bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome editing for sickle cell disease: still time to correct?
Authors: Ceglie Giulia , Lecis Marco , Canciani Gabriele , Algeri Mattia , Frati Giacomo
Published: November 2023

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder, due to a single point mutation in the β-globin gene (HBB) leading to multisystemic manifestations and it affects millions of people worldwide. The monogenic nature of the disease and the availability of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) make this disorder an ideal candidate for gene modification strategies. Notably, significant advances in the field of gene therapy and genome editing that took place in the last decade enabled the possibility to develop several strategies for the treatment of SCD. These curative approaches were firstly based on the correction of disease-causing mutations holding the promise for a specific, effective and safe option for patients. Specifically, gene-editing approaches exploiting the homology directed repair pathway were investigated, but soon their limited efficacy in quiescent HSC has curbed their wider development. On the other hand, a number of studies on globin gene regulation, led to the development of several genome editing strategies based on the reactivation of the fetal γ-globin gene (HBG) by nuclease-mediated targeting of HBG-repressor elements. Although the efficiency of these strategies seems to be confirmed in preclinical and clinical studies, very little is known about the long-term consequences of these modifications. Moreover, the potential genotoxicity of these nuclease-based strategies must be taken into account, especially when associated with high targeting rates. The recent introduction of nuclease-free genome editing technologies brought along the potential for safer strategies for SCD gene correction, which may also harbor significant advantages over HBG-reactivating ones. In this Review, we discuss the recent advances in genome editing strategies for the correction of SCD-causing mutations trying to recapitulate the promising strategies currently available and their relative strengths and weaknesses.
Association for Human Pharmacology in the Pharmaceutical Industry conference 2022: impending change, innovations and future challenges
Authors: Mundy Charles , Bush James , Cheriyan Joseph , Lorch Ulrike , Stringer Steffan , Taubel Jörg , Wydenbach Kirsty , Hardman Timothy C.
Published: November 2023

The Association for Human Pharmacology in the Pharmaceutical Industry’s annual meeting focused on current and impending challenges facing the United Kingdom’s (UK) pharmaceutical industry and how these opportunities can inspire innovation and best practice. The UK pharmaceutical landscape is still evolving following Brexit and learnings from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As such, the UK’s clinical community is in a unique position to steer innovation in a meaningful direction. With the continuation of remote forms of working, further opportunities have arisen to support novel practices away from the clinic. The keynote speaker reflected on clinical development over the past 40 years and how the industry must continue to concentrate on patient welfare. The future of drug development was discussed regarding challenges associated with developing translational gene therapies, and the status of investment markets analyzed from a business strategy and consulting perspective. The patient viewpoint was a core theme throughout the conference with patient-centric blood sampling and decentralized clinical trials providing suggestions for how the industry can save costs and increase efficiency. Moreover, the patient perspective was central to a debate over whether ethics requirements should be the same for oncology patients taking part in first-in-human studies as those for healthy subjects. Discussions continued around the changing roles of the Qualified Person and Principal Investigators which underpins how sponsors may want to run future trials in the UK. Lessons learned from conducting challenge trials in healthy volunteers and patients were discussed following a presentation from the serving Chair of the COVID-19 challenge ethics committee. The current state of interactions with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency were also explored. It was considered how the immediate future for the UK clinical trials community is inevitably still linked with Europe; the newly implemented European Medicines Agency Clinical Trials Information System has been met with lukewarm responses, providing a promising opportunity to ensure UK Phase I units continue to play a vital role in global research.
Design of a multi-target focused library for antidiabetic targets using a comprehensive set of chemical transformation rules
Authors: Saldívar-González Fernanda I. , Navarrete-Vázquez Gabriel , Medina-Franco José L.
Published: November 2023

Virtual small molecule libraries are valuable resources for identifying bioactive compounds in virtual screening campaigns and improving the quality of libraries in terms of physicochemical properties, complexity, and structural diversity. In this context, the computational-aided design of libraries focused against antidiabetic targets can provide novel alternatives for treating type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this work, we integrated the information generated to date on compounds with antidiabetic activity, advances in computational methods, and knowledge of chemical transformations available in the literature to design multi-target compound libraries focused on T2DM. We evaluated the novelty and diversity of the newly generated library by comparing it with antidiabetic compounds approved for clinical use, natural products, and multi-target compounds tested in vivo in experimental antidiabetic models. The designed libraries are freely available and are a valuable starting point for drug design, chemical synthesis, and biological evaluation or further computational filtering. Also, the compendium of 280 transformation rules identified in a medicinal chemistry context is made available in the linear notation SMIRKS for use in other chemical library enumeration or hit optimization approaches.
Effect of Heartfulness meditation program on perceived stress and satisfaction with life of female students
Authors: Gupta Pradeep K , Malhotra Neetu , Goel Preeti , Thimmapuram Jayaram , Krishna Prasanna
Published: November 2023

