bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Health and Digital Social Participation of the Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Blekinge, Sweden—An Exploratory Study
Authors: Ghazi Sarah Nauman , Anderberg Peter , Berglund Johan Sanmartin , Berner Jessica , Dallora Ana Luiza
Published: March 2022

COVID-19 has affected the psychological health of older adults directly and indirectly through recommendations of social distancing and isolation. Using the internet or digital tools to participate in society, one might mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on psychological health. This study explores the social participation of older adults through internet use as a social platform during COVID-19 and its relationship with various psychological health aspects. In this study, we used the survey as a research method, and we collected data through telephonic interviews; and online and paper-based questionnaires. The results showed an association of digital social participation with age and feeling lack of company. Furthermore, in addition, to the increase in internet use in older adults in Sweden during COVID-19, we conclude that digital social participation is essential to maintain psychological health in older adults.
Headache in the Workplace: Analysis of Factors Influencing Headaches in Terms of Productivity and Health
Authors: Magnavita Nicola
Published: March 2022

Headache is a very common condition that can have a significant impact on work. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of headaches and their impact on a sample of 1076 workers from 18 small companies operating in different sectors. The workers who volunteered to participate were asked to fill in the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and answer questions designed to assess stressful and traumatic factors potentially associated with headaches. The volunteers subsequently underwent a medical examination and tests for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Out of the 1044 workers who completed the questionnaire (participation rate = 97%), 509 (48.8%) reported suffering from headaches. In a multivariate logistic regression model, female gender, recent bereavement, intrusive leadership, and sleep problems were significantly associated with headaches. In univariate logistic regression models, headache intensity was associated with an increased risk of anxiety (OR 1.10; CI95% 1.09; 1.12) and depression (OR 1.09; CI95% 1.08; 1.11). Headache impact was also associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome (OR 1.02; CI95% 1.00, 1.04), obesity (OR 1.02, CI95% 1.01; 1.03), and reduced HDL cholesterol (OR 1.03; CI95% 1.01; 1.04). The impact of headache calls for intervention in the workplace not only to promote a prompt diagnosis of the different forms of headaches but also to improve work organization, leadership style, and the quality of sleep.
Comment on Pop et al. Early Diagnosis of Oral Mucosal Alterations in Smokers and E-Cigarette Users Based on Micronuclei Count: A Cross-Sectional Study among Dental Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 13246
Authors: Takeshita Wilton Mitsunari , Ribeiro Daniel Araki
Published: March 2022

We read the manuscript recently published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health titled “Early diagnosis of oral mucosal alterations in smokers and e-cigarette users based on micronuclei count: a cross-sectional study among dental students” by Pop et al. [...]
Adult Daughters of Alcoholic Parents—A Qualitative Study of These Women’s Pregnancy Experiences and the Potential Implications for Antenatal Care Provision
Authors: Johnsen Helle , Juhl Mette , Møller Bodil Kirstine , de Lichtenberg Vibeke
Published: March 2022

The adult children of alcoholic parents are at increased risk of having health problems compared to the adult children of nonalcoholic parents. Little is known about how growing up with alcoholic parents affects women’s experiences when pregnant. The objectives of this study were to explore how adverse childhood experiences related to parental alcohol abuse affect women during their pregnancy and to assess the potential implications of women’s experiences for antenatal care provision. Twelve in-depth interviews were performed with women who were brought up by an alcoholic mother and/or father. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the data. Two main categories were identified: ‘establishing relationships and having social support’ and ‘antenatal care encounters and concerns during pregnancy’. Women’s trust in others in adult life was impacted by their upbringing. Strained relationships with their parents and few friends meant that the women primarily relied on their partners for support. Neither antenatal care providers nor women talked about women’s childhood experiences at the visits. The women described concerns related to the baby’s health, lack of predictability and control during the pregnancy, as well as apprehensiveness regarding birth and motherhood. The potential implications for practice include systematic screening for adverse childhood experiences, antenatal preparation classes, parenting courses, and post-graduate training.
Etiologic Factors of Rotator Cuff Disease in Elderly: Modifiable Factors in Addition to Known Demographic Factors
Authors: Son Ju Hyun , Seo Zee Won , Choi Woosik , Lee Youn-Young , Kang Suk-Woong , Lee Chang-Hyung
Published: March 2022

