bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Quantitative Sensation Testing to Identify the Physiological Differences Between the Median and Ulnar Nerves
Authors: Koszewicz Magdalena , Szydlo Mariusz , Gosk Jerzy , Wieczorek Malgorzata , Slotwinski Krzysztof , Budrewicz Slawomir
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Similarities in morphology, physiological function, and neurophysiological findings between median and ulnar nerves are not unequivocal. Our previous study confirmed differences in motor fiber parameters between these nerves in healthy persons. We made an attempt to assess and compare the physiological parameters of different sensation modalities (temperature, pain, and vibration) in median and ulnar nerves.

Methods

The study was performed in 31 healthy, right-handed volunteers: 17 women, 14 men, mean age 44.8 ± 15.5 years. Standard sensory conduction tests in the median and ulnar nerves were performed together with the estimation of vibratory, temperature, and warm- and cold-induced pain thresholds in the C7 and C8 dermatomes on the palm, using quantitative sensory testing.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in the standard sensory conduction test in the median and ulnar nerves across the whole group: between right and left hands, and between women and men. We revealed differences in the temperature and pain thresholds between these nerves, mainly in low temperature perception. There were no differences in estimated thresholds between sides or in female and male groups. The vibratory limits did not differ significantly between nerves, and subgroups.

Conclusion

The study confirmed the differences in the physiological sensory perception between the median and ulnar nerves. The median nerve is more sensitive to temperature stimulation than the ulnar nerve, but simultaneously less sensitive to pain-inducing temperature stimuli. These findings should be considered during the examination of hand nerve pathology.
Evaluation of Response Processes to the Danish Version of the Dutch Multifactor Fatigue Scale in Stroke Using the Three-Step Test-Interview
Authors: Dornonville de la Cour Frederik L. , Norup Anne , Schow Trine , Andersen Tonny Elmose
Published: May 2021

Validated self-report measures of post-stroke fatigue are lacking. The Dutch Multifactor Fatigue Scale (DMFS) was translated into Danish, and response process evidence of validity was evaluated. DMFS consists of 38 Likert-rated items distributed on five subscales: Impact of fatigue (11 items), Signs and direct consequences of fatigue (9), Mental fatigue (7), Physical fatigue (6), and Coping with fatigue (5). Response processes to DMFS were investigated using a Three-Step Test-Interview (TSTI) protocol, and data were analyzed using Framework Analysis. Response processes were indexed on the following categories: (i) “congruent,” response processes were related to the subscale construct; (ii) “incongruent,” response processes were not related to the subscale construct; (iii) “ambiguous,” response processes were both congruent and incongruent or insufficient to evaluate congruency; and (iv) “confused,” participants did not understand the item. Nine adults were recruited consecutively 10–34 months post-stroke (median = 26.5) at an outpatient brain injury rehabilitation center in 2019 [five females, mean age = 55 years (SD= 6.3)]. Problematic items were defined as <50% of response processes being congruent with the intended construct. Of the 38 items, five problematic items were identified, including four items of Physical fatigue and one of Mental fatigue. In addition, seven items posed various response difficulties to some participants due to syntactic complexity, vague terms, a presupposition, and a double-barrelled statement. In conclusion, findings elucidate the interpretative processes involved in responding to DMFS post-stroke, strengthen the evidence base of validity, and guide revisions to mitigate potential problems in item performance.
Principal Components Analysis Using Data Collected From Healthy Individuals on Two Robotic Assessment Platforms Yields Similar Behavioral Patterns
Authors: Wood Michael D. , Simmatis Leif E. R. , Jacobson Jill A. , Dukelow Sean P. , Boyd J. Gordon , Scott Stephen H.
Published: May 2021

Background

Kinarm Standard Tests (KSTs) is a suite of upper limb tasks to assess sensory, motor, and cognitive functions, which produces granular performance data that reflect spatial and temporal aspects of behavior (>100 variables per individual). We have previously used principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the dimensionality of multivariate data using the Kinarm End-Point Lab (EP). Here, we performed PCA using data from the Kinarm Exoskeleton Lab (EXO), and determined agreement of PCA results across EP and EXO platforms in healthy participants. We additionally examined whether further dimensionality reduction was possible by using PCA across behavioral tasks.

Methods

Healthy participants were assessed using the Kinarm EXO (N = 469) and EP (N = 170–200). Four behavioral tasks (six assessments in total) were performed that quantified arm sensory and motor function, including position sense [Arm Position Matching (APM)] and three motor tasks [Visually Guided Reaching (VGR), Object Hit (OH), and Object Hit and Avoid (OHA)]. The number of components to include per task was determined from scree plots and parallel analysis, and rotation type (orthogonal vs. oblique) was decided on a per-task basis. To assess agreement, we compared principal components (PCs) across platforms using distance correlation. We additionally considered inter-task interactions in EXO data by performing PCA across all six behavioral assessments.