Though literacy levels are slowly improving in India due to the steps taken by the Government of India, it has been a challenge for female students with gender disparities in literacy levels. Stress levels are high in students, more so during their exam times. While prior literature has demonstrated the prevalence of stress during student life, there is limited evidence of any interventions to decrease stress and improve satisfaction with life, specifically for female students. Heartfulness meditation is a heart-based meditation practice that may reduce stress and improve satisfaction with life among female students. We conducted a prospective cohort analysis comparing perceived stress and satisfaction with life outcomes among female students who self-selected to participate in the Heartfulness meditation program. The first group, G20, underwent intervention from week 0 until week 12 and continued their practice independently until week 20. The second group, G14, joined the intervention from week 7 until week 12 with only a 6-week exposure to guided meditation sessions through Heartfulness Trainers. They continued their practice independently until week 20. Data on Perceived Stress (PSS) and Satisfaction with Life (SWLS) were collected at week 0 and week 20 for both groups. G20 had 127 participants, and G14 had 113 participants. Ninety-four participants from the G20 group and 93 from G14 completed the study. The G20 group showed a statistically significant reduction of PSS scores from 20.79 to 18.96, and an increase in the SWLS scores from 22.03 to 23.51 from baseline to the end of the study period. The study of the Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that there is a weak positive correlation between pre- and post-scores for both the groups for both PSS and SWLS. Our findings suggest that Heartfulness meditation practice offers significant benefits with perceived stress and satisfaction with life among female students independent of their age. Still, a prolonged guided intervention of over 6 weeks is needed. A larger, randomized study with an additional control group with no meditation intervention is recommended.

Clinical trial registration

ISRCTN11302156, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN11302156.
Some like it complex: building a common multidisciplinarity background from local experiences within the South-Mediterranean environmental research communities
Authors: Saqalli Mehdi , Kupelian Laurent , Chakroun Hedia , Mahé Gil , Khater Carla , Drapeau Laurent , Fenianos Johnny , Cartier Stéphane , Chaabane Zohra Lili , Probst Jean-Luc , Saenz Melio
Published: November 2023

This article addresses the difficulty of introducing and establishing multidisciplinarity in environmental research within and among the South-Mediterranean environmental research national communities. Moreover, this work attends to assess the internal and external structural factors treating such complex issues in rural, urban, and peri-urban contexts as well as the connections and dependencies of these factors. Throughout a series of programs, projects, and actions that involved scientists and scholars from Algeria, France, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, some common patterns can be observed despite notable differences in environmental and political contexts. Thus, the main common issues involve funding matters (budget reductions and less versatility), administrative and social hierarchy, relatively small connections with public services and community representatives, and finally the reluctance shown by many researchers to make data available for the community. Nevertheless, the fact that national and international (Arabic and French speaking sphere) researcher's communities have progressively built mutual knowledge thanks to different collaborations is a major achievement, sustaining multidisciplinarity in environmental research. Indeed, this allowed the elaboration of sustainability metrics, demarches, and procedures for assessing environmentally and socioeconomically complex issues.
What’s new in minimally invasive thoracic surgery? Clinical application of augmented reality and learning opportunities in surgical simulation
Authors: Onorati Ilaria , Radu Dana Mihaela , Martinod Emmanuel
Published: November 2023

Lung cancer represents the most lethal cancer worldwide. Surgery is the treatment of choice for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, with an overall survival that can reach 90% at 5 years, but its detection is difficult to achieve due to the lack of symptoms. Screening programs are crucial to identify small cancer. Minimally invasive surgery has modified the therapeutical approach of these tumors, becoming the standard of care, with an important clinical yield in terms of reduction of postoperative pain and length of hospital stay. The aim of this mini-review is to explore and describe two important and innovative aspects in the context of “growing opportunities in minimally invasive thoracic surgery”: the clinical application of augmented reality and its advantages for patient and surgeon, and the pedagogical issue through simulation-based training.
Emergence of Antibiotic-Resistant Porphyromonas gingivalis in United States Periodontitis Patients
Authors: Rams Thomas E. , Sautter Jacqueline D. , van Winkelhoff Arie J.
Published: November 2023

