bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case report: Primary myelofibrosis presenting with portal hypertension mimicking cirrhosis
Authors: Gan Xiayu , Yu Shengjie , Zhu Min , Ning Bo , He Song , Xie Xiaoyue , Tu Linshuang , Yu Huihong
Published: May 2024

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is an infrequent etiology of noncirrhotic portal hypertension (PH). In clinical settings, non-cirrhotic PH is often misdiagnosed as cirrhotic PH. This case report details a patient who exhibited recurrent esophageal variceal hemorrhage and was initially misdiagnosed with cirrhosis. Initially poised for liver transplantation, the patient’s liver biopsy revealed no significant cirrhosis but showed signs of extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). Following the accurate diagnosis of PMF, the patient underwent standard treatment, leading to an absence of recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to esophageal varices for nearly three years.
Gut microbiota is involved in male reproductive function: a review
Authors: Lv Shuya , Huang Jingrong , Luo Yadan , Wen Yuhang , Chen Baoting , Qiu Hao , Chen Huanxin , Yue Tianhao , He Lvqin , Feng Baochun , Yu Zehui , Zhao Mingde , Yang Qian , He Manli , Xiao Wudian , Zou Xiaoxia , Gu Congwei , Lu Ruilin
Published: May 2024

Globally, ~8%−12% of couples confront infertility issues, male-related issues being accountable for 50%. This review focuses on the influence of gut microbiota and their metabolites on the male reproductive system from five perspectives: sperm quality, testicular structure, sex hormones, sexual behavior, and probiotic supplementation. To improve sperm quality, gut microbiota can secrete metabolites by themselves or regulate host metabolites. Endotoxemia is a key factor in testicular structure damage that causes orchitis and disrupts the blood-testis barrier (BTB). In addition, the gut microbiota can regulate sex hormone levels by participating in the synthesis of sex hormone-related enzymes directly and participating in the enterohepatic circulation of sex hormones, and affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis. They can also activate areas of the brain that control sexual arousal and behavior through metabolites. Probiotic supplementation can improve male reproductive function. Therefore, the gut microbiota may affect male reproductive function and behavior; however, further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying microbiota-mediated male infertility.
A streamlined workflow for a fast and cost-effective count of tyndallized probiotics using flow cytometry
Authors: Bolzon Veronica , Bulfoni Michela , Pesando Massimo , Nencioni Alessandro , Nencioni Emanuele
Published: May 2024

The use of dead probiotics and their cellular metabolites seems to exhibit immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, providing protection against pathogens. These inanimate microorganisms, often referred to as tyndallized or heat-killed bacteria, are a new class of probiotics employed in clinical practice. Safety concerns regarding the extensive use of live microbial cells have increased interest in inactivated bacteria, as they could eliminate shelf-life problems and reduce the risks of microbial translocation and infection. Culture-dependent methods are not suitable for the quality assessment of these products, and alternative methods are needed for their quantification. To date, bacterial counting chambers and microscopy have been used for tyndallized bacteria enumeration, but no alternative validated methods are now available for commercial release. The aim of the present study is to design a new method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of tyndallized bacterial cells using flow cytometric technology. Using a live/dead viability assay based on two nucleic acid stains, thiazole orange (TO) and propidium iodide (PI), we optimized a workflow to evaluate bacterial viability beyond the reproduction capacity that provides information about the structural properties and metabolic activities of probiotics on FACSVerse without using beads as a reference. The data obtained in this study represent the first analytical application that works effectively both on viable and non-viable cells. The results provided consistent evidence, and different samples were analyzed using the same staining protocol and acquisition settings. No significant discrepancies were highlighted between the declared specification of commercial strain and the analytical data obtained. For the first time, flow cytometry was used for counting tyndallized bacterial cells as a quality control assessment in probiotic production. This aspect becomes important if applied to medical devices where we cannot boast metabolic but only mechanical activities.
Modeling of age-related neurological disease: utility of zebrafish
Authors: Kanoh Tohgo , Mizoguchi Takamasa , Tonoki Ayako , Itoh Motoyuki
Published: May 2024

Many age-related neurological diseases still lack effective treatments, making their understanding a critical and urgent issue in the globally aging society. To overcome this challenge, an animal model that accurately mimics these diseases is essential. To date, many mouse models have been developed to induce age-related neurological diseases through genetic manipulation or drug administration. These models help in understanding disease mechanisms and finding potential therapeutic targets. However, some age-related neurological diseases cannot be fully replicated in human pathology due to the different aspects between humans and mice. Although zebrafish has recently come into focus as a promising model for studying aging, there are few genetic zebrafish models of the age-related neurological disease. This review compares the aging phenotypes of humans, mice, and zebrafish, and provides an overview of age-related neurological diseases that can be mimicked in mouse models and those that cannot. We presented the possibility that reproducing human cerebral small vessel diseases during aging might be difficult in mice, and zebrafish has potential to be another animal model of such diseases due to their similarity of aging phenotype to humans.
Ischemic stroke outcome prediction with diversity features from whole brain tissue using deep learning network
Authors: Yang Yingjian , Guo Yingwei
Published: May 2024

Objectives

This study proposed an outcome prediction method to improve the accuracy and efficacy of ischemic stroke outcome prediction based on the diversity of whole brain features, without using basic information about patients and image features in lesions.

