bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Multiple Machine Learning Models for Estimating the Forest Growing Stock in Large-Scale Forests Using Multi-Source Data
Authors: Huang Huajian , Wu Dasheng , Fang Luming , Zheng Xinyu
Published: September 2022

The forest growing stock is one of the key indicators in monitoring forest resources, and its quantitative estimation is of great significance. Based on multi-source data, including Sentinel-1 radar remote sensing data, Sentinel-2 optical remote sensing data, digital elevation model (DEM), and inventory data for forest management planning and design, the Lasso feature selection method was used to remove the non-significant indicators, and three machine learning algorithms, GBDT, XGBoost, and CatBoost, were used to estimate forest growing stock. In addition, four category features, forest population, dominant tree species, humus thickness, and slope direction, were involved in estimating forest growing stock. The results showed that the addition of category features significantly improved the performance of the models. To a certain extent, radar remote sensing data also could improve estimating accuracy. Among the three models, the CatBoost model (R2 = 0.78, MSE = 0.62, MAE = 0.59, MAPE = 16.20%) had the highest estimating accuracy, followed by XGBoost (R2 = 0.75, MSE = 0.71, MAE = 0.62, MAPE = 18.28%) and GBDT (R2 = 0.72, MSE = 0.78, MAE = 0.68, MAPE = 20.28%).
An Optimized SIFT-OCT Algorithm for Stitching Aerial Images of a Loblolly Pine Plantation
Authors: Wu Tao , Hung I-Kuai , Xu Hao , Yang Laibang , Wang Yongzhong , Fang Luming , Lou Xiongwei
Published: September 2022

When producing orthomosaic from aerial images of a forested area, challenges arise when the forest canopy is closed, and tie points are hard to find between images. The recent development in deep leaning has shed some light in tackling this problem with an algorithm that examines each image pixel-by-pixel. The scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm and its many variants are widely used in feature-based image stitching, which is ideal for orthomosaic production. However, although feature-based image registration can find many feature points in forest image stitching, the similarity between images is too high, resulting in a low correct matching rate and long splicing time. To counter this problem by considering the characteristics of forest images, the inverse cosine function ratio of the unit vector dot product (arccos) is introduced into the SIFT-OCT (SIFT skipping the first scale-space octave) algorithm to overcome the shortfalls of too long a matching time caused by too many feature points for matching. Then, the fast sample consensus (FSC) algorithm was introduced to realize the deletion of mismatched point pairs and improve the matching accuracy. This optimized method was tested on three sets of forest images, representing the forest core, edge, and road areas of a loblolly pine plantation. The same process was repeated by using the regular SIFT and SIFT-OCT algorithms for comparison. The results showed the optimized SIFT-OCT algorithm not only greatly reduced the splicing time, but also increased the correct matching rate.
The Multifaceted Relationship between the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Food System
Authors: Paparella Antonello , Purgatorio Chiara , Chaves-López Clemencia , Rossi Chiara , Serio Annalisa
Published: September 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is being questioned for its possible food transmission, due to several reports of the virus on food, outbreaks developed in food companies, as well as its origins linked to the wet market of Wuhan, China. The purpose of this review is to analyze the scientific evidence gathered so far on the relationship between food and the pandemic, considering all aspects of the food system that can be involved. The collected data indicate that there is no evidence that foods represent a risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. In fact, even if the virus can persist on food surfaces, there are currently no proven cases of infection from food. Moreover, the pandemic showed to have deeply influenced the eating habits of consumers and their purchasing methods, but also to have enhanced food waste and poverty. Another important finding is the role of meat processing plants as suitable environments for the onset of outbreaks. Lessons learned from the pandemic include the correct management of spaces, food hygiene education for both food workers and common people, the enhancement of alternative commercial channels, the reorganization of food activities, in particular wet markets, and intensive farming, following correct hygiene practices. All these outcomes lead to another crucial lesson, which is the importance of the resilience of the food system. These lessons should be assimilated to deal with the present pandemic and possible future emergencies. Future research directions include further investigation of the factors linked to the food system that can favor the emergence of viruses, and of innovative technologies that can reduce viral transmission.
Impacts of Cold Plasma Technology on Sensory, Nutritional and Safety Quality of Food: A Review
Authors: Zhang Bo , Tan Chunming , Zou Fanglei , Sun Yu , Shang Nan , Wu Wei
Published: September 2022

As an emerging non-thermal food processing technology, cold plasma (CP) technology has been widely applied in food preservation due to its high efficiency, greenness and lack of chemical residues. Recent studies have indicated that CP technology also has an impressing effect on improving food quality. This review summarized the impact of CP on the functional composition and quality characteristics of various food products. CP technology can prevent the growth of spoilage microorganisms while maintaining the physical and chemical properties of the food. It can maintain the color, flavor and texture of food. CP can cause changes in protein structure and function, lipid oxidation, vitamin and monosaccharide degradation, starch modification and the retention of phenolic substances. Additionally, it also degrades allergens and toxins in food. In this review, the effects of CP on organoleptic properties, nutrient content, safety performance for food and the factors that cause these changes were concluded. This review also highlights the current application limitations and future development directions of CP technology in the food industry. This review enables us to more comprehensively understand the impacts of CP technology on food quality and promotes the healthy application of CP technology in the food industry.
Evolution of Sensory Properties of Beef during Long Dry Ageing
Authors: Marie-Pierre Ellies-Oury , Benoit Grossiord , Muriel Denayrolles , Sandrine Papillon , Patrick Sauvant , Jean-François Hocquette , Emmanuel Aussems
Published: September 2022

