bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training Using a Commercial Immersive Virtual Reality System on Hand–Eye Coordination and Reaction Time in Young Musicians: A Pilot Study
Authors: Rutkowski Sebastian , Adamczyk Mateusz , Pastuła Agnieszka , Gos Edyta , Luque-Moreno Carlos , Rutkowska Anna
Published: February 2021

The implementation of virtual reality (VR) opens up a wide range of possibilities for the development of dexterity, speed and precision of movements. The aim of this study was to investigate whether immersive VR training affected the hand–eye coordination and reaction time in students of the state music school. This study implemented a single-group pre-post study design. This study enrolled 14 individuals, submitted to a 15 min training session of the immersive music game “Beat Saber”, once a day for 5 consecutive days. The plate-tapping test (PTT) and the ruler-drop test (Ditrich’s test) were used to assess the reaction time. Trial-making test (TMT) A and TMT B were used to assess coordination and visual attention. Analysis of the results showed a statistically significant improvement in hand–eye coordination and reaction time of music school students using the TMT-A (p < 0.002), TMT-B (p < 0.001), Ditrich’s test for the non-dominant hand (0.025) and PTT (0.0001) after applying a week-long training period in immersive VR. The results obtained in the present study show that the VR system, along with the immersive music game, has the potential to improve hand–eye coordination and reaction time in young musicians, which may lead to the faster mastering of a musical instrument.
Diet Quality and Eating Practices among Hispanic/Latino Men and Women: NHANES 2011–2016
Authors: Overcash Francine , Reicks Marla
Published: February 2021

Dietary quality of Hispanic/Latino adults residing in homes with children may differ by gender, that in turn, may impact youth through role modeling and food availability. Using a nationally representative sample (n = 1039) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2016), adjusted regression analyses were used to examine food-related practices, food group intake, and dietary quality among Hispanic/Latino men and women in homes with children (6–17 years). Compared to women, men had lower total 2015 Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and component HEI scores for healthy food groups. Men also ate more meals that were not home prepared/week and purchased more foods from non-grocery stores than women. Negative food-related practices and working more hours/week may explain in part the lower dietary quality observed among Hispanic/Latino men than women. Interventions may be improved by targeting gender-specific food-related behaviors that could positively impact dietary quality of youth residing with them.
Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome in Adults and Older Adults from Amazonas, Brazil
Authors: Gouveia Élvio Rúbio , Gouveia Bruna R. , Marques Adilson , Peralta Miguel , França Cíntia , Lima Alex , Campos Alderlane , Jurema Jefferson , Kliegel Matthias , Ihle Andreas
Published: February 2021

Metabolic syndrome has been considered a factor of vulnerability and a major public health problem because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The present study from Amazonas, Brazil aimed to estimate the prevalence of the individual and general components of metabolic syndrome in adults and older adults and identify the independent predictors of metabolic syndrome. The sample of the present cross-sectional study comprised 942 participants (590 women), with a mean age of 59.8 ± 19.7 (range: 17.5 to 91.8). Blood pressure in men (62.5%), abdominal obesity in women (67.3%), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in both (52.2% in men and 65.0% in women) were the most prevalent individual risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Women had a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity (p < 0.001), low HDL-C (p < 0.001), and metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001) than men; however, opposite results were seen in men for blood pressure (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 47.5%. Advanced age, being female, having a higher body mass index, and a having lower educational level independently increased the odds of metabolic syndrome. Due to the association of metabolic syndrome with deterioration of health status and increased vulnerability, this study sustains the need for early public health interventions in the Amazonas region.
Microbial Diversity Dynamics in a Methanogenic-Sulfidogenic UASB Reactor
Authors: Fernández-Palacios E. , Zhou Xudong , Mora Mabel , Gabriel David
Published: February 2021

In this study, the long-term performance and microbial dynamics of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor targeting sulfate reduction in a SOx emissions treatment system were assessed using crude glycerol as organic carbon source and electron donor under constant S and C loading rates. The reactor was inoculated with granular sludge obtained from a pulp and paper industry and fed at a constant inlet sulfate concentration of 250 mg S-SO42−L−1 and a constant C/S ratio of 1.5 ± 0.3 g Cg−1 S for over 500 days. Apart from the regular analysis of chemical species, Illumina analyses of the 16S rRNA gene were used to study the dynamics of the bacterial community along with the whole operation. The reactor was sampled along the operation to monitor its diversity and the changes in targeted species to gain insight into the performance of the sulfidogenic UASB. Moreover, studies on the stratification of the sludge bed were performed by sampling at different reactor heights. Shifts in the UASB performance correlated well with the main shifts in microbial communities of interest. A progressive loss of the methanogenic capacity towards a fully sulfidogenic UASB was explained by a progressive wash-out of methanogenic Archaea, which were outcompeted by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Desulfovibrio was found as the main sulfate-reducing genus in the reactor along time. A progressive reduction in the sulfidogenic capacity of the UASB was found in the long run due to the accumulation of a slime-like substance in the UASB.
Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Smartphone Use in the Clinical Care and Safety of Hospitalised Patients
Authors: Gutiérrez-Puertas Vanesa , Gutiérrez-Puertas Lorena , Aguilera-Manrique Gabriel , Rodríguez-García Mᵃ Carmen , Márquez-Hernández Verónica V.
Published: February 2021

