bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Self-Reported and Device-Measured Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life among European Older Adults
Authors: Sansano-Nadal Oriol , Giné-Garriga Maria , Rodríguez-Roca Beatriz , Guerra-Balic Myriam , Ferri Kelly , Wilson Jason J. , Caserotti Paolo , Olsen Pia Øllgaard , Blackburn Nicole E. , Rothenbacher Dietrich , Dallmeier Dhayana , Roqué-Fíguls Marta , McIntosh Emma , Martín-Borràs Carme
Published: December 2021

Human movement behaviours such as physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) during waking time have a significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older adults. In this study, we aimed to analyse the association between self-reported and device-measured SB and PA with HRQoL in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults from four European countries. A subsample of 1193 participants from the SITLESS trial (61% women and 75.1 ± 6.2 years old) were included in the analysis. The association between self-reported and objective measures of SB and PA with HRQoL were quantified using Spearman’s Rho coefficients. The strength of the associations between self-reported and device-measured PA and SB with self-rated HRQoL (mental composite score, MCS; physical composite score, PCS) were assessed through multivariate multiple regression analysis. Self-reported and device-measured PA and SB levels showed significant but poor associations with PCS (p < 0.05). The association with MCS was only significant but poor with self-reported light PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that both self-reported and device-measured PA of all intensities were positively and significantly associated, while SB was negatively and significantly associated with the PCS of the SF-12.
The Relationship between Sarcopenia and Respiratory Muscle Weakness in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Morisawa Tomoyuki , Kunieda Yota , Koyama Shingo , Suzuki Mizue , Takahashi Yuma , Takakura Tomokazu , Kikuchi Yuta , Matsuda Tadamitsu , Fujino Yuji , Sawa Ryuichi , Sakuyama Akihiro , Saitoh Masakazu , Takahashi Tetsuya , Fujiwara Toshiyuki
Published: December 2021

An association between respiratory muscle weakness and sarcopenia may provide a clue to the mechanism of sarcopenia development. We aimed to clarify this relationship among community-dwelling older adults. In total, 117 community-dwelling older adults were assessed and classified into 4 groups: robust, respiratory muscle weakness, sarcopenia, and respiratory sarcopenia. The respiratory sarcopenia group (12%) had a significantly higher percentage of males and had lower BMI, skeletal muscle index, skeletal muscle mass, phase angle, and oral function than the robust group (32.5%). All physical functions were significantly lower. The respiratory muscle weakness group (54.7%) had a significantly lower BMI and slower walking speed, compared with the robust group. The sarcopenia group (0.8%) was excluded from the analysis. The percent maximum inspiratory pressure was significantly lower in both the respiratory muscle weakness and respiratory sarcopenia groups, compared with the robust group. Almost all participants with sarcopenia showed respiratory muscle weakness. In addition, approximately 50% had respiratory muscle weakness, even in the absence of systemic sarcopenia, suggesting that respiratory muscle weakness may be the precursor of sarcopenia. The values indicating physical function and skeletal muscle mass in the respiratory muscle weakness group were between those in the robust and the respiratory sarcopenia groups.
The Role of Exercise Training on Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gonzalo-Encabo Paola , Maldonado Gonzalo , Valadés David , Ferragut Carmen , Pérez-López Alberto
Published: December 2021

Low-grade systemic inflammation leads to critical alterations of several tissues and organs that can promote the appearance of non-communicable diseases, a risk that is increased in adults with obesity. Exercise training may counteract low-grade systemic inflammation, but there is a lack of consensus on how cytokines are modulated by training in adults with obesity. This study aimed of examining the effects of exercise training on circulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in adults with overweight and obesity, and whether exercise-induced fat mass reduction could mediate that effect. The search was conducted on Medline (Pubmed), SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases from January 1998 to August 2021, using keywords pertaining to inflammation, exercise, and obesity. A total of 27 studies were selected, in which the circulating concentration levels of cytokines were analyzed. Endurance training (ET) decreased circulating CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α levels. TNF-α was reduced after resistance and concurrent training (CT), while IL-10 increased after resistance training (RT). Changes in IL-10 and CRP coincided with fat mass reduction, while decreased TNF-α levels were concomitant with changes in IL-6 and IL-10. Exercise training may reduce systemic low-grade inflammation profile in adults with overweight and obesity.
Characterizing the Content Related to Oral Health Education on TikTok
Authors: Fraticelli Laurie , Smentek Colette , Tardivo Delphine , Masson Julien , Clément Céline , Roy Sylvain , Dussart Claude , Bourgeois Denis , Carrouel Florence
Published: December 2021

