bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Hydroperoxide Lyase Production for Recombinant Lipoxygenase Pathway Cascade Application
Authors: Kazimírová Veronika , Zezulová Viktória , Krasňan Vladimír , Štefuca Vladimír , Rebroš Martin
Published: October 2021

Cis-3-hexenal and its more stable isomer, trans-2-hexenal, are highly valued chemicals used in the food and perfume industries. They are produced by the plant lipoxygenase pathway, where two enzymes, lipoxygenase (LOX) and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), are involved. However, the application of this pathway is limited, especially due to the instability of HPL. This enzyme belongs to the cytochrome P450 enzyme family and needs heme as a prosthetic group. Its synthesis must be effectively performed by a host organism in order to produce an active protein. In this work, Pseudomonas aeruginosa LOX was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), and whole cells were used for the synthesis of 13(S)-hydroperoxy-(Z,E,Z)-9,11,15-octadecatrienoic acid (13-HPOT) as a substrate for HPL. Expression of Psidium guajava HPL was carried out by recombinant E. coli JM109(DE3) in autoinduction media, and the influence of the addition of heme precursors δ-ALA and FeII+ was studied. Specific activity of whole cells expressing HPL was measured by the direct use of a synthesized 13-HPOT solution (2.94 mM of total hydroperoxides, 75.35% of 13-HPOT (2.22 mM)) and increased 2.6-fold (from 61.78 U·mg−1 to 159.95 U·mg−1) with the addition of 1 mM FeII+ to the autoinduction media. Productivity and activity were further enhanced by an increase in the expression temperature, and a total of 3.30·105 U·dm−3 of culture media was produced in the optimized process.
Tutorial: Guidelines for Single-Cell RT-qPCR
Authors: Zucha Daniel , Kubista Mikael , Valihrach Lukas
Published: October 2021

Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has delivered significant insights in understanding the gene expression landscape. Thanks to its precision, sensitivity, flexibility, and cost effectiveness, RT-qPCR has also found utility in advanced single-cell analysis. Single-cell RT-qPCR now represents a well-established method, suitable for an efficient screening prior to single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) experiments, or, oppositely, for validation of hypotheses formulated from high-throughput approaches. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive summary of the scRT-qPCR method by discussing the limitations of single-cell collection methods, describing the importance of reverse transcription, providing recommendations for the preamplification and primer design, and summarizing essential data processing steps. With the detailed protocol attached in the appendix, this tutorial provides a set of guidelines that allow any researcher to perform scRT-qPCR measurements of the highest standard.
Adiponectin Promotes VEGF Expression in Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts and Induces Endothelial Progenitor Cell Angiogenesis by Inhibiting miR-106a-5p
Authors: Huang Chien-Chung , Law Yat-Yin , Liu Shan-Chi , Hu Sung-Lin , Lin Jun-An , Chen Chao-Ju , Wang Shih-Wei , Tang Chih-Hsin
Published: October 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an erosive polyarthritis that can lead to severe joint destruction and painful disability if left untreated. Angiogenesis, a critical pathogenic mechanism in RA, attracts inflammatory leukocytes into the synovium, which promotes production of proinflammatory cytokines and destructive proteases. Adipokines, inflammatory mediators secreted by adipose tissue, also contribute to the pathophysiology of RA. The most abundant serum adipokine is adiponectin, which demonstrates proinflammatory effects in RA, although the mechanisms linking adiponectin and angiogenic manifestations of RA are not well understood. Our investigations with the human MH7A synovial cell line have revealed that adiponectin dose- and time-dependently increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, stimulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) tube formation and migration. These adiponectin-induced angiogenic activities were facilitated by MEK/ERK signaling. In vivo experiments confirmed adiponectin-induced downregulation of microRNA-106a-5p (miR-106a-5p). Inhibiting adiponectin reduced joint swelling, bone destruction, and angiogenic marker expression in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. Our evidence suggests that targeting adiponectin has therapeutic potential for patients with RA. Clinical investigations are needed.
Bladder Dysfunction and Re-Absorbable Bulking Agent Affect Success Rate in Children Underwent Endoscopic Treatment for Vesicoureteral Reflux: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study
Authors: Cocomazzi Raffaella , Salatto Alessia , Campanella Vittoria , Pastore Valentina , Maggipinto Cosetta , Aceto Gabriella , Bartoli Fabio
Published: October 2021

This paper is designed to evaluate the results (at long-term follow-up of) children affected by dilating VUR. Our attention was focused on how VUR grade, laterality, bladder dysfunction (BD), the double renal system, and the type of bulking substance may affect VUR resolution in the long-term period. The charts of 93 children with dilating VUR who underwent endoscopic treatment (ET) and with a minimum post-operative follow-up of 7 years were reviewed (mean follow-up time was 9.6 + 1.4). The majority of patients had severe and bilateral VUR. Polydimetilsiloxane or hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (PDS or Ha/Dx) were used as bulking agents. VUR persistence following endoscopic injection was independent with respect to grade, laterality, duplex renal system, and BD. However, the rate of VUR persistence was significantly higher in children with BD. Children treated with Ha/Dx had a higher rate of VUR persistence. This research demonstrated that ET of VUR is also effective at very long term follow up (and without the development of significant complications). We also showed that patients treated with absorbable bulking agents such as Ha/Dx may experience a higher recurrence rate at the long-term follow-up). We also confirm that the only preoperative condition affecting VUR recurrence was bladder dysfunction.
The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Sekulic Damir , Ostojic Daria , Decelis Andrew , Castro-Piñero José , Jezdimirovic Tatjana , Drid Patrik , Ostojic Ljerka , Gilic Barbara
Published: October 2021

Scholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown. This study aimed to investigate the associations between scholastic factors and PAL before and during the pandemic lockdown. The participants were adolescents form Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 525, 46% females), who were observed prospectively at the baseline (before the pandemic lockdown) and during the lockdown in 2020 (follow-up). The scholastic factors (grade point average, behavioral grade, school absences, unexcused absences) were evidenced at the baseline (predictors). The outcome (PAL) was evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents at the baseline and the follow-up. Gender, age, parental/familial conflict, and sport participation were observed as confounders. No significant influence of the predictors on PAL were evidenced at the baseline or at the follow-up. The scholastic variables were significantly associated with the changes of PAL which occurred due to pandemic lockdown, with a lower risk for negative changes in PAL among adolescents who were better in school (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34–0.81, and OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.34–0.97, for the grade point average and behavioral grade, respectively). Students who do well in school are probably more aware of the health benefits of proper PAL, and therefore are devoted to the maintenance of their PAL even during the home-confinement of lockdown. Public health authorities should focus more on helping adolescents to understand the importance and benefits of proper PAL throughout the school system.
CT-Based Radiomics Helps to Predict Residual Lung Lesions in COVID-19 Patients at Three Months after Discharge
Authors: Huang Jia , Wu Feihong , Chen Leqing , Yu Jie , Sun Wengang , Nie Zhuang , Liu Huan , Yang Fan , Zheng Chuansheng
Published: October 2021

Background: In this study, our focus was on pulmonary sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to develop and validate CT-based radiomic models for predicting the presence of residual lung lesions in COVID-19 survivors at three months after discharge. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 162 COVID-19 confirmed patients in our hospital (84 patients with residual lung lesions and 78 patients without residual lung lesions, at three months after discharge). The patients were all randomly allocated to a training set (n = 114) or a test set (n = 48). Radiomic features were extracted from chest CT images in different regions (entire lung or lesion) and at different time points (at hospital admission or at discharge) to build different models, sequentially, or in combination, as follows: (1) Lesion_A model (based on the lesion region at admission CT); (2) Lesion_D model (based on the lesion region at discharge CT); (3) Δlesion model (based on the lesion region at admission CT and discharge CT); (4) Lung_A model (based on the lung region at admission CT); (5) Lung_D model (based on the lung region at discharge CT); (6) Δlung model (based on the lung region at admission CT and discharge CT). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were used to evaluate the predictive performances of the radiomic models. Results: Among the six models, the Lesion_D and the Δlesion models achieved better predictive efficacy, with AUCs of 0.907 and 0.927, sensitivity of 0.898 and 0.763, and specificity of 0.855 and 0.964 in the training set, and AUCs of 0.875 and 0.837, sensitivity of 0.920 and 0.680, and specificity of 0.826 and 0.913 in the test set, respectively. Conclusions: The CT-based radiomic models showed good predictive effects on the presence of residual lung lesions in COVID-19 survivors at three months after discharge, which may help doctors to plan follow-up work and to reduce the psychological burden of COVID-19 survivors.
Prenatal Sonographic and Molecular Genetic Diagnosis of Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome
Authors: Traisrisilp Kuntharee , Luewan Suchaya , Sirilert Sirinart , Jatavan Phudit , Tongsong Theera
Published: October 2021

Popliteal pterygium syndrome (PPS) is an extremely rare autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by the cleft palate with or without cleft lip, limbs abnormalities with highly characteristic features of popliteal webbing, syndactyly, and genital abnormalities and nail anomalies. Prenatal diagnosis of PPS has been extremely rare. We describe a unique case of fetal PPS at 20 weeks of gestation. The diagnosis of PPS was based on the ultrasound findings of bilateral popliteal webbings, extending from posterior aspects of the upper thighs through the lower legs, resulting in restriction in knee extension, bilateral equinovarus feet with syndactyly, ambiguous genitalia and the grooved lip. Anatomical structures were otherwise normal. Trio whole-exome sequencing revealed a de novo heterozygous IRF6 gene mutation in the fetus, confirming the diagnosis with PPS. In conclusion, popliteal webbing or combination of facial cleft or cleft variants and bilateral abnormal postures of the lower limbs is suggestive of PPS and genetic diagnosis should be warranted.
Differences in Hemodynamic Alteration between Atherosclerotic Occlusive Lesions and Moyamoya Disease: A Quantitative 15O-PET Study
Authors: Igarashi Chiaki , Okazawa Hidehiko , Islam Muhammad M. , Tsujikawa Tetsuya , Higashino Toshifumi , Isozaki Makoto , Kikuta Ken-ichiro
Published: October 2021

