bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Does Social Capital Affect Residents’ Waste-Separation Behavior? Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Yexin , Song Hongke , Huang Xiaopei , Chen Hao , Wei Wei
Published: March 2022

The increasing amount of waste produced has been a challenge for human health and the environment, causing a call for effective waste management measures in which household waste separation is of great significance. Although an expanding body of literature has examined the impact of social capital on individual waste-separation behavior, few studies have explicitly discussed the endogeneity problem and the influence mechanisms. Accordingly, our study investigates the effect of social capital on waste-separation behavior and corresponding mechanisms using a national survey dataset of China. The study also reveals the heterogeneity of the influence of individual characteristics on waste-separation behavior. Our results demonstrate that social capital casts a significant positive impact on waste-separation behavior, providing opportunities for individuals’ social learning and strengthening the reputation effect. The heterogeneous effects of social capital reveal that women, higher-educated individuals, and political party members present better waste-separation behavior. Besides, the impact of social capital varies between urban and rural areas and among different age groups. Our study provides empirical evidence for policy making of household waste-separation management in developing countries from the perspective of informal institutions.
The Impact of Government Official Assessment on Ecological Poverty Alleviation: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Huang Yujing
Published: March 2022

Ecological poverty alleviation launched by the Chinese government is an innovative green development measure that combines targeted poverty alleviation with ecological protection to realize the ecological environmental protection and income growth of the impoverished population. Based on the Chinese government’s policy of poverty alleviation assessment for provincial government officials in 2016, this paper studies whether the assessment of government officials promote enterprises’ participation in ecological poverty alleviation. Using the sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2016 to 2020, the empirical test shows that the more important the assessment of poverty alleviation by officials, the more likely local enterprises are to participate in targeted poverty alleviation and the higher the investment level is likely to be. The results pass a series of robustness tests. In addition, this paper further finds that enterprise participation in ecological poverty alleviation can effectively reduce local water pollution, air pollution and solid pollution, thus improving the ecological environment. It suggests that the assessment mechanism of Chinese government officials can effectively promote multi-dimensional ecological poverty alleviation. The contributions of this paper are as follows. Firstly, it is helpful to expand the relevant literature on enterprise environmental protection from the perspective of ecological poverty alleviation. Secondly, it is helpful to expand the literature related to government–enterprise interaction from the perspective of the assessment of government officials. Finally, it is helpful to enrich and expand the relevant literatures on promotion incentives of government officials from the perspective of ecological poverty alleviation.
Mental Health in the Transit Context: Evidence from 10 Countries
Authors: Gargano Maria Caterina , Ajduković Dean , Vukčević Marković Maša
Published: March 2022

Most interventions for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) have been developed in contexts and with populations that differ significantly from the realities of migration. There is an urgent need for MHPSS in transit; however, transit-specific aspects of MHPSS provision are often neglected due to the inherent challenges transit poses to traditional conceptualizations of practice. The Delphi method, which consisted of three iterative rounds of surveys, was applied with the goal of identifying challenges to and adaptations of MHPSS in the transit context. Twenty-six MHPSS providers working with refugees in 10 European transit countries participated; 69% of participants completed all three survey rounds. There was consensus that a flexible model of MHPSS, which can balance low intensity interventions and specialized care, is needed. Agreement was high for practice-related and sociopolitical factors impacting MHPSS in transit; however, the mandate of MHPSS providers working in the transit context achieved the lowest consensus and is yet to be defined. There is a need to rethink MHPSS in the refugee transit context. Providing MHPSS to refugees on the move has specificities, most of which are related to the instability and uncertainty of the context. Future directions for improving mental health protection for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in transit are highlighted.
Depression before and during-COVID-19 by Gender in the Korean Population
Authors: Cha Won-Tae , Joo Hye-Jin , Park Yu-Shin , Park Eun-Cheol , Kim Soo-Young
Published: March 2022