Design

In this study, we directly extracted dynamic radiomics features (DRFs) from dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted imaging (DSC-PWI) and further extracted static radiomics features (SRFs) and static encoding features (SEFs) from the minimum intensity projection (MinIP) map, which was generated from the time dimension of DSC-PWI images. After selecting whole brain features Ffuse from the combinations of DRFs, SRFs, and SEFs by the Lasso algorithm, various machine and deep learning models were used to evaluate the role of Ffuse in predicting stroke outcomes.

Results

The experimental results show that the feature Ffuse generated from DRFs, SRFs, and SEFs (Resnet 18) outperformed other single and combination features and achieved the best mean score of 0.971 both on machine learning models and deep learning models and the 95% CI were (0.703, 0.877) and (0.92, 0.983), respectively. Besides, the deep learning models generally performed better than the machine learning models.

Conclusion

The method used in our study can achieve an accurate assessment of stroke outcomes without segmentation of ischemic lesions, which is of great significance for rapid, efficient, and accurate clinical stroke treatment.
Classification of multiple primary lung cancer in patients with multifocal lung cancer: assessment of a machine learning approach using multidimensional genomic data
Authors: Pei Guotian , Sun Kunkun , Yang Yingshun , Wang Shuai , Li Mingwei , Ma Xiaoxue , Wang Huina , Chen Libin , Qin Jiayue , Cao Shanbo , Liu Jun , Huang Yuqing
Published: May 2024

Background

Multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) is an increasingly well-known clinical phenomenon. However, its molecular characterizations are poorly understood, and still lacks of effective method to distinguish it from intrapulmonary metastasis (IM). Herein, we propose an identification model based on molecular multidimensional analysis in order to accurately optimize treatment.

Methods

A total of 112 Chinese lung cancers harboring at least two tumors (n = 270) were enrolled. We retrospectively selected 74 patients with 121 tumor pairs and randomly divided the tumor pairs into a training cohort and a test cohort in a 7:3 ratio. A novel model was established in training cohort, optimized for MPLC identification using comprehensive genomic profiling analyzed by a broad panel with 808 cancer-related genes, and evaluated in the test cohort and a prospective validation cohort of 38 patients with 112 tumors.

Results

We found differences in molecular characterizations between the two diseases and rigorously selected the characterizations to build an identification model. We evaluated the performance of the classifier using the test cohort data and observed an 89.5% percent agreement (PA) for MPLC and a 100.0% percent agreement for IM. The model showed an excellent area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947 and a 91.3% overall accuracy. Similarly, the assay achieved a considerable performance in the independent validation set with an AUC of 0.938 and an MPLC predictive value of 100%. More importantly, the MPLC predictive value of the classification achieved 100% in both the test set and validation cohort. Compared to our previous mutation-based method, the classifier showed better κ consistencies with clinical classification among all 112 patients (0.84 vs. 0.65, p <.01).

Conclusion

These data provide novel evidence of MPLC-specific genomic characteristics and demonstrate that our one-step molecular classifier can accurately classify multifocal lung tumors as MPLC or IM, which suggested that broad panel NGS may be a useful tool for assisting with differential diagnoses.
A tale of two crises: affective polarization in Greece
Authors: Nezi Roula
Published: May 2024

Affective polarization, the strong feeling of animosity toward the supporters of the opposite party is rising in Europe. Several studies have examined the impact of ideological extremity and partisanship as a social identity on the rise of affective polarization. However, the impact of policy preferences on affective polarization remains relatively unexplored. I am at filling this gap by examining how preferences towards measures taken at addressing both the economic and the health crises impact affective polarization. Using newly collected data from Greece, a country with historically high levels of affective polarization, the analysis reveals that both policies have an impact of affective polarization but there are asymmetries on how policy preferences influence it. For the supporters of the governing conservative party, affective polarization appears to be policy-driven, whereas for the supporters of the opposition, the populist left-wing party SYRIZA, it is predominantly ideology-driven. Interestingly, the supporters of the governing party continue to align with the pro-memorandum stance even in the absence of an actual memorandum.
Negation and social avoidance in language recruits the right inferior frontal gyrus: a tDCS study
Authors: García-Marco Enrique , Nuez Trujillo Aarón , Padrón Iván , Ravelo Yennifer , Fu Yang , Marrero Hipólito
Published: May 2024

Introduction

In the process of comprehension, linguistic negation induces inhibition of negated scenarios. Numerous studies have highlighted the role of the right Inferior Frontal Gyrus (rIFG) - a key component of the inhibitory network - in negation processing. Social avoidance can be linguistically portrayed using attitudinal verbs such as “exclude” vs. “include”, which inherently carry negative connotations. Consequently, we hypothesize that the interplay between explicit negation and the implicit negativity of avoidance verbs can be modulated via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the rIFG.