Antibiotic resistance patterns of the major human periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis were assessed over a 20-year period in the United States. Subgingival P. gingivalis was cultured pre-treatment from 2193 severe periodontitis patients during three time periods: 1999–2000 (936 patients), 2009–2010 (685 patients), and 2019–2020 (572 patients). The clinical isolates were tested for in vitro resistance to 4 mg/L for clindamycin and doxycycline, 8 mg/L for amoxicillin, and 16 mg/L for metronidazole, with a post hoc combination of data for metronidazole plus amoxicillin. Clindamycin-resistant P. gingivalis was significantly more prevalent in 2009–2010 (9.1% of patients) and 2019–2020 (9.3%; 15-fold increase) as compared to 1999–2000 (0.6%). P. gingivalis resistance to amoxicillin also significantly increased from 0.1% of patients in 1999–2000 to 1.3% in 2009–2010 and 2.8% (28-fold increase) in 2019–2020. P. gingivalis resistance to metronidazole, metronidazole plus amoxicillin, and doxycycline was low (≤0.5% prevalence), and statistically unchanged, over the 20-year period. These findings are the first to reveal marked increases over 20 years in clindamycin-resistant and amoxicillin-resistant P. gingivalis in United States periodontitis patients. Increased antibiotic resistance of P. gingivalis and other periodontitis-associated bacteria threatens the efficacy of periodontal antimicrobial chemotherapy.
Superoxide-Mediated Upregulation of MMP9 Participates in BMPR2 Destabilization and Pulmonary Hypertension Development
Authors: Alruwaili Norah , Kandhi Sharath , Froogh Ghezal , Kelly Melissa R. , Sun Dong , Wolin Michael S.
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims: we previously reported in studies on organoid-cultured bovine pulmonary arteries that pulmonary hypertension (PH) conditions of exposure to hypoxia or endothelin-1 caused a loss of a cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) stabilization of bone morphogenetic protein receptor-2 (BMPR2) function, a known key process contributing to pulmonary hypertension development. Based on subsequent findings, these conditions were associated with an extracellular superoxide-mediated increase in matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression. We investigated if this contributed to PH development using mice deficient in MMP9. Results: wild-type (WT) mice exposed to Sugen/Hypoxia (SuHx) to induce PH had increased levels of MMP9 in their lungs. Hemodynamic measures from MMP9 knockout mice (MMP9 KO) indicated they had attenuated PH parameters compared to WT mice based on an ECHO assessment of pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular systolic pressure, and Fulton index hypertrophy measurements. In vitro vascular reactivity studies showed impaired endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent NO-associated vasodilatory responses in the pulmonary arteries of SuHx mice and decreased lung levels of COMP and BMPR2 expression. These changes were attenuated in MMP9 KO mice potentially through preserving COMP-dependent stabilization of BMPR2. Innovation: this study supports a new function of superoxide in increasing MMP9 and the associated impairment of BMPR2 in promoting PH development which could be a target for future therapies. Conclusion: superoxide, through promoting increases in MMP9, mediates BMPR2 depletion and its consequent control of vascular function in response to PH mediators and the SuHx mouse model of PH.
Explainable Deep Fuzzy Cognitive Map Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease: Integrating Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, Clinical Data, and Natural Language Insights
Authors: Feleki Anna , Apostolopoulos Ioannis D. , Moustakidis Serafeim , Papageorgiou Elpiniki I. , Papathanasiou Nikolaos , Apostolopoulos Dimitrios , Papandrianos Nikolaos
Published: November 2023

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) has played a central role in the non-invasive identification of patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Clinical factors, such as recurrent diseases, predisposing factors, and diagnostic tests, also play a vital role. However, none of these factors offer a straightforward and reliable indication, making the diagnosis of CAD a non-trivial task for nuclear medicine experts. While Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques have shown promise in this domain, their “black-box” nature remains a significant barrier to clinical adoption, a challenge that the existing literature has not yet fully addressed. This study introduces the Deep Fuzzy Cognitive Map (DeepFCM), a novel, transparent, and explainable model designed to diagnose CAD using imaging and clinical data. DeepFCM employs an inner Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify MPI polar map images. The CNN’s prediction is combined with clinical data by the FCM-based classifier to reach an outcome regarding the presence of CAD. For the initialization of interconnections among DeepFCM concepts, expert knowledge is provided. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is utilized to adjust the weight values to the correlated dataset and expert knowledge. The model’s key advantage lies in its explainability, provided through three main functionalities. First, DeepFCM integrates a Gradient Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) algorithm to highlight significant regions on the polar maps. Second, DeepFCM discloses its internal weights and their impact on the diagnostic outcome. Third, the model employs the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) version 3.5 model to generate meaningful explanations for medical staff. Our dataset comprises 594 patients, who underwent invasive coronary angiography (ICA) at the department of Nuclear Medicine of the University Hospital of Patras in Greece. As far as the classification results are concerned, DeepFCM achieved an accuracy of 83.07%, a sensitivity of 86.21%, and a specificity of 79.99%. The explainability-enhancing methods were assessed by the medical experts on the authors’ team and are presented within. The proposed framework can have immediate application in daily routines and can also serve educational purposes.
Loss of Vitamin E While Baking and Heating French Fries
Authors: Ilko Vojtech , Sosnová Dominika , Hrůšová Petra , Fišnar Jakub , Czornyj Štěpán , Doležal Marek , Nakonechna Kristina , Réblová Zuzana
Published: November 2023