Smartphones have become an indispensable item for nursing students. The use of these devices in the clinical setting could have various effects on the clinical work of nursing students. This study was to explore nursing students’ perceptions of their lived experiences of smartphone use in the clinical setting, in regard to patient safety. A descriptive phenomenological study was carried out. A total of 24 nursing students from a university in the southeast of Spain participated in this study. There were 10 in-depth interviews and two focal groups from January to May 2020. The data analysis was performed using ATLAS.TI software to identify the emergent topics. The COREQ Checklist was used to prepare the manuscript. Three principal topics were identified that illustrated the nursing students’ experiences and perceptions of smartphone use in the clinical setting (1): Using smartphones in the clinical setting as a personal resource, (2) smartphones as a support mechanism for making clinical decisions, (3) impact of smartphones on patient care. The nursing students perceived smartphones as a support mechanism for making clinical decisions and for patient care. Smartphone use during clinical practicums may influence the quality of patient-centred communication and threaten clinical safety. The results of this study provide knowledge on the use of smartphones by nursing students in the clinical setting, which could help to establish measures that guarantee adequate patient care and responsible use of these devices.
Modelling the Relationship between Rainfall and Mental Health Using Different Spatial and Temporal Units
Authors: Yap Matthew , Tuson Matthew , Turlach Berwin , Boruff Bryan , Whyatt David
Published: February 2021

Drought is thought to impact upon the mental health of agricultural communities, but studies of this relationship have reported inconsistent results. A source of inconsistency could be the aggregation of data by a single spatiotemporal unit of analysis, which induces the modifiable areal and temporal unit problems. To investigate this, mental health-related emergency department (MHED) presentations among residents of the Wheat Belt region of Western Australia, between 2002 and 2017, were examined. Average daily rainfall was used as a measure of drought. Associations between MHED presentations and rainfall were estimated based on various spatial aggregations of underlying data, at multiple temporal windows. Wide variation amongst results was observed. Despite this, two key features were found: Associations between MHED presentations and rainfall were generally positive when rainfall was measured in summer months (rate ratios up to 1.05 per 0.5 mm of daily rainfall) and generally negative when rainfall was measured in winter months (rate ratios as low as 0.96 per 0.5 mm of daily rainfall). These results demonstrate that the association between drought and mental health is quantifiable; however, the effect size is small and varies depending on the spatial and temporal arrangement of the underlying data. To improve understanding of this association, more studies should be undertaken with longer time spans and examining specific mental health outcomes, using a wide variety of spatiotemporal units.
Mapping Allochemical Limestone Formations in Hazara, Pakistan Using Google Cloud Architecture: Application of Machine-Learning Algorithms on Multispectral Data
Authors: Khan Muhammad Fawad Akbar , Muhammad Khan , Bashir Shahid , Ud Din Shahab , Hanif Muhammad
Published: February 2021

Low-resolution Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) maps surrounding the region of interest show oolitic and fossiliferous limestone occurrences correspondingly in Samanasuk, Lockhart, and Margalla hill formations in the Hazara division, Pakistan. Machine-learning algorithms (MLAs) have been rarely applied to multispectral remote sensing data for differentiating between limestone formations formed due to different depositional environments, such as oolitic or fossiliferous. Unlike the previous studies that mostly report lithological classification of rock types having different chemical compositions by the MLAs, this paper aimed to investigate MLAs’ potential for mapping subclasses within the same lithology, i.e., limestone. Additionally, selecting appropriate data labels, training algorithms, hyperparameters, and remote sensing data sources were also investigated while applying these MLAs. In this paper, first, oolitic (Samanasuk), fossiliferous (Lockhart and Margalla) limestone-bearing formations along with the adjoining Hazara formation were mapped using random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), classification and regression tree (CART), and naïve Bayes (NB) MLAs. The RF algorithm reported the best accuracy of 83.28% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.78. To further improve the targeted allochemical limestone formation map, annotation labels were generated by the fusion of maps obtained from principal component analysis (PCA), decorrelation stretching (DS), X-means clustering applied to ASTER-L1T, Landsat-8, and Sentinel-2 datasets. These labels were used to train and validate SVM, CART, NB, and RF MLAs to obtain a binary classification map of limestone occurrences in the Hazara division, Pakistan using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The classification of Landsat-8 data by CART reported 99.63% accuracy, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.99, and was in good agreement with the field validation. This binary limestone map was further classified into oolitic (Samanasuk) and fossiliferous (Lockhart and Margalla) formations by all the four MLAs; in this case, RF surpassed all the other algorithms with an improved accuracy of 96.36%. This improvement can be attributed to better annotation, resulting in a binary limestone classification map, which formed a mask for improved classification of oolitic and fossiliferous limestone in the area.
Effect of RIP Overexpression on Abiotic Stress Tolerance and Development of Rice
Authors: Wytynck Pieter , Lambin Jeroen , Chen Simin , Demirel Asci Sinem , Verbeke Isabel , De Zaeytijd Jeroen , Subramanyam Kondeti , Van Damme Els J.M.
Published: February 2021