To clarify the differences in hemodynamic status between atherosclerotic steno-occlusive lesions (SOL) and moyamoaya disease (MMD), hemodynamic parameters were compared using 15O-PET. Twenty-four patients with unilateral SOL (67 ± 11 y) and eighteen with MMD (33 ± 16 y) were assigned to this study. MMD patients were divided into twelve unilateral and six bilateral lesions. All patients underwent 15O-PET to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF), blood volume (CBV), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), and metabolic rate (CMRO2). Acetazolamide was administered after the baseline scan and the second 15O-water PET was performed to evaluate cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR). For the CBF calculation in 15O-water PET, the three-weighted integral method was applied based on a one-tissue compartment model with pixel-by-pixel delay correction to measure precise CBF and arterial-to-capillary blood volume (V0). Baseline hemodynamic parameters showed significantly lower CBF, V0, and CMRO2, but greater CBV, OEF, and delay (p < 0.01) in the affected hemispheres than in the unaffected hemispheres. After ACZ administration, both hemispheres showed a significant increase in CBF (p < 0.0001), but not in V0. CVR differed significantly between the hemispheres. The arterial perfusion pressure of the functioning arterial part tended to be reduced after acetazolamide administration in patients with past neurologic events caused by hemodynamic impairment. MMD patients showed greater inactive vascular and venous volumes compared with common atherosclerotic SOL patients. The hemodynamic status of cerebral circulation may vary according to the chronic process of steno-occlusive change and the development of collateral circulation. In order to evaluate physiologic differences between the two diseases, 15O-PET with an acetazolamide challenge test is useful.
From Data to Wisdom: A Case Study of OPOP Model
Authors: Sun Yikang , Lin Po-Hsien , Lin Rungtai
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this research is to: (1) clarify the scope and connotation of the OPOP (One Product/Project/Performance, One Paper) model comprehensively; (2) show its application in design and creative teaching; (3) introduce this model to more people. First, the author reviews the design doctoral education system and its shortcomings and analyzes the similarities and differences between “Ph.D. of Design” and “Master of Design”; second, the researcher discusses the DIKW (Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom) pyramid, cognition and communication theory separately. The author also interviewed the two teachers who created the OPOP model to clarify its core meaning and goals. Finally, the author invited students who participated in an OPOP forum to fill out a questionnaire in order to analyze and understand their responses and suggestions. The OPOP model allows participants to realize that “creativity” and “interpretation” are equally important and to gradually learn to use academic papers to transform personal “tips” and “experience” into “knowledge” that can be imparted. The author hopes that the OPOP model and the general frameworks mentioned in this study can inspire all readers, enabling them to continuously explore the connotation and further possibilities of OPOP in light of the actual situation.
Suicide Bomb Attack Identification and Analytics through Data Mining Techniques
Authors: Ferooz Faria , Hassan Malik Tahir , Awan Mazhar Javed , Nobanee Haitham , Kamal Maryam , Yasin Awais , Zain Azlan Mohd
Published: October 2021

Suicide bomb attacks are a high priority concern nowadays for every country in the world. They are a massively destructive criminal activity known as terrorism where one explodes a bomb attached to himself or herself, usually in a public place, taking the lives of many. Terrorist activity in different regions of the world depends and varies according to geopolitical situations and significant regional factors. There has been no significant work performed previously by utilizing the Pakistani suicide attack dataset and no data mining-based solutions have been given related to suicide attacks. This paper aims to contribute to the counterterrorism initiative for the safety of this world against suicide bomb attacks by extracting hidden patterns from suicidal bombing attack data. In order to analyze the psychology of suicide bombers and find a correlation between suicide attacks and the prediction of the next possible venue for terrorist activities, visualization analysis is performed and data mining techniques of classification, clustering and association rule mining are incorporated. For classification, Naïve Bayes, ID3 and J48 algorithms are applied on distinctive selected attributes. The results exhibited by classification show high accuracy against all three algorithms applied, i.e., 73.2%, 73.8% and 75.4%. We adapt the K-means algorithm to perform clustering and, consequently, the risk of blast intensity is identified in a particular location. Frequent patterns are also obtained through the Apriori algorithm for the association rule to extract the factors involved in suicide attacks.
A Novel Inductor for Stabilizing the DC Link of Adjustable Speed Drive
Authors: Wang Qian , Luo Bingyang , Wang Jun , Kong Zhe , Liu Feng
Published: October 2021