With the aging society, musculoskeletal degenerative diseases are becoming a burden on society, and rotator cuff disease is one of these degenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of shoulder osteoarthritis and the etiologic factors of rotator cuff disease in the Korean elderly population. A total of 102 patients performing ultrasonography were recruited, and their demographic factors were analyzed. As functional factors, visual analog scale and the peak torque of external and internal rotators of the shoulder using an isokinetic dynamometer were measured. As an anatomical factor, the acromiohumeral distance in the plain radiograph of the glenohumeral anterior-posterior view was used. There were more female patients (65.7%) than male patients (34.3%). The age range with the highest number of respondents was 50–59 years old. The mean visual analogue score was 4.09 (Min 1 to Max 9). Age and dominant hand side factors appear to be the crucial etiologic factors of the presence and severity of rotator cuff disease. The lower net value of the external rotator strength is weakly related to the presence of rotator cuff disease after adjusting for age, and this is the only modifiable factor in the study.
Impact of Industrial Structure Upgrading on Green Total Factor Productivity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Sun Jinhua , Tang Decai , Kong Haojia , Boamah Valentina
Published: March 2022

The Yangtze River economic belt is an inland river economic belt with international influence composed of 11 provinces and municipalities in the Yangtze River Basin. This paper uses the super-efficiency model to calculate the green total factor productivity of 11 provinces and municipalities in the Yangtze River economic belt (YREB). Then we establish a model to study the impact of industrial structure upgrading, industrial structure rationalization, and environmental regulation on green total factor productivity (GTFP). Empirical analysis shows that the industrial structure upgrading and environmental regulation have a significant impact on GTFP and show regional characteristics. The more developed the economy and the higher the industrial structure, the greater the impact of upgrading and environmental regulation on GTFP. Compared with other control variables, the urbanization rate impacts GTFP, followed by regional economic development.
Distribution Patterns of Degeneration of the Lumbar Spine in a Cohort of 200 Patients with an Indication for Lumbar MRI
Authors: Näther Philipp , Kersten Jan Felix , Kaden Ingmar , Irga Kemal , Nienhaus Albert
Published: March 2022

Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of a reduced quality of life. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best suited imaging technique to detect causes of that pain. We retrospectively evaluated the MRIs of the lumbar spine for 200 patients in order to describe the distribution of signs of degeneration with regard to age, sex, and position of the disc affected. The number of spinal segments affected by degeneration increased with age, as did the number of signs of degeneration per segment. In patients aged between 21 and 30, 38.8% of discs were affected, while for patients aged between 51 and 60, 91.6% of discs were affected. There was no statistically significant gender difference. The lower two segments were most commonly affected by degeneration. The most common were structural changes to the discs, which affected 88.4% of patients over 50. Spondylosis was the most common bone-related change, found in 60.4% of patients over the age of 50. A reduction in disc height increases the likelihood of structural changes to the disc and bone-related changes. When investigating risk factors for developing disc-related diseases, the complex disc degeneration patterns described here should be taken into account.
Patient Safety and Staff Well-Being: Organizational Culture as a Resource
Authors: Lu Luo , Ko Yi-Ming , Chen Hsing-Yu , Chueh Jui-Wen , Chen Po-Ying , Cooper Cary L.
Published: March 2022

The present study examines the relationship between patient safety culture and health workers’ well-being. Applying the conservation of resources mechanism, we tested theory-based hypotheses in a large cross-disciplinary sample (N = 3232) from a Taiwanese metropolitan healthcare system. Using the structural equation modeling technique, we found that patient safety culture was negatively related to staff burnout (β = −0.74) and could explain 55% of the total variance. We also found that patient safety culture was positively related to staff work–life balance (β = 0.44) and could explain 19% of the total variance. Furthermore, the above relationships were invariant across groups of diverse staff demography (gender, age, managerial position, and incident reporting) and job characteristics (job role, tenure, and patient contact). Our findings suggest that investing in patient safety culture can be viewed as building an organizational resource, which is beneficial for both improving the care quality and protecting staff well-being. More importantly, the benefits are the same for everyone in the healthcare services.
Correlation between Salivary Levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, IGF-1/IGFBP3 Ratio with Skeletal Maturity Using Hand-Wrist Radiographs
Authors: Almalki Abdullah , Thomas Julie Toby , Khan Abdul Rehman Ahmed , Almulhim Basim , Alassaf Abdullah , Alghamdi Sara Ayid , Joseph Betsy , Alqerban Ali , Alotaibi Saud
Published: March 2022