This study explored the association between Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and depression by comparing Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) results pre-pandemic (2019) and after the start of the pandemic (2020). Data of 444,051 participants (200,206 male (45.1%); 243,845 female (54.9%)) were obtained from the Korean Community Health Survey conducted from 2019 to 2020. The independent variable of interest in this study was the year, divided into binary categories, 2019 and 2020. The dependent variable was depression, measured by the PHQ-9 scale. This dependent variable was also binary, dividing those who are considered depressed or not by a cut-off score of 10. A logistic regression model was employed to examine the association. Our results reveal that compared to participants in 2019, patients from the study sample of 2020 were marginally more likely to be depressed, especially female patients (male OR: 1.092, 95% CI [0.998 to 1.195], female OR: 1.066, 95% CI [1.002 to 1.134]). Moreover, using the participants from the year 2019 as a reference group, those who appeared anxious in response to the COVID-19-related questions in the survey showed more tendency to have a PHQ-9 score of 10 or more. Compared to participants from the 2019 group, those from 2020 more likely to be depressed were those with no-one to contact in case of emergency due to COVID-19 (male OR: 1.45, 95% CI [1.26 to 1.66], female OR: 1.46, 95% CI [1.33 to 1.60]), and individuals with concerns regarding economic loss (male OR: 1.18, 95% CI [1.07 to 1.30], female OR: 1.11, 95% CI [1.04 to 1.18]) and infection of a vulnerable family member at home due to COVID-19 (male OR: 1.16, 95% CI [1.05 to 1.28], female OR: 1.09, 95% CI [ 1.02 to 1.16]).
Boredom Proneness Predicts Self-Assessed Decision Errors in Sports but Is Unrelated to Risk Taking in General
Authors: Wolff Wanja , Bieleke Maik , Keller Lucas
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Boredom proneness is linked to poor self-regulation, leading to poor decision making and/or increased risk taking. These links have not yet been investigated in the domain of sports and exercise. However, poor decisions or excessive risk behavior would be highly detrimental to sporting performance and, in some cases, even cause physical harm. Here, we address this gap by assessing if boredom proneness is linked to general risk taking, sport-specific risk taking, and to regrets about sports-specific decision errors with respect to acting too risky or too passively. Methods: N = 936 athletes (27.6 ± 9.0 years, 89.6% men): n = 330 Climbers (31.8 ± 10.7 years, 82.4% men), n = 83 Snowboarders (29.9 ± 8.3 years, 79.5% men), and n = 523 Esports athletes (24.6 ± 6.3 years, 95.8% men) completed the Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS), along with measures for objective risk taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task; BART), subjective risk taking (general willingness to take risks), as well as assessments for sport-specific risk taking and regrets for sports-specific decision errors (taking too many risks, failing to act at all). In the two extreme sports samples (i.e., climbers and snowboarders), we additionally assessed self-selected outcome certainty in a hypothetical sports-specific scenario where an error would result in physical harm. Results: A series of multiple regression analyses revealed that boredom proneness was unrelated to objective and subjective general risk taking, but a significant predictor of sport-specific risk taking and higher risk taking in the sports scenario (climbers and snowboarders only). Most importantly, boredom proneness predicted regrets for taking too many risks and being too passive. Exploratory post-hoc analyses further indicated that boredom proneness in extreme sports athletes was lower than in esports athletes. Higher boredom proneness was significantly related to lower skill levels across all kinds of sport. Discussion: Across three athlete samples, boredom proneness was unrelated to general risk taking but significantly related to poorer decision making, as indicated by regrets about acting too risky and too passively, as well as demanding a significantly lower safety threshold to make a risky sports-specific choice. While at odds with the often-reported link between boredom proneness and risk taking, these results are consistent with the conceptualization of boredom proneness as a maladaptive self-regulatory disposition that leads to noisy decision making in sports. In addition, we provide preliminary evidence that boredom proneness covaries with self-selection into specific types of sports and might also stand in the way of skill acquisition in sports.
Differences in Outpatient Health Care Utilization 12 Months after COVID-19 Infection by Race/Ethnicity and Community Social Vulnerability
Authors: Roth Sarah E. , Govier Diana J. , Marsi Katherine , Cohen-Cline Hannah
Published: March 2022

Ensuring access to high-quality outpatient care is an important strategy to improve COVID-19 outcomes, reduce social inequities, and prevent potentially expensive complications of disease. This study assesses the equity of health care response to COVID-19 by examining outpatient care utilization by factors at the individual and community levels in the 12 months prior to and following COVID-19 diagnosis. Employing a retrospective, observational cohort design, we analyzed electronic health record data from a sample of 11,326 adults diagnosed with COVID-19 between March and July 2020. We used two-part models to estimate changes in use of primary and specialty care by race/ethnicity and community social vulnerability in the year before and after COVID-19 diagnosis. Our findings showed that while overall probability and counts of primary and specialty care visits increased following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, disparities in care utilization by race/ethnicity and living in a socially vulnerable community persisted in the year that followed. These findings reiterate the need for strategic approaches to improve access to and utilization of care among those diagnosed with COVID-19, especially for individuals who are traditionally undeserved by the health system. Our findings also highlight the importance of systematic approaches for addressing social inequity in health care.
Scoping Review of Peer-Led Support for People Bereaved by Suicide
Authors: Higgins Agnes , Hybholt Lisbeth , Meuser Olivia A. , Eustace Cook Jessica , Downes Carmel , Morrissey Jean
Published: March 2022

Suicide bereavement support groups are a widely available format of postvention service. Although other reviews have addressed peer-led bereavement interventions, no review has focused specifically on peer-led support for people bereaved by suicide. Informed by a framework for undertaking scoping reviews, we conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches conducted in May 2021 of peer-reviewed literature in MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), EMBASE (Elsevier), AMED (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Web of Science (Core Collection), ASSIA (Proquest), and Global Index Medicus. The search was not limited by language, and all studies were included to full text screening. The search identified 10 studies conducted between 1994 and 2020 in five countries. The selected papers were subjected to quality assessment. The interventions included face-to-face groups, telephone and online groups/forums and were evaluated using a variety of methodologies, which made comparison and synthesis challenging. Thematic analysis resulted in four themes: motivation, impact, aspects of intervention which hindered/enhanced outcomes, and recommendations for the practice of peer support made by the authors. While there were methodological limitations to most studies included in this review; the studies do indicate the potential benefit of peer-led support to those bereaved through suicide. Future studies should provide a definition of ‘peer’ and a clear description of the intervention being evaluated. As the field matures there is a need for more rigorous evaluation of peer interventions with representative samples, studies that compare the impact of various types of peer interventions, and studies of the peer group processes.
Time to Sleep?—A Review of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep and Mental Health
Authors: Neculicioiu Vlad Sever , Colosi Ioana Alina , Costache Carmen , Sevastre-Berghian Alexandra , Clichici Simona
Published: March 2022