Vitamin E, as the most important lipophilic antioxidant of eukaryotic cells, plays an important role in human nutrition. So far, information has focused on the content of vitamin E in raw food materials or foods, and its losses under various processes and culinary treatments. However, the different degradation rates of its eight different forms, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, during the preparation of oven-ready products have not been clearly and in detail described. Therefore, the aim of our research was to determine the changes in the content of tocochromanols and to evaluate the risks of the loss of these substances while preparing frozen French fries baked in classic and microwave ovens. The tocochromanols were determined using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an amperometric detector. The results showed a statistically insignificant loss of γ-tocopherol (γ-T), δ-tocopherol (δ-T), γ-tocotrienol (γ-T3) and δ-tocotrienol (δ-T3). Conversely, the losses of α-tocopherol (α-T), α-tocotrienol (α-T3), the total content of tocochromanols and the vitamin E content in α-tocopherol equivalents (α-TE) were statistically significant (p < 0.01). These losses were independent of the type of baking (conventional heating, heating with air circulation, grill, microwave heating, microwave and grill heating) and averaged at 0.80 mg/kg of the original fries (9.1% of the original content) for α-T, 0.44 mg/kg (36.6%) for α-T3, 1.11 mg/kg (12.7%) for the sum of the tocochromanols and 0.92 mg/kg (12.6%) for the vitamin E content expressed as α-TE. These dishes contained 0.4% to 26% of the daily requirement of vitamin E, based on a 100 g portion, depending on the fat used in the manufacture of the products. The choice of the right frying medium on the part of the manufacturer can increase the content of vitamin E both in the semi-finished product and in the final food, and consequently also its dietary intake.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc: A Polish Painter at the Crossroads of Cultures
Authors: Rosales Rodríguez Agnieszka
Published: November 2023

The oeuvre of beloved Polish painter Ferdynand Ruszczyc (1870–1936) reflected the patriotic Neo-Romantic landscape trend of the fin-de-siècle prevalent in Germany and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden). It should be considered in the context of Nordic visual culture for two reasons: (1) until the affiliation of Central and Eastern European nations with the Soviet Union in the wake of World War Two, nations bordering the Baltic formed a single, fluid territory of cultural exchange, and (2) Ruszczyc’s oeuvre displays significant commonalities with dominant patriotic and Neo-Romantic trends of progressive artists around the Baltic Sea, where landscape became a vehicle for expressing dreams and emotions, as well as love of homeland. This article situates Ruszczyc’s national and artistic identity at the crossroads of cultures and artistic impulses, regional as well as international. Ruszczyc was born in Bohdanów near Vilnius (now Belarus) to a Polish father and a Danish mother. Like many Polish artists from the Russian partition, he was educated at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, where he studied with Ivan Shishkin (1832–1898) and Arkhip Kuindzhi (1878–1910). He also travelled to Sweden. Ruszczyc was influenced by the Russian art circle Mir Iskusstva (World of Art, est. 1898) and is often compared with Nordic (e.g., Akseli Gallen-Kallela; Finnish, 1865–1931) and German (e.g., Otto Modersohn; 1865–1943) artists. His visions of nature are sometimes raw monumental images of the northern landscape or fairy-tale fantasies containing symbolic allusiveness and a mythical, poetic element that evoke intimate memories of the land of his childhood. In his paintings, Ruszczyc presented the changeability of seasons, orchards, soil and streams, clouds formations, and tree trunks with palpable emotion. By exposing the material substance of nature, his paintings also reveal its mystical aspect, its ability to transform in accordance with the cyclical, cosmic rhythm of growth, maturation, death, and rebirth.
Role of Curing Agents in the Adaptive Response of the Bioprotective Latilactobacillus curvatus CRL 705 from a Physiologic and Proteomic Perspective
Authors: Terán Lucrecia C. , Orihuel Alejandra , Bentencourt Emilse , Raya Raúl , Fadda Silvina
Published: November 2023

During meat processing, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have to competitively adapt to the hostile environment produced by curing additives (CA). The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of Latilactobacillus curvatus CRL 705, a bioprotective strain of meat origin, to adapt to CA. A physiological and proteomic approach was performed. CRL 705 was grown in a chemically defined medium (CDM) containing specific concentrations of CA (NaCl, nitrite, sucrose, and ascorbic acid). The results showed minor differences in growth kinetics in the presence of CA. Glucose consumption, present in the CDM, and production of lactic acid and bacteriocins were not significantly affected. Proteomic analyses indicated that most of the identified proteins (36 out of 39) mainly related to carbohydrate metabolism (18%), posttranslational modifications (15.6%), energy production and conversion (11.1%), translation (11.1%), and nucleotide metabolism (8.9%) were underexpressed. In response to the studied CA, CRL 705 slowed down its general metabolism, achieving slight changes in physiological and proteomic parameters. The observed performance is another characteristic that extends the well-known competitive profile of CRL 705 as a meat starter and bioprotective culture. This is the first report dealing with the impact of CA on LAB proteomics.
Bone Disorders in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease: A Literature Review
Authors: Capossela Lavinia , Ferretti Serena , D’Alonzo Silvia , Di Sarno Lorenzo , Pansini Valeria , Curatola Antonietta , Chiaretti Antonio , Gatto Antonio
Published: November 2023