Objective: The relevance of growth determination in orthodontics is driving the search for the most precise and least invasive way of tracking the pubertal growth spurt. Our aim was to explore whether minimally invasive salivary estimation of biomarkers Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) could be used to estimate skeletal maturity for clinical convenience, especially in children and adolescent age groups. Materials and Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 participants (56 girls and 34 males) with ages ranging from 6 to 25 years. Each subject’s hand-wrist radiograph was categorized based on skeletal maturity, and saliva samples were estimated for IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 using the respective ELISA kits. Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric ANOVA was applied to compare different skeletal stages. Results: The study demonstrated low salivary IGF-1 levels at the prepubertal stage, with increase during pubertal onset and peak pubertal stage followed by a decline during pubertal deceleration to growth completion. Spearman’s correlation coefficient demonstrated a strong positive association (r = 0.98 p < 0.01) between salivary IGF/IGFBP-3 ratio and different stages of skeletal maturity. Conclusion: Salivary IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and IGF/IGFBP-3 ratio could serve as a potential biochemical marker for predicting the completion of skeletal maturity.
A New Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT) to Assess the Quality of Life at Work in the Italian Academic Context
Authors: Brondino Margherita , Signore Fulvio , Zambelli Agnese , Ingusci Emanuela , Pignata Silvia , Manuti Amelia , Giancaspro Maria Luisa , Falco Alessandra , Girardi Damiano , Guglielmi Dina , Depolo Marco , Loera Barbara , Converso Daniela , Viotti Sara , Bruno Andreina , Gilardi Silvia , Cortini Michela , Pace Francesco , Capone Vincenza , Platania Silvia , Zito Margherita , Pasini Margherita , Miglioretti Massimo , Dell’Aversana Giuseppina , Carrus Giuseppe , Spagnoli Paola
Published: March 2022

The present study provides evidence for a valid and reliable tool, the Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT), to investigate the quality of life at work in academics within the Italian university sector. The AQ@workT was developed by the QoL@Work research team, namely a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The tool is grounded in the job demands-resources model and its psychometric properties were assessed in three studies comprising a wide sample of lecturers, researchers, and professors: a pilot study (N = 120), a calibration study (N = 1084), and a validation study (N = 1481). Reliability and content, construct, and nomological validity were supported, as well as measurement invariance across work role (researchers, associate professors, and full professors) and gender. Evidence from the present study shows that the AQ@workT represents a useful and reliable tool to assist university management to enhance quality of life, to manage work-related stress, and to mitigate the potential for harm to academics, particularly during a pandemic. Future studies, such as longitudinal tests of the AQ@workT, should test predictive validity among the variables in the tool.
Choices of Specialties and Training Sites among Taiwanese Physicians Graduating from Polish Medical Schools
Authors: Weng Tzu-Ling , Chu Feng-Yuan , Li Chiao-Lin , Chen Tzeng-Ji
Published: March 2022

Taiwanese students who graduated from Polish medical schools (P-IMGs) accounted for the second-largest group of international medical graduates in Taiwan. In 2009, domestic medical students in Taiwan staged mass demonstrations against P-IMG’s exemption from the qualifying test before the licensing exam. Although medical circles in Taiwan might still hold prejudices against P-IMGs, little is known about their career development. This study will analyze P-IMGs’ choices of specialties and training sites from 2000 to 2020 using data from the membership section of the Taiwan Medical Journal, the monthly official publication of the Taiwan Medical Association. Of 372 P-IMGs, 34.2% chose internal medicine and 17.1% surgery. Although academic medical centers offered 76% of all available trainee positions in a year, only 49.3% of P-IMGs received training there. By contrast, 20.9% of P-IMGs were trained at nonmetropolitan hospitals that altogether accounted for only 5.8% of trainee positions. In conclusion, P-IMGs had their residency training at less favorable specialties and sites. Their long-term career development deserves further study.
Designing of a Recombinant Multi-Epitopes Based Vaccine against Enterococcus mundtii Using Bioinformatics and Immunoinformatics Approaches
Authors: Alharbi Metab , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Alasmari Abdullah F. , Alharbi Salman Mansour , Tahir ul Qamar Muhammad , Ullah Asad , Ahmad Sajjad , Irfan Muhammad , Khalil Atif Ali Khan
Published: March 2022

Enterococcus species are an emerging group of bacterial pathogens that have a significant role in hospital-associated infections and are associated with higher mortality and morbidity rates. Among these pathogens, Enterococcus mundtii is one of the causative agents of multiple hospital associated infections. Currently, no commercially available licensed vaccine is present, and multi-drug resistant strains of the pathogen are prominent. Due to several limitations of experimental vaccinology, computational vaccine designing proved to be helpful in vaccine designing against several bacterial pathogens. Herein, we designed a multi-epitope-based vaccine against E. mundtii using in silico approaches. After an in-depth analysis of the core genome, three probable antigenic proteins (lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, siderophore ABC transporter substrate-binding protein, and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase) were shortlisted for epitope prediction. Among predicted epitopes, ten epitopes—GPADGRIAS, TTINHGGAQA, SERTALSVTT, GDGGNGGGEV, GIKEPDLEK, KQADDRIEA, QAIGGDTSN, EPLDEQTASR, AQWEPQSIEA, QPLKFSDFEL—were selected for multi-epitope vaccine construct designing. The screened B- and T-cell epitopes were joined with each other via specific linkers and linked to the cholera toxin B subunit as an adjuvant to enhance vaccine immune protection efficacy. The designed vaccine construct induced cellular and humoral immune responses. Blind docking with immune cell receptors, followed by molecular dynamic simulation results confirms the good binding potency and stability of the vaccine in providing protection against the pathogen.
Quality of Life in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Alexander Andrea , Fung Stephen , Eichler Martin , Lehwald-Tywuschik Nadja , Uthayakumar Vasuki , Safi Sami-Alexander , Vay Christian , Ashmawy Hany , Kalmuk Sinan , Rehders Alexander , Vaghiri Sascha , Knoefel Wolfram Trudo
Published: March 2022