Ageing is an essential step in obtaining meat with satisfactory sensory properties. Dry-ageing, although being a niche practice, is increasingly being developed to enhance the taste experience of meat consumers. In this work, we studied the kinetics of the evolution of muscle properties with increasing ageing time, in order to propose an optimal duration, allowing a compromise between quality and meat weight loss reduction. Our study was performed on 32 samples from 8 animals for which the Longissimus thoracis sensory properties were analysed at different stages of ageing (7, 16, 35 and 60-days post-slaughter). This work showed an increase in the dry matter content of meat with increasing ageing duration, concomitant with a slight increase in pH. Although the luminance of the meat is stabilized after 14-days, the red and yellow indices decrease until 35-days of ageing. Iron content also decreases with ageing duration. Finally, the kinetic evolution of muscle rheological properties indicates that the toughness decreases at least up to 35-days on raw meat. Cooking seems to homogenise the tenderness of the samples, no difference was noticed between the different ageing durations when meat was cooked. These first experimental data need to be confirmed with different animal types.
Preparation and Characterization of Rutin–Loaded Zein–Carboxymethyl Starch Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Cuicui , Chen Long , McClements David Julian , Peng Xinwen , Qiu Chao , Long Jie , Ji Hangyan , Zhao Jianwei , Zhou Xing , Jin Zhengyu
Published: September 2022

In this work, rutin (RT)–loaded zein–carboxymethyl starch (CMS) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the antisolvent precipitation method. The effect of CMS on composite nanoparticles at different concentrations was studied. When the ratio of zein–RT–CMS was 10:1:30, the encapsulation efficiency (EE) was the highest, reaching 73.5%. At this ratio, the size of the composite nanoparticles was 196.47 nm, and the PDI was 0.13, showing excellent dispersibility. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and CD showed that electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interaction were the main driving forces for the formation of nanoparticles. It can be seen from the FE–SEM images that the zein–RT–CMS nanoparticles were spherical. With the increase in the CMS concentration, the particles gradually embedded in the cross–linked network of CMS (10:1:50). After RT was loaded on zein–CMS nanoparticles, the thermal stability and pH stability of RT were improved. The results showed that zein–CMS was an excellent encapsulation material for bioactive substances.
Substituting Fat with Olive Oil, Mash Potato, or a Gelatin Matrix in Low-Salt-Content Dry-Fermented Sausages
Authors: Panea Begoña , Ripoll Guillermo
Published: September 2022

It was investigated whether physicochemical properties and consumer perception of dry-fermented sausages were affected by the partial replacement of fat and salt by other compounds. A control batch and nine experimental batches, following 3 × 3 factorial design, were manufactured. The NaCl was replaced with of calcium lactate, magnesium chloride, or a blend 85% NaCl (sodium chloride) and 15% KCl (potassium chloride). The fat was partially substituted by olive oil, potato puree, or commercial gelatin. The pH, dry matter, fat content, free fatty acid content, peroxide index, microbial analysis, and tasting, were measured. Both fat type and slat type were affected to measured variables. In terms of moisture, gelatin would be the most recommendable substitute for fat, whereas KCL would be the better substitute for salt. The three oil batches and the potato-magnesium batches presented lower fat content than the control batch. Both the free fatty acid content and the peroxide values increased over the ripening time. At the end of the ripening, the three oil batches presented the highest values for free fatty acids, but there were no differences among the batches of peroxide index. Regarding bacterial counts, the potato-KCL batch was the most like the control batch. In visual appraisal, none of the scores of the measured variables were affected by the batch. Nevertheless, the batch of oil-magnesium would be purchased less than expected. The tasting quality was affected only by the salt type, but all of the batches were different from the control. Neither the gender (p > 0.05) nor the age (p > 0.05) of the respondents affected the taste scores, visual appraisal, or purchase intent. Results shows that the partial substitution of fat and salt in dry-fermented sausages is possible, even in greater percentages than those stated in the literature, without a detriment of sensory properties. Nevertheless, further experiments would be necessary to adjust the formulation, as well as to explore other possibilities.
Non-Local Seismo-Dynamics: A Fractional Approach
Authors: Uchaikin Vladimir , Kozhemiakina Elena
Published: September 2022