Neglecting oral hygiene in adolescents negatively affects dental caries and periodontal diseases, in addition to social and emotional well-being. Thus, the TikTok platform (ByteDance, Beijing, China)as a social media could be a powerful channel to provide health-related information and educational content. This study aims to assess the quality of the TikTok videos corresponding to #oralhealtheducation. Sixty-nine videos were identified. Three oral health professionals (OHP), three health education professionals (HEP), and ten of TikTok’s target audience watched and evaluated the videos from a qualitative questionnaire. OHP detected false or incorrect information in 11.6% (8/69) of the videos. At least two HEPs reported being unable to detect this type of content or whether the video met dental ethics standards in both the videos. Disagreement was observed among the professionals themselves. The evaluation indicated that TikTok’s target audience was satisfied with the products viewed with an average score of >2.5, unlike the professionals, whose average score was <2.5 on a scale of 0 to 5. Users are advised to think critically and to consider the content of TikTok oral health videos with caution. The involvement of health professionals in the writing and validation of the videos could be an added value to positively respond to the needs of the adolescents.
Applying Customer Journey Mapping in Social Marketing to Understand Salt-Related Behaviors in Cooking. A Case Study
Authors: Cateriano-Arévalo Erik , Saavedra-Garcia Lorena , Ponce-Lucero Vilarmina , Miranda J. Jaime
Published: December 2021

Worldwide, salt consumption exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommendation of a daily intake of 5 g. Customer journey mapping is a research method used in market research to understand customer behaviors and experiences and could be useful in social marketing as well. This study aimed to explore the potential of customer journey mapping to better understand salt-related behaviors performed during the preparation of household cooking. We tracked the journey of four women in their kitchens for approximately two hours to observe the preparation of lunch. Individual journey maps were created, one for each woman, that were composited into a single journey map. We found that customer journey mapping was a suitable research method to understand how food preparers made decisions around adding salt and artificial seasonings at each stage of the journey. In contrast to the interviewee’ responses, it was observed that the four women added salt and artificial seasonings consistently and incrementally with little control and without any standard measure. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of customer journey mapping in a novel context and nudge social marketers to include this tool in their repertory of research methods to understand human behavior.
A Structural Equation Modeling of Mental Health Literacy in Healthcare Students
Authors: Lu Chia-Min , Lien Yin-Ju , Chao Hsing-Jung , Lin Hui-Shin , Tsai I-Chuan
Published: December 2021

Background: There is a high prevalence of mental illness among healthcare students, and most students with mental health problems are reluctant to seek help from mental health professionals. Help-seeking is a component of mental health literacy (MHL). Although MHL is conceptualized as multi-dimensional, a theory-based multi-construct of MHL is still lacking. We aimed to build a theory-based multi-construct of MHL to explore the pathways of help-seeking. Methods: The data were obtained from a survey on MHL among healthcare students in 2018 (n = 1294). The Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students was used to measure the maintenance of positive mental health, recognition of mental illness, mental illness stigma attitudes, help-seeking efficacy, and help-seeking attitudes. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted. Results: The findings of the SEM model indicated recognition of mental illness had a positive direct effect on both help-seeking efficacy and maintenance of positive mental health. Additionally, help-seeking efficacy fully mediated the relationship between recognition of mental illness and help-seeking attitudes. Conclusions: Help-seeking efficacy plays a significant role in healthcare students’ willingness to seek professional help when mental health care is needed. Accordingly, improving help-seeking efficacy strategies would increase the use of mental health services and contribute to the prevention of mental health problems.
Differences in the Impact of COVID-19 on Pathology Laboratories and Cancer Diagnosis in Girona
Authors: Sanvisens Arantza , Puigdemont Montse , Rubió-Casadevall Jordi , Vidal-Vila Anna , López-Bonet Eugeni , Martín-Romero Ferran , Marcos-Gragera Rafael
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The recent COVID-19 pandemic has compromised socio-health care, with consequences for the diagnosis and follow-up of other pathologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on cancer diagnosis in Girona, Spain. Methodology: Observational study of samples received in two pathology laboratories during 2019–2020 (tertiary hospital in Girona and county hospital in Figueres). Date, sample type, and location and morphology were available. Samples were recoded to determine malignancy and grouped by location. Comparisons were made by calendar year and period of exposure to COVID-19. Results: 102,360 samples were included: 80,517 from Girona and 21,843 from Figueres. The reduction in activity in the pathology laboratories in 2020 compared to the previous year was 25.4% in Girona and 27.5% in Figueres. The reduction in cancer diagnoses in 2020 compared to 2019 was 6.8% in Girona and 21% in Figueres. In both laboratories, a decrease was observed in the diagnoses of neoplasms of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, colon, rectum and anus, kidney and urinary system, melanoma, and central nervous system. A statistically significant higher probability of a sample received in the pathology laboratory displaying malignancy during COVID-19 was found (Girona: OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.23–1.34; Figueres: OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01–1.20) with respect to the COVID-19-free period. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a reduction in cancer diagnoses by pathology departments that varies according to tumor location and type of hospital. Despite this, the optimization of care resources and the recovery effort have partially reduced the impact of the pandemic in certain neoplasms.
Clogging and Water Quality Change Effects of Typical Metal Pollutants under Intermittent Managed Aquifer Recharge Using Urban Stormwater
Authors: Ma Siyao , Song Yalin , Ye Xueyan , Du Xinqiang , Ma Jingjia
Published: December 2021