Intense changes in mineral and bone metabolism are frequent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and represent an important cause of morbidity and reduced quality of life. These disorders have conventionally been defined as renal osteodystrophy and classified based on bone biopsy, but due to a lack of bone biopsy data and validated radiological methods to evaluate bone morphology in children, it has been challenging to effectively assess renal osteodystrophy in pediatric CKD; the consequence has been the suboptimal management of bone disorders in children. CKD–mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is a new expression used to describe a systemic disorder of mineral and bone metabolism as a result of CKD. CKD-MBD is a triad of biochemical imbalances in calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D; bone deformities and soft tissue calcification. This literature review aims to explore the pathogenesis, diagnostic approach, and treatment of CKD-MBD in children and the effects of renal osteodystrophy on growing skeleton, with a specific focus on the biological basis of this peculiar condition.
Prolonged Secondary Stroke Prevention with Edoxaban: A Long-Term Follow-Up of the SATES Study
Authors: Scala Irene , Bellavia Simone , Rizzo Pier Andrea , Di Giovanni Jacopo , Monforte Mauro , Morosetti Roberta , Marca Giacomo Della , Pilato Fabio , Broccolini Aldobrando , Profice Paolo , Frisullo Giovanni
Published: November 2023

Background: Little evidence is available on the long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban, mainly due to the recent release date. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety of edoxaban, defined by the incidence of major bleedings. We then aimed to evaluate the incidence of thromboembolic events and the persistence of edoxaban therapy in the long-term. Methods: In this observational cohort study, we included ischemic stroke patients enrolled in a previous study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of long-term edoxaban treatment. Data were collected by a trained investigator through a structured telephone interview. Results: Sixty-three subjects (median age 81.0 (73.5–88.0) years, 38.1% male) were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 4.4 ± 0.7 years (range: 3.2–5.5 years). Only one patient (1.6%, 0.4%/year) presented a major extracranial bleeding, and none had cerebral hemorrhage. Six thromboembolic events occurred in five patients (7.9%): three recurrent strokes, two transient ischemic attacks, and one myocardial infarction (2.2%/year). Over a follow-up period of more than three years, 13 patients discontinued edoxaban (20.6%). Conclusions: Edoxaban seems to be effective and safe in the long-term. The persistence rate of edoxaban therapy is optimal after more than three years of treatment.
EEG Biofeedback Decreases Theta and Beta Power While Increasing Alpha Power in Insomniacs: An Open-Label Study
Authors: Wang Huicong , Hou Yue , Zhan Shuqin , Li Ning , Liu Jianghong , Song Penghui , Wang Yuping , Wang Hongxing
Published: November 2023

Insomnia, often associated with anxiety and depression, is a prevalent sleep disorder. Biofeedback (BFB) treatment can help patients gain voluntary control over physiological events such as by utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) power. Previous studies have rarely predicted biofeedback efficacy by measuring the changes in relative EEG power; therefore, we investigated the clinical efficacy of biofeedback for insomnia and its potential neural mechanisms. We administered biofeedback to 82 patients with insomnia, of whom 68 completed 10 sessions and 14 completed 20 sessions. The average age of the participants was 49.38 ± 12.78 years, with 26 men and 56 women. Each biofeedback session consisted of 5 min of EMG and 30 min of EEG feedback, with 2 min of data recorded before and after the session. Sessions were conducted every other day, and four scale measures were taken before the first, fifth, and tenth sessions and after the twentieth session. After 20 sessions of biofeedback treatment, scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were significantly reduced compared with those before treatment (−5.5 ± 1.43,t = −3.85, p = 0.006), and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) (−7.15 ± 2.43, t = −2.94, p = 0.012) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (STAI-S: −12.36 ± 3.40, t = −3.63, p = 0.003; and STAI-T: −9.86 ± 2.38, t = −4.41, p = 0.001) were significantly lower after treatment than before treatment. Beta and theta power were significantly reduced after treatment, compared with before treatment (F = 6.25, p = 0.014; and F = 11.91, p = 0.001). Alpha power was increased after treatment, compared with before treatment, but the difference was not prominently significant (p > 0.05). EMG activity was significantly decreased after treatment, compared with before treatment (F = 2.11, p = 0.015). Our findings suggest that BFB treatment based on alpha power and prefrontal EMG relieves insomnia as well as anxiety and depression and may be associated with increased alpha power, decreased beta and theta power, and decreased EMG power.
Exploring the Mind-Body Connection: Yoga, Mindfulness, and Mental Well-Being in Adolescent Physical Education
Authors: Cerdá Alicia , Boned-Gómez Salvador , Baena-Morales Salvador
Published: November 2023