This paper consists of a general consideration of a seismic system as a subsystem of another, larger system, exchanging with it by extensive dynamical quantities in a sequential push mode. It is shown that, unlike an isolated closed system described by the Liouville differential equation of the first order in time, it is described by a fractional differential equation of a distributed equation in the interval (0, 1] order. The key characteristic of its motion is a spectral function, representing the order distribution over the interval. As a specific case of the process, a system with single-point spectrum is investigated. It follows the fractional Poisson process method evolution, obeying via a time-fractional differential equation with a unique order. The article ends with description of statistical estimation of parameters of seismic shocks imitated by Monte Carlo simulated fractional Poisson process.
In-Situ Synthesis of Layered Double Hydroxide/Silica Aerogel Composite and Its Thermal Safety Characteristics
Authors: Sun Mengtian , Wang Yang , Wang Xiaowu , Liu Qiong , Li Ming , Shulga Yury M. , Li Zhi
Published: September 2022

To adjust the thermal safety of hydrophobic silica aerogel, layered double hydroxide (LDH)/silica aerogel (SA) composites were prepared by an in-situ sol-gel process at ambient pressure. This study found the physical combination of SA and MgAl-LDH based on the FTIR spectra and phase composition of LDH/SA. The N2 sorption analysis confirms that the introduction of MgAl-LDH does not change the mesoporous attribution of LDH/SA significantly. With the increase in MgAl-LDH addictive content, the low density (0.12–0.13 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity (24.28–26.38 mW/m/K), and large specific surface area (730.7–903.7 m2g) of LDH/SA are still maintained, which can satisfy the requirements of thermal insulation. The TG-DSC analysis demonstrates that the endothermic effects and metal oxides formed during the MgAl-LDH decomposition are beneficial to the improvement of the thermal stability of LDH/SA composites. In addition, it was found that the gross calorific values of LDH/SA composites decrease with an increase in MgAl-LDH addictive content, all of which are lower than that of the pure SA. The research outcomes indicate that the thermal safety of LDH/SA composites is enhanced significantly by doping MgAl-LDH without impairing too many of the excellent properties, which benefits their expansion in the thermal insulation field.
Editorial of Special Issue “Enhanced Geothermal Systems and Other Deep Geothermal Applications throughout Europe: The MEET Project”
Authors: Ledésert Béatrice , Hébert Ronan , Trullenque Ghislain , Genter Albert , Dalmais Eléonore , Herisson Jean
Published: September 2022

The MEET project is a Multidisciplinary and multi-context demonstration of Enhanced Geothermal Systems exploration and Exploitation Techniques and potentials, which received funding from the European Commission in the framework of the Horizon 2020 program [...]
Effects of Structured Expressive Writing on Quality of Life and Perceived Self-Care Self-Efficacy of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy in Central China: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wang Rong , Li Lu , Xu Jing , Ding Zhen-Ting , Qiao Jia , Redding Sharon R. , Xianyu Yun-Yan , Ouyang Yan-Qiong
Published: September 2022

Expressive writing is a supportive psychological intervention allowing an individual to disclose and express their deepest thoughts and feelings related to personal traumatic experiences through writing. Previous studies suggested that expressive writing could promote the physical and mental health of cancer patients. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of expressive writing based on the theory of cognitive adaptation (TCA) on the quality of life and self-care self-efficacy in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. A sample of 82 Chinese women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer was randomly assigned to an experimental group (four 20 min writing activities focusing on emotional disclosure) or a control group (no writing activities). The quality of life (QoL) and self-care self-efficacy were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after the intervention, respectively. The sociodemographic characteristics, QoL, and self-care self-efficacy at baseline were comparable between the two groups. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant effects of the time×group (F = 3.65, p < 0.05) on the QoL and significant effects of time (F = 4.77, p <0.05) on self-care self-efficacy. Compared with the control group, the QoL in the intervention group showed a significant and temporary increase at 2 weeks after the intervention (mean difference = −7.56, p < 0.05). As a low-cost and easily delivered psychological intervention, expressive writing is recommended to reduce stress when there is a lack of available emotional support.
Wild Chrysanthemums Core Collection: Studies on Leaf Identification
Authors: Nguyen Toan Khac , Dang L. Minh , Song Hyoung-Kyu , Moon Hyeonjoon , Lee Sung Jae , Lim Jin Hee
Published: September 2022

Wild chrysanthemums mainly present germplasm collections such as leaf multiform, flower color, aroma, and secondary compounds. Wild chrysanthemum leaf identification is critical for farm owners, breeders, and researchers with or without the flowering period. However, few chrysanthemum identification studies are related to flower color recognition. This study contributes to the leaf classification method by rapidly recognizing the varieties of wild chrysanthemums through a support vector machine (SVM). The principal contributions of this article are: (1) an assembled collection method and verified chrysanthemum leaf dataset that has been achieved and improved; (2) an adjusted SVM model that is offered to deal with the complex backgrounds presented by smartphone pictures by using color and shape classification results to be more attractive than the original process. As our study presents, the proposed method has a viable application in real-picture smartphones and can help to further investigate chrysanthemum identification.
Strengthening Medical Care for Young People in the Netherlands: A Reflection
Authors: Jansen Danielle , Vanneste-van Zandvoort Yvonne , Illy Károly , Popma Arne , Berger Marjolein Y.
Published: September 2022