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) using urban stormwater facilitates relieving water supply pressure, restoring the ecological environment, and developing sustainable water resources. However, compared to conventional water sources, such as river water and lake water, MAR using urban stormwater is a typically intermittent recharge mode. In order to study the clogging and water quality change effects of Fe, Zn, and Pb, the typical mental pollutants in urban stormwater, a series of intermittent MAR column experiments were performed. The results show that the type of pollutant, the particle size of the medium and the intermittent recharge mode have significant impacts on the pollutant retention and release, which has led to different clogging and water quality change effects. The metals that are easily retained in porous media have greater potential for clogging and less potential for groundwater pollution. The fine medium easily becomes clogged, but it is beneficial in preventing groundwater contamination. There is a higher risk of groundwater contamination for a shallow buried aquifer under intermittent MAR than continuous MAR, mainly because of the de-clogging effect of porous media during the intermittent period.
Differences in Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviours among Australian Junior and Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pascoe Amy , Paul Eldho , Johnson Douglas , Putland Mark , Willis Karen , Smallwood Natasha
Published: December 2021

Background: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital medical staff (HMS) have faced significant personal, workplace, and financial disruption. Many have experienced psychosocial burden, exceeding already concerning baseline levels. This study examines the types and predictors of coping strategies and help-seeking behaviours utilised by Australian junior and senior HMS during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of Australian frontline healthcare workers was conducted between 27 August and 23 October 2020. Data collected included demographics, personal and workplace disruptions, self-reported and validated mental health symptoms, coping strategies, and help-seeking. Results: The 9518 participants included 1966 hospital medical staff (62.1% senior, 37.9% junior). Both groups experienced a high burden of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and burnout. Coping strategies varied by seniority, with maintaining exercise the most common strategy for both groups. Adverse mental health was associated with increased alcohol consumption. Engagement with professional support, although more frequent among junior staff, was uncommon in both groups. Conclusions: Junior and senior staff utilised different coping and help-seeking behaviours. Despite recognition of symptoms, very few HMS engaged formal support. The varied predictors of coping and help-seeking identified may inform targeted interventions to support these cohorts in current and future crises.
Cardiovascular Health Peaks and Meteorological Conditions: A Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Chiu Yohann Moanahere , Chebana Fateh , Abdous Belkacem , Bélanger Diane , Gosselin Pierre
Published: December 2021

Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are influenced by meteorological conditions, such as temperature or snowfall. Relationships between cardiovascular health and meteorological conditions are usually studied based on specific meteorological events or means. However, those studies bring little to no insight into health peaks and unusual events far from the mean, such as a day with an unusually high number of hospitalizations. Health peaks represent a heavy burden for the public health system; they are, however, usually studied specifically when they occur (e.g., the European 2003 heatwave). Specific analyses are needed, using appropriate statistical tools. Quantile regression can provide such analysis by focusing not only on the conditional median, but on different conditional quantiles of the dependent variable. In particular, high quantiles of a health issue can be treated as health peaks. In this study, quantile regression is used to model the relationships between conditional quantiles of cardiovascular variables and meteorological variables in Montreal (Canada), focusing on health peaks. Results show that meteorological impacts are not constant throughout the conditional quantiles. They are stronger in health peaks compared to quantiles around the median. Results also show that temperature is the main significant variable. This study highlights the fact that classical statistical methods are not appropriate when health peaks are of interest. Quantile regression allows for more precise estimations for health peaks, which could lead to refined public health warnings.
Medical Prognosis of Infectious Diseases in Nursing Homes by Applying Machine Learning on Clinical Data Collected in Cloud Microservices
Authors: Garcés-Jiménez Alberto , Calderón-Gómez Huriviades , Gómez-Pulido José M. , Gómez-Pulido Juan A. , Vargas-Lombardo Miguel , Castillo-Sequera José L. , Aguirre Miguel Pablo , Sanz-Moreno José , Polo-Luque María-Luz , Rodríguez-Puyol Diego
Published: December 2021

Background: treating infectious diseases in elderly individuals is difficult; patient referral to emergency services often occurs, since the elderly tend to arrive at consultations with advanced, serious symptoms. Aim: it was hypothesized that anticipating an infectious disease diagnosis by a few days could significantly improve a patient’s well-being and reduce the burden on emergency health system services. Methods: vital signs from residents were taken daily and transferred to a database in the cloud. Classifiers were used to recognize patterns in the spatial domain process of the collected data. Doctors reported their diagnoses when any disease presented. A flexible microservice architecture provided access and functionality to the system. Results: combining two different domains, health and technology, is not easy, but the results are encouraging. The classifiers reported good results; the system has been well accepted by medical personnel and is proving to be cost-effective and a good solution to service disadvantaged areas. In this context, this research found the importance of certain clinical variables in the identification of infectious diseases. Conclusions: this work explores how to apply mobile communications, cloud services, and machine learning technology, in order to provide efficient tools for medical staff in nursing homes. The scalable architecture can be extended to big data applications that may extract valuable knowledge patterns for medical research.
Study of Relationships between Ceiling Smoke Leakage Rate and Evacuation Time in the Ward
Authors: Liu Shuo-Hong , Lin Ching-Yuan , Chuang Ying-Ji
Published: December 2021