Sleep is intrinsically tied to mental and overall health. Short sleep duration accompanies the modern lifestyle, possibly reaching epidemic proportions. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns determined a fundamental shift in the modern lifestyle and had profound effects on sleep and mental health. This paper aims to provide an overview of the relationship between sleep, mental health and COVID-19. Contrasting outcomes on sleep health have been highlighted by most reports during the pandemic in the general population. Consequently, while longer sleep durations have been reported, this change was accompanied by decreases in sleep quality and altered sleep timing. Furthermore, an increased impact of sleep deficiencies and mental health burden was generally reported in health care workers as compared with the adult general population. Although not among the most frequent symptoms during the acute or persistent phase, an increased prevalence of sleep deficiencies has been reported in patients with acute and long COVID. The importance of sleep in immune regulation is well known. Consequently, sleep deficiencies may influence multiple aspects of COVID-19, such as the risk, severity, and prognosis of the infection and even vaccine response.
Nursing Care Plan for a Newborn with the Defect of Congenital Gastroschisis in the Postoperative Period Using ICNPTM and the Dedicated Software
Authors: Szydłowska-Pawlak Paulina , Barszczewska Olga , Sołtysiak Izabela , Librowska Barbara , Kozlowski Remigiusz , Engleseth Per , Marczak Michał , Kilańska Dorota
Published: March 2022

Background: Congenital defect gastroschisis manifests as a defect in the sheath in the intestine of the newborn, which is not covered by the hernia sac. In this case, the priority task of the neonatal nurse is to diagnose patient care problems quickly and accurately. Choosing the correct care plan elements has a significant impact on shortening the duration of hospitalization, reducing the number and severity of complications, and preventing their recurrence. The purpose of this study was to formulate a care plan for a newborn with diagnosed congenital defect gastroschisis in the postoperative period, using the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNPTM) within the nursing documentation and decision support system, the “ADPIECare Dorothea” software. Methods: After a review of the relevant literature and nursing documentation, a case study of a newborn with the congenital defect gastroschisis was described. A care plan was prepared using ICNP and the “ADPIECare” software. Results: It was possible to organize and standardize care plans to provide consistent and comprehensive professional nursing care. The system supporting nursing decisions suggested interventions personalized for the nursing diagnoses and to the patient needs. Conclusions: Our findings can help to optimize the nurse’s work organization to improve health care quality, outcomes, and effectiveness.
Development of Big Data-Analysis Pipeline for Mobile Phone Data with Mobipack and Spatial Enhancement
Authors: Witayangkurn Apichon , Arai Ayumi , Shibasaki Ryosuke
Published: March 2022

Frequent and granular population data are essential for decision making. Further-more, for progress monitoring towards achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs), data availability at global scales as well as at different disaggregated levels is required. The high population coverage of mobile cellular signals has been accelerating the generation of large-scale spatiotemporal data such as call detail record (CDR) data. This has enabled resource-scarce countries to collect digital footprints at scales and resolutions that would otherwise be impossible to achieve solely through traditional surveys. However, using such data requires multiple processes, algorithms, and considerable effort. This paper proposes a big data-analysis pipeline built exclusively on an open-source framework with our spatial enhancement library and a proposed open-source mobility analysis package called Mobipack. Mobipack consists of useful modules for mobility analysis, including data anonymization, origin–destination extraction, trip extraction, zone analysis, route interpolation, and a set of mobility indicators. Several implemented use cases are presented to demonstrate the advantages and usefulness of the proposed system. In addition, we explain how a large-scale data platform that requires efficient resource allocation can be con-structed for managing data as well as how it can be used and maintained in a sustainable manner. The platform can further help to enhance the capacity of CDR data analysis, which usually requires a specific skill set and is time-consuming to implement from scratch. The proposed system is suited for baseline processing and the effective handling of CDR data; thus, it allows for improved support and on-time preparation.
Modelling Fire Behavior to Assess Community Exposure in Europe: Combining Open Data and Geospatial Analysis
Authors: Palaiologou Palaiologos , Kalabokidis Kostas , Day Michelle A. , Ager Alan A. , Galatsidas Spyros , Papalampros Lampros
Published: March 2022