To improve medical care for young people in the Netherlands, various professional groups representing physicians who provide medical care to children have developed a vision called ‘strengthening medical care for young people’. The purpose of this viewpoint is to reflect on the implementation of proposals to augment cooperation and coordination between the professional groups involved. Our reflection demonstrates that additional action regarding cooperation and coordination is still necessary to strengthen this care for young people. First, regarding the practical implementation of collaboration, the guidelines are unclear, and many are out-of-date. Second, adequate structured interdisciplinary training and intervision are lacking for physicians frequently collaborating in the care of young people. Third, interdisciplinary access to patient files is too complex and time-consuming. We recommend structured monitoring of the implementation of all improvement proposals, regarding both processes and outcomes. In addition, we recommend collaboration with physicians treating mentally disabled individuals to improve medical care for this group.
Short- and Long-Term Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicide-Related Mental Health in Korean Adolescents
Authors: Lee Byungha , Hong Jung Su
Published: September 2022

This study investigated the short-term (in 2020) and long-term (in 2021) impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide-related characteristics in Korean adolescents in comparison with the pre-pandemic period (in 2019) and examined the factors associated with those impacts. Secondary data of the cross-sectional 15th–17th (2019–2021) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey targeting adolescents in school were utilized. The proportions of adolescents with depression, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts were 26.5%, 12.2%, 3.7%, and 2.4%, respectively. Following an adjustment, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts significantly improved in the short term and depression and suicide attempts improved significantly in the long term (i.e., 2021), albeit to a lesser degree. The associated variables in the short-term analysis (i.e., 2020) reflected the socioeconomic vulnerabilities (e.g., lower household socioeconomic status [SES], unhealthy status, and unhealthy behaviors), as well as the socioeconomically favorable indicators (e.g., high household SES and high academic achievement). In the long-term, suicidal ideation was no longer associated with a lack of engagement in hand washing, and suicide attempts were no longer associated with the amount of internet time used for studying. For a successful suicide prevention, it is necessary to develop in-school interventions that address the relevant factors identified in this study and the community-based interventions that target out-of-school adolescents.
Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTC) and the Environment: A Scoping Review
Authors: Dambha-Miller Hajira , Cheema Sukhmani , Saunders Nile , Simpson Glenn
Published: September 2022

Background: Multiple Long Term conditions (MLTC) are a major health care challenge associated with high service utilisation and expenditure. Once established, the trajectory to an increased number and severity of conditions, hospital admission, increased social care need and mortality is multifactorial. The role of wider environmental determinants in the MLTC sequelae is unclear. Aim: the aim of this review was to summarise and collate existing evidence on environmental determinants on established MLTC. Methods: comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL and Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE), from inception to 4th June 2022 in addition to grey literature. Two authors independently screened and extracted papers. Disagreements were resolved with a third author. Results: searches yielded 9079 articles, 12 of which met the review’s inclusion criteria. Evidence of correlations between some environmental determinants and increased or decreased risks of MLTC were found, including the quality of internal housing/living environments, exposure to airborne environmental hazards and a beneficial association with socially cohesive, accessible and greener neighbourhood environments. Conclusions: The majority of the 12 included papers focused on the built and social environments. The review uncovered very limited evidence, indicating a need for further research to understand the role of environmental determinants in MLTC.
The Association between Altitude and Waist–Height Ratio in Peruvian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of a Population-Based Survey
Authors: Hernández-Vásquez Akram , Azañedo Diego
Published: September 2022

To evaluate the association between altitude and cardiometabolic risk calculated with the weight–height ratio (WHtR) in the Peruvian adult population via the cross-sectional data analysis of the Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey 2021. A total of 26,117 adults from 18 to 64 years of age were included in the analysis. The dependent variable was cardiometabolic risk, defined as “Yes” if the WHtR was ≥0.5 and “No” if the WHtR was <0.5. Exposure was altitude of residence categorized as: <1500 meters above sea level (masl); 1500 to 2499 masl; 2500 to 3499 masl; and ≥3500 masl. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression models were used to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The mean WHtR in the population was 0.59 (standard deviation: 0.08), and 87.6% (95% CI: 86.9–88.2) were classified as at risk. After adjusting for sex, age, education level, well-being index, and area of residence, living at altitudes between 2500 and 3499 masl (aPR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96–1.00) and ≥3500 masl (aPR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.93–0.97) were associated with lower cardiometabolic risk in comparison with living at <1500 masl. An inverse association was identified between living at a higher altitude and the proportion of cardiometabolic risk in the Peruvian adult population. However, at least 8 out of 10 people were identified as at risk in all categories of altitude.
Wood-Splitter-Related Upper-Limb Injuries: A Single-Centered Case-Series Study
Authors: Aoyagi Arisa , Nomura Osamu , Sasaki Norihiro , Fujita Yuki , Ichikawa Nana , Ishizawa Yoshiya , Ishibashi Yasuyuki , Hanada Hiroyuki
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: Injuries to the upper limbs during wood splitting can affect social and economic life. We aimed to describe the clinical information concerning these injuries in Japan. (2) Methods: We identified patients from our patient database from April 2015–November 2021 and extracted data from their medical records, which includes age, gender, occupation, month, time and location of the injury, diagnosis, duration of hospitalization, ICU admission, treatment interventions including surgery, outcome, and medical costs. (3) Result: Seventeen cases were identified. Most of the patients were male (n = 15), with median age being 68 years old. Regarding the patients’ backgrounds, six were apple farmers and three were unemployed. Injuries to the index finger was most common (n = 9), followed by injuries to the thumb in five cases (n = 5). Most of the incidents occurred at home or on the patient’s farm estate. No injuries were due to incidents at work. (4) Conclusion: The wood splitter-related injuries required long-term treatment and frequently damaged the thumb, a functionally important digit. All the injuries were sustained during non-occupational use of a wood splitter. Therefore, we suggest that safety training should be provided to prevent traumatic injuries when these products are being sold.
School Satisfaction and Its Associations with Health and Behavioural Outcomes among 15-Years Old Adolescents
Authors: Horanicova Simona , Husarova Daniela , Gecková Andrea Madarasová , De Winter Andrea F. , Reijneveld Sijmen A.
Published: September 2022