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a class of cytotoxic enzymes that can inhibit protein translation by depurinating rRNA. Most plant RIPs are synthesized with a leader sequence that sequesters the proteins to a cell compartment away from the host ribosomes. However, several rice RIPs lack these signal peptides suggesting they reside in the cytosol in close proximity to the plant ribosomes. This paper aims to elucidate the physiological function of two nucleocytoplasmic RIPs from rice, in particular, the type 1 RIP referred to as OsRIP1 and a presumed type 3 RIP called nuRIP. Transgenic rice lines overexpressing these RIPs were constructed and studied for developmental effects resulting from this overexpression under greenhouse conditions. In addition, the performance of transgenic seedlings in response to drought, salt, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate treatment was investigated. Results suggest that both RIPs can affect methyl jasmonate mediated stress responses.
Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming by Adipokines as a Critical Driver of Obesity-Associated Cancer Progression
Authors: Pham Duc-Vinh , Park Pil-Hoon
Published: February 2021

Adiposity is associated with an increased risk of various types of carcinoma. One of the plausible mechanisms underlying the tumor-promoting role of obesity is an aberrant secretion of adipokines, a group of hormones secreted from adipose tissue, which have exhibited both oncogenic and tumor-suppressing properties in an adipokine type- and context-dependent manner. Increasing evidence has indicated that these adipose tissue-derived hormones differentially modulate cancer cell-specific metabolism. Some adipokines, such as leptin, resistin, and visfatin, which are overproduced in obesity and widely implicated in different stages of cancer, promote cellular glucose and lipid metabolism. Conversely, adiponectin, an adipokine possessing potent anti-tumor activities, is linked to a more favorable metabolic phenotype. Adipokines may also play a pivotal role under the reciprocal regulation of metabolic rewiring of cancer cells in tumor microenvironment. Given the fact that metabolic reprogramming is one of the major hallmarks of cancer, understanding the modulatory effects of adipokines on alterations in cancer cell metabolism would provide insight into the crosstalk between obesity, adipokines, and tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize recent insights into putative roles of adipokines as mediators of cellular metabolic rewiring in obesity-associated tumors, which plays a crucial role in determining the fate of tumor cells.
Biomimetic Mineralization Promotes Viability and Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Perfusion Bioreactor
Authors: Ramírez-Rodríguez Gloria Belén , Pereira Ana Rita , Herrmann Marietta , Hansmann Jan , Delgado-López José Manuel , Sprio Simone , Tampieri Anna , Sandri Monica
Published: February 2021

In bone tissue engineering, the design of 3D systems capable of recreating composition, architecture and micromechanical environment of the native extracellular matrix (ECM) is still a challenge. While perfusion bioreactors have been proposed as potential tool to apply biomechanical stimuli, its use has been limited to a low number of biomaterials. In this work, we propose the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in biomimetic mineralized recombinant collagen scaffolds with a perfusion bioreactor to simultaneously provide biochemical and biophysical cues guiding stem cell fate. The scaffolds were fabricated by mineralization of recombinant collagen in the presence of magnesium (RCP.MgAp). The organic matrix was homogeneously mineralized with apatite nanocrystals, similar in composition to those found in bone. X-Ray microtomography images revealed isotropic porous structure with optimum porosity for cell ingrowth. In fact, an optimal cell repopulation through the entire scaffolds was obtained after 1 day of dynamic seeding in the bioreactor. Remarkably, RCP.MgAp scaffolds exhibited higher cell viability and a clear trend of up-regulation of osteogenic genes than control (non-mineralized) scaffolds. Results demonstrate the potential of the combination of biomimetic mineralization of recombinant collagen in presence of magnesium and dynamic culture of hMSC as a promising strategy to closely mimic bone ECM.
A Challenge for Allergologist: Application of Allergy Diagnostic Methods in Mast Cell Disorders
Authors: Romantowski Jan , Górska Aleksandra , Niedoszytko Marek , Gulen Theo , Gruchała-Niedoszytko Marta , Nedoszytko Bogusław , Lange Magdalena , Brockow Knut , Arock Michel , Akin Cem , Valent Peter
Published: February 2021