Predicting where the next large-scale wildfire event will occur can help fire management agencies better prepare for taking preventive actions and improving suppression efficiency. Wildfire simulations can be useful in estimating the spread and behavior of potential future fires by several available algorithms. The uncertainty of ignition location and weather data influencing fire propagation requires a stochastic approach integrated with fire simulations. In addition, scarcity of required spatial data in different fire-prone European regions limits the creation of fire simulation outputs. In this study we provide a framework for processing and creating spatial layers and descriptive data from open-access international and national databases for use in Monte Carlo fire simulations with the Minimum Travel Time fire spread algorithm, targeted to assess cross-boundary wildfire propagation and community exposure for a large-scale case study area (Macedonia, Greece). We simulated over 300,000 fires, each independently modelled with constant weather conditions from a randomly chosen simulation scenario derived from historical weather data. Simulations generated fire perimeters and raster estimates of annual burn probability and conditional flame length. Results were used to estimate community exposure by intersecting simulated fire perimeters with community polygons. We found potential ignitions can grow large enough to reach communities across 27% of the study area and identified the top-50 most exposed communities and the sources of their exposure. The proposed framework can guide efforts in European regions to prioritize fuel management activities in order to reduce wildfire risk.
Insights into Infusion-Based Targeted Drug Delivery in the Brain: Perspectives, Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Jamal Asad , Yuan Tian , Galvan Stefano , Castellano Antonella , Riva Marco , Secoli Riccardo , Falini Andrea , Bello Lorenzo , Rodriguez y Baena Ferdinando , Dini Daniele
Published: March 2022

Targeted drug delivery in the brain is instrumental in the treatment of lethal brain diseases, such as glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive primary central nervous system tumour in adults. Infusion-based drug delivery techniques, which directly administer to the tissue for local treatment, as in convection-enhanced delivery (CED), provide an important opportunity; however, poor understanding of the pressure-driven drug transport mechanisms in the brain has hindered its ultimate success in clinical applications. In this review, we focus on the biomechanical and biochemical aspects of infusion-based targeted drug delivery in the brain and look into the underlying molecular level mechanisms. We discuss recent advances and challenges in the complementary field of medical robotics and its use in targeted drug delivery in the brain. A critical overview of current research in these areas and their clinical implications is provided. This review delivers new ideas and perspectives for further studies of targeted drug delivery in the brain.
Sex- and Genotype-Dependent Nicotine-Induced Behaviors in Adolescent Rats with a Human Polymorphism (rs2304297) in the 3′-UTR of the CHRNA6 Gene
Authors: Cardenas Anjelica , Bai Yu , Hajy Heydary Yasamin , Li Jiaqi , Leslie Frances M. , Lotfipour Shahrdad
Published: March 2022

In human adolescents, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs2304297, in the 3′-UTR of the nicotinic receptor subunit gene, CHRNA6, has been associated with increased smoking. To study the effects of the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP, our lab generated knock-in rodent lines with either C or G SNP alleles. The objective of this study was to determine if the CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP is functional in the knock-in rat lines. We hypothesized that the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP knock-in does not impact baseline but enhances nicotine-induced behaviors. For baseline behaviors, rats underwent food self-administration at escalating schedules of reinforcement followed by a locomotor assay and a series of anxiety tests (postnatal day (PN) 25-39). In separate cohorts, adolescent rats underwent 1- or 4-day nicotine pretreatment (2×, 30 μg/kg/0.1 mL, i.v.). After the last nicotine injection (PN 31), animals were assessed behaviorally in an open-field chamber, and brain tissue was collected. We show the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP knock-in does not affect food reinforcement, locomotor activity, or anxiety. Further, 4-day, but not 1-day, nicotine exposure enhances locomotion and anxiolytic behavior in a genotype- and sex-specific manner. These findings demonstrate that the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP is functional in our in vivo model.
cDNA Transcriptome of Arabidopsis Reveals Various Defense Priming Induced by a Broad-Spectrum Biocontrol Agent Burkholderia sp. SSG
Authors: Kong Ping , Li Xiaoping , Gouker Fred , Hong Chuanxue
Published: March 2022

Burkholderia sp. SSG is a potent biological control agent. Even though its survival on the leaf surface declined rapidly, SSG provided extended, moderate plant protection from a broad spectrum of pathogens. This study used Arabidopsis Col-0 and its mutants, eds16-1, npr1-1, and pad4-1 as model plants and compared treated plants with non-treated controls to elucidate whether SSG triggers plant defense priming. Only eds16-1 leaves with SSG became purplish, suggesting the involvement of salicylic acid (SA) in SSG-induced priming. cDNA sequencing of Col-0 plants and differential gene expression analysis identified 120 and 119 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 6- and 24-h post-treatment (hpt) with SSG, respectively. Most of these DEGs encoded responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli or stresses; four DEGs had more than two isoforms. A total of 23 DEGs were shared at 6 and 24 hpt, showing four regulation patterns. Functional categorization of these shared DEGs, and 44 very significantly upregulated DEGs revealed that SSG triggered various defense priming mechanisms, including responses to phosphate or iron deficiency, modulation of defense-linked SA, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and abscisic acid pathways, defense-related gene regulation, and chromatin modification. These data support that SSG is an induced systemic resistance (ISR) trigger conferring plant protection upon pathogen encounter.
cADPR Does Not Activate TRPM2
Authors: Riekehr Winnie Maria , Sander Simon , Pick Jelena , Tidow Henning , Bauche Andreas , Guse Andreas H. , Fliegert Ralf
Published: March 2022