Background: Health and behavioural outcomes of adolescents have been shown to be related to school pressure, demands or unfavourable relationships with classmates or teachers. These associations may relate to school satisfaction, but evidence on this is lacking. Therefore, our aim is to explore the associations of school satisfaction with hopelessness, health complaints, fighting and truancy. Methods: Data come from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study collected in 2018 from Slovak 15-year-old adolescents (N = 816; 50.9% boys). School satisfaction was measured by school engagement and attitudes towards education, grouped as: satisfied (both positive), inconsistent (one positive, one negative) and indifferent (both negative). Hopelessness, health complaints, fighting and truancy were measured using self-report questionnaires. Logistic regression models were used to explore the associations of school satisfaction with hopelessness, health complaints, fighting and truancy separately. Results: Indifferent adolescents were more likely to feel hopeless, to frequently experience two or more health complaints, to be involved in a fight and to skip school (odds ratios/95%-confidence interval: 2.57/1.49–4.45; 2.51/1.48–4.25; 1.92/1.02–3.60; and 2.34/1.25–4.40, respectively) than satisfied adolescents. Inconsistent adolescents were more likely to frequently experience two or more health complaints than satisfied adolescents (1.72/1.05–5.79). Conclusions: School satisfaction affects adolescents’ health and social behaviour and may threaten their healthy development.
Rhamnolipid-Enhanced ZVI-Activated Sodium Persulfate Remediation of Pyrene-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wang Wenyang , Wang Xiyuan , Zhang Hao , Shi Qingdong , Liu Huapeng
Published: September 2022

In soil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are tightly bound to organic components, but surfactants can effectively transform them from a solid to a liquid phase. In this study, the biosurfactant rhamnolipid (RL) was selected as the eluent; shaking elution in a thermostatic oscillator improved the elution rate of pyrene, and the effects of RL concentration, temperature, and elution time on the elution effect were compared. After four repeated washings, the maximum elution rate was 75.6% at a rhamnolipid concentration of 20 g/L and a temperature of 45 °C. We found that 38 μm Zero-Valent Iron (ZVI) had a higher primary reaction rate (0.042 h−1), with a degradation rate of 94.5% when 3 g/L ZVI was added to 21 mM Na2S2O8 at 60 °C. Finally, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detected DMPO-OH and DMPO-SO4 signals, which played a major role in the degradation of pyrene. Overall, these results show that the combination of rhamnolipid elution and persulfate oxidation system effectively remediated pyrene-contaminated soil and provides some implications for the combined remediation with biosurfactants and chemical oxidation.
Prevalence and Impact of Academic Violence in Medical Education
Authors: Barbanti Patricia Costa Mincoff , Oliveira Sérgio Ricardo Lopes de , de Medeiros Aline Edlaine , Bitencourt Mariá Românio , Victorino Silvia Veridiana Zamparoni , Bitencourt Marcos Rogério , Alarcão Ana Carolina Jacinto , Egger Paulo Acácio , Pelloso Fernando Castilho , Borghesan Deise Helena Pelloso , de Souza Makcileni Paranho , Marques Vlaudimir Dias , Pelloso Sandra Marisa , Carvalho Maria Dalva de Barros
Published: September 2022

