directions.
Differential Protein Expression Patterns of HOXA13 and HOXB13 Are Associated with Bladder Cancer Progression
Authors: Chin Fee-Wai , Hussin Huzlinda , Chau De-Ming , Ong Teng-Aik , Yunus Rosna , Abdul Razack Azad Hassan , Yusoff Khatijah , Chan Soon-Choy , Veerakumarasivam Abhi
Published: August 2023

Bladder cancer is a common urological cancer and has the highest recurrence rate of any cancer. The aim of our study was to profile and characterize the protein expression of homeobox A13 (HOXA13) and homeobox B13 (HOXB13) genes in Malaysian bladder cancer patients. The protein expression of HOXA13 and HOXB13 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) bladder cancer tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. The association between HOXA13/HOXB13 protein expression and demographic/clinicopathological characteristics of the bladder cancer patients was determined by chi-square analysis. Approximately 63.6% of the bladder cancer tissues harbored high HOXA13 expression. High HOXA13 expression was significantly associated with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, lower tumor grade, higher number of lymph node metastases, and recurrence risk. In contrast, low HOXB13 expression (including those with negative expression) was observed in 71.6% of the bladder cancer tissues analyzed. Low HOXB13 expression was significantly associated with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, higher tumor stage, tumor grade, and metastatic risk. Both HOXA13 and HOXB13 protein expression were found to be associated with bladder tumorigenesis. The putative oncogenic and tumor suppressive roles of HOXA13 and HOXB13, respectively, suggest their potential utility as biomarkers in bladder cancer.
Physical Grounds for Causal Perspectivalism
Authors: Milburn Gerard J. , Shrapnel Sally , Evans Peter W.
Published: August 2023

We ground the asymmetry of causal relations in the internal physical states of a special kind of open and irreversible physical system, a causal agent. A causal agent is an autonomous physical system, maintained in a steady state, far from thermal equilibrium, with special subsystems: sensors, actuators, and learning machines. Using feedback, the learning machine, driven purely by thermodynamic constraints, changes its internal states to learn probabilistic functional relations inherent in correlations between sensor and actuator records. We argue that these functional relations just are causal relations learned by the agent, and so such causal relations are simply relations between the internal physical states of a causal agent. We show that learning is driven by a thermodynamic principle: the error rate is minimised when the dissipated power is minimised. While the internal states of a causal agent are necessarily stochastic, the learned causal relations are shared by all machines with the same hardware embedded in the same environment. We argue that this dependence of causal relations on such ‘hardware’ is a novel demonstration of causal perspectivalism.
Leveraging Deep Learning for IoT Transceiver Identification
Authors: Gao Jiayao , Fan Hongfei , Zhao Yumei , Shi Yang
Published: August 2023

With the increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) network applications, the lack of adequate identification and authentication has become a significant security concern. Radio frequency fingerprinting techniques, which utilize regular radio traffic as the identification source, were then proposed to provide a more secured identification approach compared to traditional security methods. Such solutions take hardware-level characteristics as device fingerprints to mitigate the risk of pre-shared key leakage and lower computational complexity. However, the existing studies suffer from problems such as location dependence. In this study, we have proposed a novel scheme for further exploiting the spectrogram and the carrier frequency offset (CFO) as identification sources. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is chosen as the classifier. The scheme addressed the location-dependence problem in the existing identification schemes. Experimental evaluations with data collected in the real world have indicated that the proposed approach can achieve 80% accuracy even if the training and testing data are collected on different days and at different locations, which is 13% higher than state-of-the-art approaches.
Preservice Teachers Training with Avatars: A Systematic Literature Review of “Human-in-the-Loop” Simulations in Teacher Education and Special Education
Authors: Lindberg Sofia , Jönsson Anders
Published: August 2023

Simulations have been introduced in teacher training in recent times to prepare preservice teachers for teaching. This review aims to search for and analyze studies on the use of human- and computer-based virtual simulations (i.e., where humans act with avatars) in teacher training, in order to better understand how the use of such simulations may support the development of preservice teachers, as well as to identify potential gaps in the literature and suggest potential routes for future research. A categorization of 26 included articles shows that 22 articles investigate rule management competence, 3 articles investigate didactic competence, and 1 article investigates relational competence. Research about preservice teachers’ experience of virtual simulations gives an overall positive picture. The studies included show several important advantages of virtual simulations. The disadvantages that are described in the studies are almost exclusively caused by technical limitations.