Primary and secondary mast cell activation syndromes (MCAS) can occur in patients with mastocytosis. During the past few years our knowledge about the pathogenesis and disease-triggering mechanisms in MCAS and mastocytosis have increased substantially. Whereas mastocytosis is characterized by an accumulation of neoplastic (clonal) mast cells (MC) in various organ systems, MCAS is defined by a massive and systemic activation of these cells. Mast cells are crucial effector cells in allergic diseases, thus their elevated number and activation can cause severe anaphylactic reactions and MCAS in patients with mastocytosis. However, these cells may also degranulate spontaneously or degranulate in response to non-allergic triggers leading to clinical symptoms. In mastocytosis patients, such symptoms may lead to the diagnosis of a primary MCAS. The diagnosis of a concomitant allergy in mastocytosis patients is challenging. In these patients, a mixed form (primary and secondary) of MCAS may be diagnosed. These patients may also suffer from life-threatening anaphylactic reactions when exposed to allergens. In these cases, the possibility of severe side effects of in vivo provocations can sometimes also limit diagnostic evaluations. In the current article, we discuss the diagnosis and management of patients suffering from mastocytosis and concomitant MCAS, with special emphasis on novel diagnostic tests and management, including allergen microarrays, recombinant allergen analysis, basophil activation tests, optimal prophylaxis, and specific therapies.
Expression Level of Mature miR172 in Wild Type and StSUT4-Silenced Plants of Solanum tuberosum Is Sucrose-Dependent
Authors: Garg Varsha , Hackel Aleksandra , Kühn Christina
Published: February 2021

In potato plants, the phloem-mobile miR172 is involved in the sugar-dependent transmission of flower and tuber inducing signal transduction pathways and a clear link between solute transport and the induction of flowering and tuberization was demonstrated. The sucrose transporter StSUT4 seems to play an important role in the photoperiod-dependent triggering of both developmental processes, flowering and tuberization, and the phenotype of StSUT4-inhibited potato plants is reminiscent to miR172 overexpressing plants. The first aim of this study was the determination of the level of miR172 in sink and source leaves of StSUT4-silenced as well as StSUT4-overexpressing plants in comparison to Solanum tuberosum ssp. Andigena wild type plants. The second aim was to investigate the effect of sugars on the level of miRNA172 in whole cut leaves, as well as in whole in vitro plantlets that were supplemented with exogenous sugars. Experiments clearly show a sucrose-dependent induction of the level of mature miR172 in short time as well as long time experiments. A sucrose-dependent accumulation of miR172 was also measured in mature leaves of StSUT4-silenced plants where sucrose export is delayed and sucrose accumulates at the end of the light period.
Effects of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone on Lipid Metabolism and Anti-Oxidative Capacity in a High-Fat-Diet Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease Chick Model
Authors: Qiu Kai , Zhao Qin , Wang Jing , Qi Guang-Hai , Wu Shu-Geng , Zhang Hai-Jun
Published: February 2021

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its interaction with many metabolic pathways raises global public health concerns. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effects of Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ, provided by PQQ.Na2) on MAFLD in a chick model and primary chicken hepatocytes with a focus on lipid metabolism, anti-oxidative capacity, and mitochondrial biogenesis. The MAFLD chick model was established on laying hens by feeding them a high-energy low-protein (HELP) diet. Primary hepatocytes isolated from the liver of laying hens were induced for steatosis by free fatty acids (FFA) and for oxidative stress by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In the MAFLD chick model, the dietary supplementation of PQQ conspicuously ameliorated the negative effects of the HELP diet on liver biological functions, suppressed the progression of MAFLD mainly through enhanced lipid metabolism and protection of liver from oxidative injury. In the steatosis and oxidative stress cell models, PQQ functions in the improvement of the lipid metabolism and hepatocytes tolerance to fatty degradation and oxidative damage by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and then increasing the anti-oxidative activity and anti-apoptosis capacity. At both the cellular and individual levels, PQQ was demonstrated to exert protective effects of hepatocyte and liver from fat accumulation through the improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis and maintenance of redox homeostasis. The key findings of the present study provide an in-depth knowledge on the ameliorative effects of PQQ on the progression of fatty liver and its mechanism of action, thus providing a theoretical basis for the application of PQQ, as an effective nutrient, into the prevention of MAFLD.
Statistical Approach for Vibration-Based Damage Localization in Civil Infrastructures Using Smart Sensor Networks
Authors: Giordano Pier Francesco , Quqa Said , Limongelli Maria Pina
Published: February 2021

One of the most discussed aspects of vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) is how to link identified parameters with structural health conditions. To this aim, several damage indexes have been proposed in the relevant literature based on typical assumptions of the operational modal analysis (OMA), such as stationary excitation and unlimited vibration record. Wireless smart sensor networks based on low-power electronic components are becoming increasingly popular among SHM specialists. However, such solutions are not able to deal with long data series due to energy and computational constraints. The decentralization of processing tasks has been shown to mitigate these issues. Nevertheless, traditional damage indicators might not be suitable for onboard computations. In this paper, a robust damage index is proposed based on a damage sensitive feature computed in a decentralized fashion, suitable for smart wireless sensing solutions. The proposed method is tested on a numerical benchmark and on a real case study, namely the S101 bridge in Austria, a prestressed concrete bridge that has been artificially damaged for research purposes. The results obtained show the potential of the proposed method to monitor the conditions of civil infrastructures.
Computational Modeling of Blood Flow Hemodynamics for Biomechanical Investigation of Cardiac Development and Disease
Authors: Salman Huseyin Enes , Yalcin Huseyin Cagatay
Published: February 2021