Results

By applying PCA on a per task basis to data collected using the EXO, the number of behavioral parameters were substantially reduced by 58–75% while accounting for 76–87% of the variance. These results compared well to the EP analysis, and we found good-to-excellent agreement values (0.75–0.99) between PCs from the EXO and those from the EP. Finally, we were able to reduce the dimensionality of the EXO data across tasks down to 16 components out of a total of 76 behavioral parameters, which represents a reduction of 79% while accounting for 73% of the total variance.

Conclusion

PCA of Kinarm robotic assessment appears to capture similar relationships between kinematic features in healthy individuals and is agnostic to the robotic platform used for collection. Further work is needed to investigate the use of PCA-based data reduction for the characterization of neurological deficits in clinical populations.
Polynomial, piecewise-Linear, Step (PLS): A Simple, Scalable, and Efficient Framework for Modeling Neurons
Authors: Tikidji-Hamburyan Ruben A. , Colonnese Matthew T.
Published: May 2021

Biological neurons can be modeled with different levels of biophysical/biochemical details. The accuracy with which a model reflects the actual physiological processes and ultimately the information function of a neuron, can range from very detailed to a schematic phenomenological representation. This range exists due to the common problem: one needs to find an optimal trade-off between the level of details needed to capture the necessary information processing in a neuron and the computational load needed to compute 1 s of model time. An increase in modeled network size or model-time, for which the solution should be obtained, makes this trade-off pivotal in model development. Numerical simulations become incredibly challenging when an extensive network with a detailed representation of each neuron needs to be modeled over a long time interval to study slow evolving processes, e.g., development of the thalamocortical circuits. Here we suggest a simple, powerful and flexible approach in which we approximate the right-hand sides of differential equations by combinations of functions from three families: Polynomial, piecewise-Linear, Step (PLS). To obtain a single coherent framework, we provide four core principles in which PLS functions should be combined. We show the rationale behind each of the core principles. Two examples illustrate how to build a conductance-based or phenomenological model using the PLS-framework. We use the first example as a benchmark on three different computational platforms: CPU, GPU, and mobile system-on-chip devices. We show that the PLS-framework speeds up computations without increasing the memory footprint and maintains high model fidelity comparable to the fully-computed model or with lookup-table approximation. We are convinced that the full range of neuron models: from biophysical to phenomenological and even to abstract models, may benefit from using the PLS-framework.
Distinct Gene Expression Patterns of Ion Channels and Cytokines in Rat Primary Sensory Neurons During Development of Bone Cancer and Cancer Pain
Authors: Zhai Mingzhu , Yang Shaomin , Lin Simin , Zhu Hanxu , Xu Lihong , Liao Huabao , Song Xue-Jun
Published: May 2021

Cancer and cancer pain processes a major clinical challenge and the underlined mechanisms of pathogenesis remain elusive. We examined the specific changes in the transcriptomic profiles in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of rats with bone cancer and bone cancer pain (BCP) using RNA sequencing technology. The bone cancer and BCP was induced by tumor cells implantation (TCI) into the tibia bone cavity in adult female rats. One week after treatment, TCI caused up- and down-regulation of thousands of genes in DRG. These genes were mainly involved in the immune process, inflammatory response, and intracellular signaling transduction of carbohydrate and cytokine. The cAMP and calcium signaling pathways were the major processes in the initial responses. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis further showed that the genes for ion channels increased during day 1-7, while the genes for cytokine signaling pathways sustainedly increased during day 7-14 after TCI. The time courses of gene expression for ion channels and cytokines support their distinct roles in the early induction and late maintenance of BCP development. In addition, among the top 500 up- and down-regulated genes, 80-90% were unique for bone cancer pain as well as neuropathic and inflammatory pain, while less than 2% were shared among the three different forms of pain. This study reveals the uniqueness of mechanisms underlying bone cancer with pain, which is, to a large extent, differently from pain after acute inflammatory and nerve injury and provides novel potential targets of DEGs for bone cancer with pain.
YTHDF1 Is a Potential Pan-Cancer Biomarker for Prognosis and Immunotherapy
Authors: Hu Jian , Qiu Dongxu , Yu Anze , Hu Jiao , Deng Hao , Li Huihuang , Yi Zhenglin , Chen Jinbo , Zu Xiongbing
Published: May 2021

Background

YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1) has been indicated proven to participate in the cross-presentation of tumor antigens in dendritic cells and the cross-priming of CD8+ T cells. However, the role of YTHDF1 in prognosis and immunology in human cancers remains largely unknown.

Methods

All original data were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases and integrated via R 3.2.2. YTHDF1 expression was explored with the Oncomine, TIMER, GEPIA, and BioGPS databases. The effect of YTHDF1 on prognosis was analyzed via GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and the PrognoScan database. The TISIDB database was used to determine YTHDF1 expression in different immune and molecular subtypes of human cancers. The correlations between YTHDF1 expression and immune checkpoints (ICP), tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and neoantigens in human cancers were analyzed via the SangerBox database. The relationships between YTHDF1 expression and tumor-infiltrated immune cells were analyzed via the TIMER and GEPIA databases. The relationships between YTHDF1 and marker genes of tumor-infiltrated immune cells in urogenital cancers were analyzed for confirmation. The genomic alterations of YTHDF1 were investigated with the c-BioPortal database. The differential expression of YTHDF1 in urogenital cancers with different clinical characteristics was analyzed with the UALCAN database. YTHDF1 coexpression networks were studied by the LinkedOmics database.