With reference to the requirements of CNS 15038 and testing principles, this study proposes a set of equipment for measuring the leakage volume of ceilings and provides detailed assembly specifications for future users. In this study, a total of 405 tests were conducted as part of a set of experiments for measuring the leakage volume of ceilings, using various ceiling materials, ceiling sizes, and construction methods, in conjunction with the principles of fluid mechanics, to propose a method for evaluating the leakage volume of ceilings of various sizes and materials. Two cases—bottom-up airflow and top-down airflow—were considered. According to our research findings, in the case of bottom-up airflow, the pressure difference, panel weight, and panel size were correlated with the leakage volume; the more significant the pressure difference, the larger the leakage volume; the heavier the panel weight, the more minor the leakage volume; and the larger the panel size, the more significant the leakage volume. On the other hand, in the case of top-down airflow, different leakage volumes were observed for different ceiling materials, even if the ceiling size was identical. On the other hand, when the ceiling material was the same, and the ceiling size was different, there was not a positive relationship between the leakage volume and a larger panel size; instead, the leakage volume observed for the largest panel was the smallest. Finally, in this study we propose a volumetric leakage assessment table for assessing a ceiling as a whole, which can be utilized by engineers in the future to calculate the smoke leakage value and to estimate the smoke fall time for ward escape designs.
The Validation and Improvement of a Food Literacy Behavior Checklist for Food Literacy Programs
Authors: Paynter Ellen , Begley Andrea , Butcher Lucy M. , Dhaliwal Satvinder S.
Published: December 2021

Food literacy is a multidimensional construct required to achieve diet quality. The Food Sensations® for Adults (FSA) program aims to improve the food literacy of low to middle-income adults living in Western Australia and is funded by the Western Australian Department of Health. The original published behavior checklist used to measure change in food literacy has been revised based on experience of the facilitators and the iterative development of the program. This research sought to assess the validity and reliability of the improved food literacy behavior checklist. A total of 1,359 participants completed the checklist over an 18-month period. Content, face, and construct validity were considered in the re-development of the checklist. An exploratory factor analysis of the checklist identified three factors: (1) Plan and Manage, (2) Selection, and (3) Preparation. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.883, 0.760, and 0.868 were found for each of the three factors respectively. These coefficients indicated good internal consistency and were higher than those found in the original checklist analysis. An external validation was undertaken with the original food literacy behavior checklist, and a strong positive relationship between the two tools was found. In addition to being used to evaluate FSA, this revised and extensively validated tool could provide guidance to others evaluating similar food literacy programs and contribute to international measurement research.
Towards Carbon Neutrality: The Impact of Renewable Energy Development on Carbon Emission Efficiency
Authors: Dong Feng , Qin Chang , Zhang Xiaoyun , Zhao Xu , Pan Yuling , Gao Yujin , Zhu Jiao , Li Yangfan
Published: December 2021

The energy transition and carbon emission efficiency are important thrust and target functions, respectively, for achieving carbon neutrality in the future. Using a sample of 30 Chinese provinces from 2006 to 2018, we measured their carbon efficiency using the game cross-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA). Then, a random forest regression model was used to explore the impact of renewable energy development on regional carbon emission efficiency. The results are as follows. First, China’s carbon emission efficiency in the southeast coastal area was better than that in the northwest area. Second, renewable energy development first inhibited and then promoted carbon emission efficiency, and there existed a reasonable range. Third, through a regional heterogeneity analysis, the trend of the influence of renewable energy development on carbon emission efficiency was found to not be significantly different in eastern, central, and western China, but there was a certain gap in the reasonable range. Our study not only helps to promote the study of renewable energy development and the carbon neutral target, but also provides an important reference for Chinese policy-makers to design a reasonable carbon emissions reduction path.
Landscape Evolution and Simulation of Rural Settlements around Wetland Park Based on MCCA Model and Landscape Theory: A Case Study of Chaohu Peninsula, China
Authors: Fan Xin , Luo Wenxu , Yu Haoran , Rong Yuejing , Gu Xinchen , Zheng Yanjun , Ou Shengya , Tiando Damien Sinonmatohou , Zhang Qiang , Tang Guiling , Li Jiangfeng
Published: December 2021