Methods

In our study, sixty-four participants read approach/avoidance sentences, which were either affirmative or negative, such as “Anne included (did not include) meat in her diet” vs. “Anne excluded (did not exclude) meat in her diet”. This reading task followed a 20-minute tDCS session. The sentences were sequentially displayed, and at 1500 ms post-sentence, a verb was shown – either the one previously mentioned or its semantic alternative counterpart (e.g., included vs. excluded).

Results

Findings revealed that anodal stimulation intensifies the inhibitory impact of negation during sentence comprehension. Under anodal conditions, negative sentences led to extended reading times for the mentioned verbs compared to their affirmative counterparts, suggesting an increased inhibitory effect on the verb. Furthermore, in avoidance sentences, anodal stimulation resulted in reduced reading times for alternative verbs (e.g. “included”) in negative sentences compared to alternative verbs (e.g. “excluded”) in negated approach sentences.

Discussion

As “avoidance” is semantically equivalent to “non-approach”, the inhibitory effect of negation is primarily applied to the implicit negation: NOT EXCLUDED = NOT→NOT (INCLUDED), which consequently activates the representation of the alternative verb making it more available. We further discuss these findings in light of the rIFG’s pivotal role in processing attitudinal verbs and linguistic negation. This discussion is framed within the overarching context of the two-step model of negation processing, highlighting its significance in the realm of social communication.
A comparison of univariate and meta-analytic structural equation modeling approaches to reliability generalization applied to the Maslach Burnout Inventory
Authors: Aguayo-Estremera Raimundo , Cañadas-De la Fuente Gustavo R. , Ariza Tania , Ortega-Campos Elena , Gómez-Urquiza José Luis , Romero-Béjar José Luís , De la Fuente-Solana Emilia I.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Reliability is a property of tests scores that varies from sample to sample. One way of generalizing reliability of a test is to perform a meta-analysis on some reliability estimator. In 2011, a reliability generalization meta-analysis on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was conducted, concluding that average alpha values for the MBI dimensions ranged from 0.71 to 0.88. In the present study, we aimed to update the average reliability values of the MBI by conducting a literature search from 2010 until now and comparing to statistical procedures of meta-analysis: the Univariate approach, that were used in the previous study, and a novel meta-analytic approach based on structural equation modeling.

Method

An estimation of average reliability was done based on 69 independent primary reliability coefficients for the Univariate approach. The average reliability was based on 9 independent studies in the case of the Meta-analytic Structural Equation Modeling (MASEM) approach. Given that MASEM has the additional capability of testing the internal structure of a test, we also fitted several models.

Results

The data was well-suited to the bifactor model, revealing the dominance of the general factor over the domain-specific ones. Acceptable overall alpha and omega coefficients were achieved for the two of the MBI dimensions, having depersonalization reliability estimates below recommendations.

Discussion

In general, the MBI can be viewed as a highly interconnected three-factor scale, being its appropriate for research purposes.
Bored to death: Artificial Intelligence research reveals the role of boredom in suicide behavior
Authors: Lissak Shir , Ophir Yaakov , Tikochinski Refael , Brunstein Klomek Anat , Sisso Itay , Fruchter Eyal , Reichart Roi
Published: May 2024

Background

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributed significantly to suicide assessment, however, our theoretical understanding of this complex behavior is still limited.

Objective

This study aimed to harness AI methodologies to uncover hidden risk factors that trigger or aggravate suicide behaviors.

Methods

The primary dataset included 228,052 Facebook postings by 1,006 users who completed the gold-standard Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. This dataset was analyzed using a bottom-up research pipeline without a-priory hypotheses and its findings were validated using a top-down analysis of a new dataset. This secondary dataset included responses by 1,062 participants to the same suicide scale as well as to well-validated scales measuring depression and boredom.

Results

An almost fully automated, AI-guided research pipeline resulted in four Facebook topics that predicted the risk of suicide, of which the strongest predictor was boredom. A comprehensive literature review using APA PsycInfo revealed that boredom is rarely perceived as a unique risk factor of suicide. A complementing top-down path analysis of the secondary dataset uncovered an indirect relationship between boredom and suicide, which was mediated by depression. An equivalent mediated relationship was observed in the primary Facebook dataset as well. However, here, a direct relationship between boredom and suicide risk was also observed.