In light of the escalating mental health problems witnessed in recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) is actively seeking ways to enhance mental health, with an overarching goal to promote mental well-being. Central to this objective is the significant role played by education. As stated by the UNESCO, educational institutions can play a pivotal part in fostering aspects like psychological well-being. Particularly, Physical Education stands out as it addresses specific content related to mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the construct of emotional awareness in adolescents and determine whether it is affected by an intervention based on yoga and mindfulness. The study was conducted with a sample of 149 participants, with an average age of 14.6 ± 0.5 years. A quasi-experimental study design was employed, where measurements were taken before (pre) and after (post) the implementation of an intervention with two groups, a control group and an experimental group. The control group underwent a six-session body expression teaching unit, while the experimental group followed the same unit but began with a warm-up based on yoga and mindfulness. The assessment instrument used was the revised Emotional Awareness Questionnaire (EAQ30). To assess the normality of the dataset, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was carried out, which indicated a non-parametric sample. Subsequently, the Mann–Whitney U test was executed, revealing no significant differences in any dimension. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was also conducted, which showed significant differences in two dimensions. The lack of significant results could potentially be attributed to the short duration of the study. Nevertheless, these findings could contribute valuable insights towards understanding the integration of yoga or mindfulness-based programs in Physical Education. These programs have the potential to significantly impact adolescent emotional awareness and mental health, which is particularly crucial given the increasing prevalence of mental health issues in this age group. Therefore, despite the absence of robust findings in this study, it illuminates the necessity and value for further research into the utilization of yoga and mindfulness in the educational context.
The Mediating Role of Psychosocial Factors in Academic Performance in Higher Education: Characterization Based on the Adaptation of Teaching Due to COVID-19
Authors: Gamarra-Vengoechea María Alejandra , Chacón-Cuberos Ramón , Pérez-Mármol Mariana , Castro-Sánchez Manuel
Published: November 2023

(1) Background: The current study aimed to examine the mediating role of psychosocial factors in academic performance in higher education based on the adaptation of teaching due to COVID-19. (2) Methods: The methodological design is descriptive–exploratory, cross-sectional, and ex post-facto, using a structural equation model in a sample of 824 university students from Granada. For data collection, the AF-5 questionnaire was used for self-concept; EME-E for motivation, REIS for emotional intelligence, and CD-RISC for resilience, in addition to a specific questionnaire for sociodemographic and academic data. (3) Results: The findings show that (a) academic performance was positively related to personal competence and inversely related to self-confidence, with a higher regression weight in students who did not experience adaptations; that (b) there is a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and academic performance; that (c) personal competence helped to decrease demotivation in students; and that (d) a positive self-concept acts as a protective factor against demotivation. (4) Conclusions: Therefore, the relevance of educational institutions in the holistic development of young adults is highlighted, ensuring not only academic success but also the emotional and personal well-being of students in a constantly changing world.
Sinogram Upsampling via Sub-Riemannian Diffusion with Adaptive Weighting
Authors: Koo JaKeoung
Published: November 2023

Computed tomography is a versatile imaging technique used to enable seeing internal structures of objects without opening or destroying them. This is possible through a process called tomographic reconstruction, which reconstructs images from projections of the object that are obtained by penetrating the object with beams of radiation, such as X-rays, from different angles. These projection data are often limited to low-resolution data in terms of projection angles. These limited or subsampled data make it difficult to obtain high-quality reconstruction results. Hence, upsampling projection data is necessary. In this paper, we propose a sinogram upsampling method via the sub-Riemannian diffusion process. We first lift the data into a feature space, and we fill in the missing angle parts by propagating information from the observed data to the missing parts. We observe that the sinogram with limited angle data has high directional dependency, and based on this observation, we suggest an adaptive weighting scheme to keep information propagating toward the missing regions. This adaptive weighting allows for diffusing toward the desired directions. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method in some scenarios regarding inpainting fine details, when compared to the existing model-based methods, such as Plug-and-Play and total generalized variation.
MammalClub: An Annotated Wild Mammal Dataset for Species Recognition, Individual Identification, and Behavior Recognition
Authors: Lu Wenbo , Zhao Yaqin , Wang Jin , Zheng Zhaoxiang , Feng Liqi , Tang Jiaxi
Published: November 2023

Mammals play an important role in conserving species diversity and maintaining ecological balance, so research on mammal species composition, individual identification, and behavioral analysis is of great significance for optimizing the ecological environment. Due to their great capabilities for feature extraction, deep learning networks have gradually been applied to wildlife monitoring. However, training a network requires a large number of animal image samples. Although a few wildlife datasets contain many mammals, most mammal images in these datasets are not annotated. In particular, selecting mammalian images from vast and comprehensive datasets is still a time-consuming task. Therefore, there is currently a lack of specialized datasets of images of wild mammals. To address these limitations, this article created a mammal image dataset (named MammalClub), which contains three sub-datasets (i.e., a species recognition sub-dataset, an individual identification sub-dataset, and a behavior recognition sub-dataset). This study labeled the bounding boxes of the images used for species recognition and the coordinates of the mammals’ skeletal joints for behavior recognition. This study also captured images of each individual from different points of view for individual mammal identification. This study explored novel intelligent animal recognition models and compared and analyzed them with the mainstream models in order to test the dataset.
Few Shot Class Incremental Learning via Grassmann Manifold and Information Entropy
Authors: Gu Ziqi , Lu Zihan , Han Cao , Xu Chunyan
Published: November 2023