As a transitional zone between urban and rural areas, the peri-urban areas are the areas with the most intense urban expansion and the most frequent spatial reconfiguration, and in this context, it is particularly important to reveal the evolution pattern of rural settlements in the peri-urban areas to provide reference for the rearrangement of rural settlements. The study takes five townships in the urban suburbs, and explores the scale, shape, spatial layout, and spatial characteristics of the urban suburbs of Hefei from 1980 to 2030 under the influence of urban-lake symbiosis based on spatial mathematical analysis and geographical simulation software. The study shows that: (1) the overall layout of rural settlements in the study area is randomly distributed due to the hilly terrain, but in small areas there is a high and low clustering phenomenon, and the spatial density shows the distribution characteristics of “high in the east and low in the west”; (2) since the reform and opening up, there are large spatial differences in the scale of rural settlements in the study area. (3) Different development scenarios have a strong impact on the future spatial pattern of rural settlement land use within the study area, which is a strong reflection of policy.
Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Low Back Pain in the Saudi Adult Community: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Alhowimel Ahmed S. , Alodaibi Faris , Alshehri Mohammed M. , Alqahtani Bader A. , Alotaibi Mazyad , Alenazi Aqeel M.
Published: December 2021

Worldwide, low back pain is common and linked with many risk factors. There is a lack of studies in the Saudi Arabian community on low back pain prevalence and risk factors. Therefore, the present research will investigate the prevalence of low back pain in the middle-aged and elderly community population and examine the risk factors contributing to low back pain in Saudi Arabia. The present paper is a cross-sectional study of the community living in Riyadh and the surrounding areas in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between October 2019 and April 2020 via trained research assistants. A total of 276 participants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of low back pain was 27.9% (n = 77) among the participants included in this study. All participants reported low back pain severity with a mean of 4.35 ± 2.19 on the pain rating scale. Older age, arthritis, hypertension, anemia, osteoporosis, and a history of fractures were all associated with having LBP. Low back pain is highly prevalent in the Saudi community adult population living in Riyadh and its surrounding areas. More than a fourth of the sample reported experiencing back pain. The study outlines several modifiable risk factors (BMI, education, employment status, marital status, and smoking status) and unmodifiable risk factors (arthritis, hypertension, anemia, osteoporosis, and a history of fractures) associated with low back pain in the study sample.
Development of a Personal Ultrasound Exposimeter for Occupational Health Monitoring
Authors: Cieslak Michal , Kling Christoph , Wolff Andrea
Published: December 2021

Prolonged exposure to airborne ultrasound in a workplace can have a detrimental influence on a worker’s well-being. Given the ever-increasing use of ultrasonic industrial equipment, it is of vital importance—and may also be regulated by law—to monitor ultrasound exposure during a normal workday as part of workplace risk assessment. However, the devices currently utilized exhibit limitations with regard to both their operational frequency and their portability (wearability). In this paper, the first prototype of a high-frequency and ultrasound personal exposimeter is presented in the light of the latest national and international standards governing high-frequency and ultrasonic noise measurement in the field of occupational health monitoring. The prototype was tested in the laboratory environment in order to assess its sound level detection capabilities in both the audible and ultrasonic frequency ranges. Several common industrial scenarios—including an ultrasonic welding machine, an ultrasonic cleaning bath, and a compressed air gun—were simulated in a laboratory environment. For each simulated set-up, a corresponding high-frequency or ultrasonic signal was fed through a specially prepared generation chain. Each experimental scenario was initially surveyed with an ultrasound level meter previously tested up to 100 kHz. This was followed by a measurement with the prototype. For this study, the simulated sound signals varied between 10 kHz and 40 kHz on the frequency scale and between 60 dB and 90 dB in amplitude. The portability of the prototype, which may be required to be worn throughout an entire workday (e.g., 8 h), was also considered. All the experiments were performed on a customized ultrasound measurement set-up within a free-field environment located at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Germany. Results obtained suggest a good agreement between the measurements performed with both devices in the louder areas of the sound fields produced. Because the overall measurement uncertainty is highly dependent on the specificity of the individual measurement set-up and measurement procedure, an uncertainty budget estimated for the prototype considers electro-acoustical contributions only.
Alexithymia, Dissociation, and Family Functioning in a Sample of Online Gamblers: A Moderated Mediation Study
Authors: Topino Eleonora , Gori Alessio , Cacioppo Marco
Published: December 2021

The diffusion of the internet and technological progress have made gambling on online platforms possible, also making it more anonymous, convenient, and available, increasing the risk of pathological outcomes for vulnerable individuals. Given this context, the present study explores the role of some protective and risk factors for problematic gambling in online gamblers by focusing on the interaction between alexithymia, dissociation, and family functioning. A sample of 193 online gamblers (Mage = 28.8 years, SD = 10.59; 17% females, 83% males) completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen, Twenty-Items Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Dissociative Experience Scale-II, and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-IV through an online survey. MANOVA, ANOVA and moderated mediation analyses were carried out to analyse the data. Significant differences in cohesive family functioning, alexithymia and dissociation have been found between online gamblers with problematic, at-risk or absent levels of gambling disease. Furthermore, the results showed a significant and positive association between alexithymia and problematic online gambling, partially mediated by dissociation, with the moderation of cohesive family functioning. Such data may have relevant clinical implications, highlighting the interaction of some core personal and environmental variables that may be involved in the etiology of online pathological gambling and could be kept in mind to tailor preventive interventions.
A Novel Predictor for Micro-Scale COVID-19 Risk Modeling: An Empirical Study from a Spatiotemporal Perspective
Authors: Zhang Sui , Wang Minghao , Yang Zhao , Zhang Baolei
Published: December 2021