Results

In general, YTHDF1 expression was higher in tumors than in paired normal tissue in human cancers. YTHDF1 expression had strong relationships with prognosis, ICP, TMB, MSI, and neoantigens. YTHDF1 plays an essential role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and participates in immune regulation. Furthermore, significant strong correlations between YTHDF1 expression and tumor immune-infiltrated cells (TILs) existed in human cancers, and marker genes of TILs were significantly related to YTHDF expression in urogenital cancers. TYHDF1 coexpression networks mostly participated in the regulation of immune response and antigen processing and presentation.

Conclusion

YTHDF1 may serve as a potential prognostic and immunological pan-cancer biomarker. Moreover, YTHDF1 could be a novel target for tumor immunotherapy.
The Rise and Fall of Chloroquine/Hydroxychloroquine as Compassionate Therapy of COVID-19
Authors: Manivannan Elangovan , Karthikeyan Chandrabose , Moorthy N. S. Hari Narayana , Chaturvedi Subash Chandra
Published: May 2021

The emergence and rapid spread of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has posed a serious challenge to global public health in 2020. The speed of this viral spread together with the high mortality rate has caused an unprecedented public health crisis. With no antivirals or vaccines available for the treatment of COVID-19, the medical community is presently exploring repositioning of clinically approved drugs for COVID-19. Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have emerged as potential candidates for repositioning as anti–COVID-19 therapeutics and have received FDA authorization for compassionate use in COVID-19 patients. On March 28, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for HCQ in the treatment of COVID-19. However, it was later revoked by the FDA on June 15, 2020, after analyzing the emerging scientific data from ongoing clinical trials. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) also conducted a Solidarity trial of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir, and ritonavir. However, on May 23, 2020, the executive body of the “Solidarity trial” decided to put a temporary hold on the HCQ trial. On June 17, 2020, the WHO abruptly stopped the Solidarity trial of HCQ. The current review strives to examine the basis of compassionate use of CQ and HCQ for the treatment of COVID-19 in terms of literature evidence, establishing the antiviral efficacy of these drugs against corona and related viruses. Furthermore, the review presents a critical analysis of the clinical trial findings and also provides an insight into the dynamically changing decision on the authorization and withdrawal of HCQ as anti–COVID-19 therapy by the U.S. FDA and the WHO. Ultimately, our study necessitates an evidenced-based treatment protocol to confront the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and not the mere observational study that mislead the public healthcare system, which paralyzes the entire world.
Anti-Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Mechanism of Dried Ginger-Aconite Decoction Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Xie Feng , Wu Yuan-Yuan , Duan Guang-Jing , Wang Bin , Gao Feng , Wei Pei-Feng , Chen Lin , Liu A-Ping , Li Min
Published: May 2021

Dried ginger-aconite decoction (DAD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that has been extensively used in the treatment of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI/RI). However, its specific mechanism against MI/RI has not been reported yet. Therefore, this paper studies the potential active components and mechanism of DAD against MI/RI based on network pharmacology and experimental verification. Sixteen active components of DAD were screened according to oral bioavailability and drug similarity indices. Through Cytoscape 3.7.0, a component-target network diagram was drawn, and potential active components of DAD against MI/RI were determined. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) and compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) networks were established through the software to discover the biological processes, core targets and core pathways of DAD against MI/RI. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified the presence of potentially active core components for network pharmacological prediction in DAD. It was found that DAD might have played a therapeutic role in anti-MI/RI by activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway in order to reduce mitochondrial hypoxia injury and myocardial cell apoptosis. The network pharmacological prediction was validated by Hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) model in vitro and ligation model of the ligation of the left anterior descending branch in vivo. It was verified that DAD had activated PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β to reduce myocardial apoptosis and play a therapeutic function in MI/RI.
Estimation of Andrographolides and Gradation of Andrographis paniculata Leaves Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy Together With Support Vector Machine
Authors: Sing Dilip , Banerjee Subhadip , Jana Shibu Narayan , Mallik Ranajoy , Dastidar Sudarshana Ghosh , Majumdar Kalyan , Bandyopadhyay Amitabha , Bandyopadhyay Rajib , Mukherjee Pulok K.
Published: May 2021

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F) Nees, has been widely used for upper respiratory tract and several other diseases and general immunity for a historically long time in countries like India, China, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia. The vegetative productivity and quality with respect to pharmaceutical properties of Andrographis paniculata varies considerably across production, ecologies, and genotypes. Thus, a field deployable instrument, which can quickly assess the quality of the plant material with minimal processing, would be of great use to the medicinal plant industry by reducing waste, and quality grading and assurance. In this paper, the potential of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) was to estimate the major group active molecules, the andrographolides in Andrographis paniculata, from dried leaf samples and leaf methanol extracts and grade the plant samples from different sources. The calibration model was developed first on the NIR spectra obtained from the methanol extracts of the samples as a proof of concept and then the raw ground samples were estimated for gradation. To grade the samples into three classes: good, medium and poor, a model based on a machine learning algorithm - support vector machine (SVM) on NIR spectra was built. The tenfold classification results of the model had an accuracy of 83% using standard normal variate (SNV) preprocessing.
Cellular Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Acharya Pragyan , Chouhan Komal , Weiskirchen Sabine , Weiskirchen Ralf
Published: May 2021