The DC-link filter which includes a magnetic inductor and a storage capacitor is one of the key parts of adjustable speed drives in the market. It significantly affects the stability, reliability, and power density of the motor-drive system. This paper proposes a novel, variable active inductor to improve the performance of DC links in terms of stability, reliability, size, and cost. In contrast to conventional DC-link magnetic inductors, the variable active inductor is made of power electronic circuits, including active switches, passive filters, and smart controllers, which no longer rely on magnetic material. The demonstration shows that the inductor can emulate the electrical characteristics of the magnetic inductor for filtering harmonics and stabilizing the DC link, meanwhile representing a smaller size, lighter weight, and lower cost compared with a conventional one. Furthermore, this paper proposes a variable inductance control method which is able to adaptively tune the inductance value with the operating conditions of the drive system. The DC link can be stabilized, and high performance can be maintained in both balanced and unbalanced grid voltage conditions. A case study of the proposed variable inductor in a motor drive with a three-phase diode-bridge rectifier as the front end is discussed. Experimental results are given to verify the functionality and effectiveness of the proposed variable inductor.
Phenolic Profile by HPLC-PDA-MS of Greek Chamomile Populations and Commercial Varieties and Their Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Tsivelika Nektaria , Irakli Maria , Mavromatis Athanasios , Chatzopoulou Paschalina , Karioti Anastasia
Published: October 2021

The phenolic profile of Greek chamomile populations was investigated by HPLC-PDA-MS. For comparison, three commercial varieties (Banatska, Lutea and Goral) cultivated under the same conditions were included in the study. All samples exhibited similar qualitative patterns but differed in their quantitative characteristics. Overall, 29 constituents were detected, belonging to phenolic acids, flavonol glycosides, flavone glycosides (mainly apigenin derivatives) and acylated polyamines. Quantitative results showed that both Greek populations had a high content in apigenin derivatives (0.39 and 0.31 %w/w) and caffeoylquinic acids (0.96 and 0.81 %w/w), whereas they had the highest amount of flavonol glycosides among the tested samples. Greek populations were comparable to the Banatska variety, while they were superior to the Lutea and Goral varieties cultivated under the same conditions. Results demonstrate that Greek chamomile populations studied here, are an excellent source of a wide range of phenolics which contribute to the medicinal and antioxidant properties of this herbal remedy. Antioxidant tests showed that chamomile extracts from the studied materials, especially from the Greek populations possess antioxidant activity, corresponding to their polyphenol content. This is the first report on the phenolic constituents of Matricaria recutita growing in Greece and well-established chamomile varieties.
Protein Oxidation in Foods: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Antioxidant Solutions
Authors: Estévez Mario , Xiong Youling L.
Published: October 2021

Protein oxidation in foods remains a topic of the utmost scientific interest [...]
Self-Reported Walking Difficulty Associated with Stiff-Knee Gait in Japanese Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Toda Haruki , Maruyama Tsubasa , Fujita Koji , Yamauchi Yuki , Tada Mitsunori
Published: October 2021

Background: Individuals with knee osteoarthritis are restricted in their daily activity because of walking difficulty. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association between self-reported walking difficulty and knee flexion excursion during gait in Japanese patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with knee osteoarthritis participated in this study. Knee flexion excursions in loading response and swing during gait were measured through an inertial measurement unit-based motion capture system. The walking difficulty was assessed by a subitem in the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure. Pain intensity was assessed by a visual analog scale. Characteristics and gait variables were compared between groups that were determined a priori using the results of the walking difficulty assessment. The relationship between knee flexion excursion during gait and walking difficulty were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The participants with walking difficulty had significantly small knee flexion excursion in both loading response and swing with large pain. After controlling the effect of pain, only knee flexion excursion in the swing was significantly related to the walking difficulty. Conclusions: This study suggested that the knee flexion excursion in swing during gait is helpful for understanding the walking difficulty experienced in Japanese patients with knee osteoarthritis.
The Correlation between Clinical and Demographic Parameters and Sickness Absence in Diabetic Employees
Authors: Zack Oren , Golob Irena , Chodick Gabriel , Perluk Idan , Raanan Rachel , Moshe Shlomo
Published: October 2021

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most significant and prevalent chronic diseases. Individuals with diabetes can still encounter substantial difficulties in finding and keeping their job because of their condition. The purpose of this study was to examine the scope of diabetes-related absence from work and its relationship with variables such as type of employer, workload, the severity of illness, and type of treatment. Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study, including 220 diabetic patients and 230 controls. Information regarding absence from work was obtained by reviewing medical records, and general patient information was retrieved by conducting telephone interviews. Results: Patients with diabetes had, annually, more days of absence than non-diabetic patients (8.5 vs. 2.7, respectively p and lt; 0.001). Among diabetic patients, public-sector employees were absent more than private-sector employees (9.0 vs. 7.2 days, respectively, p and lt; 0.05). A positive correlation was found between workload (measured by stamina) and absence (Pearson correlation = 0.098, p = 0.04). Concerning the clinical variables, we found that employees suffering from diabetic complications exhibited higher absence rates (15.5 vs. 5.7 days, respectively, p and lt; 0.003). Parameters like HbA1c levels, patient age, disease duration, and type of treatment did not differ significantly amongst the groups with regards to absence rates. Conclusions: The main variables affecting absence from work were not medical but rather sociodemographic: education, workload, and type of employer. The results of this study reinforce the perception that well-controlled diabetic employees can be combined in most types of occupations without fear of increased absence from work.
Prevalence of Health Problems Targeted by the National School-Based Screening Program among Primary School Students in Saudi Arabia, 2019
Authors: Al Daajani Manal Matar , Al-Habib Dina Mohammed , Ibrahim Mona Hamed , Al Shewear Nora Abdulrhman , Fagihi Yahya Mohammad , Alzaher Abrar Abdulazeem , Alfaleh Amjad Fawzi , Alabdulkareem Khaled Ibrahim
Published: October 2021