Conclusion

Integrating AI methods allowed the discovery of an under-researched risk factor of suicide. The study signals boredom as a maladaptive ‘ingredient’ that might trigger suicide behaviors, regardless of depression. Further studies are recommended to direct clinicians’ attention to this burdening, and sometimes existential experience.
Thermodynamics, thermal performance and climate change: temperature regimes for bumblebee (Bombus spp.) colonies as examples of superorganisms
Authors: Kevan Peter G. , Rasmont Pierre , Martinet Baptiste
Published: May 2024

Evidence is widespread that many species of Bombus are in population and biogeographical decline in response to adverse effects of global climate warming. The complex interactions of the mechanisms at the root of the declines are poorly understood. Among the numerous factors, we posit that heat stress in the nests could play a key role in the decline of bumblebee species. The similarity of the optimum temperature range in incubating nests is remarkable, about 28–32 °C regardless of species from the cold High Arctic to tropical environments indicates that the optimal temperature for rearing of brood in Bombus spp. is a characteristic common to bumblebees (perhaps a synapomorphy) and with limited evolutionary plasticity. We do note that higher brood rearing temperature for the boreal and Arctic species that have been tested is stressfully high when compared with that for B. terrestris. The Thermal Neutral Zone (TNZ), temperatures over which metabolic expenditure is minimal to maintain uniform nest temperatures, has not been studied in Bombus and may differ between species and biogeographic conditions. That heat stress is more serious than chilling is illustrated by the Thermal Performance Curve Relationship (TPC) (also sometimes considered as a Thermal Tolerance Relationship). The TPC indicates that development and activity increase more slowly as conditions become warmer until reaching a plateau of the range of temperatures over which rates of activity do not change markedly. After that, activity rates decline rapidly, and death ensues. The TPC has not been studied in eusocial bees except Apis dorsata but may differ between species and biogeographic conditions. The importance of the TPC and the TNZ indicates that environmental temperatures in and around bumblebee nests (which have been rarely studied especially in the contexts of nest architecture and substrate thermal characteristics) are factors central to understanding the adverse effects of heat stress and climatic warming on bumblebee populations, health, and biogeographical decline.
Crop insurance, factor allocation, and farmers’ income: evidence from Chinese pear farmers
Authors: Cha Jianping , Deng Yashan , Zheng Shaofeng , Li Feifei
Published: May 2024

Crop insurance, as a crucial tool for agricultural risk management, holds significant importance in increasing farmers’ income. This study analyzed the intrinsic relationship and mechanism between crop insurance, factor allocation, and pear farmers’ income. Using field survey data from 1,337 pear farmers in Xixian and Weixian counties in China, we employed OLS regression models and mediation effect models to empirically investigate the direct and indirect impacts of crop insurance on pear farmers’ income. Additionally, we examined the moderating role of agricultural cooperatives and group heterogeneity. The research findings revealed the following: (1) Although crop insurance increases agricultural expenses, it mitigates income losses due to disasters, ultimately leading to a net increase in pear farmers’ income. (2) Crop insurance enhances agricultural labor and machinery inputs, and encourages pear farmers to adopt green production techniques, thereby boosting their income. (3) The beneficial impact of crop insurance on pear farmers’ income is even more pronounced when farmers are members of cooperatives. (4) Heterogeneity analysis showed that for pear farmers who make individual decisions and have smaller land areas, crop insurance can increase their income, while its impact on farmers who make group decisions or have larger land areas is not significant. In conclusion, this study proposes to promote the development of crop insurance, deepen factor market-oriented reforms, support and guide the development of cooperatives, and pay attention to the heterogeneity among different groups of farmers.
Development and evaluation of inactivated vaccines incorporating a novel Senecavirus A strain-based Immunogen and various adjuvants in mice
Authors: Wang Bingliang , Gao Fei , Hu Ruijie , Huyan Hanrong , Wang Gaili , Cao Zezhao , Zhao Yue , Lu Huijun , Song Deguang , Gao Feng , He Wenqi , Lan Yungang
Published: May 2024

Porcine idiopathic vesicular disease (PIVD), one of several clinically indistinguishable vesicular diseases of pigs, is caused by the emerging pathogen Senecavirus A (SVA). Despite the widespread prevalence of porcine SVA infection, no effective commercial vaccines for PIVD prevention and control are available, due to high costs associated with vaccine testing in pigs, considerable SVA diversity, and SVA rapid evolution. In this study, SVA CH/JL/2022 (OP562896), a novel mutant SVA strain derived from an isolate obtained from a pig farm in Jilin Province, China, was inactivated then combined with four adjuvants, MONTANIDETM GEL02 PR (GEL 02), MONTANIDETM ISA 201 VG (ISA 201), MONTANIDETM IMG 1313 VG N (IMS1313), or Rehydragel LV (LV). The resulting inactivated SVA CH/JL/2022 vaccines were assessed for efficacy in mice and found to induce robust in vivo lymphocyte proliferation responses and strong IgG1, IgG2a, and neutralizing antibody responses with IgG2a/IgG1 ratios of <1. Furthermore, all vaccinated groups exhibited significantly higher levels of serum cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IFN as compared to unvaccinated mice. These results indicate that all vaccines elicited both Th1 and Th2 responses, with Th2 responses predominating. Moreover, vaccinated mice exhibited enhanced resistance to SVA infection, as evidenced by reduced viral RNA levels and SVA infection-induced histopathological changes. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the SVA-GEL vaccine induced more robust immunological responses in mice than did the other three vaccines, thus highlighting the potential of SVA-GEL to serve an effective tool for preventing and controlling SVA infection.
Effects of herbal dregs supplementation of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Isatidis Radix residues improved production performance and gut microbiota abundance in late-phase laying hens
Authors: Li Zhaonian , Ma Ning , Gong Xincheng , Shi Wanyu , Meng Xianhua , Yan Jingjiao , Zhao Zhiqiang , Li Jiefeng
Published: May 2024