cADPR is a second messenger that releases Ca2+ from intracellular stores via the ryanodine receptor. Over more than 15 years, it has been controversially discussed whether cADPR also contributes to the activation of the nucleotide-gated cation channel TRPM2. While some groups have observed activation of TRPM2 by cADPR alone or in synergy with ADPR, sometimes only at 37 °C, others have argued that this is due to the contamination of cADPR by ADPR. The identification of a novel nucleotide-binding site in the N-terminus of TRPM2 that binds ADPR in a horseshoe-like conformation resembling cADPR as well as the cADPR antagonist 8-Br-cADPR, and another report that demonstrates activation of TRPM2 by binding of cADPR to the NUDT9H domain raised the question again and led us to revisit the topic. Here we show that (i) the N-terminal MHR1/2 domain and the C-terminal NUDT9H domain are required for activation of human TRPM2 by ADPR and 2′-deoxy-ADPR (2dADPR), (ii) that pure cADPR does not activate TRPM2 under a variety of conditions that have previously been shown to result in channel activation, (iii) the cADPR antagonist 8-Br-cADPR also inhibits activation of TRPM2 by ADPR, and (iv) cADPR does not bind to the MHR1/2 domain of TRPM2 while ADPR does.
The Potent Phytoestrogen 8-Prenylnaringenin: A Friend or a Foe?
Authors: Pohjanvirta Raimo , Nasri Atefeh
Published: March 2022

8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is a prenylated flavonoid, occurring, in particular, in hop, but also in other plants. It has proven to be one of the most potent phytoestrogens in vitro known to date, and in the past 20 years, research has unveiled new effects triggered by it in biological systems. These findings have aroused the hopes, expectations, and enthusiasm of a “wonder-drug” for a host of human diseases. However, the majority of 8-PN effects require such high concentrations that they cannot be reached by normal dietary exposure, only pharmacologically; thus, adverse impacts may also emerge. Here, we provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review on this fascinating compound, with special reference to the range of beneficial and untoward health consequences that may ensue from exposure to it.
Hedgehog Signalling Modulates Immune Response and Protects against Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Ballester Alicia , Guijarro Adriana , Bravo Beatriz , Hernández Javier , Murillas Rodolfo , Gallego Marta I. , Ballester Sara
Published: March 2022

The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is essential for the embryonic development and homeostatic maintenance of many adult tissues and organs. It has also been associated with some functions of the innate and adaptive immune system. However, its involvement in the immune response has not been well determined. Here we study the role of Hh signalling in the modulation of the immune response by using the Ptch-1-LacZ+/− mouse model (hereinafter referred to as ptch+/−), in which the hemizygous inactivation of Patched-1, the Hh receptor gene, causes the constitutive activation of Hh response genes. The in vitro TCR stimulation of spleen and lymph node (LN) T cells showed increased levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in ptch+/−cells compared to control cells from wild-type (wt) littermates, suggesting that the Th2 phenotype is favoured by Hh pathway activation. In addition, CD4+ cells secreted less IL-17, and the establishment of the Th1 phenotype was impaired in ptch+/− mice. Consistently, in response to an inflammatory challenge by the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), ptch+/− mice showed milder clinical scores and more minor spinal cord damage than wt mice. These results demonstrate a role for the Hh/ptch pathway in immune response modulation and highlight the usefulness of the ptch+/− mouse model for the study of T-cell-mediated diseases and for the search for new therapeutic strategies in inflammatory diseases.
Ultrastable Covalent Triazine Organic Framework Based on Anthracene Moiety as Platform for High-Performance Carbon Dioxide Adsorption and Supercapacitors
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed Gamal , Sharma Santosh U. , Liu Ni-Yun , Mansoure Tharwat Hassan , Samy Maha Mohamed , Chaganti Swetha V. , Chang Yu-Lung , Lee Jyh-Tsung , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: March 2022

Conductive and porous nitrogen-rich materials have great potential as supercapacitor electrode materials. The exceptional efficiency of such compounds, however, is dependent on their larger surface area and the level of nitrogen doping. To address these issues, we synthesized a porous covalent triazine framework (An-CTFs) based on 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (An-CN) units through an ionothermal reaction in the presence of different molar ratios of molten zinc chloride (ZnCl2) at 400 and 500 °C, yielding An-CTF-10-400, An-CTF-20-400, An-CTF-10-500, and An-CTF-20-500 microporous materials. According to N2 adsorption–desorption analyses (BET), these An-CTFs produced exceptionally high specific surface areas ranging from 406–751 m2·g−1. Furthermore, An-CTF-10-500 had a capacitance of 589 F·g−1, remarkable cycle stability up to 5000 cycles, up to 95% capacity retention, and strong CO2 adsorption capacity up to 5.65 mmol·g−1 at 273 K. As a result, our An-CTFs are a good alternative for both electrochemical energy storage and CO2 uptake.
Study of the Yahoo-Yahoo Hash-Tag Tweets Using Sentiment Analysis and Opinion Mining Algorithms
Authors: Abayomi-Alli Adebayo , Abayomi-Alli Olusola , Misra Sanjay , Fernandez-Sanz Luis
Published: March 2022