Background: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) substantially affects cancer patients due to adverse outcomes and disruptions in cancer care. Recent studies have indicated the additional stress and anxiety burden arising from the pandemic and impairing quality of life in this vulnerable group of patients. However, patients with cancer represent a heterogenous group. Therefore, we conducted a study on patients with pancreatic cancer, requiring demanding surgical interventions and chemotherapy regimens due to its aggressive tumor biology, to explore the pandemic’s impact on quality of life within this homogenous cohort. Methods: In a descriptive observational study, the quality of life of patients who had undergone pancreatic surgery for tumor resection at our institution between 2014 and the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 was assessed. For HRQoL measurement, we used the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), comparing their situation before the pandemic and since its beginning. An additional self-developed questionnaire was applied to assess the life circumstances during the pandemic. Results: Our cohort included 26 patients. Scores from the survey in HRQoL revealed no significant changes over time between before and during the pandemic. A medium deterioration in HRQoL was apparent in social functioning, as well as a small deterioration in role functioning and emotional functioning. Worries concerning a potential impact of COVID-19 on personal health were expressed. Psychological limitations in QoL were mainly attributed to the pandemic, whereas physical limitations in QoL were rather associated with the underlying disease of pancreatic cancer. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is causing considerable social and emotional distress among pancreatic cancer patients. These patients will benefit from psychological support during the pandemic and beyond. Long-time survivors of pancreatic cancer, such as those included in our cohort, appear to have improved resilience facing the psychosocial challenges of the pandemic. For pancreatic cancer, surgical care is considered the cornerstone of treatment. Prolonged delays in healthcare cause serious damage to mental and physical health. To date, the longer-term clinical consequences are not known and can only be estimated. The potential tragic outcome for the vulnerable group of pancreatic cancer patients highlights the urgency of timely healthcare decisions to be addressed in the future.
Parental Views on the Acceptability and Feasibility of Measurement Tools Used to Assess Movement Behaviour of Pre-School Children: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Phillips Sophie M. , Summerbell Carolyn , Hesketh Kathryn R. , Saxena Sonia , Hillier-Brown Frances C.
Published: March 2022

Movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep) are important for the health and development of pre-school children (aged 3–4 years). There is limited qualitative research examining the acceptability and feasibility of tools used to assess movement behaviours in pre-schoolers. This study explored parental views on various measurement tools in three deprived areas in England, UK (West Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumberland). The study consisted of a demonstration of the different tools (accelerometers, a diary and a questionnaire), directly followed by focus group discussions. Three focus group discussions with a total of eleven parents and carers were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed four main themes: (1) importance of contextual information when using any measurement tool (e.g., child illness, capturing different routines); (2) practical issues associated with devices (e.g., aversion to devices being attached directly to the skin of their child; concern of larger devices during sleep time); (3) encouraging children to wear a device (e.g., making devices attractive to children—‘superpowers’); and (4) presentation of diaries and questionnaires (e.g., age-appropriate movement activities, preference for real-time recording over recall). Practical recommendations for the use of the tools to measure movement behaviours of pre-school children are provided.
The Influence of Research Follow-Up during COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Distress and Resilience: A Multicenter Cohort Study of Treatment-Resistant Depression
Authors: Huong Pham Thi Thu , Wu Chia-Yi , Lee Ming-Been , Hung Wei-Chieh , Chen I-Ming , Chen Hsi-Chung
Published: March 2022

Background: During the COVID-19 outbreak, patients with mental disorders have faced more negative psychological consequences than the public. For people with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), it is unclear whether research engagement would protect them from the deterioration of their symptoms. The study aimed to examine if chronic depressive patients would have improved resilience and mental distress levels after follow-up interviews during an observation period under COVID-19. Methods: The study was nested within a three-year prospective cohort study. A two-group comparison design was conducted, i.e., the follow-up group with regular research interviews every three months after baseline assessment and the control group with one assessment-only interview. The two groups were compared with demographics, psychosocial, and suicide information. Results: Baseline assessments were not significantly different in sociodemographic variables, suicide risks, mental distress, and resilience between groups. Significant differences were detected in resilient coping and mental distress levels (p < 0.05). The follow-up group (n = 46) experienced a higher level of resilient coping (37% vs. 25%) and lower level of mental distress (47.8% vs. 64.7%) than the control group (n = 68). Conclusions: Findings highlight under universal government strategy against COVID-19, TRD patients receiving regular research follow-ups exhibited better resilience and less mental distress than those without regular support from healthcare providers.
Global Trends and Research Hotspots in Long COVID: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Jin Hongxia , Lu Lu , Fan Haojun
Published: March 2022