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of a mixture of Chinese medicinal residues (CMRs) consisting of Salvia miltiorrhiza residues (SMR) and Isatidis Radix residues (IRR) on productive performance, egg quality, serum lipid and hormone levels, liver and blood antioxidant capacity, oviduct inflammation levels, and gut microbiota in the late-laying stage. A total of 288 fifty-four-week-old BaShang long-tailed hens were divided into four groups. The feed trial period was 8 weeks. The control group was fed the basic diet as a CCMR group, supplemented with 3, 4, and 6% for the experimental groups LCMR, MCMR, and HCMR. The egg production rate of the MCMR group was 8.1% higher than that of the CCMR group (p < 0.05). Serum triglyceride (TG) levels of hens of the CMR-supplemented group were significantly decreased than those of the CCMR group (p < 0.05). The group supplemented with different levels of CMR had significantly higher serum HDL-C levels compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were remarkably increased for the LCMR and MCMR groups and significantly decreased for the HCMR group compared to CCMR (p < 0.05). Serum and liver glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities were significantly increased, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly decreased in the MCMR group compared to the CCMR group (p < 0.05). The expression levels of tubal inflammatory factor markers (IL-4, IL-1β, TNF-α) in the MCMR and HCMR groups were consistent with the pathological findings of the sections. As for cecal microbiota, supplementation with CMR affected the alpha diversity of the cecum microbiome at the genus level. The Shannon index was significantly higher in the MCMR group than in the CCMR and HCMR groups (p < 0.05). Supplementation with different levels of CMR mainly regulated the ratio of intestinal Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and the abundance of phyla such as Proteobacteria. In addition, CMR supplementation at different levels in the diet enriched lipid-metabolizing bacteria, such as Bacteroides and Ruminococcus_gnavus_group. Furthermore, according to linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis, the MCMR group showed an increase in the number of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria Romboutsia and fiber-degrading specialized bacteria Monoglobus. Therefore, supplementation of appropriate amounts of CMR to the diet of laying hens enhanced reproductive hormone levels, hepatic antioxidant capacity, and lipid metabolism, alleviated the levels of oviductal inflammatory factors, and modulated the abundance structure of bacterial flora to improve the late-laying performance and egg quality. The results of the current study showed that CMR is a beneficial feed supplement for chickens when added in moderation.
Patent Mining on the Use of Antioxidant Phytochemicals in the Technological Development for the Prevention and Treatment of Periodontitis
Authors: Juiz Paulo José Lima , Ferreira Luiza Teles Barbalho , Pires Edilson Araújo , Villarreal Cristiane Flora
Published: May 2024

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition characterized by an aberrant immune response against a dysbiotic dental biofilm, with oxidative stress performing an essential role in its pathogenesis. This paper presents a patent mining, performed in the Orbit Intelligence patent database, related to antioxidant phytochemicals in the technological developments that are working to prevent and treat periodontal disease. To access the documents, the descriptors “PERIODONTAL” and “ANTIOXIDANT” were typed in the title, abstract, and claim search fields. A total of 322 patents demonstrate the growing interest in researching natural antioxidants for scientific and technological purposes. The top ten countries regarding the number of family patents produced were the United States, the European Office, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Mexico, Denmark, Canada, and Great Britain. The most cited compounds were vitamin C, green tea, quercetin, melatonin, lycopene, resveratrol, and curcumin. These compounds have been used for the technological development of gels, membranes, dentifrices, chewing gum, orally disintegrating film, mouthwash, mouth spray, and mouth massage cream and exhibit the ability to neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, a critical factor in the development and progression of periodontal diseases. The patent documents have shown that using antioxidant compounds in conjunction with traditional periodontal treatments is a promising area of interest in periodontal therapy.
Context-Aware System for Information Flow Management in Factories of the Future
Authors: Monteiro Pedro , Pereira Rodrigo , Nunes Ricardo , Reis Arsénio , Pinto Tiago
Published: May 2024