The liver is a central organ in the human body, coordinating several key metabolic roles. The structure of the liver which consists of the distinctive arrangement of hepatocytes, hepatic sinusoids, the hepatic artery, portal vein and the central vein, is critical for its function. Due to its unique position in the human body, the liver interacts with components of circulation targeted for the rest of the body and in the process, it is exposed to a vast array of external agents such as dietary metabolites and compounds absorbed through the intestine, including alcohol and drugs, as well as pathogens. Some of these agents may result in injury to the cellular components of liver leading to the activation of the natural wound healing response of the body or fibrogenesis. Long-term injury to liver cells and consistent activation of the fibrogenic response can lead to liver fibrosis such as that seen in chronic alcoholics or clinically obese individuals. Unidentified fibrosis can evolve into more severe consequences over a period of time such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is well recognized now that in addition to external agents, genetic predisposition also plays a role in the development of liver fibrosis. An improved understanding of the cellular pathways of fibrosis can illuminate our understanding of this process, and uncover potential therapeutic targets. Here we summarized recent aspects in the understanding of relevant pathways, cellular and molecular drivers of hepatic fibrosis and discuss how this knowledge impact the therapy of respective disease.
Adrenaline May Contribute to Prothrombotic Condition via Augmentation of Platelet Procoagulant Response, Enhancement of Fibrin Formation, and Attenuation of Fibrinolysis
Authors: Golaszewska Agata , Misztal Tomasz , Marcinczyk Natalia , Chabielska Ewa , Rusak Tomasz
Published: May 2021

Background: Adrenaline is believed to play a role in thrombosis and hemostasis. The complex effect of its clinically relevant concentrations on thrombus formation, coagulation and fibrinolysis in human blood has never been specifically studied.

Methods: Confocal microscopy was used to study thrombus formation under flow, exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) in adhered platelets, to evaluate clots density, and to measure kinetics of fibrin formation and external fibrinolysis under flow. Flow cytometry was utilized to assess PS exposure in non-adhered platelets. Kinetics of clot formation and internal fibrinolysis was evaluated by thromboelastometry. Platelet aggregation was measured by optical aggremometry. Kinetics of clot retraction was assessed by using digital camera.

Results: We found that adrenaline (1–10 nM) is able to enhance platelet activation evoked by subthreshold collagen (150 ng/ml), resulting in augmentation of platelet aggregation, thrombus formation under arterial flow conditions, platelet PS exposure, and formation of platelet-fibrin clots. The development of platelet procoagulant response evoked by adrenaline + low collagen was associated with the formation of denser platelet-fibrin clots and the decrease in rate of fibrinolysis despite whether lysis was initiated inside (internal fibrinolysis) or outside the clot (external fibrinolysis). The above phenomena were abolished by the α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, rauwolscine. Adrenaline-collagen synergism, expressed as PS exposure, was significantly reduced by cyclooxygenase inhibitor (acetylsalicic acid), GPIIb/IIIa receptor blocker (tirofiban), and P2Y12 receptor antagonist (PSB 0739).

Conclusion: Clinically relevant concentrations of adrenaline may significantly augment responses of human platelets in the presence of subthreshold concentrations of collagen, which should be considered during therapies involving adrenaline infusion. Routinely used antiplatelet drugs may reduce the prothrombotic state evoked by adrenaline-collagen synergism.
The Reproducibility of Cerebrovascular Reactivity Across MRI Scanners
Authors: Sobczyk Olivia , Sayin Ece Su , Sam Kevin , Poublanc Julien , Duffin James , Fisher Joseph A. , Mikulis David J.
Published: May 2021

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is defined as the ratio of the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to an increase in a vasoactive stimulus. We used changes in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) MRI as surrogates for changes of CBF, and standardized quantitative changes in arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide as the stimulus. Despite uniform stimulus and test conditions, differences in voxel-wise BOLD changes between testing sites may remain, attributable to physiologic and machine variability. We generated a reference atlas of normal CVR metrics (voxel-wise mean and SD) for each of two sites. We hypothesized that there would be no significant differences in CVR between the two atlases enabling each atlas to be used at any site. A total of 69 healthy subjects were tested to create site-specific atlases, with 20 of those individuals tested at both sites. 38 subjects were scanned at Site 1 (17F, 37.5 ± 16.8 y) and 51 subjects were tested at Site 2 (22F, 40.9 ± 17.4 y). MRI platforms were: Site 1, 3T Magnetom Skyra Siemens scanner with 20-channel head and neck coil; and Site 2, 3T HDx Signa GE scanner with 8-channel head coil. To construct the atlases, test results of individual subjects were co-registered into a standard space and voxel-wise mean and SD CVR metrics were calculated. Map comparisons of z scores found no significant differences between white matter or gray matter in the 20 subjects scanned at both sites when analyzed with either atlas. We conclude that individual CVR testing, and atlas generation are compatible across sites provided that standardized respiratory stimuli and BOLD MRI scan parameters are used. This enables the use of a single atlas to score the normality of CVR metrics across multiple sites.
Characterization of Reproductive and Morphological Variables in Female Elite Futsal Players
Authors: Queiroga Marcos Roberto , da Silva Danilo Fernandes , Ferreira Sandra Aires , Weber Vinícius Müller Reis , Fernandes Daniel Zanardini , Cavazzotto Timothy Gustavo , Portela Bruno Sergio , Tartaruga Marcus Peikriszwili , Nascimento Matheus Amarante , Vieira Edgar Ramos
Published: May 2021