Risk assessments for COVID-19 are the basis for formulating prevention and control strategies, especially at the micro scale. In a previous risk assessment model, various “densities” were regarded as the decisive driving factors of COVID-19 in the spatial dimension (population density, facility density, trajectory density, etc.). However, this conclusion ignored the fact that the “densities” were actually an abstract reflection of the “contact” frequency, which is a more essential determinant of epidemic transmission and lacked any means of corresponding quantitative correction. In this study, based on the facility density (FD), which has often been used in traditional research, a novel micro-scale COVID-19 risk predictor, facility attractiveness (FA, which has a better ability to reflect “contact” frequency), was proposed for improving the gravity model in combination with the differences in regional population density and mobility levels of an age-hierarchical population. An empirical analysis based on spatiotemporal modeling was carried out using geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) in the Qingdao metropolitan area during the first wave of the pandemic. The spatiotemporally nonstationary relationships between facility density (attractiveness) and micro-risk of COVID-19 were revealed in the modeling results. The new predictors showed that residential areas and health-care facilities had more reasonable impacts than traditional “densities”. Compared with the model constructed using FDs (0.5159), the global prediction ability (adjusted R2) of the FA model (0.5694) was increased by 10.4%. The improvement in the local-scale prediction ability was more significant, especially in high-risk areas (rate: 107.2%) and densely populated areas (rate in Shinan District: 64.4%; rate in Shibei District: 57.8%) during the outset period. It was proven that the optimized predictors were more suitable for use in spatiotemporal infection risk modeling in the initial stage of regional epidemics than traditional predictors. These findings can provide methodological references and model-optimized ideas for future micro-scale spatiotemporal infection modeling.
Lifetime Carcinogenic Risk Proportions from Inhalation Exposures in Industrial and Non-Industrial Regions
Authors: Jiřík Vítězslav , Tomášek Ladislav , Fojtíková Ivana , Janoš Tomáš , Stanovská Markéta , Guňková Pavlína , Dalecká Andrea , Vrtková Adéla , Šrám Radim J.
Published: December 2021

The aim of this work was to estimate the share of selected significant risk factors for respiratory cancer in the overall incidence of this disease and their comparison in two environmentally different burdened regions. A combination of a longitudinal cross-sectional population study with a US EPA health risk assessment methodology was used. The result of this procedure is the expression of lifelong carcinogenic risks and their contribution in the overall incidence of the disease. Compared to exposures to benzo[a]pyrene in the air and fibrogenic dust in the working air, several orders of magnitude higher share of the total incidence of respiratory cancer was found in radon exposures, for women 60% in the industrial area, respectively 100% in the non-industrial area, for men 24%, respectively 15%. The share of risks in workers exposed to fibrogenic dust was found to be 0.35% in the industrial area. For benzo[a]pyrene, the share of risks was below 1% and the share of other risk factors was in the monitored areas was up to 85%. The most significant share in the development of respiratory cancer in both monitored areas is represented by radon for women and other risk factors for men.
A Genus-Wide Bioactivity Analysis of Daboia (Viperinae: Viperidae) Viper Venoms Reveals Widespread Variation in Haemotoxic Properties
Authors: op den Brouw Bianca , Coimbra Francisco C. P. , Casewell Nicholas R. , Ali Syed Abid , Vonk Freek J. , Fry Bryan G.
Published: December 2021