Long COVID is a condition distinguished by long-term sequelae that occur or persist after the convalescence period of COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 experienced long COVID, which attracted the attention of researchers. This study aims to assess the pattern of long COVID research literature, analyze the research topics, and provide insights on long COVID. In this study, we extracted 784 publications from Scopus in the field of long COVID. According to bibliometric analysis, it is found that: developed countries in Europe and America were in leading positions in terms of paper productivity and citations. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and the Journal of Clinical Medicine were leading journals in the perspective of publications count, and Nature Medicine had the highest number of citations. Author Greenhalgh T has the highest number of papers and citations. The main research topics were: pathophysiology, symptoms, treatment, and epidemiology. The causes of long COVID may be related to organ injury, inflammation, maladaptation of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) pathway, and mental factors. The symptoms are varied, including physical and psychological symptoms. Treatment options vary from person to person. Most patients developed at least one long-term symptom. Finally, we presented some possible research opportunities.
Utilization Intention of Community Pharmacy Service under the Dual Threats of Air Pollution and COVID-19 Epidemic: Moderating Effects of Knowledge and Attitude toward COVID-19
Authors: Deng Yueen-Mei , Wu Hong-Wei , Liao Hung-En
Published: March 2022

The utilization of pharmacy services in response to the threat of COVID-19 infection remains unclear in areas suffering from air pollution, and little is known regarding the effects of knowledge and attitude (KA) toward COVID-19 on this preventive behavior. This study aimed to explore how the residents perceived and reacted to the new threats of the epidemic and how KA may affect the correlation. Based on the health belief model (HBM), this research took the pharmacy service utilization (PSU) as an example to explain the preventive behavior. The samples were 375 respondents recruited from five districts near the industrial parks. T-test, ANOVA, and regression analyses of SPSS 22.0 were used to analyze the data. Test results show that self-efficacy was the strongest predictor, followed by the net perceived benefit. KA moderated the association of perceived threat and PSU intention. The levels of air pollution of a district may not be a good predictor for the preventive behavior against COVID-19.
Crowd Anomaly Detection via Spatial Constraints and Meaningful Perturbation
Authors: Feng Jiangfan , Wang Dini , Zhang Li
Published: March 2022

Crowd anomaly detection is a practical and challenging problem to computer vision and VideoGIS due to abnormal events’ rare and diverse nature. Consequently, traditional methods rely on low-level reconstruction in a single image space, easily affected by unimportant pixels or sudden variations. In addition, real-time detection for crowd anomaly detection is challenging, and localization of anomalies requires other supervision. We present a new detection approach to learn spatiotemporal features with the spatial constraints of a still dynamic image. First, a lightweight spatiotemporal autoencoder has been proposed, capable of real-time image reconstruction. Second, we offer a dynamic network to obtain a compact representation of video frames in motion, reducing false-positive anomaly alerts by spatial constraints. In addition, we adopt the perturbation visual interpretation method for anomaly visualization and localization to improve the credibility of the results. In experiments, our results provide competitive performance across various scenarios. Besides, our approach can process 52.9–63.4 fps in anomaly detection, making it practical for crowd anomaly detection in video surveillance.
A Novel Traffic Flow Reduction Method Based on Incomplete Vehicle History Spatio-Temporal Trajectory Data
Authors: Yang Bowen , Liu Zunhao , Cai Zhi , Li Dongze , Su Xing , Guo Limin , Ding Zhiming
Published: March 2022

In order to improve the effect of path planning in emergencies, the missing position imputation and velocity restoration in vehicle trajectory provide data support for emergency path planning and analysis. At present, there are many methods to fill in the missing trajectory information, but they basically restore the missing trajectory after analyzing a large number of datasets. However, the trajectory reduction method with few training sets needs to be further explored. For this purpose, a novel trajectory data cube model (TDC) is designed to store time, position, and velocity information hierarchically in the trajectory data. Based on this model, three trajectory Hierarchical Trace-Back algorithms HTB-p, HTB-v, and HTB-KF are proposed in this paper. Finally, experiments verify that conduct in a different number of sample sets, it has a satisfactory performance on information restoration of individual points of the trajectory and information restoration of trajectory segments.
Molecular Beacon for Detection miRNA-21 as a Biomarker of Lung Cancer
Authors: Alexandre Daniela , Teixeira Bernardo , Rico André , Valente Salete , Craveiro Ana , Baptista Pedro V. , Cruz Carla
Published: March 2022