The trends of the 21st century are challenging the traditional production process due to the reduction in the life cycle of products and the demand for more complex products in greater quantities. Industry 4.0 (I4.0) was introduced in 2011 and it is recognized as the fourth industrial revolution, with the aim of improving manufacturing processes and increasing the competitiveness of industry. I4.0 uses technological concepts such as Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things and Cloud Computing to create services, reduce costs and increase productivity. In addition, concepts such as Smart Factories are emerging, which use context awareness to assist people and optimize tasks based on data from the physical and virtual world. This article explores and applies the capabilities of context-aware applications in industry, with a focus on production lines. In specific, this paper proposes a context-aware application based on a microservices approach, intended for integration into a context-aware information system, with specific application in the area of manufacturing. The manuscript presents a detailed architecture for structuring the application, explaining components, functions and contributions. The discussion covers development technologies, integration and communication between the application and other services, as well as experimental findings, which demonstrate the applicability and advantages of the proposed solution.
Enhanced Moving Source Localization with Time and Frequency Difference of Arrival: Motion-Assisted Method for Sub-Dimensional Sensor Networks
Authors: Yang Xu
Published: May 2024

Localizing a moving source by Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) commonly requires at least N+1 sensors in N-dimensional space to obtain more than N pairs of TDOAs and FDOAs, thereby establishing more than 2N equations to solve for 2N unknowns. However, if there are insufficient sensors, the localization problem will become underdetermined, leading to non-unique solutions or inaccuracies in the minimum norm solution. This paper proposes a localization method using TDOAs and FDOAs while incorporating the motion model. The motion between the source and sensors increases the equivalent length of the baseline, thereby improving observability even when using the minimum number of sensors. The problem is formulated as a Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and solved through Gauss–Newton (GN) iteration. Since GN requires an initialization close to the true value, the MLE is transformed into a semidefinite programming problem using Semidefinite Relaxation (SDR) technology, while SDR results in a suboptimal estimate, it is sufficient as an initialization to guarantee the convergence of GN iteration. The proposed method is analytically shown to reach the Cramér–Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) accuracy under mild noise conditions. Simulation results confirm that it achieves CRLB-level performance when the number of sensors is lower than N+1, thereby corroborating the theoretical analysis.
Perception versus Historical Knowledge in Baccalaureate: A Comparative Study Mediated by Augmented Reality and Historical Thinking
Authors: López-García Alejandro , Maquilón-Sánchez Javier J. , Miralles-Sánchez Pedro
Published: May 2024

Numerous studies have shown that a traditional model persists in the teaching of history, in which students are not allowed to think for themselves and are assigned a passive role based on the mere memorisation of information. This reality is in opposition to the technological and technical boom taking place in the current educational context and to the enhancement of innovative strategies and methodologies that mark the role that students must occupy as protagonists of their own learning. This paper aims to compare the perceptions and historical knowledge of 93 baccalaureate students (16–18 years of age) following the implementation of an intervention programme based on active learning situations mediated by augmented reality and historical thinking skills. A quasi-experimental quantitative design with a non-equivalent control group was employed to meet these objectives. The results showed higher scores in the perception and knowledge of students in the experimental group compared with those in the control group. This line of work should be continued in the future with new studies to corroborate these findings, prioritising pedagogical models based on student activity and protagonism via the use of technology and critical thinking.
Modelling Human Hair Follicles—Lessons from Animal Models and Beyond
Authors: Tan Chew Teng , Lim Chin Yan , Lay Kenneth
Published: May 2024

The hair follicle is a specialized appendage of the skin that is critical for multiple functions, including thermoregulation, immune surveillance, and sebum production. Mammals are born with a fixed number of hair follicles that develop embryonically. Postnatally, these hair follicles undergo regenerative cycles of regression and growth that recapitulate many of the embryonic signaling pathways. Furthermore, hair cycles have a direct impact on skin regeneration in homeostasis, cutaneous wound healing, and disease conditions such as alopecia. Here, we review the current knowledge of hair follicle formation during embryonic development and the post-natal hair cycle, with an emphasis on the molecular signaling pathways underlying these processes. We then discuss efforts to capitalize on the field’s understanding of in vivo mechanisms to bioengineer hair follicles or hair-bearing skin in vitro and how such models may be further improved to develop strategies for hair regeneration.
High-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid Can Be Used as a Food Additive to Improve the Symptoms of Persistent Inflammation, Immunosuppression and Catabolism Syndrome (PICS)
Authors: Jiang Yuanyuan , Jiang Ye , Li Lu , Liu Xiangyu , Hou Xiaoming , Wang Wenfei
Published: May 2024