Few-shot class incremental learning is a challenging problem in the field of machine learning. It necessitates models to gradually learn new knowledge from a few samples while retaining the knowledge of old classes. Nevertheless, the limited data available for new classes not only leads to significant overfitting problems but also exacerbates the issue of catastrophic forgetting in the incremental learning process. To address the above two issues, we propose a novel framework named Grassmann Manifold and Information Entropy for Few-Shot Class Incremental Learning(GMIE-FSCIL). Different from existing methods that model parameters on the Euclidean space, our method optimizes the incremental learning network on the Grassmann manifold. More specifically, we incorporate the acquired knowledge of each class on the Grassmann manifold, ensuring the preservation of their inherent geometric properties by Grassmann Metric Learning(GML) module. Acknowledging the interconnected relationships of knowledge, with information entropy we create a neighborhood graph on Grassmann manifold to maintain inter-class structural information by Graph Information Preserving(GIP) module, thus mitigating catastrophic forgetting of learned knowledge. In our evaluation of CIFAR100, miniImageNet, and CUB200 datasets, we achieved significant improvements in terms of Avg compared to mainstream methods, with at least 2.72%, 1.21%, and 1.27% increases.
An Analysis of Mechanical and Thermal Stresses, Temperature and Displacement within the Transparent Cylinder and Piston Top of a Small Direct-Injection Spark-Ignition Optical Engine
Authors: Velugula Ravi , Thiruvallur loganathan Balasubramanian , Varadhaiyengar Lakshminarasimhan , Asvathanarayanan Ramesh , Mittal Mayank
Published: November 2023

Two- and three-wheeled vehicles account for a significant portion of the automobile market in several countries worldwide. In order to advance the capabilities of these vehicles, the integration of direct-injection (DI) technology is essential, given its potential benefits such as high thermal efficiency and low engine-out emissions. Direct injection in small-bore engines, however, further complicates the challenges involved (of DI technology) like fuel impingement and mixture inhomogeneity inside the engine cylinder, driving the need for an in-depth exploration of in-cylinder processes. Consequently, the necessity arises to develop a small-bore direct-injection spark-ignition (DISI) optical engine that incorporates a transparent cylinder and piston top. In this scenario, these transparent components are required to endure a combination of intricate loads and boundary conditions, hence the potential to result in failures. This work aims to assess numerically the effects of these loads and boundary conditions on the transparent components and optimize their thicknesses. For this purpose, a computer-aided design model of a small-bore DISI optical engine (displacement volume of 200 cm3) is developed. The mechanical and thermal loads are extracted from the experimental data and validated computational fluid dynamics model of the same engine configuration. A coupled temperature-displacement finite element analysis methodology is developed in ABAQUS/CAE, and simulations are performed under both steady and transient conditions. Temperature and combined stress distributions within the transparent cylinder and piston top are obtained and analyzed to find their optimum thicknesses. Knowing thermal gradients, combined stresses and displacements under actual conditions helped design the small optical engine with an improved factor of safety.
Responses of the Crown Shape of Larix kaempferi Plantations to Site Index in Subtropical Areas of China
Authors: Gao Huilin , Chen Dongsheng , Sun Xiaomei , Zhang Shougong
Published: November 2023

This study addresses how site index may affect crown shape by developing a crown shape regression model for the planted L. kaempferi at high altitudes in the subtropical climate of China. A total of 9241 branches from 78 trees, including 39 dominant trees and 39 intermediate trees, were measured in Hubei Province, southern China. The branch characteristics, including branch length, branch angle, and branch chord length of all living branches, were measured by felling trees. The models that showed good performance in crown shape modeling were used and compared in the present study. The goodness of fit statistics and stability of parameter estimation of the modified Kozak equation were better than those of the segmented polynomial equation. A nonlinear mixed-effect crown shape model was developed based on the modified Kozak equation. In addition to the tree level variables of diameter at the breast height (DBH), crown ratio (CR), and tree height-to-DBH ratio, an attempt was made to incorporate the site index into the crown shape model for the planted L. kaempferi. However, the site index was not a significant variable in the crown shape model. The purpose of our study was to lay the foundation for further study of the growth of the trees and the effects of crown morphology on stem growth in the future.
Study on Desiccation Tolerance and Biochemical Changes of Sassafras tzumu (Hemsl.) Hemsl. Seeds
Authors: Peng Chenyin , Wang Mingzhu , Wu Yu , Hua Qilong , Shen Yongbao
Published: November 2023