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although the diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for approximately 80% of LC cases, have greatly improved in the past decade, there is still an urgent need to find more sensitive and specific screening methods. Recently, new molecular biomarkers are emerging as potential non-invasive diagnostic agents to screen NSCLC, including multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) that show an unusual expression profile. Moreover, peripheral blood mononuclear cells’ (PBMCs) miRNA profile could be linked with NSCLC and used for diagnosis. We developed a molecular beacon (MB)-based miRNA detection strategy for NSCLC. Following PBMCs isolation and screening of the expression profile of a panel of miRNA by RT-qPCR, we designed a MB targeting of up-regulated miR-21-5p. This MB 21-5p was characterized by FRET-melting, CD, NMR and native PAGE, allowing the optimization of an in-situ approach involving miR-21-5p detection in PBMCs via MB. Data show the developed MB approach potential for miR-21-5p detection in PBMCs from clinical samples towards NSCLC.
Neurohormonal Changes in the Gut–Brain Axis and Underlying Neuroendocrine Mechanisms following Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Martinou Eirini , Stefanova Irena , Iosif Evangelia , Angelidi Angeliki M.
Published: March 2022

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disease that is a major public health issue worldwide. Currently approved anti-obesity medications and lifestyle interventions lack the efficacy and durability needed to combat obesity, especially in individuals with more severe forms or coexisting metabolic disorders, such as poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery is considered an effective therapeutic modality with sustained weight loss and metabolic benefits. Numerous genetic and environmental factors have been associated with the pathogenesis of obesity, while cumulative evidence has highlighted the gut–brain axis as a complex bidirectional communication axis that plays a crucial role in energy homeostasis. This has led to increased research on the roles of neuroendocrine signaling pathways and various gastrointestinal peptides as key mediators of the beneficial effects following weight-loss surgery. The accumulate evidence suggests that the development of gut-peptide-based agents can mimic the effects of bariatric surgery and thus is a highly promising treatment strategy that could be explored in future research. This article aims to elucidate the potential underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms of the gut–brain axis and comprehensively review the observed changes of gut hormones associated with bariatric surgery. Moreover, the emerging role of post-bariatric gut microbiota modulation is briefly discussed.
Assessment of Ultra-Early-Stage Liver Fibrosis in Human Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Second-Harmonic Generation Microscopy
Authors: Minamikawa Takeo , Hase Eiji , Ichimura-Shimizu Mayuko , Morimoto Yuki , Suzuki Akihiro , Yasui Takeshi , Nakamura Satoko , Tsutsui Akemi , Takaguchi Koichi , Tsuneyama Koichi
Published: March 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with the chronic progression of fibrosis. In general, the progression of liver fibrosis is determined by a histopathological assessment with a collagen-stained section; however, the ultra-early stage of liver fibrosis is challenging to identify because of the low sensitivity in the collagen-selective staining method. In the present study, we demonstrate the feasibility of second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy in the histopathological diagnosis of the liver of NAFLD patients for the quantitative assessment of the ultra-early stage of fibrosis. We investigated four representative NAFLD patients with early stages of fibrosis. SHG microscopy visualised well-matured fibrotic structures and early fibrosis diffusely involving liver tissues, whereas early fibrosis is challenging to be identified by conventional histopathological methods. Furthermore, the SHG emission directionality analysis revealed the maturation of each collagen fibre of each patient. As a result, SHG microscopy is feasible for assessing liver fibrosis on NAFLD patients, including the ultra-early stage of liver fibrosis that is difficult to diagnose by the conventional histopathological method. The assessment method of the ultra-early fibrosis by using SHG microscopy may serve as a crucial means for pathological, clinical, and prognostic diagnosis of NAFLD patients.
Renal Cell Cancer and Obesity
Authors: Gluba-Brzózka Anna , Rysz Jacek , Ławiński Janusz , Franczyk Beata
Published: March 2022

Cancers are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. There are many risk factors for tumours, including advanced age, personal or family history of cancer, some types of viral infections, exposure to radiation and some chemicals, smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as obesity. Increasing evidence suggest the role of obesity in the initiation and progression of various cancers, including renal cell carcinoma. Since tumours require energy for their uncontrollable growth, it appears plausible that their initiation and development is associated with the dysregulation of cells metabolism. Thus, any state characterised by an intake of excessive energy and nutrients may favour the development of various cancers. There are many factors that promote the development of renal cell carcinoma, including hypoxia, inflammation, insulin resistance, excessive adipose tissue and adipokines and others. There are also many obesity-related alterations in genes expression, including DNA methylation, single nucleotide polymorphisms, histone modification and miRNAs that can promote renal carcinogenesis. This review focuses on the impact of obesity on the risk of renal cancers development, their aggressiveness and patients’ survival.
Indoor Trajectory Prediction for Shopping Mall via Sequential Similarity
Authors: Wang Peng , Yang Jing , Zhang Jianpei
Published: March 2022