Situations of mistreatment in the academic environment are prevalent worldwide, but research in this area is scarce in middle-low-income countries. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of mistreatment inflicted against Brazilian medical students. In addition, characterize these situations and analyze their consequences. Cross-sectional study conducted with 831 medical students from public and private institutions. Absolute and relative frequencies of the analyzed variables and possible associations were determined through univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Chi-square test of association with second-order Rao-Scott adjustment was also used. The response rate was 56%. Public institution pointed to a higher prevalence of mistreatment when compared to private (59% versus 43%). Female students were the most affected. Verbal and psychological aggression was more prevalent. The aggressor usually was a faculty member. Mistreatment incidence increased over the years of training, with higher rates in the internship. About 94% of the students felt affected in anyway, with 77% feeling diminished and depressed. More than 50% reported impaired academic performance. Almost 30% sought help from experts. The reporting rate was extremely low. Adequate identification of the situations by the victims, safe reporting mechanisms and, an educational system capable of maintaining an appropriate learning environment are essential to break this destructive cycle.
Migration, Resilience, Vulnerability and Migrants’ Health
Authors: Mwanri Lillian , Fauk Nelsensius Klau , Mude William , Gesesew Hailay Abrha
Published: September 2022

Migration has always been a feature of human populations, with people migrating and crisscrossing the globe for a wide range of reasons [...]
Promoting Psychological Well-Being at Workplace through Protean Career Attitude: Dual Mediating Effect of Career Satisfaction and Career Commitment
Authors: Ha Jun-Chul , Lee Jun-Woo
Published: September 2022

The management paradigm of SMEs is changing due to the recent Fourth Industrial Revolution and the changing COVID-19 environment. To respond to these changes, companies are focusing on protean career attitude (PCA) and psychological well-being (PWB) of employees to improve corporate performance. Under these circumstances, this study investigated the structural relationship of the dual mediation effects of career commitment and career satisfaction in the relationship between PCA and PWB. To this end, this study targeted 307 employees of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the results are as follows. First, PCA was found to have a positive effect on career satisfaction and PCA was found to have a positive effect on career commitment. Second, PCA was found to have a significant effect on PWB. Third, career satisfaction, a parameter of this study, was found to have a positive impact on career commitment; in the relationship between PCA and PWB, the dual mediation effects of career satisfaction and career commitment were found to be significant. Finally, this study provided discussions and theoretical and practical implications based on those results, as well as directions for future research.
SocialMedia2Traffic: Derivation of Traffic Information from Social Media Data
Authors: Zia Mohammed , Fürle Johannes , Ludwig Christina , Lautenbach Sven , Gumbrich Stefan , Zipf Alexander
Published: September 2022

Traffic prediction is a topic of increasing importance for research and applications in the domain of routing and navigation. Unfortunately, open data are rarely available for this purpose. To overcome this, the authors explored the possibility of using geo-tagged social media data (Twitter), land-use and land-cover point of interest data (from OpenStreetMap) and an adapted betweenness centrality measure as feature spaces to predict the traffic congestion of eleven world cities. The presented framework and workflow are termed as SocialMedia2Traffic. Traffic congestion was predicted at four tile spatial resolutions and compared with Uber Movement data. The overall precision of the forecast for highly traffic-congested regions was approximately 81%. Different data processing steps including ways to aggregate data points, different proxies and machine learning approaches were compared. The lack of a universal definition on a global scale to classify road segments by speed bins into different traffic congestion classes has been identified to be a major limitation of the transferability of the framework. Overall, SocialMedia2Traffic further improves the usability of the tested feature space for traffic prediction. A further benefit is the agnostic nature of the social media platform’s approach.
Sonidegib Suppresses Production of Inflammatory Mediators and Cell Migration in BV2 Microglial Cells and Mice Treated with Lipopolysaccharide via JNK and NF-κB Inhibition
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Minh , Duong Men Thi Hoai , Bui Bich Phuong , Nguyen Phuong Linh , Chen Xiaozhen , Cho Jungsook , Ahn Hee-Chul
Published: September 2022

Our structure-based virtual screening of the FDA-approved drug library has revealed that sonidegib, a smoothened antagonist clinically used to treat basal cell carcinoma, is a potential c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) inhibitor. This study investigated the binding of sonidegib to JNK3 via 19F NMR and its inhibitory effect on JNK phosphorylation in BV2 cells. Pharmacological properties of sonidegib to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-migratory effects were also characterized. We found that sonidegib bound to the ATP binding site of JNK3 and inhibited JNK phosphorylation in BV2 cells, confirming our virtual screening results. Sonidegib also inhibited the phosphorylation of MKK4 and c-Jun, the upstream and downstream signals of JNK, respectively. It reduced the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of pro-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO), and the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. The LPS-induced cell migration was suppressed by sonidegib. Sonidegib inhibited the LPS-induced IκBα phosphorylation, thereby blocking NF-κB nuclear translocation. Consistent with these findings, orally administered sonidegib attenuated IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the brains of LPS-treated mice. Collectively, our results indicate that sonidegib suppresses inflammation and cell migration in LPS-treated BV2 cells and mice by inhibiting JNK and NF-κB signaling. Therefore, sonidegib may be implicated for drug repurposing to alleviate neuroinflammation associated with microglial activation.
Flavonoid Baicalein Suppresses Oral Biofilms and Protects Enamel Hardness to Combat Dental Caries
Authors: Chen Hong , Xie Sihong , Gao Jing , He Liwen , Luo Wenping , Tang Yunhao , Weir Michael D. , Oates Thomas W. , Xu Hockin H. K. , Yang Deqin
Published: September 2022