The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) established a National School-Based Screening Program (NSBSP) for health screening of schoolchildren. Students from specific grades were systematically screened for several health problems, including obesity, visual and auditory problems, dental cavities, scoliosis, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of these health problems among primary school students based on secondary data obtained from the NSBSP. We included 444,259 screened school children from the first and fourth grades of 50% of the selected schools (both private and public) across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) during the academic year 2018–2019. Among them, the most prevalent health problems identified were dental cavities (38.7%), eye refractory errors (10.9%), and overweight and obesity (10.5%); the less prevalent problems included ADHD (2.81%), auditory problems (0.6%), and scoliosis (0.48%). A greater prevalence of most health problems was observed in girls more than boys. The NSBSP successfully aided the detection of health conditions with high and low prevalence among primary school students in the KSA, and thus, the identification of health problems of specific concern. Implementation of effective school health services for the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of these health problems are imperative.
We Won’t Go There: Barriers to Accessing Maternal and Newborn Care in District Thatta, Pakistan
Authors: Asim Muhammad , Saleem Sarah , Ahmed Zarak Husain , Naeem Imran , Abrejo Farina , Fatmi Zafar , Siddiqi Sameen
Published: October 2021

Accessibility and utilization of healthcare plays a significant role in preventing complications during pregnancy, labor, and the early postnatal period. However, multiple barriers can prevent women from accessing services. The aim of this study was to explore the multifaceted barriers that inhibit women from seeking maternal and newborn health care in Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan. This study employed an interpretive research design using a purposive sampling approach. Pre-tested, semi-structured interview guides were used for data collection. The data were collected through eight focus group discussions with men and women, and six in-depth interviews with lady health workers and analyzed through thematic analysis. The study identified individual, sociocultural, and structural-level barriers that inhibit women from seeking maternal and newborn care. Individual barriers included mistrust towards public health facilities and inadequate symptom recognition. The three identified sociocultural barriers were aversion to biomedical interventions, gendered imbalances in decision making, and women’s restricted mobility. The structural barriers included ineffective referral systems and prohibitively expensive transportation services. Increasing the coverage of healthcare service without addressing the multifaceted barriers that influence service utilization will not reduce the burden of maternal and neonatal mortality. As this study reveals, care seeking is influenced by a diverse array of barriers that are individual, sociocultural, and structural in nature. A combination of capacity development, health awareness, and structural interventions can address many if not all of these barriers.
PFMNet: Few-Shot Segmentation with Query Feature Enhancement and Multi-Scale Feature Matching
Authors: Li Jingyao , Cheng Lianglun , Zheng Zewen , Chen Jiahong , Zhao Genping , Lu Zeng
Published: October 2021

The datasets in the latest semantic segmentation model often need to be manually labeled for each pixel, which is time-consuming and requires much effort. General models are unable to make better predictions, for new categories of information that have never been seen before, than the few-shot segmentation that has emerged. However, the few-shot segmentation is still faced up with two challenges. One is the inadequate exploration of semantic information conveyed in the high-level features, and the other is the inconsistency of segmenting objects at different scales. To solve these two problems, we have proposed a prior feature matching network (PFMNet). It includes two novel modules: (1) the Query Feature Enhancement Module (QFEM), which makes full use of the high-level semantic information in the support set to enhance the query feature, and (2) the multi-scale feature matching module (MSFMM), which increases the matching probability of multi-scales of objects. Our method achieves an intersection over union average score of 61.3% for one-shot segmentation and 63.4% for five-shot segmentation, which surpasses the state-of-the-art results by 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively.
Hexokinase Is Required for Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis in Helicoverpa armigera
Authors: Chang Yanpeng , Zhang Yunhui , Geng Zichen , Yao Shuangyan , Zhao Wenli , Yin Xinming , An Shiheng
Published: October 2021