Mining opinion on social media microblogs presents opportunities to extract meaningful insight from the public from trending issues like the “yahoo-yahoo” which in Nigeria, is synonymous to cybercrime. In this study, content analysis of selected historical tweets from “yahoo-yahoo” hash-tag was conducted for sentiment and topic modelling. A corpus of 5500 tweets was obtained and pre-processed using a pre-trained tweet tokenizer while Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER), Liu Hu method, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) and Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) graphs were used for sentiment analysis, topic modelling and topic visualization. Results showed the corpus had 173 unique tweet clusters, 5327 duplicates tweets and a frequency of 9555 for “yahoo”. Further validation using the mean sentiment scores of ten volunteers returned R and R2 of 0.8038 and 0.6402; 0.5994 and 0.3463; 0.5999 and 0.3586 for Human and VADER; Human and Liu Hu; Liu Hu and VADER sentiment scores, respectively. While VADER outperforms Liu Hu in sentiment analysis, LDA and LSI returned similar results in the topic modelling. The study confirms VADER’s performance on unstructured social media data containing non-English slangs, conjunctions, emoticons, etc. and proved that emojis are more representative of sentiments in tweets than the texts.
Integration of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveals New Insights into the Regulation of Immune Pathways in Midgut of Samia ricini upon SariNPV Infection
Authors: Li Gang , Zhang Benzheng , Zhang Huan , Xu Anying , Qian Heying
Published: March 2022

Samia ricini nucleopolyhedrovirus (SariNPV) is one of the main pathogens of S. ricini sericulture and its infection causes severe impacts on economic sericulture development. To explore and reveal the molecular mechanisms of S. ricini in response to SariNPV infection, we employed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), adopting isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), and carried out combination analysis of the obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins (DEPs). Through transcriptome sequencing, a total of 2535 DEGs were detected, and with iTRAQ, 434 DEPs with significant expression difference were identified. Through correlation analysis, we found that the expression trends of 116 differentially expressed proteins were the same as those of differentially expressed genes (including 106 up-regulated and 10 down-regulated). Twenty-five key differentially expressed genes (proteins) involved in several signaling and immune related pathways (mainly involving Toll, Imd, Jak-STAT and Wnt signaling pathways, as well as other immune related pathways) were screened through real-time quantitative PCR. Our results, not only provide insights into the pathogenic mechanism of SariNPV infection in ricin silkworm and the immune response mechanism within the host, but also provide a significant contribution for identifying and preventing diseases caused by SariNPV.
Association between Different Grades of Myopic Tractional Maculopathy and OCT-Based Macular Scleral Deformation
Authors: Feng Jingyang , Wang Ruonan , Yu Jiayi , Chen Qiuying , He Jiangnan , Zhou Hao , Du Yuchen , Liu Chen , Wang Weijun , Xu Xun , Xu Xian , Fan Ying
Published: March 2022

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of macular outward scleral height (MOSH) in different grades of myopic tractional maculopathy (MTM) and explore the risk factors for MTM. Methods: A total of 188 eyes (188 participants) with high myopia were divided into the no MTM (nMTM) group and the MTM group, which was further graded into foveoschisis, foveal detachment, full-thickness macular hole, and macular hole with retinal detachment. Swept-source optical coherence tomography was used to measure the MOSH. Results: No significant differences were found in axial length between the nMTM and MTM groups (p = 0.295). The MOSH was significantly higher in the MTM group (p < 0.001), which was identified as a risk factor for MTM (OR = 1.108, p < 0.001). The proportion of eyes with severe atrophic myopic maculopathy (AMM) was higher in the MTM group (28.48%) (p = 0.003). The macular hole with foveoschisis (MH/FS+) subgroup presented a higher average MOSH (p = 0.012) and more severe AMM (p = 0.009) than the macular hole without foveoschisis (MH/FS−) subgroup. Conclusion: MOSH would be more suitable for estimating MTM occurrence than axial length. The grading of AMM helps to evaluate the severity of MTM. The categorization of MH/FS− as a distinct grade from MH/FS+ might be preferable.
High Mutation Burden in ER-Positive/HER2-Negative/Luminal Breast Cancers
Authors: Voutsadakis Ioannis A.
Published: March 2022