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of a novel method using flavonoids to inhibit Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Candida albicans (C. albicans) and dual-species biofilms and to protect enamel hardness in a biofilm-based caries model for the first time. Several flavonoids, including baicalein, naringenin and catechin, were tested. Gold-standard chlorhexidine (CHX) and untreated (UC) groups served as controls. Optimal concentrations were determined by cytotoxicity assay. Biofilm MTT, colony-forming-units (CFUs), biofilm biomass, lactic acid and polysaccharide production were evaluated. Real-time-polymerase-chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine gene expressions in biofilms. Demineralization of human enamel was induced via S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, and enamel hardness was measured. Compared to CHX and UC groups, the baicalein group achieved the greatest reduction in S. mutans, C. albicans and S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, yielding the least metabolic activity, polysaccharide synthesis and lactic acid production (p < 0.05). The biofilm CFU was decreased in baicalein group by 5 logs, 4 logs, 5 logs, for S. mutans, C. albicans and S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, respectively, compared to UC group. When tested in a S. mutans-C. albicans in vitro caries model, the baicalein group substantially reduced enamel demineralization under biofilms, yielding an enamel hardness that was 2.75 times greater than that of UC group. Hence, the novel baicalein method is promising to inhibit dental caries by reducing biofilm formation and protecting enamel hardness.
Ceramide Metabolism Regulated by Sphingomyelin Synthase 2 Is Associated with Acquisition of Chemoresistance via Exosomes in Human Leukemia Cells
Authors: Taniguchi Makoto , Nagaya Shingo , Yuyama Kohei , Kotani Ai , Igarashi Yasuyuki , Okazaki Toshiro
Published: September 2022

Ceramide levels controlled by the sphingomyelin (SM) cycle have essential roles in cancer cell fate through the regulation of cell proliferation, death, metastasis, and drug resistance. Recent studies suggest that exosomes confer cancer malignancy. However, the relationship between ceramide metabolism and exosome-mediated cancer malignancy is unclear. In this study, we elucidated the role of ceramide metabolism via the SM cycle in exosomes and drug resistance in human leukemia HL-60 and adriamycin-resistant HL-60/ADR cells. HL-60/ADR cells showed significantly increased exosome production and release compared with parental chemosensitive HL-60 cells. In HL-60/ADR cells, increased SM synthase (SMS) activity reduced ceramide levels, although released exosomes exhibited a high ceramide ratio in both HL-60- and HL-60/ADR-derived exosomes. Overexpression of SMS2 but not SMS1 suppressed intracellular ceramide levels and accelerated exosome production and release in HL-60 cells. Notably, HL-60/ADR exosomes conferred cell proliferation and doxorubicin resistance properties to HL-60 cells. Finally, microRNA analysis in HL-60 and HL-60/ADR cells and exosomes showed that miR-484 elevation in HL-60/ADR cells and exosomes was associated with exosome-mediated cell proliferation. This suggests that intracellular ceramide metabolism by SMS2 regulates exosome production and release, leading to acquisition of drug resistance and enhanced cell proliferation in leukemia cells.
The Effect of Uridine on the State of Skeletal Muscles and the Functioning of Mitochondria in Duchenne Dystrophy
Authors: Dubinin Mikhail V. , Starinets Vlada S. , Belosludtseva Natalia V. , Mikheeva Irina B. , Chelyadnikova Yuliya A. , Penkina Daria K. , Vedernikov Alexander A. , Belosludtsev Konstantin N.
Published: September 2022

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by the loss of functional dystrophin that secondarily causes systemic metabolic impairment in skeletal muscles and cardiomyocytes. The nutraceutical approach is considered as a possible complementary therapy for this pathology. In this work, we have studied the effect of pyrimidine nucleoside uridine (30 mg/kg/day for 28 days, i.p.), which plays an important role in cellular metabolism, on the development of DMD in the skeletal muscles of dystrophin deficient mdx mice, as well as its effect on the mitochondrial dysfunction that accompanies this pathology. We found that chronic uridine administration reduced fibrosis in the skeletal muscles of mdx mice, but it had no effect on the intensity of degeneration/regeneration cycles and inflammation, pseudohypetrophy, and muscle strength of the animals. Analysis of TEM micrographs showed that uridine also had no effect on the impaired mitochondrial ultrastructure of mdx mouse skeletal muscle. The administration of uridine was found to lead to an increase in the expression of the Drp1 and Parkin genes, which may indicate an increase in the intensity of organelle fission and the normalization of mitophagy. Uridine had little effect on OXPHOS dysfunction in mdx mouse mitochondria, and moreover, it was suppressed in the mitochondria of wild type animals. At the same time, uridine restored the transport of potassium ions and reduced the production of reactive oxygen species; however, this had no effect on the impaired calcium retention capacity of mdx mouse mitochondria. The obtained results demonstrate that the used dose of uridine only partially prevents mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscles during Duchenne dystrophy, though it mitigates the development of destructive processes in skeletal muscles.
Circulating EGFR Mutations in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma by Circulating Tumor Cell Isolation Systems: A Concordance Study
Authors: Li Shih-Hong , Wu Min-Hsien , Wang Hung-Ming , Hsu Ping-Chih , Fang Yueh-Fu , Wang Chih-Liang , Chu Hui-Chun , Lin Hung-Chih , Lee Li-Yu , Wu Ching-Yang , Yang Cheng-Ta , Chen Jen-Shi , Hsieh Jason Chia-Hsun
Published: September 2022