We aimed to characterize the age of onset of training, age at menarche, menstrual periodicity, and performance perception during the menstrual cycle and examined the impact of these reproductive variables on body composition, morphology, and body weight satisfaction in Brazilian elite futsal players. The study consisted of 115 female Brazilian elite futsal players from the top national teams. Data were collected during the twentieth Women’s Brazil Futsal Cup. Players were interviewed and self-reported their age of onset of training, age at menarche, menstrual periodicity, and the menstrual period, where they performed best. We also asked for what they considered to be their ideal body weight as well as information related to their training (i.e., volume and frequency). Subsequently, anthropometric measurements (i.e., body mass, height, circumferences, diameters, and skinfold thickness) were performed to estimate the body composition and determine morphological characteristics (e.g., somatotype). Fifty-nine (53.2%) players were postmenarche-trained and 52 (46.8%) were premenarche-trained. Eighteen (16.2%), 65 (58.6%), and 28 (25.2%) were classified as early, normal, and late menarche, respectively. Only 11 (9.6%) and 1 (0.9%) had irregular menstrual cycles and were amenorrheic, respectively. Seventy-three (69.5%), 23 (21.9%), and 9 (8.6%) reported that their game performance was the best at the follicular phase, menses, and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, respectively. No associations between the four reproductive-related variables were found. Postmenarche-trained players had significant lower age at menarche and higher percentage body fat. The somatotype profile registered lower ectomorphy rate for the postmenarche-trained participants after controlling for covariates. Early menarche group presented higher sum of six skinfold thickness and endomorphy rate compared to normal and late menarche groups. No differences were found when menstrual periodicity groups and best performance groups were compared, except for higher femur width in the regular menstrual cycle group compared to the irregular one. The association between body weight satisfaction and the four reproductive-related variables were not observed. Premenarche-trained Brazilian elite futsal players had the menarche later than the postmenarche-trained athletes. Most of the participants had menarche age classified as “normal,” presented “regular” menstrual cycles and perceived to perform better during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
A Balancing Act During Covid-19: Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Perception of Stress in the Distance Learning Experience
Authors: Rabaglietti Emanuela , Lattke Lynda S. , Tesauri Beatrice , Settanni Michele , De Lorenzo Aurelia
Published: May 2021

One of the many drastic changes caused by Covid-19 was the quick implementation of distance learning which represented a great technological challenge to many teachers and students. In fact, Italy ranks 24th amongst the 27-EU member countries in digital competitiveness which testifies to the significant delays and gaps in basic digital skills amongst the population. Based on the difficulties encountered in organizing distance learning, we assumed that teachers' perceived stress increased. Given that transversal skills can be associated with this relationship, we hypothesized that among these skills, self-efficacy mediated the relationship between the difficulties in organizing distance learning and perceived stress. Since we targeted teachers from Italy and other European countries, we also hypothesized that this mediator effect would be different for both samples. Our sample was composed of a total of 366 primary/middle school teachers of which 86% female. After doing a mediation analyses with Process, Hayes' Model 4, we confirmed H1 but not H2: resulting in a partial mediation effect of self-efficacy for each individual group of teachers. Since difficulties of distance learning can affect the perception of stress, we believe that the promotion of transversal skills, such as self-efficacy, can better equip teachers when facing stressful situations.
Cross-Cultural Analysis of Spiritual Bypass: A Comparison Between Spain and Honduras
Authors: Motiño Alejandra , Saiz Jesús , Sánchez-Iglesias Iván , Salazar María , Barsotti Tiffany J. , Goldsby Tamara L. , Chopra Deepak , Mills Paul J.
Published: May 2021