The deciduous tree species Sassafras tzumu (Hemsl.) Hemsl., unique to China, holds significant economic and ecological value. However, its seeds exhibit poor storage tolerance and rapid decline in seed vigor. This study primarily investigates the desiccation tolerance of S. tzumu seeds. The results show that S. tzumu seeds have recalcitrant seed characteristics, with a semi-inactivation water content (at which point half of the seeds lose viability) of 20.7%. As desiccation progresses, seed viability decreases significantly; at a reduced water content of 11.93%, only 18.3% of the seeds remain viable, while most lose their viability completely. Relative electrolytic leakage (REC) and H2O2 content gradually increase during this process, while MDA content initially decreases before increasing again, exhibiting distinct trends compared to antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). SOD and POD activities exhibit an initial increase followed by a rapid decrease, whereas CAT activity shows a decline followed by a rapid increase. Dehydration to 15% water content in seeds is a key turning point in the process of seed desiccation in S. tzumu, and CAT is an enzyme key to maintaining seed viability. Both the accumulation of toxins and the decline in the activity of the antioxidant system contribute to the susceptibility of S. tzumu seeds to drought stress, a characteristic common to all recalcitrant seeds. To maintain high seed viability above 70% during storage, it is crucial to ensure water content above 23.58%.
Effect of Alkali Treatment under Ambient and Heated Conditions on the Physicochemical, Structural, Morphological, and Thermal Properties of Calamus tenuis Cane Fibers
Authors: Kar Arup , Saikia Dip , Palanisamy Sivasubramanian , Santulli Carlo , Fragassa Cristiano , Thomas Sabu
Published: November 2023

This study explores the effect of alkali treatment at ambient (25 °C) and elevated temperatures (100 °C) on the physicochemical, structural, morphological, and thermal properties of Calamus tenuis cane fibers (CTCFs) for the first time. Our purpose is to investigate their potential use as reinforcement in polymer composites, since cane fibers are generally known for their accurate and consistent geometrical orientation. Treatment with 8% (w/v) sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is carried out at ambient temperature and at 100 °C for 4 h. Chemical analysis and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR) indicate some removal of non-cellulosic elements from CTCFs during alkali treatment, resulting in increased surface roughness, as confirmed by using SEM micrographs. This removal of non-cellulosic elements leads to an enhancement in the density of the treated CTCFs. Untreated and treated fibers are analyzed for maximum degradation temperature, thermal stability, and kinetic activation energy (Ea) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In particular, Ea was considerably diminished with treatment and temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show an improved crystallinity index (37.38% to 44.02%) and crystallite size (2.73 nm to 2.98 nm) for fibers treated with 8% NaOH at ambient temperature. In conclusion, a general benefit was achieved by treating CTCFs, though the influence of increasing temperature treatment appears controversial.
Experiences of Impacted Foetal Head: Findings from a Pragmatic Focus Group Study of Mothers and Midwives
Authors: Briley Annette L. , Silverio Sergio A. , Shennan Andrew H. , Tydeman Graham
Published: November 2023

Introduction: We aimed to explore the lived experiences of caesarean birth complicated by impaction of the foetal head, for mothers and midwives. Methods: A pragmatic, qualitative, focus group study of mixed-participants was conducted, face-to-face. They were postpartum women (n = 4), midwives (n = 4), and a postpartum midwife (n = 1) who had experience of either providing care for impacted foetal head, and/or had experienced it during their own labour, in Fife, United Kingdom. Data were transcribed and were analysed using template analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged through analysis: (i) current knowledge of impacted foetal head; (ii) current management of impacted foetal head; and (iii) experiences and outcomes of impacted foetal head. Each theme was made up of various initial codes when data were analysed inductively. Finally, each theme could be overlaid onto the three core principles of the Tydeman Tube: (1) to improve outcomes for mother and baby in the second stage of labour; (2) to reduce the risk of trauma to mother and baby in complicated births; and (3) to increase respectful care for women in labour; thus allowing for a neat analytic template. Conclusion: A lack of consensus regarding definition, management, and training were highlighted by the midwives. Women anticipated caesarean birth in late labour as straightforward and were therefore unaware of this potential complication. Women and midwives would welcome any new device to facilitate delivery of the impacted foetal head (IFH) as long as it is fully evaluated prior to widespread introduction. Women were not averse to being part of this evaluation process.
Evaluation of Indoor Radon Activity Concentrations and Controls in Dwellings Surrounding the Gold Mine Tailings in Gauteng Province of South Africa
Authors: Moshupya Paballo M. , Mohuba Seeke C. , Abiye Tamiru A. , Korir Ian
Published: November 2023

Radon in dwellings is recognized as the primary source of natural radiation exposure to members of the public. In the West Rand District and Soweto in the Gauteng Province (South Africa), indoor radon (222Rn) mapping was carried out to assess the exposure levels of radon in dwellings around gold and uranium mining tailings dams. This study was conducted predominately during warm and cold seasons, using the solid-state nuclear track detectors. In summer months, the indoor radon levels measured in all areas ranged from below the lower limit of detection to 71 Bq/m3, with a mean value of 29 Bq/m3, whereas in winter, the levels ranged between 11 and 124 Bq/m3, with a mean value of 46 Bq/m3. Higher indoor radon levels are found in colder months (winter season) than warmer months (summer season). However, no dwellings with indoor radon levels that exceed the WHO (2009) recommended reference level of 100 Bq/m3 were found, except for one that was constructed directly on soil mixed with tailings material. It is recommended that residents should keep their indoor radon levels low through continuous ventilation so as to minimize the buildup of radon and the likelihood of increased health hazards associated with radon exposure.