The heart is the first functional organ in a developing embryo. Cardiac development continues throughout developmental stages while the heart goes through a serious of drastic morphological changes. Previous animal experiments as well as clinical observations showed that disturbed hemodynamics interfere with the development of the heart and leads to the formation of a variety of defects in heart valves, heart chambers, and blood vessels, suggesting that hemodynamics is a governing factor for cardiogenesis, and disturbed hemodynamics is an important source of congenital heart defects. Therefore, there is an interest to image and quantify the flowing blood through a developing heart. Flow measurement in embryonic fetal heart can be performed using advanced techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or echocardiography. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is another approach especially useful when the other imaging modalities are not available and in-depth flow assessment is needed. The approach is based on numerically solving relevant physical equations to approximate the flow hemodynamics and tissue behavior. This approach is becoming widely adapted to simulate cardiac flows during the embryonic development. While there are few studies for human fetal cardiac flows, many groups used zebrafish and chicken embryos as useful models for elucidating normal and diseased cardiogenesis. In this paper, we explain the major steps to generate CFD models for simulating cardiac hemodynamics in vivo and summarize the latest findings on chicken and zebrafish embryos as well as human fetal hearts.
Interleukin-6 Could Be a Potential Prognostic Factor in Ambulatory Elderly Patients with Stable Heart Failure: Results from a Pilot Study
Authors: Povar-Echeverría Marina , Auquilla-Clavijo Pablo Esteban , Andrès Emmanuel , Martin-Sánchez Francisco Javier , Laguna-Calle María Victoria , Calvo-Elías Alberto Elpidio , Lorenzo-Villalba Noel , Méndez-Bailón Manuel
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Inflammation is a fundamental phenomenon in heart failure, but the prognostic or therapeutic role of markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) has not yet been clarified. The objective of this study is to describe the clinical profile of patients with elevated IL-6 and determine if they have worse clinical outcomes. Methods: A retrospective c.ohort observational study including 78 patients with heart failure followed up at the Heart Failure Outpatient Clinic of the Internal Medicine Department. IL-6 was determined in all patients, who were then assigned into two groups according to IL-6 level (normal or high). Clinical and prognostic data were collected to determine the differences in both groups. Results: The average age was 79 years, 60% female. A total of 53.8% of the patients had elevated IL-6 (group 2). Patients with elevated IL-6 presented more frequently with anemia mellitus (64.3% vs. 41.7%; p = 0.046), atrial fibrillation (83.3% vs. 61.9% p = 0.036), dyslipidemia (76.2% vs. 58.2%; p = 0.03), higher creatinine levels (1.35 mg/dL vs. 1.08 mg/dL; p = 0.024), lower glomerular filtration rate (43.6 mL/min/m2 vs. 59.9 mL/min/m2; p = 0.007), and anemia 25% vs. 52.4% p = 0.014. The factors independently associated with the increase in IL-6 were anemia 3.513 (1.163–10.607) and renal failure 0.963 (0.936–0.991), p < 0.05. Mortality was higher in the group with elevated IL-6 levels (16% vs. 2%; p = 0.044) with a log-rank p = 0.027 in the Kaplan–Meier curve. Conclusion: Patients with heart failure and elevated IL-6 most often have atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, anemia, and renal failure. In addition, mortality was higher and a tendency of higher hospital admission was observed in stable HF patients with elevated IL-6.
Endoglin Expression and Microvessel Density as Prognostic Factors in Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Radzikowska Joanna , Krzeski Antoni , Czarnecka Anna M. , Klepacka Teresa , Rychlowska-Pruszynska Magdalena , Raciborska Anna , Dembowska-Baginska Bozenna , Pronicki Maciej , Kukwa Andrzej , Sierdzinski Janusz , Kukwa Wojciech
Published: February 2021

(1) Background: The study proposed to analyze microvessel density (MVD) in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) based on the expression of angiogenesis markers and define its prognostic role in this group of patients. (2) Methods: The study included forty-nine pediatric patients diagnosed with RMS. Tumor tissue expression of CD31, CD34, and CD105 was analyzed. MVD was calculated and correlated with clinical RMS prognostic parameters. (3) Results: CD31, CD34, and CD105 are expressed in all RMS cases. MVD/CD105 was significantly higher in the RMS group than in the control group. The mean and median values of MVD/CD105 in RMS were lower than MVD/CD31 and MVD/CD34. MVD/CD105 was significantly higher in patients with alveolar RMS and those with metastatic disease. Patients with higher levels of MVD/CD105 had a higher risk of death (HR = 1.009). (4) Conclusion: CD105 is a relevant angiogenesis marker in pediatric RMS, and MVD/CD105 is an independent risk factor of short overall survival in children with RMS.
Serum N-Glycomics Stratifies Bacteremic Patients Infected with Different Pathogens
Authors: Chatterjee Sayantani , Kawahara Rebeca , Tjondro Harry C. , Shaw David R. , Nenke Marni A. , Torpy David J. , Thaysen-Andersen Morten
Published: February 2021