Religion and spirituality (R/S) serve as coping mechanisms for circumstances that threaten people’s psychological well-being. However, using R/S inappropriately to deal with difficulties and problems in daily life may include the practice of Spiritual Bypass (SB). SB refers to avoiding addressing emotional problems and trauma, rather than healing and learning from them. On the other hand, coping strategies may be determined by the cultural context. This study aims to describe the presence of SB in individuals who may have experienced stressful situations and to understand the influence of culture on SB by comparing SB in two culturally different groups. The sample consists of a total of 435 people, 262 of Honduran nationality and 173 of Spanish nationality. Both groups are approximately equivalent in age and gender. The degree of SB, stressful events, perception of social support and spiritual well-being are examined, respectively, through the Spiritual Bypass Scale, and specific items and subscales from the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Wellbeing. The results showed a higher spiritual well-being and use of SB in the Honduran sample as compared to the Spanish sample, but similar social support and stressful events. Furthermore, some of the factors predicting SB were different between the two samples. While age and a greater number of R/S practices were important in both samples, for the Honduran sample the variables that best explained SB were being a Christian, having greater social support, fewer stressful events, and greater attendance at church or temple. For the Spanish sample, however, the variable that best explained SB was studying R/S texts. Therefore, SB must be understood within the culture in which it develops, since in different cultural contexts it appears to relate to differing factors. Thus, SB becomes a possible functional or dysfunctional coping strategy depending on the social context.
Mitochondrial Morphology and Mitophagy in Heart Diseases: Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses Using Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Collins Helen E. , Kane Mariame Selma , Litovsky Silvio H. , Darley-Usmar Victor M. , Young Martin E. , Chatham John C. , Zhang Jianhua
Published: May 2021

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has long been an important technique, capable of high degree resolution and visualization of subcellular structures and organization. Over the last 20 years, TEM has gained popularity in the cardiovascular field to visualize changes at the nanometer scale in cardiac ultrastructure during cardiovascular development, aging, and a broad range of pathologies. Recently, the cardiovascular TEM enabled the studying of several signaling processes impacting mitochondrial function, such as mitochondrial fission/fusion, autophagy, mitophagy, lysosomal degradation, and lipophagy. The goals of this review are to provide an overview of the current usage of TEM to study cardiac ultrastructural changes; to understand how TEM aided the visualization of mitochondria, autophagy, and mitophagy under normal and cardiovascular disease conditions; and to discuss the overall advantages and disadvantages of TEM and potential future capabilities and advancements in the field.
Intramuscular Temperature Changes in the Quadriceps Femoris Muscle After Post-Exercise Cold-Water Immersion (10°C for 10 min): A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Authors: Freitag Livia , Clijsen Ron , Deflorin Carlina , Taube Wolfgang , Taeymans Jan , Hohenauer Erich
Published: May 2021

Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is a widely accepted recovery strategy for maintaining physical performance output. However, existing review articles about the effects of CWI commonly pool data from very heterogenous study designs and thus, do rarely differentiate between different muscles, different CWI-protocols (duration, temperature, etc.), different forms of activating the muscles before CWI, and different thickness of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. This systematic review therefore aimed to investigate the effects of one particular post-exercise CWI protocol (10°C for 10 min) on intramuscular temperature changes in the quadriceps femoris muscle while accounting for skinfold thickness. An electronic search was conducted on PubMed, LIVIVO, Cochrane Library, and PEDro databases. Pooled data on intramuscular temperature changes were plotted with respect to intramuscular depth to visualize the influence of skinfold thickness. Spearman's rho (rs) was used to assess a possible linear association between skinfold thickness and intramuscular temperature changes. A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effect of CWI on pre-post intramuscular temperature for each measurement depth. A total of six articles met the inclusion criteria. Maximum intramuscular temperature reduction was 6.40°C with skinfold thickness of 6.50 mm at a depth of 1 cm, 4.50°C with skinfold thickness of 11.00 mm at a depth of 2 cm, and only 1.61°C with skinfold thickness of 10.79 mm at a depth of 3 cm. However, no significant correlations between skinfold thickness and intramuscular temperature reductions were observed at a depth of 1 cm (rs = 0.0), at 2 cm (rs = −0.8) and at 3 cm (rs = −0.5; all p > 0.05). The CWI protocol resulted in significant temperature reductions in the muscle tissue layers at 1 cm (d = −1.92 [95% CI: −3.01 to −0.83] and 2 cm (d = −1.63 [95% CI: −2.20 to −1.06]) but not at 3 cm (p < 0.05). Skinfold thickness and thus, subcutaneous adipose tissue, seems to influence temperature reductions in the muscle tissue only to a small degree. These findings might be useful for practitioners as they demonstrate different intramuscular temperature reductions after a specific post-exercise CWI protocol (10°C for 10 min) in the quadriceps femoris muscle.
Wyrażanie modalności w języku chorwackim, serbskim
i polskim. Podobieństwa i różnice leksykalnych czasownikowych wykładników
modalności
Authors: Błachowicz-Wolny Anna
Published: May 2021

This paper describes the similarities and differences between the lexical
verbal exponents of modality in the Croatian, Serbian, and Polish languages.
This study demonstrates the usages and meanings of the Croatian, Serbian, and
Polish verbal lexemes: musieć (must / have to), móc (can/may), mieć możliwość
(be able to), chcieć (want), and presents their classifi cation from the angle of
alethic, epistemic, and deontic modality.
Keywords: modality – alethic/epistemic/deontic modality – modal structure –
lexical exponents of modality – Croatian language – Serbian language
The Effect of Ethical Leadership on Work Engagement and Workaholism: Examining Self-Efficacy as a Moderator
Authors: Wibawa Widdy Muhammad Sabar , Takahashi Yoshi
Published: May 2021