With the prevalence of smartphones and the maturation of indoor positioning techniques, predicting the movement of a large number of customers in indoor environments has become a promising and challenging line of research in recent years. While most of the current predicting approaches that take advantage of mathematical methods perform well in outdoor settings, they exhibit poor performance in indoor environments. To solve this problem, in this study, a sequential similarity-based prediction approach which combines the spatial and semantic contexts into a unified framework is proposed. We first present a revised Longest Common Sub-Sequence (LCSS) algorithm to compute the spatial similarity of the indoor trajectories, and then a novel algorithm considering the indoor semantic R-tree is proposed to compute the semantic similarities; after this, a unified algorithm is considered to group the trajectories, and then the clustered trajectories are used to train the prediction models. Extensive performance evaluations were carried out on a real-world dataset collected from a large shopping mall to validate the performance of our proposed method. The results show that our approach markedly outperforms the baseline methods and can be used in real-world scenarios.
Host Plant Association and Distribution of the Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Cryptic Species Complex
Authors: Loredo Varela Roberto Carlos , Fail József
Published: March 2022

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, 1889 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a pest of economic importance traditionally treated as a polyphagous, cosmopolitan single species. Recent genetic evidence, however, suggests that it is rather a cryptic species complex of three lineages referred to by their host association and displaying different biological and ecological characteristics: leek-associated 1, leek-associated 2 and tobacco-associated. This study reviews host plant associations and distribution of the lineages of this cryptic species complex and discusses its consequences from an agronomical perspective. Overall, leek-associated 2 lineage has the broadest host range, including major crops from different plant families, and it is the only lineage with a confirmed worldwide distribution. Leek-associated 1 lineage shares some host plants with leek-associated 2. It is often found in Allium crops and its geographic distribution is limited to a few dozen countries. Finally, tobacco-associated lineage has only been collected from tobacco and their associated weeds in central and east Europe, and the Middle East. Additionally, this work presents a list of 391 plant species on which breeding and development of T. tabaci occurs, regardless of lineage. These host plant species belong to 64 different families, most importantly Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae, and Solanaceae.
Heat Shock 70 kDa Protein Cognate 3 of Brown Planthopper Is Required for Survival and Suppresses Immune Response in Plants
Authors: Yang Houhong , Zhang Xiaoya , Li Hanjing , Ye Yuxuan , Li Zhipeng , Han Xiao , Hu Yanru , Zhang Chuanxi , Jiang Yanjuan
Published: March 2022

The brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) is a monophagous pest of rice (Oryza sativa), which threatens food security around the world. Insect Heat shock proteins 70 kDa (Hsp70s) play a key role in insect growth and development, however, if they also modulate the plant physiological processes is still unclear. In this study, we identified the Heat shock 70 kDa protein cognate 3 (NlHSC70-3) of BPH from compared protein profiles of Nipponbare tissues after BPH infestation via LC/MS. NlHSC70-3 has a predicted signal peptide and displays high transcription levels in the salivary glands, which further supported that it is secreted into plants by BPH during the feeding process. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we showed that NlHSC70-3 is indispensable for the survival of BPH on rice. Most importantly, NlHSC70-3 mediates the plant immune responses including cell death, flg22-induced ROS burst and defense-related gene expression in N. benthamiana. These results demonstrate that NlHSC70-3 may function as an effector manipulating plant physiological processes to facilitate pest survival on rice, which provides a new potential target for future pest control.
Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review
Authors: Fountain Michelle T.
Published: March 2022

Integrated pest management (IPM) has been practiced by the fruit industry for at least 30 years. Naturally occurring beneficial insects have been encouraged to thrive alongside introduced predatory insects. However, Conservation Biological Control (CBC) and augmented biocontrol through the release of large numbers of natural enemies is normally only widely adopted when a pest has become resistant to available conventional pesticides and control has begun to break down. In addition, the incorporation of wild pollinator management, essential to fruit production, has, in the past, not been a priority but is now increasingly recognized through integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM). This review focuses on the impacts on pest regulation and pollination services in fruit crops through the delivery of natural enemies and pollinating insects by provisioning areas of fruiting crops with floral resources. Most of the studies in this review highlighted beneficial or benign impacts of floral resource prevision to fruit crops. However, placement in the landscape and spill-over of beneficial arthropods into the crop can be influential and limiting. This review also highlights the need for longer-term ecological studies to understand the impacts of changing arthropod communities over time and the opportunity to tailor wildflower mixes to specific crops for increased pest control and pollination benefits, ultimately impacting fruit growers bottom-line with less reliance on pesticides.
Impact of Heat Stress on the Predatory Ladybugs Hippodamia variegata and Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata
Authors: Yang Qing , Liu Jinping , Wyckhuys Kris A. G. , Yang Yizhong , Lu Yanhui
Published: March 2022