Acetyl-CoA, the precursor of sex pheromone biosynthesis in Helicoverpa armigera, is generated from glycolysis. As the first speed-limited enzyme in glycolysis, Hexokinase (HK) plays an important role in acetyl-CoA production. However, the function of HK in sex pheromone production remains unclear. This study employed H. armigera as material to explore the role of HK in sex pheromone production. Results demonstrated that the transcription profile of HaHK in female moth pheromone glands (PGs) was consistent with the release fluctuation of sex pheromone. Interference of HaHK prevented the increase of acetyl-CoA content induced by PBAN. Therefore, knockdown of HaHK in female PGs caused significant decreases in (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald) production, female capability to attract males, and mating rate. Furthermore, sugar feeding (5% sugar) increased the transcription and enzymatic activity of HK. Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) signal phospho-activated HaHK in PGs and Sf9 cells via protein kinase A (PKA), as shown by pharmacological inhibitor analysis. In general, our study confirmed that PBAN/cAMP/PKA signal activated HaHK, in turn promoted glycolysis to ensure the supply of acetyl-CoA, and finally facilitated sex pheromone biosynthesis and subsequent mating behavior.
Pathogenicity Detection and Genome Analysis of Two Different Geographic Strains of BmNPV
Authors: Guo Huimin , Zhang Benzheng , Zheng Xin , Sun Juan , Guo Huiduo , Li Gang , Zhao Guodong , Xu Anying , Qian Heying
Published: October 2021

The pathogenicity of different concentrations of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus- Zhenjiang strain (BmNPV ZJ) and Yunnan strain (BmNPV YN) was assessed in Baiyu larvae. The structures of the two viral strains were observed by negative-staining electron microscopy, and their proliferation was examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The genomic sequences of these two viruses were obtained to investigate the differences in their pathogenicity. The lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of BmNPV ZJ against Baiyu larvae was higher than that of BmNPV YN, indicating a relatively more robust pathogenicity in BmNPV YN. Electron microscopic images showed that the edges of BmNPV YN were clearer than those of BmNPV ZJ. The qPCR analysis demonstrated significantly higher relative expressions of immediately early 1 gene (ie-1), p143, vp39, and polyhedrin genes (polh) in BmNPV ZJ than in BmNPV YN at 12–96 h. The complete genomes of BmNPV ZJ and BmNPV YN were, respectively, 135,895 bp and 143,180 bp long, with 141 and 145 coding sequences and 40.93% and 39.71% GC content. Considering the BmNPV ZJ genome as a reference, 893 SNP loci and 132 InDel mutations were observed in the BmNPV YN genome, resulting in 106 differential gene sequences. Among these differential genes, 76 (including 22 hub genes and 35 non-hub genes) possessed amino acid mutations. Thirty genes may have been related to viral genome replication and transcription and five genes may have been associated with the viral oral infection. These results can help in understanding the mechanisms of pathogenicity of different strains of BmNPV in silkworms.
Conservative Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis
Authors: Tejero Sergio , Prada-Chamorro Estefanía , González-Martín David , García-Guirao Antonio , Galhoum Ahmed , Valderrabano Victor , Herrera-Pérez Mario
Published: October 2021

Despite the disabling nature of ankle osteoarthritis (OA), there is poor scientific evidence for a conservative treatment compared to the hip and knee OA. In this regard, most of the treatment options in use are not based on clinical studies of the ankle, and they are extracted from evidence obtained from clinical studies of other lower limb joints. However, this does not seem to be a good idea, since the aetiology of ankle OA is quite different from that of the hip or knee. Nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hyaluronic acid, corticosteroid, platelet-rich plasma injection and mesenchymal stem cells injections have been reported. However, further research is required in this field to obtain a specific clinical practice guideline for the conservative treatment of ankle OA.
Relationship between Behavioral Infant Speech Perception and Hearing Age for Children with Hearing Loss
Authors: Uhler Kristin M. , Kaizer Alexander M. , Walker Kerry A. , Gilley Phillip M.
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Research has demonstrated that early intervention for children who are hard-of-hearing (CHH) facilitates improved language development. Early speech perception abilities may impact CHH outcomes and guide future intervention. The objective of this study was to examine the use of a conditioned head turn (CHT) task as a measure of speech discrimination in CHH using a clinically feasible protocol. (2) Methods: Speech perception was assessed for a consonant and vowel contrast among 57 CHH and 70 children with normal hearing (CNH) aged 5–17 months using a CHT paradigm. (3) Results: Regardless of hearing status, 74% of CHH and 77% of CNH could discriminate /a-i/, and 55% of CHH and 56% of CNH could discriminate /ba-da/. Regression models revealed that both CHH and CNH performed better on /ba-da/ at 70 dBA compared to 50 dBA. Performance by hearing age showed no speech perception differences for CNH and children with mild hearing loss for either contrast. However, children with hearing losses ≥ 41 dB HL performed significantly poorer than CNH for /a-i/. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrates the clinical feasibility of assessing early speech perception in infants with hearing loss and replicates previous findings of speech perception abilities among CHH and CNH.
Optimization of Milling Parameters of Unmodified Calotropis Procera Fiber-Reinforced PLA Composite (UCPFRPC)
Authors: Langat Hassan K. , Mwema Fredrick M. , Keraita James N. , Akinlabi Esther T. , Wambua Job M. , Jen Tien-Chien
Published: October 2021