Background: We developed a hybrid platform using a negative combined with a positive selection strategy to capture circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients with pathology-proven treatment-naïve stage IV lung adenocarcinoma. Genomic DNA was extracted from CTCs collected for EGFR mutational tests. The second set of CTC-EGFR mutational tests were performed after three months of anti-cancer therapy. Results: A total of 80 samples collected from 28 patients enrolled between July 2016 and August 2018. Seventeen patients had EGFR mutations, including Exon 19 deletion (n = 11), L858R (n = 5), and de-novo T790 and L858R (n = 1). Concordance between tissue and CTCs before treatment was 88.2% in EGFR- mutant patients and 90.9% in non-mutant patients. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of EGFR mutation tests for CTCs were 89.3%, 88.2%, 90.9%, 93.8%, and 83.3%, respectively. Conclusions: CTCs captured by a hybrid platform using a negative and positive selection strategy may serve as a suitable and reliable source of lung cancer tumor DNA for detecting EGFR mutations, including T790M.
RNA Polymerase II “Pause” Prepares Promoters for Upcoming Transcription during Drosophila Development
Authors: Mazina Marina Yu. , Kovalenko Elena V. , Evdokimova Aleksandra A. , Erokhin Maksim , Chetverina Darya , Vorobyeva Nadezhda E.
Published: September 2022

According to previous studies, during Drosophila embryogenesis, the recruitment of RNA polymerase II precedes active gene transcription. This work is aimed at exploring whether this mechanism is used during Drosophila metamorphosis. In addition, the composition of the RNA polymerase II “paused” complexes associated with promoters at different developmental stages are described in detail. For this purpose, we performed ChIP-Seq analysis using antibodies for various modifications of RNA polymerase II (total, Pol II CTD Ser5P, and Pol II CTD Ser2P) as well as for subunits of the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes and Brd4/Fs(1)h that control transcription elongation. We found that during metamorphosis, similar to mid-embryogenesis, the promoters were bound by RNA polymerase II in the “paused” state, preparing for activation at later stages of development. During mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II in a “pause” state was phosphorylated at Ser5 and Ser2 of Pol II CTD and bound the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes, but not Brd4/Fs(1)h. During metamorphosis, the “paused” RNA polymerase II complex included Brd4/Fs(1)h in addition to NELF, DSIF, and PAF. The RNA polymerase II in this complex was phosphorylated at Ser5 of Pol II CTD, but not at Ser2. These results indicate that, during mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II stalls in the “post-pause” state, being phosphorylated at Ser2 of Pol II CTD (after the stage of p-TEFb action). During metamorphosis, the “pause” mechanism is closer to classical promoter-proximal pausing and is characterized by a low level of Pol II CTD Ser2P.
Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Mexican Women with Obesity as a Risk Factor
Authors: Cejudo-Arteaga Shaila , Guerrero-Ramos Miguel Ángel , Kuri-Exome Roberto , Martínez-Cordero Erika , Farias-Serratos Felipe , Maldonado-Vega María
Published: September 2022

Purpose. Adipose tissue in overweight and obesity shows metabolic imbalance in the function of adipocytes and macrophages, this leads to altered regulation of hunger, lipid storage, and chronic inflammation possibly related to the development of breast cancer. Methods. The study was retrospective of 653 breast cancer patients treated at a tertiary care hospital. Histopathology, hormone receptors, grade, clinical stage, clinical biometry analysis, CEA and CA 15-3 antigens were analyzed. The analyses were performed at diagnosis and at the end of oncological treatments. Results. Mexican women studied and treated for breast cancer have an BMI of 29 from diagnosis and at the end of their cancer treatments. The average age was 52 ± 12 years, 54% in women older than 55 years. Cancer recurrence occurs in any molecular type; however, the common factor was overweight and obesity with 73% vs. 21% in normal weight patients. The most frequent tumor tissue in the population was positive hormone receptors of the luminal type (65%), HER2 (15%), and NT (15%). The analyses of macrophages/lymphocytes (M/L), CEA, and CA 15-3 antigens evaluated in women >55 and <55 years, with and without recurrence are elevated at the end of oncological treatments. Conclusions. The analysis of Mexican women with breast cancer showed a predominance of overweight and obesity at diagnosis and at the end of treatment. A relationship between obesity and cancer recurrence with a low response to treatment due to elevation in Ag CEA and CA 15-3 is suggested. The L/M ratio could be an indicator of inflammation related to adipose tissue since diagnosis.