In cotton-growing regions of northwestern China, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) and Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are key natural enemies of hemipteran pests. As only H. variegata can be encountered in hot, arid production areas, the thermal responses and climatic adaptability of both species likely differ substantially. In this study, we assessed the survival, longevity, fecundity, prey consumption rate, and antioxidant capacity of both species under laboratory conditions at 32–38 °C. The (negative) impacts of elevated temperatures (i.e., 35 and 38 °C) on adult survival and reproduction were more pronounced for P. quatuordecimpunctata than for H. variegata. Similarly, high temperatures exhibited the strongest negative impacts on the prey consumption rates of P. quatuordecimpunctata. At elevated temperatures, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity increased, while glutathione-S-transferases activity decreased for both species. However, for P. quatuordecimpunctata, peroxidase activity and total antioxidant capacity progressively declined. Antioxidant responses thus constitute a key physiological adaptation of ladybugs to heat stress, reflecting a superior thermal tolerance of H. variegata. Our work emphasizes how laboratory assays can explain spatiotemporal distribution patterns of individual ladybugs and inform strategies to bolster their ensuing biological control under conditions of global warming or extreme weather events.
Sensory Profiles in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Descriptive Study Using the Sensory Processing Measure-2 (SPM-2)
Authors: Narzisi Antonio , Fabbri-Destro Maddalena , Crifaci Giulia , Scatigna Stefano , Maugeri Federica , Berloffa Stefano , Fantozzi Pamela , Prato Adriana , Muccio Rosy , Valente Elena , Viglione Valentina , Pecchini Edoardo , Pelagatti Susanna , Rizzo Renata , Milone Annarita , Barone Rita , Masi Gabriele
Published: March 2022

Background: Sensory reactivity is considered one of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and has been associated with poorer functional outcomes, behavioral difficulties, and autism severity across the lifespan. The characterization of the sensory processing in ASD has thus become crucial to identify the sensory and motor features influencing the development of personal autonomy. Objectives: The present study has two aims: (1) to compare the sensory processing between school-aged children with ASD and typically developing peers (TD); (2) to evaluate whether, within the ASD sample, the cognitive level and reported sensory symptoms explain the scores exhibited at the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM-2). Methods: The SPM-2 test was administered to the parents of 105 children with ASD and 70 TD. The ASD group was further subdivided into two groups, namely high and low functioning based on their cognitive level (High Functioning (HF), IQ > 80; Low Functioning (LF), IQ < 80). Results: ASD children exhibited higher scores throughout the SPM-2 total score and its multiple subscales. Within ASD, while HF and LF children did not differ in terms of the SPM-2 total score, a significant difference was found for the hearing, social participation, and balance and motion subscales. Conclusions: Aside from classical knowledge that the ASD population suffers from sensory processing disorders, we revealed that different sensory patterns are associated with high or low cognitive functioning. Beyond its neurobiological interest, such knowledge may be of fundamental importance for individualizing psychoeducational interventions in preschool- and school-aged children and later developmental stages.
Component-Resolved Evaluation of the Risk and Success of Immunotherapy in Bee Venom Allergic Patients
Authors: Rosiek-Biegus Marta , Pawłowicz Robert , Kopeć Agnieszka , Kosińska Magdalena , Wrześniak Marta , Nittner-Marszalska Marita
Published: March 2022

Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is the only efficient therapy for the Hymenoptera insect venom allergy. Immunotherapy with bee venom is encumbered with a higher risk of systemic side effects and/or therapeutic failures. The objective of the study was to assess if specific profiles of molecular IgE (Immunoglobulin E) responses are associated with an increased risk of systemic side effects and/or the treatment’s inefficacy. The study group numbered 64 bee venom allergic patients (BVA) who received venom immunotherapy modo ultra-rush (VIT-UR), (f/m: 32/32, mean age 43.4 ± 17.2). In total, 54.84% of them manifested allergic reactions of grades I-III (acc. to Mueller’s scale), while 48.66% manifested reactions of grade IV. In all the patients, IgE against bee venom extract, rApi m 1 and tryptase (sBT) were assessed. In 46 patients, assessments of IgE against rApi m 2, 3, 5, 10 were also performed. BVA patients manifesting cardiovascular symptoms (SYS IV0) showed higher levels of both sIgE-rApi m 5 (p = 0.03) and tryptase (p = 0.07) than patients with SYS I–III. Systemic adverse events during VIT with bee venom were more frequent in the induction phase than in the maintenance phase: 15.22% vs. 8.7%. In BVA patients who experienced systemic adverse events during VIT, higher concentrations of sIgE-rApi m 5 (p < 0.05), rApi m 1 (p = 0.009), and sBT (p = 0.019) were demonstrated. We conclude that higher levels of sIgE against rApi m 1, rApi m 5, and tryptase many constitute a potential marker of the severity of allergic reactions and therapeutic complications that can occur during VIT with bee venom.