Background: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is arising as a useful marker of checkpoint inhibitors’ effectiveness in cancer patients in general and has been proposed as predictive in breast cancers. Despite the initial success of checkpoint inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer, ER-positive breast cancers are less amenable to immunotherapy treatments due to the lower immunogenicity of this subset, associated with lower TMB and less pronounced inflammatory cell infiltration. However, a minority of ER-positive breast cancers do have a higher TMB and could be targets of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods: This investigation uses publicly available genomic data to examine ER-positive/HER2-negative or luminal breast cancers with high mutation numbers and compare them with cancers of the same subtype and low mutation numbers. Clinical characteristics and molecular correlates according to mutation numbers are described. Results: ER-positive/HER2-negative and luminal breast cancers with high mutation numbers have a higher prevalence of PIK3CA mutations and in some of the series examined mutations in TP53 and CDH1. A significant proportion of cancers with high mutation numbers carry mutations in microsatellite instability genes and genes involved in DNA damage response. Despite these differences, the prognosis of ER-positive/HER2-negative and luminal breast cancers with high mutation numbers is not significantly different compared to counterparts with lower mutation counts. Conclusions: These data may inform the potential suitability of these cancers for immunotherapy and could guide the development of rational combination therapies based on immune checkpoint inhibitors with other targeted drugs.
The Moderating Role of the FKBP5 Gene Polymorphisms in the Relationship between Attachment Style, Perceived Stress and Psychotic-like Experiences in Non-Clinical Young Adults
Authors: Stramecki Filip , Misiak Błażej , Gawęda Łukasz , Prochwicz Katarzyna , Kłosowska Joanna , Samochowiec Jerzy , Samochowiec Agnieszka , Pawlak Edyta , Szmida Elżbieta , Skiba Paweł , Cechnicki Andrzej , Frydecka Dorota
Published: March 2022

Numerous studies have reported that stressful life experiences increase the risk of psychosis and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Common variations of the FKBP5 gene have been reported to impact the risk of psychosis by moderating the effects of environmental exposures. Moreover, anxious and avoidant attachment styles have been shown to increase both the level of perceived stress and the risk for psychosis development. In the present cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate whether variants of the FKBP5 gene moderate the effects of attachment styles and the level of perceived stress on the development of PLEs. A total of 535 non-clinical undergraduates were genotyped for six FKBP5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3800373, rs9470080, rs4713902, rs737054, rs1360780 and rs9296158). The Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM), the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Prodromal Questionnaire 16 (PQ-16) were administered to assess attachment styles, the level of perceived stress and PLEs, respectively. Anxious attachment style, lower levels of perceived self-efficacy and higher levels of perceived helplessness were associated with a significantly higher number of PLEs. The main effects of attachment style on the severity of PLEs were significant in models testing for the associations with perceived self-efficacy and three FKBP5 SNPs (rs1360780, rs9296158 and rs9470080). The main effect of rs38003733 on the number of PLEs was observed, with GG homozygotes reporting a significantly higher number of PLEs in comparison to T allele carriers. In individuals with dominant anxious attachment style, there was a significant effect of the interaction between the FKBP5 rs4713902 SNP and self-efficacy on the severity of PLEs. Among rs4713902 TT homozygotes, a low level of perceived self-efficacy was associated with higher severity of PLEs. In subjects with non-dominant anxious attachment, a low level of perceived self-efficacy was associated with a higher number of PLEs, regardless of the genotype. Our results indicate that the FKBP5 gene might moderate the relationship between attachment, perceived stress and PLEs.
Clinical Outcomes after Surgical Resection Combined with Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanomas
Authors: Relimpio-López Isabel , Garrido-Hermosilla Antonio Manuel , Espejo Francisco , Gessa-Sorroche María , Coca Lourdes , Domínguez Belen , Díaz-Granda María Jesús , Ponte Beatriz , Cano María José , Rodríguez de la Rúa Enrique , Carrasco-Peña Francisco , Míguez Carlos , Saavedra Jonathan , Ontanilla Antonio , Caparrós-Escudero Carlos , Ríos Juan José , Terrón José Antonio
Published: March 2022

Currently, brachytherapy is the most commonly used therapeutic approach for uveal melanomas. Surgical resection by means of endoresection or exoresection is an alternative approach. The present report recounts our experience over 15 years in the treatment of uveal melanoma using a combined approach of resection surgery with brachytherapy. This is a single-center observational retrospective cohort study in which we describe clinical outcomes, complications and survival in 35 cases of melanoma of the iris or the ciliary body after a combination of surgery and brachytherapy or brachytherapy alone. Local treatment of the tumor was successful in all cases with surgery and brachytherapy. The most frequent complications were scleromalacia, bullous keratopathy, retinal toxicity, cataracts, hypotonia, and photophobia. There were three cases of recurrence, all of which were found in the group of patients who had received brachytherapy alone, and in one case we had to perform a secondary enucleation due to tumor growth after brachytherapy. At present, only one patient has died during follow-up due to liver metastases six years after the start of treatment. In carefully selected patients, this approach can be effective and safe, as long as a close follow-up is carried out after surgery.
The Impact of Cold Ischaemia Time on Outcomes of Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: van de Laar Stijn C. , Lafranca Jeffrey A. , Minnee Robert C. , Papalois Vassilios , Dor Frank J. M. F.
Published: March 2022

Studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of a prolonged cold ischaemia time (CIT) on the outcomes of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). There is no clear consensus in the literature about the effects of CIT on LDKT outcomes, and therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide evidence on this subject. Searches were performed in five databases up to 12 July 2021. Articles comparing different CIT in LDKT describing delayed graft function (DGF), graft and patient survival, and acute rejection were considered for inclusion. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019131438. In total, 1452 articles were found, of which eight were finally eligible, including a total of 164,179 patients. Meta-analyses showed significantly lower incidence of DGF (odds ratio (OR) = 0.61, p < 0.01), and significantly higher 1-year graft survival (OR = 0.72, p < 0.001) and 5-year graft survival (OR = 0.88, p = 0.04), for CIT of less than 4 h. Our results underline the need to keep CIT as short as possible in LDKT (ideally < 4 h), as a shorter CIT in LDKT is associated with a statistically significant lower incidence of DGF and higher graft survival compared to a prolonged CIT. However, clinical impact seems limited, and therefore, in LDKT programmes in which the CIT might be prolonged, such as kidney exchange programmes, the benefits outweigh the risks. To minimize these risks, it is worth considering including CIT in kidney allocation algorithms and in general take precautions to protect high risk donor/recipient combinations.
Is the “Family Glass Cabin” Useful to Safely Allow Inpatient–Caregiver Interaction in the COVID-19 Era? A Pilot Study on Severe Acquired Brain Injury
Authors: De Luca Rosaria , Rifici Carmela , Pollicino Patrizia , Parisi Sergio , Bonanno Mirjam , Torregrossa William , Ferrara Donatella , Caminiti Angelo , Piccione Marco , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore , De Cola Maria Cristina
Published: March 2022

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a life-changing event that can have a devastating impact on all aspects of a person’s functioning. Patients with ABI present several behavioral problems that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed at investigating the role of a “Family Glass Cabin” (FGC) both in improving cognitive function and communicative abilities of people with ABI and in potentiating the mental health of their caregivers. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI and their caregivers were enrolled in this experimental study. Training was performed through the FGC and was based on either psychoeducational sessions for the caregivers or cognitive stimulations for the patients. The participants attended biweekly meetings for 12 consecutive weeks. Each participant was assessed by means of a complete psychometric and clinical battery, before (T0) and after (T1) the training. We found significant changes in all patients’ outcomes, including global cognitive function and communication abilities (p < 0.01), as well as an improvement in caregivers’ well-being. Our data suggest that the physical presence of the caregiver in the rehabilitation setting, using a safe setting such as the FGC, can be a valuable means to increase ABI patients’ functional recovery and reduce caregivers’ anxiety and emotional burden.
Measuring of Advanced Glycation End Products in Acute Stroke Care: Skin Autofluorescence as a Predictor of Ischemic Stroke Outcome in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Filipov Alexandra , Fuchshuber Heike , Kraus Josephine , Ebert Anne D. , Sandikci Vesile , Alonso Angelika
Published: March 2022

Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are known to show poor recovery after stroke. This specific burden might be due to acute and chronic hyperglycemic effects. Meanwhile, the underlying mechanisms are a cause of discussion, and the best measure to predict the outcome is unclear. Skin autofluorescence (SAF) reflects the in-patient load of so-called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) beyond HbA1c and represents a valid and quickly accessible marker of chronic hyperglycemia. We investigated the predictive potential of SAF in comparison to HbA1c and acute hyperglycemia on the functional outcome at 90 days after ischemic stroke in a cohort of patients with DM. Methods: We prospectively included 113 patients with DM type 2 hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. SAF was measured on each patient’s forearm by a mobile AGE-Reader mu© in arbitrary units. HbA1c and the area under the curve (AUC) of the blood sugar profile after admission were assessed. Functional outcome was assessed via phone interview after 90 days. A poor outcome was defined as a deterioration to a modified Rankin Scale score ≥ 3. A good outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score < 3 or as no deterioration from premorbid level. Results: Patients with a poor outcome presented with higher values of SAF (mean 3.38 (SD 0.55)) than patients with a good outcome (mean 3.13 (SD 0.61), p = 0.023), but did not differ in HbA1c and acute glycemia. In logistic regression analysis, age (p = 0.021, OR 1.24 [1.12–1.37]) and SAF (p = 0.021, OR 2.74 [1.16–6.46]) significantly predicted a poor outcome, whereas HbA1c and acute glycemia did not. Patients with a poor 90-day outcome and higher SAF experienced more infections (4.2% vs. 33.3% (p < 0.01)) and other various in-hospital complications (21.0% vs. 66.7% (p < 0.01)) than patients with a good outcome and lower SAF levels. Conclusions: SAF offers an insight into glycemic memory and appears to be a significant predictor of poor stroke outcomes in patients with DM exceeding HbA1c and acute glycemia. Measuring SAF could be useful to identify specifically vulnerable patients at high risk of complications and poor outcomes.
Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Coexistence of High PD-L1 Expression and RET Fusion—Which Path Should We Follow? Case Reports and Literature Review
Authors: Knetki-Wróblewska Magdalena , Wojas-Krawczyk Kamila , Kowalski Dariusz M. , Krzakowski Maciej
Published: March 2022

Pembrolizumab is widely used in first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high PD-L1 expression. The activity of pembrolizumab in NSCLC patients with rare molecular alterations is poorly characterised. RET gene rearrangements are identified in 1–2% of lung cancer patients. Here, we present two cases of RET-rearranged NSCLC patients with high PD-L1 expression (>50%), treated with pembrolizumab within routine clinical practice. Pembrolizumab was ineffective in both cases—single-agent immunotherapy seems to be of limited value in this group of patients. Selective RET-inhibitors, if available, are the optimal treatment for patients with RET fusion nowadays. The best sequence of the therapy is still not defined.