This study aims to investigate how ethical leadership can influence work engagement and workaholism through the potential moderating effect of self-efficacy. There have been debates on the similarities, their negative correlation, and differences between these two work outcomes. To show one new aspect of evidence regarding the debate, we chose ethical leadership as the common antecedent of the outcomes and analyzed the relationships while considering a boundary condition, self-efficacy. For this purpose, using an online questionnaire, we collected primary data from 80 graduate students from a university in Indonesia. An experimental research design was applied, and we used t-test and hierarchical regression analysis to confirm the relationship mentioned above. Results indicate that ethical leadership has a positive effect on work engagement, while it has an insignificant effect on workaholism. Moreover, self-efficacy did not moderate the relationships between ethical leadership and work engagement, or ethical leadership and workaholism. One novelty of the present study is the finding of different consequences of the two “similar” work outcomes from ethical leadership. Implications, limitations, and direction for future research are also discussed.
Adolescents Who Report Being Involved in Physical Fights in Mauritius: A Cross-Sectional Study of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Correlates
Authors: Abiodun Olumide , Lowery Wilson Michael , Shaikh Masood Ali
Published: May 2021

Background: violence among young people, including physical fighting, is a crucial global public health concern. There is a scarcity of evidence directed at understanding the prevalence and associated factors for physical fights among adolescents in Mauritius. This study aimed to examine the prevalence physical fighting in schools and the demographic characteristics that are associated with the phenomenon. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative data from Mauritius with the aim of examining the 12-month prevalence of physical fighting and frequencies of related individual and social-level characteristics. We further measured the association between physical violence and adolescent parameters using binary logistic regression analyses. Results: the participants were predominantly females (53.49%) with a mean age of 14.91 (1.47) years. Within the preceding twelve months, 15.74% of the participants reported being involved in physical fights. Among other factors, the male gender (OR = 2.6, 95% CI (1.87, 3.62)), food deprivation (OR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.41, 4.32)), bullying victimization (OR = 2.81, 95% CI (2.12, 3.73)), and cigarette use (OR = 2.07, 95% CI (1.34, 3.19)) increased the likelihood of physical fighting. The other associated factors were loneliness (OR = 1.65, 95% CI (1.11, 2.43)), physical activity (OR = 1.52, 95% CI (1.09, 2.12)), early sexual debut (OR = 2.15, 95% CI (1.17, 3.95)), and alcohol use (OR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.11, 2.21)). Conclusions: physical violence is frequent among adolescents in Mauritius; however, a comparison with previous findings in similar sub-Saharan countries suggests a reducing trend. Advocates, policymakers, and other critical stakeholders need to consider the relevant demographic and behavioral factors in formulating strategies and designing public health interventions for the prevention and control of physical violence among adolescents.
Design and Optimization of a Large Turboprop Aircraft
Authors: Nicolosi Fabrizio , Corcione Salvatore , Trifari Vittorio , De Marco Agostino
Published: May 2021

This paper proposes a feasibility study concerning a large turboprop aircraft to be used as a lower environmental impact solution to current regional jets operated on short/medium hauls. An overview of this market scenario highlights that this segment is evenly shared between regional turboprop and jet aircraft. Although regional jets ensure a large operative flexibility, they are usually not optimized for short missions with a negative effect on block fuel and environmental impact. Conversely, turboprops represent a greener solution but with reduced passenger capacity and speed. Those aspects highlight a slot for a new turboprop platform coupling higher seat capacity, cruise speed and design range with a reduced fuel consumption. This platform should operate on those ranges where neither jet aircraft nor existing turboprops are optimized. This work compares three different solutions: a high-wing layout with under-wing engines installation and both two- and three-lifting-surface configurations with low-wing and tail tips-mounted engines. For each concept, a multi-disciplinary optimization was performed targeting the minimum block fuel on a 1600 NM mission. Optimum solutions were compared with both a regional jet such as the Airbus A220-300 operated on 1600 NM and with a jet aircraft specifically designed for this range.
Effects of a Harvesting and Conservation Method for Small Producers on the Quality of the Produced Olive Oil
Authors: Plasquy Eddy , Florido María C. , Sola-Guirado Rafael R. , García José M.
Published: May 2021

The production of ‘Premium’ olive oil depends in large part on the quality of the fruit. Small producers see themselves confronted with vast investments and logistic snags when they intend to optimize the harvesting. Today, manual harvesting devices promise less damaged fruit when compared to the traditional methods with nets while the use of a cooling room on the farm is suggested as a solution when the harvesting needs to be stretched out over several days. The use of a manual inverted umbrella during the harvest, together with a storage of up to 14 days at 5 °C, was studied for three cultivars (‘Arbequina’, ‘Picual’, and ‘Verdial’). Ten parameters of the produced oil were examined in two consecutive years together with an extended sensory analysis in the first year. The results underline the importance of the used harvesting and conservation method on the quality of the extracted oil, although the effect size of each factor varied in time and according to the cultivar. The results indicate that small producers with financial and logistic restrictions can obtain a high-quality product following the actions shown in this work, being able to compete in terms of quality in the market, either by combining both methods or by choosing the one that guarantees the best results given the cultivar and the specific storage time they need to consider.
Ecofriendly Bioagents, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Plectranthus neochilus Extracts to Control the Early Blight Pathogen (Alternaria solani) in Tomato
Authors: Mohamed Abeer A. , Salah Mohsen M. , El-Dein Manal M. Zen , EL-Hefny Mervat , Ali Hayssam M. , Farraj Dunia A. Al , Hatamleh Ashraf A. , Salem Mohamed Z. M. , Ashmawy Nader A.
Published: May 2021