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a new functional food additive which has the potential to ameliorate persistent inflammation, immunosuppression and catabolism syndrome (PICS), but the biological effects of HA with various molecular weights differ dramatically. To systematically investigate the efficacy of HA in altering PICS symptoms, medium-molecular-weight (MMW) HA was specifically selected to test its intervention effect on a PICS mouse model induced by CLP through oral administration, with high-molecular-weight (HMW) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) HA also participating in the experimental validation process. The results of pathological observations and gut flora showed that MMW HA rapidly alleviated lung lesions and intestinal structural changes in PICS mice in the short term. However, although long-term MMW HA administration significantly reduced the proportions of harmful bacteria in gut flora, inflammatory responses in the intestines and lungs of PICS mice were significantly higher in the MMW HA group than in the HMW HA and LMW HA groups. The use of HMW HA not only rapidly reduced the mortality rate of PICS mice but also improved their grip strength and the recovery of spleen and thymus indices. Furthermore, it consistently promoted the recovery of lung and intestinal tissues in PICS mice, and it also assisted in the sustained restoration of their gut microbiota. These effects were superior to those of LMW HA and MMW HA. The experimental results indicate that HMW weight HA has the greatest potential to be an adjunct in alleviating PICS as a food additive, while the safety of other HAs requires further attention.
4-Hydroxy-1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3: Synthesis and Structure–Function Study
Authors: Peluso-Iltis Carole , Pierrat Noé , Rovito Daniela , Osz Judit , Sawada Daisuke , Kittaka Atsushi , Laverny Gilles , Rochel Natacha
Published: May 2024

The active vitamin D metabolites, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25D3) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3), are produced by successive hydroxylation steps and play key roles in several cellular processes. However, alternative metabolic pathways exist, and among them, the 4-hydroxylation of 25D3 is a major one. This study aims to investigate the structure–activity relationships of 4-hydroxy derivatives of 1,25D3. Structural analysis indicates that 1,4α,25(OH)3D3 and 1,4β,25(OH)3D3 maintain the anchoring hydrogen bonds of 1,25D3 and form additional interactions, stabilizing the active conformation of VDR. In addition, 1,4α,25D3 and 1,4β,25D3 are as potent as 1,25D3 in regulating the expression of VDR target genes in rat intestinal epithelial cells and in the mouse kidney. Moreover, these two 4-hydroxy derivatives promote hypercalcemia in mice at a dose similar to that of the parent compound.
Developmental Profile in Children Aged 3–6 Years: Down Syndrome vs. Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: López Resa Patricia , Moraleda Sepúlveda Esther
Published: May 2024

This research aims to compare the developmental profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down Syndrome (DS) between the ages of 3 and 6 years. The study examines whether these developmental disorders share common developmental milestones or exhibit distinctive characteristics. A total of 43 children, 23 with DS and 20 with ASD, participated in the study. Cognitive and language skills were assessed using standardized tools, including the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Reynell Developmental Language Scales III, and NEPSY-II battery. The results indicated that children with ASD outperformed children with DS in the areas of fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and communication. Additionally, children with ASD demonstrated higher scores in language comprehension and expressive language, compared to children with DS. Significant correlations were found between motor skills and communication abilities. Neuropsychological evaluations revealed significant differences between the two groups in various tasks, such as the comprehension of instructions, body part naming and identification, and recognition of emotions. These findings contribute to our understanding of the similarities and differences between ASD and DS, shedding light on the dissociation between cognition and language and its impact on adaptive functioning in these populations.
Interventional Treatments of Colorectal Liver Metastases Using Thermal Ablation and Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Single-Center Experience over 26 Years
Authors: Vogl Thomas J. , Freichel Jason , Gruber-Rouh Tatjana , Nour-Eldin Nour-Eldin Abdelrehim , Bechstein Wolf-Otto , Zeuzem Stefan , Naguib Nagy N. N. , Stefenelli Ulrich , Adwan Hamzah
Published: May 2024

The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term results of different locoregional treatments for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM), including transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) and microwave ablation (MWA). A total of 2140 patients with CRLM treated at our department between 1993 and 2020 were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into the following groups: LITT (573 patients; median age: 62 years), TACE + LITT (346 patients; median age: 62 years), MWA (67 patients; median age: 59 years), TACE + MWA (152 patients; median age: 65 years), and TACE (1002 patients; median age: 62 years). Median survival was 1.9 years in the LITT group and 1.7 years in the TACE + LITT group. The median survival times in the MWA group and TACE + MWA group were 3.1 years and 2.1 years, respectively. The median survival in the TACE group was 0.8 years. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 77%, 27%, and 9% in the LITT group and 74%, 18%, and 5% in the TACE + LITT group, respectively. The corresponding survival rates were 80%, 55%, and 33% in the MWA group, 74%, 36%, and 20% in the TACE + MWA group and 37%, 3%, and 0% in the TACE group, respectively. The long-term results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of locoregional treatments in treating patients with CRLM. The longest survival was found in the MWA group, followed by the combination therapy of TACE and MWA.
Minimizing the Number of Distrustful Nodes on the Path of IP Packet Transmission
Authors: Obelovska Kvitoslava , Tkachuk Oleksandr , Snaichuk Yaromyr
Published: May 2024