The snake genus Daboia (Viperidae: Viperinae; Oppel, 1811) contains five species: D. deserti, D. mauritanica, and D. palaestinae, found in Afro-Arabia, and the Russell’s vipers D. russelii and D. siamensis, found in Asia. Russell’s vipers are responsible for a major proportion of the medically important snakebites that occur in the regions they inhabit, and their venoms are notorious for their coagulopathic effects. While widely documented, the extent of venom variation within the Russell’s vipers is poorly characterised, as is the venom activity of other species within the genus. In this study we investigated variation in the haemotoxic activity of Daboia using twelve venoms from all five species, including multiple variants of D. russelii, D. siamensis, and D. palaestinae. We tested the venoms on human plasma using thromboelastography, dose-response coagulometry analyses, and calibrated automated thrombography, and on human fibrinogen by thromboelastography and fibrinogen gels. We assessed activation of blood factors X and prothrombin by the venoms using fluorometry. Variation in venom activity was evident in all experiments. The Asian species D. russelii and D. siamensis and the African species D. mauritanica possessed procoagulant venom, while D. deserti and D. palaestinae were net-anticoagulant. Of the Russell’s vipers, the venom of D. siamensis from Myanmar was most toxic and D. russelli of Sri Lanka the least. Activation of both factor X and prothrombin was evident by all venoms, though at differential levels. Fibrinogenolytic activity varied extensively throughout the genus and followed no phylogenetic trends. This venom variability underpins one of the many challenges facing treatment of Daboia snakebite envenoming. Comprehensive analyses of available antivenoms in neutralising these variable venom activities are therefore of utmost importance.
Activin A Promotes Osteoblastic Differentiation of Human Preosteoblasts through the ALK1-Smad1/5/9 Pathway
Authors: Sugii Hideki , Albougha Mhd Safwan , Adachi Orie , Tomita Hiroka , Tomokiyo Atsushi , Hamano Sayuri , Hasegawa Daigaku , Yoshida Shinichiro , Itoyama Tomohiro , Maeda Hidefumi
Published: December 2021

Activin A, a member of transforming growth factor-β superfamily, is involved in the regulation of cellular differentiation and promotes tissue healing. Previously, we reported that expression of activin A was upregulated around the damaged periodontal tissue including periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue and alveolar bone, and activin A promoted PDL-related gene expression of human PDL cells (HPDLCs). However, little is known about the biological function of activin A in alveolar bone. Thus, this study analyzed activin A-induced biological functions in preosteoblasts (Saos2 cells). Activin A promoted osteoblastic differentiation of Saos2 cells. Activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 1, an activin type I receptor, was more strongly expressed in Saos2 cells than in HPDLCs, and knockdown of ALK1 inhibited activin A-induced osteoblastic differentiation of Saos2 cells. Expression of ALK1 was upregulated in alveolar bone around damaged periodontal tissue when compared with a nondamaged site. Furthermore, activin A promoted phosphorylation of Smad1/5/9 during osteoblastic differentiation of Saos2 cells and knockdown of ALK1 inhibited activin A-induced phosphorylation of Smad1/5/9 in Saos2 cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that activin A promotes osteoblastic differentiation of preosteoblasts through the ALK1-Smad1/5/9 pathway and could be used as a therapeutic product for the healing of alveolar bone as well as PDL tissue.
Small-Cell Lung Cancer Long-Term Survivor Patients: How to Find a Needle in a Haystack?
Authors: Plaja Andrea , Moran Teresa , Carcereny Enric , Saigi Maria , Hernández Ainhoa , Cucurull Marc , Domènech Marta
Published: December 2021

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by a rapid progression and a high resistance to treatments. Unlike other solid tumors, there has been a scarce improvement in emerging treatments and survival during the last years. A better understanding of SCLC biology has allowed for the establishment of a molecular classification based on four transcription factors, and certain therapeutic vulnerabilities have been proposed. The universal inactivation of TP53 and RB1, along with the absence of mutations in known targetable oncogenes, has hampered the development of targeted therapies. On the other hand, the immunosuppressive microenvironment makes the success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which have achieved a modest improvement in overall survival in patients with extensive disease, difficult. Currently, atezolizumab or durvalumab, in combination with platinum–etoposide chemotherapy, is the standard of care in first-line setting. However, the magnitude of the benefit is scarce and no predictive biomarkers of response have yet been established. In this review, we describe SCLC biology and molecular classification, examine the SCLC tumor microenvironment and the challenges of predictive biomarkers of response to new treatments, and, finally, assess clinical and molecular characteristics of long-term survivor patients in order to identify possible prognostic factors and treatment vulnerabilities.
Calcium Signaling in the Cerebellar Radial Glia and Its Association with Morphological Changes during Zebrafish Development
Authors: Pereida-Jaramillo Elizabeth , Gómez-González Gabriela B. , Espino-Saldaña Angeles Edith , Martínez-Torres Ataúlfo
Published: December 2021

Radial glial cells are a distinct non-neuronal cell type that, during development, span the entire width of the brain walls of the ventricular system. They play a central role in the origin and placement of neurons, since their processes form structural scaffolds that guide and facilitate neuronal migration. Furthermore, glutamatergic signaling in the radial glia of the adult cerebellum (i.e., Bergmann glia), is crucial for precise motor coordination. Radial glial cells exhibit spontaneous calcium activity and functional coupling spread calcium waves. However, the origin of calcium activity in relation to the ontogeny of cerebellar radial glia has not been widely explored, and many questions remain unanswered regarding the role of radial glia in brain development in health and disease. In this study we used a combination of whole mount immunofluorescence and calcium imaging in transgenic (gfap-GCaMP6s) zebrafish to determine how development of calcium activity is related to morphological changes of the cerebellum. We found that the morphological changes in cerebellar radial glia are quite dynamic; the cells are remarkably larger and more elaborate in their soma size, process length and numbers after 7 days post fertilization. Spontaneous calcium events were scarce during the first 3 days of development and calcium waves appeared on day 5, which is associated with the onset of more complex morphologies of radial glia. Blockage of gap junction coupling inhibited the propagation of calcium waves, but not basal local calcium activity. This work establishes crucial clues in radial glia organization, morphology and calcium signaling during development and provides insight into its role in complex behavioral paradigms.
An Insight on Novel Molecular Pathways in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Focus on DDR, MSI and AKT
Authors: Mollica Veronica , Marchetti Andrea , Rosellini Matteo , Nuvola Giacomo , Rizzo Alessandro , Santoni Matteo , Cimadamore Alessia , Montironi Rodolfo , Massari Francesco
Published: December 2021