Bacteremia—i.e., the presence of pathogens in the blood stream—is associated with long-term morbidity and is a potential precursor condition to life-threatening sepsis. Timely detection of bacteremia is therefore critical to reduce patient mortality, but existing methods lack precision, speed, and sensitivity to effectively stratify bacteremic patients. Herein, we tested the potential of quantitative serum N-glycomics performed using porous graphitized carbon liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to stratify bacteremic patients infected with Escherichia coli (n = 11), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 11), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), and Streptococcus viridans (n = 5) from healthy donors (n = 39). In total, 62 N-glycan isomers spanning 41 glycan compositions primarily comprising complex-type core fucosylated, bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and α2,3-/α2,6-sialylated structures were profiled across all samples using label-free quantitation. Excitingly, unsupervised hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis of the serum N-glycome data accurately separated the patient groups. P. aeruginosa-infected patients displayed prominent N-glycome aberrations involving elevated levels of fucosylation and bisecting GlcNAcylation and reduced sialylation relative to other bacteremic patients. Notably, receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated that a single N-glycan isomer could effectively stratify each of the four bacteremic patient groups from the healthy donors (area under the curve 0.93–1.00). Thus, the serum N-glycome represents a new hitherto unexplored class of potential diagnostic markers for bloodstream infections.
Salivary Biomarkers of Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Authors: Chojnowska Sylwia , Ptaszyńska-Sarosiek Iwona , Kępka Alina , Knaś Małgorzata , Waszkiewicz Napoleon
Published: February 2021

Stress, anxiety and depressive disorders are often characterized by the activation of the stress axis, which results in similar symptoms at some point in these disorders. These disorders are closely related to each other—they occur simultaneously or follow one another. The diagnosis of stress, anxiety and depression is not a perfect procedure currently—it is based on patient observation and an interview with the patient and their family. There are no laboratory tests that would dispel the doubts of the doctor making the diagnosis and allow the appropriate treatment to be implemented as soon as possible. Therefore, this study will review the components of saliva that could be helpful in the quick diagnosis of stress, anxiety and/or depression. Such potential salivary biomarkers could also be useful in monitoring the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment prescribed by a psychiatrist. The following are promising salivary biomarkers of stress, anxiety or depression: cortisol, immunoglobulin A (sIgA), lysozyme, melatonin, α-amylase (sAA), chromogranin A (CgA) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). To the best valuable potential salivary markers of stress, we can include cortisol, lysozyme, sAA and CgA. To differentiate depression from stress, salivary cortisol and melatonin can be helpful. Fluctuations in the concentrations of the above-mentioned substances in saliva indicate a particularly strong relationship with typical human psychological problems, such as stress, depression or anxiety.
Critical Aspects of Person Counting and Density Estimation
Authors: Perko Roland , Klopschitz Manfred , Almer Alexander , Roth Peter M.
Published: February 2021

Many scientific studies deal with person counting and density estimation from single images. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been applied for these tasks. Even though often better results are reported, it is often not clear where the improvements are resulting from, and if the proposed approaches would generalize. Thus, the main goal of this paper was to identify the critical aspects of these tasks and to show how these limit state-of-the-art approaches. Based on these findings, we show how to mitigate these limitations. To this end, we implemented a CNN-based baseline approach, which we extended to deal with identified problems. These include the discovery of bias in the reference data sets, ambiguity in ground truth generation, and mismatching of evaluation metrics w.r.t. the training loss function. The experimental results show that our modifications allow for significantly outperforming the baseline in terms of the accuracy of person counts and density estimation. In this way, we get a deeper understanding of CNN-based person density estimation beyond the network architecture. Furthermore, our insights would allow to advance the field of person density estimation in general by highlighting current limitations in the evaluation protocols.
Forest Disturbance Types and Current Analogs for Historical Disturbance-Independent Forests
Authors: Hanberry Brice B.
Published: February 2021

Forest classifications by disturbance permit designation of multiple types of both old growth forests and shorter-lived forests, which auto-replace under severe disturbance, and also identification of loss of the disturbance type and associated forest. Historically, fire and flooding disturbance regimes, or conversely, infrequent disturbance, produced unique forests such as disturbance-independent forests of American beech (Fagus grandifolia), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) in the Eastern United States. However, disturbance has changed to primarily frequent mechanical overstory disturbance, resulting in novel forests. To demonstrate the transition to no-analog forests after disturbance change, I compared historical tree surveys (ca. 1837 to 1857) to current surveys in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. To establish widespread disturbance change effects, I also located where beech and hemlock are currently most abundant throughout the Eastern US compared to historical distribution of beech–hemlock forests. In the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, beech and hemlock historically were about 30% of all trees, but currently, beech and hemlock are 2% of all trees. Red maple (Acer rubrum) increased from 1% to 11% of all trees and aspen (Populus) increased from 2% to 13% of all trees. The squared-chord difference between historical and current surveys was 0.40, or dissimilar forests. Areas with ≥20% beech and hemlock or ≥15% of either species decreased from about 52 million to 6 million hectares, with current distribution restricted to the Northeastern US. Current forests are dissimilar to historical forests, and this transition appears to be driven by disturbance regimes without historical analogs. Disturbance change may provide perspective in forest management for climate change.
Fit-for-Purpose Land Administration in Violent Conflict Settings
Authors: Augustinus Clarissa , Tempra Ombretta
Published: February 2021