This study involves the optimization of the milling parameters of unmodified Calotropis Procera fiber-reinforced PLA composite (UCPFRPC). The material is prepared from the combination of 20% Calotropis-Procera and 80% of PLA by weight. The experiments are designed using the Taguchi methodology, where 16 experiments are obtained using the spindle rotational speed, depth of cut, and feed rate as the parameters. These experiments were conducted while obtaining thermal images using an infrared camera and recording the machining time. The change in mass was then determined and the material removal rate computed. The machined workpieces were then investigated for surface roughness. The study shows that the optimal milling parameters in the machining of UCPFRPC for the lowest surface roughness are 400 rpm, 400 mm/min, and 0.2 mm, for the rotational spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The parameters were 400 rpm, 100 mm/min, and 1.2 mm for the largest MRR, and 400 rpm, 400 mm/min, and 0.2 mm for the least average milling temperature. In all the responses, the depth of cut is the most significant factor.
Exploring Deep-Sea Biodiversity in the Porcupine Bank (NE Atlantic) through Fish Integrative Taxonomy
Authors: Bañón Rafael , de Carlos Alejandro , Farias Carlos , Vilas-Arrondo Nair , Baldó Francisco
Published: October 2021

This study combined morphological and molecular approaches to the species assignment of several rare or poorly known deep-water fishes caught between 549 and 1371 m depth during a Spanish bottom trawl survey in the Porcupine Bank, west of Ireland. The following fish species were identified: Nessorhamphus ingolfianus (Schmidt, 1912), Borostomias antarcticus (Lönnberg 1905), Scopelosaurus lepidus (Krefft and Maul 1955), Bathypterois dubius Vaillant, 1888, Evermannella balbo (Risso, 1820), Antimora rostrata (Günther, 1878), Melanonus zugmayeri Norman, 1930, Lyconus brachycolus Holt and Byrne, 1906; Paraliparis hystrix Merrett, 1983, Neocyttus helgae (Holt and Byrne, 1908); Platyberyx opalescens Zugmayer, 1911; Howella atlantica Post and Quéro, 1991, Lycodes terraenovae Collett, 1896 and Pseudoscopelus altipinnis Parr, 1933. The presence of L. brachycolus, P. opalescens and P. altipinnis is reported for the first time in the Bank. The DNA barcoding results were largely consistent with morphological identification in 10 species but four did not fit the current taxonomy, indicating cases of potential cryptic speciation, misidentification, synonymy or recent diversification. Among them, the results strongly suggest that P. garmani and P. hystrix are conspecific, making P. hystrix a junior synonym of P. garmani.
Three-Dimensional Sound Propagation in the South China Sea with the Presence of Seamount
Authors: Li Shenghao , Li Zhenglin , Li Wen , Yu Yanxin
Published: October 2021

Seamounts have important effects on sound propagation in deep water. A sound propagation experiment was conducted in the South China Sea in 2016. The three-dimensional (3D) effects of a seamount on sound propagation are observed in different propagation tracks. Ray methods (BELLHOP N×2D and 3D models) are used to analyze and explain the phenomena. The results show that 3D effects have obvious impacts on a sound field within a horizontal refraction zone behind the seamount because some sound beams cannot reach the receiver for the horizontal refraction effects, which impacts the sound field within a certain angle range behind the seamount. The arrival structure results show that the eigenrays after horizontal reflection will arrive at the receiver earlier than those obtained from the two-dimensional (2D) model within the horizontal refraction zone behind the seamount. This means that the horizontal reflection effect of a seamount will cause the shortening of sound propagation paths. Finally, in the reflection zone in front of the seamount, the 2D and 3D TL results show that the shape of the reflection zone is similar to an “arch” type, and the horizontal refraction of sound waves has little effect on the TLs in the reflection zone of a seamount.
Four New Species of Hemileccinum (Xerocomoideae, Boletaceae) from Southwestern China
Authors: Li Mei-Xiang , Wu Gang , Yang Zhu L.
Published: October 2021

The genus Hemileccinum belongs to the subfamily Xerocomoideae of the family Boletaceae. In this study, phylogenetic inferences of Hemileccinum based on sequences of a single-locus (ITS) and a multi-locus (nrLSU, tef1-α, rpb1, rpb2) were conducted. Four new species, namely H. abidum, H. brevisporum, H. ferrugineipes and H. parvum were delimited and proposed based on morphological and molecular evidence. Descriptions and line-drawings of them were presented, as well as their comparisons to allied taxa. Our study shed new light on the recognition of the genus. The pileipellis of the species in this genus should mostly be regarded as (sub)epithelium to hyphoepithelium, because the pileipellis of most studied species here is composed of short inflated cells in the inner layer (subpellis) and filamentous hyphae in outer layer (suprapellis). The basidiospores of the studied species, including the type species, H. impolitum, have a warty surface.
A Novel Effector Protein SsERP1 Inhibits Plant Ethylene Signaling to Promote Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Infection
Authors: Fan Hongxia , Yang Wenwen , Nie Jiayue , Zhang Wenjuan , Wu Jian , Wu Dewei , Wang Youping
Published: October 2021