Prostate cancer is still one of the main causes of cancer-related death in the male population, regardless of the advancements in the treatment scenario. The genetic knowledge on prostate cancer is widely increasing, allowing researchers to identify novel promising molecular targets and treatment approaches. Genomic profiling has evidenced that DNA damage repair genes’ alterations are quite frequent in metastatic, castration resistant prostate cancer and specific therapies can interfere with this pathway, showing promising activity in this setting. Microsatellite instability is gaining attention as it seems to represent a predictive factor of the response to immunotherapy. Furthermore, the PTEN-PI3K-AKT pathway is another possible treatment target being investigated. In this review, we explore the current knowledge on these frequent genomic alterations of metastatic prostate cancer, their possible therapeutic repercussions and the promising future treatments under evaluation.
Effects of P4 Antagonist RU486 on VEGF and Its Receptors’ Signaling during the In Vivo Transition from the Preovulatory to Periovulatory Phase of Ovarian Follicles
Authors: Mauro Annunziata , Berardinelli Paolo , Russo Valentina , Bernabò Nicola , Martelli Alessandra , Nardinocchi Delia , Di Giacinto Oriana , Turriani Maura , Barboni Barbara
Published: December 2021

The development of an adequate blood vessel network is crucial for the accomplishment of ovarian follicle growth and ovulation, which is necessary to support the proliferative and endocrine functions of the follicular cells. Although the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) through gonadotropins guides ovarian angiogenesis, the role exerted by the switch on of Progesterone (P4) during the periovulatory phase remains to be clarified. The present research aimed to investigate in vivo VEGF-mediated mechanisms by inducing the development of periovulatory follicles using a pharmacologically validated synchronization treatment carried out in presence or absence of P4 receptor antagonist RU486. Spatio-temporal expression profiles of VEGF, FLT1, and FLK1 receptors and the two major MAPK/ERKs and PI3K/AKT downstream pathways were analyzed on granulosa and on theca compartment. For the first time, the results demonstrated that in vivo administration of P4 antagonist RU486 inhibits follicular VEGF receptors’ signaling mainly acting on the theca layer by downregulating the activation of ERKs and AKTs. Under the effect of RU486, periovulatory follicles’ microarchitecture did not move towards the periovulatory stage. The present evidence provides new insights on P4 in vivo biological effects in driving vascular and tissue remodeling during the periovulatory phase.
Can Forest Trees Cope with Climate Change?—Effects of DNA Methylation on Gene Expression and Adaptation to Environmental Change
Authors: Klupczyńska Ewelina A. , Ratajczak Ewelina
Published: December 2021

Epigenetic modifications, including chromatin modifications and DNA methylation, play key roles in regulating gene expression in both plants and animals. Transmission of epigenetic markers is important for some genes to maintain specific expression patterns and preserve the status quo of the cell. This article provides a review of existing research and the current state of knowledge about DNA methylation in trees in the context of global climate change, along with references to the potential of epigenome editing tools and the possibility of their use for forest tree research. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, are involved in evolutionary processes, developmental processes, and environmental interactions. Thus, the implications of epigenetics are important for adaptation and phenotypic plasticity because they provide the potential for tree conservation in forest ecosystems exposed to adverse conditions resulting from global warming and regional climate fluctuations.
The Role of Anti-Inflammatory Adipokines in Cardiometabolic Disorders: Moving beyond Adiponectin
Authors: Jung Han Na , Jung Chang Hee
Published: December 2021

The global burden of obesity has multiplied owing to its rapidly growing prevalence and obesity-related morbidity and mortality. In addition to the classic role of depositing extra energy, adipose tissue actively interferes with the metabolic balance by means of secreting bioactive compounds called adipokines. While most adipokines give rise to inflammatory conditions, the others with anti-inflammatory properties have been the novel focus of attention for the amelioration of cardiometabolic complications. This review compiles the current evidence on the roles of anti-inflammatory adipokines, namely, adiponectin, vaspin, the C1q/TNF-related protein (CTRP) family, secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5), and omentin-1 on cardiometabolic health. Further investigations on the mechanism of action and prospective human trials may pave the way to their clinical application as innovative biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.