According to the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency, there were 79.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide by the end of 2019. Evictions from homes and land are often linked to protracted violent conflict. Land administration (LA) can be a small part of UN peace-building programs addressing these conflicts. Through the lens of the UN and seven country cases, the problem being addressed is: what are the key features of fit-for-purpose land administration (FFP LA) in violent conflict contexts? FFP LA involves the same LA elements found in conventional LA and FFP LA, and LA in post conflict contexts, as it supports peace building and conflict resolution. However, in the contexts being examined, FFP LA also has novel features as well, such as extra-legal transitional justice mechanisms to protect people and their land rights and to address historical injustices and the politics of exclusion that are the root causes of conflict. In addition, there are land governance and power relations’ implications, as FFP LA is part of larger UN peace-building programs. This impacts the FFP LA design. The cases discussed are from Darfur/Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras, Iraq, Jubaland/Somalia, Peru and South Sudan.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Land Use Patterns on Carbon Emissions in China
Authors: Lin Qiaowen , Zhang Lu , Qiu Bingkui , Zhao Yi , Wei Chao
Published: February 2021

Nowadays, China is the world’s second largest economy and largest carbon emitter. This paper calculates the carbon emission intensity and the carbon emissions per capita of land use in 30 provinces at the national level in China from 2006 to 2016. A spatial correlation model is used to explore its spatiotemporal features. The results show that (1) China’s land use carbon emissions continued to grow from 2006 to 2016. The spatial heterogeneity of carbon emission intensity of land use initially decreased and then increased during this period. The carbon emission of land use pattern reached a peak in 2015 and the land use carbon emission intensity was relatively lower in east China; (2) southern China accounts for a majority of the total Chinese carbon sink. Better economic structure, land use structure and industrial structure will lead to lower carbon emission intensity of land use; (3) carbon emissions per capita of land use in China are affected not only by land development intensity, urbanization level, and energy consumption structure, but also by the population policy. It is significant to formulate differentiated energy and land use policies according to local conditions. This study not only provides a scientific basis for formulating different carbon emission mitigation policies for the local governments in China, but also provides theoretical reference for other developing countries for sustainable development. It contributes to the better understanding of the land use patterns on carbon emissions in China.
Breastfeeding: Biological and Social Variables in Different Modes of Conception
Authors: Pileri Paola , di Bartolo Ilenia , Mazzocco Martina Ilaria , Casazza Giovanni , Giani Sofia , Cetin Irene , Savasi Valeria Maria
Published: February 2021

Background: Breastfeeding has effects on health throughout the lives of mothers and babies. In 2014 in Italy, 10,976 babies were born through ART (assisted reproductive technology), accounting for 2.2% of annual births. The study aims to assess how both social and biological variables and the mode of conception influence breastfeeding. Methods: This observational study involves 161 pregnancies from three different modes of conception: homologous in vitro fertilization, ovum donation, and spontaneous pregnancies. Neonatal and maternal characteristics were collected from the hospital database, while breastfeeding outcomes were obtained through telephone interviews. Results: The mode of conception did not influence any of the breastfeeding outcomes. Breastfeeding duration was negatively affected by smoking. Vaginal delivery, birth weight > 2500 g, delivery > 37 gestational weeks, breastfeeding intention, and rooming-in are positively associated with the initiation of breastfeeding, while skin-to-skin contact and receiving information concerning breastfeeding are the most significant variables associated with its exclusivity and duration. Conclusions: The duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding are mainly related with information thereon, promotion, and breastfeeding support, but not with the mode of conception. It is essential to adequately support women from the outset in breastfeeding, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
N-(2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)ethyl)-2-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)propanamide
Authors: Manolov Stanimir , Ivanov Iliyan , Bojilov Dimitar
Published: February 2021

The title compound was obtained in high yield in the reaction between tryptamine and naproxen. The newly synthesized naproxen derivative was fully analyzed and characterized via 1H, 13C-NMR, UV, IR, and mass spectral data.
Flame Pyrolysis Synthesis of Mixed Oxides for Glycerol Steam Reforming
Authors: Conte Francesco , Esposito Serena , Dal Santo Vladimiro , Di Michele Alessandro , Ramis Gianguido , Rossetti Ilenia
Published: February 2021