One of the important directions for improving modern Wide Area Networks is efficient and secure packet routing. Efficient routing is often based on using the shortest paths, while ensuring security involves preventing the possibility of packet interception. The work is devoted to improving the security of data transmission in IP networks. A new approach is proposed to minimize the number of distrustful nodes on the path of IP packet transmission. By a distrustful node, we mean a node that works correctly in terms of hardware and software and fully implements its data transport functions, but from the point of view of its organizational subordination, we are not sure that the node will not violate security rules to prevent unauthorized access and interception of data. A distrustful node can be either a transit or an end node. To implement this approach, we modified Dijkstra’s shortest path tree construction algorithm. The modified algorithm ensures that we obtain a path that will pass only through trustful nodes, if such a path exists. If there is no such path, the path will have the minimum possible number of distrustful intermediate nodes. The number of intermediate nodes in the path was used as a metric to obtain the shortest path trees. Routing tables of routers, built on the basis of trees obtained using a modified algorithm, provide increased security of data transmission, minimizing the use of distrustful nodes.
DNA Quantity and Quality Comparisons between Cryopreserved and FFPE Tumors from Matched Pan-Cancer Samples
Authors: Okojie Jeffrey , O’Neal Nikole , Burr Mackenzie , Worley Peyton , Packer Isaac , Anderson DeLaney , Davis Jack , Kearns Bridger , Fatema Kaniz , Dixon Ken , Barrott Jared J.
Published: May 2024

Personalized cancer care requires molecular characterization of neoplasms. While the research community accepts frozen tissues as the gold standard analyte for molecular assays, the source of tissue for testing in clinical cancer care comes almost universally from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). As newer technologies emerge for DNA characterization that requires higher molecular weight DNA, it was necessary to compare the quality of DNA in terms of DNA length between FFPE and cryopreserved samples. We hypothesized that cryopreserved samples would yield higher quantity and superior quality DNA compared to FFPE samples. We analyzed DNA metrics by performing a head-to-head comparison between FFPE and cryopreserved samples from 38 human tumors representing various cancer types. DNA quantity and purity were measured by UV spectrophotometry, and DNA from cryopreserved tissue demonstrated a 4.2-fold increase in DNA yield per mg of tissue (p-value < 0.001). DNA quality was measured on a fragment microelectrophoresis analyzer, and again, DNA from cryopreserved tissue demonstrated a 223% increase in the DNA quality number and a 9-fold increase in DNA fragments > 40,000 bp (p-value < 0.0001). DNA from the cryopreserved tissues was superior to the DNA from FFPE samples in terms of DNA yield and quality.
Evaluation of Unsolicited Feedback from Patients with Cancer and Their Families as a Strategy to Improve Cancer Care Delivery
Authors: Fallah Parvaneh , Clemons Lucas , Bradbury Michelle , Vandermeer Lisa , Clemons Mark , Renaud Julie , Savard Marie-France
Published: May 2024

Background: Unsolicited patient feedback (compliments and complaints) should allow the healthcare system to address and improve individual and overall patient, family, and staff experiences. We evaluated feedback at a tertiary cancer centre to identify potential areas for optimizing care delivery. Methods: unsolicited feedback submitted to the Patient Relations Department, relating to the Divisions of Medical and Radiation Oncology, at the Ottawa Hospital, was analyzed. Results: Of 580 individual reports submitted from 2016 to 2022, patient demographics were available for 97% (563/580). Median patient age was 65 years (range 17–101), and 53% (301/563) were female. The most common cancer types were breast (127/545, 23%) and gastrointestinal (119/545, 22%) malignancies, and most (64%, 311/486) patients had metastatic disease. Feedback was submitted mainly by patients (291/579, 50%), and predominantly negative (489/569, 86%). The main reasons for complaints included: communication (29%, 162/566) and attitude/conduct of care (28%, 159/566). While feedback rates were initially stable, an increase occurred from 2019 to 2021. Conclusions: Unsolicited feedback remains mostly negative, and relates to physician communication. If we are to drive meaningful changes in care delivery, more standardized means of assessing feedback and implementation strategies are needed. In addition, in an era of increased healthcare provider burnout, strategies to enhance formal positive feedback are also warranted.
Optimizing Access to Unrelated Donors in Canada: Re-Examining the Importance of Donor Factors on Outcomes Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Authors: Parmar Gaganvir , Seftel Matthew D. , Ganz Kathy , Blake John , Holovati Jelena L. , Allan David S.
Published: May 2024

HLA-matched allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for many patients. Unrelated HLA-matched donors are the most frequently used donor for HCT. When more than one donor transplant option is available, transplant centers can select donors based on non-HLA factors. With improved ability to prevent and treat immune complications, such as graft-versus-host disease and infections, it may be possible to proceed more often using HLA-mismatched donors, allowing greater consideration of non-HLA factors, such as donor age, CMV serostatus, and ABO blood group matching, which have demonstrated important impacts on transplant outcomes. Additional factors to consider are donor availability rates and the usage of domestic donors to optimize outcomes. A review of non-HLA factors and considerations on the selection of optimal unrelated donors for HCT are provided within this updated current context.