Background: early blight disease caused by Alternaria solani is one of the most destructive diseases of the tomato, reducing tomato production globally. Methods: four fungal isolates were collected from four tomato cultivars and identified through morphological characterization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the internal transcript spacer (ITS) region. Plectranthus neochilus and Parthenocissus quinquefolia methanol extracts and the bioagents Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens were used as antifungal agents in vitro and in vivo and compared with chlorothalonil, a reference chemical fungicide. HPLC analysis of the plant extracts was used to identify the main flavonoid compounds, namely, rutin and myricetin. Results: molecular characterization showed that the fungal isolates belonged to A. solani. The results of in vitro antifungal activity studies revealed that chlorothalonil, at a concentration of 2500 mg/L, showed the highest inhibition percentage of fungal growth (IPFG) against A. solani (84.4%), followed by the bioagents T. viride and P. fluorescens, with IPFG values of 72.9% and 67.9%, respectively. Moderate to weak activity was found against A. solani when P. neochilus and P. quinquefolia extracts were applied at a concentration of 2500 mg/L, with an IPFG value of 54% for both extracts. The results of in vivo spray application showed that T. viride and chlorothalonil, as well as P. fluorescens, significantly reduced the disease index of early blight, and followed by the P. neochilus and P. quinquefolia extracts. By HPLC, the flavonoid compounds rutin and myricetin were identified in P. neochilus (leaf) with amounts of 2429.60 and 75.92 mg/100 g of extract, and in P. quinquefolia (fruit), with amounts of 1891.60 and 241.06 mg/100 g of extract, respectively. Conclusions: the results of the bioactivity of plant extracts and the bioagents indicate a vital role as antifungal activity against A. solani.
Physio-Anatomical Study of Polyploid Watermelon Grafted by Different Methods
Authors: Kaseb Mohamed Omar , Umer Muhammad Jawad , Mahmud Eftekhar , Anees Muhammad , Diao Weinan , Yuan Pingli , Zhu Hongju , Zhao Shengjie , Lu Xuqiang , He Nan , El-remaly Eman , Liu Wenge
Published: May 2021

Watermelon is one of the most desirable vegetable crops in the world. Recently, grafting is common in watermelons worldwide, but not all grafting methods are compatible with polyploids. In this study, diploid, triploid, and tetraploid from one watermelon variety, “Mi Mei”, were grafted on the “Xijiaqiangsheng” squash rootstock to study the effect of genome duplication on graft compatibility. Three grafting methods (splice, hole, and tongue) were used to determine graft compatibility. Significant differences in survival rates, hormones, antioxidants (AOX), sugars, and starch contents were observed between compatible/incompatible combinations. Compatible combinations with high survival rates showed high levels of hormones, AOX, carbohydrates, and low hydrogen peroxide H2O2 compared to incompatible plants. The hole grafting method was more efficient with diploid, while splice was efficient with a tetraploid, and both methods can be used for triploid. Compatibility is a combined effect of hormone, carbohydrate, and antioxidant activities. We predict that compatibility is a complex process and that further molecular studies must be performed to dig deep into this phenomenon.
Non-Invasive Reproductive Hormone Monitoring in the Endangered Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania)
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Buragohain Shyamalima , Deka Parag Jyoti , Narayan Goutam , Umapathy Govindhaswamy
Published: May 2021

The pygmy hog (Porcula salvania), until recently was classified as a critically endangered suid facing the threat of extinction due to habitat degradation. Efforts are being made to protect the pygmy hog from extinction and breed them in captivity under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP). However, very little information is available on the reproductive physiology of pygmy hogs. Therefore, the present study aims to standardize enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for monitoring pregnancy and reproductive status using progesterone and testosterone metabolites. A total of 785 fecal samples were collected from five females and two males over a period of one year from the PHCP Research and Breeding Centre, Guwahati, Assam. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the presence of immunoreactive progesterone and testosterone metabolites in feces. Mating was observed in all five females, and four of them gave birth successfully. We were able to detect pregnancy using fecal progesterone metabolites. The mean gestation period, based on mating and parturition, was estimated to be 153.25 days from the four females studied. The breeding center recorded 172 births between 1996 and 2000 and found strong seasonal patterns in the birth rate, with most of the births occurring between May and June. In the males, fecal testosterone metabolites were significantly higher in the breeding season than in the non-breeding season. This is the first study on the subject and will help with future breeding programs in other captive breeding centers and with reproductive monitoring of reintroduced populations.