Flame spray pyrolysis was used to produce nanosized Ni-based catalysts starting from different mixed oxides. LaNiO3 and CeNiO3 were used as base materials and the formulation was varied by mixing them or incorporating variable amounts of ZrO2 or SrO during the synthesis. The catalysts were tested for the steam reforming of glycerol. One of the key problems for this application is the resistance to deactivation by sintering and coking, which may be increased by (1) improving Ni dispersion through the production of a Ni-La or Ni-Ce mixed oxide precursor, and then reduced; (2) using an oxide as ZrO2, which established a strong interaction with Ni and possesses high thermal resistance; (3) decreasing the surface acidity of ZrO2 through a basic promoter/support, such as La2O3; and (4) adding a promoter/support with very high oxygen mobility such as CeO2. A further key feature is the use of a high temperature synthesis, such as flame spray pyrolysis, to improve the overall thermal resistance of the oxides. These strategies proved effective to obtain active and stable catalysts at least for 20 h on stream with very limited coke formation.
Influence of Vanillin Acrylate-Based Resin Composition on Resin Photocuring Kinetics and Antimicrobial Properties of the Resulting Polymers
Authors: Navaruckiene Aukse , Bridziuviene Danguole , Raudoniene Vita , Rainosalo Egidija , Ostrauskaite Jolita
Published: February 2021

The investigation of the influence of vanillin acrylate-based resin composition on photocuring kinetics and antimicrobial properties of the resulting polymers was performed in order to find efficient photocurable systems for optical 3D printing of bio-based polymers with tunable rigidity, as well as with antibacterial and antifungal activity. Two vanillin derivatives, vanillin diacrylate and vanillin dimethacrylate, were tested in photocurable systems using phenyl bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide as a photoinitiator. The influence of vanillin acrylate monomer, amount of photoinitiator, presence and amount of dithiol, and presence of solvent on photocuring kinetics was investigated by real-time photoreometry. Polymers of different rigidity were obtained by changing the photocurable resin composition. The photocuring kinetics of the selected vanillin acrylate-based resins was comparable with that of commercial petroleum-based acrylate resins for optical 3D printing. Polymers based on both vanillin acrylates showed a significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Vanillin diacrylate-based polymer films also demonstrated an antifungal activity in direct contact with Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus. Vanillin diacrylate-based dual curing systems were selected as the most promising for optical 3D printing of bio-based polymers with antibacterial and antifungal activity.
Numerical Analysis of the Activated Combustion High-Velocity Air-Fuel Spraying Process: A Three-Dimensional Simulation with Improved Gas Mixing and Combustion Mode
Authors: Liu Fuqiang , Li Zhiyong , Fang Min , Hou Hua
Published: February 2021

Owing to its low flame temperature and high airflow velocity, the activated combustion high-velocity air-fuel (AC-HVAF) spraying process has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Analyzing the velocity field, temperature field, and composition of AC-HVAF spray coatings plays a vital role in improving the quality of coatings. In this study, an actual spray gun is adopted as a prototype, and the radial air inlets are introduced to improve the reaction efficiency so that the chemical reaction can be completed in the combustion chamber. Furthermore, a complete three-dimensional (3D) model is established to examine the effects of radial inlets and porous ceramic sheet on the combustion and flow fields. The hexahedral cells are used to discretize the entire model for reducing the influence of false-diffusion on the calculation results. The gas flow field is simulated by the commercial Fluent software, and the results indicate that the porous ceramic sheet effectively reduces the turbulent dissipation of the airflow with a good rectification effect (the ceramic sheet ensures a consistent airflow direction). The radial inlets and the porous ceramic sheet promote the formation of vortex in the combustion chamber, increase the residence time and stroke of the gas in the combustion chamber, and improve the probability of chemical reactions. In addition, it is observed that the stability of velocity for the airflow is strongly related to the airflow density.
Tailoring Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Additively-Manufactured Ti6Al4V Using Post Processing
Authors: Ganor Yaron Itay , Tiferet Eitan , Vogel Sven C. , Brown Donald W. , Chonin Michael , Pesach Asaf , Hajaj Amir , Garkun Andrey , Samuha Shmuel , Shneck Roni Z. , Yeheskel Ori
Published: February 2021

Additively-manufactured Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) exhibits high strength but in some cases inferior elongation to those of conventionally manufactured materials. Post-processing of additively manufactured Ti64 components is investigated to modify the mechanical properties for specific applications while still utilizing the benefits of the additive manufacturing process. The mechanical properties and fatigue resistance of Ti64 samples made by electron beam melting were tested in the as-built state. Several heat treatments (up to 1000 °C) were performed to study their effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Phase content during heating was tested with high reliability by neutron diffraction at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Two different hot isostatic pressings (HIP) cycles were tested, one at low temperature (780 °C), the other is at the standard temperature (920 °C). The results show that lowering the HIP holding temperature retains the fine microstructure (~1% β phase) and the 0.2% proof stress of the as-built samples (1038 MPa), but gives rise to higher elongation (~14%) and better fatigue life. The material subjected to a higher HIP temperature had a coarser microstructure, more residual β phase (~2% difference), displayed slightly lower Vickers hardness (~15 HV10N), 0.2% proof stress (~60 MPa) and ultimate stresses (~40 MPa) than the material HIP’ed at 780 °C, but had superior elongation (~6%) and fatigue resistance. Heat treatment at 1000 °C entirely altered the microstructure (~7% β phase), yield elongation of 13.7% but decrease the 0.2% proof-stress to 927 MPa. The results of the HIP at 780 °C imply it would be beneficial to lower the standard ASTM HIP temperature for Ti6Al4V additively manufactured by electron beam melting.