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most devastating pathogens in Brassica napus and causes huge economic loss worldwide. Though around one hundred putative effectors have been predicted in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum genome, their functions are largely unknown. In this study, we cloned and characterized a novel effector, SsERP1 (ethylene pathway repressor protein 1), in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. SsERP1 is a secretory protein highly expressed at the early stages of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. Ectopic overexpression of SsERP1 in plant leaves promoted Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection, and the knockout mutants of SsERP1 showed reduced pathogenicity but retained normal mycelial growth and sclerotium formation, suggesting that SsERP1 specifically contributes to the pathogenesis of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Transcriptome analysis indicated that SsERP1 promotes Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection by inhibiting plant ethylene signaling pathway. Moreover, we showed that knocking down SsERP1 by in vitro synthesized double-strand RNAs was able to effectively inhibit Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection, which verifies the function of SsERP1 in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pathogenesis and further suggests a potential strategy for Sclerotinia disease control.
Cardiac Sympathetic Activity and Rhythm Control Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation—A Prospective 123I-mIBG-SPECT/CT Imaging Study
Authors: Lange Philipp S. , Wenning Christian , Avramovic Nemanja , Leitz Patrick , Larbig Robert , Frommeyer Gerrit , Schäfers Michael , Eckardt Lars
Published: October 2021

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and antiarrhythmic drug therapy are established treatment strategies to preserve sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the efficacy of both interventional and pharmaceutical therapy is still limited. Solid evidence suggests an important role of the cardiac sympathetic nervous system in AF. In this blinded, prospective observational study, we studied left ventricular cardiac sympathetic activity in patients treated with PVI and with antiarrhythmic drugs. Prospectively, Iodine-123-benzyl-guanidine single photon emission computer tomography (123I-mIBG-SPECT) was performed in a total of 23 patients with paroxysmal AF, who underwent PVI (n = 20) or received antiarrhythmic drug therapy only (n = 3), respectively. 123I-mIBG planar and SPECT/CT scans were performed before and 4 to 8 weeks after PVI (or initiation of drug therapy, respectively). For semiquantitative SPECT image analysis, attenuation-corrected early/late images were analyzed. Quantitative SPECT analysis was performed using the AHA 17-segment model of the left ventricle. Results: PVI with point-by-point radiofrequency ablation led to a significantly (p < 0.05) higher visual sympathetic innervation defect score when comparing pre-and post PVI. Newly emerging innervation deficits post PVI were localized predominantly in the inferior lateral wall. These findings were corroborated by semiquantitative SPECT analysis identifying inferolateral segments with a reduced tracer uptake in comparison to SPECT before PVI. Following PVI, patients with an AF relapse showed a different sympathetic innervation pattern compared to patients with sufficient rhythm control. Conclusions: PVI results in novel defects of cardiac sympathetic innervation. Differences in cardiac sympathetic innervation remodelling following PVI suggest an important role of the cardiac autonomous nervous system in the maintenance of sinus rhythm following PVI.
Coronary Angiography Print: An Automated Accurate Hidden Biometric Method Based on Filtered Local Binary Pattern Using Coronary Angiography Images
Authors: Kobat Mehmet Ali , Tuncer Turker
Published: October 2021

Background and purpose: Biometrics is a commonly studied research issue for both biomedical engineering and forensics sciences. Besides, the purpose of hidden biometrics is to discover hidden biometrics features. This work aims to demonstrate the biometric identification ability of coronary angiography images. Material and method: A new coronary angiography images database was collected to develop an automatic identification model. The used database was collected from 51 subjects and contains 2156 images. The developed model has to preprocess; feature generation using local binary pattern; feature selection with neighborhood component analysis; and classification phases. In the preprocessing phase; image rotations; median filter; Gaussian filter; and speckle noise addition functions have been used to generate filtered images. A multileveled extractor is presented using local binary pattern and maximum pooling together. The generated features are fed to neighborhood component analysis and the selected features are classified using k nearest neighbor classifier. Results: The presented angiography image identification method attained 99.86% classification accuracy on the collected database. Conclusions: The obtained findings demonstrate that the angiography images can be utilized as biometric identification. Moreover, we discover a new hidden biometric feature using coronary angiography images and name of this hidden biometric is coronary angiography print.
Does Heterogeneity in COVID-19 News Affect Asset Market? Monte-Carlo Simulation Based Wavelet Transform
Authors: Siddique Asima , Kayani Ghulam Mujtaba , Ashfaq Saira
Published: October 2021

The current study investigates the connectedness between US COVID-19 news, Dowes Jones Index (DJI), green bonds, gold, and bitcoin prices for the period 22 January 2020–3 August 2021. The study has employed wavelet coherency, the continuous wavelet transform, and the wavelet-based Granger causality methods to obtain the dependence result. The continuous wavelet transform (CWT) analysis reveals that the United States equity market prices are extremely sensitive with regard to spreading coronavirus (USCOVID-19) news and changes in the oil price. Green bonds, gold, and bitcoin have minimal connectedness with the equity market, which might lead to the hedge and safe haven role of these assets during the COVID-19 crisis period. Lastly, very strong comovement was found between bitcoin and gold during the entire sample. The results of the present study offer a number of fresh and noticeable policy implications for international investors and asset managers.